Editor,

I and many of my neighbors wish to thank Sheriff Rick Felici, the Island Sheriff’s Office and Island County Public Works Department for cleaning up and restoring the Taylor Road “dump site.” And now for their continuing massive cleanup of the Hoffman Road “homes” as this massive garbage dump was referred by a writer to Whidbey News-Times letters the editor on Dec. 2.

It is one thing to live in one’s vehicle if you’re down on your luck, hopefully temporarily, keeping the site clean and yet quite another to create an absolutely unsightly and unsanitary out-of-control garbage dump. This was not a “brutal” operation, as the writer referred, as it was preceded by offers of help by Human Services only to be turned down by most. Thank you also to the firefighters who also responded to four trailer fires before they got out of control. Efforts of all concerned are greatly appreciated.

Fred Stilwell

Oak Harbor