Vol. 3 #29

One of Cordata’s most important subjects will be examined at Tuesday’s (February 12) meeting of our association.  Troy D. Abel, Ph.D. and assistant professor at Western Washington University’s Huxley College, will speak about “Wetlands” at the 7 p.m. general session at Birchwood Presbyterian Church, 400 Meadowbrook Ct.  Majoring in Public Health, Abel graduated in 1990 from Indiana University and earned a Masters and a Ph.D. from George Mason University (Fairfax, Virginia), the latter in 1998.  His teaching assignments have been at George Mason (1998-1999), Southern Illinois University (1999-2001), the University of Wisconsin in Green Bay (2001-2006) and his current berth where, since 2006, he has specialized in the environment.   Other future speakers include Bellingham Mayor Dan Pike, “The First 100 Days” (March 11); Developer Ralph Black “A Bridge to Somewhere” (April 8); and Greg Kirsch (May 13).  Kirsch, a naturalist, has an article in the January Whatcom Watch.   

Cordata’s quest for a branch library continued the past month with Bellingham’s print media reporting the drum roll initiated by neighborhood residents.  The Whatcom Independent provided mid-January front page coverage in addition to editor Sheri Ward’s insightful look at what the paper described as “the library conundrum.”  Also included was an opinion page column under the heading: An idea whose time has come: Library in the Park.  The Herald followed 11 days later with a story about north side residents being on the verge of a campaign of our own reflecting a cooling of attitude toward the proposed new facility.  Quoted liberally in the Herald  was Julie Guy, co-founder of the Guide Meridian/Cordata Neighborhood Association.  Guy pointed to the difficult time ahead for north side support of a bond issue if residents are left out.  “We haven’t officially said that yet, but we’re sort of building up to it,” suggested Guy.  One member of the library board has picked up on the Library in the Park idea suggesting partnership with the parks department.  What is becoming increasingly obvious is that a plan is forming as it did during our pursuit of a park.  We learned from that one that persistency pays off.  Meanwhile, there is growing evidence that the public, remarkably unaware of a project seven years in the making, is starting to ask questions.  One of the questions involves what appears to be a quantum leap to architectural renderings before determining projected library needs in a rapidly changing information age.  It may very well be that less can be more in terms of the central Bellingham project whose total cost, according to a recent report, will be $56.4 million and counting.  Included in the tab is $4.8 million for parking facilities.  The price for 123 parking spaces comes to $39,000 per space.  The important thing for us is to stay on top of the subject and keep it alive.    Meanwhile, increased public curiosity, the price of the project, the likelihood the mayor will want at least a near-unanimous council vote, and the fact that this is an election year mean it’s highly unlikely a library bond will make it to a ballot this year.  It was agreed at the joint City Council/Library Board meeting that the Council will vote on whether to put the bond issue on a ballot by the end of February.  Inescapable is the fact that the Bellingham Public Library has a public relations problem of significant magnitude.

A self-described dedicated walker, Norbert Petsch is a new member of the GM/C Neighborhood Association Board of Directors.   A Bellingham resident two years, Norbert takes pride in his approach to transportation.  As he phrases it, “aside from a brief period, I’ve never been owned by a car.”  His nearly car-less past was spent in suburban Long Island, a small steel city—Johnstown, Pennsylvania--and car-crazy California, the latter a formidable challenge to walkers of all persuasion.  A writer of funny, sometimes biting letters to the editor, Petsch is adamant in his belief that ”you can savor more of life at two or three miles an hour than in whizzing by in an expensive steel coffin on wheels.”  A published writer and painter also skilled in photography, he hopes to keep the north side green and pedestrian friendly.  “Too much money,” Petsch adds, “is being poured into showpiece projects downtown, while uptown we have to fight tooth and nail just to get a sidewalk.”  Future issues of The Insider will inform readers of new board members Pat Adams and Judy Van Woudenberg.  Our deepest thanks go to Larry West, Ralph Wenning and Jim Zander for their highly valuable service on the board.  Banker Larry has been transferred out of town while Jim will put his talents into play as a member of Greenways Committee having been approved by Mayor Dan Pike and the City Council.  With Jim stepping aside as chair of the eighborhood Association’s Parks & Trails Committee, the organization is looking for a replacement.  Ralph Wenning, whose contributions to our Neighborhood cannot be minimized (he was, for example, a one-man band in getting stop signs erected at Kellogg & Eliza Rds.) is available for consultation in all our pursuits and remains a member of the Neighborhood Plan Committee.   

