Bellingham Business Journal, June 01, 2015

Vol. 23 No. 6

June 2015 Fairhaven clothing boutique closes after 10 years in business [Page 6]

The Buzz Despite economic recovery, food bank serves nearly 20 percent of households The number of visits to the Bellingham Food Bank has increased by 80 percent since 2007 and it’s still going up.

FOOD BANK, 8

Businesses move into South Bay Suites, Fairhaven’s newest mixed-use building Apartments have been leased since October and businesses are trickling in. First floor tenants include a pizza place and a clothing and accessories store.

SOUTH BAY SUITES, 5

Your money matters The Peabody Townhomes, on the 2400 block of Peabody Street in the Fountain District, is the first big project in Bellingham to use the City’s Infill Housing Toolkit—housing code that the City adopted in 2009. OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTO | THE BELLINGHAM BUSINESS JOURNAL

Infill projects provide one vision for the future

The ins and outs of socially responsible investing MONEY MATTERS, 21

City planners look forward to having concrete examples of Infill Housing Toolkit projects

BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal

To Carrie Veldman, project manager at local development company The RJ Group, her nearly finished Peabody Townhomes are an ideal urban infill project.

Urban infill is city planning lingo for development in areas that are already built up. The three townhouses a block off Meridian Street on the 2400 block of Peabody Street are on

an old parking lot that’s close to downtown, public transportation and other services. For taxpayers, the project costs less than sprawl or building on the fringe of developed areas because it doesn’t require new roads or much other infrastructure.

“It’s just good planning principles to use space that is already serviced by streets, transit, shops and grocery rather than continuing to build on the fringe,” Veldman said.

The Peabody Townhomes are the first big project to use the Infill Housing Toolkit, a

Toolkit, PAGE 14

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June 2015

Contents

When you need a Jumbo mortgage, we have options and flexibility If you plan to purchase or refinance a higher-priced property, our jumbo mortgage options may help you make the most of today’s inviting home prices and low interest rates.

Whether you want to purchase or refinance a primary residence or a second/vacation home, we have versatile financing options to meet your needs.

Call us to explore your options.

Volunteers sort donated food at the Bellingham Food Bank. Since the recession, the Food Bank has become a hub for food banks throughout Whatcom and San Juan counties.

Larry W. Evans

OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTO | THE BBJ

Branch Manager 360-738-2376

[8] Food bank busy despite recovery

NMLSR ID 856141

The number of visits to the Bellingham Food Bank spiked during the recession.

Despite the economic recovery, the food bank is still busy.

Connect with us On Twitter @BBJToday

Anndi D. Pena

Home Mortgage Consultant 360-738-2363

NMLSR ID 413608

Ross Schram von Haupt

Home Mortgage Consultant 360-746-4050

NMLSR ID 1026086

On Facebook facebook.com/ BBJToday

Ryan D. Martin Home Mortgage Consultant 360-293-1160

[6] Strike

PeaceHealth and the union that represents hospital workers haven’t reached a contract deal after last month’s strike.

NMLSR ID 404824

On Google+ Bellingham Business Journal

[6] Inslee signs tougher oil train law Gov. Jay Inslee said the federal government must do more to prevent catastrophic accidents involving oil trains, like those seen in the past few years.

[10] Employment improving for WWU grads Barry Weafer

Home Mortgage Consultant 360-647-0897

Brandon C. Mankle

Home Mortgage Consultant NMLSR ID 420701 360-738-2362

NMLSR ID 634610

In a recent survey, the newest crop of WWU graduates reported finding more work in their fields than previous graduates and higher starting salaries.

Reah Marie Dewell

Home Mortgage Consultant 360-384-4975

[7] Market Indicators

[21] Your Money Matters

The Bellingham Business Journal

NMLSR ID 156730

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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: BBJToday.com Circulation, PO Box 930, Everett, WA 98206.

June 2015

BUSINESS BRIEFS Washington state’s preliminary unemployment rate for April dropped to 5.5 percent, the lowest it’s been since 2008, according to the latest report from the state Employment Security Department.

The unemployment rate fell 0.4 percentage points from the March 2015 revised rate of 5.9 percent. The state gained an estimated 8,200 jobs from March to April, according to the report.

The top five industry sectors in terms of employment gains between April 2014 and April 2015 were construction, professional and business services, education and health services, retail trade and government.

Out of the industry sectors the report tracks, only the mining and logging industry lost jobs between April 2014 and April 2015.

The national unemployment rate for April 2015 was 5.4 percent.

WCC plans to offer 4-year IT networking degree Whatcom Community College is working toward offering its first four-year degree program, which could start in fall 2017.

On May 7, the state Board for Community and Technical Colleges approved WCC for a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in IT networking.

Next, WCC needs accreditation approval form the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

WCC already has a two-year IT networking program. The decision to pursue a four-year program came in response to regional and national demand for workers in the field, said Janice Walker, director of WCC’s Workforce Education program.

Graduates of WCC’s twoyear program are getting jobs, but employers prefer four-year degrees, she said.

Between now and fall 2017, the college plans to develop upper-level courses on cloud computing, mobile and wireless technologies, enterprise linux, and other areas of

IT networking. Along with the four-year degree, WCC will offer certificates in networking industrial control systems, networking cloud computing, and networking mobile technologies.

The school plans to hire two faculty members for the program, which Walker said will be difficult because most industry jobs pay more than WCC can.

Currently, the closest college with a similar program is Bellevue College, Walker said.

If the four-year IT networking program goes well, WCC may look into offering other four-year degrees, Walker said.

Opportunity Council director retires after 29 years with the organization The Opportunity Council announced that executive director Dave Finet will retire at the end of the year.

Finet has been with the Opportunity Council since 1986 and was chosen to be executive director after a national search in December 2006.

Before leading the organization, Finet directed the nonprofit’s energy and home repair programs and served as deputy director.

He led the effort to create the Opportunity Council’s Building Performance Center, a hands-on training space for contractors, weatherization professionals, building owners and program managers.

In 2006, Finet received the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Recognition Award of Excellence in Weatherization Program Management.

Finet announced his retirement in an email to staff in April.

The Opportunity Council plans to hire a new executive director by the end of the year. Opportunity Council president Mamie Lackie said they expect to post the position in June and conduct interviews this summer.

Border traffic down in first quarter of 2015 In March, 1,096,759 passengers crossed into Whatcom County, according to data from Western Washington University’s Border

I believe...

Policy Research Institute.

That’s more southbound traffic than in February, but it is down 14.9 percent from March 2014’s total.

It’s also a bigger yearover-year drop than in February.

From January to March 2015, 3,014,155 passengers crossed the border - a 9.6 percent decrease from the same period in 2014.

The drop in traffic is partly caused by the Canadian dollar, which fell 12 cents compared to the U.S. dollar between January 2014 and March 2015.

Thirty-one percent of Canadians who enter Whatcom County come primarily for shopping and 22 percent come to buy gas, according to a winter 2015 policy brief by the Border Policy Research Institute.

IF YOU COULD LIVE ANYWHERE, YOU WOULD LIVE HERE...

Walking the Semiahmoo sand-spit adds life to your years.

You can live in a community without big box stores and still have everything you need.

You shouldn’t choose your home on whether it’s close to your job but rather you should choose your home for the other 128 hours in the week.

TEDxBellingham organizer named president of Ben Kinney’s newest venture

Eating fresh means... you pulled your own crab pot.

Frendale, Birch Bay, Semiahmoo,

Local real estate entrepreneur Ben Kinney named David Wiggs as president of his newest venture - the Ben Kinney Training Organization.

Most recently, Wiggs was vice president of marketing and e-commerce for McNett Corporation and the organizer of TEDx Bellingham.

The Ben Kinney Training Organization will train real estate agents and brokers through online content and courses as well as live events. Kinney developed the training techniques as the operator of seven Keller Williams franchises.

“It’s a new formal company but not a new process,” Wiggs said.

Eventually, the Ben Kinney Training Organization will offer training for business outside of the real estate industry, Wiggs said.

Wiggs doesn’t have experience in real estate, but he will be using his marketing skills to create, promote and sponsor events, he said.

“You don’t get an opportunity to work for someone as visionary as Ben very often in your life,” Wiggs said. “I admire what he’s done and I’ve watched how he has grown and I just wanted to be a part of it.”

Seeing is believing.

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State unemployment rate dropped to 5.5 percent in April

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Whatcom County... even when it rains, I shine!

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June 2015

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The Bellingham Business Journal

Move-in day came in May at Fairhaven’s South Bay Suites

5

Apartments have been leased for months, commercial tenants trickle in slower

BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal Gene and Connie Shannon, owners of Fairhaven Village Inn, parked their dumpster on the lot across the street from their hotel for 10 years before deciding it was one of “the most expensive garbage dumpster sites in the state.”

They acquired the lot in downtown Fairhaven as part of the purchase agreement of the Fairhaven Village Inn. After considered their options (and moving their dumpster) they decided to build on the lot.

Construction started in October 2013 on a four-story mixed-use building, which RMC Architects designed and Wellman and Zuck General Contractors built. In May 2015, businesses and residents began moving into their new building, the South Bay Suites, at 1140 10th St. Two of six commercial spaces on the building’s first floor are already leased. OVN Wood-Fired Pizza (pronounced “oven”) moved into the South Bay Suites’ north-

east corner and the owners are working on getting the restaurant ready for an August opening, said owner Matt Brawner.

The building’s other first floor commercial tenant is a clothing, housewares, gifts and accessory shop called 1 Paperboat, which will be in the south side of the building at the corner of 10th Street and Mill Avenue. Owners Royal and Diane Reinsch hope to open around the first of July. The Reinsch’s have 32 years of retail experience, mostly with a similar store they owned in Mill Creek called Belle Provence, they said in an email. They closed Belle Provence in April.

1 Paperboat will focus on “gifts, home goods and apparel with a decidedly relaxed coastal/ lake/beachy/nautical feel,” they said. They plan to carry Brighton brand handbags, gifts and jewelry, as well as handblown candle holders from Glassybaby, a Seattle-based company.

Both the Reinsch’s and Brawner said they were attracted to Fairhaven before the building opened.

Residents moving into South Bay Suites, a new mixed-use building at 1140 10th St., in Fairhaven. OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTO | THE BELLINGHAM BUSINESS JOURNAL Several other retailers have looked at the building’s first floor and Connie Shannon said she expects more interest now that it’s finished.

“It really takes a visionary to have the stamina to move their business into a building that’s not yet completed,” she said.

The second floor has 22 offices.

Current tenants include Pavlosky Accounting and Kerstin Martin, a web designer. Offices are separated into pods and tenants can lease either a single office or a whole pod, Shannon said.

Evidently the market for apartments in Fairhaven is tight, Shannon said, because the building’s apartments, which take up the third and fourth floors, have all been leased since October 2014.

The third floor has seven units ranging in size from 825 square feet to about 1,700 square feet and the top floor has four apartments ranging from 1,340 square feet to 2590 square feet.

The Shannon’s moved into an apartment on the top floor.

Beneath the building, a parking garage has 18 parking spaces for apartment tenants and nearby the Shannon’s built a more cost-effective spot for their dumpster.

Oliver Lazenby, associate editor of The Bellingham Business Journal, can be reached at 360-647-8805, Ext. 5052, or olazenby@ bbjtoday.com.

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June 2015

Inslee signs tougher oil train law, says situation still unsafe

BY JERRY CORNFIELD The (Everett) Daily Herald OLYMPIA — Washington will hire more rail inspectors and let fire departments know ahead of time when train shipments of crude oil are coming though town under a new law signed Thursday.

It also calls for more training of emergency responders, new analyses of risks posed by shipping oil on the Columbia River and additional contingency plans from railroads in the event of a spill.

But while those changes mark progress in making the transport of oil safer in Washington, Gov. Jay Inslee said the federal government must do more to prevent catastrophic accidents involving oil trains, like those seen in the past few years.

Federal authorities must require immediate replacement of older-model tank cars used to transport crude from the Bakken region of North Dakota, the governor said.

And it must act to lower the speeds trains can travel through Washington.

“I have to be honest with people that while this (new law) is a step forward, we still have an unsafe situation in our state. It demands federal action,” Inslee said after

signing House Bill 1449. “These trains are a mile long, with very volatile material, they’re rolling though our neighborhood and they are not safe today.”

The impetus for the new law is an explosive increase in oil shipments by train.

As recently as 2011, no oil trains traveled through the state. Oil arrived only in pipelines and by marine tanker. In 2013, 700 million gallons moved on rails through the state, Inslee said.

