Trying times

Sometimes we get in our own way.

I learned this recently in a very personal lesson but I believe that, at times, we also reveal ourselves a little too openly for public consumption. These public meltdowns have two outcomes: people see us electeds for the true selves we are or we electeds suffer for our honesty.

I would like to think that the honesty is respected and that people feel a bit of kinship with us, especially because, after all, we are still the same people we were before we were elected to represent your interests. We try, we strive, we work for very little pay and much criticism because we want to support a community that we believe in. But the fact is, most of us go home questioning ourselves and the decisions we make.

The fact that we question ourselves and that we talk with our partners after dinner or at lunch or whenever we have a spare moment to share shows that we care. While we don't always agree, we do all believe.

We, those you have elected, all believe that we have this community's best interests in mind. Sometimes, we elect people with a single issue who have persuaded us that they will represent us but they only represent their own special interests. Thankfully that person rarely lasts in a community that is paying attention to the folks representing them.

Here in Whatcom County we elect our neighbors and friends to represent our interests. We ask those people, myself included, to take care and steward our public assets . Sometime we choose well, sometimes, not so much. But, this I will tell you from personal experience - I am still the same guy I was before.

What I believe to be a true measure of the people we ask to represent us isn't the quality of their listening skills or their commiseration with our positions or issues, rather it is the authenticity of their actions. Do they do what they say they will do or do they bust their asses to at least try?

Too often, our electeds are constrained by the body politic. While they may try to achieve results for their constituents, they are stopped or marginalized by others queuing in line before them. Since when to ideas get queued? Yeah......since we all bought into a ridiculous two party system more interested in reelections than good ideas, that's when we started to queue ideas.

So this post isn't really about any specific issue. Rather, it is about an attempt to ask all of you whether you vote or not, whether you pass on your views or not, or if you just silently follow the process that you remember the men and women you elect are not above or better, they are not some separate entity, they have not gained some special power beyond an improved experience and thus a little more insight to the process.

They, we, me....we are your neighbors and, as much as we can be, we are your voice. Please remember that we have the same struggles, the same relationships, the same lives as you. And that while we live the same lives as you, sometimes, when we get it just right, we manage to steer our governments in exactly the best direction.

My Latest Herald Reply

The following is a response I wrote to an anonymous poster on the Bellingham Herald website on 24 August 2011. First the post then my reply.

Lillias , ┐('～`；)┌

Very disappointed in Mike McAuley.
I wasted my vote when I gave it to him.
Shame on you POB; let's see how you change your tune when the trains make you late for work and soots your building.

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Hey Lillias.....while I share the same environmental values as many others in this community, I also took an oath to serve as a Commissioner to the Port of Bellingham. To me, then, I feel I must help balance the Port's core mission with the greater needs of the community and planet.

For example, when a new parking lot is designed at the airport I ask for native plantings, stormwater reuse for watering, LED lot lighting and so on.

Sometimes I win, sometimes I don't but it's important for people to remember that the Port isn't a social organization or like other governments, it is a special purpose government with some pretty specific state law governing its operations.

So while I will continue to push for ever more and better environmental standards at our port it is important for all to know that it must be in context of what the port does.

The following is the Port's mission statement:

The Port of Bellingham’s mission is to fulfill the essential transportation and economic development needs of the region while providing leadership in maintaining Greater Whatcom’s overall economic vitality through the development of comprehensive facilities, programs, and services.

In so doing, the Port pledges to work cooperatively with other entities – within the framework of community standards – and to be a responsible trustee of our publicly owned assets.

Read more: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2011/08/17/2146052/re-sources-disputes-port-position.html#disqus_thread#ixzz1W19TZGF9

Frustration

Don't be a "Low Information Voter."

The web makes it so easy to verify but people still read a headline, form a judgement and start spouting without ever following through to ensure they are correct.

GRRRR!

