In a quiet ceremony shortly after lunch today, Kelli Linville took the oath of office for Mayor of Bellingham. She assumes official control of city government as of the beginning of January 1, 2012. State law allows the oath to be taken ahead of the exact time of assumption of office. A formal swearing in will take place at the first City Council meeting on Monday, January 9.
Mayor Dan Pike was not present for the transition ceremony. He left town on Wednesday about noon for Seattle. This was just about the time police started their military action of clearing Maritime Park of Occupy protestors. It was only because Dan Pike decided to evict the protesters that the eviction took place. He did not stay around to face accountability for his actions. Basically, in the end, he was a coward.
In talking with many local citizen activists, political operatives, and city hall watchers, it appears Dan only issued the eviction order to be vindictive toward the Bellingham community as a whole and to cause problems for Kelli. Knowing Kelli moderately well, I know she is much more creative and innovative than Dan and will work well with this situation.
Kelli effectively starts work as mayor on Tuesday morning, January 3. She is the first woman mayor of Bellingham. In 1983, Shirley Van Zanten became the Executive of Whatcom County and was the first county executive in Washington state history. Also this year, Cathy Lehman was elected to the all male Bellingham City Council. She assumes office on January 9. I just feel that the slow but real progress of women should be recognized. One of the biggest hurdles women politicians have is getting the female vote. (You didn't come to this website to read pap, did you?)
This writer looks forward to Kelli's work as our mayor. All we ask for is law abiding city government - something that has been missing from Bellingham for about 56 years.
Comments by Readers
Mike Rostron
Dec 30, 2011Amen!
John Lesow
Dec 31, 2011An undeserved cheap shot at our departing Mayor.
A “military action” against the OWS drumcirclejerks squatting in a public park? Give me a break.
Mayor Linville would have handled the problem in a similar fashion, she just didn’t have to soil her hands this time around. Wait til summer.
The slow but real progress of women politicians? Like our Governor and U.S. Senators? Every local board and commission has female members. Judge them for their real contributions, not their gender.
Good luck, Mayor Linville. Because those that praise you now will be your critics before you know it.
Just ask Dan Pike.
John Servais
Dec 31, 2011John Lesow lives in Point Roberts and thus has not had to experience the reign of Dan Pike as Bellingham mayor. And, yes, Kelli may well get criticism from me or other writers on NWCitizen during the next four years. This website is not a cheering section. However, it is always appropriate to give any newly elected official a honeymoon or grace time. Hope springs eternal and we like to think that the next elected official will be better. The last sentence of my post says it all - law abiding government. A modest enough wish. Something missing the last 4 years.
Re the military action at the Maritime Park battlefield; it was a military action. If the protestors had stood in place then those clubs would have been used. The armor on the police was for stiff physical force. The whole purpose is intimidating force that causes any sane person to back away. It was totally unnecessary, expensive, a violation of their civil rights, illegal and the last sordid act of mayor Dan Pike. Oh no - his last act was at 11:30 Wednesday morning dedicating a green power station at the Starbucks at Sehome Village - exactly while his police were lining up at the park. Then, the uber green ceremony over, Dan drove onto I-5 and headed to Seattle while the militarized police cleared the park.
Cheap shot? So is labeling my post ‘a cheap shot’ a cheap shot. Follow that? Make valid criticism, but one can call anything anything. Dan Pike worked hard to earn those labels. I have been open with my criticism of his actions for years. We have detailed our concerns on this website for months as he ran for reelection. And we worked hard to prevent him from being reelected. He could have gone out of office with some grace and class. He chose instead to give the finger to the local liberal community that he felt betrayed by.
Finally, women in politics. I do judge them by their ability. But ask them and you will learn that getting the female vote is hard for women candidates. It is a statement of fact, and has nothing to do with my personal judgement system. Why do you read something into a plain statement? And I feel very comfortable with my record. In 1983 I was the campaign manager for Shirley Van Zanten’s successful election as our County Executive. We won against a quintessential good old boy from the county. I am very personally proud of that accomplishment. And I also know the practical realities of helping a woman win an election.
Bill Black
Dec 31, 2011That image of Ms. Cantrell handcuffed and being taken away by ridiculously riot garbed Bellingham police is outrageous. The police had to have been embarrassed…... and if Dan Pike was, in fact, actually leaving town at that same time I just hope the door didn’t hit him on the ass as he was driving by the Fairhaven exit
Todd Granger
Jan 02, 2012A civil rights violation, you can’t believe that statement John?
PARKS, CEMETERIES, AND PUBLIC PLACES
8.04.080 - OVERNIGHT CAMPING
A. Overnight camping is prohibited on park property except by written permission of the Director of Parks and Recreation.
B. A violation of this section is a civil infraction.
[Ord. 10612 §2, 1995]
And then a “law abiding city government”
You can’t have it both ways, either your camping or your not, it’s legal or it’s not, and from what I can read overnight camping is only allowed in a Cemetary.
What’s the difference between a democracy and a Republic, this subject explains it with perfection.
Is that NOT, another OWS issue?
Todd Granger
Jan 02, 2012“And a serious mind can draw no true pleasure by looking foward, under a painful and positive conviction, that he calls ‘the present constitution’ is merely temporary. As parents, we we can have no joy, knowing that this government is not sufficiently lasting to ensure any thing which we may bequeth to posterity; And by a plain method of argument, as we are running the next generation into debt, we ought to do the work of it, otherwise we use them meanly and pitifully…”
Thomas Paine, Common Sense