That’s a result of the shale-oil boom in North Dakota. Washington attracts so many shipments because it is the fifthlargest refining state in the U.S. In a typical week, a dozen trains each carrying at least 1 million gallons of Bakken crude travel through Snohomish County to refineries in Skagit and Whatcom counties.

A spate of fiery and deadly oil train accidents the past two years has fueled lawmaker concerns about the ability of railroads to safely transport the material and the capability of communities to respond to an incident.

State lawmakers couldn’t pass a bill in 2014 but did pay for an exhaustive review of the safety of oil transportation in Wash-

ington.

That study, completed in March, concluded that the state isn’t prepared for a major accident. It made 43 recommendations, and several are embodied in the new law.

One is a requirement for refineries to give the state Department of Ecology seven-day advance notice of planned oil deliveries by rail. Those notices must include the day as well as the amount and type of oil to be shipped.

The state intends to pass the information to fire departments and other emergency responders so they can be prepared for a derailment, spill or other type of accident.

The notice requirement is separate from a federal one for BNSF Railway and other firms to disclose the number of trains carrying Bakken crude that will travel through the state each week.

The new state law enables the Utilities and Transportation Commission to hire eight additional inspectors and empowers them to conduct hazardous materials inspections on private property.

Another change is that railroads will now have to submit documents showing they can pay to clean up a bad oil spill.

And the state will begin collecting a barrel tax on shipments of oil by train in addition to marine tankers.

“While there is more work to be done, we have made progress today,” Inslee said.

The issue is getting attention in Washington, D.C. Last month, the U.S. Department of Transportation ordered a phase-out of older model tankers known as DOT-111, which have been shown to be at high risk of puncture and fire in derailments. Other changes would force oil shippers to slow down trains in urban areas and use better braking systems.

Federal lawmakers are pushing for faster action.

U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., introduced a bill in March to immediately stop the use of DOT-111 tank cars and replace them with newer models built with thicker shells, thermal protection, pressurerelief valves and other measures to lessen the chances of an explosion.

Jerry Cornfield is a staff writer for The Daily Herald in Everett, Wash., a partner publication of The Bellingham Business Journal.

Four Starrs Boutique in Fairhaven closing PeaceHealth, care-

givers union haven’t reached contract agreement after strike

BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal Four Starrs Boutique, a men’s and women’s clothing and accessories store in Fairhaven, is closing after 10 years in business. The store, at 960 Harris Ave., Suite 101, next to Sirena Gelato, will close on June 12.

Owner Danielle Starr said several things led to her decision to close the store.

Sales at the store have declined in the past several years, deliveries have been coming in late because of the West Coast port slowdown and she wanted to spend more time with her family, she said.

“Retail is not what it used to be,” Starr said. “Traffic is down, sales are down.”

Four Starrs won a Best of Bellingham award in 2006. A lot of Starr’s original customers are now married and have kids and aren’t spending as much money on themselves as they used to, Starr said, and she hasn’t attracted enough younger customers.

Starr also had a location on Bakerview Road that closed last year and a Bellis Fair Mall location that closed a couple years ago.

“Businesses have a shelf life in terms of buzz,” Starr said. “Maybe ours was up.”

Starr got bacterial meningitis a couple years ago. She’s now recovered, but the illness changed her priorities and she wants to spend more time with her husband and two kids, she said. She works six days a week and averages 60 hours of work per week, she said.

BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal

Nadia Sartor shops at Four Starrs Boutique while on vacation from Toronto.

After 10 years in business the clothing store will close on June 12. [OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTO | THE BELLINGHAM BUSINESS JOURNAL

Starr made the decision to close earlier this year when she found out the space her boutique occupies is for sale. She decided she’d rather close the shop than try to keep the business alive through a move.

Starr said she’s looking forward to spending more time with her family after closing the shop and she has a vacation planned – something she hasn’t done in years.

Starr and her staff are working to sell remaining inventory, which is currently 20 percent off. The boutique will be open Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. until 6 p.m., and Sundays from 12 a.m. to 4 p.m., until it closes on June 12.

Starr said closing the business feels like losing a piece of herself.

While running the store for the last 10 years she held successful fashion events, spoke at events for Whatcom Community College and Whatcom Women in Business, and helped start Project BHAM, an organization that promoted local businesses and retail events.

“I’ve been able to do good things for the community,” she said. “Things that I never thought I’d do, I have done.”

Oliver Lazenby, associate editor of The Bellingham Business Journal, can be reached at 360-647-8805, Ext. 5052, or olazenby@bbjtoday.com.

PeaceHealth and hospital workers represented by SEIU Healthcare 1199 NW, have not reached a contract agreement after a strike on May 13.

The nearly 950 striking workers, which includes hospital and laboratory workers, technicians, dietary aides, housekeeping staff, laboratory staff, and other service workers, were not allowed to work for two days following the one-day strike.

It wasn’t a surprise – the nonprofit hospital told striking workers that they would not be allowed to work for two days following the strike due to the hospital’s three day obligation with a temporary worker staffing agency.

PeaceHealth workers, who voted to join the union in 2013, have been negotiating with PeaceHealth for 17 months and

have had about 40 bargaining sessions.

Workers joined the union because they were frustrated with their high health insurance costs and stagnating wages.

And striking workers think PeaceHealth can afford to improve the situation. The Bellingham arm of the regional medical group made $50 million last year.

The hospital’s operating costs, however, are nearly $1 million a day, Mayhew said, and extra margins are reinvested in capital improvements and technology.

Anita Claymore, who works in environmental services, cited staff retention and staff size as her reasons for striking. Her job involves cleaning vomit, blood and other bodily fluids, and she’s often exposed to infectious disease. New

Strike, PAGE 22

June 2015

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The Bellingham Business Journal

Market Indicators

Jobs: After March jump, bankruptcies continue down Bankruptcies

Unemployment rate March 2015: 5.9 % March 2014: 7.2 %

April 2015 total: 35 Annual change: � 28.57%

Includes non-seasonally adjusted figures in Whatcom County

Includes filings for Chapters 7, 11 and 13 in Whatcom County

40

8%

March 2015: 63.6% March 2014: 63.4 %

Includes non-seasonally adjusted figures for Washington State

70.0 %

Chapters 11,13 Chapter 7

35 30

7%

Labor force participation rate

67.5 %

25 20

65.0 %

15

6%

10

62.5 %

5

5%

J

F M A M J

J

A S O N D

J

2014

F M

0

2015

J

F M A M J

J

A S O N D

J

2014

SOURCE: WASHINGTON STATE EMPLOYMENT SECURITY DEPARTMENT

F M A

60.0 %

J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MAM J J A S O N D J F M 2013

2015

SOURCE: U.S. BANKRUPTCY COURT, WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON

2015

2014

SOURCE: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Spending: Sales-tax distribution up from ‘14 Sales-tax distribution �

April 2015: $1,501,513.8 Annual change:

$2.5M

April 2015: $6,067,660 April 2014: $9,113,420

April 2015: $0.81 April 2014: $0.91

Includes monthly averages (Canada-to-U.S.) at market closing

$30M

$1.2

2015

2014

$2M

Building-permit values

Canadian dollar

6.04%

Includes basic and optional local sales tax to Bellingham

$1.5M

$1.0

$25M

$0.8

$20M

$0.6

$1M

$15M

$0.4

$0.5M

$10M

$0.2

0

J

F

M

A

M

J

J

A

S

O

N

D

SOURCE: WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE

0

J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MA

2013

2014

$5M

2015

SOURCE: BANK OF CANADA

J

2013

F M A M J

J A S O N D J 2014

F M A 2015

SOURCE: CITY OF BELLINGHAM

Housing: Pending sales flat as closed sales rise Housing sale prices

$350K

Foreclosures & delinquencies

Housing sales

Average: April 2015: $311,78 April 2014: $276,733 Median: April 2015: $275,000 April 2014: $248,250

Delinquency rate: February 2015: 2.07% February 2014: 2.93% Foreclosure rate: February 2015: 0.75% February 2014: 1.11%

Closed, April 2015: 289 Annual change: + 34.26 % Pending, April 2015: 422 Annual change: + 37.62 % Includes sales of single-family houses and condos in Whatcom County

500

Average price Median price

400

$300K

5%

Pending sales Closed sales

Delinquency rate

4%

Foreclosure rate

3%

300 2%

$250K

200 $200K

J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MA

2013

2015

2014

SOURCE: NORTHWEST MULTIPLE LISTINGS SERVICE

1%

100

J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MA

2013

2014

2015

SOURCE: NORTHWEST MULTIPLE LISTINGS SERVICE

0%

J F MAM J J A S ON D J F MAM J A S ON D J F

2013

2014

2015

SOURCE: CORELOGIC

Other factors: Traffic off 2014 pace at border Cruise terminal traffic

Airport traffic Includes total passengers flying from Bellingham International Airport

80K

April 2015: 1,096,759 Year-over-year: � 14.85%

Includes inbound and outbound passengers at Bellingham Cruise Terminal

70K 60K

2015

5000

2014

4000

2013

50K 40K

Includes southbound passengers crossings into Whatcom County

2M

20K

0

J

F

M

SOURCE: PORT OF BELLINGHAM

A

M

J

J

A

S

O

N

D

2014

3000 1M 5M

1000

10K

2015

1.5M

2000

30K

0

Border traffic

April 2015: 1,553 April 2014: 1,550

April 2015: 41,406 Annual change: -11.68%

J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MA 2013

SOURCE: PORT OF BELLINGHAM

2014

2015

0

J

F

M

A

M

J

J

SOURCE: WWU BORDER POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Notes: Graphs include the most recent data available at press time. Annual changes show cumulative difference from the same time period during the previous year. Data include raw numbers only and are not adjusted to account for any seasonal factors.

A

S

O

N

D

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The Bellingham Business Journal

June 2015

Recovering economy? Not at the Bellingham Food Bank Food bank visits have increased by about 80 percent since the recession and keep going up

BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal

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Vikki Warner probably waited too long to get help.

When she finally got in line at the Bellingham Food Bank, her savings were gone, her cupboards were empty and her bills were past due. That was in April 2015, nearly six years after the recession officially ended, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Financial trouble started for the nearly 60-year-old, college-educated mother of four in 2008. She was a manager of Target, but her hours got cut and she eventually left Target for a job at a gas station.

Last winter her hours at the gas station went from 40 a week to 30, causing her to fall behind on bills. Now she’s back to working 40 hours a week but she’s still paying off bills.

“My paycheck doesn’t cover my needs,” Warner said. “By the time I pay rent and power—I don’t have cable, I don’t have extras—I can’t eat.”

Warner isn’t alone. The number of people in Whatcom County who struggle to feed themselves is growing despite falling unemployment. Since 2007, visits to the Bellingham Food Bank have increased

more than 80 percent. Even from 2013 to 2014, visits went up by about 7 percent, said Mike Cohen, the Food Bank’s executive director.

“Once the economy started to crank up it didn’t crank up for the people who were visiting us. But prices started to go up again.” Cohen said.

In March, Whatcom County’s unemployment rate was 5.9 percent, the lowest it has been since December 2008. The rate was more than 8 percent as recently as February 2013, according to the state Employment Security Department.

Cohen and others who work in hunger relief think of the surge in people who struggle to feed themselves despite a recovering economy as the “new normal.” Currently about half of the families who use the Bellingham Food Bank have at least one working member, but their jobs may be part-time or pay much less than the jobs they had before the recession, Cohen said.

In 2007, most clients used the Bellingham Food Bank sporadically. A low income family with a health care payment or a car repair bill would show up for a few weeks or a month, get back on their feet and then disappear until the next crisis, Cohen said.

Now, not only has the number of clients increased, but many are showing up more

Volunteers sort food donations at the Bellingham Food Bank in May. Food banks in Whatcom County have been able to keep up with increased demand. OLIVER LAZENBY PHOTO | THE BBJ frequently — maybe once a week instead of just at the end of the month, Cohen said.

“Food banks used to think of themselves as emergency food assistance,” he said.

“Now we’re seeing more people than we ever saw before and people are using us as

a regular part of their lives to get through what continues to be a really challenging time.”

Food Bank, PAGE 9

June 2015

FOOD BANK, FROM 8 The demographics haven’t changed. Thirty-five percent of people who eat food from the Food Bank are children and 15 percent are seniors, which is roughly the same as 10 years ago, Cohen said. But there are more of each sector. Now, 1,200 families—almost 20 percent of Bellingham households—visit the Food Bank regularly.

Many are like Warner, and wait longer than they should to get help, Cohen said.

Though Warner was surprised at the service and quality of food, she was counting down the weeks—just four more to go—until she could stop using the Food Bank. That’s not because of the hour and a half wait outside but because of the stigma of needing help, she said.

