Soundings (9/6/05)

Guest Rotarians: Ann Jones, Hilary Baumstarck and Jack Churnon.
Also Lance's guest Scott, and Harold's daughter.

Bucks in the Bay
Stan Dyer - $250 for Red Cross Katrina relief, another $250 from Terry B;
Phil X Hageman - wife Julie arranged pick-up station for diapers and formula for Katrina victims all this week at Barkley Haggen;
Barry Kramer - $60 birthday money;
John Sleeth - $40 for anniversary;
Brent Walker - $1000 (!!!) for Red Cross Katrina relief and $100 for local chapter of Red Cross;
Gordon Plume - $500 for Red Cross Katrina relief and disappointment with FEMA;
Lynn Templeton - Boys and Girls Club lost 9 clubs to the disaster in the New Orleans area, our club may "adopt" one of those clubs and sponsor the rebuilding of it;
Mike Kirkland - day sail turned into 2-day sail;
Bill Boyd - $70 for combined birthday and anniversary. Two BFD guys heading to Gulf to help there;
Bob Moles - $100 for trip to Desolation Sound, and grandchild #9 born yesterday;
Robin Schmidt - The 2005 "Bill Querin Community Service Award" being given to Mimi and John Ferlin!
Lance Calloway - 3000 kids playing in Whatcom County this weekend beginning of soccer season;
Tim Jorgeson - anniversary?
Alan Knutson - fishing trip in AK;
Bonnie Hines - was gone for 3 months in AK on boat, happy to be home;
Bill Geyer - good idea to have Bucks go to Red Cross this meeting;
Anna Williams - running to City Council ward 6 (south side), please vote for me!
Stephanie Sadler - start of school at St Pauls;
Terry Brown - has friends in Louisiana who lived a couple miles inland. They escaped, but fate of their house is unknown;
John Templeton - wife Leann's relatives in the area of disaster;
Julie Guy - all Planned Parenthood clinics in the area were wiped out;
Steve Kimberly - Red Cross Katrina relief;
Pete Rittmueller - Red Cross Katrina relief and proud of our response;
Roger Long - same
Chip Hilardes - GP mills in area affected, so Bellingham plant will be sending out many loads to help the relief effort;
Harold Scott - moved to new house, thanks to agent Bob Becker for superlative customer service;
Dave Ennen - Red Cross Katrina relief effort;
Mimi Ferlin - very flattered to receive "Bill Querin Community Service Award";
Sarah Rothenbuhler - Hosting next Rotario dinner on Sunday, 4 spaces now available!
Bob Becker $500 for Red Cross Katrina relief;
Tonja Myers - $ for Red Cross Katrina relief;
Ron H - $ for Red Cross Katrina relief;
Jeff K - $ for Red Cross Katrina relief;
TOTAL RAISED: $5,504!

Sergeant at Arms - Marjorie Brown
Bill Walton / Dennis Hopper / Marjorie Brown attended same high school in California, Howdy Doody show, empty front tables.

Program - Orphalee introduced our own club member, Senator Dale Brandland to discuss the political scene in Olympia:  Dale is a Republican who represents legislative district 42.  Dale graduated WSU 1975 with degree in Police Science and Administration and served in the Navy from 1968-1969.  He worked as the Whatcom County Sheriff from 1992-2003. He was elected to the Washington State Senate in 2003, term expiring in 2007.

Dale described the process for proposing a bill:  First, a senator (or representative) gets people around him/her to support the idea of the bill.  Then he often finds someone in the other party to actually "sponsor" the bill; it helps when the people from both sides of the house are supportive i.e. non-partisan issue.  Then the bill is sent to committee to get a hearing.  Then it is submitted to the Rules Committee, where it goes from "white" to "green" to actually getting on the calendar.  Then you need to convince a majority of the party to support and vote for it.  Then it goes to the other house, where the process starts all over.  It is a long process with many deadlines, and only about 10% of bills ever get to the governor's desk for signature.  All bills are controversial to someone; there is no "good little bill". 

Dale also said when one party controls both houses and the governor's seat, the system of natural checks and balances breaks down - not a good thing. 

Lobbyists, despite their bad reputation, are a valuable resource; congresspeople depend on them (and staff and fellow congressmen) for accurate information.  The relationship with lobbyists are based on trust.

2005 has been a frustrating year for Dale:  It was especially long session (105 days) with many volatile issues (stem cell research, sex education, gay marriage, the budget...).  Dale described the "perfect storm" that precipitated his angry speech in front of Congress last spring.  He and staff had received threatening phone calls and Emails about several issues.  Also unfair accusations were directed at him.  Dale talked about the consequences of the outburst and lessons learned. 

This year Dale has voted against almost every tax increase proposed, but has been a strong supporter of a homeless bill with the goal of effectively eliminating homelessness from Whatcom County within 10 years.  He was also in favor of increasing the fees at the auditors office.  Dale voted against the Transportation bill: the wrong bill at the wrong time.  State DOT is a bureaucracy with too many inefficiencies.  We had already passed a $.05/gallon gas tax 2 years ago.

Despite the tough year, Dale is honored to serve as our congressman in Olympia and is still enthusiastic about the job.  He wants to run again in 2006.

Whew! Respectfully submitted,
Stowe Talbot