Jack lives in Blaine and is a member of Brett & Daugert, PLLC in Bellingham, where he works as a real estate and business lawyer, with over 20 years' experience.

Whatcom County is a great place to live, work and raise a family. I want to help maintain the values that brought me here."

"The public needs a voice in determining the future of Bellingham's waterfront and to help build the region's economy. I'd like to help be that voice."

I offer my education in urban land economics and my extensive legal experience in areas of the Port's business. I have advised clients in the following areas:

• transportation;
• waterfront and marina projects;
• environmental protection and cleanup;
• leasing and development of retail, office and industrial properties;
• construction; and
• technology and communications.

Bellingham Waterfront

The future of Bellingham's waterfront is the most important Port related public issue determining the shape of our City. The Port needs to make sure that the public has a voice in the redevelopment process. I'd like to help that voice be heard.

Over the next 4 years, decisions will be made that will affect our waterfront and community for decades. It is time to do the planning and it must be done properly. It must be done now. The entire waterfront area should be included in a plan review so that planning for one area is not fragmented. The Waterfront Futures Group must provide us with public objectives for the future use of this area. The Port should prepare the numerous options that reflect those public objectives. The Port and other local government agencies should secure control over the GP properties. One viable structure might involve all the stakeholders contributing property, funds and expertise to a public corporation (PDA). That independent entity could control both the environmental clean up and the redevelopment. Environmental concerns, public access, parks and view corridors can be coordinated very successfully with contributions to the project from the private sector. It is a myth that economic development and protection of the environment cannot co-exist.

The three Port Commissioners will have to listen carefully to the public, and balance the desire for public space and access against the reality of limited public funds. How well the Port cooperates in this process and interacts with the public will help determine how much benefit the community receives. If the planning is fragmented, the result will also be fragmented.

Conflicts of Interest

You have a right to expect that your public officials will act in the interest of the public and not in their own self-interest or for special interest groups.

Economic Development

I do not support deliberate Port competition with private sector initiatives. However, our communities deserve to flourish. We need to encourage full participation by our communities. We need to involve our schools in planning and provide more options for our graduates. The Port needs to do more with its Foreign Trade Zones and better fund and coordinate over 10 other community groups involved in economic development activities. There is more we can do to ensure that businesses will choose to grow here. To create opportunities for good jobs, the Port must take the lead and make it a priority to work with other local groups. The Port needs to implement the good ideas, not just study them.

It will be my goal to use the powers of the Port to help create economic development in this region that is sensitive to our valuable environment and to existing private business.

No one has all the answers. But my training and experience will allow me to ask the right questions. I'd like your help in answering them.

I promise to listen to you and work hard to make this a balanced public/private partnership.

WHAT IS THE PORT AND WHAT CAN IT DO?

• According to information posted on the Port’s website, the Port of Bellingham owns and/or manages approximately 1500 acres of land and lands covered with water in Whatcom County. Major Port facilities include the Bellingham airport, Blaine Harbor Marina, Sumas “International Cargo Terminal”, Bellwether Hotel area and Squalicum Marina.

• The Port operates the bus/rail facility in Fairhaven and the Bellingham Cruise/Alaska Ferry terminal. The Port also holds various other assets such as the parcel near Douglas and 10th.

• The Port operates three Foreign Trade Zones (licensed by the Federal government) in Blaine (29 acres), Bellingham (including the Bellingham airport area-300 acres, Cordata-60acres and Cherry Point-270 acres) and Sumas (75 acres). The Federal program enables activity to occur in a zone (including manufacturing) without formal “entry” of foreign goods into the U.S.

• Created under Washington State law (RCW Title 53), the Port of Bellingham can provide expertise and funding for economic development in Whatcom County and it can acquire, build, operate and regulate within Whatcom County “harbor improvements, rail or motor vehicle transfer and terminal facilities, water transfer and terminal facilities, air transfer and terminal facilities, or any combination of such transfer and terminal facilities and other commercial transportation, transfer, handling, storage and terminal facilities, and industrial improvements”.

• The Port cannot operate in areas not stated in the statute but the powers given to the Port by the State are broad. The Port’s “mission statement” is a reasonable description of what the Port can do: “to fulfill the essential transportation and economic development needs of the region, while providing leadership in maintaining Whatcom County’s overall economic vitality through the development of comprehensive facilities, programs and services.”. The Port can engage in transportation (airports and marinas), environmental protection, waterfront stewardship, leasing and development of retail, office and industrial properties that relate to the Port’s business and construction of facilities and infrastructure.

• The Port can raise revenue for Port purposes by levying an annual tax not exceeding $.45 per $1,000 of assessed value (the 2003 taxing levy was $.38573 cents per $1000 of assessed value). The Port also has the power to condemn (take) property needed for Port purposes.