Finding new leaders to champion the once-neglected causes of Clinton is becoming a paramount task for a group of volunteers committed to creating a voice for the unincorporated area.

Members of the non-elected Clinton Community Council, a 13-position board working to be a go-to place to voice concerns and ideas for sparking growth and interest in Clinton, spoke at length about its ranks, finding new members and replacing others. Nine of the positions are representatives from organizations: the school district, port district, parks and recreation district, planning commission, ferry advisory committee, water district, chamber of commerce, Friends of Clinton Library, and Clinton Progressive Association.

“Part of the strength of having these representatives with electeds is we have more strength with more districts,” said Curt Gordon, the council’s treasurer and Port of South Whidbey commissioner.

One of the lagging representatives has been from the South Whidbey School District’s board of directors. Damian Greene found himself to be too busy to attend the monthly meetings, Clinton Community Council President Jack Lynch said. The council at its Monday meeting, the last of the year, discussed whether it should instead seek any willing representative from within the school district such as an administrator or teacher.

Council Secretary Doug Hofius said the school board and the council may not have “synergy” in what they are trying to accomplish. There is anecdotal evidence, he said, that main street areas with a school nearby thrive, while towns that site their schools “in the middle of nowhere” struggle.

Of the council’s 13 positions, only two are vacant from the school district and an at-large member. An infrequent attendee but still a recognized council member is Dean Enell, who represents the Island County Planning Commission. He attended the past two meetings about the county’s comprehensive plan update and how Clinton may be affected in the coming years.

“They have so many meetings I’m surprised he ever shows up,” Hofius said.

The Clinton Community Council has also received interest from county Commissioner Helen Price Johnson, a Clinton resident. Her frequent attendance, the members said Monday night, makes up for Enell’s absences because of her knowledge of the county’s planning processes.

Lynch was voted to another year as president of the council. He accepted the task, which comes without any monetary compensation, on the condition that this would be his last year since helping to found the group two years ago. Also voted to board positions were Gordon as treasurer, Sherryl Christie as vice president, and Hofius as secretary.

Ahead of the council in 2016 is continuing to push for improvements to the commercial core — the area near the ferry dock — and seeking more attention from the county to help plan and design the area. One of the coming possible changes is a feasibility study for improved bike and pedestrian access from the ferry up past Deer Lake Road.

Making changes to the rural area of intense development, called a RAID by planning officials, will take time, but could make a difference in the years to come. In previous meetings with Island County planning staff, the boundary was said to be immovable. Within the boundary, however, some flexibility for the swapping of property designations may be possible. Taking properties marked for rural center, which is largely intended for multi-family or commercial use, and letting them stay as rural residential areas could be one way of ensuring that at least the designation is consistent with its existing use.

As the group works to create an identity for Clinton, getting property owners, both commercial and residential, and business owners involved in the process will be key.

“We have to get the property owners engaged,” Gordon said.