All Point Bulletin – January 2022

Parks district to seek input; considers new community center

The Point Roberts Park and Recreation District board is looking for public input on the direction the board should take as it considers possible new programs and infrastructure. Each board member has been appointed in the past year leaving the board with little institutional memory or knowledge. Before undertaking major or minor projects, members want to know the community’s opinion on if and how the district should grow and change. In its regular monthly board meeting on December 12 that lasted three hours, board members discussed the need for public input before making significant decisions involving taxpayer money.

“We all got into this because we want to see a better community, and we’ve got to make sure that we’re representing the community,” said Michael Cressy. The board agreed to conduct an online survey to ask residents what they would like to see the district accomplish in the near- and long-term.

One idea under discussion is to build a new community center at Baker Field on Benson Road. During the November district meeting, chair Mitch Friedman said, “It is clear that there is just not enough room [in the community center] for the growth the Point has had in the past few years. There is a lack of storage for the senior meals, food bank, PREP emergency shelter supplies, and park and rec supplies including kid’s camp. We are currently unable to feed the seniors in the dining room due to lack of space. We are often over-crowded during events and meetings. The kitchen septic system has been designated as a residential size and therefore unable to open the kitchen for community use.”

The issue was placed on the December agenda for further discussion. Chair Mitch Friedman opened the discussion by seeking approval to pay a $850 fee to hold a pre-development meeting with the county (See Parks district, page 3)

Ahhh, 2022. Some good times, some bad times, some ok times. At last we were able to get out and see each other and cross the border reasonably easier. Compared to 2020 and 2021, it was a banner year, all things considered. Here then, is our annual year in review ...

January

• Due to concerns made by residents to the Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee in December 2021, county engineers made plans to evaluate and propose

improvements to road drainage systems and to assess how the marina’s private drainage system might be affecting flooding of county roads by January 2022.

• Park commissioners Mitch Friedman, Michael Cressy, Matt Wang, and Bill Zidel were sworn in.

• Three Point Roberts businesses changed ownership. Lorne Nielson sold Nielson’s Building Center to Fred Pakzad after it had been in his family for nearly 60 years. Lynne and Snyder Vick, who owned the Shell station since 2004, sold it to Pinder and Robin Kallu of Kallu Enterprises. After 10 years of ownership, Pamala Sheppard sold Auntie Pam’s Country Store to Neil

s The first ever holiday night ride and tree lighting ceremony on December 5 was a big success

cyclists

pating in the Point Roberts Taxpayer Association-sponsored event. Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus even showed up. Photo by Nic Lehoux

S After winds blew down a tree across APA Road, local residents showed up with tools and machinery to re-open the road. Chamber president Brian Calder has been asking the county to create a small works roster to provide fast and cost-effective local response.

Courtesy photo

planning department. This sparked a prolonged discussion dealing mainly with the need to consult the public before presenting a proposal to the county.

“We need to know what kind of amenities the community wants,” said Cressy. “Whether or not they want expanded meeting rooms,whether they want an indoor pool, whether or not they want outdoor tennis, what kind of services would the community like to see in a facility. It is the community that will dictate the picture you’ll present to the county. Getting community input is a lot better than trying to push through our ideas,” he said.

Speaking in support of the proposal, board member Kathleen Friedman said, “There is a younger population moving into the community that would like to see different things being offered. We also have an aging community, and a swimming pool would be a great way to exercise that is low impact. I realize that Winskill is across the border, but I’d like to see more things for our community and not have to rely on Canada. If anything, the pandemic taught us that we are not self-sustaining. If there is another pandemic, I’m not sure we want to be put in the same shoes.”

The idea of building a new community center failed to impress a few residents who spoke during the meeting, citing the financial burden that would result. Former parks board director Stephen Falk said, “I think that it’s a ridiculous idea to spend the kind of money that you will be talking about. There are costs you aren’t thinking about when you are thinking about building a public works project.”

Former chair Bennett Blaustein, who recently resigned from the board, said, “By modifying the inside of the community center so that you can hold larger gatherings there, you would reduce your cost from millions of dollars to maybe a couple

hundred thousand dollars. I think you’re going to have a hard time getting financing for the project you’re talking about right now, and I think you’re going to get a lot of opposition from the public.” Blaustein also noted that when the Blaine school district agreed to transfer the former school to the park district to use as a community center in 1968, the contract included a clause that the building would revert back to the school district if it was no longer being used as a community center.

The proposed community center would be located on the district’s skate park site on Benson Road next to the fire hall. In the meantime, the board is also debating what to do about the skate park ramps which are in sad shape. One proposal being considered is to convert the skate park into a multi-use court for tennis and pickleball and other uses.

The board was reminded that the district’s maintenance and operations levy expires next fall. The current six-year levy was approved by voters in November 2017 with 72 percent of voters in favor. In addition, the district is in the final year of a $250,000, 10-year General Obligation (GO) bond. The district currently owes $28,299 in principal and interest with a final maturity date of December 1, 2023. A new community center GO Bond would require approval by 60 percent of voters in a general election.

In addition, each member will face election in 2023.

Matt Wang counseled fellow board members and the public to keep in mind the financial impacts that result from building a new community center. “I would like to remind people that if we are building a new center, there could be a financial impact to your tax dollar. Sometimes I think a lot of people assume it is free, and everybody wants to have a newer and bigger center, but there could be financial stress.”

The district will alert the public through social media when the survey is live and open for input.

Proposition 5 wins by 20 votes; Sefzik wins north county votes

B y G rac E M c c arthy

Whatcom County Auditor’s Office finalized November 2022 election results on November 28. While the last ballots to be counted didn’t change much for the candidates, they did swing the race for one county proposition.

Proposition 5, the Whatcom County children’s initiative levy lid lift, passed by 20 votes after looking as if it was going to fail during the majority of the ballot count. The proposition passed with 54,290 votes in favor (50.01 percent) and 54,270 votes against (49.99 percent).

Proposition 5 will authorize the county to increase property taxes to fund early learning programs, childcare and support

for homeless and other vulnerable children. The measure will increase the regular property tax levy by $.19 per $1,000 of assessed valuation of 10 years, generating about $8.2 million annually.

Nearly 71 percent of the county’s 157,683 registered voters turned out for the election, according to the auditor’s website.

While Sharon Shewmake (D) won the state senate for the 42nd district in a close race, Simon Sefzik (R) was favored by the majority of Birch Bay and Custer area voters. Sefizk swept the east Blaine precincts and received the majority of votes along Birch Bay Drive, Point Whitehorn and Birch Point Road. Shewmake won downtown Blaine, Semiahmoo and northern Birch Bay.

with Pastor Gina Gaudet

Jan 22nd 11:00 am Service with Pastor Gina Gaudet

Jan 29th 11:00 am Service with Pastor Jean Barrington

The All Point Bulletin welcomes letters to the editor; however, the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editor. Letters must include name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters must not exceed 450 words and may be edited or rejected for reasons of legality and good taste.

A fresh viewpoint on matters of general interest to local readers will increase the likelihood of publication. Writers should avoid personal invective. Unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Requests for withholding names will be considered on an individual basis.

Thank you letters should be limited to ten names.

Only one letter per month from an individual correspondent will be published.

Please email your letter to:

letters@allpointbulletin.com P.O. Box 1451, Point Roberts, WA 98281 Fax: 360/945-1613

Photo by Louise Mugar

How to avoid respiratory illness

Despite very high rates of respiratory illnesses in Whatcom County, there are still things people can do to reduce their risk of contracting disease, according to SuperTrack’s Dr. Sean Bozorgzadeh, operator of the health clinic on Benson Road.

Bozorgzadeh discussed how influenza-like illness (ILA) is affecting the people of Point Roberts during the provider’s report at the hospital district’s meeting on December 14. He said influenza activity in the state of Washington is rated as very high, but “the strains that were included in this year’s flu vaccine are matching pretty well.”

According to the CDC, this year there is still a larger than average percentage of hospital visits with a chief complaint of influenza-like illness. The CDC estimates that, so far this season, there have been at least 15 million cases of illness, 150,000 hospitalizations and 9,300 deaths from flu, the highest since 2010-2011.

Dr. Bozorgzadeh attributed most adult deaths are due to immune-compromised conditions. Washington is also seeing a

Year in review ...

From page 1

and Krystal King, who renamed the store Kora’s Corner Country Store.

• The apparent cause of death for residents Murray Church and Gail Amundsen, who died around Thanksgiving 2021, was determined to be due to carbon monoxide poisoning because of a faulty installation of a radiant heating system and a lack of carbon monoxide detectors in their newly built home.

• Fire commissioner Raye Newman and hospital district commissioner Richard Dennis announced their intention to resign from their seats.

February

• Whidbey Telecom received federal grant funding to further extend its fiber network along the south and western edges of the Point.

• 34 percent of Point Roberts businesses who applied for the Working Washington Border Business Relief Program were granted state funding. The eight businesses that received funding were Bald Eagle Golf Course, Point Roberts Marina, Kiniski’s Reef, Larry’s Liquor Locker, Perk You Up Cleaning, BM Charmed, and Breakwaters Bar and Grill.

