This letter is in response to the cartoon featured in the 9/19/12 Journal Opinion section.
I find myself as the spokesperson for the Friday Harbor Business Improvement District (B.I.D.), which by the way is not even been formally adopted by our Town Council. I wish to say I appreciate (editor) visit on 9/25/12 and our discussion that ensued.
I feel it is incumbent of me to set the record straight for those who read the opinion section and possibly become misinformed regarding activities in our town.
The B.I.D., aka Friday Harbor Business Association (FHBA), has a concept designed to promote all businesses within the town through the efforts of beautification, cleanliness, and presenting an overall goodwill to both our local population as well as our visitors; additionally the B.I.D. is comprised of local business owners that will be assessed annually and those funds will be disseminated as the business community sees fit and only for the greater good of the community not special interest groups.
This illustration, whether intended or not, implies that neither the town nor the business community is concerned about the success of the Ag Guild or the Brickworks project.
That is not the case at all; as a matter of fact, the business community will be enhanced by the success of the Brickworks project, provided its completion satisfies the projected ideals of the Ag Guild.
That is the point: the Ag Guild — like Valmark and the San Juan Hotshop or Coldwell Banker — are all businesses and we all rely to some degree on the function of each other, not dependent on each other.
Since this is in the opinion section, I feel also compelled to express my displeasure in finding out that the individual cartoonist submitting illustrations to the Journal for publication does not even live on the island, and so therefore has no clue as to the nuances of living here or conducting business here.
It’s kinda like those that do not vote and yet feel they have the right to complain about the outcome of an election.
Ed Williams / Friday Harbor
— Editor’s note: Ed Williams is owner/operator of San Juan Hotshop.
