In Depth

WHEREAS, The Meridian School Board is the community’s Public Education advocate for school-aged children in the Meridian School District and

WHEREAS The Meridian School Board has the responsibility to provide for the education of the children in the district and

WHEREAS The Meridian School Board must plan for and approve budgets to fund the operation of the school district, to accomplish the goals established by the District and by the State of Washington and

WHEREAS The District Administration has a high standard of best management practices to maintain a budget that maximizes opportunities for students in the Meridian School District and

WHEREAS Meridian School District must pass voter approved property tax levies periodically just to maintain spending levels and

WHEREAS Simultaneously, the Whatcom Council, as the fiscally responsible body of Whatcom County Government is able to establish non-voter- approved tax levies to fund its spending, therefore may not be cognizant of the financial challenges faced by other taxing districts such as Meridian School District and

WHEREAS The Meridian School Board believes it is incumbent on our District Superintendent, acting as the District’s chief administrator to obtain relevant fiscal data where possible regarding the sources of funds and expenditures that impact the District’s budget and

WHEREAS The Meridian School District contains all or parts of six “LAMIRDS” proposed by Whatcom County to be downzoned in order to satisfy legal appeals and other decisions related to the state’s Growth Management Act and

WHEREAS The Meridian School District contains a majority of the Guide Meridian areas proposed by Whatcom County to be downzoned in order to satisfy legal appeals and other decisions related to the state’s Growth Management Act and

WHEREAS the reduction of property values in the Meridian School District resulting from such an action by Whatcom County necessarily must be anticipated and quantified by the county in its deliberations and final decisions regarding this action and

WHEREAS The evidence and product of such consideration by the county must be demonstrated by means of an economic and financial impact study and subsequent published report and

WHEREAS The information collected and interpreted by such a report would allow for the best future planning for the children of the Meridian School District.

THEREFORE, be it resolved by the Meridian School District Board that:

We formally request the Whatcom County Council and the Whatcom County Executive pursue and establish such an economic and financial impact study, and publish the results of the same in a report which reasonably quantifies the impacts in an area-specific manner, for the benefit of the future planning efforts of the Meridian School District.

We further request this study and subsequent published report be distributed and considered for further public comment prior to the county making any interim or final decisions regarding the proposed downzone areas.

Meridian School Board Passes Resolution Asking County Government to Provide Financial Impact Statement on rezoning proposals.

For Full Disclosure the Author of this article; Charlie Crabtree is a member of the Meridian School Board. Information on the Board can be seen here.

This resolution was the board’s way to draw attention to County Government that there are sub taxing districts whose financial state is not taken into consideration in the Whatcom County “Comprehensive” Planning process.

Over the years of the Growth Management Act it is the author’s opinion that smaller school districts like Meridian have had to squeeze opportunity away from their children because of decisions made by the City of Bellingham and Whatcom County Government.

Meridian for example has only about 5700 voters. Because of this small number, political impact to the City of Bellingham and Whatcom County are negligible and thus its possible the concerns of the Meridian School District could be ignored in final decision making processes.

UPDATE September 3nd.

Herald Article Here:

Letter to Editor by Charlie Crabtree shown below:

Editor

Concerning Bellingham Herald article “zoning worries Meridian…” of August 28th.

I was disappointed, that county staff participated in the article instead of elected representatives.

County Code requires developers to pay for environmental impact statements for Major projects. But when the Meridian School District requested the County perform a Financial Impact Study of their Major project they refused. It is my understanding Meridian’s share of the $100,000.00 estimate to produce the study would result in a County expenditure of approximately $5,000.00.

Furthermore the Growth Management Act’s Goal 11 states: …. “Encourage the involvement of citizens in the planning process and ensure coordination between communities and jurisdictions to reconcile conflicts.” RCW 36.70A.11.

Obviously the county seems unconcerned about Goal 11 as far as other jurisdictions (MSD) are concerned.

It’s true that school districts have state mandates as the county does. Bellingham School District has sued the state in support of district students to fully fund unfunded mandates by the state. Is the county’s philosophy to enforce and represent the interest of the State of Washington instead of Whatcom residents?

Mr. Stahlhiem must look at his paycheck, remembering who funds and signs it. His first priority should include all Whatcom County residents.

Charlie Crabtree