“I still don’t like coming here, because I should be able to make it,” Warner said. “It’s hard to admit that you can’t do it. I suppose that’s a pride thing.”

Food insecurity up across the state and country Some food banks in Western Washington have doubled or tripled the amount of people they serve since 2007, said Katharine Ryan, public policy director for Food Lifeline, a nonprofit food distribution center.

Some of those food banks have a hard time meeting demand because people think the economy is better and donate less.

“I find it astonishing how many people aren’t aware about how prevalent hunger is. I think hunger is one of those things that can be very invisible,” Ryan said.

“There’s so much stigma around talking about it.

The people who are experiencing it aren’t willing to tell their story.”

The Bellingham Food Bank has been able to keep up with its growing clientele. The Food Bank gets 35 percent of its budget from governments, and most of the rest comes from individual donations, which have kept pace with clientgrowth during the recession, Cohen said.

In the same period in which visits have increased by 80 percent, the amount of food the Bellingham Food Bank receives and distributes to a dozen other food banks in Whatcom and San Juan County has increased by 250 percent.

Most of that food comes from Food Lifeline, North-

9

The Bellingham Business Journal west Harvest and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Supplemental Food Program — organizations that provide truckloads of food for free or nearly-free, as long as they have somewhere to put it. During the recession, the Bellingham Food Bank expanded its role as a distribution center, and now gets two semi truck loads of food a week, most of which goes out to its partner food banks.

New building nearly complete To prepare for its future as a food distribution hub,

The Bellingham Food Bank is expanding with a new warehouse—a $2.3 million, 10,000-square-foot building for food storage that should be completed in June.

Ninety percent of the new warehouse space will be dedicated to storing food for the dozen food banks in Whatcom and San Juan counties that the Bellingham Food Bank supplies food to.

It’s harder for rural food banks to get support from Food Lifeline, Northwest Harvest, and other larger hunger relief organizations, because they don’t

1,200 families—almost 20 percent of Bellingham households— visit the food bank regularly

or forklifts, and it is not worthwhile for those organizations to make the drive to Whatcom County unless they’re delivering whole truckloads of food.

“All those food banks are dealing with the same things we are with a lot less resources,” Cohen said.

“Some don’t have any grocery stores to go and pick up the food that would get thrown away like we do.”

Once the new building is finished, the Bellingham Food Bank will have the space to continue collecting food and distributing it to

other local food banks for 20 or 30 years, Cohen said.

“We never want to turn away food for Blaine or Sumas or our other partners because we don’t have the space for it,” Cohen said. “I think in three years we’ll be moving more than three million pounds of food a year out to our partners where hunger has grown just as much.”

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10

The Bellingham Business Journal

June 2015

Newest crop of WWU grads report higher employment and better salaries, but more stipend positions

BY OLIVER LAZENBY The Bellingham Business Journal When Kelsey Rowlson graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in communications, she thought her job search might take a while.

Instead, she lined up a job as the event and program coordinator at the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce in July 2014, a month after graduation.

“I have friends who looked for similar jobs for over a year,” Rowlson said. “I still feel very lucky and very blessed to have found a job right out of college.”

Employment numbers for recent Western graduates are slowly bouncing back after the recession. Western’s most recent graduate survey found that more 2013-2014 graduates found work within six months of graduating and there was a 7 percent jump in the number of graduates who, like Rowlson, found work in the field they studied.

Western’s Career Services Center conducts the annual survey of graduates who received bachelor’s degree, master’s degrees, and teaching certificates. This year, 55

percent of graduates responded to the survey, which the center conducts by mail and email.

Eighty-three percent of bachelor’s degree recipients reported finding full- or part-time employment within six months of graduating, which is up 1 percent from the 2012-2013 survey. Fieldrelated employment increased to 60 percent from last year’s 53 percent.

In order, the top employers of recent bachelor’s degree graduates are AmeriCorps, Boeing, Amazon, Nordstrom, Costco, Faithlife, Mount Vernon School District, Target and Zulily.

Jobs at AmeriCorps include stipend positions that can compensate less than minimum wage.

AmeriCorps has been near the top of the list before, but this is the first time in recent years that the government program has been the top employer of recent Western bachelor’s degree graduates.

The newest crop of bachelor’s degree recipients reported a 5 percent higher average starting salary than previous years’ graduates. The average starting salary went from $37,097 in the

Graduate employment rate within 6 months of graduation Average annual starting salary for WWU graduates WWU graduate employment within 6 months of graduation

Employed in field

100%

WWU graduate average annual starting salary

Employed $40K

80%

$35K

60%

$30K

40%

$20K

$25K $15K

20%

$10K $5K '06-'07

'07-'08

'08-'09

'09-'10

'10-'11

'11-'12

'12-'13

'13-'14

0

'06-'07

'07-'08

'08-'09

'09-'10

'10-'11

'11-'12

'12-'13

SOURCE: WWU Career Services Center previous study to $39,049 for 2013-2014 graduates. In total, 285 graduates reported salary information out of 1,725 total respondents. During the 2013-2014 academic year, 3,143 graduated with bachelor’s degrees.

Graduates with computer science degrees reported making the most money, with an average annual salary of $68,204. Theatre arts graduates made the least money, averaging $14,040, but only two theatre arts graduates from 2013-2014 reported salary

information to the survey.

Getting a teaching certificate makes graduates more likely to find work. Overall employment for teaching certificate recipients improved from 94 percent to 96 percent this year. More than three-quarters of those are employed as teachers in Washington.

Out of the surveyed master’s degree graduates, 93 percent had jobs within six months of graduation, up from 84 percent in the previous survey.

Graduates with internship experience found employment sooner and reported an average starting salary 8 percent higher than students without internship experience.

The number of graduates who continued their education rose to 11.2 percent, up from the previous year’s result of 10.5 percent.

Graduates who studied chemistry, communication sciences and disorders, physics and mathematics were most likely to register for more school.

Strong, Local Relationships “As a WECU® board member and a local business owner, I’m proud of how WECU® supports local businesses and our community” - Ashok Khanna Bakerview Shell Kent Bouma of WECU® with Ashok and Sangeeta Khanna of Bakerview Shell

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June 2015

11

The Bellingham Business Journal

June 2015

PORT NEWS Cleaning Up Whatcom's Waterfront

Sponsored content provided by Port of Bellingham

The Port has awarded Tacoma-based American Construction Company a $30.6 million contract to cleanup the Whatcom Waterway on Bellingham’s downtown waterfront. Construction is set to begin this July and be complete by mid-2016.

This project will provide a shortterm boost to the local economy while addressing historic industrial contamination on the waterfront.

The Department of Ecology estimates this project will generate $490 million in business revenue, $90 million in local taxes, and 500-2000 construction jobs and long-term employment opportunities. Sales tax on the construction project alone is almost $2.5 million.

“The Port is looking forward to moving this long-awaited project into the implementation stage” said Port Senior Project Engineer John Hergesheimer.

“Within the 10-month duration of construction, the Port will expend an average of $3 million per month in order to complete the project.”

Cleanup costs will be paid by a combination of state cleanup grants and the Port’s pre-paid environmental insurance policy.

“We are very excited that we have been selected to perform the Whatcom Waterway Phase I Cleanup Project for the Port of Bellingham” said American Construction Company President Kevin Culbert. “American intends to utilize a number of local subcontractors and suppliers within Whatcom County on this project.”

The Whatcom Waterway is contaminated by heavy industrial activities at Georgia-Pacific’s former chemical plant dating back

“The Whatcom Waterway cleanup project is essential to the redevelopment of Bellingham’s downtown waterfront” said Bellingham Mayor Kelli Linville.

“It will be fantastic to finish this phase of work so the City can begin building parks and roads to access the waterfront.”

The D.B. Guardian, a 200-Ton floating crane, will be one of the vessels used by American Construction to clean-up the Whatcom Waterway

to the 1960s. This project will clean-up historic contamination and rebuild shorelines which are now encumbered by deteriorating bulkheads, failing docks, and concrete rubble, setting the stage for mixed-use redevelopment.

During construction, the Whatcom Waterway will be filled with specialized navigation equipment including several large barges and a 200-Ton floating crane which will be used for dredging, pile driving and heavy lifting.

On the south side of the Whatcom Waterway, near the Granary Building, new beaches will be created to support public access and salmon recovery.

On the north side, new bulkheads, pilings and docks will support ongoing marine trade activities, including a barge terminal and boatyard.

“There will be a tremendous amount of economic activity associated with the Whatcom Waterway cleanup” said Port Executive Director Rob Fix. “The combination of short-and long term economic benefits

will serve as a platform for job creation and tax growth as we return this property to productive use and finally connect downtown Bellingham to its central waterfront.”

The clean-up of the Whatcom Waterway represents an important milestone allowing the Port and City of Bellingham to move forward with plans to connect downtown Bellingham to the water.

As part of the cleanup project, American Construction Company will: • Remove approximately 105,000 cubic yards of contaminated marine sediment • Remove 263 tons of creosotetreated timber.

• Remove concrete and asphalt rubble and other debris from 46,950 square feet of shoreline and intertidal areas.

• Open 4,300 square feet of shoreline and intertidal area by removing unused structures.

• Place 123,000 cubic yards of clean material.

• Remove three vertical creosote bulkheads and build more habitat-friendly shorelines.

PORT OF BELLINGHAM CONTACT: Port Administrative Offices 360-676-2500 info@portofbellingham.com www.portofbellingham.com 1801 Roeder Ave. Bellingham, WA 98225 HOURS: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Dan Robbins, District One Michael McAuley, District Two Jim Jorgensen, District Three

MEETINGS: 3 p.m. on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month.

Agendas are on the Port website.

THE PORT OPERATES: Bellingham International Airport Bellingham Cruise Terminal Squalicum Harbor Blaine Harbor Fairhaven Marine Industrial Park Bellwether on the Bay Shipping Terminal Airport Industrial Park Sumas Industrial Park

12

The Bellingham Business Journal

THANK YOU TO OUR LEADERSHIP SOCIETY!

Leslye & Dennis O'Shaughnessy, Karen Payne & John Latimer, Bonnie & Kevin Peterson, Todd Pickering, James Reimer, Hans Rensvold, Cody & Tasha Repp, Terri & Stan Salstrom, Kevin Scott, WE ARE PLEASED TO RECOGNIZE THE 377* MEMBERS OF OUR 2015 LEADERSHIP SOCIETY Michael Shenkin, Debra Strom, Steve & Tara (those who contribute $1,000 or more) Sundin, Robin Van Den Berg, Carletta & Burton Vanderbilt, Bruce Veale, Jim & Karen Wakefield, TOCQUEVILLE SOCIETY ($10,000+) Nancy Webster Joseph & Anne McClain

PLATINUM LEVEL ($7,500-$9,999)

LEADERSHIP CIRCLE ($1,000 - $1,499)

June 2015

Thomas Kenney, Rob Kilbourne, Tim H. Kinnison, Cindy & Jamie Klein, Jan Klineburger, Lianne Koenig, Caleb Koorn, Jon Kornelis, Aaron & Janell Kortlever, Jim & Christine Krell, Barbara Krigbaum, Josh Labounty, Marilyn LaCasse, Valerie Lagen, Eugene & Celeste Larson, Valerie Lawson, Charles & MaryLee LeCocq, Irwin & Frances LeCocq, Linda & Mike Long, Kelly Lundy, David & Tisch Lynch, Cindy Madigan, Byron Manering, Mike & Julie Marriott, Ken & Lilian Marzocco, Joseph Mazzacano, Linda McClain & Michael Beal, Bette Kish & Michael McGowan, Colleen A. McKee, Daniel W. McKitrick, Jim & Roberta Mladenik, Erik Morris, Paul & Debbie Murphy, Tim & Janet Murphy, Michael Myers, Rick & Wilma Myren, Steve Nelson, Chris & Astrid Newell, Neal & Carol Nicolay, John & Laura Niekamp, Jack Niekamp, Lori Nightingale, Maureen O'Brien, Dan & Janie Overman, Rick & Ronna Parks, Clark Parrish, MD & Tina Cummings, Anndi Pena, Kathleen Pennington, Bill & Lori Petty, Chris Phillips & Margaret Mamolen, Gordon Polinkus, Pat & Renetta Pollock, Mel & Sue Prather, Kevin L. Probasco, Chris & Alisha Rehberger, Kevin Reid, Anthony Repanich & Julie Florida, Stacy P. Rice, David & Ida Richards, Teresa Roberts, Penny & Bill Roberts, Patricia Rodgers-Marette, Bill & Marla Rodgers, Raymond Rodriguez, Flint Rose, Stephanie Sakowski, Beth Sansoni, Dr. Denise A. Sartz & Gregory P. Sartz, Robert & Moira Schjelderup Family, Justin Schoonover, Albert Seaton, Charles & Phyllis Self, Joshua Sheets, Martha J. Shepler, Julian Silva, Pat & Shelley Simons, Desmond Skubi, Kami M. Smith, Jim Smith, Steve & Norma Sodergren, Ron & Shirley Spanjer, James Steel, Nancy Steiger & Jackson Helsloot, Greg Stern & Naomi Rudo, Pamela Stiglitz, Dr. Dana & Barbara Stiner, Craig Swanson, Tony & Rayna Swope, Stowe & Nina Talbot, Doug & Sandy Thomas, Rick & Nancy Tieman, Tamara Tregoning & Caleb Sanders, Susan & Loch Trimingham Fund of The Whatcom Community Foundation, Lee & Mamiko Van Horn, Corey Vannoy, Luke van't Hoog & Diana Jacobs, Heather Vaughn, Tracy Vaughn, James & Cathlene Verburg, Eli & Elizabeth Vignali, Dr. Steven Wallace & Jennifer Rosquist, Robert Wallace, Brendan Walter, Kaitlin Waters, Darrel & Diane Weiss, Katie Welch & Rob Hysell, Patricia A. Wenke, Toni L. Wilson, Darrin York, Dale & Carmen Zender

