Tricking & Treating: Reflections on Elections

Brrrr!, It's that time of year again.
When all the young ghosts and goblins emerge out of the dark to offer a choice you can't refuse.
Except by going out or away, or maybe turning off all the lights and hoping no one knows you're at home.

Think I'm talking about Halloween?
It could be the elections, too.

But, let's say it is Halloween.
And the weather's turned much cooler, even cold and damp.
Mostly clouds above, hiding most evidence of the big harvest moon.
Maybe even a little swirling mist to further cloak the dampened sounds.

Not many people about except little bands of costumed kids, closely chaperoned by parents quietly standing in the dark, or in idling cars.
No one seems to want anyone to know who they are or what they look like.
But they all want something from you, and the more the better.
If they don't get something tasty, there could be a little mischief!

When the night is done, the spoils are counted.
And some sugar 'highs' are inevitable.
In the morning, candy prices will be slashed.
But, its always more fun to get such treats for free.

Then its over.
And what will be remembered?
That Bobby got more treats than Susie?
That Billy got a tummy ache?
That little Janie caught the sniffles?
Why do we do this every year, and call it fun?

Maybe that's a question mostly asked by adults, without little kids in their lives?
I know as a kid, I always thought Halloween was fun!
A special kind of event, that was mostly for us kids, or so it seemed.
It wasn't like Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Those were family events with lots of food and singing and gathering.
But, they were serious celebrations of something beyond the fun.

Elections ought to be more that way, too, don't you think?
They certainly aren't fun!
And, they do tend to have serious consequences.
But some do use them as times for tricking & treating too, have you noticed?

The difference in being tricked and being treated is usually pretty obvious.
Most people would much rather be treated than tricked.
But, perceived treats do sometimes turn out to be tricks!
And, rarely do tricks turn out to be treats, except for those who enjoy the trickery.

I would rather expect treats than tricks from my elected officials.
Habits of treating people and issues fairly, openly and with respect are distinct treats.
While habits of obfuscation, partiality to cliques and secret agendas are more like tricks.

We get to decide whether 'tricks or treats' will characterize our local government.
And, unlike Halloween, election results will have to last four years, not one!
Maybe we should let the kids vote for us adults?
And give them a little treat when they do?
After all, elections are about kids anyway, even though we adults think they are about us.
That kind of election might be way more fun too!

Just think, in four years time the waterfront clean-up will be well underway, and plans for redevelopment becoming something more than plans.
That ought to benefit our kids, and their kids in the future.

And by then, maybe the folks who live around Lake Whatcom will have learned from their kids how to take better care of our drinking water?

Also, kids might feel safer walking and biking to school and to parks because of better sidewalks and street crossings

Both adults and kids will enjoy the new parks & trails that provide such good family recreation opportunities.

And, maybe by then a new Public Library will be opening, very close to the Childrens' Museum.

Neighborhoods may be more kid-friendly too, with Block Watches, picnics and neighborhood sized playgrounds available.

By then better growth management ideas may have created some great new living areas that aren't so auto-dependent.
Some of these might be right downtown, or close to stores and services, with bus service every 15 minutes!

Wouldn't all this stuff help kids live a better life?

You know, when you get right down to it, kids are a lot more fun than adults!

And, the future is really about them.

Why not let them vote for us?

Or at least let them put our ballots in the box!
That way, we'll be reminded of why we vote at all.
Somehow, we've got to figure out how to make elections more fun, so more people will vote!
Maybe we can learn from Halloween?

Just a thought.

Truth or Consequences: Not Just A Town In New Mexico

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'Nothing is easier than self-deceit. For what each man wishes, that he also believes to be true.' - Demosthenes

'Truth is not only violated by falsehood; it may be equally outraged by silence.'
- Henri Frederic Amiel:

The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie -- deliberate, contrived and dishonest -- but the myth -- persistent, persuasive and unrealistic.'
- John F. Kennedy:
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Here we are the day before Halloween and one week before Election Day, and I have this feeling that people care more for the former than the later!

I really hope I'm wrong about that feeling, but I suspect we will see more people buying candy for kids than we will see voting.
The County Auditor's report from last Friday showed that only about 18 percent of elgible voters had cast their ballots as of that time.
That means over four out of five registered voters haven't made their voices heard in this election!

What is wrong with that picture?
Maybe folks are just fed up with politics?
Or, they don't believe who gets elected matters?
Possibly, they are content to just let 'others' do it?
Did those absentee ballots look so much like junk mail, they were summarily thrown out?

I guess my being an elected official has opened my eyes wider than they were before, but I do believe it makes a difference to vote and be engaged in politics.
After my experience in local government, I will never again be able to sit back and let others dictate who serves, or allow things to just 'happen'!
There are things that are important enough to care about!
And voting is a vital part of caring!

If enough of us don't care enough to vote, where will that lead us?
Does anybody know?
Hello, does anybody care?

Maybe we should have a public initiative to give tax breaks to those who vote?
Or, offer some other form of tangible bonus or incentive?
Like maybe a coupon for Halloween candy?

The truth is there will be consequences for not voting.
Trouble is, its hard to connect those dots, particularly if there are many others who also don't vote.

One thing that seems to immobilize people is knowing where candidates stand on issues.
There is so much doublespeak and deliberate fuzzing going on that people tend to give up and opt out.
But, that just benefits insidious groups who prefer low voter turnout, because it serves their interests!

The subject of voter motivation is one that in which the Karl Rove's of the world have a big interest!
George Orwell's book '1984' predicted what could happen if big government, big media and big business ever hooked up to control our society.
It could happen - particularly if we let it by not participating in elections.

I believe misinformation is at the very root of the problem that voters face.
And, it doesn't make any difference whether the issue is local, regional, national or international.
The complexity of issues is a big factor in what makes them susceptible to misinformation.

And, there is a lot of complexity out there, folks!
Simplicity has always been a relative term.

One thing that ought to be simple to understand is the concept of 'truth'.

The following may be of interest in seeing what methods are at work in fuzzing the line between truth and falsehood.
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'On Bullshit' is an essay by philosopher Harry Frankfurt, who has appeared at least twice on 'The Daily Show' with Jon Stewart.

Originally published in 1986, this essay was republished as a book in 2005 and became a nonfiction bestseller.

In the essay, Professor Frankfurt sketches a theory of bullshit, defining the concept and analyzing its applications.

In particular, he contrasts bullshitting and lying; where the liar deliberately makes false claims, the bullshitter is simply uninterested in the truth.

It seems, bullshitters are mainly interested in impressing and persuading their audiences.

While liars need to know the truth the better to conceal it, bullshitters are more interested in advancing their own agendas, and have no use for the truth.

Therefore, Frankfurt claims, "bullshit is a greater enemy of the truth than lies are."
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Frankfurt's follow-up book 'On Truth' was published in 2006.

In 'On Truth', he develops the argument that individuals should care about the truth, regardless of whether they intend to be truthful.

But, Frankfurt explicitly avoids defining 'truth' beyond the common-sense concept of truth that people commonly hold.

His strategy is to show that the truth -whether an individual is to be truthful or not- is integral to nearly every endeavor.

The final point of his argument was that truth is a requirement for self-knowledge and therefore all distinctions between ourselves and the world.

Frankfurt concludes that the importance of truth, and thus our need to care about it, is therefore necessarily true simply by virtue of being believed.

Or, in Descartes' words "cogito ergo sum" (I think, therefore I am)
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What about the 'consequences' of not voting, you might ask?

So-called 'unintended consequences' can be classed into roughly three types:

• a positive unexpected benefit, usually referred to as serendipity or a windfall

• a potential source of problems, according to Murphy's law used in Systems engineering

• a negative or a perverse effect, which is the opposite result of what is intended

Discussions of 'unintended consequences' usually refer to the third situation of perverse results.

Is that what non-voters want?

I hope not!
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'All schools, all colleges, have two great functions: to confer, and to conceal, valuable knowledge. The theological knowledge which they conceal cannot justly be regarded as less valuable than that which they reveal. That is, when a man is buying a basket of strawberries it can profit him to know that the bottom half of it is rotten. - Mark Twain: 1908, notebook

'You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.'
- Abraham Lincoln (attributed):

HALLOWE'EN

Halloween or, more correctly, Hallowe'en, celebrated on October 31st, marks the last day of the year on the ancient Celtic calendar, its night being the time when all witches and warlocks walked abroad and engaged in wicked revelry.
With the coming of Christianity, the feast was transformed into the Eve of All Hallows, or All Saints.

The following poem by Robert Burns is a good indication of how pre-Christian Halloween beliefs and traditions survived well into the Christian era.

HALLOWEEN

by Robert Burns

Upon that night, when fairies light
On Cassilis Downans dance,
Or owre the lays, in splendid blaze,
On sprightly coursers prance;
Or for Colean the route is ta'en,
Beneath the moon's pale beams;
There, up the cove, to stray and rove,
Among the rocks and streams
To sport that night.

Among the bonny winding banks,
Where Doon rins, wimplin' clear,
Where Bruce ance ruled the martial ranks,
And shook his Carrick spear,
Some merry, friendly, country-folks,
Together did convene,
To burn their nits, and pou their stocks,
And haud their Halloween
Fu' blithe that night.

