The Bellingham City Council meeting is under way.
Here are the main spots so far (technically they will have a final vote on these tonight, but they’re pretty much done).
Knutson
Mayor pro tempore: Terry Bornemann
Council president pro tempore: Stan Snapp
Finance & Personnel Committee: Chairman Snapp. Other members: Barry Buchanan and Michael Lilliquist
Lake Whatcom Reservoir Committee: Chairman Lilliquist. Other members: Buchanan and Snapp.
Parks & Recreation Committee: Chairman Seth Fleetwood. Other members: Snapp and Bornemann.
Planning & Community Developement Committee: Chairman Terry Bornemann. Other members: Jack Weiss, Fleetwood and Lilliquist.
Public Works & Public Safety Committee: Chairman Buchanan. Other members: Snapp and Weiss.
Transportation Committee: Chairman Weiss. Other members: Lilliquist and Snapp.
Waterfront Development Committee: Chairman Weiss. Other members: Bornemann, Fleetwood and Lilliquist.
More below.
Ex-Officio to other bodies:
Bellingham Whatcom & Tourism Bureau: Snapp.
Whatcom Council of Governments: Buchanan and Weiss. Buchanan will serve as the primary and will be on the executive board as well.
Downtown Bellingham Partnership: Buchanan. Bornemann will serve as backup.
Emergency Medical Management Advisory Board: Snapp and Buchanan.
Firefighters Pension Board: Snapp
Library Board: Lilliquist
Mount Baker Theatre Board: Fleetwood
Museum Society: Bornemann
Northwest Economic Council: Buchanan
Open Space Committee: Bornemann, Weiss, Fleetwood, Lilliquist
Opportunity Council: Snapp
Parks & Recreation Board: Fleetwood (as parks chairman), Snapp, Bornemann
Police Pension Board: Knutson and in his place Snapp if absent
Port Marina Advisory Committee: Buchanan
Sister Cities Advisory Board: Fleetwood
Sustainable Connections: Bornemann
Tourism Commission: Snapp.
What-COMM: Buchanan.
Whatcom Transportation Authority: Snapp and Weiss
New this year:
2010 Legacy & Strategic Commitments Metrics Taskforce: Bornemann and Snapp.
2010 Comcast Franchise and Public Access Review Committee: Lilliquist and Snapp.
Bellingham School District Committee: Lilliquist will act as liaison.
Capital Facilities Taskforce: Snapp and Bornemann. Buchanan is going to apply for an at-large spot through the mayor’s office as there was apparently a low turnout for applicants.
January 4th, 2010 at 3:20 PM
Where da women at?
January 4th, 2010 at 3:23 PM
As Council President Knutson put it today, Trixi … it’s now “seven angry white men.”
January 4th, 2010 at 3:58 PM
Better than the seven dwarves, I suppose.
January 4th, 2010 at 4:07 PM
Seven Angry Men (of small stature)
I don’t know, I think they’ve got a grumpy and a sneezy and some may say they even have a Dopey, but one thing they lack, there is not a Henry Fonda in the lot….
January 4th, 2010 at 4:13 PM
My desire would be that the seven share the anger of the live-in homeowners who have been living for decades under a crap-shoot zoning system in which codes are not enforced resulting in de-facto, uncontrolled infill by illegal rooming house; deterioration and distortion of neighborhood character; and an unfettered, unlicensed and unsafe rental housing market. Perhaps this council is made of sterner stuff and will end this virtual tyranny of the landlords. Check out my newest blog entry on this subject by clicking on the name Zonemaven above.
January 4th, 2010 at 5:31 PM
Am I the only one who wishes the zonemaven would broaden their perspective?
January 4th, 2010 at 6:17 PM
No.
January 4th, 2010 at 6:28 PM
I like that someone stays focused on quality of life in neighborhoods. Good for Zonemaven.
Oh and congrats to Gene. But yes, seven men…. time for a change.
January 4th, 2010 at 6:40 PM
I agree Suzie Q. Zonemaven would make a good politician; he has a knack for practicing message discipline.
BTW, when is it not time for a change?
January 4th, 2010 at 7:13 PM
Greg — nope, you’re not.
Saying that single-family homeowners are suffering from a “tyranny of the landlords” or any other tyranny is like saying Christians are an oppressed population in the United States.
January 4th, 2010 at 10:49 PM
I swear, one of these days I’m gonna become an evil landlord, rent out my house to college students, and move to Canada!
Anyone know a good property manager?
January 5th, 2010 at 5:40 AM
Zonemaven has a legitimate gripe, and it’s not getting traction. My suspicion is he will continue to beat his drum until someone in a position to do something about it listens and takes appropriate action. Such tenacity is admirable, often effective, and I respect the way he is sticking to his convictions. I seriously doubt that he will relent simply because a handful of us are annoyed at his postings and emails.
