All Point Bulletin January 2016. by Point Roberts Press

January 2016

IN THIS

ISSUE

www.AllPointBulletin.com

Stop dumping your trash at the park, page 3

Radio tower saga ends with cheers

Images of the holidays, page 12

ECRWSS PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 14

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New radios, new TV audio, page 16

Point Roberts, WA 98281 Postal Patron Local

Presenting the history of Point Roberts

By Meg Olson It’s official. Community efforts to prevent a proposed radio tower farm from being built on the Point have succeeded. November 30 was the last day that BBC Broadcasting could appeal the most recent legal ruling in Skagit County Superior Court that the proposed array of five 150foot AM radio towers was not allowed under existing zoning. Their failure to do so amounted to their abandoning their project, according to Jennifer Urquhart, treasurer with the Cross Border Coalition to Stop the Radio Towers. The grassroots coalition brought together people from both sides of the border to fight the project, which was intended to serve metro Vancouver’s east Asian community. Opponents said the towers would wreak havoc with electronics in Point Roberts and Tsawwassen. “We are gratified that our small communities have prevailed in a case where we were out-gunned and out-spent,” Urquhart said. “This win shows what can be done when ordinary citizens of two countries unite behind a common cause – in this case to protect our quality of life and health from an unwanted tower array on our shared peninsula.” Congresswoman Suzan DelBene was quick to congratulate the coalition. “After a lot of hard work, determination and vocal objection, Point Roberts has succeeded in preventing the construction of this project that would have negatively affected the quality of life for residents,” DelBene said. “I am honored to have worked closely with the community on this important issue, and thankful for the efforts of all involved.” The two-year legal battle has taken the coalition and its lawyers from the county hearing examiner through to superior court, and has cost a quarter of a million dollars, raised from community donations and fundraising events. Urquhart said they still need to raise $15,000 to pay off the legal bills and encouraged community members to visit notowers. webs.com to donate. The coalition has also petitioned the Federal Communications Commission to deny the renewal of BBC’s broadcast license.

s The Point Roberts Primary School holiday concert attracted a standing-room-only crowd at the community center on December 16. Photo by Ed Park

2015

year in

review

A Look Back at the Year That Just Was

By Meg Olson January • The community rallied with donations after a thief at the fire station stole the firefighters’ association boot drive funds, destined to help the local food bank. Spearheaded by Auntie Pam’s Country Store, a fundraising drive to replace the funds brought in thousands of dollars. • The Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee (PRCAC) struggled with what, if any, role it should play in ensur-

ing local compliance with county codes, following a backlash after the committee drew up and submitted to the county a list of violations. • The Party on the Point at Kiniski’s Reef Tavern raised over $10,000 to help pay the legal bills for the Cross Border Coalition to Stop the Towers, while the proceeds from the annual artisans guild fair kicked in another $2,000. February • The Whatcom County Council voted unanimously to uphold the county hearing examiner’s denial of a conditional use permit to build an AM radio tower farm on the Point. • Increased sharing of travelers’

Whidbey Telecom vows infrastructure upgrade By Meg Olson Following back-to-back outages, Whidbey Telecom is accelerating plans to improve its backup system. “There are probably no less than four projects in flight now to address these catastrophic outages that seem to be happening more frequently,” said Chris

Burns, senior technology director with Whidbey Telecom. On November 25 at 2:49 a.m. telephone and Internet service was cut off for all of Point Roberts after a submarine fiber cable, which provides service to the Point, was cut. Service was restored at 2:05 p.m. “It was a cable cut failure but a switching failure as well,” Burns said. “We bought a

second router and that router should have immediately taken our traffic. It didn’t. We’re a little disappointed in the performance of our service provider. We made a significant investment and it didn’t work.” Again on November 27, a failed fiber patch in Seattle led to another outage, (See Whidbey, page 2)

biographic information between U.S. and Canadian border agencies raised concerns for Canadians who regularly travel to the U.S. • The Cottages at Seabright Farm began construction of public access stairs connecting their bluff trail to the beach. • Seeing a surge of code violation reports coming from Point Roberts, county staff turned to PRCAC for input about what (See Year in Review, page 5)

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Inside

Church ............................................... 6 Classifieds ......................................... 18 Coming Up ....................................... 14 Crossings .......................................... 13 Library ............................................. 13 Opinion ............................................... 4 Seniors ............................................. 13 Tides ................................................. 16

All Point Bulletin • January 2016

s It was a very happy group of Cross-Border Coalition to Stop the Radio Towers members who gathered December 4 to celebrate after BBC Broadcasting, Inc. failed to appeal the court decision that nixed the proposed radio tower farm in Point Roberts. Top from left: Steve Wolff, Jim Ronback, Renee Coe, John Lesow, Nancy Beaton, Arthur Reber, Al McKinnon and Mark Robbins. Bottom, from left: Suzanne Rosser, Armene Belless, Jennifer Urquhart, Don and Beverly Alder, Keith Glading, Ulf Ottho and Carol Clark. Not pictured: Rachel Albang, Steve Graham, Judson Meraw, Annelle Norman.

Photo by Annelle Norman

Telecom ... From page 1

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which lasted from 6 p.m. until approximately 11:15 p.m. Both outages were in the system of the upstream service provider that Whidbey buys capacity from, Burns said. “I’ve never had two separate backto-back failures with a provider,” he said. “This is really, really unusual.” He added the provider had reassured Whidbey of its commitment to improving reliability. In both outages, 911 service was down spurring the local fire department to mobilize and spread the word and inform the public how to get help in an emergency. Chief Christopher Carleton said as soon as they were aware of the situation on November 25 they printed flyers and distributed them to local businesses, “asking them to help us educate the public.” With 911 down, Carleton said, people with an emergency would need to use a cell phone and tell the 911 operator they needed to reach dispatch in Whatcom County, or come directly to the fire station on Benson Road. He also made an announcement over the public address system on the siren adjacent to the marina, “alerting people 911 was offline.” During the November 27 outage, Car-

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leton said the department “went out neighborhood to neighborhood, street to street and notified the public using the PAs on our apparatus. The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) was also activated to spread the word.” Burns said improvements to the backup system would allow more dependable local calling. He added that whether or not customers hear a dial tone when they pick up their phone, they can still dial 945 prefix numbers. As well, 911 calls will be routed to the fire station. He added they had made notifying the local fire department a higher priority in their outage response procedures. On December 9, the submarine cable was cut again, Burns reported, but “this time our protection switch worked as designed to our alternate fiber path … so our Point Roberts customers didn’t even know. Which is a good thing.”

FYI, the TFN nixed the LNG, PDQ Members of the Tsawwassen First Nation have voted against a proposed liquid natural gas shipping facility on their lands with 53 percent voting against and 46 percent for. Of the 290 eligible voters, only 139 members cast their ballots. The facility was expected to serve five to six LNG tankers per month and was described by chief Bryce Williams as “relatively low-impact.” The band has shelved any future LNG development for now.

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January 2016 • allpointbulletin.com

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s Like, what gave the person who dumped this watercooler the idea that Baker Field was a dump site?

Photo by Mark Robbins

Enough with the dumping already The local parks board is sending out an appeal to stop dumping on parks property, or anywhere else. “We have a constant inflow of TVs, filing cabinets, small appliances, half-empty paint cans and asphalt, not to mention beer and pop cans, that apparently some residents or visitors are unwilling to haul to the dump or otherwise dispose of properly and legally,” said parks board chair Mark Robbins. “It’s a waste of taxpayers’ money and a burden on me or other vol-

unteer commissioners if we have to haul these things to the transfer station.” The most recent unwelcome arrival, an electric water cooler left by the side of the driveway to Baker Field, Robbins has left at the Benson Road entrance to the park, with a sign asking the dumper to “take back your trash.” In addition to asking that people handle their trash responsibly, Robbins is also asking that the community discourage or report people who dump. “If we know who is responsible, we will try to take action,” he said.