The lasses feat, and cleanly neat,
Mair braw than when they're fine;
Their faces blithe, fu' sweetly kythe,
Hearts leal, and warm, and kin';
The lads sae trig, wi' wooer-babs,
Weel knotted on their garten,
Some unco blate, and some wi' gabs,
Gar lasses' hearts gang startin'
Whiles fast at night.

Then, first and foremost, through the kail,
Their stocks maun a' be sought ance;
They steek their een, and graip and wale,
For muckle anes and straught anes.
Poor hav'rel Will fell aff the drift,
And wander'd through the bow-kail,
And pou't, for want o' better shift,
A runt was like a sow-tail,
Sae bow't that night.

Then, staught or crooked, yird or nane,
They roar and cry a' throu'ther;
The very wee things, todlin', rin,
Wi' stocks out owre their shouther;
And gif the custoc's sweet or sour.
Wi' joctelegs they taste them;
Syne cozily, aboon the door,
Wi cannie care, they've placed them
To lie that night.

The lasses staw frae 'mang them a'
To pou their stalks of corn:
But Rab slips out, and jinks about,
Behint the muckle thorn:
He grippet Nelly hard and fast;
Loud skirl'd a' the lasses;
But her tap-pickle maist was lost,
When kitlin' in the fause-house
Wi' him that night.

The auld guidwife's well-hoordit nits,
Are round and round divided,
And monie lads' and lasses' fates
Are there that night decided:
Some kindle coothie, side by side,
And burn thegither trimly;
Some start awa, wi' saucy pride,
And jump out-owre the chimlie
Fu' high that night.

Jean slips in twa wi' tentie ee;
Wha 'twas she wadna tell;
But this is Jock, and this is me,
She says in to hersel:
He bleezed owre her, and she owre him,
As they wad never mair part;
Till, fuff! he started up the lum,
And Jean had e'en a sair heart
To see't that night.

Poor Willie, wi' his bow-kail runt,
Was brunt wi' primsie Mallie;
And Mallie, nae doubt, took the drunt,
To be compared to Willie;
Mall's nit lap out wi' pridefu' fling,
And her ain fit it brunt it;
While Willie lap, and swore by jing,
'Twas just the way he wanted
To be that night.

Nell had the fause-house in her min',
She pits hersel and Rob in;
In loving bleeze they sweetly join,
Till white in ase they're sobbin';
Nell's heart was dancin' at the view,
She whisper'd Rob to leuk for't:
Rob, stowlins, prie'd her bonny mou',
Fu' cozie in the neuk for't,
Unseen that night.

But Merran sat behint their backs,
Her thoughts on Andrew Bell;
She lea'es them gashin' at their cracks,
And slips out by hersel:
She through the yard the nearest taks,
And to the kiln goes then,
And darklins graipit for the bauks,
And in the blue-clue throws then,
Right fear't that night.

And aye she win't, and aye she swat,
I wat she made nae jaukin',
Till something held within the pat,
Guid Lord! but she was quakin'!
But whether 'was the deil himsel,
Or whether 'twas a bauk-en',
Or whether it was Andrew Bell,
She didna wait on talkin'
To spier that night.

Wee Jennie to her grannie says,
"Will ye go wi' me, grannie?
I'll eat the apple at the glass
I gat frae Uncle Johnnie:"
She fuff't her pipe wi' sic a lunt,
In wrath she was sae vap'rin',
She notice't na, an aizle brunt
Her braw new worset apron
Out through that night.

"Ye little skelpie-limmer's face!
I daur you try sic sportin',
As seek the foul thief ony place,
For him to spae your fortune.
Nae doubt but ye may get a sight!
Great cause ye hae to fear it;
For mony a ane has gotten a fright,
And lived and died deleeret
On sic a night.

"Ae hairst afore the Sherramoor, --
I mind't as weel's yestreen,
I was a gilpey then, I'm sure
I wasna past fifteen;
The simmer had been cauld and wat,
And stuff was unco green;
And aye a rantin' kirn we gat,
And just on Halloween
It fell that night.

"Our stibble-rig was Rab M'Graen,
A clever sturdy fallow:
His son gat Eppie Sim wi' wean,
That lived in Achmacalla:
He gat hemp-seed, I mind it weel,
And he made unco light o't;
But mony a day was by himsel,
He was sae sairly frighted
That very night."

Then up gat fechtin' Jamie Fleck,
And he swore by his conscience,
That he could saw hemp-seed a peck;
For it was a' but nonsense.
The auld guidman raught down the pock,
And out a hanfu' gied him;
Syne bade him slip frae 'mang the folk,
Some time when nae ane see'd him,
And try't that night.

He marches through amang the stacks,
Though he was something sturtin;
The graip he for a harrow taks.
And haurls it at his curpin;
And every now and then he says,
"Hemp-seed, I saw thee,
And her that is to be my lass,
Come after me, and draw thee
As fast this night."

He whistled up Lord Lennox' march
To keep his courage cheery;
Although his hair began to arch,
He was say fley'd and eerie:
Till presently he hears a squeak,
And then a grane and gruntle;
He by his shouther gae a keek,
And tumbled wi' a wintle
Out-owre that night.

He roar'd a horrid murder-shout,
In dreadfu' desperation!
And young and auld came runnin' out
To hear the sad narration;
He swore 'twas hilchin Jean M'Craw,
Or crouchie Merran Humphie,
Till, stop! she trotted through them
And wha was it but grumphie
Asteer that night!

Meg fain wad to the barn hae gaen,
To win three wechts o' naething;
But for to meet the deil her lane,
She pat but little faith in:
She gies the herd a pickle nits,
And two red-cheekit apples,
To watch, while for the barn she sets,
In hopes to see Tam Kipples
That very nicht.

She turns the key wi cannie thraw,
And owre the threshold ventures;
But first on Sawnie gies a ca'
Syne bauldly in she enters:
A ratton rattled up the wa',
And she cried, Lord, preserve her!
And ran through midden-hole and a',
And pray'd wi' zeal and fervour,
Fu' fast that night;

They hoy't out Will wi' sair advice;
They hecht him some fine braw ane;
It chanced the stack he faddom'd thrice
Was timmer-propt for thrawin';
He taks a swirlie, auld moss-oak,
For some black grousome carlin;
And loot a winze, and drew a stroke,
Till skin in blypes cam haurlin'
Aff's nieves that night.

A wanton widow Leezie was,
As canty as a kittlin;
But, och! that night amang the shaws,
She got a fearfu' settlin'!
She through the whins, and by the cairn,
And owre the hill gaed scrievin,
Whare three lairds' lands met at a burn
To dip her left sark-sleeve in,
Was bent that night.

Whyles owre a linn the burnie plays,
As through the glen it wimpl't;
Whyles round a rocky scaur it strays;
Whyles in a wiel it dimpl't;
Whyles glitter'd to the nightly rays,
Wi' bickering, dancing dazzle;
Whyles cookit underneath the braes,
Below the spreading hazel,
Unseen that night.

Among the brackens, on the brae,
Between her and the moon,
The deil, or else an outler quey,
Gat up and gae a croon:
Poor Leezie's heart maist lap the hool!
Near lav'rock-height she jumpit;
but mist a fit, and in the pool
Out-owre the lugs she plumpit,
Wi' a plunge that night.

In order, on the clean hearth-stane,
The luggies three are ranged,
And every time great care is ta'en',
To see them duly changed:
Auld Uncle John, wha wedlock joys
Sin' Mar's year did desire,
Because he gat the toom dish thrice,
He heaved them on the fire
In wrath that night.

Wi' merry sangs, and friendly cracks,
I wat they didna weary;
And unco tales, and funny jokes,
Their sports were cheap and cheery;
Till butter'd so'ns, wi' fragrant lunt,
Set a' their gabs a-steerin';
Syne, wi' a social glass o' strunt,
They parted aff careerin'
Fu' blythe that night.
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FREEDOM OF THE PRESS: Mark Twain on Written Interviews

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'I have, in my time, succeeded in writing some very poor stuff, which I have put in pigeonholes until I realised how bad it was, and then destroyed it.

But I think the poorest article I ever wrote and destroyed was better worth reading than any interview with me that ever was published.'

- quoted in "Mark Twain, A Conglomerate Interview, Personally Conducted by Luke Sharp," The Idler, Feb. 1892

'It is a free press...There are laws to protect the freedom of the press's speech, but none that are worth anything to protect the people from the press.'

- Mark Twain License of the Press speech
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Recently, some candidate 'interviews' have appeared in local media, which seem to confirm the same concerns about this particular technique that were eloquently expressed in the late nineteenth century by Samuel L. Clemens, more popularly known as 'Mark Twain'.

Reproduced below is a quotation from Twain's letter of complaint to Edward Bok, circa 7 July 1889:
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"No, no—it is like most interviews, pure twaddle, and valueless.

For several quite plain and simple reasons, an "interview" must, as a rule, be an absurdity.
And chiefly for this reason: it is an attempt to use a boat on land, or a wagon on water, to speak figuratively.

Spoken speech is one thing, written speech is quite another.
Print is a proper vehicle for the latter, but it isn’t for the former.
The moment “talk” is put into print you recognize that it is not what it was when you heard it; you perceive that an immense something has disappeared from it.

