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Voter Choices for November 6

Here is some guidance for voting in County and Bellingham elections. As a citizen activist, I often see the differences between what candidates say about their views and how they work on issues. Sometimes it is high comedy - sometimes it is appalling.

For new candidates, I have worked on campaigns for local challengers since 1978. All I can tell you is you never know. We have to be ready to turn someone out of office when the power of it gets to them and they become professional politicians. It has happened to the best. Some can stay representatives of the people - some plug into the system and become deaf and blind to the public good. What I do know is we need to show the door to those who have stayed too long and allow the new ones a chance.

I've included links to candidate web sites. All known web sites are listed. Please email info on missing sites to: nwcitizen@fairhaven.com

Port of Bellingham

The choices are clear for Port Commissioner. Whether you are liberal or conservative, your goals will be best served by voting for both the challengers - Fenton Wilkinson and Dan Warner.

District 1
Dan Warner or Scott Walker - Scott Walker is running for his 3rd term

Dan Warner is the preferred choice. He has shown a true commitment to Port reform. While I was very leery of him in the primary, he has shown in the past few weeks that he will bring higher ethical standards to the Port and will work for the citizens, not just the large corporations. He is very qualified by professional and political experience.

Commissioner Scott Walker now directs the Port to compete with local businesses. He wastes taxpayer money on glamor projects that lose money. He serves the interests of his employer, B-P Arco, by promoting tax exempt bonds for them. He should be encouraged to enjoy his pending retirement. Don't be fooled by his carefully controlled gee whiz school boy personality. He is not serving the good of Whatcom County.

District 2
Fenton Wilkinson or Doug Smith - Doug Smith is running for his 3rd term

Fenton has excellent qualifications and will work to help businesses throughout Whatcom County. Fenton is the outstanding choice and we have a rare opportunity to elect an outstanding public servant. Fenton has been working for improved economic development in Whatcom County for over 10 years. He has the support of conservatives and liberals. Vote for him.

Doug Smith is a corrupt public official and should be shown the door. He profits from his elected position.

Bellingham City Council

If only we voters could choose a group of four. If all four liberal candidates are voted in then our council will suffer another two years of rubber stamp actions for the mayor. I wish Stephen Trinkause had run against Louise - we would vote him in. Gene Knutson has shown himself as the only council member with integrity and a backbone. He should be returned.

In my four years working to save our Happy Valley neighborhood from Western's expansion and city apartment zoning, Barbara Ryan and Louise Bjornson were no help at all. If it was up to Barbara and Louise, our neighborhood would have been lost. They don't walk their talk of neighborhood values. They vote for the developers and big organizations. My liberal and environmental friends are cruelly deceived by Barbara and Louise. They both vote as the mayor instructs them to. Both are rubber stamps. We voters should tell both of them a quick goodby.

At Large
Joel Hile or Louise Bjornson - Louise is running for her 8th term

Joel has my vote. He has good qualifications and has shown a willingness to learn. While he may be too conservative for some peoples tastes, he could provide a good opponent to mayor Mark's spend and waste projects. Lets give him a chance. He could turn into an excellent rep. With reelection in two years he will be motivated to listen to the voters.

Louise has served 14 years. It is time for her to go. She is no longer an effective council member. She literally rubber stamps the mayor's projects, sometimes actually repeating his statements. She will show agreement with any citizen she talks with, I supported her in years past. My experience with her on the Happy Valley planning process was awful.

Ward 2
Gene Knutson or Stephen Trinkaus - Gene is running for his third term.

Gene has integrity and backbone. He speaks out. He questions. He works to represent us. He challenges the mayor and staff when they try and bully the council. Gene represents all that is best in a representative. We don't have to agree on all the issues - we want a rep who listens and does his best. Gene does. In the Happy Valley neighborhood plan process, Gene showed himself to be a friend of liveable neighborhoods. Lets keep him.

Stephen is well qualified to be an excellent representative. He has solid progressive ideas. If elected he will probably be a very good council member - if the other rubber stamps aren't reelected and overwhelm him.

Ward 4 - Leslie Langdon is not running for reelection
Grant Deger or Rebecca Johnson

Grant Deger is a savvy and energetic semi retired physician. He would be a strong, fiscally conservative voice on the council. Campaigning these past weeks he has shown a wonderful open mindedness to learning more about issues - just what we want in a representative. I will be voting for him.