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Trinity Community Lutheran Church • 1880 A.P.A. Rd. • Point Roberts

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All Point Bulletin • January 2016

All Point Bulletin The All Point Bulletin is published each month by Point Roberts Press Inc. Total circulation is 9,000 copies including home delivery in Point Roberts and Tsawwassen, subscriptions and distribution to retail establishments on the Point. The opinion expressed by contributors is their own and is offered for the general interest of our readers. Mail and classified ads should be addressed to:

All Point Bulletin P.O. Box 1451 Point Roberts WA USA 98281 Publisher & Managing Editor Patrick J. Grubb Associate Publisher & Advertising Manager Louise H. Mugar News & Features Editor Meg Olson Copy Editor Kara Furr Creative Services Ruth Lauman, Doug De Visser Advertising Sales Catherine Darkenwald, Molly Ernst Janet McCall Contributors In This IssueBarbara Brenner, Barbara Wayland, Peg Keenleyside, Kris Lomedico, Annelle Norman, Rita Worth, Mark Robbins, Jack Louws, Judy Ross, Linda Hughes, Sylvia Schomberg, Virginia Lester, Joel Lantz Administrative Services Amy Weaver Founding Editor Glennys Christie Business & Editorial Office Phone: 360/945-0413 Fax: 360/945-1613 Email: sales@allpointbulletin.com

Visit us online at:

www.allpointbulletin.com Printed in Canada • Vol. XXX, No. 9

Letters Policy 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

Next issue: Feb. 2016 Ads due: Jan. 22

opinion

Letters To The Editor The Editor: A couple months back I wrote the editor regarding a dog at large violation I received while walking my dog on Marine Drive. As it pertains to the subsequent experience I had, I opted to dispute the charge. This was not about $74 but rather principal. The issuing officer’s attitude aside, as it was this that truly pushed me to push back so to speak, I felt this was one battle I refused to lay down on, and through the court system, I would be afforded the opportunity to simply have a voice. Upon arriving at the Bellingham courts, the judge provided two alternatives to my decision to contest. I could mitigate, which meant admitting fault and then hoping for a lesser fine aka “monetary mercy” or I could defer which meant postponing judgment for up to a year after which should there be no further violations during that period, the charge would be dismissed less the administrative fees. Thanks, but no thanks. I came to win or lose, no half marks and no charity. My argument was simple; I simply explained to the judge that the code as written lacks the use of prepositions and definite articles – English 101 – which would otherwise bring direction and understanding to what “under control” means. As I stood before the court, I asked the judge if I appeared under control? He answered yes. I asked, under whose control? By what means? How am I under control? He appeared confused but before I could allow him to finish his thought, I pressed. Further to the specific infraction I was charged under, subsequent infractions in the same section all adopt the use of definite articles or prepositions that leave no doubt as to what control implies. Interestingly, the section on applicability speaks of control being by means of a leash, so it begs the question, why aren’t the infractions better defined and inclusive or tied to and adoptive of other sections? I should add that there is a definitions section to the code, but it wasn’t my job to teach the court system on where and how to find them. There are just too many inconsistencies and not enough uniformity in terms of the infractions as they are today. The judge dismissed the citation. John Carinha Point Roberts The Editor: In the aftermath of the Holiday Gift Faire, I have a lot of people I wish to thank for its success. We raised $700 each for the

library building fund and the Point Roberts Historical Society. Thank you to all the vendors who were there, friendly and enjoying the days. Thank you also to local vendors and residents for their donations to our raffle. Thanks go to the Historical Society for doing such a lovely job of running the raffle room. Thanks to Kitty Doyle of Blue Heron Gallery for collecting registration forms and fees from the vendors. Her continuing support of local artists is greatly appreciated. Thanks to Rita Worth and Jim Linde of the senior group for a great lunch both days. The combined earnings from the raffle and table fees, made it possible for a $600 donation to the Point Roberts Historical Society and Point Roberts Library Building Fund. Also, a very special thank you to Whidbey Telecom who gave an additional $125 to the two groups. We would not have been able to raise as much funds without the support of Pat Grubb and Louise Mugar of the All Point Bulletin with advertising assistance, postings and updating articles from Meg Olson. Thank you to our customers; we hope you had as much fun as we did. Jessica McVey Point Roberts The Editor: Beverly Alder, a Tsawwassen stop the towers coalition member, sent a simple email to our group recently with the following quote from Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Our small group of committed citizens from both sides of the border may not have changed the world but we surely changed the outcome of the proposed radio towers in Point Roberts. Coming together in August 2013, this group organized a public street demonstration, many town hall meetings, doorto-door campaigning, several large-scale fundraising events featuring live music, food, auctions, a car rally, and countless hours meeting around the table in the

back room of the community center. We couldn’t have done it without the help of our businesses and ordinary people in both countries who kept giving and giving when asked. There is no question about the generosity of others and hope that someone out there (who has not contributed) may step up and help retire our debt once and for all. But this win could not have happened without the committed citizens from long ago who worked tirelessly with members of Whatcom County Council, planning and development services, the planning commission, a consulting firm and a community-wide public planning process that began in September 2000. Their work created the Point Roberts Sub-Area Plan and character plan. No other community in Whatcom County has a special district (chapter 20-72) in its land use zoning code. These documents impose additional protections and create opportunities not available in the underlying zone districts to fit the needs of Point Roberts. Yes, we are special. Who knew that the work accomplished then would hold back the lion at the gate? Thank you to Syd Wallace and Irene Waters (who are longer with us) Jim Julius, Frank Ney, Shelley Damewood and Michael Rosser. We defeated the potential construction of five 150-foot towers at our border not only with the work of the Cross Border Coalition but more importantly, from the work done by others long ago. Renee Coe Point Roberts The Editor: The recent successful defeat of the towers proposal reaffirmed a basic truth long known to veteran residents. While we tend to squabble among ourselves and separate into cliques, when anyone or anything from “outside” threatens any portion of the Point Roberts family, they find themselves dealing with a monolith. That unified entity has banded together many times over the years to teach interlopers how much they have underestimated this place. Perhaps we have the instincts of folks who can live on islands and that may be why so many locals have spent time in Hawaii. Whatever the reason, congratulations to all of us. Ruby White Point Roberts Please send letters to editor@allpointbulletin.com

H appy H olidays! from all of us at

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s I swear: Parks commissioners Bennett Blaustein, Stephen Falk and Linda Hughes during the oath of office ceremonies at the board’s December meeting. Photo by Meg Olson

2015

Whatcom review A LOOK BACK County Council year in

By Barbara Brenner Happy Holidays, Point Roberts residents! This year, for a change, I want to share my feelings regarding the past year and what I wish for the future. This has been a strange year for me. Numerous worldwide events have had a more profound effect on me than usual. There have been too many tragedies and too much political spin on pain inflicted on real people. I even caught myself sobbing uncontrollably after listening to a recent news story. But it has made me realize much more on a personal level how fortunate I am to have a family who loves me and a community who allows me to serve. I am bipolar, and that could have easily left me broken. Instead, my mental illness became a gift of obsessively working on county issues. I could never have done

Year in Review ... From page 1

should be community code enforcement priorities. • A group of community members proposed a caregivers cooperative to help residents get in-home services they need. March • San Juan Airlines began offering regular service to Point Roberts. • County code enforcement officer Garrett Faddis met with two dozen community members to address concerns the rules aren’t getting enforced on the Point. • Fire commissioners unanimously approved emergency funding for new equipment to improve communications with county dispatchers. • Voters approved a $45 million bond the Blaine school district will use for much-needed upgrades. • Jayson Loreen became the newest resident deputy for Point Roberts, after a year of spotty coverage for the Point. • Somebody ran down Whidbey Telecom’s courtesy phone booth on Tyee Drive. April • Fire district commissioners bumped the budget for radio upgrades from $50,000 to $70,000 after a study found the Point riddled with “dead spots” where firefighters were unable to communicate with dispatch. • Efforts to get the law changed and give Point Roberts more flexibility in how it spends gas tax funds stalled in the state legislature. • BBC Broadcasting took its appeal of Whatcom County’s denial of its permit to build an array of AM towers to Skagit

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this without my very loving (and tolerant) family and my community that was able to acquire a taste for my unique ways and learn to trust me as I learned to trust you all. My recent extreme emotional reaction to the sorrow in so many places reminded me how fragile life is and how important it is to love as much as possible. Since this is also the time of year when love, peace and unselfishness is most appreciated, I want to share with you my love and appreciation for all of you. Time together, the sounds of friends’ voices and hugs really matter. Since the recent election I will be your council representative for four more years, so in addition to thanking you for believing in me, I just want you to know that I believe in you, our community and the future. County Superior Court. • The Tiny Art Show at Auntie Pam’s Country Store raised over $800 for charities including Dollars for Scholars. • A Richmond, B.C. antique dealer was sentenced to 30 months in jail for attempting to smuggle rhinoceros horns out of Point Roberts. • The public stairs to the beach opened at Seabright Farm, creating a loop route through Lily Point Marine Park and the new development. May • Fire chief Christopher Carleton asked commissioners for a long-term contract. They approved the requested 15-year

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Trinity Community Lutheran Church Come Join us! Everyone Welcome!

