Bothell has been called a bedroom town, a commuter  village,
for many years while it has come into  its  own  as  one  of
Washington  State's  core  cities.  During  that   time   of
expansion a small group of  citizens  who  wished  to  stall
growth  in  favor  of  Bothell's  small  town  charm   found
themselves becoming powerful with various  legal  resources,
the  environmental  movement  quantified  and   popularized,
wealth and city-wise operations footholds established.  Over
time  the  city  became  known  for  its  refusal  to  allow
establishment   of   certain   businesses,   certain    land
developemnt,  both  commercial  and   residential,   and   a
reputation of anti-growth became  established  and  somewhat
renowned.

Over time the individuals who spearheaded  this  anti-growth
movement have naturally become old and older. Some of  their
numbers have fallen silent but the efforts of a few have not
subsided  even  in  light  of  hard  won,  long  worked  for
compromise with a true  focus  on  environmental  protection
guided by a younger generation in city government.  Bothell,
under their guidance has an  obligation  to  the  region  to
provide housing as well as to  protect  the  city's  natural
resources.

It is impossible not to question the relevance of the  above
mentioned older generation in light of their  disregard  for
concensus.  I  applaud  the  younger  generaton  for   their
willingness and hard work in governing and I submit that  it
is their time, now, in leadership.

An individual whose ceaseless work in protecting Bothell has
brought notice before  the  Puget  Sound  Growth  Management
Board over 42 times since the early 1990's and in  part  has
cost the citizens of Bothell a tremendous  amount  of  money
and resources. Her work in the past has guided the effort to
retain Bothell's reputation as a good and healthy  place  to
live. But there seems an unwillingness,  now,  to  hear  the
voices of reason - to allow the baton to pass.

What seems to have grown out of the no  growth  movement  is
something of a fundamentalist approach in general resistance
to the future. If you note the amount of time forced  on  us
by the city in waiting for a simple rezone  hearing  request
to come before the city council and also note the mantra  of
the no growth movement in trying to  establish  a  watershed
habitat on  citizens,  including  us,  who  are  to  receive
nothing in compensation for  their  losses  --  one  has  to
simply put the puzzle pieces together and hard question the
morals and principles in what tastes and looks too much like
an abuse of the democratic process.