To the editor:

Diking and drainage districts are formed to protect homes, land and people.

It’s not hard to figure out what this diking and drainage district does.

“Remove standing water” from low-lying areas and “hinder ingress of water” from Puget Sound. In order to do this the dike was constructed and a drainage system installed including associated piping and “pumps,” simple as that. Septic systems will not function, basements and yards will flood, farmland rendered useless, golf course flooding and stagnant water areas formed.

The current setup is benefiting most if not all of the Sunlight Beach area homes, farms and you can’t play golf in a swamp.

Even with the pumping, standing surface water remains year around in the southwest portion of the lowland with runoff water flowing from the south into it year around via a pipe then on under Sunlight Beach Road along with the rain. This water is not being removed even with the new pump in full operation. Those privately owned properties are still rendered useless, except for the mosquitoes. (Maybe a third pump?)

The water wells of the Sun Vista/Sunlight Beach Homeowners Association located in this area are salt-free, (tested quarterly by the state-licensed operator).

The water level in these wells, measured at “static head,” is about 4 feet above standing surface water level in the area which hinders the ingress of contaminated surface and/or saltwater into the wells.

The aquifer is located below the aquitard and is replenished by water moving from much higher ground. The same aquitard also stops or severely hinders contaminated surface water permeation and or saltwater intrusion into the wells.

As of today, I have never met or even spoken to Ray Gabelein, but was involved with Mr. Kraft as a member of the Sun Vista/Sunlight Beach Homeowners Association board of directors for over a yearlong period. Having just reviewed a stack of old emails to refresh my memory, I recommend voting for Ray Gabelein. I have read and listened to both sides for a couple of years and it is an easy choice.

There is one group who knows what they are doing, (and actually doing it) protecting homes and property, and another apparently trying to disrupt and hinder the effort. Ignore the smoke and mirrors and vote for Ray Gabelein.

And keep your feet dry.

BILL WOODLAND

Clinton