by Ralph Schwartz
One year after starting, the Skagit County advisory committee on flood control decided Monday it wanted Burlington represented in the 15-member group.
At least one Flood Control Zone District Advisory Committee member still wondered if Burlington’s participation would prompt Mount Vernon Mayor Bud Norris to start showing up.
Bob Boudinot, an engineer who chairs the advisory committee, said that Mount Vernon and Burlington are the two largest jurisdictions affected by flooding, and both are developing flood-control projects already.
“I think it would be beneficial to this group if we could get more participation from Burlington and Mount Vernon,” Boudinot said.
Norris has not attended the monthly committee meetings since last year. In February, he said he was staying away because Burlington was not represented. Norris could not be reached for comment late Monday afternoon.
Some committee members were impatient with Norris. Dike District 22 Commissioner Stanley Nelson wondered whether Norris would show up even if Burlington had a seat.
“We can tell Bud if he doesn’t like to show up, we can give his seat to Burlington,” Nelson said.
Flood historian Larry Kunzler, who has consistently criticized Norris over the months for his absences, said the mayor should lose his seat outright.
“He reminds me of a spoiled little boy who picked up his marbles and left,” Kunzler said.
The committee’s consensus was to ask the county staff to propose options to the county commissioners for including Burlington. The change to the committee’s makeup may require a rewrite of the county resolution that created the panel, or the resignation of one of the sitting members.
Ralph Schwartz can be reached at 360-416-2138 or .
