Bellingham Business Journal, October 05, 2011

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Year 19 No. 10 $2

OCTOBER 2011

Dashi Noodle Bar, Page 3

Bellingham workers earn 7% below national average

Profile | Whatcom Women in Business

BBJ STAFF editor@bbjtoday.com

SEE STORY ON PAGE 8: Whatcom Women in Business will hosts its annual banquet Oct. 25 and announce the winner of the Professional Woman of the Year award. Besides honoring local women business leaders, the annual fundraiser also supports the organization’s scholarships. The group awarded 15 $1,000 scholarships this year to women attending college, said vice president of publicity Sheila Connors (right), pictured with president Tally Rabatin (left). Isaac Bonnell | BBJ

WWU opens new dorms, remodeled Miller Hall BBJ STAFF editor@bbjtoday.com The major renovation of Western Washington University’s Miller Hall and the five-story addition to the Buchanan Towers residence hall were completed just in time for classes to start Sept. 28. The $51.5 million Miller

Hall project, funded by the state Legislature, renovated the 134,000-square-foot building, located on the university’s Red Square. The project included renovations to classrooms, computer labs and offices. All building systems such as heat and electricity, elevators, roofing and windows were also replaced. “This significant renovation

of Miller Hall, one of our campus’ most iconic buildings, will result in a substantially improved educational facility and place of learning for our students,� Western President Bruce Shepard said in a press release. Miller Hall, originally WWU’s Campus School, was built in 1943 and enlarged in 1968. Since then, no major renovation work

had been done to the building prior to this project. The building renovation had a strong green focus and was designed to achieve a rating of LEED Silver or higher. Where possible, the project team used recycled and recyclable prod-

SEE WESTERN | PAGE 2

A new study by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the average Bellingham worker in May 2010 earned $19.92 per hour, about 7 percent less than the national average of $21.35. The study also includes employment counts and average wages separated by industry. Some of the highlights: t 5ISFF PDDVQBUJPOBM HSPVQT each had more than 10 percent of the total employment in the area: office and administrative support (15.7 percent), sales (11.5 percent), and food preparation and serving (10.8 percent). t .BOBHFNFOU PDDVQBUJPOT JO the area were the highest paid at $46.42 per hour, followed by architecture and engineering occupations at $38.83 per hour. t $POTUSVDUJPO BOE FYUSBDUJPO jobs averaged $24.47 per hour in the area, above the U.S. average of $21.09 per hour. t 1SPUFDUJWF TFSWJDF PDDVQB tions also earned more locally than nationally, $26.31 per hour compared to $20.43 per hour.

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ucts as well as products purchased locally, such as certified wood products from the Pacific Northwest. A green roof was also installed over the new Student Collaboration Space, built in the existing courtyard. At the southern end of campus, students have moved into the new 37,000-square-foot, 105bed addition to Buchanan Towers. The first four floors feature suites designed for four people, while the suites on the fifth floor can house five people. The first floor was also renovated for a retail cafÊ, large public seating and lounge area with study spaces, a computer room, indoor bike storage, office spaces and public bathrooms. The project was designed to achieve a LEED Silver rating. Site improvements included a new WTA bus turn-out and transit shelter, reconfigured pedestrian pathways, sidewalks and on-site bicycle parking. The eight-story Buchanan Towers residence hall, originally built in 1971, previously had 424 beds and with the addition will have 529 beds. In 2009, WWU issued $14.28 million in bonds to finance construction of the new addition. Western was the second issuer of Build America Bonds in the state. Build America Bonds were introduced by the federal government as part of its economic stimulus package in 2009 to offer increased financing alternatives to public agencies. Money to repay the bonds comes from Western’s residence hall system and is not state or taxpayer-funded.

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October 2011

IN THIS ISSUE The Buzz ..................................... 3 Dan Pike Q&A .............................. 5 Poticrete ..................................... 6 Kelli Linville Q&A .......................... 7 Whatcom Women in Business ........... 8 BBJ People ................................ 10 Doug Erickson Q&A ..................... 11 Nonprofit news ........................... 12 Jack Louws Q&A ......................... 13 BBJ Views .................................. 14 BBJ Data .................................. 15

OUR MISSION To bring to Whatcom County readers the most complete, most fair and most in-depth business coverage possible, and to be an invaluable tool local entrepreneurs use to grow their businesses.

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CONTRIBUTORS Charlie Sheldon Rik Dalvit

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After closing the fine dining establishment Nimbus in early July, chef Josh Silverman is taking on a new endeavor: noodles. He opened Dashi Noodle Bar in late Septermber at 207 Unity St. next to Ciao Thyme. Isaac Bonnell | BBJ

Former Nimbus owner Josh Silverman opens Dashi Noodle Bar BY ISAAC BONNELL ibonnell@bbjtoday.com Former Nimbus owner and chef Josh Silverman has launched a new culinary adventure called Dashi Noodle Bar. Located at 207 Unity St. next door to Ciao Thyme, Dashi Noodle Bar offers several types of noodle dishes and steamed buns. “Basically it’s an Asianinfluenced street cart at this point,� Silverman said. “It was an idea I’ve wanted to test out for years.� Customers can pick the type of noodles, meat and broth to go in their soup, then customize with a variety of condiments, including house-made kimchi.

The menu will vary each day and people will be able to create dishes such as Vietnamese pho or Japanese ramen. “I’m not trying to be authentic — I’m just trying to make tasty food that people will enjoy,� Silverman said. “It’s a very customizable concept. I think that’s what people will like about it.� The restaurant is open Tuesday through Friday during lunchtime, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Prices will range from $8 to $10. Some outdoor seating will be available when the weather permits, but the restaurant is oriented more toward take-out service.

If Dashi Noodle Bar does well in the first six months, Silverman said he will look for a permanent location with indoor seating. After closing Nimbus in early July, Silverman said he is excited to be trying something new and to be joining the growing ranks of street food venues. “Nimbus was a project that I poured my life into for five and a half years. But people’s desires are shifting,� he said, adding that he will keep the same values of fresh, local ingredients with his new endeavor. “People like the sense of authenticity with street food — and it’s usually inexpensive.�

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Newsorthy and notable items for Bellingham business Chamber announces business of the year nominees The Bellingham/ Whatcom Chamber of Commerce & Industry has chosen its small and large business of the year nominees for 2011. These organizations are being honored for their positive impact on the community. The finalists for small business of the year, sponsored by Comcast Business Services Group are: K&K Industries, Mt Baker Harley Davidson, NautiGirl Brands, Sunset Music DJ and The Upfront Theatre. The finalists for large business of the year are: Bellingham Cold Storage, Birch Equipment Rental & Sales, Little Caesars, Louis Auto Glass and Whatcom

Land Title. The nominees for green business are NW Recycling and Haven Design Workshop. Nominations for these awards are made from throughout the community, and a committee of chamber members makes the decision on the finalists in each category. Committee members then visit each of the finalists, present to the group and vote on a winner. The results will be announced at the chamber’s annual awards banquet, scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 8 at the Lakeway Inn and Conference Center. “With so many deserving companies in our county, and with dozens of nominations sent in, making this decision is always difficult for our nomination committee, and I thank all of them for their efforts,� Ken Oplinger, chamber

president and CEO, said in a press release.

NW Kennels expands space, plans open house NW Kennels, located at 4796 Northwest Drive, will celebrate the expansion of indoor and outdoor space for dog daycare, training and boarding with an open house from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8. Owners Jane and Dale Jensen, who purchased the 40-year-old facility in 2006, have been upgrading the kennels, kitty condos, grooming area, computer system and outdoor spaces. The most recent remodel reconfigured the 6,400-square-foot kennel space and expanded the fenced outdoor recreation areas to 8,000 square feet.

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“We were inspired to move toward being a full-service kennel when we hired certified professional dog trainer Michelle Edmondson,� Jane said in a press release. “We wanted to expand as we had the right people in the right places.� With 30 years of experience with dogs, Edmondson plans to offer daycare programs with opportunities for socializing and exercising with a bit of training. In addition, she will work with dogs who need special attention and cannot yet play in a social group setting, and all dogs will be temperamenttested. The kennel accepts dogs of all breeds and ages and will work with geriatric or dogs with special health needs. Cat boarding is available in the kitty condo room, which features a TV aquarium and bird sounds. Up to 10 cats can stay in the individual spaces and 65 dogs may be boarded. “We’re happy to be able to offer this excellent facility to pet lovers around Whatcom County,� Jane said in the press release. “We’ve taken the time to create a clean, safe place that will serve for years to come.� For more information, visit www.nwkennels.com or call (360) 384-6578.

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October 2011 A panel of experts will discuss the legal parameters, incentives and financing options for community solar projects. For more information, visit www.sustainablebellingham.org.