That is its soul. You have nothing but a dead carcass left on your hands.
Color, play of feature, the varying modulations of voice, the laugh, the smile, the informing inflections, everything that gave that body warmth, grace, friendliness, and charm, and commended it to your affection, or at least to your tolerance, is gone, and nothing is left, but a pallid, stiff and repulsive cadaver.

Such is "talk," almost invariably, as you see it lying in state in an "interview."
The interviewer seldom tries to tell one how a thing was said; he merely puts in the naked remark, and stops there.

When one writes for print, his methods are very different.
He follows forms which have but little resemblance to conversation, but they make the reader understand what the writer is trying to convey.

And when the writer is making a story, and finds it necessary to report some of the talk of his characters, observe how cautiously and anxiously he goes at that risky and difficult thing ...[to wit]

• "If he had dared to say that thing in my presence," said Alfred, taking a mock heroic attitude, and casting an arch glance upon the company, "blood would have flowed."

• "If he had dared to say that thing in my presence," said Hawkwood, with that in his eye which caused more than one heart in that guilty assemblage to quake, "blood would have flowed."

• "If he had dared to say that thing in my presence," said the paltry blusterer, with valor on his tongue and pallor on his lips, "blood would have flowed."

So painfully aware is the novelist that naked talk in print conveys no meaning, that he loads, and often overloads, almost every utterance of his characters with explanations and interpretations.

It is a loud confession that print is a poor vehicle for "talk," it is a recognition that uninterpreted talk in print would result in confusion to the reader, not instruction.

Now, in your interview you have certainly been most accurate, you have set down the sentences I uttered as I said them.

But you have not a word of explanation; what my manner was at several points is not indicated.

Therefore, no reader can possibly know where I was in earnest and where I was joking; or whether I was joking altogether or in earnest altogether.

Such a report of a conversation has no value.
It can convey many meanings to the reader, but never the right one.

To add interpretations which would convey the right meaning is a something which would require -- what?
An art so high and fine and difficult that no possessor of it would ever be allowed to waste it on interviews.

No; spare the reader and spare me; leave the whole interview out; it is rubbish.
I wouldn’t talk in my sleep if I couldn’t talk better than that.

If you wish to print anything print this letter; it may have some value, for it may explain to a reader here and there why it is that in interviews as a rule men seem to talk like anybody but themselves."

Very sincerely yours,
MARK TWAIN.

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" ...the liberty of the Press is called the Palladium of Freedom, which means, in these days, the liberty of being deceived, swindled, and humbugged by the Press and paying hugely for the deception."

- "From Author's Sketch Book, Nov. 1870," reprinted in The Twainian, May 1940

"Think what tedious years of study, thought, practice, experience, went to the equipment of that peerless old master who was able to impose upon the whole world the lofty and sounding maxim that "Truth is mighty and will prevail"-- the most majestic compound fracture of fact which any of woman born has yet achieved. For the history of our race, and each individual's experience, are sewn thick with evidences that a truth is not hard to kill, and that a lie well told is immortal."

- Mark Twain, "Advice to Youth," 15 April 1882

'There are 869 different forms of lying, but only one of them has been squarely forbidden. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.'
- Mark Twin, Following the Equator; Pudd'nhead Wilson's New Calendar

'I am different from Washington; I have a higher, grander standard of principle.
Washington could not lie. I can lie, but I won't.'
- quoted in Mark Twain, Henderson

A lie can travel halfway round the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.
- attributed to Mark Twain

The Nightmare Before Elections

Some years ago, one of my kayaking friends wrote one of the most hilarious fantasies I can remember.
This piece was inspired by that one, with my apologies to that author
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"Do bloggers hallucinate?"

Having fretted fruitlessly for a while at my original uninspiring blog (something like "Elections are important"), I couldn’t help wondering how badly the local elections might turn out before I’d be forced to describe it as a disaster.

Supposing, for example . . .
that one voter had been unable to find a their ballot, and had tried to make do by substituting a gigantic chunk of graffitti chipped off and stolen from the local skateboard park. . .

and that the County Auditor’s curbside ballot box had been blown up as a dirty campaign prank, hurtling jagged pieces of metal into the street that caused a massive traffic jam just as last-day voters were attempting to beat the deadline while saving stamps. . .

so that the one voter had to clamber over the wreckage and debris and engage in heroic battle to save his substitute ballot from a band of crazed zealots, who were trying to prevent it from being submitted, and had escaped with only his hide and his pride by promising he would never again try to vote on time . . .

and that in the confusion the graffiti ballot had busted into illegible pieces when it fell out of the voter’s hand as he stumbled on the steps of Shirley’s Temple, requiring him to retreat across the street down the bank into the little park behind the library to find another substitute ballot . . .

and from the little fountain, still filled from the recent rains, he pried away a piece of marble into which he frantically tried to carve his ballot selection for Mayor . . .

so that the voter had to slash with painful, repeated strokes the letters P and I and -almost- K, until his pocket knife broke and he had to search for another instrument hard enough to scratch the marble by squeezing under numerous bushes, benches and other obstacles, and bumping his head on more than one car bumper before finding a large rusted nail. . .

and then, moaning with despair, saw the nail elude his grasp as it plunged into a storm drain leading toward the creek behind City Hall...

and that while he was searching for a carving tool, a local rock hound had pounced upon the marble ballot and begun emasculating it after seeing the letters P - I - almost K were scratched on it. . .

which attracted the attention of a rowdy group of glaucous gulls that descended on it, and snatched it from the hands of the indignant geologist. . .

and with great difficulty and much commotion, the gulls had managed to somehow fly away with it, until forced by a maurading eagle to drop it onto the Courthouse Jail, where it broke into pieces, and from whence the eagle retrieved the fish-shaped piece with P-I-K carved on it, and while the voter pleaded piteously, the merciless avian, soared away . . .

but that suddenly the eagle expired from having ingested poisonous political propaganda propagated by phanatical Mayoral proponents, and thus dropped the marble ballot near the ASB lagoon. . .

where the voter finally was able, with the aid of a prospecting beachcomber, to regain the marble ballot, which by now was reduced in size enough to more easily submit, and more visibly etched with grime so as to be easily read. . .

and that, having retrieved the fish-shaped ballot he found a discarded ancient grappling hook for completing the carving of his ballot, but was then arrested for illegal fishing, defacing public property and possession of an antiquity....

and after booking was released on his own recognizance, upon signing over his car for bail and being allowed to negotiate trading his watch for his fish-shaped ballot, which was being used as a paperweight and was still missing its identifying bar code . . .

and when he finally arrived later that evening at the County Auditor’s Office, minutes before the ballot deadline, only to realize he’d forgotten to carve the final letter onto his ballot . . .

and that as he was desperately trying to pry open the door to the café to find another carving knife, he’d set off an alarm as well as the sprinkler system. . . .

but knowing that his wife’s bank account would be overdrawn by hundreds of dollars if he had to post bail bail a second time, he ran into the restroom and entered a stall, stood on the toilet seat and began to scream for help at the top of his lungs. . .

whereupon the guard on duty came to investigate, slipped on the wet floor and fell flat on his back, knocking himself out and losing his hat, glasses and ballot which he was about to fill out. . .

so that the voter was able trade his uncompleted fish-shaped marble ballot for a paper one, with missing bar codes, fill it out and escape into the Auditor's Office in the nick of time, despite the wet floor and disorganized attempts of ballot trolls to disorient him. . .

only to find the ballot box was full of water and had too small a slot to receive his ballot anyway. . .

and that after he emptied the water and while folding his ballot he found that the Auditor had hopelessly muddled the date, time, place, and candidates for the various offices. . .

so that only seven people were actually able to vote, and that they all had planned to arrive anywhere from forty minutes to two hours late, except for one who had voted a day early . . .

and that none of the seven were P-I-almost K supporters anyway, but thought they were attending a Halloween costume party, which the Parks Dept. had accidentally scheduled for the same night . . .

and that all but one had worn the same costume, consisting of yet another October Surprise wrapped in candy coating which soon melted in the light and fused permanently in unspeakably ugly ways with those who wore it, thus permeating the air with a distinctive odor while actually improving the amicability of the group . . .

and that the seventh other one had brought sliced green persimmons, his favorite food, which are so astringent that no normal person would eat them, and which even for him required corrective surgery to un-pucker his lips, which as a consequence he started litigation against the Auditor and anyone else in the vicinity . . .

and that all seven of these people were egregiously uncongenial, and spent the whole Halloween Party ignoring each other except when engaged in heated exchanges of insults and fisticuffs interspersed with sporadic gunshots toward anyone outside their group who tried to vote. . .

and that a bus load of ad-hoc, camo-dressed, out of town, doorbellers burst into the pavilion and forced everyone to watch pre-recorded slides of their campaign celebration that had already been shown several times in practice celebrations while still in mid-election. . .

and that these slides were all hopelessly inaccurate and out of focus, as well as all being upside down and underexposed . . .

and that the projectionist droned on and on for hours, mumbling unintelligible gibberish about each and every slide, interspersed with violent, nit-picking arguments with the other terrorists about the deeper significance of certain shots, all the while pointedly ignoring tear gas and pepper spray grenades fired into the pavilion by a Bellingham PD SWAT team, which mistakenly thought they were raiding an international news stand . . .

and that the last 85 slides had to be held up to the light for all to squint at after an especially problematic slide caught on fire and cracked the projector lens. . .

and that all the voters ballot meant was that the entire election was deadlocked and could not possibly be certified, necessitating another complete election, including primaries. . .

and that all the existing incumbents were required to continue their terms of office until the new election was completed. . .

