October 27, 2017 Dena Jensen
#RejectTheJailTax #GetFiredUpForJustice
It is infuriating that small city Mayors Mutchler and Korthuis are using mental health services and diversion programs to sell the jail sales tax to voters in this op-ed in the Bellingham Herald, when they were supporting the Jail Facility Finance and Use Agreement with no assurances of monies for these. Continue reading
October 24, 2017 Sj Robson
Look what the “Whatcom Jail” pro-Jail Sales and Use Tax (Proposition 2017-6) Facebook page did to a photo taken during an anti-Jail Sales and Use Tax (Proposition 2015-1) rally, held back in October 2015, in front of the Whatcom County Courthouse. Continue reading
October 17, 2017 Sandy Robson
Today, I called the Director of Communications for the City of Bellingham (COB), Vanessa Blackburn, to inquire about the item regarding the Public Safety and Jail Facilities Sales and Use Tax proposition (2017-6) that was in the COB’s Fall 2017 & Winter 2018, “INSIDE Bellingham” newsletter. Continue reading
October 11, 2017 Dena Jensen
Subject: Further perspective on ordinances to protect members of our undocumented immigrant community
Dear Whatcom County Council and Bellingham City Council:
I wrote to all of you last week regarding creating ordinances that would provide more protections for members of our undocumented immigrant community. I recently had a local government official share their perspective on that letter with me. In this case, it doesn’t matter who made the statements because I think portions of the perspective expressed to me were similar to those I have heard expressed at council meetings. Continue reading
September 22, 2017 Dena Jensen
Here’s my latest letter to the council regarding the need to renovate the existing jail facility now. It was sent to council@co.whatcom.wa.us, and copied to all the city councils, the County Executive, and the Sheriff. Keep writing and calling!
Dear Whatcom County Council:
I am writing to call on you to move forward as quickly as possible with renovations on our existing Whatcom County Jail facility on Grand Ave., that will address necessary and critical life safety issues. Continue reading
September 15, 2017 Dena Jensen
On September 12, 2017, Lauri Strauss, CEO of design2 Last, gave a presentation to the Whatcom County Council’s Finance and Adminstrative Services Committee regarding anticipated renovation to the existing county jail facility located adjacent to the Whatcom County Courthouse in downtown Bellingham. Continue reading
Annual Incarceration Costs vs. Jail Sales Tax Revenue
Here are the numbers to help you make your decision on the county’s proposal to borrow $110 million to build a new jail:
Amount borrowed: $ 110,000,000 Continue reading
Click the graphic to access the full 7/17/17, Design2 LAST Building Assessment Studies and Cost Estimates for Capital Improvements at the Jail
September 8, 2017 Dena Jensen
This is the first time I have been able to locate this July 2017 Design2 Last study on the Whatcom County website although I kept thinking I was hearing it be referred to. This week on the Council Agenda for the Finance and Administrative Services Committee meeting (being held at 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday, September 12, 2017) it says there will be a “presentation by Design2Last of findings included in the Building Assessment Studies and Cost Estimates Phase 1-B Report for capital improvements at the jail (AB2017-047A).” Continue reading
September 1, 2017 Sandy Robson
Back on August 2, 2017, I had written a piece about having heard Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo, who was a guest on KGMI’s “Saturday Morning Live” (SML) July 22, 2017, conservative talk radio program, hosted by local Tea Partier, Kris Halterman. Sheriff Elfo was there to discuss the proposed new Whatcom County Jail which would be funded by a sales tax, a tax that would last for the next 30 years. The jail sales tax proposition will appear on the November general election ballot, to be rejected or approved by Whatcom County voters. Continue reading
Last night I wrote a letter to the [Whatcom County] council, sheriff and executive regarding the issue of legal requirements for the sheriff’s office as follows: Continue reading
noisy waters northwest 
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