The Editor:
I am writing this letter to the editor prior to election day with the understanding it will not be published in The Northern Light until after the election has taken place.
The individuals that are elected to the Blaine City Council, a nonpartisan office, represent all the citizens of Blaine. They are nominated by the ward in which they reside. This takes place during the primary election, and in the general election all the voters of the city cast ballots for all potential council members.
The state legislature in 2018 passed the Washington State Voter Rights Act which allowed cities such as Blaine to change the election procedures that had been mandated by the state since 1994. The Blaine City Council was asked to change from district wide voting to district only voting in the general election. This change would have allowed the voters in a specific district (ward) to be the sole determiners of who would represent them on the council.
Mayor Bonnie Onyon and councilmember Eric Davidson spoke against any change because, as they stated, they represent all of the citizens of Blaine and district wide voting was the means by which this was insured. Mayor Onyon further stated that district wide voting was a means of deterring the election of individuals who might not be as acceptable to the other wards and the city in general. It should be noted that two thirds of the potential votes can come from outside a candidate’s ward.
The question then becomes how can Mayor Onyon and councilman Davidson make political endorsements, either by political flyers or a letter to the editor and still maintain they represent all of the citizens of Blaine?
An endorsement of candidates and their agenda results in picking winners and losers. As I understand the use of endorsements by elected officials (Blaine council members and mayor), it is allowed if the endorser identifies that the endorsement is personal and does not represent the office. Based on this interpretation, a disclaimer should be part of the endorsement. I wonder if these councilmembers would be able to work well with someone they did not endorse.
Over the past month or so I have received numerous political flyers in the mail. On one is a picture of the six rural mayors and a candidate for the state legislature. Each of the three state candidates has their picture taken with the mayors. My concern is this: did each of the mayors approve the written statements that were on the flyer or did they only provide the photo?
I served on the Blaine City Council for six years. In that time period, I was concerned with councilmembers and the mayor endorsing candidates and their agendas. I was convinced then and I am convinced now it is a bad idea. The solution as I see it is to make the council positions not only nonpartisan but also apolitical.
Dennis M. Olason
Blaine
The Editor:
Not often do I find that I must speak out after reading a letter to the editor, but this is the time!
How shocked I was to read Mr. J. Robinson’s letter stating at the end that he believes or feels all couples have struggled with car keys, checkbooks and consensual sex. My husband and I have been married over 42 years and I can honestly say we have never had any of those things happen. Have we disagreed about money or other things? Yes! We have not been disrespectful or demanding when faced with disagreements.
I am not sure how he came to this conclusion or how he views the Bible, but I never read any passages that I could take to mean this type of behavior is condoned. My understanding of the Bible puts love first, and I am not speaking of sexual love, but the love of Christ and the church, which we are admonished to copy.
The Bible also says that we should not judge others. Let God and the laws of our country do that. I am not judging Mr. Robinson, I am just saying that I don’t know enough to make a judgment about the people in question and which party is at “fault” even if I was acquainted with either person.
Dianne Smith
Blaine
The Editor:
While I’m sure the frisbee golf changes to Lincoln Park were well-intentioned, the changes to the park are resulting in the destruction of the park’s natural ecosystem.
My family hikes with our dogs in the park, and we have for years – and from firsthand experience I can tell you that the plants and foliage are being trampled by people pushing off the trails and creating new footpaths while looking for lost frisbees, and in general just causing mayhem in the park.
Additionally, the frisbee golf posts are an eyesore, and this “sport” appears to be attracting the wrong type of visitor to what was once a relatively pristine and peaceful park. By “wrong type of visitor” I mean people drinking, littering and being noisy in the only real natural forest preserve in Blaine.
I’d ask that the city council and parks department work to remove frisbee golf from Lincoln Park before the damage to that park becomes irreparable. There are many alternative places to play frisbee in Blaine – Marine Park is a great environment for this. Destroying a natural habitat for it is simply wrong.
Tim Ventura
Blaine
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