• A Canadian man was rescued and treated for mild hypothermia after currents carried him away in Boundary Bay while seated in an inflatable chair.

s Dr. Sean Bozorgzadeh File photo

lot of cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which affects some adults but mostly children. Although most children do quite well with RSV, this year there has been an unusually high number of children requiring hospitalization and even ICU care.

In order to protect yourself and others, Dr. Bozorgzadeh had a few words of advice. “You should practice good handwashing techniques. Wear a mask when traveling. Take Vitamin D and Vitamin C to help boost your immunity,” he said.

• Point Roberts Press, Inc was awarded Business of the Year by Blaine Chamber of Commerce.

• The cellular phone provider T Mobile was in contract negotiations with SBA Communications to rent space on their tower to provide cell service on the Point.

March

• The Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce was calling for a revival of a work visa program discontinued in 2010 that would allow unskilled Canadians to work here during the busy summer months.

• The county public works department is proposing to conduct a drainage assessment study of the Point Roberts watershed. County engineer Jim Karcher estimated that the total cost would be somewhere around $270,000.

• Noel Newbold was appointed as the new hospital district commissioner to fill the vacancy left by Richard Dennis.

April

• The Point Roberts Park and Recreation District was awarded a $31,000 federal grant from the Summer Enrichment and Experiences for Kids (SEEK) fund. The funds will pay for field trips, including transportation, councilor salaries. and supplies.

• Fire commissioners appointed Norm Katz to fill a vacancy left by Raye Newman, who resigned in December 2021.

• The government of Canada announced

Year in Review ...

From page 5

May

• Whidbey Telecom began installing residential fiber optic lines in Point Roberts. The project was partially financed by funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture grant program called Reconnect 2.

• Whatcom County Council held an advisory public hearing to gather comments on proposed amendments to Title 20 zoning to regulate short-term vacation rentals.

• The Whatcom County health department teamed up with Cando Recycling to offer one free load of green waste disposal to property owners in the community.

• The Easter Bunny laid over 1,000 eggs on Baker Field and approximately 60 children attended an event to find them.

• Blaine school district joined a pending lawsuit against vaping company Juul Labs, Inc. and its biggest investor Altria Group, Inc.

June

• The local parks district was awarded a $7500 SEEK grant to develop a youth paddleboard program.

• A Democrat-led effort to pass a bill in the U.S. Senate containing aid to Point Roberts and other exclave communities failed.

• Mike McFarlane, the Whatcom County parks and recreation director, retired.

• The avian flu was detected in Whatcom County.

• The Point Roberts Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) listserv was taken over by Pam Sarkissian in her startup business called Point ePost.

• Volunteer Appreciation Day was held at the fire hall in order to recognize and give thanks to all those who helped the community out during the pandemic. The celebration included a community potluck, music, and games.

• The Point Roberts Emergency Preparedness (PREP) group hosted the Emergency Volunteer Air Corps and Disaster Airlift Response Team for their fly-in which delivered 800 pounds of food and supplies to the Point.

• Gene Kiniski, father of Nick and Kelly Kiniski, was the first wrestler to be formally inducted into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame.

• The Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office launched a website to track recovery efforts for endangered Southern Resident orcas.

July

• Lisa J. Brown, the director of the Washington State Department of Commerce, was a keynote speaker at the Point Roberts Taxpayers Association’s annual general meeting.

• Point Roberts Park and Recreation District board chair Bennett Blaustein announced his upcoming resignation.

• The county awarded a bid for the seawall repair at the corner of Bayview and Roosevelt to Tiger Construction in the amount of $79,500.

• Blaine school board returned to in-person meetings without a remote option.

• The park and recreation department’s annual summer camp was held. With help from the SEEK grant, campers visited the Greater Vancouver Zoo, Science World, and the Vancouver Aquarium.

• Following a nationwide search, Whatcom County Executive Satpal Sidhu selected Bennett Knox as director of the Whatcom County Parks and Recreation Department.

• PAWS’ Every Dog’s a Winner contest drew 44 dogs and their human companions.

• Eagle Sun Fest was held to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Eagle Skyenet.

August

• The Whiskeydicks held a concert on Maple Beach.

• Blaine school district adopted a bud(SeeYear in Review, page 7)

s Point Roberts fire chief Christopher Carleton was on the roads early on December 20 to survey the impact of the snowstorm. The district mobilized to help residents and businesses in need. Photo by Pat Grubb

s County road crews began clearing the Point Tuesday morning and were still at it that evening. Here, a snow plow clearing Bayview Drive in Maple Beach. Photo by Stephen Fowler

s Seabirds gathered at the fresh water outfall on Maple Beach. Photo by Stephen Fowler

Blaine school district extends superintendent contract

Blaine school board extended Blaine school district superintendent Christopher Granger’s contract in a 3-0 vote during its November 28 regular meeting.

As specified in the action item, school board president Dougal Thomas and board vice president, which position is currently open with former board member Todd Nunamaker’s resignation at last month’s meeting, will discuss the parameters of a contract with Granger before recommending its adoption by the full board no later than May 22, 2023. Board member Charles Gibson was appointed vice-president at the board’s December 13 meeting. Thomas was re-appointed as president.

Granger’s salary, as of late summer 2022, was $201,230 per year. The average salary for a superintendent in Washington state was $183,008 as of October 27, according to salary.com.

In a separate motion that also passed 3-0, the board accepted Granger’s annual performance evaluation as “more than satisfactory.” The final contract is intended to run through June 30, 2026, according to meeting minutes.

“Appreciate it,” Granger said during the meeting. “Pleasure to serve.”

Enrollment dips

District enrollment dropped by about 13 students from October to November. As of the November count, the district is 52 students below what it budgeted for this school year.

Blaine school district finance and operations director Amber Porter said during the meeting that October enrollment tends to be the district’s highest, so the dip, while not hoped for, was somewhat expected.

The district’s low kindergarten enrollment this year has remained nearly the same all three months and left the district below budget. Around 108 kids were registered for kindergarten this year, while average cohorts in the past have ranged from 140 to 160 students.

Porter said the district will be conservative about budgeting for next year, as it cannot be assured kindergarten cohorts

will rebound.

“There could be a further trend with low enrollment,” Porter said. “So [we’ll] continue to start the year holding back on the number of positions that are going to be teaching kindergarten and wait to see how many [students] we actually have.”

During an October 4 board meeting, Granger said the district was overstaffed for this year’s kindergarten cohort, which was smaller than previous years. Classes were consolidated with 20 students total and two teachers without classes will substitute and cover a leave position. He also said reductions in force will be necessary if enrollment doesn’t increase and staff doesn’t retire or resign.

State funding is also dependent on enrollment. Porter said the district spends more than 80 percent on staff salaries, and that the district remains staffed at pre-pandemic levels.

Board members, Granger and Porter have all tried to rationalize the pandemic’s impact on enrollment, whether it be parents holding their children back a year or finding alternative schooling options. Porter said there is also a possibility of a declining birth rate in Whatcom County in the last five years.

Board member Charles Gibson pointed out while the kindergarten cohort is small, most other grade levels are within 10 to 15 students of each other and around an average of 155 students total. He said this small cohort and more like it would significantly impact enrollment as years progress.

Through stimulus funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, the school district is starting this school year with a considerably larger general fund than the past two years. The district has about $2.5 million more than it did at this time last year, and about $4 million more than the 2020-21 school year.

“It looks like we’re in for a trend of declining enrollment,” Gibson said.

“We could be,” Porter said.

“In which case we can’t continue to have the same staffing [levels],” Gibson said.

“Not without other sources of funds to support that,” Porter said.

School board extends deadline

The application deadline for the Blaine school board’s vacant district 1 seat has been extended until 4 p.m. Thursday, December 29. The previous deadline was December 9.

School board president Dougal Thomas said during a December 13 regular meeting that the board has one applicant already but is extending the deadline to allow for more residents to apply.

“We’re hoping that we might have a choice to make,” Thomas said.

At the October regular meeting, the board formally accepted board member Todd Nunamaker’s resignation and began accepting letters of interest in November. Applicants must live within the district 1 boundaries, which include Point Roberts and western parts of downtown, and be a U.S. citizen and registered voter.

The board has 90 days from the date of

Nunamaker’s resignation to select a replacement for his position following interviews held in public session.

The members will interview candidates and appoint a new director in a special meeting Thursday, January 4, 2023. The appointed director will be sworn in at the regular meeting Monday, January 23, 2023, and serve until the next election in November 2023.

Letters should be addressed to the board of directors and submitted either by email at comments@blainesd.org or mailed to Blaine school district at 765 H Street, Blaine WA 98230. They should describe the candidate’s interest in serving on the board, including prior experience, qualifying factors and goals as a potential board member.

For more information on applying to the vacant seat, contact the Blaine school district superintendent’s office at 360/332-5881.

Year in Review ...

From

get for the 2022-2023 school year that included forecasts where expenditures were expected to exceed revenues due to low enrollment.

September

• The Point Roberts fire department held its annual open house where the public could check out rescue vehicles, including Airlift Northwest’s medevac helicopter.

• There were over 350,000 NEXUS applicants waiting for interviews, according to Canada Border Services Agency.

• The 40th anniversary of the first bank and supermarket to open on the Point.

