It should be an interesting evening when Edgemoor Neighborhood Association meets from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, March 5, at Fairhaven Park Pavilion.

The second hour has been set aside for a discussion of the Chuckanut Ridge housing proposal in south Bellingham. Slated to attend are City Council members Barbara Ryan and Jack Weiss.

Hard feelings and disputed recollections continue over whether the voter-approved Greenways III levy contained a committment to spend up to $8 million to buy some portion of the Chuckanut Ridge property.

Ryan, along with council members Terry Bornemann and Gene Knutson, recently submitted an article to Northwest Citizen, an online news and opinion site, saying up to $8 million had been promised by a council majority during levy discussions, but the money was not specifically detailed in levy ballot details.

The article prompted a reply from Weiss, who says the council is not, and has never been, obligated to spend a particular sum on Chuckanut Ridge, and he wonders if the levy would have passed if it included a commitment to spend a large sum on the south Bellingham property at a time when many north Bellingham residents were lobbying for more open space and parks in their part of town.

Fairhaven Neighbors will hold a general membership meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 4, at Fairhaven Park Pavilion.

Featured speaker will be David Drummond of the Merlin Falcon Foundation, presenting a program on “Urban Merlins of the Northwest.”

A local expert on raptors, Drummond will share his recent research on local merlins.

Other topics include brief discussion of Fairhaven’s neighborhood plan amendment, and the city’s “infill toolkit” for new housing types.

For details, call 671-1559.

An updated version of the Silver Beach Ordinance (also known as the Lake Whatcom Watershed Regularity Chapter) has been released by Bellingham planners, and Silver Beach residents have an early chance to review the proposal.

The ordinance is designed to improve the quality of Lake Whatcom water by preserving and increasing the amount of natural vegetation in the watershed and by adopting development rules to reduce the amount of harmful phosphorus entering the lake.

For details on the ordinance, click here.

A volunteer committee from Silver Beach Neighborhood Association has been formed to identify changes in the ordinance and to produce a document that can be distributed to Silver Beach residents so they understand potential changes.

Here’s the schedule of Silver Beach meetings:

March 4 — the Silver Beach committee meets.

March 9 — A special meeting of Silver Beach Neighborhood Association starts at 7 p.m. at Bloedel Donovan Park to review the committee’s work.

March 10 — The association sends its response to the city planning department.

March 12 — The Bellingham Planning Commission meets at 7 p.m. in City Hall for a public hearing on the ordinance.

On Thursday, Feb. 26, Bellingham planners will unveil their conceptual plans and development regulations for an urban village along Samish Way.

The public session runs from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, 710 S. Samish Way.

A series of public meetings on the urban village was held last summer. Since then, staff and consultants have gathered technical information and put together a draft plan and draft set of rules.

The proposed urban village is along Samish Way between Interstate 5, Bill McDonald Parkway, South 34th Street and Edwards Street.

After public comment is taken on the draft ideas, the package will be reviewed by the Planning Commission and then by the City Council for possible approval.

Cornwall Park Neighborhood Association meets at 7 tonight, Tuesday, Feb. 24, at Fountain Community Church, 2100 Broadway.

The busy agenda includes board and officer elections, a discussion of the proposed Fountain District urban village, possible school district budget cuts and school closures, and other updates.

The Silver Beach Neighborhood Association will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, at Bloedel Donovan Park.

It will be the first meeting for the association’s newly elected board members.

Bellingham Mayor Dan Pike is the scheduled speaker when the Guide Meridian/Cordata Neighborhood Assocation meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, at Birchwood Presbyterian Church, 400 Meadowbrook Court.

The association recently elected board members:

Co-presidents: Beverly Jacobs and Adrienne Lederer

Vice president: Bob Sanders

Secretary: Judy Van Woudenberg

Treasurer: Julie Guy

To save money, the city of Bellingham is discontinuing its monthly “Neighborhood News” online and e-mail newsletter about programs and activities involving the city’s various neighborhoods and neighbhorhood programs.

The last issue, just one page, is taken up with this letter from Mayor Dan Pike:

During recent weeks the City has implemented steps to address declining revenues as a result of continued local and nationwide economic difficulties.

Updated revenue figures indicate that the downward trend is occurring at an even more rapid rate than previously predicted.

Recent sales tax preliminary numbers, based on November’s retail activity, show receipts for that month down by as much as 16 % from a year ago.

The proactive steps we took in 2008 to soften the effects of these declining revenues were substantial; however, we recently implemented a strategy to reduce our workforce, resulting in lay-offs for five city staff.

The emotional impacts of this action are felt by the entire city team and we are doing everything possible to avoid further staff reductions.
It remains to be seen whether that will be possible.

