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Candidate
picks
The Editor:
The events of September 11 have changed
each of our lives in many ways. The rallying around the American flag is most
heartening. I hope this will be reflected in all citizens voting on November 6
(or by absentee sooner), to express solidarity for our form of government and
the privilege of our vote.
 Blaine
city council presently has dealt with many controversial issues that have been
resolved mostly by consensus or near unity. It is a council that has and is working
well. There have been weekly meetings since June in order to give direction to
staff.
I ask you
to vote for councilors: Bonnie Onyon, Marsha Hawkins, Mike Myers and to add Bruce
Wolf to the vacant seat. Bruce Wolf is making an effort to visit each home and
has covered over half so far. He is listening to you, and will bring this insight
to the council.
Each
of us on the council are doing what we believe makes Blaine a city to be proud
of. Please vote, your most privileged right.
Dieter Schugt
Blaine
The
Editor:
Sharon Roy is the best candidate for Whatcom County Council District
3. Sharon grew up here and has chosen to retire here. Sharon has experienced the
negative side of runaway growth and understands the value of sensible planning.
Sharon has put her energy where her values and ideals are by being involved in
the several planning processes in Birch Bay for the last few years.
While
she doesn’t claim to have all the answers, Sharon has the education, experience
as a school administrator and principal, energy and ability to keep an open mind
without letting her brain fall out and to study the issues carefully. Working
within budget and regulations, Sharon will make common sense decisions for the
common good to preserve the character and quality of life in Whatcom County while
promoting a sustainable future.
I
urge you to vote for Sharon Roy.
Kathy Berg
Birch Bay The
Editor:
Let’s do the right thing and elect Sharon Roy to our county
council. I know her as a friend, yet I can also objectively appreciate her as
an outstanding candidate. I have friends who are “good people” but do
not have the skills to serve in a public office. Without question, Sharon does.
Sharon
is an excellent negotiator, mediator, problem solver and is very skilled at looking
at the details as well as looking at the big picture. She has a proven record
of outstanding service in her previous role as school administrator and in her
current volunteer roles in local community groups on planning, shoreline and public
safety issues. During her retirement, she has demonstrated high speed energy and
enthusiasm in her community work.
I
have known her since high school days in Blaine as a person with great integrity
who has always realized the importance of being socially responsible in contributing
to her community in whatever job position she has held.
By
voting for Sharon, we will look back in the years to come as having made a very
right decision.
John Sand
Blaine The
Editor:
Let’s elect Seth Fleetwood and Sharon Roy to the county council
and add thoughtful, intelligent and long-vision perspectives to a council that
will be dealing with complex land management issues in the upcoming months. I’d
like to see the council work to prevent Whatcom County from turning into a sea
of houses like Lynnwood.
I
care deeply for Whatcom County, having lived here for over 30 years. I want to
see the rural character of the north county maintained via thoughtful growth management
that respects the rights and views of farmers. Both Seth Fleetwood and Sharon
Roy have good ideas about how this can be accomplished.
I
have testified in front of the planning commission and was taken aback by the
rubber-stamp pro-development quality of their decision making as articulated by
Bob Wiesen. I felt unheard, condescended to, and dismissed by the entire commission,
but especially by Bob Wiesen. He seems to believe in unrestrained development
for its own sake – growth is good because it puts money in the pockets of
land speculators and realtors. Well, growth isn’t always good and those of
us who care about quality of life want to see growth planned and implemented slowly
and thoughtfully.
I
believe that Sharon Roy and Seth Fleetwood will represent the little people of
Whatcom County and help us grow into a community that respects intact ecosystems
and human health as well as the almighty dollar.
Wendy Walker
Blaine Give
the park to the port
The Editor:
If some company came
into Blaine and said they were going to invest $15 to $20 million dollars in our
community, I think there would be tremors rattling through city hall and smiles
and enthusiasm all over town.
But
wait! This has already happened. Only the company is the Port of Bellingham and
their investment is the Blaine Harbor. The port is now receiving approximately
$1 million each year in moorage fees and lease payments generated by the Blaine
Harbor. Is it wrong to ask them to invest some of that money back in Blaine by
asking them to take over the Blaine Marine Park and in consultation with the city
of Blaine, to further develop and upgrade the park?