• The Point Roberts park board appointed Kathleen Pierce-Friedman to the board position that became vacant upon the resignation of Bennett Blaustein. October

• Canada dropped its Covid-19 vaccination requirement, ended random Covid-19 testing, and abolished the ArriveCAN app for people entering the country other than by air.

• Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee made a request to have the county fund and deploy a wireless broad-

band service immediately.

• Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce president Brian Calder called upon federal and state officials to conduct a post mortem on how border restrictions during the pandemic affected exclave communities.

• Circle of Care held the Apple Harvest Festival.

• Governor Jay Inslee lifted Washington’s state of emergency for Covid-19.

• A request by SuperTrack to extend the term of its contract with the Point Roberts Hospital District was rejected by the board of commissioners.

• Blaine district school board member Todd Nunamaker announced his resignation from the board.

• The Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce asked the county to create a small works roster in order to speed up provision of services and reduce project costs.

November

• Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee held two town hall meetings to reassess the curbside trash pickup program as the contract between Whatcom County and the provider, Cando Recycling and Disposal, comes up for renewal.

• Point Roberts water district staff met with state department of health staff and

Water rates to increase in 2023

B y p at G ru BB

Residents and businesses will see an increase in their bi-monthly water bills from the Point Roberts water district in 2023. The base rate for residential use will go from $93.45 to $98.10, an increase of 4.9 percent. The base rate includes 0-5 CCF of water. The rate will increase to $103 in 2024, another 4.9 percent.

Commercial rates will also increase by the same percentage amount. Commercial rates are determined by the size of the supply pipe; thus, a ¾-inch pipe has a base rate of $112.95 while a one-inch pipe costs $152.90 in 2023. Similar to residential rates, the commercial rates include a base usage of 0-5 CCF.

A CCF is equal to 100 cubic feet of water. The first C comes from centum, the Roman word for hundred. One CCF is equal to 748 gallons so the base rate of 5 CCF equals 3,740 gallons of water. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the average American uses around 88 gallons of water per day. A family of four would use around 21,000 gallons in a two-month period.

The water district’s cost to purchase water from Metro Vancouver is also going up in 2023. District manager Dan Bourks told commissioners the district had received notice of the new rate which he called the lowest he had seen in years. The price has increased by 2 percent instead of the typical 5-7 percent.

U.S. drivers need to know new insurance rules in B.C.

B y i an h aupt

A 2021 change to B.C. auto liability law prevents U.S. drivers who get into an accident while driving in the province from making a claim against at-fault driver’s insurance, leaving Washingtonians at risk financially.

B.C.’s Insurance Vehicle Act, adopted in May 2021, bans most lawsuits for bodily injury and vehicle damage, switching to a fault system.

The new law has limited exceptions, which can be found at bit.ly/3FJAh8K, but insurance experts advise drivers to know their liability risks and insurance status. The main concern for U.S. drivers is covering the cost of their own injuries or damages in the case of an accident, no matter who is at fault.

With droves of U.S. drivers visiting lower B.C. since the U.S./Canada border reopened, NW Insurance Council president Kenton Brine said in a November 23 press release that the council has begun to see the impact of the new law on U.S. drivers.

“Most people heading north for a week-

end holiday or skiing trip are unaware that without the right coverage, they could be left financially unprotected, with no ability to seek recovery from a B.C. resident’s insurance, even if that person caused the accident,” Brine said in a statement.

Covid-19 travel restrictions for vaccinated travelers were lifted in April 2022.

According to cascadegatewaydata.com, the four land ports of entry from Whatcom County have seen, on average, from 5,000 to 10,000 crossings per day in the last three months. Plenty of those drivers may be putting themselves at financial risk unknowingly.

Washington state Office of the Insurance Commissioner has provided information on insurance options available on its website, bit.ly/3Wcptau. It says auto insurance will typically cover U.S. drivers in Canada but drivers should check with their insurance agent before traveling.

The Northwest Insurance Council advised drivers to confirm with their insurance company they have full auto insurance coverage in addition to their state’s mandatory auto liability insurance.

Truck crossing to expand

B y i an h aupt

AECOM Technical Services, Inc., was selected to lead construction on the Pacific Highway land port of entry expansion project, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced December 19 in a press release.

The project will modernize the port from its current configuration to better meet the needs of both nations, according to the release. GSA plans to add four vehicle entry lanes to the port to support the NEXUS program, which allows prescreened travelers expedited processing.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funded the over $1 million contract to modernize and improve expansion projects at both northern and southern U.S. borders.

AECOM Technical Services, Inc., is a construction engineering company based in Los Angeles and is a subsidiary of AECOM, an multinational infrastructure-consulting firm with headquarters in Dallas, according to its website.

“We are excited to begin investing dollars from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in Washington’s land ports,” said Lisa K. Pearson, acting regional commissioner for the GSA Public Buildings Service in the Northwest/Arctic region. “The project at the Pacific Highway land port of entry will enable our partners at U.S. Customs and Border Protection to better serve travelers entering western Washington.”

The upgrades are expected to strengthen supply solutions to keep port expansion projects in efficient and effective operation for years to come, the release said.

GSA partners and supports U.S. Customs and Border Protection and other federal inspection agencies. It oversees approximately $75 billion in annual contracts, manages 370 million rentable square feet nationwide and delivers technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies, according to the release.

Circle of Care had a busy year in 2022. We negotiated a discount for Northwest Airlift insurance. We held Advance Directive workshops in person at the library and on Zoom. Circle of Care volunteers and trustees have provided upwards of:

Rides to doctors, store, Stafholt etc.

Prescriptions collected

Meals specially prepared and delivered

– Loans of durable medical equipment 12 – Numerous bedside visits to residents 6 – Support to hospice patients in their homes and in hospice in Bellingham In June, we sponsored the Community Volunteer Appreciation Day. In August, we

made-to-order over 45 blackberry pies. In October, we made to order over 40 apple pies and hosted the Apple Harvest Festival. In December, we made 23 swags, created calendars featuring photographs from some of our talented residents, and had a bake sale at the Holiday Bazaar.

In the last nine months of 2022, we have established a steering committee to turn our vision of an adult family home into a reality. We will have a market feasibility study completed by the end of January 2023.

And now, thoughts from our trustees: Louise Cassidy: “I am grateful to this wonderful community for your gifts of time and money. You stood by our side as we worked to help each other. We look

forward to your continued support as big things come from small beginnings. Small is mighty!”

Robbi Nielson: “I continue to be inspired and grateful for the ongoing commitment and vision of our dedicated board. This year our vision of an adult family home has become clearer and the first steps in the journey have been made. Thanks to all on the Point who have come alongside us and share in the dream!”

Barbara Bradstock: “Circle of Care is our safety net. We provide services and support that the rest of Whatcom County gets more easily.”

Isobel Brophy: “Thank you good people of Point Roberts, our volunteers, friends and benefactors. With your support, this worthy work will carry on.”

Bill Zidel: “We find a way to support our client requests for pickups of medicine and rides, given our limited staff.”

2022 year in REVIEW

A LOOK BACK

B y F E rn p E lti E r

Thank you, Point Roberts!

POINT ROBERTS Dollars for Scholars

As one of Scholarship America’s national network of locally-based, volunteer-driven Dollars for Scholars chapters, our mission is to mobilize our community to ensure education success for our Point Roberts post-secondary students.

Dollars for Scholars chapters like ours help hometown students achieve their educational goals by raising scholarship funds, establishing endowments, providing assistance with college readiness and the financial aid process, and distributing scholarships each year.

During one of the toughest years Point Roberts has ever faced, with the generous support of our partners and supporters,

we have achieved the highest award ever of $1,500 per student. We also achieved the highest annual number in our history – we were able to help 17 students in 2022.

It has been an unprecedented year and its challenges have made one thing clear – giving, kindness and support for each other are more crucial than ever.

We sincerely thank our financial partners and the many donations made by our community.

For additional information and to see a list of donors, please visit pointroberts. dollarsforscholars.org.

Thank you for your continued support.

The Point Roberts board of directors consists of Brian Calder, Pam Sarkissian, Vicki Robertson and Fern Peltier.

POINT ROBERTS Hospital District 2022 year in REVIEW

B y B ar B W ayland

The Point Roberts Public Hospital District (PRPHD) has had a good year. Usage of the Point Roberts SuperTrack Clinic has increased, and we welcomed a new provider, Dr. Kelly Evans, who joined Dr. Sean Bozorgzadeh and Dr. Mae Lary as our third physician.

We also welcomed two new commissioners, Sara Oggel and Noel Newbolt. Kandace Harper retired and Sara was elect-

ed to her position. Noel was appointed to the vacancy left by Richard Dennis when he and his wife moved back to Texas. Stephen Falk continues as commissioner and chair.

Working in cooperation with the fire department, the clinic continues to support the provision of Covid-19 vaccines and tests. We are looking forward to a good 2023 and are pleased and grateful for the ongoing support of the wonderful people of Point Roberts.

The sun rose far south of Mt. Baker on the winter solstice, December 21.

by Stephen Fowler

It’s the Holiday Spirit in Point Roberts!

A Holiday Night Ride took place on December 4 and featured a visit from Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus (below and left).

Local kids had a chance to make their own presents during a gift making event at the Point Roberts Library (bottom left).

There was a full house for the always popular Point Roberts Primary School holiday concert (right, top).

