Soundings (9/21/10)

Posted by Henry Lee 
 
 

Flag Salute and Invocation by Mike Kirkland

 

 

Visiting Rotarians:

Ron Jepson

 

John Tuttles

 

 

Guests:

George Alvarez of Whidbey Island Bank - Stan's guest.

 

Aaron Lemperes's wife Lisa and daughter.

 

 

 

Announcements:

Tresha Dutton - Sign up sheet for GG, please sign up if you haven't done so. Still looking for a Captain for dishwashing duties.

 

Mary Humphries - Minimum purchase for GG is $300 for each member. Get your tickets.

 

Anna Williams - The Club will hold 4 VIP tickets for members for the next two weeks. If you don't claim them then they will be sold accordingly.

 

Henry Lee - Based on our most recent spreadsheet, we have 24 wineries committed to GG. Follow up emails will be sent out this week so we can get our wine list completed.

 

Lesa Boxx - 17 restaurants committed for GG thus far.

 

Anna Williams - GG meeting next Monday at 5pm at the Lakeway Inn. Dinner at Frank Chmelik's for Bucks for Banos held at his house on 10/2. Please let him know if you would like to attend.

 

Donna Enquist - Thanks to all the sponsors for Bucks for Banos. Need more please at the event. Please sign up. To be held at the Belwether on 10/3. Sedro Woolley Rotary Club has donated $5,000 to the event.

 

Lyn Templeton - Let him know if you would like to do raffles for the month of October.

 

Tonja Meyers - For all past presidents (or anyone), please donate a bottle of wine which will be auctioned at Bucks for Banos.

 

Anna Williams - Nice article in the NW Business Monthly on BB Rotary Club.

 

Bucks in the Bay

Anna Williams - 35th anniversary, husband turns 88.

 

Denise Bosman - Nice Hospice Golf Tourney last Thursday.

 

Mike Kirkland - Thank Doug Wight for putting together the Hospice Golf Tourney.

 

Brad Cornwall - Oregon win and for raffle tickets.

 

Steve Brummel - Missed meetings, got engaged, coaches kids flag football team who won.

 

Tim Krell - Son turns 13, took train to Seattle for UW game.

 

Tony Carter  - Missed meetings.

 

Tonja Meyers - Daughter Miranda turns 7.

 

Dough Wight - Missed meetings, great Hospice Golf Tourney which raised app. $82k.

 

Christine Palmerton - Nice Boys & Girls fundraiser last week. Going to Sicily with Lesa Boxx.

 

 

 

Sergeant at Arms by Ken Oplinger

 

Fines:

  • Sue Sharpe - Daughter doing well in golf tournament.
  • Christine and Lesa - For not accepting Stan's offer to go to Sicily with them.
  • Anyone not attending Bucks for Banos.
  • Seahawk, Cougar and Huskie fans because they all lost.
  • New trivia.

 

 

 

Program: Bellingham Mayor Dan Pike

 

  • Talk about budget.
    • Possible layoffs which are needed but difficult to do.
    • Going over what are the priorities and how to manage that.
  • Permitting department is more efficient on turnaround time.
  • Feedback is important when running any organization.
  • Mayor has been reaching out to the business community and what they are experience during the economic times.
  • Big box stores generate approximately 15% of the budget
  • Costco probably going t expand.
  • Tax revenues increasing about 1% to 2% while health care costs have increased by around 13%.
  • 70% of budget is labor. Expecting cuts of about 5% in terms of capacity.
  • Wanting to bring more business and families to Bellingham and Whatcom County.
  • Has had constructive talks with various representative groups.
  • Trying to find less costly options for health care.
  • Business owners have stated that things are getting a little better.
  • Every government entity is cutting back.
  • Bellingham has a larger surplus and doing better than the rest of the U.S. including Seattle.
  • City Council deserves credit for some tough decisions.
  • Trying to lay the foundation for a better financial future
  • Trying to transfer some government responsibilities to the private and non-profit sectors.
  • Q&A

 

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

Henry Lee