Non-Traditional Worship Service with singing, sharing, mediation and reflection. Saturday, December 19 at 7 p.m.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service,

Thursday December 24, 6 p.m. Christmas Day, Friday December 25, 11 a.m.

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Administration 945-7105 • 1880 A.P.A. Rd. • Point Roberts

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(See Year, page 8)

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All Point Bulletin • January 2016

Remember to winterize your summer home. Winterizing your home will help avoid any broken water pipes when temperatures dip below freezing. Unhook all outside hose bibs and have water service shut off. Please feel free to phone or email the Point Roberts Water District for further information at 360-945-4696 or prwd@whidbey.com. Point Roberts Water District No. 4 79 Tyee Drive, Suite A Point Roberts, WA, 98281

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Church News B y B a r b a r a W ay l a n d Merry Christmas to all! The early publication of this month’s paper means this column will reach you before, not after, the upcoming Trinity Christmas events. First, let me remind you that the Trinity Community Choir Christmas concert takes place on Friday, December 18 at 7 p.m. This concert always draws a large crowd, so come a few minutes early to get a good seat. This will be an evening of wonderful music both modern and traditional, sacred and popular, and of course there will be a singalong or two. It will be followed by a reception created by Dorothy Bayley featuring a variety of luscious goodies. The suggested donation is $10 per person and the money supports our community programs. No one is turned away. Another concert will be held Sunday, December 20 at 7 p.m. This is the second Trinity concert in support of the new Point Roberts Library and features trumpeter Ray Kirkham with organist Edward Norman. They will play music of Puccini, Bach, Purcell, Charpentier, Handel and more. The program will include a variety of

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classical music including baroque and opera. There will also be some advent carols. I will also take this opportunity to remind you that our annual Christmas Candlelight Service will be at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve and a Christmas morning Carols and Readings service will take place at 11 a.m. Come join us as we celebrate the real reason for Christmas. As the year draws to a close, remember we have much for which to be thankful. Please take a moment to remember your blessings, call or write loved-ones, and do something for those less fortunate. Forgive and forget old wrongs, take time to reflect on the past and to look forward to the future. The spirit we celebrate in this season does not belong to any one group, culture or religion. Love, compassion and giving lives in the hearts of all people. Let this truly be a season of peace on earth and goodwill to everyone. In the famous words of that great philosopher Tiny Tim, “God bless us, every one!”

in Paris this December has, amazingly, resulted in a far-reaching ambition amongst some 200 signatory countries: an agreement to limit global warming by “well below 2 degrees C” by mid-century. Under the deal, countries are bound to publish greenhouse gas reduction targets and revise them upward every five years, while striving to drive down their carbon output “as soon as possible.” The long-term goal is a carbon neutral planet by the second half of this century; one where the amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated is equal to the amount of greenhouse gas the planet can absorb through its soil, oceans and forests. What does this all mean for our little corner of the universe, you might be wondering? Essentially, it would appear, it means going on a massive global carbon diet for a really, really long time. This is a tall order for a gas-guzzling, energy hungry economy such as ours. Like any major economic and social change (remember when recycling started?), it’s bound to take some substantial changes in our everyday behavior. One of those changes might be growing at least some of your own food during the summer months, joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) at a local farm or shopping at farmer’s markets. You’ve heard it before but it’s now more relevant than ever: When you grow or buy your food locally you will be personally contributing to global CO2 emissions reduction. Want to do some calculations about your current carbon footprint when it comes to buying food flown in from around the world? Check out the carbonfund.org website for your “Carbon Calories.” Air cargo, for example, comes in at 1.53 kg of CO2 per ton-mile. That planeload of lettuce from Mexico racks up about 4,123 kg of carbon on its way to your winter salad.

Kale and cabbage, on the other hand, grow right here in the Pacific Northwest all winter long. Just the simple act of switching up your vegetable choices to seasonally available local produce can make a difference in the big picture. And the big picture is daunting. In 2013 the Environmental Protection Agency estimated that the U.S. produced 6,673 million metric tons of CO2. On an individual basis that means we’re producing about 20 tons of CO2 a year per person. So not only do we need to go on a carbon reduction diet, we also need to enhance the ways in which the earth can absorb CO2. Most people are aware of the huge role forests play in absorbing CO2. Halting massive deforestation around the world has been on the agenda for some time, but at the Paris talks the role of agriculture in enhancing the capacity of the earth’s soil as a CO2 absorption system also got a new focus. This is because science tells us soil has a huge capacity to store carbon. Currently, industrialized farming methods in the west, and poor farming techniques in the developing world, are a major contributor to carbon emissions. Organic farming techniques such as adding organic matter to the farm soil, growing cover crops and opting for low tillage techniques will decrease the amount of carbon release associated with conventional industrial farming. It will also have the added benefit of increasing the soil’s capacity for carbon absorption. It’s going to take a bit of a revolution in crop management systems, and a substantial change in the way we consume food, but the alternative, as the saying goes, is just not very palatable. This month, as you take some time to digest the Paris agreement on climate change, consider how you can decrease your food carbon footprint this year.

January 2016 • allpointbulletin.com

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s August 2015: A busy summer of book sales and other fundraising efforts brought the new library project closer to its goal. Photo by Meg Olson

Friends of the Library Read it first.

By Judy Ross Almost four years ago, the Friends of the Point Roberts Library went into the new library fundraising business and now we’ve reached our original goal of $538,000. We’re still waiting for the architect to give us the final estimate of actual costs, taking into account such things as a problematic foundation, which will probably lead us into something more like a rebuild than a renovation. But it will be more than $538,000, so we are continuing to raise funds until the end of the year. We have a few requests still out. For example, Puget Sound Energy Foundation has not yet responded to our grant proposal from last September, nor has it responded to our request for a timeline for their response. We wait, we wait. And we have one other potential donor who can’t make a decision until we get the final cost estimate. We wait, we wait. The waiting is frustrating, but it is temporary. What is overwhelmingly certain is that this community has raised a few thousand more than $538,000. And will doubtless give yet a bit more before we are done. And the reason for that is that the community has been incredibly supportive of this project. Many of the All Point Bulletin readers have donated once, twice and even a half dozen times. I believe they have donated because they share our view that an adequate/appropriate library is vital to the wellbeing of Point Roberts. Perhaps in our town, even more vital because although we have many natural resources here

(ocean, forests, gardens, trails, wildlife), we don’t have much in the way of resources that take you out beyond the community itself. A library is a passport to everywhere, even if you can’t leave your living room. Cicero famously wrote, “if you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” And we’ve got them both because so many of you, your visitors, your friends and family have given us what we needed to build this new library. This may be my last new library column, so I also want to thank the people who spent so much time both organizing the fundraising and actually going out and asking people for money (not the easiest task in this world): Ed Park, Don Falk, Margot Griffiths, Judith Wolfman, Peter Lerritt, Lucy Williams, Rose Momsen and Heidi Baxter. Behind the scenes support came from Louise Cassidy, Mark Robbins, Stephen Falk, Kris Lomedico, Allan Marter and Barb Wayland. And to all those who worked the many events including book sales, quilt shows and raffles, concerts, movies, fiber art shows, Saturday Markets, Christmas Craft Faires etc.: You came when we needed you most! Our thanks to everyone who participated in this amazing, four-year community event. Judy Ross, for the Friends of the Point Roberts Library

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s July 4, 2015: The Vancouver Police Pipe Band was a huge hit at this year’s July 4 parade. Photo by Louise Mugar

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All Point Bulletin • January 2016 improved from a six to a five, giving homeowners the opportunity to contact their insurance company for a better rate.