It’s baaaaccck and comes with reindeer antlers! Yes, it’s the holiday potluck at the community center (below and center right), held December 17.

Finally, the holiday bazaar was held December 10 and attracted lots of buyers!

Photos by Heidi Baxter

Courtesy photos

Coming up ...

Scheduled Meetings/Ongoing Events

Point Roberts Dollars for Scholars Fundraiser Campaign: Starting Tuesday, November 1. Local Dollars for Scholars board members are actively raising funds to again award scholarships to high school seniors and our continuing education students. Donations can be made through Umpqua bank for Dollars for Scholars, by mail to Point Roberts Dollars for Scholars, P.O. Box 1354, Point Roberts, WA 98281, or you can donate while you shop through AmazonSmile at smile.amazon.com (The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate .5 percent of the price of eligible purchases listed under Scholarship America, Point Roberts, WA). Umpqua bank will roll your tins of coins to donate.

Point Roberts Clinic Hours: Primary Care: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., appointment needed. Urgent Care can be accessed through telemedicine or at the clinic Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sundays 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Always call for an appointment before coming in, even for urgent care services. Hours subject to change. Flu shots available. Info: 360/945-2580.

PR Library Hours: Tuesdays 1-7 p.m., Wednesdays and Saturdays 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Library express hours: 6 a.m. – 11 p.m. daily. Closed Saturday, December 24 – Monday, December 26.

Point Roberts Walkers: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 8 a.m., coffee to follow at 9 a.m., Thursdays at the community center, Saturdays at Lily Point. Tuesdays location varies and can be found at prwalkers. wordpress.com.

PR Food Bank: Every Wednesday 8:30 –10 a.m. at the Gulf Road Community Center.

Seniors and More Lunches: Wednesdays and Fridays drive through and pick up available from 11:45 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., PR community center. Weekly menus published on PAWS and Point Interface. All ages welcome. More info: prseniors@whidbey.com or 360/945-5424.

Covid-19 PCR testing: Sundays, 10–11 a.m., Point Roberts Fire Hall, 2030 Benson Road. Bring ID and insurance information. No testing on Sundays December 25 and January 1.

Christmas Tree Collection: Tuesday, December 27 and Sunday, January 8, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Gulf Road near Teller (look for Christmas tree signs). Drop off your stripped, non-artificial Christmas tree to be chipped into mulch. Sponsored by the PR Garden Club and Salish Sea Farm. Contact info@pointrobertsgardenclub. org, or call 206/579-8520 for special arrangement pickup.

New Year’s at Noon: Saturday, December 31, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., PR Library. A daytime New Year’s program for young children and their families. Celebrate the new year with stories and activities. Watch balloons drop at noon and dance the hour away. Fun for everyone at your local library.

Dollars for Scholars Open Enrollment: Starting Sunday, January 1. Students must complete an online profile on pointroberts.dollarsforscholars.org. Deadline is Monday, May 15.

PR Amateur Radio Club: Monday, January 2, 7 p.m., via Zoom.

PR Emergency Preparedness: Tuesday, January 3, 7 p.m., community center/Zoom. Info: prepgroup17@ gmail.com.

PR Park and Recreation: Monday, January 9, at 7 p.m., via Zoom. Info: prparkandrec.org.

Water District: Tuesday, January 10, 5 p.m., via Zoom.

Fire District 5: Wednesday, January 11, at 4 p.m., via Zoom. Info: WCFD5.com.

PR Hospital District: Wednesday, January 11, 7 p.m., via Zoom. Info: pointrobertsclinic.com.

Taxpayers Association: Thursday, January 12, 7 p.m., via Zoom. Link: bit.ly/3BVkTVM.

Supper with the Superintendent: Tuesday, January 17, 6 p.m.at Point Roberts Primary School. Blaine School District superintendent Christopher Granger invites the community for a light dinner and question and answer session. Info: blainesd.org.

PR Historical Society: Thursday, January 19, 7 p.m., in the History Center.

PR Community Advisory Committee: Thursday, January 19, 7 p.m., via Zoom.

PC Care Clinic: Sunday, January 22, noon – 4 p.m., community center. Free computer care clinic community event where you can bring in your PC/laptop and we will provide a free checkup, cleaning and repair if we can. If your PC/laptop has a problem that we can fix on-site, the fix will be free. If the problem requires parts, we will provide an estimate for you to decide. The goals of the Computer Care Clinic are to help local Point Roberts computer users who need assistance, and to keep your electronics out of the landfill by extending its life. Please book a time slot by contacting Randy Smith at all4sail@yahoo.com or calling 360/945-0283.

History Center: Starting Saturday, January 7, Saturdays, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. The history center will be closed December 24 and 31.

Storytime: Wednesdays, 10:30–11 a.m., PR library. For ages 2-6. An open program that includes stories, rhymes and songs with opportunities for movement and interactive participation.

Craft and Game Night: Tuesdays from 5–7 p.m., Point Roberts Library. Bring a craft to work on or a board game to play.

Whatcom County Al-Anon: Online meetings available via Zoom and GoToMeeting. Info: whatcomafg.org.

Images by Bennett Blaustein

Photos by Erin Kelly

Borderite Report

Brought To You By The Blaine School District

In the beginning of December, our students attended their second field trip of the school year. This field trip was an art inspired trip where the students went to the local production of Newsies Jr. by Delta Youth Theater and then visited a local pottery studio in Richmond. This learning connected to activities that we were focusing on in our own classroom and gave our students the opportunity to experience deep connections to on-going learning.

During the months of November and December our students were practicing their own Gingerbread Man Musical which was presented to the community on December 15th at the local community center. Seeing other students perform was inspirational to our students. In addition, our students learned about different ways to print in our art classes, made their own comic strips and also read stories about the newspaper industry that were connected to the topics of printing and newspaper delivery. These classroom experiences allowed our students to directly connect with the musical despite it being set in 1899.

During our visit to 4Cats Art Studio each student created a snowman mug from clay. We had spent time painting pottery prior to our visit which made a great connection to deepen our learning; our field trip extended this learning. Students rolled out their clay, cut it to the correct shape and then formed the clay into a mug, adding the bottom and additional details.

Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office 2022 year in REVIEW A LOOK BACK

Merry Christmas and happy holidays from your Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO)!

The year 2022 offered both challenges and opportunities for the sheriff’s office, beginning with the impacts of the unprecedented flooding in November 2021. The staff at WCSO’s Division of Emergency Management continued to work diligently throughout 2022 to provide resources and support for the recovery process.

In January, the unreliability of the jail elevators became a challenge to the daily operations of the jail. While the inoperable elevators were repaired at the time, their continued unreliability remains an ongoing concern that impacts visitation and the ability to swiftly respond to incidents involving employee and inmate safety, as well as provide an emergency medical response to the upper floors.

Ongoing facility issues and lack of adequate jail space highlight the need for a new replacement correction facility to address growing public safety concerns.

The sheriff’s office and our behavioral health deputies continue to work with local service providers to assist those in crisis related to mental health or substance use.

We are currently working with the

health department on a co-responder program, partnering behavioral health specialists with deputies to efficiently provide services to people where they are.

Our Whatcom Gang and Drug Task Force has worked closely with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to identify and investigate those involved in the sale and distribution of fentanyl in our communities.

Over the last year, the task force has been involved in several large-scale investigations that resulted in the seizure of large quantities of fentanyl and the arrest of those responsible for distributing these deadly drugs throughout our county.

Finally, none of our staff and many in our community will ever forget the aggravated assault of two of our deputies on February 10, 2022. Both deputies were shot by an armed suspect while investigating a neighborhood dispute in the Kendall area.

Both deputies, despite their injuries, followed their training and took care of each other and area residents until other law enforcement arrived. Several area residents took immediate action to assist both deputies. We are thankful for the overwhelming support from the community and look forward to both deputies returning to duty.

As we look forward to 2023, your sheriff’s office will continue to work at keeping Whatcom County the safest county in the state through excellence in public safety.

Our PTO hosted a special celebration for our students on the last day of school prior to Winter Break. Students wore their pj’s, had a special pizza lunch and were provided with individual STEAM kits where they each built an ice rink with gears and magnets. A very special thank you to our community for supporting our PTO who provide field trips and learning opportunities to our students!

YOU ARE INVITEDPLEASE SAVE THE DATE

You are invited to join us for pizza and conversation with Dr. Granger at 6 pm on January 17th at Point Roberts Primary School. Supper with the Superintendent provides community members the opportunity to ask questions, get answers and have meaningful dialogue. We look forward to hosting you for supper in our community school.

A LOOK BACK

POINT ROBERTS Emergency Preparedness 2022 year in REVIEW

B y l ynn t aylor

In 2022, Point Roberts Emergency Preparedness (PREP) continued to fulfill its mission to help the community and its residents to be better prepared and more self-sufficient in the face of natural disasters and emergencies. To that end, 15 PREP members attended an emergency training session provided in April by the local fire department.

With other PNW emergency groups, on June 18, PREP rallied 30 local volunteers for Thunder Run, a test of the West Coast General Aviation Response Plan, a coordinated effort to fly resources into damaged areas and evacuate injured or displaced persons in the event of a catastrophic earthquake. Via seaplane, 800 pounds of food was received for the local food bank.