=============================

Halloween trick or treat anyone?

Library Planning Update 2: Working Hard or Playing Games?

Bellingham Public Library is the

...Power of Information...Discovery of Ideas...Joy of Reading!
---------------------------
"Freedom of the press belongs to those who own one." -A.J. Liebling

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts."
- Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan

"Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome." – Samuel Johnson

"There are two stages to the public policy process; too early to tell, and too late to do anything about it." - Anonymous
---------------------------

I was disappointed, but not surprised, to read yet another negative editorial in today's WIndy about the Library planning process that is now underway.

So, I've decided to comment on that, and to use this blog to print more feedback from the October 9 meetings.

The first quote above seems to accurate reflect the way things are in general, and the way news gets mixed with opinion.

But, nowadays there are more ways to get information than we used to have, thanks to the Internet, cell phones and video channels.

In fact, one of my motivations in starting this blog was to be able to communicate some information I thought was important that wasn't easily available, and to respond to other information being put out to the public that I thought was wrong, misleading or questionable.

This Library editorial is one of those cases that may need responding to in a timely manner, while impressions are fresher in people's minds.

Mind you, this blog comes no where close to reaching the circulation of the WIndy, or the Weakly, or the Herald.
But, it will reach some people, and they will have an opportunity to hear another view on this subject.

Here goes;

To say the Library Board has done anything other than expend hours and hours of honest hard work and effort in their deliberations since 2001 is inaccurate to say the least!

I should know because I was the (non-voting) Council Liasion to the Library Board for 5 out of the last 7 years and attended most of their meetings during that time.

Former Council Member Dr. Grant Deger acted as Liaison the other two years, and he also attended most meetings.

In 2001, the Capital Improvements Advisory Committee [CIAC] completed over 2 years of its extensive review of the City's Capital needs over the next 20 years.
I also participated fully in that remarkable learning exercise, and agreed with its carefully considered conclusions and recommendations.

The CIAC rated the need for a new Central Public Library as its number 1 priority six years ago!

The Library Board has worked on this goal ever since, despite turnover among each of its 5 positions, the Library Director and Mayor.
At this moment, I happen to be the one person with the most experience of participating in this process!

Yet, the WIndy concludes that the 'public process' is severely flawed?

Baloney! I'm not buying that.

But, that is often the argument heard when some folks don't think they're getting their way on something, and seek to simply sandbag the efforts that others actually work towards.

Suffice to say, the WIndy and anyone else is entitled to their opinion, but substituting that opinion for 'public process' doesn't work very well either!

The WIndy seems to think the central argument should be a choice between having a new Central Library, or a system of Branches.
I believe that is a false choice, because we can have both!

But, like a tree, without a sturdy trunk there is no support for strong branches!

So, what seems appropriate is to have the discussion focus on how a well-conceived Library system can be designed to provide more widely distributed service to the community.

That's the discussion we are having now, despite claims to the contrary.

The practical side of this that it may be impossible for everyone to get everything they want all at one time.

That might break the bank and prevent any Library bond issue to pass at the ballot box.

'Phased implementation' is a term most people will recognize.

It means working on a bigger objective, one piece at a time, until the entire goal can be realized.

So, I see that as a basic strategy that can help whatever the community decides to do for its future Library needs.

Does anyone really believe a central hub is unnecessary?

The location of that hub is already known; it is the current Library site.

That decision has already been approved by the City Council, based upon the recommendation of the Library Board.

It takes advantage of the fact the Library is already a well-used facility that people know how to find.

It saves millions of dollars in property acquisition costs, because that property is already owned by the City.

It replaces a tired old building that is way too small, needs major repairs and is unequipped for modern technology.

Bottom line; its cheaper, quicker, more easily done to tear it down and build another modern facility that can meet the City's projected needs for the next 50 years or more.

A big part of those future needs is a central storage and distribution center, a place to concentrate staff, a place to hold more public meetings and events, a place to park, including school buses, ADA vehicles, book mobiles, and a high tech nerve center capable of linking to branches.

How is that for explaining quickly phase 1 of a plan?

I don't know if a plan like this will result, but it sounds logical to me.

But then logic and politics don't always agree, do they?

Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth.

Hope it helps.

But, its no excuse for not participating in the public process that is now taking place.

Now, printed below is more information on 6 of the 7 categories discussed in the October 9 meetings:

Please don't tell me this doesn't count as public process, because there were many citizens who showed up and participated!

Plus, the meeting that night was televised on BTV10, just as the October 23 meeting was.

And now, here it is again, right here on this very public blog, for your reading pleasure....
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Community Spaces

Bright, open, easily-accessible Friends of the Library space. Consult Friends regarding what kind of space they need. Friend’s bookstore. Courtesy phone in community space. Computer labs for staff training, the public, and for community groups to use for training. Technology play room. Large internet area. Common space for gathering, relaxing, talking, learning. Flanked by commercial space. Create pedestrian conduit between City Hall and new Art and Children’s Museum. Reading area with comfy chairs. Study areas with comfortable chairs. Small study/gathering rooms for tutoring and study groups. Comfortable reading places with light. Quiet research area. Whatcom Genealogy Society space. Literacy Council. Small office for COB police. Light, light, light. Coffee shop is a must. Potentially next to public meeting space and Friend’s bookstore. Large enough for small meetings. Café, comfy space to meet friends. Lunch opportunity for civic center employees. Concession area with wireless internet capability. Space for community events, inside or outside. Gallery spaces for art. Places for local artists to display work. Small and large meeting rooms that offer flexibility. (10, 25, 50, 100, 200-500 people) Large meeting room for civic purposes, 200 plus people. Moveable partitions for flexibility. Meeting room that can be opened to the outside and available for after hours use. Meeting rooms with technology tools, AV equipment. Will be able to use 3-D holograms of regional and national speakers. Co-location with public access TV, radio and other community media. Classroom space for teaching. Indoor/outdoor spaces for the community. Program outdoor space for activities such as outdoor performances. Casual meeting areas, not always in rooms. Ability to combine rooms for book sales. Small amphitheater/meeting/lecture area. Theater/performance area. Establish the Library as the place of open dialogue in the community. Keep a water feature. Inviting outdoor spaces offer cover as well as take advantage of sun. Rooftop garden room like Chicago Public. Any opportunities for interactive first floor spaces with street. Strive to design spaces to be used by the community for non-library events and programs. Zone areas; Children’s, Teen’s, Genealogy, Reading, Study rooms, Tech areas. Quiet reading space for kids in children’s area. Kid’s area with some limited recreation. Destination for families. Nice staff lounge.
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Collections

More copies of best sellers, movies, E-books, and NW related. Hip/new/fresh movies, books, and CDs. Current, new, attractive titles. Face out display like bookstores. Multiple copies of popular items to satisfy demand. More copies of new releases. More periodicals. More room to browse shelves. No closed stacks, everything out for the public. Continue with local/Northwest authors. Responsive; attractive; relevant; cutting edge formats. Downloadable video, music, and books. Lots of media, a variety of formats. E-books. Books on CD. Expand documentaries on DVD; PBS quality documentaries. How about playaways? Databases that are popular and well used. More computers if we’re accessing collections from computers. Web based collections to order remote and pick-up/return at street level. Teen collection with current appeal. Zones for Children’s and Teens. Children’s area for play and exploration (library and book related) Business center. Expand the world language collection. Expand genealogy collection. Local history, genealogy, LEED, and green practices. Security system. Small collections for new branch locations- Barkley? Keep up the great work. Maintain great service we currently enjoy. Maintain high quality of print and non-print materials.
============================
Operations/Service

Friendly and efficient. Adjacencies that make sense. As automated as possible but simple to understand. Secure Library from public space; allow doors to public space to operate alternate hours. Roving staff. None to very little staff sitting. Contemporary signage to direct customers. Welcoming lobby/entry. Information desk at entry. A better flow of traffic in and out of the Library. One service point. Only one exit. Additional staff at service points. Full service website, virtual branch. 24/7 virtual reference. Separate phone reference (behind scenes?) Homework help chat. Additional IT help to speed up introducing new technologies/applications. Must use innovative service technologies to reduce staffing costs. Longer hours. Outside book drop that presorts materials. Well-designed space for deliveries. Auto CKi. Large space for delivery processing. Easier flow of holds pick-up to self check. A better flow of incoming deliveries to acquisitions (cataloging, processing) and cki (reshelving). Drive-up book drop that can be accessed from the driver’s side. Efficient parking/circulation for all employees and customers. Better way to store books when not in use. Easier way for donated books to get into “Friends” space for distribution. Outdoor book bin for Friends donations. Customer service orientation. Staff members to go to other sites to do presentations. Marketing component. Every fall establish community outreach program. Include children’s program, transition from high school to technical school/college, adult program, and seniors program. Self service. Staff room near staff. More adequate staff lockers and storage. Excellent customer service always. Areas for service/questions set apart from reading/quiet areas. Plan for adequate custodial staff for high use public building. Bathrooms on all floors. Expand services to branch at Barkley location. Act as a clearinghouse/advertising center for all local recreation program providers. Ability to view council meeting tapes. Potential to combine funding with PFD and parking fund to build joint parking. Any proposal for bond measure must fit within City debt capacity. Must be cost-efficient, affordable over long-term. Must support multi-modal transportation goals of the City and community.
============================
Technology

