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Governor signs Bailey's bill
to add lost islands to Island County
It took 153 years, but
some forgotten islands in the Deception Pass area and offshore of
Whidbey Island will soon be part of Island County following today’s
signature of House Bill 2908 by Gov. Christine Gregoire.
The measure, prime-sponsored by
Rep. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor, adds
Strawberry Island, Baby Island, Minor Island and Kalamut Island in state
law to Island County. It also corrects the name of Ure’s Island in
statute to Ben Ure Island, and Smith’s Island to Smith Island.
Bailey sponsored the bill
at the request of Coupeville resident Roger Sherman. While researching
maritime history, Sherman had discovered that some islands were mis-named
in the state law which created Island County, and others were omitted
altogether.
"As Mr. Sherman brought this to me, we began to research the history of
Island County. The oversight dates all the way back to January 6, 1853,
before Washington became a territory or a state, when the Oregon
Territorial Legislature first created Island County. The islands
remained lost again when the Washington Territorial Legislature formed
the county boundaries in 1867. And then as the law was modified four
other times, the last in 1891 just two years after Washington had become
a state, the islands were still omitted," said Bailey.
Bailey noted that the
measure is a good example of how one constituent can make a difference
by becoming involved in the legislative process.
"This would have never been corrected had it not been for Roger Sherman
bringing it to my attention," noted Bailey. "After all these years,
we’ve finally brought the Baby home – Baby Island, that is. And with it
comes Minor, Kalamut and Strawberry islands. The governor’s signature on
this bill provides a happy reunion for these islands, officially
bringing them all together in state statute under Island County."
Both Rep. Barbara Bailey and Coupeville
resident Roger Sherman watched
as the governor affixed her signature to HB 2908.
# # #
For more information, contact:
John
Handy, Assistant Director: (360) 786-5758
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