“I think of Washington Island as the Midwest’s Martha’s Vineyard, only undiscovered by most.”–respondent 5048

“Don’t let it turn into another Martha’s Vineyard.”–respondent 5124

Those’re just two of the many, many conflicting, contradictory, and sometimes downright cantankerous replies to one of the open-ended essay questions on the 2007 Washington Island Comprehensive Planning Survey. The comments generated by this one–“What words or phrases best capture your preferred vision for the island’s future”–were no more or less fractious than the others (“What do you suggest to keep young people and young families on the island?”; “What services do you believe are needed here but are not available, or are under-represented?”) and taken as a set the questions alone speak to the issues facing this weird and lovely little place.

I wish I could just reprint the entire 143 page document here because, really, it’s FASCINATING. But, I can’t. I have to give it back to the library and go finish packing. Here, though, in an unscientific analysis generating results in no particular order, are what appear to be the top ten talking points:

• The island needs a doctor. Right now there are, I believe, two physician’s assistants and a nurse practicioner. Any medical needs beyond what the clinic can handle have to be addressed in Sturgeon Bay, a half-hour flight away. Now, according to S. this was a huge, hot-button issue last year (when the survey was done) but concerns have been alleviated by the arrival of the abovementioned PAs. So I dunno how big a deal it is now, but it certainly comes up over and over and over in the summary.
• The island needs high-speed internet! I’ll testify to that. Broadband service has been imminent since 2006. It’s still “imminent.”
• Subsidize the ferry or otherwise make it more affordable both for tourists (complained one commenter, “The first 99% of my trip up from Chicago cost the same as the last 1%!”) and for islanders, who get no special fare breaks.
• Young people cannot afford to stay on the island, and something urgently needs to be done to make it possible for them to find jobs and buy property, otherwise the island will continue to gray.
• Young people should LEAVE the island, see the world, get an education, launch a career, find people to date who they didn’t go to nursery school with, and otherwise broaden their horizons.
• The (currently grass) airstrip should not be paved. People feel verrrry strongly about this. As do the other 50 % who think it SHOULD be paved.
• The island is in danger of becoming the exclusive province of wealthy summer people, as islanders cannot cope with rising property taxes. One commenter thought this was actually a good thing, as then the island wouldn’t have to worry about jobs and economic development stuff! Which, I guess is true. If the whole island was privatized, it would certainly remain pristine.
• Preserve the dark night skies. This comes up surprisingly often. And I agree. The stars are totally frickin amazing here.
• Further economic development should follow the adult-ed model of Sievers or the hotel’s cooking classes–low-impact, ecotouristy activities that appeal to people who don’t need a lot of external stimuli. 
• People drink too much.

Like I said. Fascinating.