Use technology to make the new library more efficient. Get wider band width. Wifi throughout. Places for laptop users. Public library should be cutting edge of technology, especially for those without access. Computer access for all residents. Audio-visual. Incorporate presentation needs into conference room design. State of the art. More computers than we presently have. Internet stations away from reference area. More internet stations throughout the library. Many computer stations for children’s area. Kid-sized. Electrical outlets everywhere, including tables with built in outlets for laptops. Keep/expand web-based library services. Ability to check book availability from personal computer. Home access through library site to online journals for monthly or annual fee. Online viewing of DVDs/documentaries. Access to services like lexus-nexus research services for a fee. RFID materials handling system. Plan to include it even if can’t afford it now. Book sorting. CD/DVD dispenser. Phones with cordless/wireless options. Staff can answer questions on the floor. State of the art public announcement system. Automated checkout/check-in. Automated tracking for books. Self-check becomes the norm. Catalog stations by the stacks. More catalogs throughout library. Technology lab- enclosed room with windows to inside with computers and library staff person. Computer labs. On-line books. Copier/fax area enclosed to cut down on noise. Design flexibility will facilitate change as it is hard to know what future technology will be. State of the art security, cameras, book theft protection.
============================
Interior Environment

Warm, inviting, welcoming environment. Warm, friendly children’s spaces and separate teen spaces. Fun reading area for small kids groups, like a little barn or boat. Fun/dynamic kids area with fun entry to space. Motif such as Mt. Baker, lake, creek. Teen homework room where they can talk/work together without getting yelled at. Cool, rad teen zone with flat screen TV. Creative teen space with teen appeal. Teen approved comfortable chairs in teen area. Design each space for its purpose. Inspiring. Modern looking that is inviting. Neat, modern, environmental products for flooring, shelving, etc... Reflect the diversity of the community. Fun and exciting. Perhaps public art, interactive or mobile displays, programming. Pacific Northwest architecture. Use of local materials, lots of wood. Reflects a sense of place. Active commercial areas that are compatible with library. Sound and noise control. Quiet spaces for reading. Lots of natural light. Bright and open. Excellent lighting, including daylight dimming. Windows with views. Seating areas along windows. Tall ceilings. More places to sit. Comfortable seating areas. Fire place with comfortable furniture. Study areas for small and medium sized groups. Quiet, cubby type reading areas, especially for children. Variety of areas for people to retreat with books and studies. Variety of public meeting spaces. Computer spaces should incorporate space for backpacks, purses, etc... Logical furniture layout with smooth traffic patterns. Variety of furniture choices from cozy by the fireplace to desks and chairs for study. Softer chairs for longer meetings. Earth tone furniture. Furniture that is Northwest craftsman, comfortable. David Gray style furniture would be perfect. More space to browse shelves, even sit on floor. Safe, secure. Security for restrooms. Pleasant restrooms. Convenient bathrooms in visible areas. Efficient work spaces. Easy to maintain. Clean. All areas easily accessible. Allow for donations by category and use plaques. Signs with large letters and in visible locations. Display work of local artists, both permanent and temporary.
============================
Spirit of the Place

Embrace the Northwest. Northwest feel in materials and design. Lots of wooden structure. Historic, reflective of outdoor environment. Honor what Bellingham is. Make Bellingham proud. Connection to natural elements. Bayside, Oceanside feel. Salish theme; eagle and raven, orca and salmon, bear and wolf. Totems; sun and moon, earth, water, sky/air, and fire. Make it feel earthy, granola, tree-hugging. Reflection of community character. A place for everyone to gather. A community gathering place. Engaging and comfortable for all ages. Diverse culturally, community, and programming. A destination. Soul enriching. Visually inspiring and exciting. Architecturally superb. Peaceful yet stimulating. Fun and dynamic. Quirky, whimsical, playfull, and joyful. Enriching. Accessible. Easy to use. Welcoming. Holistic. Inviting. Open and light. Warm. Safe. Inspiration for learning and exploration. The place of open, objective, relevant information. Leader of community; free speech, freedom of information, embrace all people and cultures. Leader in dissemination of information; new technologies, sustainable ideas, renewable energies, objective information. Celebrating the arts. Include lots of art, serious and whimsical, stationary and interactive, large and small. View of Mt. Baker. Start with the thought that we are doing most everything well, we have a lot to be proud of in our library.

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"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." – Thomas Edison

“Opinion is power.” - Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 1816

"There are two stages to the public policy process; too early to tell, and too late to do anything about it." - Anonymous

"The purse of the people is the real seat of sensibility. Let it be drawn upon largely, and they will then listen to truths which could not excite them through any other organ." --  Thomas Jefferson

"My experience in government is that when things are non-controversial and beautifully coordinated, there is not much going on." - JFK

A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject. - Winston Churchill
---------------------------

My Goodness! Should Today's Weakly be Considered An In-Kind Campaign Donation?

There is no such thing as public opinion. There is only published opinion.
- Winston Churchill

Ninety eight percent of the adults in this country are decent, hardworking, honest Americans. It's the other lousy two percent that get all the publicity.
But then, we elected them. - Lily Tomlin
---------------------------------------
Some folks are really testing the limits on what passes for impartiality and fairness when it comes to the Mayoral race!

Both the content and timing of the collection of strongly biased political opinion in today's Weakly might well qualify as expensive contributions to the McShane Campaign!

Has this 'in-kind' donation been declared?

At what price would publishing this issue be valued?

Tell us again, who is paying for this issue? The owners?

Will our erstwhile WWU political science professor now be able to admit there is more to his PDC inquiries than routine curiosity?

Will the Weakly's editor believe his 'confessions' are any big surprise to anyone?

Is this another sign that those so entrenched in power will not give it up easily?

Will this latest excess serve to galvanize people who want a clear change from this kind of political gamesmanship, to actually vote for that change?

I certainly hope so!

Just imagine what a Mayor with this divisive a mentality would do in office.

All this and Halloween's not even here yet!

But, its coming next week.

Count on it, but vote first.
-----------------------
Democracy is the art and science of running the circus from the monkey cage. - H. L. Mencken

Everyone has his day and some days last longer than others.
- Winston Churchill

Library Planning Update: Citizen Input Wanted!

Bellingham Public Library is the

...Power of Information...Discovery of Ideas...Joy of Reading!
---------------------------
A quick Google search on the Internet found this information on a kid's website:

"Benjamin Franklin - Librarian

Books were very expensive during my time and therefore not everyone was able to afford them. Some fellow printers and I, known as the Leather Apron Club (because most of us wore leather aprons) discussed ways we could help the community. Through my suggestion, we started a lending library that was open to everyone. We would pool our money and buy books, which people could borrow.

So, in 1731, the first lending library in America opened. Soon, other towns began to imitate the library, until reading became fashionable even among the less educated."
---------------------------
In addition to helping found our country, it was also good old Ben Franklin who conceived the idea of public libraries!

Founded by Franklin in 1731, The Library Company of Philadelphia still functions to this day.

Old Ben and the other founders chose as their motto a Latin phrase which roughly translates as
"To support the common good is divine."

That idea still resonates as the basis for providing free public libraries that allow all citizens access to the knowledge which is so necessary to sustain our form of government!
-----------------------------------------------
"If the nation expects to be ignorant and free, it expects what never was and never will be." - Thomas Jefferson
==================================

Back on August 28, 2007 my blog, 'Accentuating the Positive: Qualities to Reflect in Library Design', briefly summarized the process that is being used to better define our future needs in library facilities.

It also contained some ideas I think might help reflect some essential characteristics of Bellingham.

Since then much has been happening!

So today, here's an update on the important public outreach that the City and its excellent consultant team, led by Thomas Hacker Architects, are now undertaking.

Last night, the Bellingham Public Library -and its Board of Trustees- held a second Open House in the City Council Chambers, one object of which was to introduce those attending -plus the BTV10 audience- to new concepts now being used in modern Libraries.

But, the main objective was to get direct feedback on what a new Library should contain or provide from the 60 or so people that attended this event.

Like the previous Open House on October 9, this one was televised for later airing on BTV10.

Both the initial presentation and the feedback from citizens were televised, but in between, the group split into eight work groups.
--------------
Four specific questions were asked of each group:

• How do you use the Library?

• What works and what doesn't work at the existing Library?

• What services & features would you like to see in a new Library?

• What questions would you like to see answered in this process?
--------------
Obtaining answers to these questions from the citizens attending was the main purpose -and product- of this meeting.

There were some pretty comprehensive lists developed!

The entire audience participated and was split at random, into work groups that were selected by the individuals themselves.

While there was much in common between the eight responses, there were also some very interesting and even unique concepts that were expressed.