In March, along with the local fire department, PREP coordinated assessments by county and state wildfire experts who visited with over 50 landowners interested in voluntary measures to reduce wildfire risk on their properties. Email prep-

group17@gmail.com to add your name to a list for future assessments.

Over 350 people attended PREP’s annual Fourth of July Pancake Breakfast fundraiser. An emergency kit raffle was also enthusiastically supported. Thanks to all for your continued generosity!

During an early November electrical power outage, PREP joined with community partners to open the community center to provide meals, warmth and device charging to approximately 150 residents.

In 2023, supported by the local fire department, Washington Military Department and Whatcom County and with funds from FEMA and the Helen and Jose Colton Foundation, PREP will complete its project to equip Point Roberts with a 90-foot communications tower at the firehall.

PREP relies on its volunteers and motto of neighbors helping neighbors. Please join our mailing list, attend our meetings (held the first Tuesday of the month) and take part in training opportunities. Visit prepgroup.org for more information.

POINT ROBERTS Garden Club 2022 year in REVIEW

LOOK BACK

B y r hiannon a ll E n

After two years of only garden visits, 2022 saw the return of normal activities, starting cautiously on Zoom with a discussion of challenging weather and later closing the year with an in-person discussion of yard waste solutions.

In late spring, of course, we resumed our garden visits and particularly enjoyed visiting two gardens being resuscitated by their hearty non-resident garden owners.

The big event of the year was our May Garden and Plant Sale, which saw lively socializing and attendance. Thanks go to the Rozyskies for hosting the event, all who helped them, and the crowds that happily carted away plants and garden décor.

The year saw substantial changes in leadership. Scott Hackleman was warmly thanked for many years of presidency and supervision of the club’s roadside beautification projects. Kimberly Butts was elected president, and Jean Barrington took

over as vice-president so that long-time vice-president Fran Rozyskie could devote more time to PAWS. We also welcomed new coordinators for Programs and Education and for Beautification.

The extreme weather proved difficult for our beautification efforts. A number of shrubs on Tyee Drive died. They have been removed and will be replaced with hardier shrubs. Nasty weather frustrated our efforts to thin the daffodil beds and plant the thinned bulbs on random Point Roberts roadsides.

Finally, our Garden Tour Committee decided that the Point Roberts Garden Tour will resume in 2024 and then transition to a leap-year Garden Tour. We hope that our cancelled Garden Tour 2020 lineup of charming gardens will still be available and that community members old and new will join our efforts to welcome back the hundreds of visitors who attend our tour.

We welcomed many new members, and if you would like to join us for 2023, please email info@pointrobertsgardenclub.org.

2022 year in REVIEW

POINT ROBERTS Food Bank

For over 25 years, Henry Rosenthal (aided by his wife and a handful of dedicated volunteers) was the Point Roberts Food Bank, known and loved by all. But as his health declined in the spring, Henry planned for the continuation of the food bank by stepping down as president and inviting Ray Smith and Holly Robinson to join the board of directors. Ray was voted in as president, and Holly as vice president. Henry continued on the board as president emeritus until his passing in late November.

The food bank continues its weekly operations, serving an average of 50 clients a week, with a combination of food and other items obtained from the Bellingham regional food bank and distribution center, local grocery stores, Christ the King farm, local bakeries and local food donations.

The Point Roberts Food Bank is looking forward to exciting operational changes in the coming year, which include establishing a permanent home in order to consolidate supplies currently stored around the Point and setting up a permanent pantry where people can come to pick up food, eliminating the need for weekly transportation, set up, and breakdown of the food bank, and offering expanded hours.

We will be launching a website that will provide information on the items to be offered at the food bank for the current week, as well as considering hiring parttime staff to assist in running the food bank. We have expanded the board of directors to assist in this growth and always look to welcome new volunteers to serve in a variety of roles.

The board of directors looks forward to continuing Henry’s legacy and honoring his memory in the new year.

2022 year in REVIEW

A LOOK BACK

POINT ROBERTS PAWS

B y M ar G ot G ri FF iths

The resounding highlight of 2022 was the PAWS dog show, Every Dog’s A Winner. As our president and lead on this, Fran Rozyskie asserts, “It was pawsome! Forty-four beautiful and talented dogs attended, every dog won a prize, and their people won great raffle prizes. It was a wonderful day, and we thank everyone for their support.”

Dr. Jan Atkinson-Grosjean coordinated the feral cat initiative. In her words, “With the help of local donors, volunteers and vets, PAWS has supported an active trap, neuter and return (TNR) program. We help develop long-term plans for feral colonies, coordinate no- and low-cost spaying and neutering, supply traps and advice on their use and arrange transport to and from veterinary care. Where the TNR program is actively worked, we assist with ongoing costs. If appropriate, we also facilitate fostering, socializing and rehoming.”

PAWS’ wildlife biologist, Kat Smith, describes some highlights of the past year. “PAWS assisted in arranging transportby-boat of two injured racoons to vet care

at the Whatcom County Humane Society Wildlife Center in Everson. A third animal, struck by a vehicle on APA Road, was kenneled, provided with life-saving vet care and released back to its home range. PAWS monitored a lone snow goose that frequented the marina after its flock had flown. It was found to be healthy and was just resting and refuelling before moving on. PAWS referred calls about seal pup sightings and marine mammal mortalities to the Whatcom Marine Mammal Stranding Network. Pups usually just need to be left alone, awaiting the return of their mothers, who are off on feeding forays.”

PAWS provides information and is active in promoting poison-free pesticides to reduce accidental poisoning of non-target wildlife and pets. We also distribute free window decals to prevent bird strikes, and sell bee houses and wildflower seeds to help sustain pollinators.

The PAWS board joins others in advocating for a half-acre off-leash dog park, located at Lighthouse Park in an area of low impact to other activities.

Thank you to all who have contributed this year. We appreciate you!

A LOOK BACK

POINT ROBERTS Taxpayers Association 2022 year in REVIEW

B y M ar K r o BB ins

During the past year, the Point Roberts Taxpayers Association (PRTA) met monthly via Zoom with the exception of the in-person annual general meeting (AGM), held outdoors at Kiniski’s Reef Tavern. PRTA continued to actively support the Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee (PRCAC) as the primary mechanism for pursuing improved services to our unincorporated community.

In January, PRTA held a virtual special meeting of the membership via Zoom to approve changes to the association’s articles of incorporation in order to bring them in line with current by-laws, which have been updated from time to time without noting some inconsistencies. The most important action was to affirm that PRTA membership is open to any full-time legal resident of Point Roberts (even if they do not own property) as well as to resident and non-resident property owners.

The AGM was held on July 21. After two years of virtual AGMs, it was exciting to once again welcome a keynote speaker, Dr. Lisa Brown, director of the Washington State Department of Commerce, who spoke on economic recovery and making communities like Point Roberts thrive. Dr. Brown was accompanied by state represen-

tative (and now state senator-elect) Sharon Shewmake, who participated actively in the Q&A. We belatedly marked our 50th anniversary as an association, first incorporated as the Point Roberts Community Association in 1970 (name changed to Point Roberts Taxpayers Association in 1990).

On September 6, PRTA hosted the 9th consecutive annual town hall meeting with our member of congress, Suzan DelBene. We bade farewell to Ms. DelBene as our representative as a result of redistricting that moved Point Roberts to the second congressional district, represented by Rick Larsen. We will seek to establish a similar townhall tradition with representative Larsen in 2023.

Through the vision and perseverance if one of our directors, Samantha Scholefield, PRTA received a $5,000 grant from the Whatcom Community Foundation aimed at promoting a sense of community through the enjoyment of the Point’s many free outdoors attractions. Informational and promotional materials will be developed, and selected activities sponsored. So far, PRTA’s Free on the Point program has conducted a Lily Point Walk and a nighttime Holiday Bike Ride. PRTA is grateful for the financial support provided by the Whatcom Community Foundation.

s PAWS board: From l.; Kat Smith, Marlene Nash, Fran Rozyskie; Jan Atkinson-Grosjean, Margot Griffiths

Photo by Theresa Nelson-Chiu

POINT ROBERTS Library 2022 year in REVIEW

The year began with much mask wearing, and much time spent helping folks complete ArrriveCan forms. Nonetheless, many visitors were able to return to enjoy the library once more.

Then in June, the library’s computer system was hacked! A few accounts were affected, all were notified, and our intrepid IT and administrative teams worked tirelessly, fixing things as seamlessly as possible.

In the spring and summer, two geology walk and talks conducted by Mindy Brugman attracted attentive crowds. Kids also had a chance to paint rocks they found. In-person pre-school story time began again in the early fall, and once again the

primary school visits resumed. The latest program, making presents, was noisy and joyful.

The meeting room gets more use every month for long distance classes, craft and game time, book clubs, private and public meetings, and work-related needs. It is also set up for hot refreshments. Reserve on-line at wcls.org.

With lots of room and comfortable seating, the library is a great place to come in from the cold or the heat during unseasonable weather. Wifi is available all the time, and the express room is open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., for convenient pick-up and check-out of requested items. And then, of course, the books, movies and music! And us, your always friendly and helpful staff!