David & Jean Abbott, Bea Acland, Carole Aguirre, Claude & Annie Blackburn, Robert & Lisa Langei Teresa Aiello, John & Cindy Andersen, Jeff & Mary Anderson, Judith D. & Philip M. Andress Jr., Keith & Cathy Archambault, Kenneth & Karen Bachenberg, G O L D L E V E L ( $ 5 , 0 0 0 - $ 7 , 4 9 9 ) Brad & Margie Backstrom, Patrick Baker & Holly Tony & Tina Bon, Sally B. Dunavan, R. M. Flucke, Hinman, Monica & Geoff Beaumont, Karen Beebe, Eric & Susan Hirst, Jennifer & Michael Kutcher, Terry Belcoe, Randy & Lori Bellville, Brent & Louie & Tamara Palmer, Spencer T. Palmer, James Slavica Belsher, Matthew Bennett, Kristi & Gunnar & Linda Ryan, Peter & Holly Telfer, Peter Theisen Birkeland, Kenneth Block, Daniel Bosman, Bill & Barb Brausieck, Harte & Jan Bressler, Bob Brim, SILVER LEVEL ($2,500 - $4,999) Allysa D. Bronson, Michael Burke, Tom Burkland & Staci Blow & Amy Kennedy, Laura Brem, Ed & Jacqueline Nicolai, Michael R. Butler, Susan Valerie Bynon, Jr., Royce & Brandi Civico, & Chuck Watts Callan, Bill Carter, Rachel Lucy & Commissioner Martha V. Gross, Brian Jones, Nils & Jason Cecka, Jeffrey & Judy Chambers, Bob Michelle Landis, Steve & Rhonda Lowry, Tim & & Sandy Christie, Kirk Clift, Catherine Conahey, Diane Miller, Kara & Travis Millhollin, Jeanette & Hugh J. Conroy, Joe & Judy Coons Community Fund Bob Morse, Peggy A. Onustack, Chase Palmer, of the Whatcom Community Foundation, Scott Michael & Betsy Schneider, Peter Stark & Judy Corzine, Paula & Jeff Cotton, Steve & Sylvia Calhoun, Shawna M. Unger, Jason & Liz Walker, Crockett, Ron Cubellis & Lesley Norman, Robb Dale, Robert Davis, Elvis & Georgia Dellinger, Brian & Doug & Laura Williams Colleen Deveau, Gurpreet & Ravinder Dhillon & Port Subs, Sheri Dibble, Douglas R. Dickenson, BRONZE LEVEL ($1,500 - $2,499) of Patricia & Jonathan Dubiel, Jason Durfee, Judith Cindy Able, Deborah F. Adelstein, Robert Edwards, Jack Egbert, Crystal Stapel & Phil Allendorfer, John & Susan Arrigoni, Pat Atkinson, Erickson, Joyce Eschliman, Rob Farrow, George M. Steven & Janis Ban, Tracy A. Barnard, Doug & Ferrini, Amanda & Robert Fickeisen, Mark Fierst, Alyson Batchelder-Bestle, Ria Bordian, Patrick & Kevin & Diane Formway, Cliff & Anne Freeman, Dianne Bradshaw, Charlie & Susan Brown, Gordon Michael Fry, Joan Gaasland-Smith & Steven L. Bullivant, Glenn & Janice Butler Fund of The Smith, Kathy Galbraith & David Tuttle, Heather Whatcom Community Foundation, Amanda & Jeff Garcia, Mike & Deanna Gartner, Kelda & Jason Cook, Eileen Coughlin, David & Mary Lynne Gauer, Kathleen & Roger Gavin, Al, Marilyn & Courtney, Dr. James & Veronica Douglas, Jr., Nathan Gill, Dave & Laura Glasgo, Michael & MaryJo Dr. Vincent E. Foster, J. & Krista Gordon, Kirk Gran, Matthew Granito, Tom & Kris Grinstad, Connie Gulden, Frank & Margaret Hachman, Brandon & Guiley, Christine Hansberry, Rich Harbison, Olivia Hahnel, Barry & Brenda Hanson, McCrae Rebecca Hardie, Annette Harvey, Scott & Elsie Harrison, Doug & Lisa Haveman, Scott Hayes, Hazlett, Ryan & Angie Hintz, Terry Hinz & Paula N.F. & Eric Jackson, Tim & Tracy Johnson, Mark & Kobos, John & Linda Hodge, Tom & Debbie Hoyer, Shawna Kitzan, Preston Lamp & Wendy Mouat, Kathy M. Hughes, Jessica Hunt, Kathleen Hutchins, Phil & Sue Latendresse, TJ & Cecilia Lee, Karin Jeff Irving, Guy & Kathy Jansen, Julie Johansen & * 8 6 d o n o r s w i s h t o r e m a i n a n o n y m o u s .

Luce, Bob & Cheryl McCarthy, Moser Family, Mary Bob Moles, Phil & Yvonne Jones, Polly Jones, Judith A l l e f f o r t s w e r e m a d e t o e n s u r e a c c u r a c y .

Ann & Dennis Mosher, Colin & Sarah Naylor, Joyner, Matt & Megan Katzenberg, Nancy M. Keel, Please contact us with questions or concerns.

United Way of Whatcom County (360) 733-8670 unitedwaywhatcom.org like us on Facebook

LIVE UNITED 1325561

GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER.

June 2015

The Bellingham Business Journal

13

Sponsored content provided by Loni Rahm, and Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism.

Community Accolades Help Boost Tourism It seems like every few months, Bellingham and the surrounding region are featured on a “top” or “best” list. And while these accolades serve as a great reinforcement to residents about how fortunate we are to live in a thriving, desirable location -- they also provide credible, objective awareness of the activities and attractions that draw visitors to our area.

This, in turn, supports and extends the overall destination brand message of Bellingham/Whatcom County.

For example, Bellingham was recently ranked the 2nd Most Fitness Friendly City in America (smartasset. com – Jan 2015) for its “great kayaking, canoeing, mountain climbing, skiing and cycling.” Bellingham also had the 8th highest ratio of fitness professionals to working population of any city in the study.

The Huffington Post looked at the entire Northwest Unites States and came up with “15 Northwestern Spots That Will Take Your Breath Away” which includes Bellingham – “a vibrant city situated on an insanely tranquil bay” (April 2014).

Bellingham also earned high accolades in 2014 from Money Magazine who ranked it as one of the “Top 3 Best Places for a WellRounded Retirement”. They touted Bellingham’s technology and green jobs as well as the 100 plus miles of shoreline. Forbes Magazine felt the same way, naming Bellingham one of the “25 Best Places to Retire”. Some of their criteria included a good economy, above-average air quality, low crime and high walkability.

Sunset Magazine identified Bellingham as the “Best Place to Reboot Your Life”, citing a legion of techies have relocated here; start-ups range from farm-to-table restaurants to app developers. They also noted the city’s annual gathering of Linux developers is one of the world’s largest.

Livability.com voted Bellingham on their top 25 places to live, indicating that what makes the city truly exceptional are the amenities: the

easy access to world-class recreation opportunities and a lively arts, culture, and entertainment scene that is the envy of municipalities many times its size. In the same year, Bellingham was ranked #8 on Livability’s “Top 10 Best Downtowns”.

Movoto Blog voted Belligham #8 on their list of best cities in Washington State. That’s high praise.

But Frommer’s Cities Ranked & Rated elevated us to “Best in the Continent!” when they named Bellingham #2 as the BEST place to live compared to all cities in Canada or the U.S. Criteria was based upon demographics, economy, cost of living, climate, education, health and healthcare, low crime, transportation, leisure and recreation, and arts and culture.

We’ve also been recognized as “America’s Healthiest City”, the “Hippest, Healthiest and Most Adventure Packed”, the “Cleanest air in the Nation”, a “Dream Town USA”, a top 5 “Best Ski Town”, “Best Place to Play Year Round”, a “Best Paddling and Adventure Town”, a “Silver Award Cyclist Town”, the “Best Golf City”, a “Top 7 Mountain Biking Destination”, one of the top 25 greatest cities “for sipping wine”, “Adventure Town USA”, a top 20 Ski Mountain, and the #1 EPA Green Power Community in the Nation.

We fully embrace our agricultural accolades as well. Whatcom County is the largest producer of red raspberries in the nation. Our region is home to the 4th largest producer of powdered milk in the US. In a state known for its coffee buzz, Whatcom County holds the record for the most drive-up espresso/coffee stands per-capita.

And as I learned from the Washington Beer Commission just yesterday, we are closing in on a new accolade: most breweries per capita in Washington State.

These accolades reflect the many reasons you and I choose to live, work and play here. They are also an exemplary reason why tourism is a huge part of our economy.

Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism consistently updates our area’s Accolades & Fun Facts (currently 5 pages long).

For a current copy, please email loni@bellingham.org

14

TOOLKIT, FROM 1 piece of municipal code that the Bellingham city council passed in August 2009. City staff developed the toolkit to allow a variety of different types of smaller and denser housing to be built in the city, with a goal of reducing development on farmland and working forests.

Peabody Townhomes is the first big infill toolkit project so far, but a handful of projects are in the planning and permitting stages.

City planners say these first infill toolkit projects could

The Bellingham Business Journal serve as examples and present options for how the city could change as baby boomers get older and millennials enter the housing market.

The toolkit was designed to be used in single-family zoned areas, city planners said, but public opposition led City Council to ban it from those neighborhoods before adopting the ordinance.

The Peabody Townhomes are in an area where zoning allows condos and apartments, which would house more people in the space then the townhomes will.

“We didn’t maximize our profits on this but it gave us the opportunity to test the waters of the toolkit,” Veldman said.

The Peabody Townhomes have seven condo units and include about 26 bedrooms, Veldman said.

Though they don’t maximize the density of the site, the infill toolkit code allows the buildings to be closer to the neighboring houses than they otherwise could.

Providing housing options The infill housing toolkit allows 11 new types

of housing, including a variety of mother-in-lawstyle housing, detached cottages, apartments over garages, duplexes, triplexes, townhouses and small developments of single family homes with shared courtyards.

The housing types are mostly smaller than other housing in Bellingham.

“That is attractive to the emerging demographics such as millennials and baby boomers,” Bellingham city planner Chris Koch said. “Those demographics are looking for smaller homes.”

Koch said not allowing

June 2015 the toolkit in single family zoned areas makes it less effective at reducing sprawl and less attractive to developers. The toolkit is designed for owner-occupied housing, and there’s less incentive for developers to build that in areas where they could build apartments.

But many homeowners in single family neighborhoods don’t want their neighborhoods to get denser.

When Patrick McKee, Chairman of the Sunnyland Neighborhood Association, moved into his home in single-family-zoned por-

tion of the neighborhood, he never imagined that the neighborhood could be changed to be denser.

“When I shopped for it in 1996 I purposefully went to areas that I knew were zoned for single-family use, and many people do that,” McKee said. “People who live here didn’t consider that they were going to bring these multifamily housing types into these single family neighborhoods.”

McKee likes the design standards of the toolkit, which require houses to fit the old craftsmen style homes and character of the neighborhood, at least more so than non-toolkit projects, but he doesn’t think it’s necessary to add density in single-family neighborhoods.

