Qualifications:
1. Strengths.
What makes you the best
candidate to be Mayor of
As a
candidate for Mayor, I am unique in terms of coming with solid administrative
experience – 7 years as Deputy Administrator of the City of
2. Weaknesses.
Many in our neighborhoods
feel that the choice of Mayor this year will be between vision/leadership and
administrative experience. What do you perceive as your weakest attribute of the two and how will
you address this?
The
choice can’t be “either/or”. The choice
can not be between vision/leadership and administrative experience.
Since I
believe that vision has to be arrived at collectively, I will work to include
the many divergent points of view and find the common ground to move forward
together.
Growth and Planning:
3. Consistent Development Process and
Neighborhood Input.
The spot
rezone process that was recently used for the Squalicum Lofts proposal created
an unfair situation pitting neighbors against the developer, Planning staff,
and policy makers in an unpredictable process.
Without changes, other neighborhoods and developers will be similarly
affected in the future. What are your
observations of this process and what would you propose as Mayor working with Planning staff to protect the integrity of Comprehensive
Plan goals and policies, neighborhood plan updates, and a meaningful proactive
exchange of ideas with stakeholders?
One of the most important things is for
developers to work with the neighborhoods in the early, conceptual stages of a
project before substantial costs have been incurred - as opposed to waiting
until engineering plans have been developed and streets laid
out - to determine what the neighborhood concerns are and to endeavor to reach
common ground. As Mayor, I would direct the Planning Dept to require a
neighborhood meeting (or series of meetings) in the pre-application stage of a
project, particularly a proposed neighborhood plan amendment, to ensure a
process of early and continuous input, meaningful dialogue, coordination of the
project with the neighborhood plan and consistency with Comp Plan goals and
policies. To address neighborhood concerns as to whether a project is a spot
rezone, I would direct the Legal Dept to review each proposed neighborhood plan
amendment to confirm that any such proposal does not involve a spot rezone.
4. Urban Center Infill.
Do you support the
Comprehensive Plan’s direction of infill housing created through Urban Centers
and if so, how can this method be expedited in order to take pressure off
leap-frogging in inappropriate areas?
I support Urban Centers as a method of
encouraging infill and growth, while protecting neighborhood character in our
single family neighborhoods. I am presently part of a group that is exploring
the possibility of an urban village along
Right now, however, the City has no master plans
for any Urban Centers proposed in the Comp Plan. As Mayor, I would direct the Planning Dept to
place high priority on beginning the master planning process for the major
proposed Urban Centers.
One of the realities we must deal with regarding
“leapfrogging” is that a property owner has the right to develop his property
in accordance with current zoning and other applicable laws.
5. Watershed Comprehensive Plan.
How will
you move the community to embrace an overriding vision with specific goals for
stormwater management and land acquisition in the
For the wider
More immediately, for the long-term health of our Lake
Whatcom Reservoir, acquiring additional property soon in the watershed is a
primary goal. As Mayor I would work closely with County, State and Federal
officials to secure funds for purchasing significant portions of available
land. Additionally, I will work with City departments and our watershed
partners to initiate additional best practices to keep pesticides, herbicides
and other pollutants from entering Lake Whatcom Reservoir.
6. Funding Choices.
In last
week’s Cascadia Weekly Gristle Column, Tim Johnson declares
The waterfront area must be master planned, and development
there will occur over the next 20 to 30 years. As Mayor I will work with the
Port to ensure that the costs to the City for infrastructure development over
those 30 years are financially prudent.
Some of the expenditures in the Lake Whatcom Reservoir
watershed are more pressing and will have to be made over the next five
critical years to make sure we have a pure water supply in the near term and
for future generations.
Waterfront
Redevelopment:
7.
Harbor Cleanup.
Describe, briefly, the key features of
the cleanup plan favored by the
As a minimum standard, the
clean up should be done at the level appropriate for the use of the property.
The Interlocal Agreement and supplements between the City and the Port describe
a jointly prepared development plan, regulations and “a development agreement
to insure that the redevelopment is financially feasible for both jurisdictions
and that the redevelopment reflects the interests of the City and Port and
their constituents”.
Since the initial
agreement, estimates for the City’s costs to provide infrastructure for the
redevelopment have risen to the $200 million level, the City will need to
renegotiate with the Port so that the eventual financial obligations the City
faces will be reasonable and affordable.
8.
Infrastructure:
What is your “back of the envelope”
list of Capital needs and your guess as to the cost? By how much would your list exceed the
borrowing capacity of the COB? At what point would the amount borrowed lead to higher interest
rates? What would be your
priorities?
