INSIDE

Chamber holds annual meeting

There was a sparse but enthusiastic turnout for the annual meeting of the Point Roberts chamber of commerce.

A dozen people were at the November 8 event at Dockside Café that featured a short business meeting and lots of nibbling, sipping and chatting.

In her last act as chamber president Terrie LaPorte told those who did attend to trumpet the value of an organization devoted to advocacy for local businesses and get more people involved. “It’s a benefit to everybody and all of this is volunteers,” she said. “You need to make time to be part of the chamber.” She pointed to the chamber of commerce website and local webcams, the tourist information booth, and scholarship programs as some of the ways the chamber contributes to the Point Roberts community.

LaPorte also spoke of the value of monthly lunches and guest speakers. “That’s the sort of thing your chamber is supposed to do so we can get together and do business,” she said. But despite strong membership numbers the chamber is seeing little active participation. “Not all the lunches had the attendance and it’s the same tonight,” she acknowledged. “We just have to get more people involved. Is there something we need to change to do better?”

With only three of seven directors remaining on the board the challenge at the annual meeting was to fill the three vacant seats. Sterling Bank employee Darlene Perritt and Reid Smith of Broadview Capital were new nominations and Dockside Café’s Helena Furno was nominated for another term. Though the absent Byron Velasquez had indicated he would not seek another term as a director, his wife Sylvia Branzei said he had agreed to serve if there were no other nominations. The four took the positions by acclamation.

None of the four award winners recognized by the chamber this year were at the event to receive their awards in person. Point Roberts Floors and Finish was honored as the best new business in town while Café Capanna was recognized for exceptional efforts to restore and bring back a valued building in the town core. Branzei accepted the award for Velasquez recognizing his volunteered time building and maintaining the chamber website. Irene Waters, recognized for her years of community volunteerism, was unable to accept the award because she was at a Wellness Clinic meeting. Bev Griffiths accepted on her behalf.