I moved to Whidbey Island in 1992. I had come yearly to teach workshops for the Coupeville Arts Center since the mid 1980s and fell in love with Whidbey.

All of us who live here are aware of how lucky we are to have clean air and water, farmland and ocean vistas, low levels of crime and traffic congestion, and a constructive, involved, caring community. I have watched Island County government wrestle with the conflict between growth and conservation, and I know there are no easy answers. While I would like to keep every free space from being developed so that we all continue to enjoy every resource we currently enjoy, I know that is not possible.

For this reason, I am extremely grateful for the work that Angie Homola has done to balance economic and environmental issues. In difficult times, she has succeeded in achieving a balanced budget, increasing employment opportunities, and promoting energy and resource conservation.

Knowing that Angie has been on the Board of Commissioners has given me new optimism about the future of Island County. We need to keep her there.

– Madelyn van der Hoogt

Coupeville