B

POINT ROBERTS Historical Society 2022 year in REVIEW

A LOOK BACK

y J E ssica M c V E y

2022 was an eventful year for the Point Roberts Historical Society. We had the first eight of what will be close to 30 History Trail signs installed and have had a nice response to them. If you have not seen the bright blue signs yet, be on the lookout for more around the Point this year.

The History Center has a flyer stating where the current ones are located. We just learned that our second grant application to assist in completing the project has been awarded. In August, the historical society celebrated its 40th anniversary with a small program featuring speakers Jim Julius and Mark Swenson.

Mark Swenson attended a state-wide museum conference and gave a well-received presentation on our corner of the world and our history. After opening the History Center in March 2021, we closed for the month of January 2022 due to a local Covid-19 outbreak. Since then, we have had wonderful, interested visitors to

the center. Many come for our photo displays, ask great questions, share their Point Roberts stories while others come for our Pacific Northwest-focused gift shop. It was wonderful when the borders fully opened, and we were able to greet many who had not been on the Point for two years. We will have been open for our first full year in February 2023.

The year 2022 was the fifth anniversary of the publication of Mark Swenson’s book, Point Roberts Backstory, available for sale at the History Center.

The 1950 census is loaded onto the computer in the History Center, along with our genealogy software, which makes it easy to research family trees on the Point.

We are always looking for volunteers to help us out, as we have lots of projects on our list to still accomplish.

Our next Historical Society meeting will be Wednesday, February 15 at 7 p.m. in the History Center.

Please consider joining and coming to our meetings.

A LOOK BACK

POINT ROBERTS Chamber of Commerce 2022 year in REVIEW

B y B rian c ald E r

The Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce (PRCOC) conducted over 400 media (print, radio, television, etc.) interviews over the past two years with local, national, and international media and met with political leaders at every level in both U.S. and Canada. We are continually working to get the message out on the uniqueness of Point Roberts needing and deserving of unique solutions.

PRCOC wrote the county twice requesting that Point Roberts have a small works roster to employ our own local contractors to conduct works under $5,000 per contract. This would ensure that the work would be done immediately and assist in local employment. Clearing overflowing ditches and removing fallen trees from roads are just two examples of what could be accomplished economically. As well: • PRCOC pledged our active support for the local Main Street Program.

• Actively supported and dialogued with Senator Patty Murray’s office regarding the Federal Small Business Relief program.

• We have also revamped and continually update our web page, pointrobertschamberofcommerce.com.

• PRCOC hosted the Canadian consul general Mia Yen on the Point for a day in July from Seattle. She was accompanied by Dr. Laurie Trautman, the director of border policy research at Western Washington University. They reported their visit with recommendations to the Canadian Federal Government.

• We assisted local businessman Doug Shier of the Potty Wagon business in the successful renegotiation of his waste disposal contract with the greater Vancouver sewer and drainage district.

• We also made several written requests to the county over the past six months for the removal or repair of the cable lines that have been in gross disrepair for several years now.

POINT ROBERTS Park & Recreation 2022 year in REVIEW

A LOOK BACK

B y E M ily M c K inl E y

The Point Roberts Park and Recreation district had an eventful 2022 focused on community connection, engagement and maintaining the beauty of the land we are fortunate to steward.

Some of the events we have hosted include the 4th of July Pancake Breakfast, Eagle SunFest, Apple Harvest Festival, Easter Egg Hunt, many Your Local Small Markets, a Halloween Spooktacular, Holiday Bazaar and the Community Holiday Party. The community center has continued to support the Food Bank and Senior Lunch Program. The district’s Zoom account has supported over 200 scheduled events, which has been a great boon to continued accessibility.

Crossings >>>

Traffic into Point Roberts September 2022, with figures for 2021 following.

September: personal vehicles 54,170 (11,094); personal passengers 73,114 (14,518); pedestrians 629 (81); commercial 454 (127).

During the summer, Kids Camp brought lots of activities and fun, including three field trips across the border. Organization and implementation of camp was thanks to our amazing counselors, volunteers and the park district board and staff. We continued the summer fun with Movie Nights in the Park at Baker Field, which was a huge success and will continue next year. The summer Kayak Program at Lighthouse Park saw the addition of the paddle board program at Maple Beach, which was much appreciated by the community and will return in 2023 as well.

In August, Bennett Blaustein retired as chairperson after years of dedicated service. Mitch Friedman stepped up as chair, Bill Zidel as co-chair, and Kathleen Friedman joined the board in September. We are grateful to have a dynamic group of people bringing ideas and action to the district and community.

As we come into the fall and winter months, we are reflecting on what makes Point Roberts such a unique place. We are grateful to know you all and deeply appreciative of our small and mighty community. We are planning and expanding our capacity for the community center to be the center of the community through continuing to focus on programs that connect us all and working together to nurture the community spirit. Here’s to 2023!

s Port of Bellingham director of real estate and local resident Elliott Smith, c., spoke December 7 at the Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce social held at Saltwater Cafe. Smith discussed current port projects and areas in which the Port could assist the Point with economic development ideas. Photo by Louise Mugar

in The garden

the last Garden Club meeting, we had a lively discussion of sustainability in gardening. Generally, gardeners like to think of themselves as ecologically conscientious and contributing to the natural balance of the earth. Our plants sequester carbon and exhale oxygen. Deciduous trees shade us from summer sun but let the winter sun shine through.

But let’s not pat ourselves on our backs too soon. There is much room for improvement. For example, a lot of our plants are trucked in from distant wholesale nurseries. Until electric trucks are feasible, that means carbon emissions. Well, at least seeds don’t weigh much or take up a lot of space, so their carbon footprint is smaller. (And seed catalog season is almost upon us!) Of course, not everyone has the time or facilities for seed saving and starting. For those people, there are local options for starts grown from seed: Ladybug Nursery, Friday Night Market, the Garden Club plant sale in some years, and seedling sales through Point-e Post and NextDoor.

If you must pay for something more advanced in growth, then at least consider less bulky heavy plants like young or bareroot plants. And don’t forget to clean and store any plastic pots they come in, since there are no close recycling facilities for them.

Another sustainability challenge lies in soil improvement. Most gardeners here need to add organic matter, whether it is to enrich our dominantly sandy earth or aerate the pockets of clay in some areas. For decades, gardeners have added peat moss to incorporate organic matter. However, the world is running out of harvestable peat bogs, which also happen to be important for maintaining atmospheric health. If

you look at satellite photographs of Delta’s Burns Bog, you can see the scars left from 20th century peat mining. Happily, the ‘lungs of the lower mainland’ are now protected. Of course, that means that Point Roberts gardeners using peat moss are having their peat trucked in from Quebec and other distant areas.

The solution? One is using coir or coco peat, the shredded fibers of fast-growing coconuts. Better than peat, but needless to say imported from distant climes on fuel-burning vessels.

A more sustainable option is using the organic matter your household and garden already generate. Unless diseased or noxious, don’t let organic matter leave your property. Mulching mowers deposit finely cut grass back into the lawn. Vegetable scraps and fine garden waste can be composted. (Garden Club: perhaps time for another community composting workshop?)

For small lots with little space for big compost bins, I’ve heard about worm composting, digesters and the Bokashi method of composting. These break down organic matter into useable compost. Although designed primarily to deal with kitchen waste, I assume that they can handle the small amounts of yard waste that a tiny garden would produce.

Gardeners generally find woody prunings and storm litter more challenging. Some of it can be left where it fell – nature’s own sustainability. That’s even the current ecology advice: Leave as much yard waste as possible until at least spring gardening cleanup. However, we all know that’s not always feasible. If you have the space, brown yard waste can be piled in an out of the way spot. However, a major caution

is that you do not want to have heaps of wood that could pose a wild fire hazard.

An ideal solution in my opinion is a chipper or chipper/shredder, although the small machines designed for home rather than arborist use can’t handle large limbs. Each model will have its own limitations, so research what you buy carefully. Gas-fuelled ones can usually handle fatter branches, but I recommend electric ones. They are more sustainable and quieter than gas machines, and seem to be less prone to dangerous kick-back and temperamental fits. You just have to be patient feeding small branches or handfuls of leaves into their openings. But what else is there to do in the winter garden? And what do you get in return from a chipper or chipper/shred-

der? Great stuff! Wood and leaf mulch that you didn’t have to buy! And it didn’t need to be trucked in from elsewhere by polluting trucks! How cool is that?

You might still have large branches to deal with. Sometimes they can be left in place, moved to a small brush pile or incorporated into the garden. Alders of a certain diameter can be used to grow mushrooms, although I personally have had little success with this.

If you have a wood-burning stove, barbeque or fire pit – or a friend who does –and really no place to leave the branches, your best bet is to invest in a chainsaw, cut the branches to size, and set them aside to season. Wood ash can even be returned to the garden.

A LOOK BACK

POINT ROBERTS Community Advisory Ctte 2022 year in REVIEW

B y p ra K ash s undar E san

2022 was a year of transition for Point Roberts as the community gradually shifted its attention away from Covid-19-related border restrictions and its associated impacts to rebuilding, increasing resilience and improving quality of life.

This transition was also reflected in the issues on the Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee’s (PRCAC) agenda per its role “to provide advice and recommendations to the county executive and the county council regarding needs and issues specific to the Point Roberts community.”