Rebecca is the more liberal. She would probably be a good representative if Louise and Barbara were not on the council also. They will overwhelm Rebecca. Rebecca was on the committee that recommended the $33 to $53 million civic building plan - and that leaves many of us fiscal conservatives worried. If she wins, she will work hard to be a good representative. I only hope she will keep an open ear for citizens and insist on an open public process.

Ward 6
Russ Weston
or Barbara Ryan - Barbara Ryan is running for her second term

Russ is my choice here. He knows the issues, the system and has a strong desire to represent us citizens. Russ ran for mayor 2 years ago. He has kept up on the issues since then. He deserves a chance to represent us. He has my vote.

Barbara should be retired from the council. She never had a clue what a representative is. She is the classic deer in the headlights - unable to make a decision or work for a cause. In council sessions, she often uses her speaking turn to repeat what the previous members have said and then asks if she said it all correctly. You figure. Barbara is a very nice and intelligent person who belongs on a task force or committee - but not on the council as a representative of the people.

Whatcom County Council

We have some good choices. We have a chance to toss Marlene Dawson out of public office - which we should do. We have clear choices for Districts 2 and 3. And in District 1, either Sherry or Ward will make a good representative. Sherry is liberal and Ward is conservative. Both have integrity and backbone. Both support open public process.

At Large
Seth Fleetwood or Marlene Dawson - Marlene Dawson is running for her third term

Seth has a chance to beat Marlene. Lets hope he does. Seth has fine intelligence and a desire to be a good representative. He needs the support of conservatives who realize that Marlene is hurting our county.

Marlene is our embarrassment. She runs a racist crusade against our Lummi Indian neighbors. She should go. My conservative friends should realize she is a racist and does not deserve their votes. Regardless of whether she is polite at council meetings or whether she works for other good causes, she should be shown the door for good. If we reelect her then we are showing that we as a county have an undecurrent of racism. Everyone knows Marlene's anti indian agenda.

District 1
Sherry Jubilo or Ward Nelson - Ward is running for reelection

Sherry has run a great campaign and surprised me and many others. She gets my vote. If elected, she could be a great representative. Sherry is concerned about civil rights, tolerance, and fair play. These are values that the county council could use more of. Sherry is especially concerned with excessive police powers and activities and our relationship with our Lummi Indian neighbors. She would work to improve relations.

Ward Nelson has done a decent working job of representing his views and the citizens. Nothing great. Ward could be more open minded to those he does not agree with. If reelected, we can expect Ward to continue doing his best for our county.

District 2 - Connie Hoag is not running for reelection
Laurie Caskey-Schreiber or Albert Schreiber

Laurie is my choice. She is the best replacement for Connie Hoag, plus she is more open in her thinking. Laurie is very smart and savvy. She is progressive rather than liberal. She would continue Connie's cause of protecting our farms and rural lands.

Al Schreiber is not deserving of any elective office. He is the guy who blew up at a questioner at a public forum and started yelling. He shows little tolerance for those who don't agree with him. Most importantly, he slides sideways on questions, refusing to give any specific answer. He is supposedly a conservative, but is better characterized as a government bureaucrat who does not understand the democratic process. His automated phone message - which interrupted my supper - said I should vote for him because he has protected me as an undercover investigator. ?? If Al gets into office, expect more high comedy on the council..

District 3 - Bob Imhof is not running for reelection
Sharon Roy or Bob Wiesen

Sharon is the clear choice. She is qualified and ready to help make Whatcom County a better place to live and work. Simple as that.

Bob Wiesen is a stealth candidate. He worked to split up Whatcom County and now denies it. He has worked against environmental concerns - but now pretends to be an environmentalist. He favors allowing developers almost unlimited freedom. But denies it. His work on the planning commission has given away his agenda. If he gets on the council then he will work to make our rural areas go the way of Orange County. He is the big developers friend. Look out.

Whatcom Conservation District

I am relying on Lisa McShane for this recommendation. Lisa has been very active professionally and personaly in conservation and environmental issues for many years.

Bastian Scholten is the incumbent on the Conservation District Board, an agency that is going in the right direction. They work with farmers to ensure that farm plans are right for the farmer and for the streams coming off the farm. Locally the Whatcom Conservation District has taken a lead in salmon recovery. I'll be voting for Scholten so that they can continue their good work.

Fred Tjoelker is running as the challenger.


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