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2003: Another Year Bites the Dust

Yes, it’s that time of year again. Where we look back at a year almost all gone and consider what comes now. For instance, how long will it take us to remember the new year when we are writing checks at the grocery store. So, here goes...

January

• At their regular meeting in December 2002 fire district commissioners voted to pull $50,000 out of reserves in order to balance the budget for 2003, and accepted a $27,000 operating deficit from the year before be paid out of the department’s savings. In an attempt to bolster the department’s flagging finances commissioners Jesse Lofquist, Don Frantz and John Fisher moved ahead with plans to sell the Julius fire station on Gulf Road, despite public concern that the sale was moving ahead without following state law.
• The fire district ended the year with a special meeting to replace commissioner John Fisher who had resigned at the December 12 meeting, along with recording secretary Davea Fisher, citing health reasons. Commissioners appointed Davea Fisher to replace him as an interim commissioner until March.
• The Point Roberts Transportation Committee held its first public meeting, seeking drivers for the new community van.
• The Blaine school district responded to parent requests by hiring a consultant to look into the feasibility of a K-12 school on the Point.
• Margo Wallace, after decades as the Point’s garden columnist, announced her retirement and the All Point Bulletin ran a retrospective of her finest articles.

February

• School consultant Jack Thompson got an earful from both sides of the question at a public meeting looking into a K-12 school in Point Roberts.
• With one commissioner on vacation for a few months and another appointed only to allow the district to do business in his absence, the fire district’s monthly meeting skirted public concerns about finances and the sale of a fire station. Commissioners stuck with paying the bills and tightening the rules for public access to information, excluding handwritten requests in violation of the state Open Public Records Act.
• A 15-person Ford van made its debut as the Point’s own bus, operated by volunteer drivers on a schedule set monthly by the Point Roberts Transportation Committee.
• Jeff Turner hit town as the Point’s newest sheriff’s deputy and Linda Robinson took over at the new director of the port of entry. • Richard Clark, author of the Point’s only written history, spoke at the monthly Friends of the Library meeting.
• Post office hours were reduced, closing at 3:30 p.m.

March

• The North Whatcom Fire and Rescue Services board appointed Nick Kiniski as division chief for the Point Roberts fire department, only a few months after he made the transition from volunteer to career firefighter.
• Art Wilkowski took his seat as the newest commissioner on the water board, despite efforts by John Lesow to invalidate his appointment based on what he believed were procedural errors in his appointment.
• A trail from the intersection of APA Road and Tyee Drive to Lighthouse Park along the lagoon was opened through the efforts of the Point Roberts marina.
• The Primo Purple Pansies of Point Roberts formed, the group’s only goal being for local women to have ample opportunity to dress up and have fun.
• County council voted to ask Point Roberts voters in November if they would support the formation of a special district to pay for maintenance of a pier, should one be built.

April
• The parks department board considered canceling the children’s summer program for the second year in a row because they couldn’t find a qualified person to run it.
• At a chamber of commerce meeting at the Point Roberts marina, new marina manager Terry Ritchey described plans to turn the marina around financially, by offering more services, charging more money, and turning from an inexpensive spot for Canadians to moor their boat into a destination for mega-yachts.
• Mary Lynne Derrington was appointed as the new superintendent of the Blaine school district, replacing Gordon Dolman who retired in June.
• The trial of former fire chief Mike Campbell, charged with child molestation and rape, was scheduled for June.
• Former voters’ association vice-president Beverly Griffiths took over the gavel and narrowly filled the empty seats on the association board after a rash of resignations. Tom Hollett, who had resigned as president two months prior filled one of the vacant spots.
• The newly formed walking group, a program spearheaded by the seniors’ association wellness committee, began to draw dozens of walkers to their twice-weekly walks and social breakfasts.
• The Point Roberts golf course hosted the Western Canada Junior Golf Tour for a two-day tournament. • Bill Meursing became the new Point Roberts fire commissioner, replacing Davea Fisher following her March resignation.

May

• Engineers presented the Point’s new sewer comprehensive plan after concluding that there was no community consensus on what kind of sewer system the Point should have. They suggested that the only option to be looked at that might be feasible would be a limited system serving the central business district and large developments like the golf course and marina. Golf course manager Mark Lundrigan said they would not commit to participating in a community sewer.
• County public works officials announced plans to resurface all the roads on the Point in the summer, chip sealing the remaining gravel roads on the Point and putting asphalt on Maple Beach streets.
• Dollars for Scholars unveiled “The Point is Cooking,” a compilation of recipes from local cooks as a fundraiser for scholarships for local students. • By making division chief Nick Kiniski the only professional firefighter on the Point fire commissioners managed to save $50,000 and balance their annual budget. • Craig Carter opened a local septic pumping service ­ the Potty Wagon.

June

• The Point Roberts Aydon Wellness Clinic opened its doors, with nurse practitioner Virginia Lester welcoming everything from slivers to strokes.
• The Blaine school district board of directors, in response to a report from consultant Jack Thompson, voted against expanding the Point Roberts school, based on issues of financial feasibility and a lack of community consensus on a K-12 school in Point Roberts.
• The Point Roberts Economic Development Committee trails committee pursued planning and funding for a proposal to use county right of way for multi-use trails on the Point.
• Brewsters restaurant celebrated eight years in business. • Steve and Carol Fowler reopened the historic Whalen store at Maple Beach as Whalen’s Beach Café.

