Blaine Confidential

3/4/25 letter to Whatcom County Planning Commission: From: DonnaBlaine <DonnaBlaine@proton.me> Date: On Tuesday, March 4th, 2025 at 12:38 PM Subject: Re: Does This Hot Mic Moment Catch the City Plotting A Citizen's Arrest? To: Richard May <RMay@cityofblaine.com> CC: Eric Lewis <ELewis@cityofblaine.com> Richard, by you telling me that this was "not a secret plot," you have just now  victimized me again . This did happen. I was warned by someone who actually  HEARD  the conversation  FIRST HAND  that city council and the police were going to arrest outspoken citizens. This person knows more about the law than you. This person did not tell me that the mayor might ask me to leave the room. This person told me there was a plan to  ARREST CITIZENS .  You are wrong when you said, "this doesn't mean someone gets arrested....unless you punch the cop, or handcuff yourself to a table, or refuse to leave unless dragged out kicking and screaming, ...

3/4/25 letter to Whatcom County Council: Thirty years ago, when I led North Cascades Audubon Society et al to victory at the Washington Supreme Court--establishing legal precedent for Critical Areas protection statewide--little did I think at the time that I would need to go to federal court decades later to force the State of Washington to uphold the law. Both Whatcom County and the State of Washington have turned a blind eye to official corruption in Blaine, despite our numerous letters over the last two years to the Washington Attorney General, Washington Department of Ecology, Whatcom County Council, Whatcom County Executive, and Whatcom County Prosecutor asking for help. This willful negligence by county and state authorities has allowed the City of Blaine to violate county, state, and federal laws with impunity. Whatcom County won't even protect Blaine citizens from assault by public officials at Blaine City Council meetings. Our civil rights are stomped on daily. What is wro...

3/4/25 letter to Whatcom County Planning Commission: Appealing fraudulent SEPA (State Environmental Policy Act) decisions by Blaine Community Development Services director Alex Wenger costs $2,500. Citizen SEPA appeals in Seattle cost $150, in Spokane $100.  The City of Blaine is forcing us to pay a fortune in Superior Court where the City's attorney CSD law has influence with the Whatcom County judges.  This is environmental injustice and a violation of our civil rights  requiring us to hire expensive lawyers, all due to corruption at the State and County governments that allowed the City of Blaine to do this to us over the last three years. Governor Ferguson as Washington Attorney General had a chance to end this corruption in Blaine and his staff blew us off. Now we are forced to sue in federal court to clean up the mess Ferguson should have cleaned up.  

To quote Donna, "Let’s be absolutely clear. Council Member Lewis was explicit in his motion when he stated: "Madam Mayor – I’d like to propose a motion to restore oral public comments at Blaine   CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ."   The emphasis on   CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS   was intentional. A town hall is not a Blaine City Council Meeting, despite the mayor’s attempt to conflate the two. She even acknowledged that a quorum isn’t required, and that attendance isn’t mandatory for council members. A town hall is no different than the one held in the Salishan neighborhood or an informal gathering at Starbucks. It is   not   a study session, an executive session, a council retreat, or—most importantly—a   Blaine City Council Meeting,   as clearly motioned by Councilmember Lewis."

3/3/25 letter to Blaine City Manager: Dear Mr. Harmon and Mr. Wenger, Blaine City Attorney Peter Ruffato has a conflict of interest for which he should be disbarred. He has not exercised his duty of care. His failure to correctly advise Blaine City Council at the February 24, 2025 meeting regarding the  mandatory 2024 Department of Ecology Stormwater Management Manual  and the  Code of Ethics  motion introduced by Councilman Lewis violates the  Blaine City Council Rules of Procedure .  Section IV--Order of Business and Agenda Rule 13 — Council Meeting Agenda The City Clerk, under the direction of the City Manager, shall arrange a list of such matters according to the Order of Business and prepare an Agenda for the City Council. After the proposed Agenda has been approved by the City Manager, a copy of the Agenda and supporting materials shall be prepared for City Councilmembers, the City Manager, the public, and the press at least twenty-four (24) hours bef...

3/2/25 letter to City of Blaine: Councilman Lewis February 10, 2025 motion-- Restore Oral Public Comment : 3 minutes per person,  twice a month ,  on the record , at city council meetings. Mayor Steward February 24, 2025 motion-- Initiate   Phony Town Halls : no guarantee of time to speak,  once a month  for 30 minutes,  off the record , before city council meetings.