Erin Baker to speak at WWU’s Bellingham Business Forum Erin Baker, founder of Erin Baker’s Wholesome Baked Goods and creator of the Baker’s Breakfast Cookie, will be the keynote speaker at the 11th Annual Western Washington University Bellingham Business Forum on Tuesday, Oct. 11. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. at the Hotel Bellwether ballroom, with lunch service beginning at noon; the keynote address will begin at 12:45 p.m. After its start in a rented 4-H kitchen at the Island County Fairgrounds in 1994, Baker’s company has grown into a 20,000-square-foot bakery with distribution to more than 30 states. The company’s steady growth and staying power is based on a “spend what you have� business philosophy. The Bellingham Business Forum is an annual opportunity for business and civic leaders to connect with friends of the university and to enjoy an address by a prominent professional. All proceeds from the event support student scholarships. Table sponsorships are available at the $1,000 Mount Challenger, $2,000 Mount Shuksan, and $3,000 Mount Baker levels. The Mount Baker

sponsorship establishes two named scholarships for the 2012-13 academic year for Whatcom County students. Individual tickets are available for $50 each. Reservations can be made online at www.foundation.wwu.edu/bbf or by calling (360) 650-6825.

Bellingham seeks ideas for 2012 tourism promotion grants The city of Bellingham has issued a request for proposals for the 2012 Tourism Promotion Program. The program has been rebuilding its reserves after scaling back available grant funding during the last couple of years due to decreased lodging tax revenues. Cities may use lodging tax, the state hotel and motel tax paid by guests spending the night in Bellingham, to fund tourism promotion activities such as radio and display ads, website development and other types of marketing that targets outside visitors to the area. “Tourism is an important and thriving part of our local economy,� Bellingham Mayor Dan Pike said in a press release. The city of Bellingham, with the help of the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, strives to award grants to organizations and events that highlight Bellingham as a tourism destination. Completed applications are due by 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7 at Bellingham City Hall. The grant application is available on the city’s website.

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Pike: ‘I’ve shown leadership on key issues’ ELECTION 2011 Bellingham mayor BY ISAAC BONNELL ibonnell@bbjtoday.com I sat down with incumbent Bellingham Mayor Dan Pike to talk about his four years in office and the issues facing the city. Pike has received endorsements from state Sen. Kevin Ranker, Bellingham City Councilman Gene Knutson and the Bellingham/Whatcom County Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 106. BBJ: What do you feel are the two most pressing issues facing the city of Bellingham? I think one of the most pressing issues would be the Gateway Pacific Terminal. And the other is actually related to that: creating better employment opportunities. I think some people think that I’m taking opposing views on parallel issues, but I’m not. I actually think that there’s consistency there that’s important. On Gateway Pacific, people have made the accusation that I had a rush to judgment, but the facts belie that. I was in favor of a multipurpose cargo facility as it was presented to me last summer. And then in October, the proponents informed me and others, which I appreciated, that coal would be part of the mix. At that point I started looking more carefully at what was going on because I had some concerns about that commodity. Then in February, they came out with more definitive documentation of what their proposal was and they also came out with a signed agreement with Peabody Energy, the largest coal producer in the world. It was clear that the terminal was a coal only terminal for all intents and purposes. It was up to 48 million tons of coal to be shipped per year during the first 10 years of operation. Then after 10 years they’re going to build another 6-millionton facility that might be used for other cargos, and it might not, depending on what the market dictates. As I looked around at the experience of other ports, I found that there was very little opportunity

to mix other cargos with coal because loading coal is a very dirty process. Certainly nobody wants coal dust in their wheat. And you don’t want coal mixing with potash or other commodities because it’s an impurity in those commodities. So at that point I put out a series of questions that I thought were important to be answered in order to make an informed decision. I investigated those myself with the help of folks at the city and folks in the community, and I found that by just about any metric that you look at that facility under, it fails to meet the test of being a net positive for Bellingham and Whatcom County. I think on the environmental side, those detriments are pretty clear. And it doesn’t really drive that many jobs for us in the long term. Using the proponent’s own numbers, it’s a couple hundred jobs. So I’m not discounting a couple hundred jobs, but then you have to start looking at the opportunities that are lost or compromised because of this. For example, we’ve got a waterfront redevelopment that using the port’s analysis suggests we could develop about 13,000 jobs in the next couple decades. While certainly over that

timeframe we’re anticipating some increase in train traffic, the difference is it’s an evolutionary versus revolutionary change. We have planned to accommodate the growth in rail through the growth of infrastructure over time. BBJ: What can the city do to help ensure that the business community here remains vibrant and varied? That’s something I’ve been working on. One of the things I do on a regular basis, I go around the community and I meet with businesses large and small just to find out what is working and what isn’t working. I take that information to heart and take it back to City Hall and think about ways that we can use that information to change how the interface between businesses and the city works, so that businesses have a better experience. Under my administration, we created the office of Business Relations and Economic Development. Tara Sundin and Darby Galligan have been key in doing outreach to businesses. Businesses can use them if they are looking to land or expand in Bellingham. They’ll basically help them (businesses) navigate their way through a process that even when it’s fairly opti-

people stopped being willing to do business with the city because of the challenges that they found. Having my office open to people if they’re having challenges is important. I’ve let people know that if they reach an impasse at City Hall that they feel is unfair, they can always come talk to me — and people have done that.

Dan Pike mal, still can be daunting to people that only deal with it once or twice. We’ve also worked on changing the culture at City Hall and we’ve had some significant success with that. For example, the Center for Economic Vitality does surveys of customer satisfaction with the Permit Center. Those satisfaction ratings have just shot way up over the last four years, from a majority of folks being unhappy with their experience to an overwhelming majority feeling that they were treated professionally, appropriately and with courtesy. People found that the hurdles actually were not overwhelming, whereas four years ago when I took office, it was a much different environment. Some

BBJ: What skills or experience do you have that makes you the better choice for mayor? Among other skills, I’ve got the experience of running the city for the last four years and I’ve also got a background in public administration with training and education that is very specific to managing a large organization like this. This is not a legislative process; this is an executive administrative process. So it’s not about creating policy, it’s about how you deliver on that policy. So during the most challenging time to manage the city since the Depression, the city has been really well managed. Our bond rating is stronger than it was when I took office. We’ve maintained our reserve targets for the general fund and other funds over that time. In fact, this year we’re going to have a balanced

budget at a time when the state is facing additional multibillion dollar cuts and the feds are looking at multitrillion dollar cuts. So I’ve got the experience of having that effective management. Overall, in the basic management of the city, which is the core function of this job, I think the proof is in the pudding. We’ve got a balanced budget and we’ve maintained our core capacity. I’ve shown leadership on key issues like getting the restoration of seven-day transit service and also getting money through that process to put people to work on doing paving of our roads and expanding our bike and pedestrian infrastructure. I’ve also shown leadership on the watershed. I’ve worked with Ecology (Washington State Department of Ecology) very diligently to try to reach accommodation on how we can move forward. We’ve put a lot of city resources into this — I’ve spent more during my administration than all the previous administration’s combined on preserving the watershed and trying to find solutions to phosphorus mitigation and removal.

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Newsorthy and notable items for Bellingham business City pours test batch of “poticrete” made from recycled toilets Bellingham’s newest stretch of sidewalk, located along Ellis Street near the Bellingham Food Bank, looks like any other sidewalk, but it’s what’s inside that makes it unique. The special concrete mix, dubbed “poticrete,” is made from crushed toilets rather than aggregate rock. Through the recent Green Communities project at the Bellingham Housing Authority, Dawson Construction salvaged more than 400 toilets that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Cowden Gravel and Ready Mix crushed them, and city of Bellingham engineers developed and tested Bellingham’s

own poticrete mix. The poticrete mix is just one of the experiments the city is doing to meet Green Road Certification Standards. Other parts of the road improvement project include sections of sidewalk made with 40 percent recycled concrete, porous pavers for parking, and small rain gardens. “The bigger story is that we’re working on making this mandatory for public works projects — not just poticrete, but recycled crushed concrete,” said Freeman Anthony, public works project engineer. “We’ll give it a year to see how it behaves.” Construction crews poured the poticrete Sept. 15 and the city held an official opening ceremony Sept. 29. The new section of sidewalk includes an inlaid toilet seat that explains the unique poticrete mixture. The next stage of the project is to work out a

donation site where people can drop off pieces of concrete or old toilets to be crushed, Anthony said. “About two hours after sending out the press release, I got a call from a guy who said ‘Hey, you want my toilet?’” he said.

Varner Sytsma Herndon changes name to VSH The Bellingham accounting firm Varner Sytsma Herndon has officially changed its name to VSH. The firm will maintain its logo featuring the “VSH” in geometric shapes, with a new title underneath that says “Certified Public Accountants” instead of “Varner Sytsma Herndon.” This logo has become widely recognized and has helped brand the group by

Public works project engineer Freeman Anthony holds up the toilet seat that will be placed in the new section of sidewalk. The sidewalk is made from a special concrete mix dubbed poticrete because it’s made from more than 400 recycled toilets. Isaac Bonnell | BBJ these initials rather than the partner names. “We felt VSH is easier to remember, spell and reference,” founding partner Kathy Varner said in a press release. “This change will help increase name recognition, reinforce our logo, support online optimization efforts, and continue to keep us top of mind for our clients and referral partners.”