Keep an eye on the county council’s February 12 meeting that would limit Bellingham’s Urban Growth Area (UGA) to the nearby 286-acre King and Queen Mountain areas.  Such a vote would validate the City Council’s January 28 approval (5-2) of Mayor Dan Pike’s resolution to support the pending county approach to growth.  The apparent coming together of city and county would not have been possible a year ago.  A changed council line-up (three seats changed hands) plus a new mayor have made such change a reality.  Not to be unduly repetitive but don’t forget King and Queen Mountain Developer Ralph Black will be our April 8 general meeting speaker.   

Deadline Dash….And don’t forget those Democrat and Republican caucuses Saturday, February 9.  Democrats, caucusing at two locations, will welcome Cordatans at Shuksan Middle School, Northwest Ave. at Alderwood.  For further information: 647-7661.  Republications will gather at Bloedel Donovan Community Building, 2214 Electric Ave.  For additional info: 734-5215.  O.K. You already got a ballot in the mail.  Why not bring a little Chicago into your life and vote twice?….Not to bring undue embellishment to the obvious, but that latest chapter in The Great Cordata Station Bidding War was what we used to call a ”doozy.”  Faded phrases aside, it was the perseverance of Vertical Inc that proved key as the fledgling company won a $3.39 million contract to build the Whatcom Transit Company’s station at Cordata Parkway & Short St.  Vertical’s first bid was an apparent winner until second place Ebenol protested claiming mistakes that proved true.  A second bidding found Ebenal the winner until it was determined that things didn’t add up.  Also tossed because of wretched arithmetic were bids of three other competitors.  That was on December 29.  On January 16, the WTA decided to accept terms offered by Vertical, in business one year and yet to build anything significant.  On the basis of what has gone before, all competitors might very well be inclined to reflect upon one of philosopher Yogi Berra’s somewhat lucid proclamations: “It’s never over ’til it’s over.”…. The first meeting of the Cordata Parks Steering Committee has been called by Gina Gobo of Parks & Recreation.  It’ll be held March 13 at Birchwood Presbyterian Church which continues to be of considerable help in our efforts to make our neighborhood even better….There has been a slowdown regarding an amalgamation of St. Joseph Hospital and Madrona Medical.  Details were anticipated by the end of January.  That was before San Juan Island entered the picture amid a demand that much more in the way of immediate treatment should be available to island folks.  Skagit County wanted the business but was beaten out by our locals.  Bet you didn’t know such competition exists…Isn’t the loser of the month the Caitac Group?  Lost in the shuffle of the City Council vote to drastically limit the UGA (Urban Growth Area) was Larrabee Springs, Caitac’s planned development of 1,800 housing units on 200 acres and whose core is the North Bellingham Golf Club.  Local press has carried nary a word about the Larrabee Springs defeat.

More next time,
Bob Sanders
 

Comments

[just the facts, ma'am]

Interesting... right now bellingham is subsidizing the GP site to the tune of $300 million and old town another 4 or 5 million ($2m to the Parberry family), millions to samish way, fountain disctrict, sunnyland, etc... not to mention all the greenways dollars that go to fund parks for all the homes that never paid any park impact fees. All of this is subsidized by local tax payers dollars. The Larrabee Springs project has a fiscal impact statement that shows a net gain to Bellingham around $3mm plus positive cash flow for ongoing operations of police, fire, transit, parks, etc to the tune of $600,000 per year.

So, what are you talking about?

[WC]

The winners in the smart growth decision by the County Council is the citizens of Bellingham and Whatcom County. They will not have to subsidize Caitac's Larrabee Springs.