Population in the city has grown less than recent projections and McKee suspects the people who would be interested in owning a house on former farmland wouldn’t be interested in living in a dense downtown neighborhood.

“The people who are gobbling up farmland in 5-acre ranchettes are not the people who want to buy on a small lot in Bellingham,” he said. “There are ways to protect farmland, but cramming people into Bellingham is not one of them.”

How much growth can Bellingham accommodate?

The City of Bellingham is wrestling with how to handle potential growth as city staff work to update to the city’s 20-year comprehensive plan by mid-2016, as required by the state’s

Toolkit, PAGE 16

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Bellingham / Whatcom Chamber of Commerce & Industry : Representing Businesses Across Whatcom County

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Junior Ski to Sea Parade and Junior Ski to Sea Race presented by Haggen! We could not do it without our volunteers, interns, staff & sponsors!

Congratulations to the 2015 Junior Parade winners:

Congratulations to the 2015 Blossomtime Parade winners:

1st Place Marching Band - Ferndale Middle School 2nd Place Marching Band - Blaine Middle School 3rd Place Marching Band - Meridian Middle School Best Pet - Kristin Uhrig with Jack the Husky Best Decorated Bike - Happy Hero Babies Best Large Float - Fircreek Day Camp Best Small Float - Perch and Play and The Playschool Best Walking Group - Geneva Elementary School Best Novelty/Most Unique - Bellingham Ballet Presents Peter Pan Judge’s Choice - The Boys and Girls Clubs of Whatcom County Judge’s Choice - The United States Coast Guard Judge’s Choice - The Whatcom Museum Judge’s Choice - Interfaith Community Health Center Grand Prize - Catch the Son Preschool

Thank you to the Junior Parade & Race sponsors: Junior Parade Title Sponsor:

Junior Race Title Sponsor:

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Blossomtime Parade presented by Camel Safari ! Once again, you made this event a huge success! Thank you to our sponsors and volunteers, without whom our events would not be possible! We would also like to thank all the parade participants for their amazing floats, performances, cars, bands, and most of all their enthusiasm!

Parade Sponsor:

First Place "A" Marching Band - Mount Baker High School First Place "AA" Marching Band - Bremerton High School First Place "AAA" Marching Band - Marysville Pilchuck High School Best Drum Line - Bellingham High School Best Drum Major - Squalicum High School Best Drill Team - Ferndale High School Best Dance Team - Bremerton High School Best Cheer Squad - Bellingham High School Ralph Pauley Award - Best Nonprofit Band Performance - Bellingham Firefighters Pipes and Drums Best Equestrian Costume or Novelty - Daughters of Norway Best Draft Horse Hitch - Historic Fairhaven Association Best Equestrian - Camel Safari Best Equestrian Group - Historic Fairhaven Association Best Clean-up Crew - Camel Safari Best Green Float - Bellingham Mayor Kelli Linville & Whatcom County Executive Jack Louws' Pedal Party Best Memorial Day Theme Float - Whatcom County Marine Corps League Detachment 1335 County Executive's Award - Best Themed Float - Fircreek and ASA: Every Kid Deserves a Hero Chamber of Commerce Award - Best Commercial Float - Silver Reef Hotel Casino Spa Mayor's Award - Best Decorated Nonprofit Float - Gurmat Khalsa Punjabi School Grand Sweepstakes Award for the Most Outstanding Float - Deming Log Show Best Fire Truck - Bellingham Fire Department Best Law Enforcement Vehicle - Western Washington University John C. Burley Award for Best Military or Fraternal Entry - Albert J. Hamilton Post #7, The American Legion, Bellingham Best Antique Car - Gomer Owens' Antique Model A 1930 Coupe Best Antique Truck - Bornstein Seafoods' 1910 REO Delivery Wagon Best Decorated Car - Port of Bellingham Best Association/Car Club Presentation - Gear Heads of Whatcom County Best Car Club Spirit - 4th Corner Elites Car Club Best Motorcycle - Albert J. Hamilton Post #7, The American Legion, Bellingham Best Novelty - Bellingham Sea Hawkers Booster Club Best Themed Walking Group - Northwest Ballet Theatre Presents Sleeping Beauty Most Enthusiastic Group - Filipino American Association

Thank you to our sponsors:

Junior Race Sponsors:

Parade Sponsors: Title Sponsor:

Grand Marshal Sponsor:

16

The Bellingham Business Journal

TOOLKIT, FROM 14

Growth Management Act. The mid-range population projections from the state’s Office of Financial Management forecast about 30,000 new residents in Bellingham in the next 20 years. The city can accommodate those residents in its current Urban Growth Area, said Rick Sepler, City of Bellingham Planning and Community Development director.

Planning staff and City Council are looking at adding land at the edge of the city that would accommodate more single family housing and would be necessary to accommodate the number of new residents predicted in the higherrange growth forecasts.

For now, the toolkit is less about dealing with growth and more about providing more housing options, City of Bellingham senior planner Kurt Nabbefeld said.

“We believe that many of the housing forms associated with the toolkit are what folks want,” Nabbafeld said.

“They want more options

The site of the Peabody Townhomes project before development. The townhomes are the first major project to use the Infill Housing Toolkit, which the city adopted in 2009. OLIVER LAZENBY | THE BELLINGHAM BUSINESS JOURNAL

and these forms are geared toward that.”

Toolkit won’t be forced Unlike Tacoma, Seattle and other Puget Sound cities, Bellingham isn’t ready for single-family neighbor-

hoods to get more dense, Sepler said.

“The city has a checkered history of advancing infill projects. Forcing it hasn’t worked really well,” he said. “What generally helps infill succeed is a growing demand for the product it

provides, and our market is just not ripe yet.”

June 2015 But the market could be ripening. If housing continues to get more expensive, Sepler thinks more people will begin to support denser housing in single-family neighborhoods.

Housing in neighborhoods zoned single-family is getting more expensive and many of their residents are aging, Sepler said. As property taxes go up, aging residents may look to leave the neighborhoods. Eventually, the city has to provide more housing options or neighborhoods will gentrify, Sepler said.

Sepler’s waiting to see if the infill toolkit projects

currently underway change people’s minds about the Infill Housing Toolkit.

“Do they fit in? Do they achieve the notion of preserving character? We’ll let folks come to their own conclusions on that,” he said. “If I was an existing resident in a single family neighborhood I would want to make sure anything that came into my neighborhood fit in. They deserve that.”

Oliver Lazenby, associate editor of The Bellingham Business Journal, can be reached at 360-647-8805, Ext. 5052, or olazenby@bbjtoday.com.

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17

The Bellingham Business Journal

June 2015

By the Building Industry Association of Whatcom County

June is National Homeownership Month

Homeownership is the foundation of the American Dream, and the home building industry celebrates this by recognizing June as National Homeownership Month.

For more than a century, generations of Americans have counted on their homes for their children’s education, their own retirement and a personal sense of pride and accomplishment.

Owning your home means owning your future — a place to raise your family, fulfill your dreams and create strong communities.

Over the long term, homeownership is a solid stepping stone to a future of financial security. The equity accumulated

1650 Baker Creek Place, Bellingham, WA 98226

1983

States.

The BIAWC works tirelessly in Whatcom County advocating for sensible policy to keep homeownership within the reach of our citizens.

The percentage of homeowners versus renters in Bellingham has fallen and is significantly lower than the national average.

More families rent their homes than own their homes in Bellingham.

We encourage the community to come together and support increased housing forms, more opportunity to build smaller homes on smaller lots and increases in the buildable land supply.

We want you to own your home!

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economy relies on housing and nothing packs a bigger local economic impact than home building.

Constructing 100 new singlefamily homes creates 297 fulltime jobs, $28 million in wage and business income and $11.1 million in federal, state and local tax revenue.

A healthy housing industry means more jobs and a stronger economy. Home building increases the property tax base that supports local schools and communities.

Housing, like no other sector, is “Made in America.” Most of the products used in home construction and remodeling are manufactured here in the United

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over years of homeownership can be used to help pay for college, to downsize into a retirement home, or for a range of future financial needs.

The nation’s housing and homeownership policies over the last century have contributed to the growth of the middle class and helped the United States become the most dynamic economy the world has ever seen.

Housing is also vitally important to local, state and national economies. It is critical that homeownership remains attainable and that access to safe, decent and affordable housing remains a national priority.

Fully 15 percent of the U.S.

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18

Public Records BUSINESS LICENSES Listings, which feature both new and renewed licenses in Bellingham, include business name, licensee name and the business’ physical address.

Records are obtained from the City of Bellingham.

3d Petting Zoo and Hobby Farm, Kristen Dooley, 4545 Aldrich Rd., Bellingham, WA. 30 Minute Hit Bellingham, Lyman Fitness Limited, 2039 Moore St., Bellingham, WA. 360 (TEXTILE Design Farm) Llc, 360 (TEXTILE Design Farm) Llc, 1124 Raymond St., Bellingham, WA. Afterlight, Afterlight Llc, 311 E Holly St., Bellingham, WA. Ahzalhea Designs, Laura Caroline Hale, 128 Crestline Dr., Bellingham, WA. All Service Sew & Vac, Jerry Robert Davis, 213 Crown Ln, Bellingham, WA. America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses #5249, National Vision, Inc., 4297 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA. Anzees Khan, Anzees Khan, 408 Grady Way, Bellingham, WA. Ascend Chiropractic, Llc, Ascend Chiropractic, Llc, 1409 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham, WA. Barber Shack, Jared Rame Rodelas-Kent, 2610 W Maplewood, Bellingham, WA. Bel Euromarket Llc, Bel Euromarket Llc, 4151 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA. Belakcon, Bellingham Association For Krishna Consciousness, 1109 N State St., Bellingham, WA. Bella Commerce, Llc, Bella Commerce, Llc, 988 Pacific Rim Ln., Bellingham, WA. Bellingham Alternative Library, Bellingham Alternative Library,519 E Maple St., Bellingham, WA. Bellingham Association For Krishna Consciousness, Bellingham Association For Krishna Consciousness, 1121 N State St., Bellingham, WA. Bellingham Family Counseling, Pllc, Bellingham Family Counseling, Pllc, 1101 Harris Ave., Bellingham, WA. Bellingham Obstetrics And Gynecology, Pllc, Bellingham Obstetrics And Gynecology, Pllc, 3200 Squalicum Pkwy., Bellingham, WA. Bellwether Real Estate Llc, Bellwether Real Estate, Llc, 11 Bellwether Way, Bellingham, WA. Bird In Hand Design, Allison Faith Potts, 2808 Woburn St., Bellingham, WA. Birth Advantage Doula Services, Molly Rianne Seimears, 230 E Smith Rd., Bellingham, WA. Black & White Army Sc, Black & White Army Sc, 3310 Alderwood Ave., Bellingham, WA. Blue Candy Mining, Clayton Frederick Shaya, 746b Marine Dr., Bellingham, WA. Blue Heron International, Richard D Johnson, 718 Coho Way, Bellingham, WA. Boundary Bay Law, Boundary Bay Law Corp., 1313 E Maple St., Bellingham, WA. Brian Barclay Pemberton, Brian Barclay Pemberton, 2623 S. Harbor Loop Dr., Bellingham, WA. Bruce Shaw’s …, Bruce A Shaw, 628 Old Samish Rd., Bellingham, WA. Bunny’s B Nice Cream, Varvara A Gubina, 3708 Home Rd., Bellingham, WA. Buy Discount Online, Dennis Lee Bay, 1440 Harris Ave., Bellingham, WA. Cafe Bouzingo, The Laughing Eye, Ltd., 1209 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham, WA. Capture Share Repeat Llc, Capture Share Repeat Llc, 10 Loganberry Ln, Bellingham, WA. Carmen Winquist, Carmen Winquist, 5862 Noon Rd., Bellingham, WA. Castle Services, Lynne Castle, 174 Harbor View Dr., Bellingham, WA. Casual Cannabis, Casual Hp Productions Llc. 3332 Mt Baker Hwy. Bellingham. WA. Caylie Mash Photography, Caylie Mash, 2520 Douglas Ave., Bellingham, WA. Cee Cee Jewelry And Gifts, Christine Childs, 2423 C St., Bellingham, WA. Ceh Construction, Judson Montgomery Hancock, 1101 Dondee Ct., Bellingham, WA. Chris Paulenich, Christopher George Paulenich, 1410 E Illinois St., Bellingham, WA.