The Sugar Shack moves to Grand St. The Sugar Shack Total Skin & Body Care, once a mobile spa, has moved to a brick and mortar location at 112 Grand Ave. in Bellingham. The spa’s new location means that the Sugar Shack now offers an expanded

list of services, including manicures and pedicures, facials and peels, waxing and massage. “We are really excited about this move to downtown Bellingham,” owner Arian Henders said in a press release. “Clients will love the new private massage and treatment rooms. The atmosphere here is very classy and radiant. We hope people love this move as much as we do.”

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Linville: ‘I know my community and I’ve served my community’ ELECTION 2011 Bellingham mayor BY ISAAC BONNELL ibonnell@bbjtoday.com Former state Representative Kelli Linville, who served 17 years in the Legislature, has thrown her hat into the race for mayor of Bellingham. She has received endorsements from the Bellingham Police Guild, the Whatcom County Association of Realtors, and the Bellingham city employees union. BBJ: What do you feel are the two most pressing issues facing the city of Bellingham? Linville: The two most pressing issues are jobs and the economy, and quality of life. Everything that we do, every decision we make, every investment we make I believe has to contribute to making Bellingham the most livable city in the nation. The city doesn’t create jobs, except for the appropriate ones we have in the public sector. But the city can kind of set the table so that our existing businesses want to stay and grow, and new businesses want to move and do business here. Bellingham has a reputation for not being businessfriendly. Whether it’s true or a figment of someone’s imagination, that is not a good reputation to have. There’s a lot of things we can do to change that. Small businesses from 10

to 99 employees are where the economy is growing right now. But the larger employers are the ones that employ many of our construction workers, our laborers, our skilled tradespeople. We have a sector of our economy that would benefit from an intense, focused, practical public works investment by the city. We could do that. We have a water main to Wade King Elementary School that’s not big enough, nor is the water tank big enough if there was a fire. It’s one little anecdote that shows that if we looked at our capital plan and focused our resources, we could put people back to work in our community that have been hardest hit by the recession. We also have a wonderful educational system in Bellingham where we have the university, the technical college and the community college. They are willing and ready to partner with us to prepare the next generation of workers. Not every community has that resource. There are partnership opportunities that we are not having happen now, like the partnership that could exist between the city and the technical college on the maritime center hatchery. That is a partnership that could exist that is not proceeding. You can ask both the city and the technical college why that’s not happening. There are a lot of things we could be doing if we looked to our institutes of higher learning.

BBJ: What can the city do to help ensure that the business community here remains vibrant and varied? Linville: Overall, it’s having transparent, predictable, consistent rules that everybody has to live by. I think that’s what having accountable government does — there are no surprises for the citizens or for a business. You know what the rules are, you play them and everybody is treated fairly. I think we need to review our impact fee policy to make sure that it’s actually meeting the intent that it originally had, which was to have an impact on growth. It’s not just a formula by which we generate revenue. We should make sure that permit fees are covering the cost of getting the permit and basically aren’t generated to pay for other programs that aren’t related to planning and development. Any economic development in Whatcom County affects us all. If it’s revenue generated to county, we all benefit from that. So I think we need to have better relationships with our economic partners, whether they’re private sector or public sector, to work through zoning issues, urban growth areas between municipalities and EDI (Economic Development Investment) funding decisions. BBJ: What skills or experience do you have that makes you the better choice for mayor?

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Linville: I think it’s important to know your community well. I believe you have to have served your community so that people know your style, they know what you’re able to do. I know my community and I’ve served my community, both before or during my 17 years in the Legislature. I have relationships with every existing political elected official at the federal, state and local level, including small town mayors, which gives me an advantage in representing Bellingham’s interests. I can choose first to negotiate first with people and second to go to court. I think going to court is a failure of the system. And I have respect for public process. I would never have signed a contract on a piece of property that assumed all the liability, multi-millions of dollars of clean-up, and let the owner of the property off the hook. I would not have done that, and that’s what the mayor did on the R.G. Haley property. I would never have

Are you an expert in your field? Would you like to share your knowledge with others?

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Kelli Linville signed a contract with a national corporation that would allow them to directly sue the city and try to keep an initiative off the ballot, like with the red light cameras and ATS (American Traffic Solutions). I would have used our Greenways committee and parks committee anytime I was thinking about using funds that the citizens have voted to allow us to buy property. They voted to give us their money so we need to include them when we decide to spend it —

and not how we’re going to pay for it, but what purchases we’re going to make. The mayor’s job is to manage the budget and the employees. The council’s job is to make the policy decisions and adopt a final budget. If the council doesn’t have the information they need from the mayor — if information is withheld or incorrect information is given — then the City Council can’t do their job. So the first thing you learn in politics is your word is your bond. If you don’t give everybody all the information they need to make a decision and they’re the one’s that have to make it, then a bond is broken. I have a record of results. The current mayor has talked a lot about things, but I see an empty waterfront. I see lake quality continuing to decline. I see a business climate that if anything has gotten more difficult — and it’s not just because of the economy, because we have other places in the state and in the county that happen to be doing better.

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Towing I just heard about “Hailey’s Law� being passed. What is “Hailey’s Law?� If a driver is arrested for DUI the car must be impounded. If the driver is also the vehicle owner the car will be held for 12 hours. Only the vehicle owner can facilitate the release of a car in impound and not all jails can book DUI drivers. If you can’t lock up the driver, lock up the car until the driver sobers up. This is not a silver bullet but will help protect citizens from DUI driver’s re-offending immediately after arrest.

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October 2011

Whatcom Women in Business celebrates women in leadership Annual banquet on Oct. 25 celebrates hardworking women in the business community, raises money for scholarships BY ISAAC BONNELL ibonnell@bbjtoday.com They say tough times bring people together, that challenges strengthen relationships. Such is the case for Whatcom Women in Business, a nonprofit group that mentors women in leadership positions and provides scholarships for women going to college. During the most challenging business climate in decades, the group now has 41 members, the highest membership in its 33-year history. With all the different business groups in Whatcom County, what draws women to this group? “It’s about getting together and mentoring,� said Tally Rabatin, president of the organization and

owner of Totally Unique Designs. “There’s an education aspect to every meeting throughout the year. I think that’s the reason our group is thriving.� Founded in 1978, the group set out with a mission to promote a positive image of professional women in business while developing leadership skills through mutual support and mentorship. The group meets once a month to discuss issues and opportunities for business and personal growth. The group has a very personal atmosphere, Rabatin said. “It’s not really about networking because we’ve all gotten to know each other,� she said. “Personally, what I enjoy is the mentorship. The other women in the group have been in busi-

The monthly meetings of Whatcom Women in Business are about more than networking — it’s about mentoring each other, said President Tally Rabatin (left), pictured with Sheila Connors, vice president of publicity. Isaac Bonnell | BBJ ness so much longer than I have and they are willing to mentor. All these women are here to support you.� Once a year, the group hosts an awards banquet

and fundraiser to support its scholarship program. With the success of last year’s fundraiser, the group was able to award 15 $1,000 scholarships to

women going to college this year. The 230 seats at the banquet sell out fast, Rabatin said. “You look around the

room and say, ‘Dang! This is a powerhouse of top women in business.’ It’s a great event to go to if you’re a single guy,� she said.

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Women in Business Whatcom

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BBJPEOPLE Chris Sullivan becomes a partner at VSH The accounting firm VSH recently announced Chris Sullivan as a partner alongside Kathy Varner, Robert Sytsma, and Kathy Herndon “We are very excited to have Chris as a partner in our firm and value the expertise she has brought to our group,� founding partner Kathy Varner said in a press release. “She has played a critical role in our cross-border team and

our relationships with our domestic and Canadian clients.� Sullivan has been with the firm for 11 years, and has been a principal for the past two. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Western Washington University in 1999, and completed the International Taxation program at Golden Gate University. She is a speaker and local specialist on cross-border taxation for businesses and individuals. Sullivan handles everything from business formations to exit strategies and mergers, and enjoys working

with clients looking to reach to global markets.

Mark Wallace becomes part owner of Bay City Financial Services Mark Wallace has been named vice president and has become a part owner of Bay City Financial Services. Wallce has been a financial adviser with Bay City Financial Services since 1998, providing money management and financial planning services to individuals, small businesses

and not-for-profits. He is a Bellingham native and a graduate from Western Washington University.