The
port has both the personnel, expertise, and the finances available to do this
in cooperation with the city. As I see it, the city doesn’t have the finances
or personnel to do very little other than mow the grass and probably never will
have for many years. The city staff and council should realize this and enter
into some meaningful dialogue with the port to make the Marine Park an outstanding
facility.
Haven’t
we waited long enough to move on this?
Harold R. “Bud” Dodd
Blaine Focusing
on children
The Editor:
With the September 11 tragedy
in mind, the International Peace Arch Association has chosen the theme, Children
Helping Children, for the new season, with the climactic moment scheduled for
Sunday, June 9, 2002 at the annual Peace Arch celebration.
Sue
Head, a resident of Abbotsford, B.C., was chosen president at the annual association
elections held at White Rock, October 14. Upon receiving the gavel from outgoing
president Stan Lieb, she announced the theme as her choice due to the tragic circumstances
of the September 11 terrorist attack in New York. Her choice was approved by the
membership.
Head
suggested aid could be provided by youth organizations such as the Boy Scouts
and Girl Guides, among other groups, with support rendered by the association.
Next year’s event will be the most important, she said. She was concerned
that the course of world events would not obstruct the scheduling of the Peace
Arch’s annual event, always set for the second Sunday in June.
She
said much of the food bank’s clientele is children. As plans unfold for the
future celebration, children of fortune may be encouraged to donate food for children
who are hungry.
As
a new member of the Peace Arch Association, I welcome your ideas with regard to
Children Helping Children. These will be collected and turned over to the association
at our next meeting. I hope citizens of Blaine will support the associations cause.
I can be reached at: dclark30@peoplepc.com
or 332-5175. I prefer to be contacted during morning hours because self-employment
ties up my afternoons. I am frequently away when not at work; please leave a message
with my answering machine.
Richard E. Clark
Blaine
Support
locals
Dear Editor:
The city council passed a resolution
last week urging all citizens to shop locally. I want to personally encourage
all Blaine citizens to support our Blaine businesses. As a border community, many
of our merchants naturally rely, to varying degrees, on cross-border commerce
with Canada. Since the decline in the value of the Canadian dollar several years
ago, many businesses have barely managed to hang on, hoping for the exchange rate
to improve. Now since September 11, the sharp decline in border traffic has left
many Blaine businesses in dire straits, with some talking about closing their
doors.
There are
more goods and services available in Blaine than meets the eye. One has only to
take the time to check out what’s out there. Although many perceive that
some Blaine businesses charge more than stores in Bellingham and elsewhere, this
is not always the case. In fact, most of our merchants try very hard to be competitive
with their bigger counterparts in Bellingham, sometimes taking lower profits,
to remain competitive and to encourage local trade.
We
as citizens should feel a responsibility to support our local merchants. They
help support this city not only by providing goods and services, but by collecting
sales tax that goes to support this community. If they don’t make sales,
they don’t collect sales tax; and if they don’t collect sales tax, the
city doesn’t receive taxes that go to support city services. Therefore, we
are all affected. Supporting our local merchants means supporting ourselves. Ultimately,
we all benefit.
Let’s
unite in supporting our Blaine businesses. Our unity will make us stronger economically
and will ultimately help to make Blaine an even better place to live and work.
Bonnie
Onyon
Blaine Letters
Policy
The Northern Light welcomes letters to the editor; however, the opinions
expressed are not those of the editor. Letters must include name, address and
daytime telephone number for verification. Letters must not exceed 350 words and
may be edited or rejected for reasons of legality, length and good taste. Thank-you
letters should be limited to 10 names. A fresh viewpoint on matters of general
interest to local readers will increase the likelihood of publication. Writers
should avoid personal invective. Unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication.
Requests for withholding names will be considered on an individual basis. Only
one letter per month from an individual correspondent will be published. Please
send your letter to:
225 Marine Drive, Blaine, WA 98230 or fax 360/332-2777.
E-mail:editor@thenorthernlight.com
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