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Property owner says Skagit County law library closures are blocking court access ahead of hearing
Summary
At the April 7 meeting, property owner Anthony Romano said the county law library was closed for consecutive days, leaving him unable to prepare for a court date; he also raised related complaints about neighbor accusations and alleged water-rights attachments.
Anthony Romano, who identified himself as the owner of property in the Upper River area, used the public comment period on April 7 to tell commissioners he repeatedly found the county law library closed and that the closures are preventing him from preparing for an upcoming court date.
“I just went to the law library for the 2nd day in a row, and it is not open,” Romano said, describing an instance in which a posted sign said the library would open at 8 a.m., but he found it closed. Romano said he has a court date on the 17th and said the library’s unavailability impedes his ability to defend himself.
Romano also raised a series of allegations involving neighbors and local water rights. He said he has been accused of killing a neighbor’s dog, which he denied, and claimed that a figure he named (John Rose) had attached water rights to multiple neighboring parcels; he described repeated false police reports and asked why government agencies were not addressing his complaints.
Why it matters: Romano framed his remarks as a civic-access issue (use of public legal resources ahead of a court date) and as part of broader local disputes over property and water rights. Commissioners acknowledged his comment; the chair said staff would follow up, but no staff report or formal action was recorded during the meeting.
What was said and not verified: The allegations Romano made about criminal accusations, police reports, and water-rights attachments were asserted during public comment and were not investigated or confirmed during the April 7 session. Romano said he was “of sound mind and not suicidal” and warned of additional stories if involuntary hospitalization occurred; these personal statements were reported as spoken during the meeting.
Next steps: The minutes of the meeting do not show a formal complaint filed on the record or a vote; the chair offered to provide time for Romano and indicated staff follow-up would be arranged where appropriate.