Scherer appointed as director of The International Au Pair Exchange The International Au Pair Exchange (TIAPE) recently appointed Julie Scherer as its new director. Scherer will be leading the company in its mission to create life-enriching opportunities by combining cultural exchange with quality, flexible and affordable childcare. Scherer joins TIAPE with 15 years of experience in the au pair industry. She has spent a large portion of this time providing support to more than 1,000 families and au pairs in the greater Seattle area. She also has experience in other cross-cultural exchange programs including leading tours in Italy, Spain, Portugal and France, hosting language immersion

October 2011 programs for visitors from Korea and serving on an international service team to Romania. With a business background from the University of Washington’s School of Business Administration and her extensive experience, Scherer brings the knowledge and experience required to succeed in this industry. “Julie Scherer is the leader we needed in the director’s seat. She brings the marketing and business experience we need to make this program a successful venture,� TIAPE co-founder Jason Ankeny said in a press release. “More importantly, Julie shares our vision for the au pair program. I am confident that she, along with our phenomenal staff, will make this program a success.� Headquartered in Bellingham, TIAPE is a U.S. Department of State designated au pair program. As a designated sponsor, TIAPE places young adults age 18 to 26 from other countries with families in the United States looking for childcare. TIAPE works with carefully selected international partners to screen and

match qualified au pairs with their host families. Through this placement, TIAPE provides a lifeenriching experience in the United States for these young adults and quality, affordable childcare for the family.

Thomas Lyden joins Jonathan Rands law firm Jonathan Rands Attorney at Law welcomes associate attorney Thomas Lyden. Prior to joining the firm, Lyden worked as a public defender in Whatcom County District Court. He managed a heavy criminal defense case load and was responsible for supervising the district court attorneys. Jonathan Rands concentrates his practice on DUI defense and all other alcohol related offenses. As an associate, Lyden’s role will include representation at Department of Licensing Administrative hearings, minor in possession charges, probation violations, as well as defending those accused of DUI and all alcohol related charges.

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Ericksen: ‘You can’t be neutral as county executive’ ELECTION 2011 County executive BY ISAAC BONNELL ibonnell@bbjtoday.com Doug Ericksen is no stranger on the ballot. He was elected as a state representative in 1998, became a state senator in 2010, and now is running for Whatcom County executive. He has received endorsements from state Rep. Jason Overstreet, state Rep. Vincent Buys and the Whatcom County Association of Realtors. BBJ: What do you feel are the two most pressing issues facing Whatcom County? Ericksen: I think the number one issue is the leadership void at the county level. Whatcom County needs a county executive who’s willing to stand up for job creation, has the experience getting those kinds of things accomplished and is willing to lead. America is stuck in neutral, job creation is stuck in neutral — our next county executive can’t be stuck in neutral when it comes to major job-creating activities in Whatcom County. That’s the number one thing I think we really need and what people are looking for are more decisions and fewer commissions out of their next county executive. That’s what I’m

focused in on. The second biggest issue that we face, if you look at it from a pure job-creating standpoint, is the Gateway Pacific Terminal. There’s no way around that. A $700 million investment is huge to our area, particularly at a time when job creation has stagnated around the country and here in Washington state. I’m on the record supporting the Gateway Pacific Terminal, if they live up to the commitments that they’re making. If they live up to their commitments, we need a county executive who’s going to work with them to get that done, because it’s not just about Cherry Point. These kind of companies are looking at Prince Rupert, they’re looking to Tsawwassen to expand, they’re looking on the Columbia River. So we’re still in a competition with other regions to get this built. Your next county executive can’t just sit back and say ‘I’m going to be neutral.’ I think we need a county executive who is working to get that kind of job-creating project accomplished. BBJ: What can the county do to help ensure that the business commu-

nity here remains vibrant and varied? Ericksen: The number one thing is to put out the welcome mat. You need to have a county executive who is making job creation the top priority for county government. I think that goes a long ways. And the three things I think businesses care the most about when looking to locate: taxation, regulation and litigation. So do businesses here in Whatcom County and those who are looking to relocate here, do they think we have a stable tax environment? I’m pledging to not raise taxes — or at the minimum require any new tax increase go to a vote of the public. And if we do our job right, we won’t need to raise taxes. That gives the business community certainty in the tax structure. On the regulatory front, I’m advocating for a restructuring of the planning and services division to move us toward programmatic permitting — checklist-type permitting for smaller projects that would allow us to focus our time and effort on jobcreating stuff like SSA. On to litigation. One of the things we’ll be going through here in Whatcom

County will be the critical areas ordinance (CAO) rewrite. What I’m committed to doing is bringing in outside scientists, doing our own best available science, not relaying on the Department of Ecology, and putting in place a more reasonable CAO with regard to buffers and permit certainty. And then if we get sued, these businesses have to know that the county is going to be there to protect them. And not only that, we’ll be helping the small cities also when it comes to their CAOs. When you go to Everson or Blaine or Nooksack or Sumas, they don’t have the resources to be able to go out and bring in outside experts. It benefits everybody and I think the county has the ability to be the lead on that. And the other thing is that’s where I have the experience, the record of being able to take the heat and make the tough decisions. When we stood up to the people who were trying to raise the MATCA taxes on the refineries, we pushed back hard on that and put together a very broad coalition of groups that opposed it and we were able to fight that back. That’s the kind of leader-

Doug Ericksen ship you need to be able to put together that proven history of getting things accomplished. BBJ: What skills or experience do you have that makes you the better choice for county executive? Ericksen: I think it’s my experience and willingness to lead. You can’t be neutral as county executive. You can’t be a dictator obviously, but you have to give people a clear vision on where you want to go. I think it’s the leadership and the experience that I have that really separates me from my opponent. I’ve negotiated multi-billion-dollar deals

on transportation. When I went to Olympia, I made getting the Guide Meridian project a priority and we got it done. That’s a huge project for Whatcom County. You can take that same type of success I’ve had on the Guide Meridian project, the truck crossing in Blaine, Highway 9 in Sumas, even the building of the sports fields here — I apply that same type of expertise and leadership to getting the jail built in a timely fashion. So that’s where my opponent doesn’t have the same depth of knowledge in terms of how the political structure works. And let’s be honest: being county executive is just as much political as it is business. You have to be able to navigate those political waters to get these projects accomplished. And you do that by bringing people together, not to sit around a table and say ‘Well what do you think?’ You bring them together to say ‘Here’s the vision that I was elected to accomplish and now let’s go out there and get that done, and how do we do that working together as a team.

2011 Election coverage Tell us what you think of the candidates for local office. Check out the letter to the editor guidelines on Page 14. Though this issue only covers two races, we’d love to hear your opinion about other races as well. Also, check out BBJ Today.com after election day, Nov. 8 , for updated information about election results. See who is leading in state and local races, and which initiatives passed or failed.

ONE GIFT TO UNITED WAY OF WHATCOM COUNTY’S SAFETY NET TOUCHES MORE THAN 150,000+ PEOPLE RIGHT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY!

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2011 CAMPAIGN EXECUTIVE TEAM (L to R): Elissa Barker, Loaned Executive from WECU ® ; Nancy Lewis, Sponsored Executive; Patty Boyce, Sponsored Executive; Bob Warren, Loaned Executive from BP Cherry Point Refinery; Dustin Bruland, Loaned Executive from Banner Bank; Kellie Edwards, Loaned Executive from Samson Rope

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NONPROFITNEWS Brigid Collins receives $20K grant Brigid Collins was recently awarded a $20,000 grant from the Medina Foundation. The Medina Foundation is a family foundation based in Seattle that awards grants around Puget Sound. It launched its Capacity Building Initiative to build the strength and resilience of nonprofits

that provide critical services in Skagit and Whatcom counties. A total of $200,350 has been granted through the initiative. This award will help Brigid Collins focus on its sustainability by creating a plan for major donor development and piloting a sustainable fundraising model. Brigid Collins is a nonprofit that works to break the cycle of child abuse through supporting fami-

lies. All programs and services are free of charge to the families served.

