May 2015
IN THIS
ISSUE
www.AllPointBulletin.com
Water quality testing to take place this summer, page 9
Ask and ye shall receive
Parade organizers have a special treat, page 9
ECRWSS PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 14
FREE
Time to apply for Dollars for Scholars, page 11
Point Roberts, WA 98281 Postal Patron Local
Can you lend a hand?
B y P a t G r u bb
(See Fire chief, page 6)
s Members of the Point Roberts Garden Club are hard at work maintaining plantings along Tyee Drive, but they could use some help. Adopt a mound and help the club maintain and improve our blooming main drag.
Photo by Meg Olson
Who are you going to call when the chips are down? By Meg Olson Concerns about limited law enforcement response in Point Roberts were heightened after an altercation at the Reef was followed by one of the parties apparently attempting to back over the other, who wound up going through the car’s back windshield. The victim’s sister called 911, and no one came, so a friend transported him to Delta Hospital for treatment. Whatcom County dispatch has no re-
cord of the March 28 911 call made using an Alberta cell phone, but dispatchers on the other side of the border do. Jody Robertson, corporate communications director for the E-Comm 911 center in British Columbia, said they have a record of one call from the Alberta number and the caller was provided with a direct number to contact What-Comm, where Whatcom County 911 calls are handled. The caller ended the call and did not call What-Comm, according to their records.
Robertson also said call center employees do have the ability to transfer calls once they know from what agency and in what area the caller needs a response. Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) deputy Jason Loreen was in Point Roberts on the night of the incident but didn’t learn about it until the following day, when the victim flagged him down to make a report. (See Deputies, page 7)
Commissioner throws monkey wrench into plans it’s in the district’s comprehensive plan. Were you irresponsible when you approved it eight years ago?” “Maybe I was more on autopilot,” Meursing replied. Commissioners approved the current comprehensive plan in 2007 and the state did so in 2008, but the proposed facility was also included in previous plans. “The issues and priorities that made it (See Water, page 8)
★ ★
Following a flip-flop by commissioner Bill Meursing about building a central shop and office for the water district on Benson Road, district manager Dan Bourks said he will consider retiring, and Meursing is looking at resigning. Meursing announced at regular board meeting on April 14 that he wanted to see a thorough cleanup and inventory of existing facilities before the district moved
forward with the project. He has long supported the inclusion of the new shop in the district’s capital improvement plan and the conditional use permit in place for the project so his comments came out of the blue for the manager and fellow commissioners. “I feel irresponsible committing a large amount of money until we determine how much space we really need,” he said. “We did that,” responded fellow commissioner Scott Hackleman. “That’s why
2015
198 5
By Meg Olson
★
★
30 TH★ ★ ★ ★ Online
★
Point Roberts fire chief Christopher Carleton asked fire commissioners for a new contract and he received. And boy, did he ever receive. Speaking to the commissioners and a fair-sized audience at a special meeting on Wednesday, April 15, Carleton said he was willing to commit his future to Point Roberts, but only if Point Roberts was willing to commit to him. “The reason why I’m asking for these changes is that I want to commit more time to this community as fire chief, and I’d like to be with this organization for the time period that I see myself a career firefighter. And that is for at least another 15 years,” he explained. Talking about the qualities he brings to the organization, Carleton said those included “professionalism, integrity and morals.” Carleton had been working under a contract that went into effect on September 1, 2012 and was due to expire December 31, 2015. The contract would have automatically renewed for “additional three (3) year terms” unless the district decided not to renew it by providing written notice to Carleton 180 days before the expiration date. That contract allowed the district to fire Carleton without notice and without cause by paying one year’s salary plus all accrued vacation pay. The new contract changes all of that. After the first five-year term is up, the contract automatically renews every five years until 2030. Should future commissioners decide to fire Carleton without cause, Point Roberts taxpayers will be on the hook for significant severance pay. Depending on whether he is let go in the first, second or final five-year term, the district is obligated to pay him lump sum severance payments of $150,000, $175,000 or $200,000, respectively. In the first term alone, Carleton would be entitled to three years of salary should he be fired. There are other changes. The original
allpointbulletin.com facebook.com/allpointbulletin