In the early 1990s San Juan County was inundated with the high pitched whine of jet skis. Because the noise travelled so far it didn’t take many of them to impact the peace of our shorelines. Imagine standing on Iceberg Point while a jet ski roared around offshore. So many of us were dismayed that the fun of a few people could destroy the peace of so many. Rhea Miller, the Lopez/Decatur County Commissioner at the time, and Randy Gaylord, the County Prosecutor, worked together to create a legal ban of jet skis. At the time the Prosecutor’s office was staffed with three people and had minimal funding, yet they were able to get the ban done, despite opposition by a well funded national jet ski association. They had to go all the way to the State Supreme Court to do so. They created a precedent allowing other municipalities across the country to follow suit. It is easy to forget or not know about an action that restored peace and quiet, that brought us back to the way things should be. Our enjoyment of the Salish Sea would be so different without Randy and Rhea’s vision.

You can thank Randy for the jet ski ban, and for the creation of our Lopez community controlled dump, his work for land preservation, whale protection, and for opening the door for green burials, by voting for him in the upcoming election. He has the experience, dedication and desire to support our values. We know what we are getting.

Marty Clark