Walton Beverage, Whatcom Community Foundation give $39,000 to charities Walton Beverage, a local Pepsi distributor, and Whatcom Community Foundation teamed up

for the 2nd annual Local Pepsi Refresh Project to give away $39,000 in charitable grants to refresh and improve the local community. Local nonprofit organizations from Whatcom and Skagit counties submitted proposals to the Local Pepsi Refresh Project online earlier this summer. The public then voted online for their favorite proposal and submitted “power votes� which allowed one vote for each dollar spent on Pepsi products. “It’s all about the organi-

October 2011 zations in our community doing great work,� Phil Isle, CEO of Walton Beverage, said in a press release. “And we couldn’t do this without the help of the Whatcom Community Foundation.� The four organizations that received the most votes were granted $10,000 for first prize, $6,000 for second, $4,000 for third and $2,000 for fourth. t -ZEJB 1MBDF for Educating Families and Fostering Community Through Life Skills programs t 4U 'SBODJT 'PVOEBUJPO $6,000 for the St. Francis

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Intergenerational Garden project t 4VNNJU "TTJTUBODF Dogs, $4,000 for the S.O.S. (Serving Our Soldiers) project t #FMMJOHIBN 1VCMJD Library, $2,000 for the Early Learning and Literacy Space Fourteen organizations received “Standout Awards� for their compelling proposals: t "MUFSOBUJWFT UP )VOger, $1,500 for the Feeding Your Neighbors program to help the Bellingham Food Bank buy 100,000 pounds of food t "NFSJDBO 3FE $SPTT ‰ Mt. Baker Chapter, $2,000 for the Catastrophic Shelter Plan, preparing today to save lives tomorrow t #MBJOF 'PPUCBMM #PPTUFS Club, $1,500 to help fund the Blaine Boys and Girls Club and middle school football teams t #SJEHFXBZ $ISJTUJBO Academy, $500 for the Whatcom Independent 4DIPPMT )BOET PO -FBSOing Project t $SJTJT 1SFHOBODZ Center of Skagit County, $1,000 to help with the remodel and outfitting costs of Phase One of the Living Awareness program t ,VMTIBO $PNNVOJUZ Land Trust, $900 to make homes permanently affordable t -VDJMMF 6NCBSHFS Elementary School, $1,000 to keep students in school, decrease truancy, drop out rates, drug dependency, gang involvement and violence t .&5" 1FSGPSNJOH Arts, $500 for the Babes in Toyland musical at McInUZSF )BMM JO .PVOU 7FSOPO t .JDIBFM ,PFOFO 'PVOdation, $1,500 to save local youth sports programs t 3PZBM 'BNJMZ ,JET Camp Inc., $2,100 for a week-long camp for local foster kids ages 7 to 11 who have a history of abuse and/or neglect in their lives t 5IF 4FSHFZ 'PVOEBtion, $500 for emergency veterinary grants to low income people of companion animals in an attempt to keep them in the home t 8&4OJQ GPS UIF Nuter is Cuter! program t 8IBUDPN $PVOUZ Council on Aging, $1,500 for fresh produce for the Meals on Wheels program t 8IBUDPN 7PMVOUFFS Center, $1,500 for the Pantry on Wheels program, getting food to homebound people in need For more information about the Local Pepsi Refresh Project, visit www. waltonbeverage.com.

October 2011

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Louws: ‘I bring a broad-based range of experience’ ELECTION 2011 County executive BY ISAAC BONNELL ibonnell@bbjtoday.com Jack Louws has a long resume of work in both local government and the private sector. I sat down with him after the primary election to talk about why he is running for Whatcom Count executive. He has received endorsements from Port of Bellingham Commissioner Scott Walker, Lummi Indian Business Council member Darrell Hillaire and former Whatcom County Planning Director David Stalheim. BBJ: What do you feel are the two most pressing issues facing Whatcom County? Louws: Jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs. Jobs is number one. We can break that down into both non-agricultural and agricultural. Then the second one that we really need to work on is the Lake Whatcom issue. It’s been with us for the last 15 or 20 years. We need to get to more project-based solutions so that we are talking about the lake in a different framework than what we are currently. On the jobs end of it, one thing that we need to do is walk alongside of our existing businesses to make sure that they have the opportunity to thrive and survive in today’s environment. Ways that we can do that with large businesses is to be working with BP and Conoco and Intalco and

make sure that we work with them on regulations, taxes, electrical rates and do what we can to protect those businesses because those are really the linchpins of our local economy. So we need to protect what we have first, both on the large business end and the small business end. Small business seems to be lagging in the recovery more than big business is right now. We need to be cognizant of that fact. Two things I’d like to do: Much like the economic development investment (EDI) program now is helping out low-income housing, I would like to extend or rework that program so we could help small and medium businesses out through permitting processes and have the EDI fund backfill the municipalities for impact fees that they would be charging small businesses. We would be able to reduce their capital costs on projects. Of course it takes the approval of the Whatcom County Council and EDI Board to make that happen, but I’d like to enter into that conversation very quickly after the first of the year. Secondly, I’d like to do what we did in Lynden and take council, planning commission members and interested citizens and I’d like to put a group together to work through the county code. Not necessarily to change the intent of the code, but to tie them all back together so that we can pull the inconsistencies out of it so that we’d be able to streamline the permitting process for applicants.

I’m in the manufacturing business and I’m involved in the industry. Permitting is a challenge for businesses right now, and one way we can help right now is to make that as efficient as we reasonably can. We had a lot of success with that in Lynden and I’d like to extend that to the county and work on continuous improvements. On the Lake Whatcom issue, I think that we need to continue to work with Bellingham and the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District. Reading the Lake Whatcom Management Plan, a lot of the emphasis is on management and monitoring. I’d like us to shift more dollars into project-based solutions. I’d like to possibly use REET (real estate excise tax) funds and Conservation Futures Funds and identify specific projects and use those monies to buy project-specific lands so that as we go in and rebuild roads and do road improvements that we incorporate water quality as an integral component in each one of those projects. Ultimately, it’s taken a lot of years to get the lake to the condition it’s in and it’s going to take a lot of years to bring it out of that. I think we just need to be more proactive with it and do what we reasonably can on an ongoing basis.

and industrial lands and options for local businesses in relation to where they locate. Along with that is doing the best that we can to keep the capital costs down for them. If there’s specific areas where we could put the public improvements — stormwater, water, data, fiber — any areas where we could help develop some of the public infrastructure and reduce the cost for businesses to move in would be great. Ultimately, we’re trying to compartmentalize where specific businesses go to a level that I don’t think is allowing enough flexibility for business owners to make good decisions. They look at it and they go, ‘My business is growing, it’s 5-years-old, but I can’t go in and spend $250,000 an acre on property.’ We just need to leave viable options for that. BBJ: What skills or experience do you have that makes you the better

Jack Louws choice for county executive? Louws: I have 29 years of private sector experience as a local business owner. Currently Louws Truss has offices in Ferndale, Burlington and Everett. I still own it and my son is running it. We have 73 employees and by virtue of being in business for the last 29 years and being successful with it, I think that I’ve shown that I do have

the private sector experience to do that. Alongside of that, I served four years on the Lynden City Council and eight years Lynden mayor. I’ve worked with budgets, I’ve worked with personnel, and I’ve worked with the community. We accomplished about $60 million of infrastructure projects in Lynden during those eight years. And I think I bring to the table a broad-based range of experience that’s relevant to being the county CEO. The county has 820 employees, it’s got about a $170 million budget and a lot of the executive’s work directly relates to managing that business. I feel that I’ve got great qualifications to be able to handle that.

BBJ: What can the county do to help ensure that the business community here remains vibrant and varied? Louws: One of the challenges that I see is availability of manufacturing

FOR LEASE Harbor Mall / )BSCPS -PPQ %SJWF r #FMMJOHIBN 8A 558-1,900 square feet available Contact: Shirley McFearin, Real Estate Development Manager, Broker Office: 360.676.2500 Cell: 360.739.2519

BBJVIEWS

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October 2011

Off Beat

BBJNOTEBOOK

by Rik Dalvit

From the reporter’s desk Even if you’re the type of person who is interested in local politics, sometimes it’s difficult to keep up with all the issues. Sometimes it’s all just too... political. The local ballot is a long one this year, with several races at the city and county level. With limited space in print, I chose to focus on the race for mayor of Bellingham and Whatcom County executive. These positions are important because both the mayor and the county executive represent our community to the outside world. These are the people who will meet with business and political leaders. These are the people who sit down at the bargaining table. They are the face of Bellingham and Whatcom County — and that is no small task. So how do you make a decision about who to vote for? I feel one of the best ways to learn about candidates is to hear (or read) their words directly. It shows more of their personality and their style of leadership. So I hope you enjoy the Q&As in this issue and find them helpful when it comes to casting your ballot.

Letters Gravel and politics In three successive meetings over the past two years, an entire community in the Saxon Road area has appealed to the County Council to save the quality of life of its citizens, their property values, and even their basic health and wellbeing, all of which are fundamentally threatened by a totally unnecessary and unwarranted creation of a vast gravel mining site proposed by Concrete Nor’West adjacent to our homes. Urgent and deeply heartfelt pleas to stop this plan were made before the council by dozens of citizens of the area. After all the testimony was given on each separate occasion, Tony Larson said little or nothing and, instead, called immediately for a vote without discussion in the council. When members called for discussion and spoke on the issue, for and against, once again not a word was uttered by Mr. Larson. It is no secret that Tony Larson receives contributions from gravel companies. To their benefit, he ignored the heartfelt appeals of his constituents, and chose to support the gravel industry. Paul R. Brass Acme, WA

Letters to the editor The Bellingham Business Journal accepts signed letters to the editor. The BBJ reserves the right to edit letters for style and length. Letters should be no more than 300 words. To submit a letter, email it to editor@bbjtoday. com or send some good old snail mail to 1321 King St. Suite 4, Bellingham, WA 98229.

