The Edgemoor Neighborhood Association (ENA) Annual Meeting was on May 6, 2024, 6:30-9:00 pm, at Lairmont Manor
6:30 pm: Social – Desserts, fruit and beverages were provided by the ENA Board. 45 people attended the meeting.
7:00 pm: Welcome – ENA Secretary, Sandie Koplowitz, welcomed residents to the meeting and turned the meeting over to Bob McCarthy. He introduced Greg Hope, from the Office of Emergency Management of the City of Bellingham (COB), who talked about Disaster Preparedness. Visit https://cob.org/services/safety/emergencies/be-prepared for more information.
Ham Radio Operator, Joseph Trimble, who resides in Edgemoor talked about the value of ham radios during a disaster.
7:45 pm: Update on the Woods at Viewcrest – Wendy Larson, a member of the steering committee for Protect Mud Bay Cliffs (PMBC) reported there were over 1000 signatures on the petition for the COB to require an Environmental Impact Study (EIS) and great turnout at the most recent PMBC meeting. The COB is still accepting comments on the latest application for development. Many generous donations enabled them to hire environmental experts who agree Mug Bay is a class 1 wetlands, so the current stormwater drainage on the development’s plans are not acceptable. PMBC updates can be found online at https://mudbaycliffs.org/updates.
8:00 pm: Barbara Burk Zielstra spoke about the City Comprehensive Plan and Urban Forestry Management Plan. There will be a meeting on May 15 from 5-7 pm on Economic Vitality. More information can be found on the COB website. Visit www.engagebellingham.org to submit surveys on COB projects. The current survey is on the Urban Forestry Plan. The City proposes for Bellingham to go to 40% canopy tree cover.
8:15 pm: ENA Annual Meeting
Minutes: The previous ENA Annual Meeting minutes were approved.
Treasurer’s Report: Bob McCarthy, Treasurer – reported amount from the COB to help cover expenses was raised from $750 to $1,000. Our annual costs are basically for the website ($150/year). Expenses for a newsletter and postcard mailing to residents, as well as the neighborhood signs will be submitted by June for reimbursement under the Small and Simple Grant ($5,000 max).
Small and Simple Grant Update: The Edgemoor sign committee hired a graphics designer and submitted concepts, which were approved by the Arts Commission. We engaged residents on Nextdoor Edgemoor, asking them to choose between three options for the sign. The signs were installed in April at 6 entrances to the neighborhood. The final sign concept is included below. The Small and Simple Grant also provided funds to pay for two mailings to Edgemoor residents, a newsletter and postcard. We will be applying for another grant to help pay for communications to residents and to update the Edgemoor Neighborhood website.
Mayor’s Neighborhood Advisory Committee (MNAC) Report: Bill Beer spoke about citizen impact on the removal of the metal scrap pile on the waterfront and ABC Recycling canceling the application for a metal shredding operation on Marine Drive. New Bellingham Mayor, Kim Lund, spoke at the MNAC meeting and is instituting new projects.
Map Your Neighborhood: Note after the meeting – We encourage areas of the neighborhood to connect with their neighbors and work together in an emergency. The Map your Neighborhood workbook was discontinued in 2021, but the basics are still online and a new “2-Weeks Ready” program has been developed. Download the PDF at https://mil.wa.gov/asset/5f171cc0a935f
Nominations and Election of ENA Board Members (11 maximum) – Wendy Larsen volunteered to join the ENA Board, who were all duly elected for another one-year term.
Current ENA Board Members:
No current ENA President or Vice President
Sandie Koplowitz, ENA Secretary
Bob McCarthy, ENA Treasurer
Bill Beer, MNAC Representative
Barbara Burk Zielstra, MNAC Alternate
Larry Horowitz, Planning and Land Use
Terry Montonye
Bill Wright
Kate Covell
Lincoln Vander Veen
Wendy Larsen
2025 Edgemoor Neighborhood Sign
These minutes can be printed at:
https://edgemoorneighborhood.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/ENA-Annual-Meeting-Minutes-20240506.pdf