The Bellingham Business Journal

Christina Kay Kirwood, Christina Kay Kirkwood, 335 Ohio St., Bellingham, WA. Coastal Construction and Excavation, Woods Design Studio, Inc., 850 Timberlake Way, Bellingham, WA. Coinbeyond Inc., Coinbeyond Inc., 114 W. Magnolia St., Bellingham, WA. College Pro Painters Of Bellingham, Bryonne Kayleen Langlois, 4160 Wayside Ct., Bellingham, WA. Comfort Kills L.L.C., Comfort Kills L.L.C., 3868 Primrose Ln., Bellingham, WA. Crosby Glass, Erin Crosby, 1424 Grant St., Bellingham, WA. Davis & Sanon Group, Davis & Sanon Group, 1053 Sunset Ave., Bellingham, WA. Dc Consulting, Delaine Clizbe, 1896 Governor Rd., Bellingham, WA. Decode Creative, Gordon Brandon Allen, 4673 Bedford Ave., Bellingham, WA. Delorean, Brown & Mcfly, Wear Cupcakes, Llc, 1200 Harris Ave., Bellingham, WA. Depp Interiors, Llc, Depp Interiors, Llc, 2811 Broadway St., Bellingham, WA. Digitalsoaps, Llc, Digitalsoaps, Llc, 4141 Bakerview Spur, Bellingham, WA. Dks Inc., Dks Inc., 468 W Horton Rd., Bellingham, WA. Douglas W Schoonover, Douglas W Schoonover, 863 Saint Andrews Way, Bellingham, WA. Dr. Watts, Dr. Watts, Llc, 2917 Broad St., Bellingham, WA. Dsw Consulting, Dsw Consulting Inc., 1924 Blakely Ct., Bellingham, WA. E. A. Green Properties Llc, E. A. Green Properties Llc, 2422 View Ridge Dr., Bellingham, WA. Elite Flooring Llc, Elite Flooring Llc, 1709 Electric Ave., Bellingham, WA. Elsa & Co Photography, Elyssa Hanline, 2051 Wildflower Way, Bellingham, WA. Emend Computer Services, Emend Computer Services, 881 Bennett Rd., Bellingham, WA. Eve Elemental Llc, Eve Elemental Llc, 1205 Humboldt St., Bellingham, WA. Exponential Integration Consulting, Tia Michelle Teachman, 2409 Huron St., Bellingham, WA. Finch Precious Metals Llc, Finch Precious Metals Llc, 407 Virginia St., Bellingham, WA. Fireweed Medical, Amanda Elena Apitz, 310 Palm St., Bellingham, WA. Ga Boy Productions, Kentavious Shealy, 2672 Haxton Way, Bellingham, WA. Gert’s Kitchen, Gertrude Achale James, 1559 Fruitland Dr., Bellingham, WA. Ginger Blossom Babies, Ermelinda G Tisdale, 2423 F St., Bellingham, WA. Green House Data, Inc., Green House Data, Inc., 808 Coho Way, Bellingham, WA. Hand Picked Price, Kathleen Ann Evans, 1007 Nevada St., Bellingham, WA. Homeskillet Hot Sauce Company, Homeskillet Foodstuffs Llc, 521 Kentucky St., Bellingham, WA. Ingram Environmental, Andrew Nicholas Ingram, 2726 Douglas Ave., Bellingham, WA. Integrated Systems Design Group, Integrated Systems Design Group Llc, 4001 Irongate Rd., Bellingham, WA. Integrity Contracting Llc, Integrity Contracting Llc, 2626 Jaeger St., Bellingham, WA. Island Quality Painting Llc, Island Quality Painting Llc, 2716 Douglas Ave., Bellingham, WA. J K Fisheries Inc, J.K. Fisheries Inc., 3105 Cedarwood Ave., Bellingham, WA. J&M Builders & Designs, J&M Builders & Designs, Inc., 2830 W. Maplewood Ave., Bellingham, WA. Jacobsen’s Handyman, Kevin Jacobsen, 1515 Humboldt St., Bellingham, WA. Jalima Professional Cleaning Services, Llc, Jalima Professional Cleaning Services, Llc, 73 N. Point Dr., Bellingham, WA. Jaxon Art, Rachel Jackson, 2615 Woburn St., Bellingham, WA. Jbere, Micah Bobbink, 1610 Iron St., Bellingham, WA. Jd Elite Fitness Llc, Jd Elite Fitness Llc, 1420 Meador Ave., Bellingham, WA.

Jean Leslie Baker, Jean Leslie Baker, 190 E Kellogg Rd., Bellingham, WA. Jessie Bennett Photography, Jesusa A Bennett, 3829 Kansas St., Bellingham, WA. John Chester Harris, John Chester Harris, 1701 36th St., Bellingham, WA. Kinder Morgan Inc., Kinder Morgan Inc., 009 E Smith Rd., Bellingham, WA. Kinetikos Animation Co., Colin Stanley Dalvit, 1518 Mckenzie Ave., Bellingham, WA. Kloa, Llc, Kloa, Llc, 3042 Eldridge Ave., Bellingham, WA. Knits For Global Health, Katherine Margaret Smoucha, 835 N. State St., Bellingham, WA. Ky32 Records, Thelma Araceli Garcia Amerzrua, 2815 Nevada St., Bellingham, WA. La Gloria Market, La Gloria Market Inc., 4739 Guide Meridian, Everson, WA. Lane X, Llc, Lane X, Llc, 228 E Champion St., Bellingham, WA. Law Office Of Patrick T. Lackie, Patrick Terrance Lackie, 114 W. Magnolia St., Bellingham, WA. Leslie Cook, Leslie Cook, 3105 Cherrywood Ave., Bellingham, WA. Little Dog Properties Llc, Little Dog Properties Llc, 837 Spieden Ln., Bellingham, WA. Lost Sparrow Clothing Radd Print Shop, Lost Sparrow Clothing, 2001 Lakeway Dr., Bellingham, WA. Luigi Colombo, Luigi Colombo, 114 W. Magnolia St., Ste 400, Bellingham, WA. Mana Bodyworks Inc., Mana Bodyworks Inc., 2405 Broadway St., Bellingham, WA. Manatee Commune, Grant L Eadie, 310 Highland Dr., Bellingham, WA. Mann Llc, Mann Llc, 1711 Concord Ct., Bellingham, WA. Matthew Van Den Heuvel, Matthew Van Den Heuvel, 1020 Mason St., Bellingham, WA. Mia Construction Group, Inc., Mia Construction Group, Inc., 239 W Axton Rd., Bellingham, WA. Moss Mountain Bakery, Moss Mountain Bakery, 1309 N. State St., Bellingham, WA. My Assistant, Jen, Jennifer Ann Evans, 2200 J St., Bellingham, WA. My Garden Nursery, My Garden Nursery Corp., 929 E Bakerview Rd.,Bellingham, WA. Nikas Auto Sales, Nikas Auto Sales Llc, 4770 Pacific Hwy., Bellingham, WA. Niver Fish Co Inc., Niver Fish Co Inc., 1906 Harris Ave., Bellingham, WA. Northwest Fishing Ventures, Northwest Fishing Lures, 2423 F St., Bellingham, WA. Northwest Jobs Alliance, Northwest Jobs Alliance, 103 E. Holly, Bellingham, WA. Pacific Culinary Enterprises, Glenn Denkler, 1001 Larrabee Ave., Bellingham, WA. Painted Peace Llc, Painted Peace Llc, 1769 Lake Louise Rd., Bellingham, WA. Patrick Wilson Artwork, Patrick Ryan Wilson, 107 Grand Ave., Bellingham, WA. Pc Repairs And Services, Sergiy V Voytovych, 455 Barnes Rd., Bellingham, WA. Peace Centers, Peace Centers, 314 E Holly St., Bellingham, WA. Performance Data Llc, Performance Data Llc, 2000 Kentucky St., Bellingham, WA. Phe-Ball Tremont Llc, Phe-Ball Tremont Llc, 355 Tremont Ave., Bellingham, WA. Phoebe Wahl, Phoebe Alexander Wahl, 1125 16th St., Bellingham, WA. Piercings By Chance, Chance Ray Sledge, 1409 Commercial St., Bellingham, WA. Pozie By Natalie, Natalie Renee Ransom, 2424 Spruce St., Bellingham, WA. Premium Events By Lisa, Lisa Ranae Vaughn, 2610 Alvarado Dr., Bellingham, WA. Pterodactyl Handmade Goods, Tera Lynn Contezac, 2900 Lakeway Dr., Bellingham, WA. Q Heffner Glass, Marque Samuel Mingledorff, 2185 Alpine Way Ste 102B, Bellingham, WA. Rasode & Son Construction, Rajinder Singh, 3725 Bristol St., Bellingham, WA. Raven Design, Mona C Viereck, 1005 13th St.,

June 2015

Bellingham, WA. Rdk Trucking Inc., Rdk Trucking Inc., 617 W Horton Way, Bellingham, WA. Retro Commerce, Alexander Cameron Smith, 3760 Canterbury Ln., Bellingham, WA. Reyes Tutoring, Chesed Reyes, 2914 Victor St., Bellingham, WA. Rlh Management Inc., Rlh Management Inc., 2351 N Shore Rd., Bellingham, WA. Rodney Smartlowit Tattoos, Rodney J Smartlowit, 2414 1/2 Kulshan St., Bellingham, WA. Root Trading Company, Root Trading Company, Llc, 1943 Lake Crest Dr., Bellingham, WA. Ruby’s Home Cleaning Services, Regina Montano Guzman, 5860 Pacific Rim Ct., Bellingham, WA. Safe Place: Bellingham, Skookum Kids, 1415 14th St., Bellingham, WA. Salish Sea Experience, Krista L Gordon, Llc, 2015 Evening Star Ln, Bellingham, WA. Sands Enterprises, Sands Enterprises, L.L.C., 982 Kelly Rd., Bellingham, WA. Sasquatch Cannabis Company, Sasquatch Cannabis Company Llc, 4929 Everson Goshen Rd., Bellingham, WA. Sean Eric Rodrick, Sean Eric Rodrick, 250 N State St., Bellingham, WA. Serenity Now, Verna Jean Avarell, 1215 Mill Ave., Bellingham, WA. Sew Chic By Tessa, Tessa Elizabeth Mathis, 2621 Undine St., Bellingham, WA. Sheena Shines Janitorial Service, Maria Rodriguez, 2600 Vallette St., Bellingham, WA. Sheryl’s Gardens, Sheryl Ann Griffith, 4000 Flynn St., Bellingham, WA. Sinclair Realty, Inc., Sinclair Realty, Inc., 431 N State St., Bellingham, WA. Skagit Bank, Skagit Bank, 128 E Holly St., Bellingham, WA. Smith Financial Group, Inc., Smith Financial Group, Inc., 2019 Evening Star Ln., Bellingham, WA. Solomon K Perry, Solomon K Perry, 1115 Lenora Ct., Bellingham, WA. Solstice Health Resources, Sondra-Joan Solstice Lappin, 82 Polo Park Dr., Bellingham, WA. Sound Venture Group, Llc, Sound Venture Group, Llc, 1709 F St., Bellingham, WA. Spectre Resources, Mike Garland, 1418 Harris Ave., Bellingham, WA. Ss Sales, Inc., Ss Sales, Inc., 496 S State St., Bellingham, WA. Stacey Enterprises, Stacey M Peter, 1226 N. State St. Bellingham, WA. Steven Dale Scharton, Steven Dale Scharton, 4149 Ridgewood Ave., Bellingham, WA. Susan Willhoft, Susan Willhoft, 3135 Alderwood Ave., Bellingham, WA. Sweet Green Fields Usa Llc, Sweet Green Fields Usa Llc, 11 Bellwether Way Ste 305, Bellingham, WA. Tcby The Country’s Best Yougurt, Tahsin-Tanisha Inc., 1 Bellis Fair Pkwy Ste 516, Bellingham, WA. Tdk Law Group, Pllc, Tdk Law Group, Pllc, 1200 Old Fairhaven Pkwy, Bellingham, WA. Terrence Alan Brooks, Terrence Alan Brooks, 2701 St Paul St., Bellingham, WA. The Wainman Law Office Llc, The Wainman Law Office Llc, 215 Flora St., Bellingham, WA. Thomas D. Neeleman, Esq., L.C., Thomas D. Neeleman, Esq., L.C., 1007 Larrabee Ave., Bellingham, WA. Top Shelf Cc Llc, Top Shelf Cannabis Clothing Llc, 1104 E Clearbrook Dr., Bellingham, WA. Vanity 79, Vanity Shop Of Grand Forks, Inc., 1 Bellis Fair Pkwy, Bellingham, WA. Varvid Connected Event Llc, 1319 Commercial St., Bellingham, WA. Washington State Food Trucks Association, Washington State Food Trucks Association, 336 36th St # 212, Bellingham, WA. Wccg, Inc., Wccg, Inc., 5373 Guide Meridian, Blaine, WA. Wet Tile And Stone, William Enrique Toensing, 3305 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA. Whatcom Community Foundation, Whatcom

Community Foundation, 1500 Cornwall Ave. Ste. 202, Bellingham, WA. Whatcom Wax, Jaramie Lee Thomas, 2200 Pacific St., Bellingham, WA. Whimsey, Camela Kai Grichel, 1001 Harris Ave., Bellingham, WA. Wild Berry Gardens, Ayesha Renee Brookshier, 2810 Kulshan St., Bellingham, WA. Zed Presents, Cat Carnell, 4237 Wintergreen Ln., Bellingham, WA.

