Directs Staff to File Protest Immediately

[Bellingham, Wash.] The Port of Bellingham’s Board of Commissioners voted today to submit a formal protest of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) site selection and lease acquisition process.

“The best outcome for Bellingham is still to get NOAA, if we possibly can, because it would be an anchor tenant, would provide essential new jobs and would jumpstart our waterfront redevelopment,” said Commission President Scott Walker. “We believe the new information we gained in the past few days made it essential that we take another look at filing a protest. We still believe Bellingham is the very best site for NOAA’s facility.”

Last week the Commission voted against filing a protest in a meeting that Walker was unable to attend due to a death in his family. Walker took part in Thursday’s Special Commission meeting by phone, as did Interim Executive Director Fred Seeger.

Following the Commission decision last week, Port staff and a legal team continued to evaluate the NOAA selection process, as well as the agency’s comparison between the winning Newport, Ore., site and the Bellingham Shipping Terminal site. Both sites scored very high in NOAA’s site technical evaluation, with Newport finishing slightly higher.

The research found that the federal agency’s official Solicitation for Offers (SFO) stated that sites under consideration could not be in a floodplain. According to Port Attorney Frank Chmelik, the analysis by the Port’s Washington D.C. lawyers indicates that NOAA may not have followed proper procedure to deal with the floodplain issue because the Newport site is in a floodplain.

He noted that, according to federal contract rules, if NOAA approved a site that did not meet its stated criteria, the federal agency would have to either remove Newport from consideration and choose another site, or would have to change its SFO and allow new bids to be submitted.

“Last week I stood before you and a cautioned you that your protest might ‘win the battle but lose the war,’” Chmelik said. “Today, with the new information we have found, I believe that if this issue prevails the Port will have the opportunity to actually get NOAA.”

The other new information that was shared with the Commission was the finding that, if their protest is successful, they will be able to recover most of their legal fees from the bid protest effort. Depending on the length and complexity of the protest, these fees could reach $300,000, according to the Washington D.C. legal firm that is working on behalf of the Port.

“We have undertaken a careful review of the site selection process and the manner in which the competing sites were rated,” said Port Commission Vice President Jim Jorgensen. “We have strong concerns that the process did not result in a fair or accurate comparison of the proposals.”

Earlier this month, NOAA announced that it had selected Newport, Ore., for the Pacific Research Fleet homeport facility. The facility is currently located on Lake Union in Seattle. The Seattle location, as well as the Port of Bellingham and the Port of Port Angeles were all in completion with Newport for a 20-year lease for the ships and their upland facilities.

Port Interim Executive Director Fred Seeger recommended the Commission authorize a protest of the NOAA process.

“We believe that there were enough irregularities to merit a review of this process,” Seeger said. “In addition to the inaccuracies in the manner of scoring for several key technical factors, I believe the flood plain issue is a major area of protest.”

Port officials do not know if any of the other sites that submitted bids will be protesting the selection process. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, along with five congressmen sent a letter asking the Federal General Accounting Office to undertake a review of the lease acquisition process.

The Port has been part of the formal site selection process since it began in 2007. The NOAA facility could have an estimated $19 million a year economic impact and could generate 188 permanent full-time jobs. A community-wide effort was undertaking in pursing this project.

IF YOU’RE HEART STOPS BEATING, IT’S NICE TO BE NEAR EMERGENCY PERSONNEL – JUST ASK THE MAN WHO COLLAPSED AT THE NORTHWEST WASHINGTON FAIR. THE 52-YEAR-OLD MAN WENT DOWN IN FRONT OF THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE BOOTH. DEPUTIES AND CITIZENS IMMEDIATELY BEGAN C-P-R. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ALSO HAD A BOOTH, SO MEDICS RUSHED TO THE SCENE FROM THERE AS WELL. A BELLINGHAM FIREFIGHTER WAS ON HAND TOO. THEY ENDED UP GETTING THE MAN’S HEART GOING AGAIN. HE WAS HE WAS SITTING UP, EATING BREAKFAST AND TALKING ON THE PHONE THE NEXT MORNING.

RECESSION, WHAT RECESSION? A LOCAL RETAILER IS EXPANDING AND TAKING THE EMPTY SPACE THAT WAS ONCE THE HOME OF A NOW DEFUNCT NATIONAL ELECTRONICS CHAIN. DEWAARD & BODE IS MOVING INTO THE FORMER CIRCUIT CITY SPACE AT THE MERIDIAN VILLAGE RETAIL CENTER IN BELLINGHAM. THE APPLIANCE DEALER IS OPENING ITS THIRD BELLINGHAM STORE. DEWAARD & BODE IS LOOKING TO EXPAND ITS PRODUCT LINE – THEY HOPE TO ADD FURNITURE AND HOME THEATRE ELECTRONICS. THEY ALSO PLAN TO CONSTRUCT A WORKING KITCHEN FOR COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS.

