Soundings (6/30/09)
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Flag Salute and Invocation by newbie Chris White - well done!
Visiting Rotarians: John Moles, Jeanie McGee from Mexico
Guests: Dannon's son Henry.
Announcements
Eddie announced a crab feed sometime later in July.
Changing of the Guard: July 7th evening meeting at Boxx Farm, 6-8 pm - NO MEETING THAT DAY! Spouses and significant others are welcome and encouraged, as are children! There will be music by Ron Hardesty and his fellow conspirators.
From I-5: take "Northwest Road" Exit. Go north on Northwest Rd. for 5 miles, look for the farm on the left.
From Lynden: Guide Meridian south to Pole Road, go west (right) to Northwest, Go south (left) 2 miles on right.
Brewers by the Bay: 24 Breweries are now signed up, each bringing two types of beer. Keep selling those tickets! Sunday July 26th is the event. Pay Zachary for your ten tickets! Also, please sign up for volunteering.
Bucks in the Bay
Phil X and Curtis Dye saw each other at Disneyland, and Phil for 30-year anniversary at Pearson;
Lynn Templeton thanked Lance for the Baker Blast soccer event last weekend - AMAZING - and also B&G club got invitation from White house for next year!
Tim Krell also thanks to Lance for Baker Blast;
Art Runestrand also thanked Lance for his part in the overall success of soccer in Whatcom County, bragged about his soccer player grandson, and also bragged about his wife's walking 4 miles every day for 30 years!
Bill Geyer's brother-in-law lives in Honduras and reported on events there (see opinion piece in yesterday's WSJ: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124623220955866301.html
Eddie opened new office in Lynden, and saw ex-member Matt Groenig while traveling in Idaho (he misses Bellingham!);
Lance Calloway appreciated the kudos on Baker Blast, but he said thanks need to go to his staff... 166 teams, 8,000 people at two facilities, it came off great!
Sergeant at Arms
by Bill Unrein. Fines for the board, Art, Bill Gorman, Lynn Templeton, Mary Humphries, Mayor Dan, Ron Hardesty (who has three bands: Alter Ego, Lost Highway, and Fever Creek), Alan Knutson back from Kauai, Lance Colloway, Stowe Talbot, Cy Lindberg, Bob Jones, Curtis Dye and Phil X. Tomorrow is Canada Day, so Bill presented some Canada trivia.
Program
Bill Gorman introduced Representative Kelli Linville. She talked about the state budget this year. They have cut out $9 billion out of budget over two years. Kelli always wanted to be the appropriations chair, and finally achieved it this year. What timing! She has strived for more transparency in the process. First, they cut out $700 million, then they tasked the three area committees ("education", "health and human services", and "general government") the task of recommendations for cutting the remaining $8.5 billion. One of their guiding principles in writing the budget was everyone must feel the pain - no sacred horses. The appropriation committee decided to take a "soft landing" approach: They will take two years to get to a truly balanced budget.
She compared our (WA State) situation to California. Per person we are about $1300 in deficit, whereas CA is about $2400. CA has not balanced their budget yet, WA State has, at least on paper. WA still has AA bond rating, CA does not so they pay more for borrowing.
Respectfully submitted,
Stowe Talbot