The
work of the City’s Capital Improvements Advisory Committee (final report June,
2001) shows the need for good planning to meet capital needs, which generally
require large infusions of money to implement. Citizens who worked long and
hard on that committee should feel a great sense of accomplishment that many of
their priority items have been completed or are currently under way.
A
new library, a new Children’s and Art Museum and improvements to Mt. Baker
Theatre and waterfront-related improvements are among the significant capital
needs facing the City. The first two could cost $40 million and the waterfront
costs are still undetermined. Additionally, public works projects such as
expansion of the wastewater treatment plant ($45 million), needed traffic calming
and bicycle/pedestrian street and trail improvements,
and purchase of park lands are some of the priorities. Some of these projects
will be paid for by user fees or dedicated funds, but the total cost could
exceed the City’s bonding capacity of $137 million. Financial markets will
determine the interest rates, since they will judge the City’s ability to repay
its bonded debt.
9.
Redevelopment of the Waterfront:
Will the economic benefit exceed the
cost for the average
It
is too early to determine the costs vs. benefits for
As Mayor I would work with the City
departments and the Port to ensure that the neighborhoods have early and
continuous involvement in the development of New Whatcom. Master planning the
area, combined with active neighborhood involvement in the pre-development
process, will assure discussion of neighbors’ concerns such as noise, light,
view, access to the water and water-related activities, and the smooth flow of
people to and from the New Whatcom site.
Recreation:
10.
Parks, Trails, and Open Space.
Besides the dedicated
funding of the Greenways III levy, how would you suggest the City balance its
parks, trails, and open space system so that north
Acquiring and developing
parks, trails and open space in underserved north
As a City we have not
ensured that these important amenities are provided as development in the north
has taken place. If elected Mayor, I would direct that Parks, Planning and
Public Works coordinate with both neighbors and developers at the early,
conceptual stages of projects to ensure that new developments have adequate
parks, trails and open space. In
particular, I would direct that the Planning, Parks and Public Works explore
the concept of a master plan for north
Emergency Response:
11.
Utility lines.
Our neighborhoods
have large industrial high-pressure gas pipelines and high voltage power lines
running through residential areas. There
are houses connected directly to the gas lines, still at high pressure. These were installed to service industries in
the area. They pose tremendous danger in
case of earthquake. The Cascade Natural
Gas franchise agreement will be renegotiated for a new term during your tenure
as Mayor. PSE's agreement can be
reopened after January 31, 2013. What
should new agreements with any utility company provide for to protect our
neighborhoods? How important is this
issue to you? Are you prepared to ask
these companies to reopen the contracts now to provide safe service?
As
one of the City officials who handled the aftermath of the Whatcom Creek
explosion and fire in 1999, I am acutely aware of the need to negotiate with
utility companies to assure safe transmission and delivery of their products. I
have talked with concerned neighbors and would, as Mayor, have the risks
analyzed and be proactive in setting up meetings with both Cascade Natural Gas
and Puget Sound Energy where neighbors and City staff can raise their concerns.
Transmission
lines and pipelines are everyday realities that we all depend on in our daily
living; but we need to take prudent and reasonable steps to reduce risks and
avoid any future harm they could cause.
Personnel Management:
12.
Finance Director Role.
What is the role you see of an
appointed Finance Director in decisions related to the large financial impacts
of the
The
role of an appointed Finance Director would be to continue the highly
professional approach exhibited by Therese Holm, the City’s current Finance
Director. Working as part of a team, the Finance Director would be very
involved in all key financial decisions, explaining the financial realities
impacting each issue and offering her best professional opinion on the
financial options that would best meet the City’s long term needs.
13. Advisory Committees.
What skill
set and geographic balance do you look for as a Mayor in the makeup of the
Planning Commission and other advisory boards?
Does it concern you that all current members of the Commission live
south of Whatcom Creek?
As Mayor, my goal will be to name the best, most
highly-qualified citizens available to our advisory boards and commissions.
With that goal in mind, I will strive for broad representation in my
appointments, considering applicants from all parts of the City. Board
preparation and meetings can take significant time and effort so we must
attract and retain volunteers who are willing and able to commit the time and
effort necessary to serve as active and productive members.
Members of the Planning Commission must be able
to carefully review complicated, detailed proposals and materials, communicate
effectively with Planning staff, listen to and fairly consider the input of all
stakeholders and make reasoned recommendations based on the record and on
thorough knowledge and understanding of the goals and policies of the
Comprehensive Plan and development regulations