WHATCOM COUNTY’S “THE WOODS COFFEE” IS PARTNERING WITH A NON-PROFIT HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATION TO HELP CHILDREN WHO ARE SUFFERING AND DYING FROM DRINKING CONTAMINATED WATER. CURRENTLY 1.2 BILLION PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THIS ESSENTIAL HUMAN NEED. ALL OF THE WOODS COFFEE LOCATIONS NOW FEATURE BOTTLED WATER FROM PURE WATER FOR THE WORLD. 20 CENTS OF EACH BOTTLE PURCHASED GOES TO SUPPORT PURE WATER’S MISSION OF PROVIDING CLEAN WATER AND HYGIENE PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

A FERNDALE POWER PLANT IS HONORED AS A SAFETY LEADER. THE NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL HAS GIVEN THE TENASKA FERNDALE COGENERATION STATION THE SAFETY LEADERSHIP AWARD FOR ACHIEVING THE BEST SAFETY PERFORMANCE FOR FIVE CONSECUTIVE YEARS, WITH NO WORK-RELATED INJURIES OR ILLNESSES RESULTING IN TIME AWAY FROM WORK. THIS IS THE SIXTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR IN WHICH TENASKA FERNDALE EMPLOYEES HAVE RECEIVED THE AWARD. IN 2008, THE PLANT WAS AWARDED THE NATION’S HIGHEST SAFETY HONOR BY BEING NAMED A STAR WORKSITE. ONLY ABOUT TWO THOUSAND OUT OF 7.2 MILLION WORKSITES ACROSS THE NATION HOLD SUCH A DESIGNATION.

LYNDEN BASED PEOPLES BANK HAS PLANTED 924 TREES WHILE HELPING THE ENVIRONMENT IN ANOTHER WAY TOO. IN AN EFFORT TO GO GREEN, THE BANK LAUNCHED AN E-STATEMENT OPTION. CUSTOMERS WHO SIGNED UP FOR THE PAPERLESS PRODUCT HAD A TREE PLANTED IN THEIR BEHALF. 924 HOUSEHOLDS PARTICIPATED. THIS MEANS NO WASTED PAPER FROM THOSE PEOPLES BANK CUSTOMERS EACH STATEMENT CYCLE. IT ALSO MEANS TREES WILL GROW TO CLEAN RIVERS AND STREAMS, STORE CARBON, AND REDUCE STORM WATER RUNOFF WHILE HELPING SUSTAIN WILDLIFE AND RESTORING NATURE’S NATURAL BEAUTY.

A 30 MILLION DOLLAR COMPLEX UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN BLAINE WILL SOON BE THE HOME OF VIVA BIOPHARM USA AND 150 TO 300 JOBS. THE SUBSIDIARY OF VIVA PHARMACEUTICAL WILL MANUFACTURE GENERIC AND OVER-THE-COUNTER DRUGS, DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS AND NUTRITIONAL AND COSMETIC PRODUCTS. CREDO CONSTRUCTION OF BELLINGHAM IS HANDLING THE TWO-YEAR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT ON AN EIGHT-ACRE SITE ALONG ODELL ROAD. THREE BUILDINGS WITH MORE THAN 200-THOUSAND SQUARE FEET WILL BE USED FOR MANUFACTURING, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

A MAJOR PROPERTY OWNER IN DOWNTOWN BELLINGHAM HAS DONATED 100-THOUSAND DOLLARS TOWARD THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW PICKFORD FILM CENTER. THE DONATION FROM BOB HALL LEAVES THE PROJECT JUST HALF A MILLION SHORT OF THE AMOUNT NEEDED TO COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION. THE PICKFORD FILM CENTER IS BEING BUILT IN A RENOVATED BUILDING IN THE 13-HUNDRED BLOCK OF BAY STREET. IT WILL HAVE TWO THEATERS – ONE WITH 145 SEATS AND ANOTHER WITH 90 AND WILL HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF HOSTING OTHER CULTURAL EVENTS. COMPLETION IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR THIS WINTER IF THE REMAINING AMOUNT CAN BE RAISED.

FRED MEYER HELPS OUT THE ORGANIZATION THAT HAS HELPED MANY OF YOU. THE RETAILER RECENTLY DONATED NEARLY SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS TO THE MOUNT BAKER CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS. THE MONEY WILL BE USED TO BUY EQUIPMENT FOR AN ONSITE KITCHEN FOR EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE MEALS. THE GRANT IS FUNDED BY DONATIONS FROM FRED MEYER EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS.

With about 100 members in attendance Whatcom County Democrats considered further endorsements for this Novembers election. Whatcom Democrats rules require a 2/3 majority for endorsement.