S The snow fell early in the 1911 winter. Seen here is the dock and the George and Barker Cannery at the end of Gulf Road after the snowstorm struck on November 9. Photo from the Runa Thordarson collection courtesy of the Point Roberts Historical Society

Year in Review ... From page 5

Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce began working to revitalize the organization and increase involvement.

contract, which included hefty severance pay should he be let go. • Concerns about limited law enforcement presence on the Point were heightened after a bar fight turned into vehicular assault and there was no response to a 911 call. It turned out the call, made from a Canadian cell phone, never made it through to Whatcom County dispatch, highlighting the importance of telling 911 operators where you are. • Regular water quality testing began at Maple Beach. • Jack Louws and Barbara Brenner were the featured guests at the Point Roberts Registered Voters Association annual general meeting. • The new board of directors of the

June • Whidbey Telecom representatives attended the May 4 meeting of the Point Roberts Taxpayers Association to talk about the company’s intention to improve and expand service to Point Roberts. • Less than a week after reopening most of the county’s beaches for shellfish harvesting, the Whatcom County Health Department closed all beaches to recreational shellfish harvesting north of Sandy Point, including Point Roberts. • The community market and the Point Roberts Homegrown Coop farm stand got underway for the season. • A group of Asian investors in Boundary Bay Investments LLC purchased the Point Roberts Marina. • The fire district’s insurance rating was

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July • The Fourth of July was fantastic! • After six years, the new dock finally went in at Lighthouse Marine Park. • Lighthouse society members Dorothy and Darrel Sutton offered to put up half a million dollars to fast-track plans to get a real lighthouse at Lighthouse Marine Park. • PRCAC asked the county to look at the feasibility of traffic circles at the Gulf Road/Marine Drive intersection and the Tyee Drive/Benson Road intersection. • Bellingham City Council rejected a cost-sharing agreement to fund a proposed new jail for the county. • Kiniski’s Reef introduced kayak and paddleboard rentals. • Auntie Pam’s Country Store celebrated their third year. • Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office deputy Tom McCarthy joined Jayson Loreen as a resident deputy on the Point. August • The dock at Lighthouse Marine Park failed in moderate weather conditions, with county parks staff suggesting it was due to a design flaw. The dock was removed with no timeline for replacement. • Visiting Point Roberts, congresswoman Suzan DelBene recognized the individuals and agencies who worked together to save the life of a man who suffered a near-fatal heart attack at the port of entry. • County planning staff were featured at the Point Roberts Taxpayers’ Association annual meeting, where the focus was on code enforcement, or the lack of it. • The Full Moon Boom drum circle brought together drummers of all ages and abilities to play and raise funds for Dollars for Scholars. • Water quality test results from Maple Beach continued to meet or exceed standards. • Whatcom County code compliance staff had taken action on seven of the 14 code violations reported to them in November 2014. • After 32 years in business, Liberty Wine Store on Gulf Road closed its doors. • Three of five parks commissioners were opposed to incurring debt to fill any shortfall in funds for the new library without input from voters, and later opposed an proposed advisory vote as premature. • The Trinity Church Summer Music Camp performed David and Goliath to a large crowd as part of the 20th Point Roberts Arts and Music Festival. September • Aaron Johnson became the new ranger for Whatcom County parks on the Point. • The revised character plan went to the county for technical review. • The Point Roberts Park and Recreation District formed a new subcommittee to work on a comprehensive plan for local parks. • PRCAC unanimously endorsed the Lighthouse Society’s proposal to build a lighthouse at Lighthouse Marine Park, calling on the county to work to expeditiously get the project built. • McFrugals Parcel Service took first place in the Reef’s cardboard boat race. • The fire department open house was an opportunity to learn about emergency services, preparedness and medical services on the Point. • Another fundraising concert at the Cottages at Seabright Farm raised $15,000 for the Cross Border Coalition to Stop the Towers legal fund. • The Welcome Marionettes performed “Popeye’s Picnic” at the community center. October • Character plan review committee members reported the county would not be completing its review of the revised plan until 2016, and PRCAC members agreed the community review should get

underway parallel with that process. • Local deputies began issuing a barrage of $74 tickets to the owners of offleash dogs. • Whidbey Telecom filed its objection to the renewal of BBC Broadcasting’s license with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unless the company abandoned plans for its tower farm in Point Roberts. • The Whatcom Marine Mammal Stranding Network offered training on the Point so a network of local responders could be formed. • The fire department began the process of being officially licensed as an intermediate life-support provider. • Parks district commissioners came up with a mission statement and a starter set of ideas for the future that will serve as a springboard for developing their comprehensive plan. • The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and tribal police seized 674 illegal crab pots from Boundary Bay and Semiahmoo Bay. November • Deputy Tom McCarthy told PRCAC the Point was “under new management” and pledged to continue ticketing off-leash dogs in public areas, stating that despite the outcry from dog owners, many community members had thanked him. • PRCAC member John Lesow proposed that parts of Lighthouse Marine Park and Maple Beach be declared off-leash areas, and parks commissioners considered having a portion of the Baker Field property off-leash. • A former firefighter landed in jail after lying about being on a firefighting call to use the NEXUS lane and jump the line. • A nationwide computer glitch slowed the NEXUS lane to a crawl. • The friends of the library announced they were close to reaching their fundraising goal for construction of a new library. • A Skagit County Superior Court judge upheld Whatcom County’s denial of BBC Broadcasting’s application to build an AM radio tower array on the Point. • A packed dais at the voters association’s candidates night was limited to county positions, while local candidates skipped the forum at their event and stuck to a “meet and greet” format. December • County voters rejected the proposition to fund a new jail. Locally, fire commissioner Stan Riffle narrowly held onto his seat, beating challenger Judson Meraw by 13 votes. Arthur Reber defeated Wayne Knowles for a seat on the water district board. • BBC Broadcasting told the FCC they would not appeal the Skagit County Superior Court decision, but the coalition opposing the project held off their celebration until the appeal period was officially over. • Ian Tait, Delta Chamber of Commerce executive director and Tsawwassen Mills general manager Mark Fenwick spoke at the Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce annual general meeting about development north of the border and the opportunities it offered the Point. • For the first time in four years, fire district commissioners agreed to raise taxes. • Parks district commissioners took their allowable annual 1 percent tax increase and were looking at enough carryover to build up their reserves. • The Downtown Wackie Walkers celebrated 13 years and 92,000 miles of collective walking. • The entrance to Lily Point Marine Park at the end of Cedar Point Drive was closed indefinitely due to erosion of the trail at the ravine.

January 2016 • allpointbulletin.com

2015

year in

POINT ROBERTS

review A LOOK BACK Park and Recreation Dist. By Linda Hughes

s June 2015: Joan Furness and daughter Katie walk up the new dock at Lighthouse Marine Park with park ranger Ben VanBuskirk. Alas, one month later the dock was damaged and closed for the season. Photo by Pat Grubb

2015

year in

POINT ROBERTS

review Historical Society

A LOOK BACK

B y S y l v i a S c ho n b e r g The Point Roberts Historical Society has had opportunities to reach out to the community this year. On the Saturdays when the community market is held, we have had the history room open to the public with one or two docents to greet people and answer questions about the Historical Society and Point Roberts history. Throughout the summer our group, along with the Point Roberts Library, sponsored a series of presentations about many of the old houses and buildings on the Point, with pictures and videos telling about the original settlers who lived in them.

2015

year in

We have appreciated the offer of space in the All Point Bulletin each month to show a photo from our large collection along with a brief description. We have hopes of obtaining more space in the community center to display our collection of antiques, archives and photos. We hope the community will be supportive of our using the room where the library is when they move into their new building. Everyone is invited to come to our meetings on the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. We do not meet in December. We appreciate the new members who have joined us and the interest they show in our projects and activities.

POINT ROBERTS

review A LOOK BACK Emergency Preparedness By Virginia Lester The primary mission of the Point Roberts Emergency Preparedness (PREP) group is to provide a public educational forum for developing, promoting, increasing and maintaining individual and community capacity to respond to emergencies that affect our community. Our motto is “neighbors helping neighbors.” These concepts are very difficult to get our heads around; especially when we must plan for something we hope will never happen, such as earthquakes or tsunamis. PREP supports classes for Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) and Point Roberts Auxiliary Communications Service (PRACS). A grant from Puget Sound Energy allowed us to realize an active ham radio communication system that includes our own repeater with generator power for backup. Support for Ham licensing exams and ham radios are made available for interested members. Every week participants have a “net” check-in as a means of practice for licensed ham operators. The network has been able to notify members about security concerns such as power outages. During the heavy rainy season last winter, CERT members were called out by fire chief Carleton to help prepare sand bags for residents in danger of flooding. Chief Carleton provided two training exercises that will prepare PREP members for assisting the fire department during a disaster. PREP has approximately 40 certi-

fied CERT members and 24 responded to a Whatcom County muster. Point Roberts had the largest turn out in the county. A CERT class was presented by members of the Bellingham team on use of FRS radios and traffic management during emergencies. They also displayed a prototype for a disaster trailer that might be available for future PREP projects. Speakers from Delta, Bellingham and Point Roberts have also increased our knowledge about disasters. PREP members have participated in many community activities. The July 4 pancake breakfast is our main fundraising activity, which proved to be quite successful. Our booth was present at community activities such as the Arts and Music Festival and Fire 5 Department Open House. PREP meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7 p.m. in the community center. New members are always welcomed.

