Community Engagement

In my opinion, official misconduct is at the root of Growth Management conflicts in east Blaine and downtown. This official misconduct in violation of the Growth Management Act has corrupted the Comprehensive Plan update process, leading to civic conflict. Knowingly manipulating the public process in violation of the law for the benefit of developers and convenience of city officials is inappropriate.

We need to hold the city accountable, and maybe new leadership and voices will emerge by talking to each other about how to move our city forward. Blaine Community Forum is one tool to use toward that end.

The City of Blaine could reduce conflict by communicating in two-way town hall discussions such as the Whatcom County Library System did recently on the proposed new library at civic center. The city could also inform its citizens by making the city website user friendly, so citizens can track city projects start to finish online. That would include audiovisual materials, public correspondence, and key documents with timelines showing where they are in the process. 

Misunderstandings and suspicions arise when official documents are unavailable or difficult to access. Official unresponsiveness does the same.

The City of Blaine can choose to inform, invite, and involve its citizens to participate in planning their future, or they can choose to continue excluding us from "early, continuous, and inclusive public participation" as required by law. 

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