August 25 - 31, 2016
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Locals take on the task of County-wide energy initiative Blaine City Council celebrates anniversary, page 13 amends budget, page 2 building a home, page 8
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Heavy machinery sits on proud display during Blaine’s “Roadeo”
2016-2017
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Blaine city staff host a “Roadeo” B y S t e fa n i e D o n a h u e
(See Roadeo, page 2)
s Onlookers gaze at a display of heavy-duty construction equipment during the August 19 Roadeo. The event was created to give the public a closer look at daily tasks conducted by the public works department. Dozens attended the event, which featured live displays, interactive exhibits and several members of the public works department as well as other local municipalities including the fire station and police department.
Photo by Stefanie Donahue
School district water supply passes lead test By Oliver Lazenby Blaine school district staff didn’t find any problems with the water in school drinking fountains and other fixtures after testing for lead this summer, superintendent Ron Spanjer said at the August 22 school board meeting. “All the samples have been well within the acceptable limits,” Spanjer said. “We were encouraged by that.” The district tested water from kitchen sinks, hallway drinking fountains and
classroom drinking fountains to get an overall view of the district’s supply system. The sampling is voluntary, as state rules for lead testing have been on hold since 2009, district facilities supervisor Alan Pomeroy said in a May memo to the school board. Blaine and many other school districts reviewed their lead testing procedures this year after the Tacoma school district, the second largest in the state, found lead in 13 of its elementary schools, according to the Seattle Times.
Mitchell Avenue bridge reopens after weeks of construction B y S t e fa n i e D o n a h u e Summertime construction on Mitchell Avenue overpass is coming to a close. Last week, the city opened the bridge for the public ahead of schedule. The final steps of the project remain and are set to be completed within the next few weeks. Colacurcio Brothers Construction led the project, which began on June 20 after school let out for the summer. Construc-
tion necessitated a closure to the I-5 overpass and led to a number of safety and accessibility improvements for the area. “We are thrilled that these significant safety improvements have been completed in time for the school year,” said Alan Pomeroy, Blaine school district facilities supervisor. The construction crew replaced a paved path near the dead end on Boblett Street with a concrete pedestrian path. It will
open once a handrail is installed. The dirt path from Mitchell Street to Boblett Street has also been paved. Both ends of Mitchell Avenue bridge were filled with a lightweight material to repair settlement issues with the existing concrete. The work also led to an improvement in the turn radius from Mitchell to Boblett Street to make it easier for school buses to navigate. (See Mitchell, page 3)
Childhood lead exposure increases risks for hearing, speech, learning and behavior problems; brain and nervous system damage; and slowed growth and development, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Lead typically leaches into water from plumbing, rather than directly from the water source, according to the CDC. The city of Blaine tests its water annually and the latest annual report showed no indications of lead issues, Pomeroy said.
INSIDE
A crowd mixed with folks of all ages and interests – perhaps even a few aspiring maintenance workers – stopped by Blaine’s first equipment “Roadeo” last Friday. Blaine’s public works department hosted the event to give the public a glimpse at what city maintenance workers do each day. From 1 to 3:30 p.m., a line of heavy-duty machines and vehicles sat tall behind the Blaine library for all to see. “A lot of what we do in public works is behind the scenes,” said public works director Ravyn Whitewolf. “A lot of what we do is really cool.” The quality of life in Blaine is impacted directly by the actions of public works staff, she said. The department is tasked with managing all city utilities, including water, wastewater, storm water and electrical services as well as repair and maintenance of s Kids and event streets and pubvolunteers engage in lic facilities. a water balloon fight during the Roadeo. The event was modeled after Photo by Stefanie Donahue similar events sponsored by public works departments throughout the country. Often, public works roadeos feature competitions between operators. However, Blaine’s event focused on engaging the public through demonstrations and interactive displays. On Friday, spectators watched in awe as
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