The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1922-11-16
TO VOTE ON PLANS
AT PORT ELECTION
Program Is Preliminary One
No Money Or Taxes Involved
December 2

PLANTATION made by members o
the port commission in a state
ment issued to the voters.
Their adoption calls for no ex
penditure of funds, as all bono
issues must be submitted to the
people. With the general plan.
adopted, however, the commission
can proceed without delay when
ever it can be shown that the
development of the port will be
profitable.
H. B. Paige, w. E. Terrill
and E. B. Smith. commissioners
signed the following statement:
To the Public:
Clear Up Misunderstanding
In submitting to the electors OF
the Port of Bellingham for their
ratification at the coming De-
cember election the comprehen-
sive scheme of harbOr improve
ments for such port district, we
believe that a statement from the
commissioners of said port of
their plans for the future will be
of benefit in clearing up some ap-
parent Misunderstanding con-
cerning such comprehensive
scheme and the boards future
plans.
Our state law regulating port
districts requires that a cOmpre-
hensive scheme of harbor i'm
prOvements be adopted by the
commissioners of the port, and
ratified by a majority vote of the
electors of the port voting there
on, before any funds can be ex-
pended for the carrying on Of any
such harbor improvements, and
that no harbOr improvements
can be carried on after the adop-
tion and ratification of such COM
rrehensive scheme unless the
same are included in such COM
rrehensive scheme and the terri-
torial limits embraced therein.
The state law further requires
that such comprehensive schciue
of harbor improvement be sub
mitted to a vote of the electors
of the port district at a general
election and not at a special
election, while proposed bond is
sues may be submitted at spe.
cial election called at any time.
In other words, under the law
the comprehensive scheme sub
mitted to the voters of the Port
of Bellingham must be submitted
at the general election to be held
in December, and if not submit
ted at the coming general elec-
<hies nonnnt hn GIlh-
mitted until some future general
election.
Defines Areas Of Projects
The comprehensive scheme of
harbor improvements for the
Port of Bellingham which has
been adopted by the Commission
ers and which will be submitted
for ratification at the coming De-
cember election, and which in
cludes three separate units for
Bellingham harbOr, was adopted
by the commissioners after most
painstaking and thorough inves-
tigations, and the commissioners
are of the opinion that some
where within the areas embraced
within the limits Of these differ
ent units is the proper location
where future port development
activities should be constructed
and carried on. In reaching this
conclusion the commissioners
have had the benefit of the ad-
vice of different engineers, as well
as that of officials of the United
States engineers Office and OF the
United States Shipping Board.
The board of port commission
ers, as now constituted. are unan-
tmously agreed that before any
portion of any of the units on
Bellingham harbor are selected
for development, that that por-
ton of the unit to be developed
should be selected and deter
mined upon after conferences
and consultations with the engl-
neers and other officials of the
various railroads, and other trans
portatiOn companies operating IN
Bellingham, and also the engl-
neers and officials of the United
States engineers Office having
charge of harbor improvements
and developments in this dis
trict, and the best engineering
advice obtainable to the end thai
that portion of the unit select
ed for development shall be that
unit which is most advantageous
" situated to properly care foi
the commerce and shipping or the
Port of Bellingham, and the pre-
sent board Of the port commits
sioners Of the Port of Bellinghan
pledge themselves to follow me-
thods hereinbefore set forth be
fore selecting any portion OF any
unit at Bellingham for develop
ment.
People Only Can Vote Bonds
Under the law in force at the
time the Port of. Bellingham wa!
established, before any bonded in
debtedness of the port for tn
purpose Of developing harbor i'm
proyements could be created, i
was necessary to submit the ques
ton of a proposed bond issue 10
the raising of the necessary flu IL
TO the voters of such district - .
an election called for that pV..
pose, and no bonds could be q
sued unless the same were ee
proved by the votes OF thrnr
fifths OF the electors of such rse,
district voting on such propo.h,
bond issue. Notwithstanding .ef
fact that this law was chant-