Your Point Roberts Park and Recreation District accomplished several important tasks this year. At the community center, a major drainage project facilitated better water flow away from the building, alleviating a moisture problem that was contributing to erosion of the foundation. A new roof was installed, and a new HVAC system replaced the one that had reached its life expectancy. We are currently looking into new flooring for the hallway, and we have recently purchased a new smart TV for use at the community center. Baker Field revitalization gained momentum this year, with soils and seeding to the ball field. Still in the works are the proposed construction of a dugout, widening of the path from the parking area to ball field, and new football/soccer goal posts. Also, the Blaine school district replaced the playground equipment at Baker Field. As the proposed library project moves

closer to its goal of vacating its space in the community center, requests have been received from the food bank and the historical society to occupy that space. The park district has made significant progress on the library project, completing a topographical survey of the Julius Fire Hall site and ground-penetrating radar used to assess the foundation. We also contracted David King as the architect, and reached an agreement with the Friends of Point Roberts Library for the reimbursement of expenses. Summer Kids Camp 2015 was well attended and enjoyed by approximately 60 children. Work has begun on a long-term strategic plan for the district. This ongoing process will benefit from community input so please consider attending our meetings, held at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of every month in the community center. Mark Robbins, longtime chairperson of the park district, did not seek reelection in 2015, and Bennett Blaustein was elected to fill that vacancy.

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• January 2016

School Calendar December 21 - January 1 No School - Winter Break

e t i r e d r Bo t r o p e R

THE

10 All Point Bulletin

JANUARY 2016 4 School Resumes, Speech with Shannon, Yoga at 1:30 p.m. 5 P.R. PTO Meeting 7 p.m. 6 Principal Craig Baldwin, Library Field Trip, leave at 1:15 p.m. 7 Art with Mrs. Roberts at 1:30 p.m. 7 - 9 Blaine H.S. /M.S. Drama Performance 11 Student Late Arrival – 11:10 a.m. Speech with Shannon, Yoga at 1:30 p.m. 11 Blaine M.S. PTSO Meeting, 7 p.m. 12 Blaine E.S. PTO Meeting, 6 p.m. 13 Zumba at 2 p.m. 14 Art with Mrs. Roberts at 1:30 p.m. 14 - 16 Blaine H.S. /M.S. Drama Performance 15 Blaine M.S. Martin Luther King Assembly, 10:15 a.m. 15 Blaine E.S. Martin Luther King Assembly, 2 p.m. 18 No School – Martin Luther King Day 20 Zumba at 2 p.m. 21 Art with Mrs. Roberts at 1:30 p.m. 21 Blaine 6th Grade Concert, 7 p.m. 23 Blaine Arts and Jazz Festival, 7 p.m. 25 Speech with Shannon, Yoga at 1:30 p.m. 27 Zumba at 2 p.m. 28 Art with Mrs. Roberts at 1:30 p.m.

Blaine Primary School Addition Underway The work on the classroom addition at Blaine Primary School was initiated in mid-October, with Tiger Construction of Everson serving as the contractor on this project. The new 10,000 sq. ft. addition will serve to accommodate a number of program needs, with the net impact providing for the initiation of a full time Kindergarten Program, beginning with the 2016-17 school year. Construction on the core facility is projected for completion in April of 2016, with the enclosure of the existing play shed, reroofing of the overall facility, and the conversion of a smaller play shed to a music classroom to all take place over the summer of 2016. We look forward to the completion of the Primary School Project as the next school year gets underway. Thank you voters!

Brought To You By The Blaine School District

DIANE BERGE, EDITOR I would love to hear your comments or feedback. Send to: borderitenews@blainesd.org

Board Prepares to Present Maintenance & Operations Renewal Levy Initiative on February 9, 2016 Special Election Ballot Blaine School District’s four-year Maintenance and Operations Levy is due for consideration, with the existing Levy set to expire in 2016. The Board of Directors took formal action on a Levy resolution at the meeting on Monday, November 23. School Districts throughout the State remain reliant on local tax revenue for maintenance and operational costs. In Blaine, local taxes pay for 25% of day-to-day operational expenses. Until the Legislature determines a viable strategy for fully funding Basic Education, we remain heavily dependent upon local Levy dollars to fund both existing and future programs. Although the Washington State Supreme Court has directed the State Legislature to provide full funding for Basic Education in the near future, we do not anticipate that this issue will be resolved anytime soon. Unlike a bond, the Maintenance & Operations Levy, approved by voters, provides the District with local tax revenue for a specific period of time (4 years).

Our Local Levy Currently Supports...

The Proposed Levy will also Support...

• Enhanced Staffing (e.g. Student Supervision,

Full Time Kindergarten While the State will provide partial funding for Full Time Kindergarten, levy funds will cover the remaining costs beginning in the 2016-17 school year.

• • • • •

Crossing Guards, Reduced Class Size, Counseling, etc.) Athletics and Co-curricular Programs Enrichment and Intervention Programs (e.g. AP Course Offerings) Staff Training and Compensation for Additional Responsibilities Routine Maintenance & Transportation Needs Associated Economic Inflationary Variables

24-Credit Graduation Requirement

With the existing Levy, the local community has supported our commitment to excellence in academics, athletics and other co-curricular activities, as well as fine and performing arts.

• We have been committed to providing Blaine • •

• •

High School students with access to a broad range of Advanced Placement courses. A substantial number of Blaine High School and Blaine Middle School students participate in after-school athletics and activities. Several non-athletic teams also consistently compete at the High School level, including Career and Technical Education Programs, Math Teams and Chess Teams. Annually, our band and choir programs compete favorably at both regional and state levels. The Drama Program has expanded substantially over the past few years, providing high quality performances for the community as well as key recognition in competition at the regional and state levels.

Beginning with the Blaine High School Class of 2021, students will be required to complete 24 academic credits in order to graduate. Over the course of the next two years, the District will work to implement necessary resources to meet this new state requirement.

New Curriculum at All Levels

After years of budget cuts, we are now “catching up” with very critical curriculum adoptions. The selection and purchase of up-to-date curriculum materials at all levels of the program will continue during the coming Levy cycle.

Rapidly Increasing Technology

Acquisition of technology is crucial to keep pace with the 21st century needs of staff and students to support both day-to-day instructional expectations as well as student assessment requirements which are now mostly done online.

Decreased Costs to Families

The District is committed to offsetting athletic participation fees and supplementing necessary school supplies to decrease costs for families.

Estimated Tax Rates

School Closure Information For school closure information, call the snowline at 332-0789 or visit the Blaine School District Website at www.blainesd.org

Check out our district website! www.blainesd.org

Estimated Levy Tax Rates for Properties in the Blaine School District

Blaine School District’s 2015 Levy Tax Rate is the Lowest in Whatcom County

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Blaine Bellingham Ferndale Lynden Meridian Mount Baker Nooksack Valley

$6,500,000 $7,000,000 $7,170,000 $7,340,000 $7,500,000

$1.85/1000 $1.98/1000 $2.01/1000 $2.04/1000 $2.06/1000

$ 1.84/1000 $ 2.66/1000 $ 3.70/1000 $ 2.90/1000 $ 3.93/1000 $ 3.74/1000 $ 4.38/1000

Additional information can be obtained by visiting the Blaine School District website at www.blainesd.org or by contacting Ron Spanjer, Superintendent or Amber Porter, Business Manager at (360) 332-5881.

January 2016 • allpointbulletin.com

2015

POINT ROBERTS

year in

review Community Advisory Cmte.

A LOOK BACK

By Joel Lantz The Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee (PRCAC) saw a major change in board membership in 2015. PRCAC welcomed new board members: John Lesow: At-large position Keith Glading: At-large position Ron Clark: representing Point Roberts Taxpayers Association Steve Wolff: representing Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce Joel Lantz: previous board member, representing Point Roberts Registered Voters Association was voted in as chairman. The Point Roberts character plan review subcommittee, which was formed in 2014 to review and update the over 20-year-old character plan, completed its work in July

2015

and sent the draft character plan revision to Whatcom County Planning and Development Services for their review. PRCAC will be working with the county and the Point Roberts community in 2016 to complete the process of the adopting the revised character plan. PRCAC assumed the role of the Point Roberts character plan committee. In that role, PRCAC reviewed and advised the county as to compliance to the character plan for three commercial sign and one commercial building permit applications that came in during 2015. PRCAC continued to gather information on suggested projects that may be candidates for expenditure of the transportation benefit district funds (1 cent/ gallon gas tax).