DO YOUR RESEARCH PEOPLE!! It's actually fun ;-)

Bicycle Loops, Parking Lot Lights and Deconsumption

Asked for and received - Kudos to your Port of Bellingham staff.:

Last year traffic impact mitigation required a new signal at Roeder and Bellwether, I asked for a bike loop so the light would react to cyclists coming to the light......done!

The traffic signal loop was a nice touch for the community, thank you Adam.

This year I asked for LED lighting in our new parking lots......Norm tells me just this week......done!

Breakdown:

* 33 new LED parking lot lights that draw 60% of the standard metal halide.

* 19 year life expectancy.

* High value recyclable content at the end of life.

* $11,000 cheaper than the metal halide with 30% lower operating costs!! WIN-WIN!!

The LED lights will be a big winner for our energy deconsumption . Good work Norm.

Word of the millenium:

Deconsumption: making do with less (Markowitz and Bowerman).

Port Audit

Port of Bellingham Given Clean Audit by State Auditors

[Bellingham, Wash.] Washington State Auditors reported that the Port of Bellingham met all requirements analyzed in the state annual audit.

"I am always pleased to see the public scrutiny our governments must undergo during the annual audit process,” said Port Commission President Michael McAuley. “While it is a significant achievement to garner no findings year after year, it is also a positive reminder for each and every taxpayer that our port is careful with their money."

In June the auditors completed their annual audit of the Port of Bellingham’s accountability, financial statements and federal grant compliance. The auditors issued a letter stating that they had no findings or major concerns. The audit reviewed records for 2010 and in some cases included previous years.

In 2010 the port collected taxes of $7.4 million, realized $21.2 million in operations revenue, spent $47.6 million on capital assets and increased net assets by $34.8 million. The port manages 1,663 acres of public land that includes 90 port-owned buildings.

Each year auditors choose several areas to more closely review and for 2010, their focus was on: electronic payments, payroll, the Industrial Development Corporation, open public meetings, conflict of interest, self insurance and prior audit issues.

“For 18 consecutive years the port has achieved a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association,” said Port Chief Financial Officer Rob Fix. “I expect our clean audit from the State of Washington for 2010 will lead to the port’s 19^th award. This is a true representation of the hard work and high ethical standards put forth daily by the Port’s accounting team and the entire Port staff.”

Reasons to Support Railroads

The link below leads to a document sponsored by BNSF and CN.

http://www.istc.illinois.edu/about/SeminarPresentations/20091118.pdf

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I've been criticized recently for an op-ed in the Bellingham Herald that, as usual, folks cherry picked to support their criticism. I never said I support coal trains, I never said I support coal usage and I never said I support a coal terminal at Cherry Point.

I *do* support an increase in rail traffic around this country, esp. since folks continue to buy stuff in increasing quantities and that 'stuff' has to get moved somehow. On land we can't move goods more efficiently than on rail so that's why I support rail.

I also support the EPA's soon to be released new rules on pollution sources, so maybe we can see a big transformation in the locomotive fleet soon that goes beyond Tier 4 standards.

Passenger Rail and Roller Coasters

High speed, passenger rail from Vancouver to Tijuana?

I think the best way to approach passenger rail should be to hire the people who build roller coasters.

Now when you stop laughing........... imagine a flat, super high speed rail line that is as simple as an overhead, tubular steel frame, that's lightweight, reliable, cheap, doesn't displace surface users and uses lightweight cars.

Cars would be short like a bus, haul maybe 30 people or whatever seems best based on destinations and would have their own electric propulsion systems capable of pushing a car in front that has broken down. Broken down cars would be pushed to the next station/stop where they would be shunted to a maintenance track.

After ya got a basic design, go talk to the people who build and operate chair lifts and gondolas at ski resorts - they will tell you how to operate and time the system.

Our current inter-city, passenger rail approach uses heavy cars that aren't all that different than a boxcar, displaces freight and costs WAY too much because it's too overbuilt from roadbed to car.

Passenger rail today is built as if every single person needs their own 6000 pound SUV when all that's needed is a 1600 pound SMART car.

Thoughts?