John Blethen - candidate for Port Commissioner

Note: Each primary election candidate - Port, County Council and City Council - has been invited to submit one article for posting here on NwCitizen. This is the second to be posted. As others are received, we'll post them.
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My name is John Blethen and I am running for Port Commission. The culture of the Port serves the few and has forgotten the important role of representing the people of Whatcom County. It is time to change this unhealthy and unrepresentative culture of the Port of Bellingham for the better. The way to change the culture, is to change the Commissioners.

I bring a balanced approach to the Port Commission. I will seek economic development that will produce more living wage jobs for our community—rather than a focus on short term profit for people outside our community. I will make sure the Port of Bellingham engages people it represents in a meaningful public decision-making process. Lastly, I will make sure projects, such as the waterfront redevelopment in Bellingham, will encourage the character and vitality of our community for generations to come.

I own and operate New Whatcom Interiors, a successful cabinetmaking business I started in 1979. I have been an active voice in local community issues for over 30 years, working on Greenways Levies, Waterfront Futures Group, Waterfront Advisory Group, and numerous community volunteer activities. As a result, I have been honored to win the William Dietrich Award, a ReSources Environmental Hero award, and listed as the Bellingham Business Journal’s Mover and Shaker for 2008. I would be happy to keep making cabinets for a living, but our community deserves better from our Port. I am prepared to step up and bring the changes to the Port that will serve our community better.

Since I’ve begun my campaign, I have received overwhelming support from a community frustrated with a Port that is out of touch, and seriously negligent of its duty to the people of Whatcom County. I need your help today. It is an investment to ensure the citizens of our community will have a say in the important decisions that will guide our economic future.

MAKE IT OUR PORT!

Please contribute today, endorse my candidacy, and consider volunteering (call 220-5914 or email BlethenForPort@gmail.com.) Your investment is greatly
appreciated!

Sincerely,

John H Blethen
Candidate for District 1 Port Commissioner