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LETTERS TO
THE EDITOR
The Editor:
Following is a lovely story called “My Special Place,” written
by my nephew Kohle Merry, and to him it is Point Roberts. Kohle
is 11-years-old and this is about the senses. He wrote it as a
school project:
My special place is on a beach with the ocean right at your side.
Most people haven’t seen it because it is so concealed like something
in a box that you can’t open. Only certain people can get to see
this place because only a few know where it is. It seems like
a sea of driftwood and it sounds like each wave crashing down
on each and every other. This place is special to me because it
is somewhere that I can go and people will not disturb me. You
can see the sand for miles in all directions, the feeling of the
hot sand under your feet. You can hear the sound of a heron smashing
its beak like an airplane breaking the sound barrier, right into
the beach to catch a small fish for its meal. You can taste a
blast of the cold breeze fill your mouth like a breath does on
a cold winter day. This special place is fun because at night
time you can feel the smoke from an open fire on your face like
a mask. You can taste a hot marshmallow in your mouth like something
that just fills every little gap of space in your mouth. You can
smell that marshmallowy smell that fills the air like the sunlight
does. In the day you can watch people building forts with the
extra pieces of driftwood. When you go swimming you can see water
as far as you can look. You can taste the salt water as it fills
your mouth like air does. You can smell the nearby fishing docks.
But even though I have only been there once, I still think of
it as my special place.
Gloria Magnussen
Point Roberts
The
Editor:
Thank you to the All Point Bulletin for printing my letter to
the editor in the June issue. I have just been contacted by someone
who says that she took the plants. She promised to replace them
as well and has apologized. Now let’s all have a great summer
for there are wonderful things coming to the Point this year.
I think that’s all that needs to be said, if that. The point of
the letter was to get her to think twice if she’s going to do
it again and from the call I got, it sounded like she won’t be
at it anymore IMHO. She also said I was right about the timing
to transplant, she’s going to replace the rhubarb with a new one
from the nursery; it didn’t take well to being moved. Now we shall
wait and see.
Kelly Scullion
Tsawwassen, B.C.
The
Editor:
Letter to Brian Canfield, re: opening day of the Wellness Clinic.
Well, Brian you’ve really done it now! And so well, too!
The opening was a triumph for all concerned and a historic milestone
for Point Roberts. There were many hands in the making and how
graciously you counted them all but it was your leadership,
intelligence and tenacity that made it happen. What a terrific
effort, what a terrific success! Everyone is proud of you and
grateful you are such a dynamic part of our community. In addition,
the ceremony was wonderful from beginning to end. I loved starting
with little children and ending with senior Kathy Aydon. Perfect:
the cycle of life. Good show, Brian! We are singing your praises.
Davea and John Fisher
Point Roberts
The Editor:
Point Roberts primary school would like to extend our sincere
gratitude to each and every parent, grandparent, volunteer and
community member for all their time and efforts in helping with
Field Day. Without your help, the day would not have been such
a success.
We would also like to thank the Point Roberts fire department
for the wonderful lunch they provided for the students and staff.
Nancy Bakarich
Students and staff at Point Roberts primary school
The Editor:
I was disappointed to read the article in last month’s paper with
regards to the recently formed Point Roberts Artist Guild. Not
that they are starting an artists guild but what surprises me
is that neither the reporter nor Heather Good, who is quoted as
saying, “there are so many incredibly talented people on the Point
without a venue to show or sell the wonderfully diverse things
they make,” seem to realize that there is such a place on the
Point. In July of 1994, the Blue Heron Gallery opened showcasing
works by local Point Roberts artists, as well as Canadian artists
and has faithfully advertised this in your paper every month since.
Today Kitty and Paul Doyle continue to feature works by over 50
artists in their two charmingly displayed gallery spaces. Kitty’s
watercolor paintings can be seen in businesses and private homes
throughout the Point and the lower mainland. It is her dedication
to the art community that has led every organization to her gallery
door requesting fundraising items which she generously and willingly
donates. For a business to last nearly a decade on the Point,
then to carelessly disregard that achievement truly saddens me.
