BELLINGHAM - In addition to deciding whether to form a metropolitan park district in the Feb. 12 special election, voters in that district also will select five commissioners to serve on a governing board.
The proposed Chuckanut Community Forest Park District's boundaries would roughly encompass southwest Bellingham - south of Western Washington University and west of Interstate 5 to the water.
The district is being formed to tax its property owners to help pay for the city's purchase of Chuckanut Ridge. The commissioners would serve only if voters form the district.
The terms of office for the first district commissioners would be staggered beginning Jan. 1, 2014.
Under state law, the top two vote-getters would serve six-year terms; the next two would serve four-year terms; the fifth vote-getter would serve a two-year term.
After that, all commissioners would be elected to six-year terms.
Below is a list of the commissioner candidates.
Most of them pledged to stick to the original intent of the ballot measure: pay off the loan at a rate of 28 cents per $1,000 of assessed value for 10 years to preserve the property and then sunset the metropolitan park district if they're still in office.
Read their statements on the website of the Chuckanut Community Forest District Steering Committee, a citizens' coalition that worked to put the measure on the ballot, at chuckanutcommunityforest.com.
POSITION 1
Cathy McKenzie
Occupation: Fiscal technician for WSU-Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center.
Civic experience: South Neighborhood Association board member; Mayor's Neighborhood Advisory Committee alternate representative; Bellingham Planning Academy participant; Responsible Development board member; Coalition of South Neighborhoods coordinator; Greenways III campaign volunteer.
Why running: She has spent the past decade working to preserve Chuckanut Ridge, also known as the Hundred Acre Wood, and its ecosystem. She wants the property to remain accessible to the public and to be protected as a whole.
Original intent pledge: Yes.
Patricia Montgomery
Candidate Montgomery couldn't be reached for comment.
POSITION 2
John Hymas
He couldn't be reached for comment. But his candidate statement is on the website of the Chuckanut Community Forest District Steering Committee. It reads, in part:
"After nearly 30 years of community opposition to the threatened destruction of a critical forested wetland jewel in the city, we have the chance to protect it, and bail the city out of the embarrassing situation of having to sell off a large portion to repay the Greenway(s) endowment fund.
"Most of us on the south side love and use our parks and trail system," he noted. "Many take them for granted. I don't."
Dan Remsen
Occupation: Self-employed general contractor.
Civic experience: Former member of Greenways committee.
Why running: He is committed to "securing permanent protection for this ecologically valuable city park," he stated on the Chuckanut Community Forest District Steering Committee website. "If we want it, we need to pay for it."
Original intent pledge: Yes.
POSITION 3
Susan Kaun
Occupation: Retired. As former manager of a municipal sewer/water district in Eastern Washington for 14 years she was responsible for overseeing the restoration of Liberty Lake, and worked with the community's elected district commissioners to do so.
Civic experience: Since moving to Bellingham in 2002, she has worked with other citizens on Lake Whatcom and Padden Creek protection issues.
Why running: She wants the entire Hundred Acre Wood to be protected from development. "I believe it is essential that all of the land within the Chuckanut Community Forest Park District remain undeveloped in order to protect the water quality of Padden Creek and Chuckanut Creek."
Original intent pledge: While Kaun said it's hard to make such a pledge because she doesn't know what the future will bring, she said that repaying the loan was the only reason to form the park district.
NOTE: Jan Brown has withdrawn because she's moving out of the proposed district, but it was too late to remove her name from the ballot.
POSITION 4
Vincute (Vince) Biciunas
Occupation: Retired. Former office manager and bookkeeper.
Civic experience: Participated in formation of Fairhaven Neighbors neighborhood association in 1989; president of Fairhaven Neighbors since 2006, though will step down after Feb. 6; formerly on Mayor's Neighborhood Advisory Commission; participated in most of the meetings surrounding the environmental scoping process for Chuckanut Ridge over the years.
Why running: She's passionate about the ecological value of the property. "I'd like to see the entire 82 acres preserved and am happy that the vehicle of a metropolitan park district gives us the means to repay the funds and preserve the forest."
Original intent pledge: Yes.
She's running unopposed.
POSITION 5
John Brown
Occupation: Retired from Whatcom Community College, after a dozen years of teaching English.
Civic experience: Volunteer work for seven years, most recently as treasurer with nonprofit Responsible Development, which promoted saving all of Chuckanut Ridge. Current treasurer for nonprofit Pacific NW Cultural Exchange Council.
Why running: To repay the loan, to preserve the forest for future generations, and to save onsite wetlands, salmon-bearing streams and Puget Sound by protecting Chuckanut Ridge from development - ensuring wildlife connectivity throughout the Chuckanut region.
Original intent pledge: Yes.
Anna Williams
Occupation: Accountant and former restaurant owner.
Civic experience: Founding director of Bank Northwest, which is now Bank of the Pacific; member and festival chair for Old Fairhaven Association; former chairman of the board for Bellingham Whatcom Chamber of Commerce & Industry; former president of Whatcom Hospice Foundation.
Why running: Williams, who said she loves the area's parks and trails, actually opposes forming a metropolitan park district and the idea of another taxing district.
"You can't run away from something, whether you like it or not. If it's voted on, then you need to work inside your system - whatever that system is," the self-described fiscal conservative said. "I can sure squeak if they want to raise more."
BALLOTS OUT
Ballots were mailed Friday, Jan. 25, for the Feb. 12 special election, Whatcom County Auditor Debbie Adelstein said.
Voters in southwest Bellingham - south of Western Washington University and west of Interstate 5 to the water - will decide whether to form a metropolitan park district that would tax its property owners to help pay for the city's purchase of Chuckanut Ridge.
Voters in the Concrete School District will decide on a replacement educational programs and operations levy.
Those are the only voters who will receive ballots for this special election. Registered voters in those areas who have not received their ballots by Friday, Feb. 1, should call the Election Division of the Auditor's Office at 360-676-6742.
Ballots must be postmarked by Feb. 12 to be valid. They also can be dropped off at the County Courthouse south parking lot, 201 Grand Ave., Bellingham (one block south of courthouse). The drop box closes at 8 p.m. Feb. 12.
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