Bellingham City Council, Ward 6: dual-endorsement, Michael Lilliquist and Catherine Chambers

Bellingham School Board Pos. 5: Scott Stockburger

Whatcom Library Levy: YES

Ref 71: YES

I-1033: NO

Candidates that had already been endorsed by Whatcom Democrats at their June meeting are:

Whatcom Co. Council, Dist 1 Dan McShane

Whatcom Co. Council, Dist 2 Ken Mann

Whatcom Co. Council, Dist 3 Carl Weimer

Whatcom Co. Council, At-Large Laurie Caskey-Schreiber

Port of Bellingham Commissioner, Dist 1 John Blethen
Port of Bellingham Commissioner, Dist 2 Michael McAuley

City of Bellingham Council, Ward 2 Gene Knutson
City of Bellingham Council, Ward 4 Stan Snapp
City of Bellingham Council, At-Large Seth Fleetwood

These are a couple of emails we got yesterday – what do you think about them?

Hello Joe,

Today, when I called in, you instructed me to “ not yell and be mad”. Since when do you dictate to me, how to respond to an issue? Since when were you in charge, of demanding other people to adhere to what you deem appropriate? You really have gall. You are not my owner, my father, my commander. Stop belittling your guest. Stop trying to be the traffic cop. Where do get off telling me what to do?

If I want to express myself with ANGER, I will. If I feel the need to raise my voice, I will. You do not control me. It is demeaning and unwarranted. I guess next you will tell me what I can, and can not say? Is that what you want Joe? I never tell anyone what to think, say, feel, or respond to. You do this with many of the guest that call into the show. You laugh at them, you belittle them,
and you marginalize them. Nice. Real Nice. I will continue to call your show, to hold you accountable to your positions. I relish the debate, and the back and forth. Then more the left loses control, the louder and shriller they become. Let me tell you this Joe, you and the rest of
the far left will be the last ones at the Party. The Party of Freedom. 2010 will be a history making event in the history of this Country. We are living in historic times, and the Tea Party, and Town Hall people will go down in history as the new “Sons of Freedom” The sleeping giant has awakened, and will rear its power soon.

American Patriot
Son of Liberty

Patriotic Resistance
I have noted that many elected officials, both Democrats and Republicans, called upon America to unite behind Obama.

Well, I want to make it clear to all who will listen that I “AM NOT” uniting behind Obama. However, I promise to give our country the devoted loyalty of a patriot.

I will respect the Office which he holds, and I will acknowledge his abilities as an orator and wordsmith and pray for him, BUT that is it.
I have begun today to see what I can do to make sure He is a one-term President!

Why am I doing this? It is because I do not share Obama’s vision or value system for America;

I do not share his Abortion beliefs;

I do not share his radical Marxist’s concept of re-distributing wealth;

I do not share his stated views on raising taxes on those who make $150,000

I do not share his view that America is arrogrant;

I do not share his view that America is not a Christian Nation;

I do not share his view that the military should be reduced by 25%;

I do not share his view of amnesty and giving more to illegals than American Citizens who need help;

I do not share his views on homosexuality and his definition of marriage;

I do not share his views that Radical Islam is our friend and Israel is our enemy who should give up any land;

I do not share his spiritual beliefs (at least the ones he has made public);

I do not share his beliefs on how to re-work the healthcare system in America;

I do not share his Strategic views of the Middle East, and certainly do not share his plan to sit down with terrorist regimes such as Iran.

Bottom line, my America is vastly different from Obama’s, and I have a higher obligation to my Country and my God to do what is right!

For eight (8) years, the Liberals in our Society, led by numerous entertainers who would have no platform and no real credibility, but for their celebrity status, have attacked President Bush, his family, and his spiritual beliefs!

They have not moved toward the center in their beliefs and their philosophies, and they never came together nor compromised their personal beliefs for the betterment of our Country! They have portrayed my Americaas a land where everything is tolerated except being intolerant!

They have been a vocal and irreverent minority for years;
They have mocked and attacked the very core values so important to the founding and growth of our Country;

They have made every effort to remove the name of God or Jesus Christ from our Society;

They have challenged capital punishment, the right to bear firearms, and the most basic principles of our criminal code;
They have attacked one of the most fundamental of all Freedoms, the right of free speech!
Unite behind Obama? Never!

I am sure many of you who read this think that I am going overboard, but I refuse to retreat one more inch in favor of those whom I believe are the embodiment of Evil!

PRESIDENT BUSH made many mistakes during his Presidency, and I am not sure how history will judge him. However, I believe he weighed his decisions in light of the long established Judeo-Christian principles of our Founding Fathers!!!

Majority rules in America, and I will honor the concept; however, I will fight with all of my power to be a voice in opposition to Obama and “his goals for America.”

I am going to be a thorn in the side of those who, if left unchecked, will destroy our country!! Any more compromise is more defeat!