POINT ROBERTS

year in

review A LOOK BACK Registered Voters Assoc. By Joel Lantz The Point Roberts Registered Voters’ Association (PRRVA) welcomed two new board members in 2015, Wayne Knowles and Linda Hughes. Ruby White and Connie North retired from the board. Ruby was one of the original founders of PRRVA back in 1973. Thanks to both Ruby and Connie for their many years of service. Our annual general meeting was held in April this year. The guest speaker was Whatcom County Executive Jack Louws. The well-attended AGM provided an opportunity for Point Roberts residents to get

2015

face time with our county executive. Our annual candidates night was held on Thursday, October 8. There were 10 Whatcom County candidates attending the town hall meeting and a full house in attendance. The 2015 PRRVA inaugural Charity Golf Tournament, held on September 19, was a huge success. Thanks to all of our sponsors, golfers and volunteers. All proceeds from the tournament benefited the Cross Border Coalition to Stop the Radio Towers. For information on upcoming and past events please visit prrva.org. Happy Holidays from the Point Roberts voters association.

2015

year in

POINT ROBERTS

review Circle of Care

A LOOK BACK

By Annelle Norman Circle of Care (COC) steering committee members met December 15 to discuss fundraising efforts and to make plans for the new year. Currently, COC is providing evergreen swags festooned with ribbons and ornaments to help Point Roberts residents with their holiday decorating. They will deliver one to your door for your donation to Whatcom Council on Aging (WCOA), our affiliate organization and home for our 501(c)3 non-profit status. If you would like to make a donation, please make your check payable to WCOA and get it to one of the steering committee members listed below. COC now has a local phone number: 945-5222. Please leave a voicemail and someone will call you within 24 hours. Plans are being made in conjunction with WCOA for a volunteer training in upcoming months. If you have an interest in volunteering to assist seniors and families

with pet care, errands, shopping, doctor appointments, etc., please leave a message for Chris Cameron at 945-5222. Annelle Norman is organizing an ongoing book club for community members to read and discuss books that provide information and provocative perspectives on the experience of aging in America. The first book will be “Being Mortal” by Atul Gawande. Book club meetings will be held on the last Thursday of each month, the first on January 28. Please connect with Annelle for more information at annelle.norman@ gmail.com or call her on 945-5222. COC is working hard to identify sources of funding to cover training and certification costs for Point Roberts residents. If you are interested in being trained to work as a home care aid, please contact Dina Boykiw at 945-5222. If you would be interested in sponsoring an applicant to become trained, certified and licensed, please contact us at 945-5222.

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POINT ROBERTS

year in

review Seniors Association

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A LOOK BACK

By Rita Worth The Point Roberts Senior Association welcomed new coordinator Margarita Trifonova early this year. She brings cheer, smiles and enthusiasm to our group. Our thanks and good wishes go to retiring coordinator Margaret Knowles for years of effort and patience working with the seniors. In the spring, we celebrated International Women’s Day. Female members were given a flower and an inspiring poem. At an Easter lunch many of the women were decked out in colorful, fashionable hats. Esther Rosenthal, pianist, and Alan Marter, tenor, entertained the delighted group with music only professionals could bring. Throughout the year we offered programs addressing health. Whatcom County Council on Aging spoke and brought literature on relevant topics. The Point Roberts firefighters regularly provided blood pressure testing, often cautioning

Reach your All

about the amount of coffee consumed. They also generously provided funds monthly to support the coffee kitty. A few fundraising activities continued including white elephant raffles and a food booth at the holiday crafters fair. A $10 membership fee along with the fundraising kept the senior lunch stocked with paper goods and kitchen, china and cutlery replacements. A healthy reserve fund recently purchased a new table and chairs for use at the community center. Additionally, the seniors contributed to the successful community fundraising blocking the radio towers. Please join the friendly group for lunch Wednesdays and Fridays at noon. Come earlier for pool, conversation and your cup of coffee and stay on and see if there’s a card game to join. Our 60–80 members, ages 60–103, enjoy good food and conversation and welcome Canadian and American seniors as visitors and members.

Point Bulletin audience

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Sending a warm ‘thank you’ to all our clients and customers. We wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Healthy Happy New Year! Thanks for shopping locally!

12 All Point Bulletin

• January 2016

Brewsters Fine Foods celebrated Ugly Christmas sweaters while Blue Heron Gallery held an open house on December 15. Clockwise from top left; Brewsters co-owner Sandra Procter, Savilla Cress, Rhachael Lopez, Kitty Doyle and Jana Walker. Photos by Louise Mugar

s A benefit for the food bank held December 12 at Auntie Pam’s Country Store provided lots of cookie choices and a chance to meet Santa and his elves. Above right, John and Pamala Sheppard.

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2015

year in

POINT ROBERTS

review A LOOK BACK Lighthouse Society B y M a r k R obb i n s 2015 was a year of ups and downs for the Point Roberts Lighthouse Society (PRLS). Based on a 2012 legal determination by Whatcom County Parks and Recreation that the society could build the proposed Point Roberts Lighthouse privately and

then gift it to the county, thereby avoiding the significantly higher costs of a pubic works project implemented by the county, PRLS had proceeded with design work and fundraising. By early 2015, the society had near-final building plans, a preliminary cost estimate and financial guarantees of $500,000 in

place. A revised draft MOU was presented to the county reflecting these understandings; but unfortunately by this time, the county had a new legal determination that we could not avoid treating the construction as a public works project. Whatcom County Parks and Recreation laid out numerous steps and requirements that would have to be met, at costs far exceeding the society’s financial capacity. On December 8, members of the Lighthouse Society’s board of directors made a presentation to Whatcom County Council’s public works committee, asking for the county’s support for the project, both in principle and through partial funding. The committee unanimously passed a motion recommending conceptual support, and the full council followed through with a unanimous motion authorizing its legislative analyst to draft a resolution of support. We look forward to working with Whatcom County in 2016 to develop a genuine partnership that includes tangible financial support for the proposed Point Roberts lighthouse, whale watching observatory and multi-use facility.

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Traffic into Point Roberts for October 2015, with 2014 figures following: Vehicles – 76,678 (93,930); Pedestrians – 1,724 (1,897); Commercial – 1,503 (2,050); NEXUS – 31,883 (36,750).

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Open 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays 9 a.m.: Pool, coffee and snacks. Noon: Hot lunch 1 p.m.: Wednesdays, Bridge Fridays, cards and games The senior center will be closed on New Year’s Day, Friday, January 1. Wednesday, January 6: Swiss steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, Brussels sprouts, garden salad and sliced peaches Friday, January 8: Beef stroganoff with pasta, steamed carrots, garden salad and fruit Wednesday, January 13: Herb roast chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, carrot raisin salad and raspberry sherbet Friday, January 15: Chicken fajitas with corn or flour tortillas, pinto and black beans, garden salad and coconut fruit salad Wednesday, January 20: Denver omelets, roast potatoes, sautéed squash and oranges Friday, January 22: Florentine fish, wild rice, vegetables, garden salad and fruit Wednesday, January 27: Turkey and cranberry, mashed potatoes and gravy, Nantucket vegetables and pumpkin bars Friday, January 29: Chicken Parmesan with spaghetti, crinkle-cut carrots, garden salad and fruited gelatin

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• January 2016

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Trinity Community Choir Christmas Concert: Friday, December 18, 7:30 p.m., Trinity Community Lutheran Church, 1880 APA Road. A variety of traditional, modern, sacred and popular Christmas songs with featured soloists, instrumentalists and sing-alongs. Dessert reception to follow. Ray Kirkham and Edward Norman Perform: Sunday, December 20, 7 p.m., Trinity Community Lutheran Church, 1880 APA Road. Performing the music of Puccini, Bach, Purcell, Charpentier, Handel and more. Proceeds benefit the new library building fund. Christmas Eve Service: Thursday, December 24, 6 p.m., Trinity Community Lutheran Church, 1880 APA Road. Carols by candlelight. Father Chuck presiding. Christmas Day Service: Friday, December 25, 11 a.m., Trinity Community Lutheran Church, 1880 APA Road. Philosopher’s Cafe for Youth: Saturday, January 9, 6:30 p.m., Trinity Community Lutheran Church, 1880 APA Road. Thought-provoking conversation, homemade baked goods, hot beverages and atmospheric guitar music. For ages 15-20. No philosophy experience required. Info: 945-7105. CPR Class: Monday, January 1111, 6–10 p.m., fire hall, 2030 Benson Road. Learn adult, child and infant CPR, choking assistance and AED use. The class is free, and the certification card is $5. Info: chief@wcfd5.com. Aging in America Book Club: Thursday, January 28. “Being Mortal,” by Atul Gawande. Info: Annelle Norman, 945-5222. Super Bowl Party at The Reef: Sunday, February 7. Halftime prizes. Info: 945-REEF.

