I have just finished reading the Whidbey News-Times (Oct. 13) article concerning Dean Enell being a board member of Whidbey Environmental Action Network (WEAN), a group that advocated the closing of Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. The article states that WEAN cofounder Marianne Edain and board member Dean Enell, who is currently running for the office of District 1 Island County Commissioner, remember the issue differently or were not aware of WEAN’s stance on the matter.

I have obtained a copy of the letter addressed to the Base Realignment and Closure Commissioner (BRAC), signed by WEAN, stating among other things, “many people on Whidbey are fed up with the Navy’s Superfund toxic waste dumps poisoning the environment, the aerial dumping of jet fuel killing the forests on Central Whidbey … (and) the overwhelming militarization of North Whidbey, with its attendant distortion of social and cultural values …”

NAS Whidbey provides more than 10,000 jobs locally, has a pharmacy and hospital used by hundreds of retirees, a HAZMAT response team available to lend assistance, should the community ever need it, such as a major gas or oil spill, and a search and rescue department utilized by the entire state of Washington. More than 70 percent of the economic activity on Whidbey comes from NAS Whidbey.

For a very active co-founder and board member to state they do not remember or didn’t know of WEAN’s stance on the serious issue of supporting the shut down of Island County’s major economic engine, I find incredulous.

I have worked my entire 12 years as District 2 Island County Commissioner to ensure the NAS Whidbey does not close. During those same 12 years, Mike Shelton, as District 1 Island County Commissioner, has been a steadfast supporter to retain NAS Whidbey.

I strongly urge your support for the re-election of Mike Shelton as District 1 County Commissioner.

Mac McDowell

District 2 Commissioner

Oak Harbor