I pray that the results of this election will wake up many who have sat on the sidelines and allowed the Socialist-Marxist anti-God crowd to slowly change so much of what has been good in America!

“Error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.” (Thomas Jefferson)

God bless you and God bless our Country!!!

Pass this on if you agree! If you don’t then delete it.

In order for your vote to be counted, your ballot envelope needs to be postmarked
no later than Election Day or deposited in the Curbside Ballot Drop Box located
at 311 Grand Ave., by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Curbside Ballot Drop Box
311 Grand Avenue
(near Courthouse Rotunda)
Bellingham, WA
OPEN: 20 Days Prior to Election
Election Day: Closes at 8:00 p.m.

Whatcom County Auditor’s Office
Whatcom County Courthouse
311 Grand Ave., Suite 103
Bellingham, WA
HOURS: Monday – Friday
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Election Day Only: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
OR
Where Can I Deposit My Ballot?
Drop Box Hours: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Blaine City Hall: 344 H Street, Blaine, WA
Everson Library: 104 Kirsch Dr., Everson, WA
Ferndale Library: 2222 Main St., Ferndale, WA
Lynden Public Library: 216 4th St., Lynden, WA

From the City Of Bellingham

Bellingham Mayor Dan Pike announced this week that Jim Tinner recently accepted appointment as Bellingham’s new Building Official. Tinner brings to Bellingham a strong track record of leadership, experience creating positive organizational change, and extensive professional credentials.

This is an essential position in the City and in the community even during these very difficult economic times, said Planning and Community Development Director Tim Stewart. The Building Official has the duty and responsibility for making critical life safety decisions under City and International Building Codes, must be a strong leader in establishing systems for processing permits, and must address needs of customers and City staff.

Stewart said Tinner is a seasoned Building Official and leader, having served as Building Official in the City of Auburn and Building Official and Fire Marshal in the City of Snoqualmie during the past ten years. He has also served as a Senior Building Inspector in Cowlitz County for three years, Combined Building and Fire Prevention Inspector in Spokane County for three years and a Combination Inspector in the City of Kent for four years. He holds certifications as Building Official, Plans Examiner, Building Inspector, Fire Inspector II, Plumbing Inspector and Mechanical Inspector from the International Code Council and is certified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the National Incident Management System and the Incident Command System. He is also a Certified Bridge Condition Inspector.

“We are very impressed with his technical knowledge, and even more impressed with his leadership skills,” Stewart said. “I am confident that Jim will add significant value to the Planning and Community Development Department and the City of Bellingham as a whole.”

Bill Quehrn, Executive Director of the Building Industry Association of Whatcom County, participated in the hiring process and said he is pleased with the selection.

“We are extremely pleased that the Building Official position has been filled. I was impressed by the portion of the selection process in which I was invited to participate, and we look forward to working with Mr. Tinner,” Quehrn said.

Stewart said Tinner’s salary will be $79,000 per year, funded entirely from fees collected for processing building permits. He will begin August 31.

I want to congratulate all of the kids who participated in the Bellingham Library’s Summer Reading Program. Kids who read at least 15 books were honored at a recognition ceremony with Mayor Pike on August 7th. I’m very proud to report my daughter Madeline was recognized again this year. She’s seven-years-old and has become quite the little reader. Once again – Congratulations to Maddie and to all of you who successfully completed the program this year.

There have been several changes at local news organizations over the last few years, but, there are still plenty of sources you can go to for news in your area.

KGMI provides Whatcom County news on the radio and at kgmi.com with extended newscasts from 5:00 to 9:00 in the morning, noon, and 5:05 in the afternoon on weekdays. News updates are broadcast at the top and bottom of every hour 24 hours a day, seven days a week. News and updated stories and podcasts can be found at kgmi.com.

KPUG 1170 and kpug1170.com provide local sports news.

The Bellingham Herald is the local daily newspaper and covers all of Whatcom County. New earlier deadlines mean news from the previous night might not be in in the print edition, but can be found on bellinghamherald.com. New and updated stories are posted on the website throughout the day.

There is no television news in Whatcom County, however KVOS TV does air a weekly public affairs program hosted by Deb Slater.

The cities of Lynden, Ferndale and Blaine have weekly papers.

The Cascadia Weekly is a weekly alternative newspaper that covers all of Whatcom County.

The Western Front is Western Washington University’s student-run newspaper and is published twice a week during the school year.

Whatcom Watch is a monthly alternative paper that covers Whatcom County.

The foothills area, Point Roberts, and Sudden Valley also have small, monthly or bi-monthly papers.

The Bellingham Business Journal and Northwest Business Monthly provide local business news. The BBJ also has a new website with daily updates.

There are also several blogs and newsletters.

If I’ve missed something, please post it in the comment section.