It takes a lot of commitment, time, energy and money to make it
work. Let’s not forget that the Blue Heron Gallery is one of the
few businesses that specializes in unique gifts by local artists
including Kitty’s beautiful watercolor scenes of the Point, all
very reasonably priced. She also paints individual cottages or
homes by request from a photo that truly became a family treasure.
If you’ve never made it in, I invite you to have a look and see
for yourself the many talented local artists featured at this
wonderful local venue.
Renee Coe
Point Roberts
The
Editor:
The Washington Community Economic Revitalization Team (WA-CERT)
is a state agency responsible for disbursing taxpayer funds for
projects in “timber impacted” communities. The program is part
of President Bush’s Economic Adjustment Initiative.
Like most government programs, the goals are well-intentioned.
Who can quarrel with the idea of economic assistance to small,
isolated, resource-dependent communities whose forestry-based
economies have been devastated by foreign (Canadian) competition,
fires, pests, and habitat preservation for the Spotted Owl?
The problem is that WA-CERT has quickly become a pork barrel for
projects that have little to do with helping timber communities
through bad economic times.
Whatcom County Council recently prioritized 21 projects on the
WA-CERT wish list, three of which were from the timber impacted
community of Point Roberts:
1. The Wellness Clinic (a recent recipient of another federal
grant of $200,000 per year for three years);
2. $125,000 for the first phase of a $420,000 pedestrian trail
system; and 3. $120,000 for a feasibility study for a $4.5 million
dollar sewage treatment plant for Point Roberts.
In total, $565,000 tax dollars for a community of 1,308, whose
population does not include one true logger or timber impacted
business.
Since 1999, pro-sewer advocates have been very successful in using
taxpayer money to finance their development ambitions. First,
there was a $20,000 study by the Port of Bellingham on what Point
Roberts residents want. The options “to be left alone” and “to
cease paying taxes to the Port of Bellingham for silly surveys”
were noticeably absent from the list. Predictably, the port’s
findings were immediately interpreted as a mandate for sewers
in Point Roberts by large landowners and developers, even though
a thorough analysis of the survey supported the traditional 50-50
split in pro-sewer vs. no-sewer camps.
In 2001, sewer advocates scored another $52,500 in taxpayer funding
from the United States Forest Service for an update to the Point
Roberts sewer comprehensive plan. This funding was based on the
continuing falsehood that
1. Point Roberts is a “timber-impacted community” and;
2. that Point Roberts wants and needs sewers.
Approval of the latest application for an additional $120,000
in funding would bring the total amount of taxpayer funds for
sewer-driven studies to nearly $200,000. The only beneficiaries
of these studies are the consultants that write them and pro-development
boosters, many who live in Canada but hold investment property
in Point Roberts. By its own admission, the grant application
confirms that not one new job would be created in Point Roberts
if the application is approved. So much for any economic stimulus
for our timber impacted community.
At their last meeting, Whatcom County Council wisely kicked this
funding request down the priority ladder from 13th place to 18th.
A better solution would have been to drop it off the list entirely.
Currently, the WA-CERT application for a Point Roberts sewage
treatment plant has settled near the bottom of the public trough,
just above a funding request for a corporate jet park by the Port
of Bellingham, another dubious use of taxpayer money for a “timber-impacted”
community.
John Lesow
Point Roberts
The
Editor:
Western Washington University’s College of Business and Economics,
Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is supported by the Port
of Bellingham, other public entities, and client donations to
bring counseling and technical assistance services and materials
to small business owners and managers throughout Whatcom County.
We serve each unique community and are pleased to offer free and
confidential assistance, research, as well as many resources to
any entrepreneur with an existing business who requests the service.
In order to make the program more convenient to the business owner
we are setting up small satellite offices throughout the county.
We are currently looking for office space in Point Roberts. It
would be staffed by a business development specialist who would
visit at least once a month, but would house a full component
of materials, pamphlets, and brochures which also can be found
in our Bellingham office.
Thus, if you own a business and want to gather market research,
develop a business plan, a marketing strategy, analyze your costs,
pricing structure, distribution and promotion techniques, and
need help with expansion and growth issues, or simply want to
gain information about obtaining business financing and access
to financial resources please give us a call at 360/733 4014 or
visit our website at www.cbe.-wwu.edu/sbdc.