Stormwater drainage was a critical and urgent issue as extensive flooding during the winter of 2021-22 caused widespread community concern. PRCAC facilitated multiple meetings on the topic with the county public works department, which ultimately made a funding request for $380,000 to create a detailed Stormwater Management Plan for Point Roberts. The funding was approved by county council and the plan is currently in the request for bids stage.

Expanding access to affordable highspeed broadband was another priority item. PRCAC supported Whidbey Telecom’s efforts to secure grants to expand fiber-optic layout in the community. Following extensive community discussion on the urgency of this need, PRCAC also petitioned the county executive and coun-

cil to authorize use of $250,000 allocated in the state budget and allocate additional matching funds to accelerate rollout of broadband using alternative means. This request is currently in front of the county executive and council.

Solid waste was also an area of focus as the community caught up on deferred maintenance after a Covid-19-caused hiatus over the past couple of years. Based on a request from PRCAC, the county authorized multiple free green waste days to facilitate clean-up. PRCAC also held multiple townhalls to solicit feedback from the community on solid waste services and forwarded it to county authorities so it can be factored into future service provider contracts.

As we transition to 2023, PRCAC will continue to serve as a hub to consolidate community concerns and channel them to the county leadership. In addition to continuing to push for a successful resolution of the issues listed above, PRCAC’s priorities for 2023 include finding ways to address an acute shortage of affordable housing, creation of an off-leash dog park, and applying for the Washington state’s Main Street program.

PRCAC is always open to community input and feedback, which can be sent via email to prcac.comment@gmail.com. PRCAC meeting agendas, minutes, and videos can be found at bit.ly/3iTx6DQ.

On behalf of the entire PRCAC, we wish everyone happy holidays and a great 2023!

RECENT HOUSE & LOT PRICES

Blaine, Birch Bay & Point Roberts

NOVEMBER 2022

DESCRIPTION

HIGHER END HOUSES: $800,000 & ABOVE: 1-and a half story house with 2,112 SF, 2 BD, 3 BA, 144 SF balcony, 462 SF attached garage, 280 SF patio, built in 2020; marine and territorial views, .19 acres land.

1-story house with 1,911 SF, 3 BD, 3 BA, 448 SF attached garage, 906 SF patio, built in 2004; marine view, .25 acres land.

1-story house with 2,285 SF, 2,273 SF basement, 3 BD, 4 BA, 576 SF attached garage, 192 SF balcony, 331 SF patio, built in, 2011; territorial view, .23 acres land.

Condo with 3,097 SF, 2 BD, 5 BA, 610 SF built-in garage, 302 SF patio, built in 2016/17, waterfront; marine view.

1-story house with 1,794 SF, 3 BD, 3 BA, 888 SF attached garage, 420 SF patio, 200 SF storage, built in 2021, 14.74 acres land; territorial views.

1-story house with 2,189 SF, 3 BD, 4 BA, 858 SF attached garage, 392 SF patio, built in 2001; territorial view, .38 acres land.

2-story house with 3,294 SF, 5 BD, 5 BA, 384 SF balcony, 546 SF built-in garage, 384 SF patio, built in 2017, 180 feet waterfront; marine and territorial views, .50 acres land.

1-and a half story house with 4,097 SF, 3 BD, 4 BA, 576 SF attached garage, 276 SF patio, 324 SF deck, built in 2014; territorial view, .41 acres land.

New 2-story house with 3,283 SF, 4 BD, 4 BA, attached garage, built in 2022; marine and territorial view, .24 acres land.

LOCATION

5473 Wood Duck Loop, Blaine 5560 Haida Way, Blaine 4781 South Golf Course Drive, Blaine

Rentals - Residential Want to find a new home? You’ve come to the right place! www.allpointbulletin.com

LAND:

.17 acres residential lot; marine and territorial view.

.22 acres residential lot, lakefront; marine view.

2023 PUBLICATION SCHEDULE POINT ROBERTS HOUSE for rent. Furnished. Avail. Jan 1 to Aug 1. Wood Fireplace, Very Quiet, Open Layout, Great Views. $1300 USD. Plus Util. No Cats, Dogs Ok. Send enquiries to mjsolutionpartners@gmail.com

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ChurCh news

Happy New Year to all! This is a January column but, being written before Christmas, hopefully, readers are still open to some Christmas reflections.

The Sunday sermon of December 18 looked at the story of Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. His story is found in Matthew, which we’ll read from throughout this year. Luke was last year’s gospel-writer, and his story focuses on Mary, the mother of Jesus.

The two stories, by different authors from different religious backgrounds, together offer a full and rich depiction of the redemptive work of God through very human relationships to divine principles.

Some background to these stories: the Jewish people at the time of Christ live under Roman rule, a cruel oppression. Part of the nativity story is its setting in a time when Roman rulership demanded a census of the Jews for taxation purposes.

Mary receives a visit from an angel announcing that she is going to give birth to God’s own son, who will be a messiah, anointed savior of God’s people. Pastor and commentator Diane Butler-Bass makes the point that, before she was a madonna, Mary was actually a prophet.

Having been told that she will bear the son of God, she visits her cousin Elizabeth, who is also pregnant. When Elizabeth greets her cousin with her own acknowledgement that Mary is to be the mother of the lord, Mary breaks into song praising God. God has seen the humble station of this young woman and blesses her beyond any human imaginings. Through her son,

God has, “put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away.” This up-ending of the current Roman social order sits firmly in the prophetic tradition of the old testament. Mary and her fiancé Joseph are chosen to be the protectors and parents of the savior of God’s people.

Joseph’s story comes from a different source, with a different focus and different set of social protocols to be overturned. Both gospel writers include in their stories a genealogy of Jesus; Luke, a gentile and a physician, takes Jesus’ genealogy back to Adam, the first human, thus presenting Jesus as a universal savior, of all nations (Luke 3:23-38). Matthew, a Jewish writer, traces Jesus’ origins back to Abraham, the father of the nation of Israel (Matt. 1:2-17). Jesus’ earthly father is Joseph, a descendent of David, the greatest of the kings of the old testament.

Joseph is a member of the royal Davidic line. and is described as a righteous man. In other words, he knows the law. And the law is God’s gift to his people, the guidebook to being civilized in a relatively lawless world. It should be understood that, at this point, the laws of that time were very strict, with sometimes brutal consequences, and some were specifically pertinent to the role of women in the social order.

Joseph has just received his own epiphany, informing him that his fiancée is pregnant and will bear a son. By rights, Joseph can have his bride-to-be publicly stoned to

POINT ROBERTS Friends of the Library 2022 year in REVIEW A

LOOK BACK

B y J udy r oss

Throughout 2022, the Friends of the Point Roberts Library continued to sponsor Saturday sessions of The Commons, despite the difficulties caused by Covid-19.

Each weekend, anywhere from six to 30 people came by The Commons to meet and talk with one other and those of us who staff the project, and to investigate the shelves of free used books that we make available to the community.

On some Saturdays, we also had a local speaker, ranging from various commissioners talking about their district’s activities, to residents who talk about topics ranging from boating in local waters to keeping unusual animals. The friends group has also continued to stock used books in the library and at Nielson’s Building Center.

We support the library’s kids programs. This year, that support included snacks

for the Ahoy Pirates program, and craft supplies for both take away and in-person creativity programs, like rock painting, pop-up card making, origami kits, and the summer Stone Soup puppet show event.

We also work with and support other groups in Point Roberts. This year, we donated to the Trinity Community Lutheran Church rebuilding campaign and contributed gift baskets to the silent raffle at our local school’s holiday program in December.

In addition, we worked with the library and the history museum in making available a brochure identifying local pebbles/ rocks.

Subsequently, we supported a Lily Point Geology Walk with the Point Roberts Taxpayers Association as part of their Free Things to Do on Point Roberts grant kickoff event. Over 55 people attended.

It’s been great working with everyone this year. And now onto 2023!

death for this violation of the law of Moses. It is the righteous thing to do. But the wise and compassionate Joseph resolves instead to quietly end the engagement and move on with his life. Not exactly the righteous choice, but at least the right one.

It seems here that, based on his decision, he gets his own angelic visitation to assure him that this child is indeed God’s own miracle, and Joseph is now in on the divine plan.

I find it significant that these parents did not receive their angelic messages as a couple. Their stories are separate and unique. Mary’s epiphany is not dependent upon her engaged status, nor is it given through her husband, as would be expected within the middle-eastern culture of the time.

Joseph receives a message that initially puts him in an uncomfortable legal and ethical position. And when he finally gets his epiphany, he is told to “not be afraid” to take Mary as his wife. One can see that he would be putting his reputation on the line here, and is perhaps being challenged to choose love over law.

These stories are the beginning of a greater story that changes the world. Yet they are stories of two people called to higher destinies as individuals, one called to prophesy the overturning of the status quo, the other called to surrender righteousness to rightness, and law to love.

This is the way of the Christ; an invitation to transcend the small path of self-interest and obedience to legal systems in order to embrace the divine path of truth, love and compassion. It is the way of the Christ.

