For the fifth consecutive year, the Fisherman Bay Sewer District received the “Wastewater Treatment Plant Outstanding Performance Award” from the State Department of Ecology. Out of 300 plants statewide, Lopez’ District is one of only 107 that achieved full compliance in 2012.
“It takes diligent operators and a strong management team, working effectively together, to achieve this high level of compliance,” said Kelly Susewind, Water Quality Program Manager for the DOE. “It’s not easy to operate a waste water treatment plant 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, without violations.”
Staff at the District attributes the plant’s proficiency last year primarily to the dedication of Superintendent Geoff Holmes. Holmes had a decade of experience as well as an intuitive understanding of the processes that turned the District around from frequent non-compliance in the 1990’s to its recent award-winning status. He retired in January, handing off the role of Superintendent to District Operations Manager, Chris Arnold.
In domino-like fashion, Arnold hired Monico Mackinnon to head up District Operations and asked Ande Finley to step in as District Clerk when Peggy Gordon left due to illness.
“We’ve got a brand-new team who are learning the ropes pretty quickly and working together well,” Arnold reports. “We’re coming up with some new ideas to try out in the coming months.”
Now that the staff has had a complete turnover, the Board of Commissioners is looking at upcoming changes as well. Scott Trounson will be serving out his term. But Lauren Stephens is running unopposed for Jim Smith’s position. And Luzie Durocher plans to step down as soon as the board can appoint a replacement.
Applicants for this vacancy must live within the boundaries of the Sewer District and be 18 years or older. Commissioners are required to attend one 2 to 3 hour meeting a month, but may occasionally be called upon to weigh in on issues between meetings or attend a special meeting if urgent issues arise. Compensation is paid at a rate of $114 per meeting.
Consider joining this Board to use your expertise to set the Sewer District on a solid financial footing and create a vision in which the District is able to make significant contributions to our island’s resilience and sustainability.
And stay tuned for future articles on sewer do’s and don’ts, an overview of the District’s history, and an in-depth look at plans for exciting future projects like water reclamation and composting that will make more creative use of island resources.
