Front Page in Today's Newspaper

John Stark's front page piece in this morning's Bellingham Herald is very interesting reading.  Your can view it on-line here.  You might want to check out the on-line comments too.  Amazing how many folks have stepped up in support of a total ban of personal fireworks in our City.  Later . . .

Freedom From Fireworks in Bellingham is on Facebook

This is not a new Facebook page, but it's only recently been utilized.  Check it out at Fireworks Guy.  Later . . .

Discussion of Fireworks to Begin on Monday

The City recently posted the Agenda for this coming Monday's City Council activities.  At long last, a discussion of fireworks in our City is slated as the first order of business at the morning Public Works/Public Safety Council Committee.  The committee, chaired with Councilman Stan Snapp, includes Councilmen Gene Knutson and Terry Bornemann.  Monday's meeting is to begin at 9:00AM in the Council chamber at City Hall.  This is a working session, open to the public and available for viewing live on BTV10.  For more information, please access this link: http://www.cob.org/web/council.nsf/$vAllByUnid/4CA6BA5AF5C9B01888257B510054FCF8?OpenDocument. A review of the listed City Council Agenda Bill regarding a fireworks ban discussion (AB19942) is highly recommended.  Later . . .

Another Conoboy Piece

Once again, supporter Richard Conoboy has written yet another piece for the Northwest Citizen.  Check it out at  http://www.nwcitizen.com/entry/status-of-the-move-to-ban-fireworks-in-bellingham.  Later . . .

To Whom It May Concern

In order for any changes to the existing City noise and fireworks ordinances to be enforceable before the 4th of July in 2014, these changes must be adopted legislatively by the City before the 4th of July this year.  As the items below clearly show, since July of last year, the City has made very little progress in this regard:

• During City Council sessions on July 25th and August 6th of 2012, the Mayor reported to Council that she would direct City Attorney staff to review what the City might do to address concerns regarding fireworks in our City.
• On September 18th, 2012, Taimi Gorman, Richard Maneval and I visited MNAC to express our concerns regarding fireworks in our City. Following that MNAC meeting, the Mayor again indicated that she would have staff look into this matter.
• In response to my October 30th, 2012 posting requesting any results of staff actions with regard in our concerns regarding fireworks in our City, I received a posting that stated in part, "In early 2013, Mayor Kelli plans to work with our public safety officials on a plan for increased neighborhood presence to assist in the education and enforcement of existing fireworks restrictions."  There was no mention of any of the staff work that had been promised.  
• On January 28th and March 11th of this year, I was accompanied by several eloquent residents of our City, to voice, in 3-minute Public Comments to City Council, our concerns regarding fireworks in our City.
• Twice now, during City Council sessions on February 11th and March 11th of 2013, motions to get a discussion of fireworks in our City started in the Public Safety Council Committee, which is chaired by Stan Snapp, have passed unanimously.
• During the Mayor's Report portion of the evening Council Meeting on February 11th, 2013, the Mayor  and Fire Chief Roger Christensen announced an "interpretation" of our existing fireworks ordinance which prohibits, starting this year, the sale at fireworks stands in our City of so-called "cakes".  This is a minimal but significant step forward.
• During an exchange between the Mayor and Councilman Snapp at the City Council meeting on March 25th, 2013, the Mayor once again stated that she would direct staff do whatever is required to enable the Public Safety Council Committee to take up this matter.
• A recent review of the City Council Agenda for this coming Monday, April 8th, 2013 indicates that fireworks is not yet an Agenda item for the Public Safety Council Committee. 

     This leads me to one simple question:  Why is it taking so long for the City to act?

     It has always been my belief that elected officials serve at the pleasure of those who elected them.  To say the least, I am not pleased with the City's minimal reaction to our concerns.  I for one will keep this in mind the next time I vote. 

     Later . . . 

The Mayor's Commitment - AGAIN!

Mayor Linville has once again committed publicly to instruct her staff to do whatever it is must be done by her staff to get the discussion of a fireworks ban officially to Council.  At this past Monday's daytime Council Committee meeting, Stan Snapp once again asked her when this issue was to be sent to the Public Safety Committee which he chairs.  His query and her response can he viewed on the video of that meeting at the following link:  http://www.cob.org/services/education/btv10/videos/council/2013-03-25-council-committee-me eting.aspx.  This exchange begins at 1:52:30 of the video and continues for about 2-minutes.  Check it out!

If anyone out there in cyberspace would like to help "push this thing along", a polite but firm posting to the mayor - klinville@cob.org - urging her to follow up on her commitment to put her staff to work on this might be very persuasive.  THANKS!  Later . . . 

A Bit of Humor

The cartoon below was provided by one of our most steadfast supporters.  Funny?  Yes, it is while also being very pertinent.  Later . . .