BBJCOMMUNITY

The Port of Bellingham is all about jobs When I ask people what they want to see from the port in the years ahead, jobs are at the top of everyone’s list. Our community needs more jobs and they are hard to come by. Cities and the counties have to run courts, police, fire, jails and much more. It is ports that are expected to generate jobs and transportation facilities. I believe that jobs are the main purpose of a public port. We have more than 250 businesses operating on port property and each of these businesses provides local jobs. During this economic downturn, we have worked with struggling businesses to move them to smaller spaces, or provide greater flexibility in payment plans to increase their chances of surviving this recession. Some have closed, but many others have continued or even expanded. Just one of our tenants, Bellingham Cold Storage, supports more than 1,000 jobs in this community, and our marine trades sector supports thousands more. Recently we kicked off a $2 million construction project in Fairhaven that will house Index Sensors, which is moving to Bellingham from Stanwood and adding 35 to 50 new jobs to the community. This work is being done in partnership with our new tenant and with Whatcom County, which provided Economic Development Investment funds for support. Another example is Seaview North, a boatyard and vessel service company, which has continued to increase the space it leases and operates. Earlier this year, port commissioners decided to reduce moorage rates for active commercial fishermen in a multi-year effort to recruit more fishing boats from Southeast Alaska and southern Puget Sound to Whatcom County. This fishing season has had record-breaking success and our harbors are packed with fishing vessels. Our fish processors are incredibly busy. We are working with more than 200 marine trades businesses throughout Whatcom County to develop a marine trades directory and to promote their businesses in trade shows throughout the region, with the goal of having more people bring vessels to Whatcom County for service and repair. We also work with small cities to help them move forward with their economic development projects. Each

CHARLIE SHELDON JOHN THOMPSON

Executive director Port of Bellingham

year the commissioners set aside funds that the Small Cities Partnership Group works with to provide matching money to the small cities. These funds have helped nearly every community in Whatcom County and we look forward to future successes. The port’s own construction projects provide jobs as well. We are in the middle of a $38 million airport passenger terminal expansion project that is generating hundreds of construction jobs. We are just beginning a $7.5 million dredging and dock-building project at Squalicum Harbor that will improve moorage and will provide capping material for the early phase of the Cornwall Avenue Landfill cleanup. This fall and winter we will be demolishing additional buildings on the Georgia-Pacific site and will begin early contamination cleanup projects there. These projects will provide work for demolition experts, environmental scientists and others. We are aggressively seeking maritime businesses to use our shipping terminal and adjacent waterfront properties for interim uses that will bring us yet more jobs. Finally, our airport provides services that support hundreds of companies in this county by providing the freight and passenger connections necessary for businesses to locate and expand here. The airport is a huge economic driver. We take our role as a job provider seriously. We look forward to new opportunities in the months ahead. Jobs are the key focus for residents in Whatcom County. Jobs are exactly what the Port of Bellingham is about.

October 2011

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BBJToday.com

$395,000 MLS# 169879

Brand New Commercial Condo in Walton II Bldg. Office, Retail, etc.

Great Lynden Site Next to Leading Shopping Center Huge Traffic & Ready to Build

Saltwater Views 4,000 sq ft. Located in Blaine across from the new Jack Neiman’s Restaurant.

Harris Ave. Development Site Fairhaven Lot with many entitlements Mixed-use opportunity. Location, Location, Location!

Jeff Johnson (360) 319-8358 jeff@jeffjohnsonrealestate.com

$650,000

Medical Office Building, 2220 Cornwall Avenue. Excellent free standing office building with abundant parking. Currently built out as medical offices, lot have expansion potential. 2115 sq. ft. Ample Parking. Additional land available for future development.

Semiahmoo Spit – 68 Unit Site Waterfront Site, Curbs, Utilities, etc. in place.

Mike Kent (360) 815-3898 mike@mikekent.com

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BBJDATA Public records related to business

Bankruptcies Chapter 7 — Straight bankruptcy; debtor gives up non-exempt property and debts are discharged. Chapter 11 — Business reorganization; protection from creditors while business devises a plan of reorganization. Income/ expense reports must be filed monthly. Chapter 13 — Plan is devised by individual to pay a percentage of debts based on ability to pay. All disposable income must be used to pay. The following bankruptcies are for Whatcom County.

Mary S. Stecher, case no. 11-20280-KAO, filed Aug. 30. Michael J. and Sandra L. Wray, case no. 11-20281KAO, filed Aug. 30. Tena M. Johnson, case no. 11-20294-KAO, filed Aug. 30. Randy R. Eidsvik, case no. 11-20346-KAO, filed Aug. 31. Cory A. and Lisa A. Anderson, case no. 11-20422-KAO, filed Aug. 31. Charles E. and Staci I. Weinheimer, case no. 11-20432-KAO, filed Aug. 31.

Chapter 7

Bradley J. Martin, case no. 11-20438-KAO, filed Aug. 31.

Gary L. Tiffany, case no. 11-20165-KAO, filed Aug. 26.

David W. Wiggins, case no. 11-20510-KAO, filed Sept. 1.

Robert A. and Erin W. Patrick, case no. 11-20198-KAO, filed Aug. 26.

Adrienne A. Manwaring, case no. 11-20529-KAO, filed Sept. 2. Lindsay E. Vankatwijk,

case no. 11-20541-KAO, filed Sept. 2. John W. and Adele L. Kirby, case no. 11-20642KAO, filed Spet. 8. LaurieJean R. and David A. Wright Sr., case no. 11-20676-KAO, filed Sept. 8. Jennifer L. Fleck, case no. 11-20707-KAO, filed Sept. 9. Karen and Dionis Agustin, case no. 11-20722-KAO, filed Sept. 9. Justin W. Holland, case no. 11-20726-KAO, filed Sept. 9. Kwang I. and Have S. Park, case no. 11-20728KAO, filed Sept. 9. Kurt D. and Dawn R. Bush, case no. 11-20732KAO, filed Sept. 9. Gregory A. and Peggy J. Hollingsworht, case no. 11-20741-KAO, filed Sept. 9.

October 2011

Dorothy A. and Ronald E. Applegate Jr., case no. 11-20914-KAO, filed Sept. 15. Brenda E. and Charles T. Hardwick Jr., case no. 11-20920-KAO, filed Sept. 15. Earl W. Kale, case no. 11-20987-KAO, filed Sept. 16. Theodore A. Hilleary, case no. 11-21052-KAO, filed Sept. 19. Cynthia L. DuVal, case no. 11-21163-KAO, filed Sept. 22. William P. and Tamara L. Gonzalez, case no. 11-21174-KAO, filed Sept. 22. Michael and Melanie K. Marantz, case no. 11-21176-KAO, filed Sept. 22. Randy C. Kallerson, case no. 11-21180-KAO, filed Sept. 22.

Ralph B. Johnson, case no. 11-20448-KAO, filed Aug. 31. Beau G. Hyde, case no. 11-20509-KAO, filed Sept. 1. Gary E. and Sarah A. Kentner, case no. 11-20636-KAO, filed Sept. 7. Cheryl M. and Faatui T. Laolagi Jr., case no. 11-20690-KAO, filed Sept. 8. Kevin S. and Nora Weaver, case no. 11-20723-KAO, filed Sept. 9. Jared M. Reeve, case no. 11-20764-KAO, filed Sept. 12.

Business licenses The following business licenses are from the city of Bellingham.

Christopher J. Held, case no. 11-20868-KAO, filed Sept. 14. John B. Sterret, case no. 11-20889-KAO, filed Sept. 15.

Daniel J. Pry, case no. 11-21201-KAO, filed Sept. 22.

Mattila Painting, Mattila Painting Inc., 10629 215th Ave. SE, Snohomish, WA 98290

Laura R. Nichols, case no. 11-20913-KAO, filed Sept. 15.

John P. Sheehan, case no. 11-21207-KAO, filed Sept. 22.

Project Pendant, Alan C. Haley, 1474 Lincoln St., Bellingham, WA 98229

Tabetha Brisbin, case no. 11-21219-KAO, filed Sept. 23.

Babelyn S. Anderson, Babelyn S. Anderson, 2716 Victor St., Bellingham, WA 98225

Chapter 13

El Alasan Yel Rocio Restaurant, Robles Inc., 1538 Birchwood Ave. SuiteB, Bellingham, WA 98225

Charlene D. Paz, case no. 11-20369-KAO, filed Aug. 31. Lisa M. Castro, case no. 11-20382-KAO, filed Aug. 31.

Advanced Audiology & Hearing Aid Services, Advanced Audiology & Hearing, A12 Bellwether Way Suite108, Bellingham, WA 98225

Stephanie L. Brendle, case no. 11-20405-KAO, filed Aug. 31.

Bank of the Pacific, Bank of the Pacific, 226 36th St., Bellingham, WA 98225

Gordon O. and Shirley J. Maxwell, case no. 11-20423-KAO, filed Aug. 31.