All of this valuable feedback provides excellent input for the consultant team, which is trying to determine what needs should be addressed in defining what a new Library facility should contain and provide.

The lists of answers were verbally summarized from flip charts by each group's spokesperson.
This part was also visually recorded for BTV10.

Written information from the eight lists will also be captured and posted on the Library website for reference.

The energy in the room last night was very positive, and I think the consulting team sensed that.

This 'programming' phase of the new Library is critical, because it is the step that describes what functions are needed, and are most desired by citizens.

These ideas, plus those received from earlier meetings, will be incorporated into a Statement of Needs, which -along with associated costs- will reflect the Library of the future that our community requires and can support.
------------------
The earlier October 9 meetings also produced several pages of ideas from participants, captured into these seven categories:

• Site/Landscape

• Community Spaces

• Collections

• Operations/Service

• Technology

• Interior Environment

• Spirit of the Place

Can you think of something that may not already be on one of these lists?

I've reproduced below the ideas from the October 9 meetings for the first category - 'Site/Landscape'.

I will consider printing ideas from the other lists in later blogs.
--------------

Check out the BTV10 schedule, and the Library website for more information:

http://www.bellinghampubliclibrary.org

And while you're at it, take the short Library Survey - online!

It only takes a minute or two to answer, but the answers are important.
======================

List of ideas from the October 9 'Site/Landscape' category:

Site/Landscape: Bring exterior into interior. Consider public space extension of the library. Welcoming public space with seating, possible outdoor seating for café. Outdoor seating. Inviting, comfortable, inspiring. Inviting, pedestrian friendly higher priority than “architectural statement.” Accessible, inviting entrance. Striking architecture to look at. Striking, functional design. A destination, vibrant. Welcoming to all community members. Secure, safe feeling. Public gathering space that can serve community events, concerts, plays, meetings, etc... Interactive (public art, vendors, programming) gathering space. Program public space at the same time as library space. Flexibility in use of space. Active ground floor with private sector opportunities. Performance area. Incorporation of art; sculpture, fountain, amphitheater. Band shell/ gazebo on library lawn. Embrace Bellingham history, Native American culture, and the Arts. Peaceful, quiet book reading and contemplative space. Place for children; kid friendly, playground, children’s garden connected to children’s area. Green space. Native landscaping and materials. Landscape that celebrates the Pacific Northwest, the sun, rain, and wind. Low water use landscape with a few beautiful focal points. Limited maintenance landscaping. Lush landscaping. Mix of hardscape and green space. Remembering the fountain. Oriented to south sun. Open space/plaza to south Main entrance to the south. Civic Center/Library should be a park. Complimentary to civic center uses. At grade entry, level with Grand Ave. Locate building closer to City Hall. Close off Lottie St., remove paving. Easy to approach by car, bicycle, bus, and on foot. Place for bikes, roller blades, strollers. Covered bicycle racks. Bus stop on block. Place for bus drop off. Easy delivery access for outreach and movement of materials. Drive through book drop. Drive through pick-up area. Underground parking. On-grade parking. Lots of parking. Plaza in front of City Hall. Park area serving the entire CBD and arts district. Connection to CBD. Connection to City Hall. Connection to Children’s Museum and Art Museum; Grand Ave. and alley. Develop alley leading to children’s museum as a people space. Opportunity for connection of Children’s Museum to Children’s Library. Potential to extend waterfront and old town development up towards town.
-------------------------------------------------------
"A popular government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy... a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives."
-James Madison, Author of the U.S Constitution and 4th President of the United States

South Hill Neighborhood: Views Become Vision

Last night the South Hill Neighborhood got some view protection as an official part of its Neighborhood Plan.

The Bellingham City Council approved that new policy last night, after reviewing the results of 18 months of effort and hearing many South Hill residents testify in support of it as one way to help preserve the Neighborhood's character.

This new policy doesn't actually change development regulations, but it does condition future development to the extent it represents the legitimate concerns of current residents, businesses and property owners.

And, it initiates the dialogue about what rules might be changed in the future to protect views, not only in South Hill, but other neighborhoods as well.

View preservation is one of those discussions that applies city wide in one way or another,

And, its a discussion the city needs to take to the next level, so everyone has fair a share in determining City policy.

Some thought the measure presented didn't go far enough.

Others thought it went too far.

Still others preferred to wait until a 'comprehensive' measure was developed and agreed to.
That one sounded like more of an attempt to not do anything for a long time!

But, all of these opinions had some merit!

By the advocates own admission the measure neglected to address some major issues that impact view preservation.

Some of the more obvious omissions like trees & vegetation [which grow according nature's rules],
and solar access [whether the sun is shining or not, there are stars, weather/clouds and birds in the air].

Also, different people have their own definitions of what 'view' means to them!

Like beauty, 'view' is often in the eyes of the beholder!

Those are serious omissions that will need to be addressed at other times and in other venues.

But, I say let this discussion begin!

The City has fretted about these discussions for years without doing much about having them.

It's past time for these discussions to happen!

The City's enabling of its neighborhoods to initiate such discussions was a wise thing to do.

Now, that the neighborhoods are having such discussions, it is wise of the City to listen!

They are doing the type of critical, grassroots work that is necessary to forge City policy that works.

Without this type of effort, these discussions would likely continue to languish, until some staffer got time to fit it in.

But, the City doesn't have enough staffers to do the work we have, in a consistent and timely fashion.

That means to me that subjects like view preservation, despite the talk, have a de facto low priority.

If the Neighborhoods want to assign a higher priority to view preservation, why not let them do it?

Is the view protection language generated by South Hill perfect?

No, but its a good start.

Is this view protection language controversial?

You bet it is! That's why addressing it earlier rather than later is better.

Is this view protection language comprehensive?

No, but it gets the process started, and sometimes inertia represents the biggest hurdle in such matters.

I hope other Neighborhoods will take heart in this early success and be encouraged to add to it from their own perspectives.

That way, we can slowly build a more comprehensive body of information to represent common Neighborhood values that will do nothing but help us in the future.

Thanks, South Hill!

Keep up the good work.

Politics Without Principle? We Can Do Much Better Than That!

-----------------------------------
'Politics is a profession; a serious, complicated and, in its true sense, a noble one.' - Dwight D. Eisenhower

'It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it's the parts that I do understand.' -Mark Twain-
-------------------------------------
Earlier blogs have addressed the discrepancies that exist between election claims and candidates actual performance history.

This one deals with how candidates and elected officials act in their pursuit of office.

People who want to get elected, or re-elected badly enough will sometimes do almost anything to achieve that goal.

That sometimes means using methods they would not imagine using when dealing with friends and family.

That behavior has been rightly termed 'dirty politics', because it deals with intentional lies, distortion of facts, rumor mongering and maybe worse.

But, because of our First Amendment right of free speech, all but the most egregious of these acts are considered 'legal'.

American history is full of examples of this behavior, so desperate are people in things political.

But, rather than celebrate our exercising this 'freedom' by using questionable practices, I find it appalling that some people would squander their freedom in this way!

After all, they are also 'free' to practice common decency and those other good traits that people hold so dear!

Why is that dirty politics is seen as OK? Especially when those practicing it say they all they really want is to represent us fairly?

I find that inherent contradiction very troubling, to say the least.

It says to me that if someone is willing to lie to get elected, they are likely to keep lying when they are in office!

That is exactly what has made politics a 'dirty word'! Dirty politics!

Going negative in a campaign should be an indication of what will likely happen in office, if that candidate gets elected.

Sometimes doing that is part of campaign strategy, but it can also be seen as a act of desperation in which anything goes.

Unfortunately, all such established patterns of conduct or habits are hard to break - particularly bad ones.

It's just that simple.

My choice has always been to try and conduct myself in a straightforward and respectful manner.

I may not always succeed in this, but I try hard to do it, because that was the standard of conduct I was taught many years ago.

Sometimes, I am still tempted to act in ways that I know my own Mother would not be proud of.

When that happens, it is a sign that I need to calm down, rethink what I'm doing, and get back to basics!

That's hard to do, especially in the heat of a grueling, high stakes campaign with an uncertain outcome.

I know that because I've been a candidate for office myself.

But, the first time I was a candidate, it was for appointment to office to fill a seat vacated by the death of a Council member.

Because I had been a good citizen, paid my debts and generally stayed out of trouble, I was as qualified for that office as anyone. At least by the requirements of our City Charter, first passed in 1972.

And, because I was educated, healthy, retired from a long professional career, and willing to spend the time necessary to learn and perform in that public office, all that helped me gain sufficient confidence from the six people already serving as Councilors who would determine who would fill the vacant seat.

But, they had other choices too.

Nine qualified people applied for that vacant seat back in December of 1998, and some were far better known or qualified than me.

Two of the applicants were considered favorites for the appointment, but the Council was evenly split between them.

So, I eventually got the nod, as the 'unanimous' second choice, which as surprise that was but OK by me.

That 6-0 vote was enough to launch me into serving in local government, in a public office I had never aspired to.

I had no public record before that moment, except for the time I served in the US Navy.

But, I had lived in Bellingham for several years, worked here, and my wife and I had gotten to know a number of people.

Knowing people here was helpful too, because they knew other people and the word got spread that I was probably OK for that job.

