Editor,

A recent letter to editor stated, “Board of Directors of Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve thanks Ken Pickard, our first president and one of our founders in 2012, for his ability to organize us and to speak out when others would not.”

I submit there are more than just Ken Pickard to thank, i.e., those who provided the money used by Pickard in COER’s efforts to get rid of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.

COER has never won a favorable decision in any of their acts to get rid of NAS Whidbey.

Their raising of funds for continued efforts to get rid of the Navy is of no concern to COER.

Ken Pickard and his family trust received, several years back, a couple million dollars in conservation futures from Island County Commissioners Angie Homola and Helen Price-Johnson. Pickard stated at that time he would spend all of it to close OLF Coupeville.

He must have some of the millions of county taxpayer conservation futures funds left. Obviously he hasn’t spent all of the county taxpayer dollars the commissioners gave him years ago.

Bill Strowbridge

Oak Harbor