“Whereof what's past is prologue…” (The Tempest, Act 2, Scene I by William Shakespeare)
“I have had the honor to serve my community through volunteering on dozens of nonprofit organizations and charities. You may remember me from my previous service on the Whatcom County Board of Equalization, or as a board member and community activist with the Bellingham Technical College Foundation; Kulshan Community Land Trust; Whatcom Volunteer Center; the Community Leadership Advisory Board at Woodring College, WWU; or on the basketball court mentoring the Western men’s basketball team.” (Source russwhidbee.com)
This is the voice of a candidate for the at-large City Council position who can hit the ground running due to demonstrated experience over the last 40 years. No need for Russ Whidbee to learn Bellingham's political “lay of the land,” to learn how the city operates, or to learn who does what so he can go directly to the one in charge to get things done. And he himself has gotten things done through his work on many boards, non-profits and academic committees. The 42nd Legislative District Democrats, among many other organizations, have noted this and consequently endorsed his candidacy. Below is a comprehensive list of Russ's community involvement taken from the candidate's website. Russ is an individual whose 40 years of involvement in, and dedication to, the community is manifest:
Emeritus member,* former vice-president and president; Bellingham Technical College Foundation
*The new classification was recently adopted based on the following criteria: served as foundation board member with distinction and excellence, held an important leadership role and made or makes significant contributions, engaged in advocacy activities in service on the board, completed their terms, and participated in one or more Foundation activities in the past year.
Member; American Federation of Teachers
Mentor coach; WWU Men’s Basketball
Former president; Whatcom Volunteer Center
Former co-chair; Community Leadership Advisory Board, Woodring College WWU
Former co-chair; Brothers and Sisters of Whatcom (BASOW)
Former vice president of academic affairs; Associated Students of WWU
Former business manager; Western Front
Former president; Black Unified Society (BUS) of WWU
Board of Equalization; Whatcom County
Citizen Advisory Board; Bellingham Police Department
Citizens’ Advisory Committee; Bellingham Public Schools
Dollars for Scholars; Bellingham Public Schools
Kulshan Community Land Trust for Affordable Housing
Racial Justice Coalition, City of Bellingham
Birchwood Food Desert Fighters
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Russ Whidbee truly has grass roots support; you can verify his Public Disclosure filings. His campaign money comes from local supporters (only about 8% of individual donors are from areas outside Bellingham). High-priced consulting firms and advisors are not part of his method of operation. His expenses are modest and reasonable. Russ will work effectively to represent his constituents.
And to that end, these are just a few highlights of his 40-year career: Russ Whidbee worked successfully to have the Western Washington University (WWU) Foundation divest from South Africa. And he and his fellow students at WWU formed the basis of what was to become curbside recycling in Belllingham. And he worked behind the scenes with many of our police chiefs, advising them on Black experience with the police such as DWB (driving while Black), while actively defusing many encounters. And he has raised significant funding for the Kulshan Community Land Trust. And he was instrumental in founding the Birchwood Food Desert Fighters. And he has literally saved lives of the homeless while working with Salt on the Street Ministries.
Further, he is the only candidate with a degree in accounting and decades of financial and fiduciary experience that will prove useful when the council pours over the city's budget.
No wonder Russ Whidbee has been endorsed by many, including unions who recognize his union membership and support over the years! Read more at this campaign website TrustRuss.
Forty years of contributions to this community!
Vote Russ Whidbee on November 2nd!
Comments by Readers
Ray Kamada
Oct 05, 2021I support Whidbee.
I also read during 2020 that the other candidate endorsed Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (movie star/ex-pro wrestler) for president. What serious person would do such a thing while our very democracy is under relentless attack?
Dick Conoboy
Oct 05, 2021Ray,
Can you enlighten our readers who might not be familiar with the personage named The Rock?
Michael Lilliquist
Oct 05, 2021Dick,
You don’t know who Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is? 😊 😊
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwayne_Johnson
I like and respect Dwayne Johnson, by the way.
Steve Harris
Oct 05, 2021I’ve met with Russ and he definitely has all of the experience and qualifications necessary to best represent the residents of Bellingham. He’s a welcome voice for the moderates in the party.
I like watching “The Rock” on television and the big screen, but I wouldn’t want him as the POTUS.
