FROM THE PRESIDENT
By Dick Knight

Moving Ahead with McElroy Slough

There is definitely something in the saying “never give up”. I was about ready to write off the McElroy Slough project as a good try when the Community of Blanchard decided not to give up. On August 1st 2005, the Board of County Commissioners signed a resolution to move forward with the project. In addition, the Salmon Recovery Funding Board extended the contract into 2006 to allow this all to happen.

I would like to take this opportunity to give thanks to the groups that made this all happen. Without the SRFB’s extension, this would not be happening so thanks go to them. Thanks very much to the Commissioners for putting forth a resolution and moving forward with the project. Thanks to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for working with the county on issues concerning the McElroy project and the Edison Slough tide gates. I know there where many meetings between the WDFW people in Mill Creek and the county in an effort to break the logjam of issues. The Skagit County Department of Public Works get thanks for working through the technical aspects of the projects.

Back in 2002, a hold was put on the project by the county so more modeling data could be generated. The Montgomery Water Group was contracted to do this work. I think they did an outstanding job in explaining the results of this work to the community at a few community meetings. It was clear to the community that that this project would be a good project for flood control and for the fish. I know I missed many other people involved in getting this project on the ground and I hope each one will forgive me for not mentioning them individually. You all know who you are and my thanks go to all of you.

Finally, the biggest thanks should go to the people in Blanchard who just persevered and continued to push this project to the forefront over the years. This project was in its development stage back in the early 1990’s and then to be finally on the ground in 2006 is a very good example of “never give up”.