January 5th, 2010 at 7:09 AM
In the middle of a deep recession it seems a bit callous to go after folks who have to live in cooperative situations to survive. Let me guess, this person lives up on south hill or the Puget neighborhood and doesn’t like his neighbors and has found a way to hassle them. Boring…..So he/she claims to be someone who is dazzylingly skilled on the issues of zoning and the rest of us should bow down. I’m not convinced.
January 5th, 2010 at 7:18 AM
Thank you all for your comments. As DJ has correctly surmised, I am not about to cede ground to the naysayers. I have carefully picked my subject which, by the way, has far ranging implications for the city with respect to the manner in which we grow, protect our neighborhoods and ensure the health and safety of our citizens. I am calling on this council to reverse the direction of previous councils, who have, by their inaction, allowed the situation to fester and grow while promising action on illegal and unsafe rentals that never took place.
January 5th, 2010 at 8:17 AM
Zonie, what was the impetus for your starting this campaign? Protecting neighborhoods, the health and safety of citizens, dastardly landlords are all credible sounding rationalizations for your cause, but what or who really compelled you to go on this crusade? Such ventures usually have an emotion at their core. Can you be disconcertingly honest about it?
January 5th, 2010 at 10:56 AM
Jurgen,
Read my 2007 blog post at http://zonemaven.blogspot.com/2007/08/at-large-candidate-lilliquist-responds.html for an explanation of the genesis of my “campaign”. It is contained in a response to then-candidate Lilliquist during his first candidacy for the council.
January 5th, 2010 at 1:42 PM
IMO, Mr. Maven hasn’t any problem that a plate of warm chocolate-chip cookies couldn’t solve.
I faced down the terror of my life in my neighborhood one time with a fruit bowl and veggies snacks.
Catch more flies with honey, Ma always said.
Change the direction of the council?
They have discovered that landlord licensing doesn’t work.
There’s no backing for punishing zoning violations that can be handled as a nuisance,
and they rely upon existing machinery to control renter safety and sub-standard housing.
But I do admire all windmill tilters just the same.
January 5th, 2010 at 2:26 PM
Citizen,
Cookies and fruit do not stop the problem of uncontrolled infill and rental housing safety, neither of which has been effectively dealt with by the city government either through existing codes, which are ignored, or through additional legislation. The statement that the council has discovered that rental licensing does not work is disingenuous in that it has never been enacted in this town. If you take the time to read the staff report prepared for the council, you will discover references to many successful rental licensing programs throughout the nation.
(Here is the link to the study: http://twilight-zoning-in-bellingham.googlegroups.com/web/RentalHousingRegulationOct21word97.doc?pli=1)
January 6th, 2010 at 6:51 AM
Uncontrolled infill?
Where?
When?
Unsafe rental properties?
Where?
When?
Seattle’s experiment with rental/landlord licensing was so hated that they ended the program early and refunded all the fees.
January 6th, 2010 at 6:58 AM
I HAVE MOVED FROM UNCONVINCED TO HOSTILE TO THE IDEA. I BELIEVE WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS PREJUDICE AND EGO, A DANGEROUS COMBINATION. THUMBS DOWN.
January 6th, 2010 at 10:01 AM
Citizen,
Perhaps you may wish to read the last several years of my blog posts (199 in all) in which you will find ample evidence of uncontrolled infill and unsafe rental properties. With respect to Seattle, the rental licensing there was suspended due to challenges by landlords. The legal questions have been put to rest through several unsuccessful challenges to the rental licensing law in Pasco. Check here for more info:
http://www.seattle.gov/council/licata/up/241.htm
January 6th, 2010 at 10:09 AM
Uncontrolled infill sounds like a dump truck accident.
If you’re speaking of residents - and I’m sure you are - then having trouble with those residents has been decided already as some other problem satisfied by some other means.
I’m also sure that almost any municipal license scheme is legal, I’m just saying it’s been shown to be wildly counterproductive and un-popular and therefore is a dead issue no matter who sits on the council.
I do feel your pain,
I’ve lived next door to animal abusers, drunks and even politicians.
January 6th, 2010 at 10:13 AM
And there’s nothing I woulda liked better than to have an authority figure from the City come by and inspect their butts out to the curb,
while revoking the license of the landlord - even if he was 5 thousand miles away.
January 6th, 2010 at 10:35 AM
So you’re saying that the licensing idea was abandoned in Seattle simply because those who didn’t wish to be licensed complained, rather than that they had legal arguments that the city believed assured their victory or at least cast doubt on the success of their scheme? Don’t have much faith in the integrity of eleceted officials and the legal community of Seattle do we?
Further, the apples in Seattle were obviously different than the oranges rounded up in Pasco, don’t you think? I find your argument spurious.