Scheduled Meetings/Ongoing Events PR Taxpayer’s Association: Monday, January 4, 7 p.m., community center. PREP (PR Emergency Preparedness): Tuesday, January 5, 7 p.m., community center. Info: Henry Rosenthal, 945-1711, Virginia or Ed Lester, 945-2827. PR Hospital District: Wednesday, January 6, 7 p.m., community center. PR Park and Recreation District: Monday, January 11, 6 p.m., community center. Budget hearing and planning meeting. Friends of the Point Roberts Library (FOPRL): Tuesday, January 12, noon–1 p.m., Point Roberts Library, 1437 Gulf Road. Info: 945-6545. PR Water District: Tuesday, January 12, 5 p.m., 79 Tyee Drive, Suite A. PRCAC (PR Community Advisory Committee): Tuesday, January 12, 6 p.m., community center. Info: 945-5075. PR Fire District 5: Wednesday, January 13, 4 p.m., 2030 Benson Road. Info: 945-3473.

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PR Registered Voters Association: Thursday, January 14, 7 p.m., community center. Info: prrva.org. PR Historical Society: Wednesday, January 20, 7 p.m., community center. Info: historicalsociety@pointroberts.net. Cemetery District: Tuesday, January 26, 5 p.m., 260 Tyee Drive.

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PR Chamber of Commerce: Tuesday, January 26, 7 p.m., community center. Point Roberts Clinic Hours: Mondays 9 a.m.–1 p.m.; Tuesdays 2–6 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays 9 a.m.–1 p.m., 2030 Benson Road. To make an appointment, call 945-2580. Free Taxi to Bellingham: Every Tuesday. Call 676-7433. Pick-up at Cordata. Info: 945-1640. Point Roberts Library Hours: Tuesdays, 1–7 p.m., Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Info: 945-6545. Knits and Crafts at Point Roberts Library: Tuesdays, 5–7 p.m. Knitting, crocheting or other yarn crafts. Practice, advice, chat and hot drinks. For adults and grades 8–12. Info: 945-6545. Wackie Walkers: Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tuesdays, 8 a.m., Lighthouse Park. Call for Thursday location. Info: 945-1934. Preschool Storytime: Saturdays, 10:30–11 a.m., Point Roberts Library, 1437 Gulf Road. Stories, songs and more for ages 3–6. Families encouraged to attend. Info: 945-6545. Zumba Gold: Sundays, 11 a.m., Madrona Yoga, 101 Goodman Road. $5 US, $6 Canadian. Drop-ins welcome. 945-2458.

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2015

year in

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WHATCOM COUNTY Executive

By Jack Louws 2015, aside from comprehensive new jail planning, was a year of technological advances and innovation for Whatcom County government. Our fourth Superior Court Judge Raquel Montoya-Lewis began hearing cases in January. Our new mental health court also started processing cases. Public works projects in 2015 included the Potter Road bridge replacement, completion of the full rehabilitation of the Hannegan corridor road surface (with the paving of 4 miles of Hannegan Road from Bellingham city limits to Hemmi Road) and new turn lanes and illumination at the intersections of Ferndale and Imhof roads. The emergency medical services funding workgroup representing all EMS stakeholders met on a monthly basis. The EMS funding workgroup is tasked with recommending a funding strategy that will support and sustain a countywide emergency medical services system. Planning and development services staff has prepared initial recommended revisions and amendments to the county’s comprehensive plan. The amendment process is lengthy with many public meetings, planning commission input and then review and approval by Whatcom County Council. This work must be completed by June 30, 2016. County council will be reviewing

amendments to the Point Roberts Character Plan as part of the 2016 long range planning work program. This will follow a proposal from the Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee, submitted to planning and development services this year, to amend the character plan. Our parks and recreation department has completed a draft Lookout Mountain and Lake Whatcom Park recreational trail plan and are now taking public comments regarding it. County council will review the plan in 2016. The charter review commission completed its work and those amendments were placed on the ballot in the general election. Information technology has had a productive year. The county website was completely revamped; the phone system throughout all buildings and facilities has been replaced and new electronic document recording and imaging is available in the auditor’s office. The general election results were certified in November. New terms start in January. The new jail bond levy proposition failed, council established the Incarceration Prevention Task Force, and approved the 2016 budget adjustments in November after a public hearing was held. It has been a busy, challenging but very fruitful year for us. I wish everyone a very good 2016 and hope that all have a wonderful holiday season with friends and family.

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State Patrol offers safety tips On December 4, a driver was struck and injured while exiting his SUV to check on the operator of a rolled over semi-truck on eastbound I-90 at milepost 81. This was the second person struck on a state highway in a three-day span. Both people were hit while checking on the occupants of vehicles that had rolled and both occurred during freezing rain conditions. While this is not a common occurrence, the Washington State Patrol has some roadside safety tips. Law enforcement and first responders are trained and equipped to provide protection on emergency scenes and know where to park to ensure the safety of all those at the roadway collision. During bad weather, remember this: • If you do have to travel, give yourself plenty of time to arrive at your destination. • Drive slower. Speed limits are determined for ideal conditions • Increase your following distance. • To be seen better during daytime, turn on your headlights

If you witness a collision: • Call 911 and be prepared to provide details of the collision. • If you stop, pull your vehicle off the roadway and activate your four-way flashers. • Do not park where a car could slide into you or your vehicle. • Do not put yourself in danger. Things can happen quickly and other vehicles may not see you, putting you at risk. • You may further injure a victim. If there is no immediate need for the occupants to be moved, leave them in place. If you are involved in a collision: • Call 911 • Activate your hazard lights and park your vehicle as far off the roadway as possible. • If your vehicle is inoperable, wait for law enforcement and first responders to arrive. As a last resort, if you think your vehicle might get struck from behind, get out and move to a safer location.

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16 All Point Bulletin

• January 2016

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Fr 1

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5:48 am

5.5

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We 6

4:11 am 7.8

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Th 7

4:51 am 8.5

9:16 am

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-0.5

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5:29 am 9.1

10:12 am

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-1.0

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6:03 am 9.6

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6.8

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11:03 pm

-1.4

Su 10 6:37 am 10.0

11:50 am

6.6

4:20 pm 8.7

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Mo 11 7:11 am 10.3

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We 13 1:01 am -0.8

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7.7

Th 14 1:43 am 0.0

8:55 am

10.4

3:10 pm 4.4

8:04 pm

7.1

Fr 15

2:27 am 1.2

9:31 am

10.3

4:08 pm 3.5

9:24 pm

6.7

Sa 16 3:15 am 2.5

10:09 am

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10:49 am

10.0

Mo 18 12:46 am 6.8

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0.6

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Tu 19

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We 20 3:36 am 8.3

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6.7

-0.8

1:13 pm 9.5

8:54 pm

Th 21 4:32 am 9.0

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9:42 pm

-1.2

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5:18 am 9.6

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2:59 pm 9.2

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-1.4

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3:49 pm 8.9

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-1.2

Su 24 6:34 am 10.0

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6.0

4:37 pm 8.6

11:46 pm

-0.9

Mo 25 7:08 am 10.0

12:43 pm

5.6

Tu 26 12:22 am -0.3

7:38 am

9.9

5:25 pm 8.2 1:25 pm 5.2

6:11 pm

7.8

We 27 12:58 am 0.3

8:10 am

9.8

2:09 pm 4.8

6:59 pm

7.3

Th 28 1:32 am 1.2

8:38 am

9.5

2:53 pm 4.4

7:51 pm

6.8

Fr 29

2:06 am 2.1

9:06 am

9.3

3:39 pm 4.0

8:51 pm

6.4

Sa 30 2:40 am 3.1

9:34 am

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4:27 pm 3.5

10:05 pm

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New audio-video equipment installed at community center By Meg Olson The park and recreation district has added $1,500 of audio-visual equipment to the community center, ticking off one more item from a wish list of improvements. The district installed a 55-inch high-definition “smart” flat-screen television at the community center for use by the public when the center is open. Commissioner elect Bennett Blaustein said the TV has been connected to WiFi with several radio and television stations programmed, with plans to do more. There is also an old VHF antenna which “doesn’t pick up much,” Blaustein said, but no cable or satellite television. The district will be acquiring cables to allow users to connect their computers for presentations. The district also acquired a speaker system and an LCD multimedia projector. “You got tremendous value for what you paid,” Blaustein said. “The sound system is really, really good.” In other parks news, commissioners unanimously supported a motion to thank students at the Point Roberts Primary School for flagging holes in Baker Field

that volunteers filled with sand as part of efforts to improve the pock-marked field. Other improvements at the field will include moving the event sign from the corner of Gulf Road and Tyee Drive to that location, ongoing turf replacement, dugouts fencing and soccer goals. Mary Edgley said they next need to organize a work party to clean up the trash accumulating around the skate park. Even after commissioner Mark Robbins took a water cooler and filing cabinet to the dump, dumped bedframes and household garbage are still stuck in the blackberry bushes. “Somebody needs to adopt that park,” Robbins said. Plans for converting the Julius fire station into a new library will be presented to the Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee (PRCAC) for character plan review at its January meeting, and architect David King will meet with parks commissioners to go over costs and construction options. A tentative special meeting has been scheduled for 6 p.m. on January 12, preceding the PRCAC meeting at 7 p.m.