Wendy Helen Bartlett, Wendy Helen Bartlett, 255 N. Forest St Suite116, Bellingham, WA 98225

Gateway Centre Virtual Office Options for EVERY Budget! Mail - $29.95 Mail & Website - $49.95 Mail & Voicemail - $99.95 Mail & Receptions Services - $149.95 All the above + 8 hrs. Conf. time - $199.95

Valencia Street Suzuki Piano Studio, Kagari Tanabe, 2734 Valencia St., Bellingham, WA 98226 GMA Construction, GMA Construction Inc., 4210 B St. NW Unit D/E, Auburn, WA 98001 3six0 Music, Starvn Myouzishan LLC, 1012 W. Holly St., Bellingham, WA 98225 Bellingham Vacation Rental, Bellingham Vacation Rental LLC,1814 G St., Bellingham, WA 98225 Henze Photography, Kathleen A. Henze, 2508 Henry St., Bellingham, WA 98225

Randolph D. and Jennifer S. Stewart, case no. 11-21200-KAO, filed Sept. 22.

Vernon L. Sanders, case no. 11-20195-KAO, filed Aug. 26.

Memorable Events & Catering, Elenbaas & Hendricks, 5510 Nielsen Ave. Unit B, Ferndale, WA 98248

Ma’ema’e Massage Therapy, Kathleen A. Henze, 1200 Harris Ave. Suite402, Bellingham, WA 98225 Fire Protection Services, Fire Protection Services Inc., 5573 SW Arctic Dr., Beaverton, OR 97005 Sugar Shack Ice Cream, Jasmine N. Johnson, 654 Parkside Place, Blaine, WA 98230 Leap Frog Water Taxi, Leap Frog Water Taxi LLC, 355 Harris Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225 Ellyn C. Van Houten, Ellyn C. Van Houten, 2315 James St., Bellingham, WA 98225 Keiani M. Feliciano, Keiani M. Feliciano, 2207 Elm St., Bellingham, WA 98225 Complete Plumbing Repair, Complete Plumbing Repair Inc., 1009 20th St., Anacortes, WA 98221 Time in Play Cafe, Time in Play Cafe Inc., 311 E. Holly St., Bellingham, WA 98225 New World ZLD, New World ZLD LLC, 613 Canyon View Drive,

Executive Suites Conference Rooms & Executive Suites! Receptionists to greet your clients ... included! An office that is fully furnished ... included! High Speed Internet at your fingertips ... included!

(360) 685-4200

1313 E. Maple St. Bellingham, WA 98225

www.gwcentre.com

October 2011

BBJDATA Public records related to business

Bellingham, WA

Blaine, WA 98230

Jimmy John’s, LTF Enterprises Inc., 1204 Railroad Ave. Suite102, Bellingham, WA 98225

Puget Sound Services, Puget Sound Services Inc., 244 Sydney Ave. N., North Bend, WA 98045

Mama’s, L. Peter Crandell, 1801 Fairhaven Ave., Bellingham, WA 98229

Fairhaven Gaskets, Fairhaven Gaskets Inc., 2614 Elm St., Bellingham, WA 98225

B. Davis Inc., B. Davis Inc., 1441 Terminal Ave. Suite A, San Jose, CA 95112

Dashi Noodle Bar, Josh D. Silverman, 208 Unity St., Bellingham, WA 98225

Midvale Electric, Van de Graaf Electric Inc., 1661 Bishop Road, Sunnyside, WA 98944 Vegan Carnivore, Christa L. Delano, 1322 McLeod Road, Bellingham, WA 98226 Pettus Plumbing & Piping, Pettus Plumbing & Piping Inc., 12647 Highway 72, Rogersville, AL 35652 Geometria, Linda E. Smeins, 2532 Xenia St., Bellingham, WA 98226 Flores Painting, Francisco Flores, 2233 Woburn St. #33, Bellingham, WA 98229

Jim Schmotzer & Associates, James R. Schmotzer, 3021 Tulip Road, Bellingham, WA 98225

U. S. Gold Standard, Ian A. Fernando, 303 State St. Suite E, Sedro Woolley, WA 98284

Orozco Home Remodeling & Repair, Guilivaldo Orozco, 2310 Yew Street Road, Bellingham, WA 98229

Whatcom Falls Retreat, Whatcom Falls Retreat LLC, 2810 Iowa Drive, Bellingham, WA 98229

Acute Lawn & Landscape, Acute Lawn & Landscape LLC, 3127 Bay Road, Ferndale, WA 98248

All City Catering, All City Catering Inc., 3620 Irongate Road #120, Bellingham, WA 98226

Elizabeth Rozier, A. Elizabeth Rozier, 420 16th St., Bellingham, WA 98225

Home Visions, Connie L. Perez, 9520 2nd Ave. NW, Seattle, WA 98117

Kimberly Kelly Design, Kimberly D. Kelly, 3 Indian Meadow Court, Bellingham, WA 98229

GMR Marketing, GMR Marketing LLC, 5000 S. Towne Drive, New Berlin, WI 53151

Pacific Marine Electric, Sea Pilot Boats LLC, 2424 Victor St., Bellingham, WA 98225

Psychic Rainbow, David M. Uwanawich, 4509 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA 98226

ANDCO Media, ANDCO Media Inc., 1319 Cornwall Ave Suite 200, Bellingham, WA

Pet Sitting with Love, G & T Professional Services LLC, 1575 B St., Blaine, WA 98230

Lewinna B. Solwing, Lewinna B. Solwing, 2212 Jaeger St., Bellingham, WA 98225

Buss Mechanical Services, Buss Mechanical Services Inc., 4471 S. Henry St., Boise, ID 83709

Super Buffet, Super Buffet Wa Inc., 4151 Meridian St. Suite 100, Bellingham, WA 98226

Guide Meridian Dental Group, Aimee T. Werremeyer DMD PLLC, 3600 Meridian St. Suite120, Bellingham, WA 98225 Gathering Glass Designs, Gathering Glass Designs LLC, 114 E. Magnolia St., Bellingham, WA 98225 Jamie King Hypnotherapy, Jamie L. King, 1304 Meador Ave. Suite B11, Bellingham, WA 98229 Maestro Northwest GIS, Erickson & Tepper, 1200 Harris Ave. Suite408, Bellingham, WA 98225 Woitulewicz Enterprises, Woitulewicz Enterprises Inc., 1400 Broadway, Bellingham, WA 98225 Meili Construction, Meili Construction Company Inc., 10 Van Buren St., Eugene, OR 97402 Success Express, Success Express Sales Inc., 5775 Soundview Drive Suite103C, Gig Harbor, WA 98335 Marisel’s Cleaning Services, Marisel M. Andersen, 5050 Alder St.,

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Glass Mountain Studios, Edward T. Schmid, 927 Yew St., Bellingham, WA 98229 Carola E. Tossetti, Carola E. Tossetti, 3962 Byron Ave. #106, Bellingham, WA 98229 Physicians Software Solutions, Physicians Software Solutions, 1155 N. State St. #428, Bellingham, WA 98225 Law Office of Daniel Sobel, Daniel W.

Sobel, 1903 Broadway, Bellingham, WA 98225 Reasons & Seasons Greeting Cards, Paula J. Tullar, 5064 Festival Blvd. #1B, Bellingham, WA 98226 Hong Kong Garden Restaurant, Hong Kong Garden Restaurant Inc., 2527 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA 98225 Smoke Hut, Harsharn S. Bhangav, 4220 Meridian St. Unit B, Bellingham, WA 98226

Construction Company, Janicki Logging & Construction, 103 N. Township St., Sedro Woolley, WA 98284 Skyview Hair Salon, Skyview Hair Salon LLC, 4265 Meridian St., #102, Bellingham, WA 98226 Citrusolution, N2Deep Carpet & Upholstery, 811 SE 8th Ave., Oak Harbor, WA 98277

W. Gregory Robinson, 103 E. Holly St. #417, Bellingham, WA 98225 Access Networks, Access Networks LLC, 5919 195th St. NE #7, Arlington, WA 98223 Low Voltage Securities, Low Voltage Securities Inc., 21805 116th Street Court E., Bonney Lake, WA 98391

Laura Mackie LMP, Laura S. Mackie, 5898 N. Fork Road, Deming, WA 98244

Alternative Mechanical, Alternative Mechanical LLC, 22124 NE 114th St., Redmond, WA 98053

The Underground, Brian’s Underground Inc., 211 E. Chestnut St., Bellingham, WA 98225

State Street Auto Body, State Street Auto Body Inc., 1000 N. State St., Bellingham, WA 98225

Barclay Dean, Barclay Dean Inc., 11100 NE 8th St. #900, Bellevue, WA 98004

Kok Law Office, Kent G. Kok, 119 N. Commercial St. #260, Bellingham, WA 98225

Wildroot Botanicals, Wildroot Botanicals LLC, 2427 Utter St., Bellingham, WA 98225

Janicki Logging &

Greg Robinson Architect,

PhysAssist Scribes, PhysAssist Scribes Inc., 6451 Brentwood Stair Road #100, Fort Worth, TX 76112

SEE DATA | PAGE 18

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October 2011

Spencer Gifts, Spencer Gifts LLC, 1 Bellis Fair Parkway #206, Bellingham, WA 98226

Building permits

Green Thumb Company, Green Thumb Company LLC, 5030 Waschke Road, Bellingham, WA 98226

The following recent building permit activity includes permits for commercial projects in Bellingham valued at $10,000 or more.