Dick Conoboy
Oct 06, 2021Michael,
Notwithstanding my ingorance of current cultural icons and if there is going to be any Rock around these parts, I think you will agree that Rock will be Russ Whidbee who has stood firm in his dedication to the welfare of Bellingham’s residents for decades. We need his voice and presence on the council.
Liz Marshall
Oct 07, 2021I have voted for Russ Whidbee before and plan to do so again. Thank you for the article, Dick.
Karen Steen
Oct 08, 2021I see that all politics are local, and if we get it right locally - especially at this critical juncture in American society and national politics - we’ll generate scalable solutions.
Whidbee is a grass roots public servant - a 40-year local resident, professional, teacher, and community volunteer. As a black man having arrived here in the 70’s, he is a true pioneer with extraordinary life skills. We don’t need to fact check his credentials - he’s been here contributing to Bellingham for decades.
Whidbee is running for Bellingham City Council with a commitment to pragmatic, inclusive solutions and a track record of the same. Honesty, transparency, humility, and authenticity - check, check, check, and check.
Jon Humphrey
Oct 22, 2021Great article Dick. However, Russ has not weighed in on critical issues like the Digital Divide and fiber infrastructure. He seems to be drinking the same anti-worker Kool-Aid as Lilliquist and Satpal in this regard. There will be no bright future for marginalized people in Bellingham and Whatcom County without modren, affordable, infrastructure leading to better jobs, telehealth and more.
Todd Lagestee
Oct 22, 2021Russ absolutely supports a “Dig Once” policy. From a fiduciary responsibility standpoint, Russ understands this arguably better than any other previous city council member seeking election. Russ also believes in the value of fiber infrastructure as a public utility. The previous comment alluding that Russ is in some anti-worker stance is without basis. Campaigns can’t weigh in on everything upfront, however anytime this issue has been raised Russ has weighed in on the side of public fiber and public broadband as a municipal utility. I know because I have personally had this conversation with Russ multiple times. I know that Russ sees the value in this as an accountant. Russ also understands that this can have true bottom line value (red/black) not just as a virtue signal in a triple bottom line consideration. Russ is the only candidate in this race that is actually a union member (and by choice in the normally less than union supportive industry of finance). Russ is the only candidate in this race that works in a fiduciary capacity. Russ is the only candidate in recent political history to be an accountant and bring that real and needed skillset to elected city leadership. Frankly, in my opinion, Russ is the only real candidate in this race!
Jon Humphrey
Oct 22, 2021Thanks Todd. Not supporting public broadband, including not just Dig Once but Open Access and a municipal option, are anti-worker. It would have been nice if Russ met with an expert on this topic but I am glad he mostly gets it. I support unions, but involvement in a union does not mean one supports workers. We have heard this all before from council members who ultimately screwed workers over time and time again but said unions supported them when running.
Dick Conoboy
Oct 22, 2021Jon,
I also contacted our council member Lisa Anderson who told me, ” Russ works in education and fully realizes our infrastructure is inadequate for the learning environment and business needs for our community now and in the future. He values high speed and affordable Internet and whichever is the best pathway to achieve that he would be supportive. [I have] had several conversations with Russ about the importance of public fiber- whether through the city or partnership with the PUD and ... ‘he gets it’.”
Dick
Jon Humphrey
Oct 22, 2021Dick, what does the opinion of a council member matter? This council supported a corrupt public works director that produced a telecom riddled Broadband Advisory Group and sat by while Lilliquist and Johnston drafted a fake conduit ordinance to confuse voters with. All of which I’ve written about before. The details matter. Most recently Johnston and the BAG tasked their consultant with conducting the most inaccurate testing possible of a few connection in Bellingham to give us the least accurate results possible and lie of behalf of the telecoms. Russ needs to understand some of the basics. Otherwise Johnston will maneuver him into giving Comcast full control of the right of way installations and call it a “Dig Once” policy which it will be in name only. Corporate welfare for Comcast Policy would be more accurate. Comcast is already pushing for it on the BAG. BAG members have told me that Comcast and Johnston have made it clear that they own our town and will control whatever happens in the right of way and that no one better screw with them on it or they will turn off all of their connections. It is a hostage situation but the treasure they’re connected is obsolete garbage. Was Russ aware of any of this? Does he know DSL from Coax from satellite from wireless from fiber? Is he aware that Johnston and Lilliquist are so dirty they write fake policies to protect big telecom? Will he stand up to anti-first amendment companies that threaten his community? Will he stand up to corrupt staff that do the same?