Recently the Bellingham City Council spent a significant sum of money to hold a retreat in LaConner, causing some to cry "foul" because of the expense involved (which did seem a bit excessive) and because council didn't "buy local" for their retreat, but rather left town, and hired an outside firm to run the show for them.

Interestingly, I'm not hearing a similar outcry that Whatcom County council continues to make use of $310 per hour, Seattle-based land-use attorney, David Bricklin, board member of Futurewise(formerly 1,000 Friends of Washington). This is the same David Bricklin who is representing Squalicum Valley residents in a case against the county over the extension of water service to the Lake Whatcom Treatment Center, a mental-health facility near Lake Whatcom which serves roughly 360 patients. The facility draws water from a well which is inadequate, particularly during the Summer months, when the facility must truck water in.

A decade long study of water quality at the facility found bacteria indicative of fecal contamination a total of six times, and in 2003, E. coli was found in the water system. Yet, efforts to replace the poo-water with public water is being litigated by $310 per hour Bricklin because opposition fears that extending water to the facility will encourage development near Lake Whatcom.

Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District officials have wanted to install a water tank and line to provide water service to the facility, but this effort has been blocked by Squalicum Valley neighbors and Bricklin who have appealed the project permit, alleging that the project is not an attempt to keep the mentally ill from drinking poo-water, but really an attempt to serve water to a proposed housing development.

So, that's the story behind the story.

Now, the County Council is hiring this same $310 per hour, David Bricklin, to defend the county in the currently raging battle over City of Bellingham growth, and the UGAs. The vote was 5-2 in favor of the hiring, with the two opposition votes coming from Sam Crawford and Ward Nelson as one might expect. Both Crawford and Nelson understand how this seeming incongruity might cause the thinking man or woman to scratch our heads and say, "Huh?"

Council hired Bricklin, to the tune of about $90,000 to defend against Caitac USA, and Ferndale resident, Bob Wiesen, both of whom are calling for a restriction of Bellingham’s planned expansion, and a review of UGAs.

As a good capitalist and one with a strong entrepreneurial spirit, I don't have a problem with Bricklin charging $310 an hour. What I do have a problem with is my county paying $310 an hour, and hiring an out-of-town attorney who charges that much. You can argue until your face is as blue as the coffee cup I'm sipping from, and you'll not convince me that there is not a signle attorney in Bellingham who could do as good a job if not better and for FAR less money.

There is a joke I've known since I was in my teens that says, "In order to be an expert at anything, you must be at least 50 miles from home and carry a briefcase." It's a joke, folks ... just a joke...

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