July

• County planners introduced new zoning rules for the Point, based largely on compliance with the Point’s revised comprehensive plan, given final approval in 2002, including rules for transitional zoning, rules allowing an airpark and horseracing facilities and new tree retention and archaeological standards.
• The parks board announced their summer program would be up and running again this summer under the direction of Delta schoolteacher Jamie Tkachuk.
• Blue Heron Gallery celebrated ten years in business.
• County parks board members came to the Point to look into parking and restroom issues at Maple Beach, where the tidelands were donated to the park system by the Whalen family.
• Out of a field of more than 30 floats at the Point Roberts annual July 4 parade dressed to the themes of their favorite movies, TJs restaurant won top honors as best theme float for their realistic rendition of the movie Grease. First prize in the commercial category went to the Reef Tavern for Austin Powers and best non-commercial float was Charlie’s Angels, created by Amanda Haslip, Chelsea Baker and Candy Downs. Top honors for kids went to the Finding Nemo float under the direction of Tracy Kelly and Kelley Lyne.
• The Point Roberts town picnic was revived, celebrating an earlier picnic in 1908 where local homesteaders celebrated the news that they could hold onto their land.

August

• Dozens of kids got free helmets and safety tips at a bike rodeo co-sponsored by the fire and parks departments.
• County planning commissioners got an earful at a public hearing on proposed zoning changes, where most members of the audience wanted to see tree retention and transitional zoning scrapped. Despite the hue and cry, only one commission member wanted to go with the spirit of the moment, the majority relying also on testimony from dozens of earlier meetings on the regulations.
• Water commissioners wrangled over what position the water district should take on the implementation of the recently completed sewer comprehensive plan.
• Jeanette Meursing and Joyce Kiniski opened the Point Roberts Academy of Arts, offering art and crafting classes.
• Jean and Dennis Becker won the 2003 Flowers by the Sea contest. Dozens toured local gardens during the annual garden tour
. • Point Roberts water commissioners joined other commissioners from smaller taxing districts in protesting the county’s collection and distribution procedures for the county flood control fee.
• Local events included the Maple Beach regatta and the annual Arts and Music festival.

September
• Fire commissioners voted 2-1 to ask voters if they would pay twice the fire taxes they were currently paying. Commissioner Bill Meursing opposed the levy lift as too extravagant, while Jesse Lofquist and Dan Frantz maintained it was needed to insure adequate service levels.
• Water commissioners voted unanimously not to pursue a community-wide sewer system at this time.
• Point Roberts seniors asked the local parks board to approve and help pay for an extra senior center day.
• Local parents reacted with consternation when the school district announced that budget cuts would mean the cancellation of the turnout bus, which brings students back to the Point after sports practice or after school activities.
• The Point Roberts golf course opened their new clubhouse and restaurant. • Local volunteer firefighter and Wellness Center receptionist Deb Hart moved her permit consulting business into the old Blackberries building with plans to open an internet café.
•Josh Matthews hung his shingle as the first local farrier since the old days.
• Carriage House School opened its doors to local preschoolers.

October

• Describing the organization as “kind of like an amoeba” water commissioners questioned the legitimacy of the local Economic Development Committee and the appropriateness of their participation.
• With NWFRS facing a litany of financial crises, fire commissioner Bill Meursing suggested fire district 5 would be better off out of the NWFRS partnership.
• Parks board members agreed to ask voters for an additional $5,000 for the next four years to fund an extra senior center day.
• Family therapist Emily Bouchard began offering classes at the community center and Byron Velasquez opened his Small World Tech computer services. • The Small Business Development center began offering its services through a satellite office at Sterling Savings Bank.
• Art Wilkowski resigned as chamber of commerce president.

November

• At a levy-boosting meeting held by NWFRS administrators and the two commissioners in favor of doubling the Point’s fire and EMS taxes audience members gave a glimpse into the future of the proposal, with most in strident opposition to the measure. Commissioner Jesse Lofquist also had his right to serve as a commissioner challenged, based on his apparent residence in Canada. The county auditor suggested commissioners might want to talk to their lawyers.
• County council gave final approval to new tree retention rules for the Point and regulations for developing near archaeological sites.
• White Rock mayor Judy Forster spoke at a special chamber meeting encouraging voters to support the pier project, citing the deluge of spin-off benefits the White Rock pier has had for that community.
• The Lily Point golf course project appeared to finally roll over and die, after county council nixed a second extension to the project’s development permit.
• The Point Roberts’ taxpayers association joined the water district in questioning the legitimacy and mandate of the Economic Development Committee in its current form.
• Plans for a local skatepark got a boost with final county approval of permits to build the facility. Organizers continued to look for donations and grant funding to build on the $25,000 plus land the parks board has already committed to the project.
• Darren Katamay brought local cab service to the Point with Point Roberts Cab Company. • Water commissioner Madeleine Anderson asked fellow commissioners and district staff to work on developing an active water conservation program for next year.

December

• After the proposed levy increased went down in flames at the polls, two of the Point’s three fire commissioners abruptly quit, leaving Bill Meursing alone on the board and the task of choosing replacements in the hands of county council.
• David Niles lost the election to Art Wilkowski for a seat on the water board, but was recommended by Lorne Nielson to replace him when Nielson resigned from the water board.
• Long-time incumbents Bev Griffiths and Irene Waters soundly defeated write-in candidates for positions on the parks board.
• Voters showed strong support for the pier project, with over 60 percent voting to approve the formation of a special district to maintain it once built. • The first Dollars for Scholars town social raised over $1000 for Dollars for Scholars and the second annual Reef Tavern chili cookoff raised $325 for the food bank.
• At the chamber annual general meeting Gordon Rogers of the Whatcom Council of Governments told members that they would need to start now if they planned to reap some of the benefits of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

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