Now, almost nine years later, I've been through two public elections - one to be elected -not appointed- the first time, and the other to be re-elected.

Each election was a lot of work, even though in the first one it turned out I ran unopposed.

The second election was unplanned, but others convinced me to run again - so I could help bring some unfinished issues closer to resolution.

The 'fun' part of those elections for me was the real focus they required on issues, on future visions for our community, and on how to improve our public process.

These things require tremendous effort to learn and understand enough to even begin effectively addressing them.

Because of the time I had spent in office studying the issues facing the City, I was pretty well prepared to speak to them.

That experience came in handy at forums and when my opponent made claims that were not grounded in fact.

But, how can a citizen -even a part time public official- really learn enough to be effective in resolving big issues?

One way is to study hard, by reading, attending conferences, and visiting other places, all of which I tried to do.

Another way is to spend time in discussion with others, including experienced staff and those who are professionally trained.

But, listening to citizens and hearing their ideas and concerns is every bit as important as knowledge and experience!

That is simply because public problems have to be resolved in a public setting and with the public involved!

That's also why political science is called a 'practical science', and not an exact science.
Believe me, it ain't exact, but it is exacting!

Understanding how to deal with that dynamic is critical.
Most people never have to subject themselves to that degree of public scrutiny, and that intense sunlight can be very uncomfortable at times!

But, who said politics, or serving in public office -elected or not- has to be comfortable?

Under these conditions, 'progress' is defined very differently from what we usually expect.

That's because by their very nature public issues rarely ever get completely 'finished'.

They tend to re-occur again and again, because things do change and people in office also change from time to time.

And, any measurement of progress on public issues, has to include a measurement of 'public process'.
That usually means whether people are satisfied they have been properly heard and the decisions made are fair.

That is why the work of any elected official is never over; it requires continuously satisfying the public's need for open, honest and fair public process!

I never planned a career in public service, either as a professional or an elected.

But others have, some from an early enough time in their life to actually train for it.

And, there is an enormous need for such people, and their talents.

Thank goodness Dan Pike was one of those people!

Like several others now running for office, Dan Pike has not taken the path to public service through the ballot box, until now.

But, unlike me and other appointees, he will need to first attain office by being voted into it by the public.

And like me and others, Dan Pike's education in Planning & Public Administration helped him get the jobs he has held, and perform well the work he has chosen.

Unlike me, Dan Pike already has important public accomplishments to his credit, and has gained valuable real life experience in the process.

He is well-respected by his peers, and the many elected officials -from diverse jurisdictions- that he works with regularly.

Pike understands what it takes to get difficult and complicated jobs done, despite funding uncertainties, competing priorities, the public spotlight, and differences of opinion.

In other words, he has been put to the test for which he was trained, and has passed it with flying colors!
Now, he is ready for a different challenge.

Dan Pike has all the training, work experience, and temperment he needs to succeed as our next Mayor.

But, more importantly, Dan Pike has the habits of honesty, openess as well as the capacity to include everyone in the public process.

Dan Pike also has the good habit of putting principle before politics, whether it is during an election, or while he is serving in office!

He has what it takes to become not just a good, but a great Mayor!

I'm willing to give him that chance.

Our issues are real.

The time is short.

Bellingham's future is at a cross-roads.

The choice is ours!

I will vote for Dan Pike as our next Mayor.

Please join me in helping elect him to that office.

BTW, I am grateful that Seth Fleetwood has also decided to endorse Dan Pike!
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Worrying about what's right is always more important than worrying about who's right.

"It is no use saying, 'We are doing our best.' You have got to succeed in doing what is necessary." -Winston Churchill

Campaign Rhetoric Versus Institutional Memory: A Litany of Concerns - Part 4

Everyone has his day and some days last longer than others.
- Winston Churchill

The activist is not the man who says the river is dirty.
The activist is the man who cleans up the river. - Ross Perot
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Since this blog continues earlier blogs on the same theme, I am once again repeating the introduction:

Sometimes there are discrepancies between what candidates claim -or choose to ignore- and what a more comprehensive recollection of history reveals.

If you want to prove a point, or get elected, you choose carefully what you want to talk about.

And, you know what subjects are to be avoided!

That is the subject of today's blog.

An earlier blog listed some reasons why I have chosen to support Dan Pike as our next Mayor.

This one lists some specific reasons that make it difficult for me to support Dan McShane as Mayor.

All of these relate directly to positions he has taken -or not taken- on some important issues, while serving on the County Council.
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Here is a synopsis of these concerns as related to:

4. Waterfront Redevelopment - The Mother of all Flip-Flops, or Manchurian Candidate?:

Early on, Dan McShane strongly expressed his opposition to this ambitious undertaking in multiple ways, some more directly than others.

On no other major City issue has his record been so adverse and so consistent!

• First, he was been critical of the Port of Bellingham's acquisition of the entire former G-P site, especially because of the Port's interest in converting the former G-P ASB Lagoon into a state-of-the-art 'Clean Ocean' Marina.

I don't know the origins or depth of his concerns over this idea, but since others have expressed similar concerns, suffice to say he shares those in common with them, including the so-called 'Bellingham Bay Foundation'.

Maybe his main problem is a lack of vision -on a big scale- of what our Community can become in the future?

• He has been critical of the Interlocal Agreement between the City and the Port to partner on this project to achieve multiple goals for the benefit of the entire Community.

A number of people, including me, share this concern but have expressed it differently, with positive ideas instead of negative criticisms.

But, as someone intimately involved with making the decision to approve this Interlocal, I do clearly understand why this Interlocal was needed and what it means.

It was needed to enable the Port to have sufficient confidence to go forward with the acquisition of the entire G-P property, and to give them the necessary incentive to seek a higher and better use than what it formerly was.

It means that the City and the Port will 'agree to agree' as long as that remains feasible for both parties.

It has the capability to be modified as often as may become necessary.

It allows the City to cleanup some old landfills at the same time that contaminated industrial sites are cleaned up, but assigns the Port to manage this work as part of the entire cleanup for efficiency.

It provides an opportunity to make an investment for our community's long term benefit, with the amount of that investment and its timing and disposition to be determined after careful consideration.

It provides a tangible means of turning our community's vision for redeveloping the waterfront into a reality; turning the Waterfront Futures Group's recommendations into an exciting plan for action instead of inert and unproductive shelf art.

It holds the prospect for the type of economic development that every community dreams of having; clean, living wage jobs that employ people who have or develop roots here and positively contribute to sustain us as a vibrant, progressive area.

It promises ample public access to our marine waterfront in a way that will make Bellingham Bay our 'front door' again.

It will provide for the most desirable mixed use redevelopment imagineable, allowing people to live, work. learn and play in close proximity to downtown, without necessity for single occupancy cars.

It will become a magnet for innovative, green technology; a living demonstration of what future life can become and sustain.

Those are the things I see being made possible by this Partnership between the City and Port.

Of course, we must be cautious and responsible!

That is implicit in the entire undertaking, and I am tempted to resent people even thinking otherwise.

But, that is their right if they choose to do that, and we must respect that right.

I just have a problem with unfounded criticisms, particularly the kind that has the smell of petty or self-centered politics!

Tonight I heard the phrase "the tyranny of 'or'".

That seems to fit this discussion.

Instead of using the word 'and', people of limited vision prefer to use the word 'or'.

By that method, a system of false choices is established which can severely limit progress toward big, visionary goals.

I think that limited vision is exactly what is at work with the County, and unfortunately, Dan McShane has been its spokesman.

That is a position that I still have difficulty in properly understanding, despite several attempts at getting an explanation.

• Dan McShane has, and continues to strongly oppose Whatcom County's participation in the Local Infrastructure Financing Toll [LIFT] to help self-finance waterfront redevelopment.

He has chosen to take this position despite clear County Economic Goals to contrary, which seem to be written to support exactly this type of redevelopment!

Instead, he thinks of it as 'evergreen' funding that mainly 'robs' the County's future general fund.

So does Pete Kremen, but we've come to expect that kind of non-visionary thinking from him.

What is this attitude about, really?

Wasn't the concept of tax-increment financing explained well enough?

After all, our State Representative, Kelli Linville, worked very hard to get this legislation passed, with Bellingham the first City in line to benefit from it!

Both the City and the Port saw the obvious advantages of LIFT and were very glad it became available as a new funding option, but one that only happens as redevelopment actually occurs!

No redevelopment, no LIFT, means nothing is lost if nothing is gained.

But McShane and the County choose to see it only as potentially lost revenue!

What's with that?

Don't they want to see Waterfront Redevelopment happen?

Or, are they so cynical that they would rather just receive a future windfall than invest in making it happen?

Can't they see what a huge REGIONAL advantage a redeveloped Waterfront would be?

I won't repeat my earlier blog on this subject now, except to say it is consistent with what I'm saying now.

Limited vision!

Maybe some other reasons are at work, like some kind of a lose-lose competition, or maybe the County's long simmering animosity toward the Port.

All I know is we've got to get above that kind of thinking.
Or, non-thinking!

• Dan McShane has actively promoted the the agenda of the Bellingham Bay Foundation, to oppose and undermine waterfront redevelopment efforts by the Port of Bellingham the City of Bellingham, seemingly, by whatever means possible.