Library piCks

K ris lo ME dico

Bestsellers: Dark Angel John Sanford Homecoming Kate Morton The Happy Place Emily Henry Racing the Night Robert Craig Movies: Black Adam Dwayne Johnson Tar Cate Blanchett Lamborghini Frank Grillo Carmen Natascha McElhone Music: Surrender Maggie Rogers Toast Neil Young Here It Is Leonard Cohen The Blues Don’t Lie Buddy Guy Teens: Supper Club Jackie Morrow Nine Liars Maureen Johnson

The Cartographers Amy Zhang Kids: Two Degrees Alan Gratz Odder Katherine Applegate Clover Nadine Robert Hours: Tuesdays 1–7 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Express Pick-Up: Daily 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. wcls.org

Tides

Date Time Height Time Height

Su 1 2:25 am 11.4 6:26 am 10.2 12:22 pm 14.0 8:05 pm 4.1

Mo 2 3:47 am 12.6 7:54 am 11.4

12:54 pm 13.6 8:45 pm 3.4

Tu 3 4:47 am 13.6 9:18 am 12.0

1:26 pm 13.2 9:23 pm 2.9

We 4 5:31 am 14.3 10:26 am 12.2

2:00 pm 12.9 9:59 pm 2.7

Th 5 6:09 am 14.7 11:22 am 12.1

2:38 pm 12.7 10:35 pm 2.7

Fr 6 6:41 am 14.8 12:06 pm 11.9

3:18 pm 12.5 11:09 pm 2.7

Sa 7 7:11 am 14.8 12:44 pm 11.7

4:00 pm 12.3 11:43 pm 2.8

Su 8 7:39 am 14.7 1:20 pm 11.4

4:42 pm 12.1

Mo 9 12:15 am 3.0 8:07 am 14.6

2:00 pm 11.0 5:24 pm 11.8

Tu 10 12:49 am 3.4 8:33 am 14.5

2:42 pm 10.5 6:10 pm 11.4

We 11 1:21 am 4.0 8:59 am 14.4

3:26 pm 9.9 7:04 pm 10.9

Th 12 1:55 am 4.9 9:25 am 14.3

4:10 pm 9.1 8:12 pm 10.3

Fr 13 2:29 am 6.1 9:47 am 14.2

4:54 pm 8.1 9:40 pm 10.0

Sa 14 3:07 am 7.5 10:13 am 14.1

5:36 pm 6.9 11:38 pm 10.1

Su 15 3:49 am 9.0 10:37 am 14.0 6:20 pm 5.7

Mo 16 1:44 am 11.0 4:45 am 10.5 11:07 am 13.9 7:06 pm 4.5

Tu 17 3:14 am 12.2 6:11 am 11.7

11:41 am 13.9 7:54 pm 3.4

We 18 4:14 am 13.3 7:57 am 12.5 12:23 pm 13.9 8:42 pm 2.3

Th 19 5:00 am 14.2 9:21 am 12.7

1:17 pm 13.9 9:32 pm 1.5

Fr 20 5:42 am 14.8 10:23 am 12.5

2:21 pm 13.9 10:20 pm 0.9

Sa 21 6:20 am 15.1 11:15 am 12.1

3:25 pm 13.9 11:08 pm 0.7

Su 22 6:56 am 15.3 12:07 pm 11.5

4:27 pm 13.7 11:54 pm 0.9

Mo 23 7:30 am 15.4 12:59 pm 10.7 5:27 pm 13.2

Tu 24 12:38 am 1.6 8:04 am 15.3

1:55 pm 9.7 6:31 pm 12.6

We 25 1:22 am 2.9 8:38 am 15.2

2:49 pm 8.6 7:41 pm 11.8

Th 26 2:06 am 4.5 9:10 am 14.9

3:47 pm 7.4 9:03 pm 11.2

Fr 27 2:50 am 6.5 9:40 am 14.6 4:41 pm 6.3 10:45 pm 10.9

Sa 28 3:40 am 8.4 10:10 am 14.2 5:37 pm 5.4

Su 29 12:39 am 11.3 4:40 am 10.2 10:42 am 13.7 6:29 pm 4.6

Mo 30 2:25 am 12.2 6:10 am 11.5

11:12 am 13.3 7:21 pm 4.1

Tu 31 3:45 am 13.2 8:06 am 12.1 11:48 am 12.8 8:11 pm 3.8

obiTuary

Patrick Gibson White

January 30, 1953 – November 28, 2022

Beloved long-time Point Roberts local, husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend, Patrick (Pat) Gibson White, 69, passed away at University of Washington Medical Center – Montlake on November 28, 2022.

Born January 30, 1953 in Kellogg, Idaho, Pat was the third of five children to Max and Ruby (Gibson) White. The family lived in Pinehurst, Idaho and Tsawwassen, B.C., before settling in Point Roberts.

Pat was a graduate of Blaine High School and attended Everett Community College before working on a Norwegian freighter hauling lumber from Vancouverto Osaka, Japan. This first job sparked his desire to see the world and his lifelong passion for all things marine.

He attended Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship in Piney Point, Maryland and became trained and certified as a Merchant Marine. From there he started his maritime career working for National Marine Services out of Houston, Texas, fueling all along the Gulf Coast before moving back to the Pacific Northwest to fuel through-

out the Puget Sound working for Foss Maritime out of Seattle.

Pat joined his brother, Jerry, and fished salmon in Sand Point, Alaska and herring in San Francisco, California as seiners on the commercial fishing boat, Aleutian Dream. Pat ended his commercial fishing career captaining his own boat, Attu, gillnetting in Prince William Sound and Southeast Alaska.

Returning to Point Roberts, Pat worked for local general contractors for 10 years before starting his own business, Pat White Construction, where he worked until retirement. He was a volunteer EMT, fireman, fire district board member, and 1986 Volunteer Fireman of the Year for Point Roberts Fire Department.

Pat married Sue Schroeder in April 1988 in an intimate ceremony at Lake Quinault, Washington. They built their home on Benson Road in 1990 and welcomed their daughter, Haley, in September 1991.

Pat leaves earth side, his wife Sue, daughter Haley (Shane), mother Ruby, and

siblings Mike (Cherilyn), Jerry (Karen), Laura (Jim), and numerous other family members and friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Max, and sister, Sara.

Pat regularly read five newspapers, all from places he knew or loved, was well-traveled and well-read, known for his humorous vocabulary of one-liners, as a jack-of-all-trades, and loved vacationing in

Mexico, crabbing the waters of the Pacific Northwest and fishing Baker Lake. He was known as “Homie” and “The Champ” by friends who loved him.

While Pat will be greatly and lovingly missed, his spirit will be remembered fondly and continue to live on in the hearts of those that love him.

Year in Review ...

From page 7

engineers from Pace Engineers in order to update the district’s comprehensive plan. December

• Elliott Smith, the director of real estate and asset management for the Port of Bellingham, spoke at the Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce meeting.

• Free on the Point held its Holiday Night Bike Ride and tree lighting ceremony.

• The Holiday Bazaar was held at the community center.

• The Point Roberts Annual Holiday Party was held at the community center with activities such as a gift exchange and

numbersPoint Roberts clinic numbers for November 2022 (2021 figures following) Total 154(186); office visit 85(71); labs 7(16); PT/INR 5(8); telemedicine visit 19(29); Physical exams 1(0); skin clinic 6(4); B12 and flu shots 31(38).

Fire Incidents for November 2022

Total calls (71); EMS calls (34), resulting in the following transports: Saint Josephs Hospital (5), Airlift Northwest (2), County Medic (1); Fire Classification (27) resulting in outdoor burns – permits (1), outdoor burns – illegal (4), false alarm (2), power lines down (12), gas leak (1), water problem (1), carbon monoxide (5); public service (10).

sheriff’s reporT

December 1, 12:24 a.m.: Assist citizen on Boundary Bay Road. December 1, 5:25 p.m.: Motor vehicle accident on Tyee Drive and Gulf Road.

December 1, 5:27 p.m.: Motor vehicle accident injury on Tyee Drive.

December 2, 12:05 p.m.: Vandalism cold call on Gulf Road.

December 3, 12:31 a.m.: Request for law enforcement on Tyee Drive and Dogwood Way. December 4, 2:35 p.m.: Security check on Gulf Road.

December 6, 10:02 a.m.: Suspicious circumstances cold call on Cedar Street. December 6, 3:42 p.m.: Serve papers on Tyee Drive.

December 9, 4:55 a.m.: Security check on Gulf Road.

December 9, 3:26 p.m.: Assist citizen on Peltier Drive.

December 9, 3:37 p.m.: Follow up on Tyee Drive and Gulf Road.

December 9, 11:09 p.m.: Disorderly conduct on Gulf Road.

December 10, 12:45 p.m.:

Neighborhood dispute cold call on South Beach Road.

December 10, 2:58 p.m.:

Security check on Largaud Drive.

December 11, 1:13 p.m.:

Suspicious circumstances cold call on Shaw Crescent Street.

December 11, 4:44 p.m.: Assist citizen on Benson Road.

December 11, 5:38 p.m.: Not available on Teller Road and Columbia Vista.

December 12, 6:17 a.m.: Welfare Check on Cedar Park Drive.

December 13, 12:15 a.m.: Assist citizen on Windsor Drive.

December 13, 2:03 p.m.: Suspicious person cold call Windsor drive.

December 13, 2:53 p.m.: Follow up on Windsor Drive.

December 13, 4:10 p.m.: Welfare check on Benson Road.

December 14, 7:18 p.m.: Alarm audible on Tyee Drive.

s Pat White