New radio system up and running “Our antenna and new radio system is done and operational,” said fire commissioner Stan Riffle, signing off on a hefty bill to eliminate numerous communication dead spots on the Point. At their December 9 meeting fire commissioners paid off the last $61,000 of the total $79,000 it cost to put an antenna on the Whidbey Telecom tower and install equipment both on the Point and in Bellingham. The upgrades create a local system for firefighters’ pagers and radios that then has a direct connection to county dispatch, rather than having every communication bouncing to mountaintop antennas in the county. Fire chief Christopher Carleton said Northwest Communications had been in Point Roberts testing the efficiency of the system and the results would be presented at either the January or February commissioners’ meeting. “I can demonstrate how much better is it,” he said, comparing reception before and after the changes. Wrapping up 2015, Carleton thanked the community, volunteers and commis-

sioners. “Right now we’re at 185 calls for the year, which is a record for this district,” he said. The district took 174 calls in 2014. “We’re going up every year it seems and we’re working extremely hard to provide that coverage.”

Slow year for hookups The Point Roberts water district had a scanty seven new connections to the water system in 2015. “This was the slowest year since I’ve worked here,” said district manager Dan Bourks, who has been with the district more than 20 years. Water sales, however, were higher than anticipated, thanks to a drier than usual spring and summer. Bourks said sales were up approximately $60,000 from 2014 for the May/June billing period and $10,000 for the June/July period. “We pumped maybe 10 million gallons more overall,” he said.

January 2016 • allpointbulletin.com

2015

year in

POINT ROBERTS

review A LOOK BACK Garden Club By Scott Hackleman The Point Roberts Garden Club had an active year and our members enjoyed meetings where we learned about growing food, showed off our favorite gardening tools and heard about the art of vertical gardening. We continued and expanded upon our program of member garden visits during the spring and summer in lieu of meetings at the community center. During these casual strolls through various gardens, we shared our love of plants and had a relaxed time learning and exchanging information unique to where we live. We always ended our meetings with refreshments and good fellowship. We also continued our “Drive By – Say Hi” program, where members inform the club of plants or trees putting on a particularly nice show in their garden, and our “Guerilla Bulb” program where we randomly plant hundreds of spring-blooming bulbs around the Point. We held a very successful garden sale in May, in conjunction with the Friends of the Point Roberts Library’s book sale. Club members were busy digging, dividing, seeding and potting up things from their

gardens throughout the spring and by May 16 we had tables filled with healthy beautiful plants that happy customers eagerly snapped up. To the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike, our mounds of daffodils, bluebells and wildflowers continue to flourish along Tyee Drive. Our feature berms of decorative grasses and blooming rhododendrons continue to put on a show and work is underway on a third feature berm with a bench in memory of Jody Hackleman. Thanks go to Brian Calder and Bill Skinner for the donation of their time and materials, and to all the volunteers who help with our Tyee project. Our monthly “Tyee Tidy” maintenance sessions had the added feature of our little water-wagon Nellie-Belle this summer, and our “Adopt-a-Mound” program got off the ground with almost half of our mounds adopted. Individuals or groups adopt a specific mound to take care of and to add more plants to, if desired. Look for more information about this on our web page and Facebook site. Planning is well underway for the Biennial Point Roberts Garden Tour to be held Sunday, June 26. Gardens of varying sizes

and themes will be featured. Several gardeners are confirmed for the 2016 tour but we would still like to hear from any gardeners who would like to participate. Our next meeting is Saturday, February 6 at 1 p.m. at the community center. We plan an interesting speaker on the subject of composting. Our regular meetings will resume the

2015

year in

first Wednesday of the month after that with more interesting speakers, open gardens and show and share socials with refreshments. We welcome new members and guests and are looking forward to another year of sharing our gardens and friendship. Please visit our website, pointrobertsgardenclub. org, for more information.

POINT ROBERTS

review Taxpayers Association

A LOOK BACK

B y M a r k R obb i n s Victory in fight against the towers, frustration over the dock For the second year running, Point Roberts Taxpayers Association (PRTA) focused on opposing the construction of five 150foot AM radio towers at the entrance to Point Roberts. PRTA directors and members played an active role in the Cross-Border Coalition to Stop the Towers, and PRTA served as the coalition’s treasurer. In 2015, Whatcom County Council unanimously affirmed the hearing examiner’s rejection of the applicant’s conditional use permit. On appeal, that ruling was once again affirmed in Skagit County Superior Court. Victory was sealed when the November 30 deadline passed without further appeal. PRTA’s 2013 petition to deny the radio station’s broadcast license renewal is still pending action by the FCC. At Lighthouse Marine Park, finally, after years of demanding the timely restoration of the floating dock, PRTA cheered the installation of a brand new dock in June 2015 … and groaned when it failed within one month in service. Our requests for clear and complete

information on the cause of this failure and on how and when it will be addressed have yielded more questions than answers. An invitation to county parks and recreation staff to participate in a PRTA-sponsored town hall meeting in October was declined. In addition to seeking the restoration of the dock, PRTA wants the boat launch pad maintained and improved and the deck repaired, and supports the construction of the proposed lighthouse and whale-watching facility at Lighthouse Park. During the year, PRTA again hosted fire chief Christopher Carleton and fire commissioner Bill Meursing to provide semi-annual reports on the fire district’s activities and budget. Our annual general meeting in July was well attended and included a keynote address on zoning and land use by Mark Personius, assistant director of planning and development services. In August, the PRTA hosted a second annual town hall meeting with Congresswoman Suzan DelBene, also very well attended by members of the community. The association continued to discuss and refine its ideas about desired economic development in Point Roberts and practical steps that might be beneficial.

23rd Annual

Bridal Inspirations Wedding Expo January 24, 2016 s April 2015: Preparing for a busy summer ahead, Point Roberts Homegrown Co-op co-founder Andrew Grubb was busy planting, mulching and weeding.

Join us as you prepare for your wedding!

Photo by Meg Olson

2015

year in

• Over 50 wedding vendors • The area's largest fashion show at 4 pm

TRINITY LUTHERAN

review A LOOK BACK CHURCH By Barbara Wayland It was another busy year for Trinity. Easter season included five services – Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday communion, Palm Sunday with procession, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. This year’s music camp was a great success both for our young cast members and for the teens who worked as crew. The Rockslinger and His Greatest Hit was based on the story of David and Goliath and was performed as part of the annual Point Roberts Art and Music Festival. Thanks to the generous donation of time and equipment by Jonathan Quick, the performers all had mics this year. In July, Pastor Gina Gaudet returned from a year away and is again sharing the pulpit with Father Chuck Cannon and Pastor Jean Barrington. In response to a request from the music camp crew for ongoing opportunities to meet together, Gina and camp director Tasha Neufeld created a monthly Philosopher’s Café. The café is open the second Saturday of

each month at 6:30 p.m. for youth 15 to 20 years of age. The first two cafés were very successful and the program continues in January. Another new program is a non-traditional service of music, meditation, reflection and fellowship that takes place the third Saturday evening of each month. In August we celebrated Pastor emeritus Ernie and Lola Loreen’s 65th wedding anniversary following church. They are an inspiration to us all. This year’s Trinity Concert Series was the biggest ever, including two for the new Point Roberts Library. Dick and Lucy Williams hosted a reception following each concert. The Trinity Community Choir presented a total of three concerts this year – spring, Christmas and a joint concert of ABBA with St. David’s Community Choir in Tsawwassen. The two concerts in Point Roberts were followed by spectacular champagne and dessert receptions choreographed by Dorothy Bayley.

• Sample wedding cake & hors d'oeuvres • Win fantastic prizes before the fashion show

Sunday, January 24, 2016 • 12–5 pm Four Points by Sheraton, Lakeway Inn 714 Lakeway Drive, Bellingham, WA To register, purchase tickets or get more information, visit www.bridalinspirationsexpo.com or call 360-733-2563

Justin Alexander Trunk Show