The Green Frog, Green Frog Cafe LLC, 1015 N. State St., Bellingham, WA 98225 Oldcastle Precast, Oldcastle Precast Inc., 2808 A St. SE, Auburn, WA 98002 Cordata Green, Cordata Green LLC, 103 N. Township St., Sedro Woolley, WA 98284 Edward & Alicia Bjerke, Edward A. Bjerke, 2426 Vista Dr., Bellingham, WA 98229 Leewens Corporation, Leewens Corporation, 630 7th Ave., Kirkland, WA 98033 Andrew Howard Design Company, Andrew Howard, 1123 23rd St., Bellingham, WA 98225 Blue Tuesday, Gabriel M. Lopez, 2808 Connelly Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225 Melanie Zabel MS, Melanie L. Zabel, 409 W. Illinois St., Bellingham, WA 98225

Accepted 4151 Meridian St. Suite 100, $13,000 for tenant improvement: minor layout changes to existing restaurant space for new tenant: Super Buffet. Applicant: Super Buffet. 2901 Squalicum Parkway, $2,200,000 for commercial renovations to existing building for acute rehab unit. Applicant: RMC Architects. 2901 Squalicum Parkway, $350,000 for tenant improvement: complete shell space for cardiac rehab center and swing space. Applicant: RMC Architects. 1015 N. State St., $12,000 to construct new roof top deck and egress stairs for future tavern. 4289 Meridian St., $40,000 for tenant improvement: interior remodel of dressing rooms in existing retail store. Applicant: JSM Installations.

OB Western Washington University, $41,000 to demo existing shed and construct new pole building for Outback Farm near Fairhaven College. FC Western Washington University, $250,000 for food service upgrades in existing food service area on the ground floor of Fairhaven Commons building. Tenant: Aramark. Applicant: Studio Meng Strazzara. 2621 S. Harbor Loop Drive Gate 3, $5,046,761 for demolition and replacement of deteriorating marina floats at Gate 3. Issued AH Western Washington University, $750,000 to remodel and enlarge Arntzen Hall dinning room and kitchen. Tenant: Aramark. Applicant: Studio Meng Strazzara. Contractor: Craft Facility Management Co. RC Western Washington University, $1,076,000 to remodel Ridgeway Commons dining hall for new food service provider. Tenant: Aramark. Applicant: Studio Meng Strazzara. Contractor: Tiger Construction LTD. 1308 E St., $13,000

October 2011

BBJDATA Public records related to business

to provide exterior accessible route of travel to lower level of building. Applicant: Whatcom County Historical Society. Contractor: Franklin Corp. 2121 Pacific St., $44,542 for new hazardous materials storage building. Tenant: Brooks Manufacturing. Applicant and contractor: RCI Construction Inc. AH Western Washington University, $200,000 to remodel Starbucks coffee bar in Arntzen Hall dining room. Applicant: Studio Meng Strazzara. Contractor: Craft Facility Management Co. 1312 Bay St., $31,000 to install new alcove at north entry, remove metal door unit at south entry and install new awnings over both entries. Tenant: American Museum of Radio & Electricity. Applicant and contractor: Landmark Enterprises Inc. 4420 Meridian St., $927,652 for general remodel of store interior. Tenant: WalMart. Applicant: PB2 Architecture. Contractor: S.D. Deacon Corp. of Washington. 511 Harris Ave., $35,000 to repair approximately 80 feet of timber bulkhead. Applicant: Port of Bellingham. Contractor: American Construction. 1 Bellis Fair Parkway Suite 206, $106,500 for tenant improvements to existing retail space. Tenant: Spencer Gifts. Applicant: Arc Vision Inc. Contractor: Hardcastle Construction Inc. 4029 Northwest Ave. Suite 202, $15,000 for

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tenant improvement: interior alterations to incorporate portion of existing Suite 203 into Suite 202 to new call center. Tenant: NW Radiologists. Contractor: Pearson Construction Corp. 300 Harris Ave., $1,683,123 for tenant improvement: renovate concrete warehouse building for factory and office use. Tenant: Index Sensors & Controls Inc. Applicant: Mithun Architects. Contractor: Faber Brothers Construction Corp.

Tax liens A tax lien is a legal claim filed in court by a government against a person or business owing taxes. Liens are civil, not criminal claims, and normally seek to attach money and/or property to pay the taxes. A list of liens is kept at the county courthouse showing whom the government is pursuing and how much is sought. Stephen E. and Diane I. Moore, $10,153.31 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Aug. 17. Stephen R. Mason dba Masons Land Escapes, $8,964.35 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Aug. 18. Barleans Construction Inc., $98,407.41 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Aug. 19. Jewel Family Services LLC, $2,794.48 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Aug. 19. Silvia Septic Service LLC, $26,893.70 in unpaid IRS

taxes. Filed Aug. 22. Ny C. Chung and Sam Trieu, $32,150.61 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Aug. 22. Benjamin L. and Judy S. Banks, $1,999.57 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Aug. 24. William and Marjorie Burkitt, $14,613.06 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Aug. 25. John E. Zuidmeer, $82,448.36 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Aug. 26. Enlighten Diet Inc. dba Bloom, $2,863.50 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Aug. 26. Bryan W. Dobb, $266,353.07 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Aug. 26. Bryan W. Dobb, $93,999.26 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Aug. 26. Byron E. Cooper, $38,007.96 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Aug. 30. Karen M. Erickson, $18,978.14 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Aug. 31. Superior Slabjacking Inc., $14,359.48 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Aug. 31. Wildwest Express Inc., $12,138.71 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Aug. 31.

Inc., $15,392.64 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Sept. 1. Fairhaven Pub and Martini Bar Inc., $5,127.44 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Sept. 2. TA Maranda Consultants Inc., $90,984.38 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Sept. 6. Sonja L. Gunderson, $125,945.21 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Sept. 7. Startouch Inc., $26,797.60 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Sept. 7. Ryan Caillier dba Arlis’s Restaurant, $20,945.51 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Sept. 8. Kenneth E. and Louisa Haveman, $13,928.95 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Sept. 8. Impact Pavers and Walls Inc., $139,047.71 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Sept. 9. Jonathan Y. Huston, $7,745.88 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Sept. 9. Melanie K. McDaniel, $39,624.03 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Sept. 9. G. Kate Alexander, $14,550.13 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Sept. 9. Glen A. and Betty L. Friedl, $38,009.81 in

unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Sept. 13.

Liquor licenses New applications Zio Primo; Zio Primo LLC, Thomas R. and Jennifer L. Leyerly have applied to sell beer/wine in a restaurant at 120 Front St., Sumas, WA 98295. Filed Sept. 20. Prospect St. Café; Wave of Flavor, Spencer D. Santenello has applied for off-premise wine sales and to sell spirits/wine/ beer in a restaurant at 114 Prospect St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Filed Sept. 15. The Underground; Brians Underground Inc., Brian A. Tines has applied to be a nightclub at 211 Chestnut St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Filed Sept. 13. Time in Play Cafe; Time in Play Cafe, Mark S. Dooley and Hedy E. Hanni have applied to be a direct shipment receiver and server beer/wine in a restaurant at 311 E. Holly St. Suite 101, Bellingham, WA 98225. Filed Sept. 9. Zio Primo; Zio Primo LLC,

Thomas R. and Jennifer L. Leyerly have applied to sell beer/wine in a restaurant at 206 Lincoln Circle, Sumas, WA 98295. Filed Sept. 7. Scotty Browns; Brown’s Airport Restaurant LLC, Robert A. Walker and Caitlin R. Mattson-Walker have applied to sell spirits/ beer/wine in a restaurant lounge at 4255 Mitchell Way, Bellingham, WA 98226. Filed Sept. 2. Smoke Hut; Harsharn S. and Salinder K. Bhangav have applied to sell beer/wine at a grocery store at 4220 Meridian St. Suite B, Bellingham, WA 98226. Filed Aug. 29.

More data online All public records collected by The Bellingham Business Journal can be found online at BBJToday.com. Business licenses and building permits are updated every two weeks. Liquor licenses, tax liens, judgments, and bankruptcies are updated monthly.

Cicchittis Pizza Inc., $4,475.61 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Aug. 31. Kenneth R. Shoemaker, $39,615.51 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Sept. 1. John R. and Jennifer J. Perry, $30,340.19 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Sept. 1. John R. Perry, $34,622.84 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Sept. 1. Domenic and Gillian Scianna, $20,092.81 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Sept. 1. Point Roberts Chevron LLC, $3,831.46 in unpaid IRS taxes. Filed Sept. 1. Birch Bay Cab Company

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