BUILDING PERMITS

Includes commercial building activity in Bellingham with an estimated valuation listed at $10,000 or more. Records are obtained from the City of Bellingham’s Permit Center. Status updates on permits are available on the city’s website at http:// pnw.cc/sVCen. 4/20/15 to 4/24/15 Permits issued 635 Telegraph Road, $20,000 to construct new stormwater detention vault to serve 635 and 655 Telegraph Road. Contractor: Palakika2 LLC. Permit No.: BLD2015-00062. 4/20/15.

1 Bellis Fair Parkway 310, $40,000 for commercial: install retail fixtures/racking per engineering for tenant remodel: Famous Footwear. Contractor: Horizon Retail Construction Inc., Permit No.: BLD2015-00096.

4/22/15.

714 Ohio St., $285,000 for tenant improvement: remodel former Bakery wholesale/retail for paint wholesale/retail tenant; includes two concrete pads for trash enclosure and delivery pad. Contractor: The Franklin Corporation. Permit No.: BLD2015-00045.

4/24/15.

Pending applications 615 N Garden St., $800,000 for multifamily: new 7-unit multifamily building. Permit No.: BLD201500102. 4/20/15.

4055 Hammer Drive 103, $10,000 for tenant improvement: improve existing warehouse and office space for marijuana producing and processing business: Green Dreamer LLC. Permit No.: BLD201500030. 4/20/15.

1504 Iowa St., $155,000 for tenant improvement: addition of restaurant in existing gym: Place Sociale.

Permit No.: BLD2015-00160. 4/22/15.

4564 Meridian St., $563,808 for commercial: new 8,208-square-foot building for marijuana production.

Permit No.: BLD2015-00049. 4/22/15.

3121 Squalicum Parkway, $1,300,000 for commercial: interior renovation of an existing skilled nursing facility. Permit No.: BLD2014-00519. 4/23/15.

Demolition permits None issued for this date range.

4/27/16 to 5/1/15 Permits issued 3920 Affinity Lane, $85,000 for new swimming pool and spa. Contractor: Taylor Industries Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00085. 4/27/15.

1148 10th St., $120,000 for tenant improvement: new restaurant in shell tenant space. Permit No.: BLD2014-00561. 4/28/15.

750 Lakeway Drive, $35,000 for commercial: tire storage racking. Contractor: Deacon Corp. of Washington. Permit No.: BLD2014-00551. 4/30/15.

4000 Block Kingston St., $12,500 for new retaining wall with attached fence on the east side of the 4000 block of Kingston Street and 708 Woodbury Way: Halice Court Plat. Permit No.: BLD2015-00056. 5/1/15.

Pending applications 205 Propsect St. 108, $39,000 for tenant improvement: interior and minor exterior improvements to prepare for future tenant. Includes new windows, doors, bathroom, electrical room, custodial room and partitions. Permit No.: BLD201500167. 4/27/15.

3033 Coolidge Drive, $2,400,000 for commercial: 5,882-square-foot addition and remodel to existing elementary school (Parkview Elementary). Permit No.: BLD2015-00164. 4/27/15.

4341 Water Lily LP, $526,022 for new three-story multifamily building. Permit No.: BLD2014-00458.

RECORDS, PAGE 19

June 2015

RECORDS, FROM 18 4/27/15.

4335 Water Lily LP, $526,022 for new three-story multifamily building. Permit No.: BLD2014-00457.

4/27/15.

4345 Water Lily LP, $526,022 for new three-story multifamily building. Permit No.: BLD2014-00456.

4/27/15.

4349 Water Lily LP, $526,022 for new three-story multifamily building. Permit No.: BLD2014-00458.

4/27/15.

4343 Fuchsia Drive, $526,022 for new three-story multifamily building. Permit No.: BLD2014-00454.

4/27/15.

4355 Fuchsia Drive, $385,816 for construction of community building for future multifamily building, includes site improvements for phase 1. Permit No.: BLD2014-00433. 4/27/15.

1321 Dupont St., $15,000 for tenant improvement: construct interior walls, ADA bathroom for new office space. Permit No.: BLD2015-00168. 4/28/15.

4060 Meridian St., $28,000 for tenant improvement: demolition of non-bearing walls and change of occupancy from auto repair to retail. Contractor: Scoboria Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00122.

4/28/15.

4105 Arctic Ave., $1,225,000 for commercial: new fuel station. Permit No.: BLD2015-00047. 4/28/15.

4125 Arctic Ave., $16,975,000 for commercial: new retail warehouse and tire center. Permit No.: BLD201500046. 4/28/15.

2211 Queen St., $10,000 for commercial: construct wheel-chair ramp, deck and ADA bathroom for future tenant. Permit No.: BLD2015-00131. 4/29/15.

4055 Hammer Drive 103, $10,000 for tenant improvement: improve existing warehouse and office space for marijuana producing and processing business: Green Dreamer LLC. Permit No.: BLD201500030. 4/29/15.

600 Birchwood Ave., $142,000 for commercial: Construct clean room within existing building for compounding and chemo. Permit No.: BLD201500171. 4/30/15.

1313 Commercial St., $17,500 for tenant improvement: renovate waiting area for new break room and modify office cubicles. Permit No.:BLD2015-00173. 5/1/15.

1 Bellis Fair Parkway 702, $75,000 for tenant improvement: remove and replace sales counters.

Permit No.: BLD2015-00172. 5/1/15.

4210 Meridian St., $119,000 for tenant improvement: combine suites for new retail mattress store. BLD2015-00140. 5/1/15.

5/4/15 to 5/8/15 Permits issued 400 36th St., $22,500 for commercial: replace ceiling hung bike rack for REI. Contractor: Northway Construction Inc., Permit No.: BLD2015-00154. 5/5/15.

4055 Hammer Drive 103, $10,000 for tenant improvement: Improve existing warehouse and office space for marijuana producing and processing business: Green Dreamer LLC. Permit No.: BLD201500030. 5/5/15.

201 Prospect St., $148,000 for EF 0112: Commercial:

19

The Bellingham Business Journal removal of existing built up roofing and replace with new insulation and TPO membrane. Contractor: Hytech Roofing Inc. Permit No.: BLD2014-00527. 5/5/15.

635 Telegraph Road, $182,935 for new 3-unit multifamily building. Contractor: Palakika2 LLC. Permit No.: BLD2015-00065. 5/6/15.

3628 Meridian St. 2B, $175,000 for tenant improvement and addition to existing orthodontics clinic. Contractor: The Franklin Corporation. Permit No.: BLD2014-00549. 5/6/15.

3310 Northwest Ave., $10,000 for new bike kiosk: approximately 144 square feet. Permit No.: BLD201500183. 5/7/15.

2211 Queen St., $10,000 for commercial: construct wheelchair ramp, deck and ADA bathroom for future tenant. Permit No.: BLD2015-00131. 5/7/15.

1313 Commercial St., $17,500 for tenant improvement: renovate waiting area for new coffee bar and modify office cubicles: Faithlife. Permit No.: BLD2015-00173. 5/8/15.

4102 Deemer Road 101 & 201, $319,040 for new duplex. Permit No.: BLD2015-00059. 5/4/15.

4102 Deemer Road 101 & 201, $319,040 for new duplex. Permit No.: BLD2015-00058. 5/4/15.

Pending applications 1041 24th St., $15,000 for new retaining walls for Happy Valley Elementary School replacement. Permit No.: BLD2015-00175. 5/4/15.

1041 24th St., $8,860,446 for new two-story replacement of elementary school on existing site: Happy Valley Elementary. Permit No.: BLD2015-00066.

5/4/15.

1015 Girard St., $50,000 for tenant improvement: repair existing building, renovate exterior, remove interior access to residential unit, and add bathroom for future tenant division and heating system. Permit No.: BLD2015-00147. 5/5/15.

1308 Northshore Drive, $80,000 for stormwater treatment facility including 3 cast in place retaining walls for sand filters, 1 block retaining wall adjcent to access ramp and 1 concrete vault for filterra bioretention. Permit No.: BLD2015-00101. 5/5/15.

1622 N State St., $10,000 for tenant improvement: new storage area, bike repair shop, and bike display stands in existing warehouse: Kona USA. Permit No.: BLD2015-00180. 5/6/15.

1030 Lakeway Drive, $400,000 for commercial: add new exterior entry vestibule, replace grocery store front and skylights: Whole Foods Market. Contractor: The Franklin Corporation. Permit No.: BLD2015-00155.

5/6/15.

400 Sequoia Drive, $490,000 for tenant improvement: reduce size of tenant space on first floor, remodel interior, add additional entrance and two new windows. Contractor: Dawson Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00181. 5/6/15.

2030 Division St., $20,000 for commercial alteration: install eight foot tall manufactured walls to create separation of sleeping rooms in existing residential treatment facility. Permit No.: BLD2015-00184. 5/7/15.

205 Prospect St., $39,000 for shell improvement: interior and minor exterior improvements to prepare for future tenant. Includes new windows, doors, bathroom, electrical room, custodial room, and partitions. Permit No.: BLD2015-00167. 5/7/15.

1001 C St., $50,000 for commercial: erect new 1o-foot-by-8-foot tent structure. Permit No.: BLD2015-

00182. 5/7/15.

4104 Bakerview Spur, $2,239,000 for commercial: new 34,302 square foot pre-engineered metal building for warehouse and offices. Contractor: Wellman and Zuck Construction LLC. Permit No.: BLD2015-00185.

Demolition permits None issued for this date range.

5/11/15 to 5/15/15 Permits issued 615 N Garden St., $1,041,932 for new seven-unit multifamily building with basement parking garage.

Contractor: Presco Construction. Permit No.: BLD201500102. 5/11/15.

1622 N State St., $10,000 for tenant improvement: new storage area, bike repair shop, and bike display stands in existing warehouse: Kona USA. Contractor: The Odd Jobber. permit No.: BLD2015-00180. 5/13/15.

Pending applications 2901 Squalicum Parkway NT, $219,754 for commercial: construct 10-foot-tall by 20-foot in diameter concrete emergency water reservoir (potable, not for fire flow); install new booster pump. Permit No.: BLD2015-00189. 5/11/15.

1321 Dupont St., $15,000 for tenant improvement: finish shell commercial space in new mixed use building for offices. Permit No.: BLD2015-00168.

5/11/15.

4600 Meridian St., $28,000 for tenant improvement: demo of non-bearing walls and change of occupancy from auto repair (S-1 & B) to retail. Contractor: Scoboria Construction Inc. Permit No.: BLD2015-00122. 5/11/15.

1616 Cornwall Ave. 115, $58,000 for tenant improvement: remodel suite for staff offices: Interfaith.

Permit No.: BLD2015-00188. 5/11/15.

1616 Cornwall Ave. 205, $1,178,960 for tenant improvement: second floor renovation to add behavioral health and dental offices: Interfaith. Permit No.: BLD2015-00187. 5/11/15.

1021 Yew St. $400,000 to construct underground stormwater vault for new subdivision. permit No.: BLD2015-00186. 5/11/15.

4562 Meridian St., $563,808 for commercial: new 8,208-square-foot building for marijuana production and processing. Permit No.: BLD2015-00049. 5/12/15.

1030 Lakeway Drive, $400,000 for commercial: add new exterior entry vestibule, replace grocery store front and skylights. Contractor: The Franklin Corporation. Permit No.: BLD2015-00155.

4301 Harrison St., $40,000 for underground stormwater vault to serve four-lot subdivision. Permit No.: BLD2015-00077. 5/14/15.

1420 N State St., $115,000 for tenant improvement: establish new microbrewery and tap room in existing tenant space. Permit No.: BLD2015-00192. 5/15/15.

Demolition permits None issued for this date range.

LIQUOR AND MARIJUANA LICENSES Records include license activity in Whatcom County.

