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BLAINE WASHINGTON SNAPSHOT

Civil Rights Controversy Conflict between open government activists and City of Blaine officials led to Mayor Mary Lou Steward's February 12, 2024 cancellation of the longstanding oral public comment period at city council meetings, followed by a Free Speech protest on April 8, 2024 at Blaine City Hall.  Election interference by Blaine City Manager Mike Harmon on June 23, 2025, and election interference on September 8, 2025 by Mayor Mary Lou Steward, was followed by the Public Records Act controversy on September 10, 2025, as open government activists sought documents concealed by the city that they needed for a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) appeal of the Avista at Birch Point planned unit development. On October 13, 2025, death threats by David Brudvik--a convicted violent felon--against open government activists for opposing Mayor Steward and City Manager Harmon resulted in the November 4, 2025 civil protection orders, signed by Whatcom District Court Judge Angela A...
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MY AMERICAN DREAM

[May 15 submission to The Northern Light 'American Dream' essay contest] My American Dream is one where political dissent is non-violent, and government is open and welcoming. Open government is a topic of disagreement in Blaine, which led to death threats against open government activists , as well as to retaliatory policing . Neither is acceptable behavior in a democracy. In his May 11, 2026 letter to Blaine City Council, former Downtown Advisory Committee member Glen Pentland made the following remarks.  "Blaine’s leadership has failed the community by systematically shutting the public out of meaningful participation in shaping the city’s future. That failure has now reached a critical point: City Hall has abandoned its responsibility for downtown planning by stripping away important building codes and handing control to profit-driven developers to dictate the vision for Blaine’s future, while residents are pushed to the sidelines. The City is now seeking further leg...
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