Conservation Northwest actually housed the BBF, which became the public face of some clever, but deceptive activities disguised as popular 'issues'.

One of these was the so-called 'Healthy Bay Initiative' which actually attracted enough signatures to get on the ballot, but was thrown out -when challenged- as illegal.

Now, why would otherwise sensible folks spend the time and effort on such an exercise?

Why try so hard to deceive unsuspecting, but caring citizens?

And, why would the BBF, with it's hired hand 'Director', try so hard to influence popular opinion to actually undermine the Waterfront Redevelopment effort?

Whose interest is served by that?

That will remain a mystery to me, but also a testament to the futility of common sense when it comes to things considered 'political'.

Again, Dan McShane actively supported this attempted clever, but ill-fated initiative.

And, he hasn't yet explained why?

Did he think that attitude would help him get elected mayor?

Since the BBF debacle, Dan McShane has 'reassessed' his position, but speaks of it only when he has no other choice.

Now, that I can understand!

The 'Healthy Bay' 'initiative' had a disagreeable odor to it, despite the cachet suggested by its title.

But, that 'initiative' just did not square with the public's expectation of realizing the wonderful vision of redeveloping the waterfront in way that is productive and benefits the community.

What were McShane and his supporters thinking?

I do not envy his present discomfort on this issue!

But, I'm not convinced he would act any differently than he has, if he were to become Mayor.

As mayor, he could do real damage to our Waterfront Redevelopment efforts in ways that he couldn't before!

That is a prospect that I would like to avoid.

A 'Manchurian Candidate' with a pre-programmed agenda is not what I want in a Mayor!

And, I believe many others feel the same way!

Why would anyone want to throw away this opportunity of a lifetime?

What community wouldn't enthusiastically support it?

I can't think of one.

And, if I could, I wouldn't want to live there!
--------------------
Dan Pike has legitimate concerns about the Waterfront Redevelopment too.

But, unlike the other Dan, he wants to see this ambitious undertaking actually succeed!

There will be challenges, but these are primarily financial in nature.

There is no question that environmental and social matters will be greatly improved.

I have confidence that these can be reasonably resolved, with the risks and rewards shared equitably between the City, Port and those who will be attracted as anchor tenants and developers.

Of course, this is a very big challenge with risks.

But its also a big opportunity!

Just think about the alternative.

If there was ever an opportunity for positive, open, visionary and responsible leadership for the City of Bellingham, it is now!

I think Dan Pike fits that role much better than Dan McShane.

I would like to look back to this moment in time 20 years from now, and see a Bellingham Waterfront District that citizens are understandably proud of!

One that serves as an inviting front door to our City.

One that continues to set the standard for what a 'Green' sustainable Neighborhood can be.

One that provides the jobs, business opportunities, learning venues, living space and recreational enjoyment that are now envisioned.

It makes a difference who you vote for as Mayor!

Please think of this election season as more than just 'politics as usual'!

That's a game that everyone loses.

Instead, think of our future, and which Mayor is more likely to get where we want to go.
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To build may have to be the slow and laborious task of years.
To destroy can be the thoughtless act of a single day. - Winston Churchill

No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill

Campaign Rhetoric Versus Institutional Memory: A Litany of Concerns - Part 3

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Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do. --Thomas Henry Huxley - 1825-1895-
---------------------------------------
Since this blog continues earlier blogs on the same theme, I am again repeating the introduction:

Sometimes there are discrepancies between what candidates claim -or choose to ignore- and what a more comprehensive recollection of history reveals.

If you want to prove a point, or get elected, you choose carefully what you want to talk about.

And, you know what subjects are to be avoided!

That is the subject of today's blog.

An earlier blog listed some reasons why I have chosen to support Dan Pike as our next Mayor.

This one lists some specific reasons that make it difficult for me to support Dan McShane as Mayor.

All of these relate directly to positions he has taken -or not taken- on some important issues, while serving on the County Council.
---------------------------------------
Here is a synopsis of these concerns as related to:

3. Stormwater Facilities - It's not just Erosion & Flood Control any more, it's Treatment and Removal of Pollutants!:

• Whatcom County has a Flood Tax which it collects from all property owners.

Forty per cent of these monies gets collected from property owners in the City of Bellingham, yet the County doesn't feel any obligation to share those funds with the City.

That is one reason the City needed to increase its Stormwater rates back in 2001.

Flood taxes were also used to fund the County wide WRIA-1 Process for several years until the going got rough, when these funds were simply cut off from being used for that purpose. [This was the subject of an earlier blog]

Flood taxes are old-fashioned taxes because they disproportionately fall on smaller property owners, favoring the wealthy.
But, they are only to be used for purposes related to flood and erosion control.

• The 1996 Clean Water Act Amendments required Stormwater treatment, in addition to flood and erosion control, which mandated rethinking what municipalities must do to comply.

Essentially, that meant building, operating and maintaining facilities to handle all Stormwater, including so-called 'non-point' source runoff from residential areas.

That was a big change that required a big effort to fund and achieve.

Yet, Dan McShane resisted the City's efforts to increase its Surface & Storm Water Utility rates to provide the adequate and stable funding needed for such an expanded program.

That despite new DOE regulations - applicable primarily to Cities.

Ostensibly, he argued against the rate increase on behalf of certain of his clients, who were in strong opposition.
Some of these folks weren't as concerned with the rates that were proposed, as they were with having any rates at all!

I still wonder if he really understands why this was necessary?

The City's Stormwater Utility is a big deal that any Mayor should understand.
And, it is an Enterprise Fund, which means it must totally support itself from Stormwater rates.

Anyone who considers themselves dedicated to protecting the environment will understand why such a program is needed.

But, a much simpler reason is that in 2001, the City Council fully authorized and committed to this program and the funding it requires.

The City is responsible -in perpetuity- for stormwater releases into Bellingham Bay regardless of source.

That even requires a separate NESHAPS permit, just like the permit the City must have to release treated wastewater effluent from the Post Point Treatment facility to Bellingham Bay.

Think about it.

That takes facilities, trained staff, maintenance and the adequate, stable funding to provide all of that - forever!

The City retained the services of CH2M Hill, an expert consultant on this subject, to help develop the program to be in compliance with regulations, and to be as fair to everyone as possible.

This resulted in a system based upon the amount of impervious area each property owner has, which is considered the best criteria available.

In fact, the Stormwater rates are fairer than the City's Water rates, because not everyone has a meter to measure water use.

• Criticism of the City's inability to effectively protect its urbanized 2 percent of Lake Whatcom has also been heard.
But, these Surface & Storm Water retrofits also depend on the same stormwater rates discussed above!

At least the City did take action, although no significant similar action was undertaken by the County to protect its 96 percent of this watershed.

Go figure.
Does it sound as if the pot is calling the kettle black?

Thankfully, the Cable Street drainage that enters Lake Whatcom close to the City's water intake is now finally being addressed by the County.

We can only hope it works better for Phosphorus removal than the City's 'Structural BMP' stormwater facilities do.
But, it would be a surprise if it does.

At least, the Cable Street facility will remove some heavy metals and other particulates, with is an improvement over what we have had for some time.

• Before leaving this topic, another important point needs to be re-emphasized.

By far the best -and cheapest- stormwater treatment that exists, is provided by Mother Nature!

That is the main point of watershed preservation; to reduce density as far as possible, and condition what occurs with buffers and retention of natural vegetation.

Those methods are called -maybe you guessed it- 'Non-Structural Best Management Practices [BMPs]'!

That's it!

Attack the problem before it occurs, at its source.

Ideally, that's before development happens.

• The County has talked about Stormwater systems around Lake Whatcom for some time, starting with the inadequate 'Entranco Report'.

But, so far, it's been almost only talk, with the exception of the Cable Street retrofit.

The issue of funding is a perpetual problem, regardless of jurisdiction.
And, because it is likely to be expensive and controversial, it will likely continue to be avoided as long as possible.

But the real problem, especially around Lake Whatcom, is that Structural Stormwater facilities just don't work very well.

That is why watershed preservation, the TDR program, the requirement for adequate buffers, native vegetation and better, lake-friendly living practices are so critical.

But, these concerns are critically important to the City as well.

It doesn't help to have polluted runoff, generated on County lands, drain into streams up-hill from where the City must then provide Stormwater facilities at its cost!

Correcting that problem is something only the County can address.

Yet, the County, during McShane's tenure, has done little to prevent this unmitigated pollution from occurring.

In fact, the County's Public Works Director and Assistant Public Works Director have left for greener pastures, so frustrated were they at the County's inaction on important water issues.

So, with no political leadership and a diminished technical staff, the County has just continued to equivocate on its Stormwater responsibilities.

Why hasn't this situation been addressed more forcefully by the County Council?

I hope the answer isn't the same one the City heard when it had the courage to raise its Stormwater rates back in 2001.

That answer amounted to nothing more than complaining about the City's action, denial that a problem exists, and the lack of courage required to willingly comply with the law!

Dan McShane was in a position to do better, but he didn't.

This information predictably won't be found in any campaign rhetoric.
But, it is part of the institutional memory of non-action on the part of the County regarding Stormwater management.
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The world is divided into people who get things done, and people who get the credit.

Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.