They are obtained from the Washington State Liquor Control Board, online at www.liq.wa.gov.

Recently approved Hilltop Highgrade, at 4933 Elder Road Suite A,

Ferndale, WA 98249, received approval on a change of corporate officer on a license to operate as a tier 1 marijuana producer. License No.: 415958. 5/11/15.

Stonebreaker Growers, at 2425 Salashan Loop Building 2, Ferndale, WA 98248, received approval on a new application to operate as a tier 3 marijuana producer. License No.: 412594. 5/11/15.

Green Stop Cannabis, at 7466 Mount Baker Highway, Maple Falls, WA 98226, received approval on a new application to operate as a marijuana retailer.

License No.: 413801. 5/5/15.

North State Street Market, at 902 N. State St., Suite 103, Bellingham, WA 98225, received approval on a license to sell beer/wine in a grocery store. License No.: 419311. 4/30/15.

Honey Moon, at 1053 N. State St. in the alley, Bellingham, WA 98225, received approval on a change of approval to a license to operate as a domestic winery. License No.: 085203. 4/28/15.

Bellingham Bells Baseball Club, at 1221 Potter St., Bellingham, WA 98229, received approval on added fees to a sports/entertainment facility license. License No.: 083343. 4/27/15.

New license applications Barlean’s Fishery, Barlean’s Fishery Inc.; Bruce Barlean, applied for a new license to operate as a direct shipment receiver-in/out, and to sell beer, wine and growlers at 3660 Slater Road, Ferndale, WA 98248.

License No.: 419601. 5/20/15.

Welcome Grocery Store, Patterson Construction Inc.; Charles Royal Patterson, applied for a new license to sell beer and wine in a grocery store at 5565 Mount Baker Highway, Deming, WA 98244. License No.: 356425. 5/1/15.

Discontinued licenses.

Green Stop Cannabis, at 7466 Mount Baker Highway, Maple Falls, WA 98226, had a license to operate as a marijuana retailer discontinued. License No.: 413801. 5/5/15.

FEDERAL TAX LIENS Tax liens of $5,000 or more issued by the Internal Revenue Service. Listings include taxpayer name(s), lien amount, document number and filing date.

Records are obtained locally from the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office.

Kappa Pizza LLC, $45,555.29, 2150403169, 4/28/15.

Jason Klimp, $5,304.48, 2150403170, 4/28/15.

Dalinda Race, $15,076.97, 2150500274, 5/4/15.

Howard Jachter, $18,869.56, 2150500275, 5/4/15.

Quality Gas LLC, $17,788.13, 2150500566, 5/6/15.

Jay Herbert, $22,685.71, 2150501294, 5/11/15.

Dianne Sanden, $26,219.67, 2150501295, 5/11/15.

James Sturdevant, $40,686.24, 2150501297, 5/11/15.

Cheralynne Kastner, $201,600.31, 2150501301, 5/11/15.

Pioneer Construction Co. Inc., $13,736.62, 2150501302, 5/18/15.

Daniel Cohn, $327,964.96, 2150502046, 5/18/15.

Quality Gas LLC, $26,529.21, 2150502047, 5/18/15.

Genevieve James, $17,674.41, 2150502048, 5/18/15.

Christopher Allinson, $68,960.47, 2150502049,

5/18/15.

Jenni Nguyen, $264,578.05, 2150502364, 5/19/15.

RELEASE OF FEDERAL TAX LIENS

Robert John Hoksbergen, $164,353.07, 2150403171, 4/28/15.

Robert John Hoksbergen, $95,043.40, 2150403172, 4/28/15.

Bongorn Mongkhondo, $115,084.69, 2150500276, 5/4/15.

Niels Petersen, $35,386.00, 2150501298, 5/11/15.

Rusty Reams, $22,848.64, 2150501299, 5/11/15.

Southside Chiropractic Inc., $8,194.80, 2150501300, 5/11/15.

Left Coast Enterprises Inc., $21,955.74, 2150502050, 5/18/15.

STATE TAX JUDGMENTS

Tax judgments of $5, 000 or more issued by Washington state government agencies and filed locally in Whatcom County Superior Court. Listings include taxpayer name(s), judgment amount, the state agency filing the judgment, originating case number and filing date. Judgments can later be lifted or paid; listings are only current as of their filing dates. Records are obtained from the Whatcom County Superior Court Clerk’s Office.

Advanced Concrete Solutions, $6,947.10, Labor & Industries, 15-2-00935-1, 5/20/15.

OC General Contracting, $5,237.56, Dept. of Revenue, 15-2-00896-6, 5/15/15.

Terra Organica Inc., $21,502.31, Dept. of Revenue, 15-2-00880-0, 5/12/15.

Healthy Living Farms, $13,374.09, Dept. of Revenue, 15-2-00844-3, 5/7/15.

Mehar Express LLC, $14,864.69, Labor & Industries, 15-2-00853-2, 5/8/15.

Premier Packing LLC, $29,750.33, Labor & Industries, 15-2-00858-3, 5/8/15.

Champion Drywall Inc., $23,227.65, Labor & Industries, 15-2-00860-5, 5/8/15.

Heston Hauling, $10,523.49, Labor & Industries, 15-2-00824-9, 5/4/14.

Archipelago Construction Inc., $5,579.47, Dept. of Revenue. 15-2-00824-9, 5/4/15.

Goji, $34,471.64, Dept. of Revenue, 15-2-00821-4, 5/4/15.

J & K General Construction Inc., $227,515.84, Dept. of Revenue, 15-2-00782-0, 4/29/15.

Ginger Boat, $9,711.01, Dept. of Revenue, 15-200776-5, 4/29/15.

Birch Bay Restaurant and Lounge LLC, $5,762.97, Dept. of Revenue, 15-2-00745-5, 4/23/15.

BUSINESS BANKRUPTCIES

Whatcom County business bankruptcies filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Washington.

None reported in April.

Get your daily business news on the web... ...including company profiles, breaking news reports, industry trends, commercial realestate development, regularly updated business licenses, liquor licenses, building permits, bankruptcies, tax liens, judgments, local roadwork reports, major property sales and more...

...all online at BBJToday.com

20

The Bellingham Business Journal

June 2015

June 2015

21

The Bellingham Business Journal

YOUR MONEY MATTERS

The good, the bad and the green of socially-responsible investing These days, socially responsible investing, or SRI for short, is a popular practice among investors who consider themselves socially conscious, and who want to believe their money can do more than just increase the value of their own portfolio. And in theory, this seems like quite the win-win: after all, who wouldn’t want to see their own investments improving the lives of others?

However, as with many things in the world of investing, what you see is not always what you get. Like any other investment practice, moving toward SRI requires great care, research, and a shrewd eye for what is fact and what is a “creative” marketing ploy.

While the complexities of SRI are many, the primary concerns from an investment perspective can be essentially boiled down into three issues: 1. We all have different values and beliefs that guide our thinking about which organizations we are willing to support based on their business practices. This makes it difficult to generalize about how one should approach SRI for themselves.

2. We all have different investment philosophies that we must consider when selecting socially responsible investments.

In other words, just because it feels good to support a particular organization for personal or ethical reasons, it might not be a wise choice based on your investment philosophy. This tends to be more of an issue

with SRI than with other forms of investing.

3. With the quick (and growing) rise in popularity of socially responsible investments, we have seen an equally sharp uptick in W. Devin marketing gimmicks that help an Wolf investment look more “socially On responsible” than Financial it actually is. This means investors Planning must be especially careful to avoid falling for a creatively pitched investment that, when looked at more closely, may be neither as wise nor as ethical as it first seems.

The goal of this article is to demonstrate how I navigate these complexities within my own investment philosophy, which includes advising investors to focus on areas they can control rather than trying to predict the future.

Start with your situation To build a successful portfolio that includes socially responsible investments,

you must first consider your unique situation, including risk tolerance, time horizon, tax profile, and goals. Remember that any successful portfolio must be tailored to the individual doing the investing, regardless of any ethical goals.

Other items within investor control include diversification and fees. Massive diversification is key, as is only paying for services that have a high probability of increasing returns. Here is where SRI can run into problems. It is the very nature of SRI to screen out all stocks that are not deemed socially responsible, which reduces diversification. The screening process itself creates additional work, increasing the cost of the investment. So where is an investor to start?

Approach from a goals-based perspective Just like any other investment, SRI requires you to carefully examine your goals, and whether or not a certain investment will help you meet those goals. When considering SRI as an option, ask yourself the question, “What do I hope to accomplish with socially responsible investing?”

Many investors making socially responsible selections are hoping to support companies with ethical business practices.

On face, this may seem like a compelling reason to pursue SRI over less restrictive forms of investment, even though it may

be more complex.

However, it’s easy to forget that when you purchase shares of a company, you are not directly funding that company but rather buying shares from another investor.

In this way, choosing to avoid purchasing those shares may not make quite the statement you intend. The exception to this rule is when buying shares at an initial public offering (IPO), where you are buying directly from the company.

Keep things in perspective If you have a massively diversified portfolio, your positions in each company are likely very small. For example, no single company in my personal portfolio makes up 1% of the overall allocation. Even if you have a one million dollar portfolio which includes a company that you don’t believe makes ethical choices, but that company is only .01% of the portfolio, you really have $100 allocated to this company. At that point, you must ask yourself if divesting that $100 is worth completely rebuilding your portfolio in a manner that may cost you an additional 0.15% ($1,500) annually.

Pick your battles If you remain certain that SRI will help you sleep at night, you next need to determine what issues are most important

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to you: the environment, human rights, energy, weapons, alcohol, tobacco, etc. You can then go a step further and identify companies that you do or do not want in your portfolio. There are tools available including mutual fund screeners like social funds.com (note they do not include all SRI funds) that can help you identify funds that share your philosophy. You can review the holdings of each mutual fund at their website to see if they include stocks in the portfolio you would take exception to.

Once you have made a short list of funds that seem to share your values, you can start to look at their process and how it aligns with your investment philosophy to aid in determining whether or not it will be a good investment.

Look under the green umbrella Always look under the hood of the mutual funds on your short list to make sure they are positioning you for financial success. Here are a few steps you can follow to be safe: ▶Review the expense ratio of the fund, as this has been found to be one of the best predictors of future performance. Lower cost funds tend to perform better over time. Review the number of holdings along with the weighting of various regions, sectors, company size, and valuations to make sure you remain adequately diversified. ▶Read the summary description of the mutual funds prospectus to learn about their screening process. I prefer SRI funds that use a third party screening service as it helps avoid any conflicts of interest that

tend to be present when screening is completed in-house (portfolio managers typically aren’t experts in social responsibility and often their main objective is performance and attracting new assets). ▶Review performance last. This is often the first item many investors review. I do not believe past performance holds any indication of future performance, but it does provide a truth test as to how the manager has behaved in the past. You can review their performance against their stated processes and beliefs and evaluate why they performed the way they did, if it is consistent with what they say, and if you believe there is a reason this performance will persist in the future. At Financial Plan Inc., we have been constructing SRI portfolios under our current methodology since 2007, and performance has tracked very closely to the non-SRI portfolios. As should be expected, the SRI portfolios over-perform at times, but in the long run have lagged their non-SRI counterparts by an amount roughly equivalent to the additional expenses associated with SRI investing.

The main takeaway for any investor considering SRI is to tread carefully. Viable, green, and thoughtful investments are out there, you just might have to take some extra time (and often expense) to find them.

STRIKE, FROM 6 hires in her department make $11.98 an hour, she said, and three co-workers walked off the job mid-shift last week, saying the work was too hard, too intense and didn’t pay enough.

The number of caregivers per patient has changed in the last 10 years at PeaceHealth, but so have a lot of other factors in health care, Mayhew said.

“There is so much that impacts staffing,” she said.

“It can’t be looked at independently from a whole host of other things.”

Mayhew said in an email that the hospital’s turnover rate for the last fiscal year was 12.7 percent, which is below the national average of 14.5 percent.

Clarence Holmes, a member of the union bargaining team, said national rates aren’t a good barometer for Bellingham.

“When you’re considering wages and cost of living, they vary greatly across the nation, so we don’t consider that a fair standard by which we should be compared,” he said.

PeaceHealth’s most recent contract proposal

included wage increases that would average 11 percent for workers within 15 months of signing the contract. Under the proposal, the lowest-paid workers would be able to attain raises more quickly, Mayhew said.

Currently, the two sides don’t have a date to begin negotiating, but both sides say they have proposed meeting times through a mediator.

Oliver Lazenby, associate editor of The Bellingham Business Journal, can be reached at 360-647-8805, Ext. 5052, or olazenby@bbjtoday.com.

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