After the forum
After the forum
The Whatcom Independent forum last night was a success - a very enjoyable and meaningful event for all - candidates, live audience and radio listeners. For the first and probably only time, all seven
The Whatcom Independent forum last night was a success - a very enjoyable and meaningful event for all - candidates, live audience and radio listeners. For the first and probably only time, all seven mayoral candidates were together. The photo below shows the packed county council chamber and the seven. The format allowed each candidate a full five minutes to do with as they wanted and the candidates loved it. Some took questions from the audience and some used it to fully explain some important aspect of their agendas for the city. The forum was co-sponsored with the League of Women Voters and KGMI radio. Brett Bonner was a superb moderator.
The three county council candidates in the 1st District primary are all well qualified and each would make a good representative. For voting guidance, Bob Kelly brings the perspective as a Nooksack Indian and wants to protect our urban areas. Dave Pros has long experience on the county planning commission and has a strong knowledge of all the issues. Chris Hatch is a 5th generation county resident and comes from this perspective. Dave Evans was again a no-show.
Of the three, I personally favor Dave Pros and hope he makes it into the general election. With him I think we have a capable representative who will be effective in going up against the bureaucracy. Dave really wants to represent us - residents and home owners - rather than any other interests. And he will know how to do it because of his experience on the county planning commission.
Mayor. The big race. We have an unprecedented choice in our city history. Five candidates all have good chances of being in the final two for mayor in the general election. Doug Karlberg is running so he can express some of the very real frustrations we citizens have had with our city hall - and he does an excellent job of it. Gil Bernal is running - well, he says he wants to do whatever we want him to do. Both are fine fellows but are not serious contenders.
Of the remaining five, let us all hope that Dan Pike will make it into the general election. Dan is outstanding in his qualifications, knowledge and experience managing governments. His suggestions for solving our dozen of obvious problems show common sense. I will be voting for Dan Pike on the primary. I hope either Seth Fleetwood or Dan McShane also make it to the general election. Each has served well on the county council. If either does go on to be elected mayor, they will give us an honest administration.
Any one of these three will provide us with an open city hall, honest dealings with us citizens and a genuine working relationship with the city council - all missing from city hall these past 12 years. Most importantly, any of them will bring fresh ideas and energy to our city problems - water quality, waterfront costs and cleanup, traffic and transportation messes, neighborhood frustrations with planning and sanity with the growth issues.
Which brings us to Bob Ryan and Don Keenan. Each has to share in the lack of progress by city hall these past years. Bob has been a key member of the council and has shown little desire to speak out on issues. He says he likes to work quietly - but this has made him an accessory to the do-nothing councils. Don Keenan worked in partnership with mayor Mark for many years. If you liked Mark then you like Don. To me, he is part of the problem. Tis interesting to listen to these two give suggestions on what we should do in the future when they have not provided these suggestions in the past. Let us hope these two go away.
Each of the mayor candidates answered the one question from the audience - whether and how the waterfront development should go forward or not. Only Dan Pike spoke to doing the cleanup correctly before we develop it. The others either ignored this most important and expensive part of reclaiming the area or gave passing comment to it. Time after time, Dan Pike showed a candid appraisal of our challenges and a full understanding of the facts and options.
Doug Karlberg spoke more for all of us citizens than as a candidate. He had a good grasp the issues and spoke passionately for genuine citizen involvement with our future. I hope we see more of him in the future.
The At Large city council seat. I encouraged Ham Hayes to run and will be voting for him. His proposal that our council needs to bring oversight to the city departments is long overdue. Currently the council does not have much of an idea what happens after they pass the budget in November. The departments shift millions of dollars to different projects with virtually no council oversight. This practice makes the council almost irrelevant. Louise Bjornson has twenty years on the council and it is time for her to be politely shown the door. Michael Lilliquist was one of the organizers in the Fairhaven neighborhood and is a one-issue candidate. He showed an arrogance last night that many of us have seen from him at southside meetings. He is a hot head who is trying to show a cool head during the campaign and will make a poor representative if elected. Better than Louise, yes, but not what we want.
The Bellingham 4th Ward primary will only be voted on by the residents in that ward. Damon Gray was unable to make the forum last night. Most of us do not live there but we will all vote on their two choices. Both Stan Snapp and Damon Gray will bring fresh energy and ideas to the council. Hopefully we will get our choice between those two. Don Gischer has no new ideas and his time has passed. A fine fellow but we need new energy and new ideas on the council. And independence from the administration.
Stan Snapp made a good point last night. When he was a fire department chief, he participated in presenting the annual budget to the council and the council would not take the time to understand or even allow a decent presentation of the fire department budget. The council just wanted a short, simple presentation. This is what Stan Snapp wants to change - as does Ham Hayes. Let's hope we have a choice between Stan Snapp and Damon Gray.
And finally, the Bellingham School Board. This was not included in last night's forum, but needs addressing. Emily Barnett Highleyman brings to the election a desire to represent the teachers and parents and make the school administration more accountable. She is well qualified and will bring fresh ideas to this board. If you have met her then you know what I'm talking about. Unfortunately the forums did not provide these three candidates with time to speak to us and we don't know much about the other two. However, I do hope Emily makes it into the general election - and this website will pay more attention to this important elected office in the general election.
