BY NED LUCE

Firstly, Happy Valentine’s Day! Enjoy the chocolates in your life.

Monte Reinders and Dale Brownfield from the Department of Public Works for Jefferson County gave a recent presentation to the East Jefferson Rotary Club describing the responsibilities and challenges they have serving the county’s residents. They made it clear that they repair potholes on 397 miles of county roads. Frankly, they and Willie Nelson are getting us back on the road again. Reinders and Brownfield pointed out that they have no responsibility to repair any roads in the city of Port Townsend. The county roads hold almost 2,600 bridges and culverts. You do the math: That comes out to more than six bridges or culverts per mile. Some of that work is minor maintenance, but it still means they have a significant workload.

The department provides pavement preservation and patching, signs, grading, vegetation management, snow and ice control, storm response, culvert maintenance, and more. Does vegetation management mean they can pick the blackberries?

They do all this work in the face of declining revenues. A portion of our growing property taxes, the road levy, provides $4.1 million but is limited by state law to no more than a one percent annual increase, in spite of costs rising much faster.

Other regular revenues include $1.4 million from the gas tax, which has been decreasing the last few years. Could it be the rising number of non-gas burning electric vehicles is contributing to that reduction? The $0.6 million in timber tax was almost three times that amount in 2010. There are additional funds available for special projects like fish barrier removal, but it is clear the department has a significant job and faces resource challenges to be successful. These are good guys doing increasingly important work.  

Last week, the Discovery Bay Wild Bird Rescue was the program at the monthly Dine and Discover pot luck dinner in the Bay Club. Executive Director Cynthia Daily started this group in 1994 in Port Townsend, hoping to engage people and elevate interest in bird populations. The group wants to inspire stewardship and conservation through education, rehabilitation, and the release of previously injured or orphaned wild birds. They rescue, rehabilitate, and release hundreds of wild birds each year.

Daily and two of her colleagues brought and displayed two owls, two hawks, and a falcon. All five of the birds were unable to be released to the wild for reasons of permanent injury or disability, but they were all beautiful specimens. Ruby the Red Hawk seemed to be the crowd favorite with her stunning colors. I was pleased they did not bring any crows or sea gulls. 

Last Saturday the Good Company Electro Swing Band kept the Bay Club rocking with 1920s and ‘30s jazz tunes imbued with the electronic musical tastes of today. You missed it? Check them out on YouTube and you won’t be able to sit still as they create a whole new type of dance party.   

Regular readers might recall that BJ and I went to a concert by the Sequim City Band a while back at the Field Arts and Event Hall in Port Angeles. The band is coming back March 17 and bringing the Navy Band Northwest with them. Normally this column deals with events we have enjoyed in the past — but the venue is exceptional and the performance promises to be a wonderful Sunday afternoon entertainment. Reservations are free, but you should take them up on the option to make a donation.

Quite a football game over the weekend. How about them Chiefs! Love a curmudgeon and have a great Valentine’s Day.

Contact Ned Luce at ned@ptleader.com.