While we are doing all we can to maintain quality public services and protect people’s jobs, each increment of declining revenue brings new challenges.

As such, we have identified that discontinuing the Neighborhood News, at least for 2009, is a necessary cost-savings step.

While you will not see the newsletter in future months, we will continue to communicate with neighborhoods through our established and effective connections with neighborhood associations and maintain our commitment to posting current, accurate and emerging information on the city website.

There is a process in motion to review current department budgets and decide where further cuts might be made.

A set of recommendations will be brought to the City Council in the coming months and a new official budget may result, that will act as our spending plan for the duration of 2009.

In any event, there will be shifts in staffing and services; however, we are taking great care to minimize any impact on service provision.

During times like this it can be difficult to dissect speculation about the city’s financial state and potential next steps.

We are making it a priority to provide accurate information related to what is an ever-changing financial climate, communicate frequently about steps being implemented, and remain consistently accessible to answer questions and provide information.

I want to express my gratitude to city employees, who care so much about the services they provide to the public and care about each other.

Neighborhoods and neighborhood associations are similarly committed to our community and to making our city the best it can be, even during times of austerity.

This dedication is among the many qualities that make the City of Bellingham known for its good people and top-quality services.

A community picnic in Happy Valley last summer produced more than just a good time. It also sparked support for more sharing of food and company.

The result is a new Southside Community Meal program, organized by Our Saviour’s Church and the Happy Valley Neighborhood Association.

“Those of us involved in organizing the picnic longed for something more,” said Justin Johnson, pastor at Our Saviour’s.

For now, the plan is to host one community meal per month for the next four months, and then assess how the program is working, he said.

The goal is to provide a free homemade meal where neighbors can gather, eat good food and listen to music. Donations will be accepted, but the emphasis is on “free.”

The first meal will be 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 22 at the church, 1720 Harris Ave. The next meal will be March 22.

As it happens, Feb. 22 is also the next Bellingham Community Meal at Assumption Church gym, 2116 Cornwall Ave. That free meal is 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Here are contacts if you would like to volunteer or donate to the programs:

Southside Community Meal: 733-6749.

Bellingham Community Meal: 647-5114 or 2kayaks@gmail.com.

Members of Silver Beach Neighborhood Association can vote for new officers online, because weather and scheduling problems got in the way of earlier voting sessions.

Here’s part of an e-mail message sent to members by current association president Ken Bell:

Dear Silver Beach Neighborhood Association member,

The SBNA Board met and we would like to see the new chairman take the reins before the February meeting.

As you are probably aware, weather and scheduling complications have caused us to cancel the last two SBNA meetings when the election was supposed to take place.

As such, the board has decided to conduct our annual officer elections through an on-line voting process.

For those who are concerned about the privacy of their vote someone will be available on February 10th between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. at Bloedel Donovan Park to take ballots.

Those without email access will be mailed a ballot with a return envelope enclosed.

MEMBERS ARE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IF DUES WERE CURRENT IN DECEMBER 2008.

Please reply to this email address with your vote by Tuesday February 10th, 2009.

Candidates for each position are:

_____ David Jefferson - Chairman

_____ Ken Bell - Deputy Chairman

_____ Lee Barron - Treasurer

_____ Ken Putney - At Large

_____ Coreen Hansen - ABN Representative

______________________________ Write in candidate, please include position for which they are running

We have a candidate for the Secretary seat, however he is not yet a member and cannot be elected during this cycle. This will be remedied at the February meeting. His name is Eric Smith.

Edgemoor Neighborhood Association will hold its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5 at the Fairhaven Park Pavilion.

Topics of discussion include the Edgemoor Lagoon reserve property, and efforts to preserve the caretaker’s house at the Fairhaven Rose Garden site,

Columbia Neighborhood Association will hold its annual meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 3, at Immanuel Bible Church, 2000 W. North St.

At the meeting, Whatcom County Assessor Keith Willnauer will discuss this year’s fresh round of property assessments, the basis for local property tax calculations.

Association members will be asked to register and pay the $10 annual dues before electing new board members, voting on proposed changes to the bylaws, and deciding whether the association should meet more often each year.

Bellingham’s South Neighborhood Association meets at 7 p.m. today, Tuesday, Jan. 13, in the commons area at Fairhaven Middle School.

Guest speaker is Mayor Dan Pike.

Topics include an update on the proposed Chuckanut Ridge development.

Several Bellingham neighborhood associations and property owners have submitted proposals to change neighborhood plans for their areas or parcels.

To see a list of who wants what, click here.

The city of Bellingham Web site has frustrated some people trying to track down city information.

Now, at least, the section on neighborhoods has a new and improved format.

Take a look by clicking here.