Ballots arrive tomorrow. We can always hope that we will elect people who will try and actually represent our best interests. Tis a good time for real change in our city government. Please, let's have the courage to give fresh faces a chance to take us forward into the next few years. Maybe they will actually do something about the 10-year-old problems.
The three county council candidates in the 1st District primary are all well qualified and each would make a good representative. For voting guidance, Bob Kelly brings the perspective as a Nooksack Indian and wants to protect our urban areas. Dave Pros has long experience on the county planning commission and has a strong knowledge of all the issues. Chris Hatch is a 5th generation county resident and comes from this perspective. Dave Evans was again a no-show.
Of the three, I personally favor Dave Pros and hope he makes it into the general election. With him I think we have a capable representative who will be effective in going up against the bureaucracy. Dave really wants to represent us - residents and home owners - rather than any other interests. And he will know how to do it because of his experience on the county planning commission.
Mayor. The big race. We have an unprecedented choice in our city history. Five candidates all have good chances of being in the final two for mayor in the general election. Doug Karlberg is running so he can express some of the very real frustrations we citizens have had with our city hall - and he does an excellent job of it. Gil Bernal is running - well, he says he wants to do whatever we want him to do. Both are fine fellows but are not serious contenders.
Of the remaining five, let us all hope that Dan Pike will make it into the general election. Dan is outstanding in his qualifications, knowledge and experience managing governments. His suggestions for solving our dozen of obvious problems show common sense. I will be voting for Dan Pike on the primary. I hope either Seth Fleetwood or Dan McShane also make it to the general election. Each has served well on the county council. If either does go on to be elected mayor, they will give us an honest administration.
Any one of these three will provide us with an open city hall, honest dealings with us citizens and a genuine working relationship with the city council - all missing from city hall these past 12 years. Most importantly, any of them will bring fresh ideas and energy to our city problems - water quality, waterfront costs and cleanup, traffic and transportation messes, neighborhood frustrations with planning and sanity with the growth issues.
Which brings us to Bob Ryan and Don Keenan. Each has to share in the lack of progress by city hall these past years. Bob has been a key member of the council and has shown little desire to speak out on issues. He says he likes to work quietly - but this has made him an accessory to the do-nothing councils. Don Keenan worked in partnership with mayor Mark for many years. If you liked Mark then you like Don. To me, he is part of the problem. Tis interesting to listen to these two give suggestions on what we should do in the future when they have not provided these suggestions in the past. Let us hope these two go away.
Each of the mayor candidates answered the one question from the audience - whether and how the waterfront development should go forward or not. Only Dan Pike spoke to doing the cleanup correctly before we develop it. The others either ignored this most important and expensive part of reclaiming the area or gave passing comment to it. Time after time, Dan Pike showed a candid appraisal of our challenges and a full understanding of the facts and options.
Doug Karlberg spoke more for all of us citizens than as a candidate. He had a good grasp the issues and spoke passionately for genuine citizen involvement with our future. I hope we see more of him in the future.
The At Large city council seat. I encouraged Ham Hayes to run and will be voting for him. His proposal that our council needs to bring oversight to the city departments is long overdue. Currently the council does not have much of an idea what happens after they pass the budget in November. The departments shift millions of dollars to different projects with virtually no council oversight. This practice makes the council almost irrelevant. Louise Bjornson has twenty years on the council and it is time for her to be politely shown the door. Michael Lilliquist was one of the organizers in the Fairhaven neighborhood and is a one-issue candidate. He showed an arrogance last night that many of us have seen from him at southside meetings. He is a hot head who is trying to show a cool head during the campaign and will make a poor representative if elected. Better than Louise, yes, but not what we want.
The Bellingham 4th Ward primary will only be voted on by the residents in that ward. Damon Gray was unable to make the forum last night. Most of us do not live there but we will all vote on their two choices. Both Stan Snapp and Damon Gray will bring fresh energy and ideas to the council. Hopefully we will get our choice between those two. Don Gischer has no new ideas and his time has passed. A fine fellow but we need new energy and new ideas on the council. And independence from the administration.
Stan Snapp made a good point last night. When he was a fire department chief, he participated in presenting the annual budget to the council and the council would not take the time to understand or even allow a decent presentation of the fire department budget. The council just wanted a short, simple presentation. This is what Stan Snapp wants to change - as does Ham Hayes. Let's hope we have a choice between Stan Snapp and Damon Gray.
And finally, the Bellingham School Board. This was not included in last night's forum, but needs addressing. Emily Barnett Highleyman brings to the election a desire to represent the teachers and parents and make the school administration more accountable. She is well qualified and will bring fresh ideas to this board. If you have met her then you know what I'm talking about. Unfortunately the forums did not provide these three candidates with time to speak to us and we don't know much about the other two. However, I do hope Emily makes it into the general election - and this website will pay more attention to this important elected office in the general election.
Ballots arrive tomorrow. We can always hope that we will elect people who will try and actually represent our best interests. Tis a good time for real change in our city government. Please, let's have the courage to give fresh faces a chance to take us forward into the next few years. Maybe they will actually do something about the 10-year-old problems.
