Security

Today's letter to the editor at Cascadia Daily News:

Editor,

Security concerns — used by local governments to eliminate open public comment sessions (CDN, Nov. 1, 2024) at council meetings — can be addressed without removing the single opportunity for citizens to address their elected officials orally so others in the audience can learn from each other and come together in common cause. I have written many emails to Blaine City Council and Whatcom County Council, and they have never responded to corruption issues I raise about community planning and public participation. I don’t even know if they bother to read them.

The only way to have total security for council meetings is to prohibit the public from attending and asking questions. That sounds like fascism to me.

In Blaine, Mayor [Mary Lou] Steward shut down oral public comment on Feb. 12 when a citizen asked questions about corruption involving the mayor and council member Mike Hill. Steward simultaneously announced she was suspending oral public comment until further notice. The city council then proceeded to adopt significant amendments to the Blaine Comprehensive Plan without addressing citizen concerns, either in person or by email. 

The Growth Management Act requires open two-way discussions where citizens can ask questions and get answers from officials, as well as offer their ideas. This might be inconvenient for public officials —especially when they are subverting the law on behalf of developers — but that’s the price of democracy. Blaine adopted a 2024 development work plan without holding a single town hall.

Jay Taber
Blaine

 

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