We look forward to meeting with you in Bellingham or at one of
our satellite offices in the county Birch Bay, Blaine, Lynden,
Ferndale, Everson/Nooksack, and Maple Falls. We are doing our
best to help shape the economic future of our region... one business
at a time.
Jeffrey Davis
Western Washington University Small Business Development Center
Bellingham
The
Editor:
I have examined the county’s road income versus expenditures for
Point Roberts from 1990 to 2002. Here is what the numbers show.
In 1990, $125,721 of excess (money not spent but collected from
Point Roberts property taxes, gasoline tax and state motor vehicle
fuel tax) went into county coffers and spent elsewhere in the
county.
In 1991, $227,643; 1992, $213,293; 1993, $300,912; 1994, $33,382;
1995, $40,768; 1996, $95,160; 1997, $403,732; 1998, $494,366;
1999, $415,680, Tyee to Marine; 2000, $434,891; 2001, $472,527;
2002, $386,981.
Cumulatively adding these surpluses from 1990 to 2002 yields $2,817,696
of funds the country took from Point Roberts and spent elsewhere.
The county is projecting an income of $676,225 and an expenditure
of $1,163,740 of which $1,010,000 is for the chip seal program
noted above. After including the foregoing 2003 expenditures,
from a cumulative total the county has still taken $2,330,171
out of Point Roberts.
Bruno Moras
Point Roberts
The
Editor:
How did such a well read monthly paper not do a feature article
to inform its readers of such a local and interesting tour of
Point Roberts historical buildings by Point Roberts Historical
Society (only a “coming events” notice).
On Saturday, June 21, those of us lucky enough to know of it and
join the tour, learned much about the disappearing landmarks and
of the people of those times.
All this, as well as an outstanding display by Point Roberts Quilters
of both quilts and hanging panels of abandoned buildings. So imaginative
and realistic. Many photos of the past were also on display.
Members and friends attending were so fortunate, such an opportunity
lost for many others.
Thank you Point Roberts Historical Society. You should be very
proud. We visitors are.
Pauline Scoten
Vancouver, BC
The
Editor:
After reading yet another interview with the present manager of
the Point Roberts Marina, Terry Ritchie, I feel that I would be
remiss if I did not convey the facts regarding certain claims
Mr. Ritchie is making with regards to his improvements to the
marina.
The power: following an outage in 2000, Puget Sound Energy was
contacted by the manager, Bruce Gustafson. While locating the
source of the outage, the crew hit an open line which caused an
explosion, the evidence of this event is visible between D and
E docks. It was decided at this time to replace the vaults and
lines throughout the marina. As this was a large and costly job,
Puget Sound Energy put the order into a budget and said it would
be approximately two years before the job could be undertaken.
Bruce put the wheel in motion, Terry, so please stop taking credit.
Refloating the docks: Another project started by Bruce, several
docks were refloated in order to see if it would improve the overall
environment. Bruce located the material and installer, not Terry
Ritchie.
Dredging: The channel and entrance to the marine were dredged
on a regular basis, it is a long process to obtain all the permits
and permissions, the most recent dredge was applied for long before
Terry Ritchie came on board. Bruce Gustafson and Jeff Layton put
those wheels in motion.
What you can take credit for, Terry, is that you insulted the
majority of the tenants of the marina, people who have supported
the business year after year. Your remarks as printed inflamed
many and embarrassed the entire community. We are still being
asked, “well, is he still here?” In my opinion, the only way the
owners of the marina could have quelled the irate was to sever
their connection with you immediately. It is a little late now
to make the gesture. I worked at the marina for 19 years and know
every facet of the operation. I wish the business nothing but
success. Many of my friends have a boat in the marina, I encourage
them to stay as it is still the finest facility in this area.
I just wish the owners would get their act together and put someone
in there who knew what they were doing.
In closing, another suggestion, perhaps it would be better to
install the pool and tennis courts before you add the information
to the new and hard to read sign. Also, I guess the customer who
stopped for gas and made the following statement: “I will not
leave my boat anywhere that hires an a**h*** like that,” really
wasn’t leaving the marina, he just must have been venting.
Sheelah Oliver
Point Roberts
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 send
your letter to: P.O. Box 1451, Point Roberts, WA 98281
or fax (360) 945-1613.
E-mail:editor@allpointbulletin.com
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