LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Editor:
On Sunday, December 23, the Point once again played an important role in helping Ladner reach its total of 138 species of birds for its annual Christmas Bird count.  In weather conditions not conducive to successful bird counting, the Point Roberts team found 80 species and 3,408 individuals and provided half a dozen species not found anywhere else in the Ladner count area. 
Audubon Christmas counts, which have been conducted across North America since the beginning of the 1900s, are carried out inside a 15-mile diameter circle.  The Ladner count  is split into 11 zones, has been running since the early 1950s and includes all of Point Roberts and some of its offshore waters. The Point has always been popular with Lower Mainland birders with Lily Point and Lighthouse Marine Park being two of the more important sites. 
This year’s team found 15 species of waterfowl, (geese and ducks) and six species of raptors, (hawks and eagles), including 36 Bald Eagles.  Attempting to count birds out on the sea was especially difficult this year with wind and rain blowing into the faces of the counters and a big breaking swell hiding the birds for long periods. 
Brian Self
Tsawwassen

The Editor:
Think about this folks. After the water board commissioned and you paid for all the studies by consultants, engineers and lawyers, the submission for the comprehensive community plan has been rejected.
For those of you who have not been paying attention several things should have you storming the water board offices: The amount paid for said consultants, engineers and lawyers was hundreds of thousands of dollars, (you will be really horrified at the actual amount). Despite this vast expenditure, the main reason for rejection was the lack of a plan for water conservation. What a concept! Instead of demanding our money back for non-performance the water board is recommending hiring more consultants to revise the study. If a conservation plan is instituted, all the figures that have been submitted in support of the current plan will have to be revised making the current plan totally useless.
If that doesn’t disgust you to the point of voting no confidence in the water board, consider the fact that at every major water board meeting a little lady from Burnaby kept posing the question, “why don’t we incorporate lawn watering restrictions as part of the plan?” You know, conservation. How did she know when all the high paid help didn’t?
Other participants at these meetings with hydrological engineering credentials who suggested a second opinion were also patronized if not totally ignored. I personally submitted a fairly comprehensive written plan addressing all the issues of the current situation including heavy concentration on, you guessed it, conservation.
I didn’t even get a “thanks for your interest” letter or any other correspondence explaining why the ideas presented were not totally practical. Either we do something collectively to change this situation and drag the water board into the 21st century or we accept these huge, wasteful and totally unnecessary water rate increases ad infinitum.
A wise philosopher once quipped: “You do yourself a great disservice if you trust that those in charge know what they are doing.” This wisdom certainly applies here.
Tom Miller
Point Roberts

The Editor:
On January 15 I suffered the loss of my home to a fire, which began in the chimney.
I would like to thank everyone for their support particularly the attending sheriff, the fire department, neighbors, all the staff from the post office, active and retired, Henry and Esther Rosenthal, and Renee Coe, who all helped me in this difficult transition period.
I would urge everyone with wood fireplaces or stoves to have them inspected often and ensure they are equipped with a metal flue if it is currently concrete.
John Roy
Point Roberts

The Editor:
Voters – there will be two very important school measures put before you on the upcoming March 2008 ballot. 
The Maintenance and Operations Levy is a tax that provides additional funding to our school district for use in maintenance and operation of the five school campuses within our district. The state and federal taxes that go to our school district only represent about 70 percent of the budget. This M&O levy helps fulfill the balance of the budget and keep our schools functioning. It is placed on the ballot every four years for our approval and I strongly support this replacement levy request and hope that you will also. Currently you are paying $1.09 per thousand toward this important funding, and with the proposed M&O levy, the increases are minimal and gradual and are expected to be near $1.19 for 2009, $1.23 for 2010, $1.25 for 2011 and $1.30 for 2012. These amounts are estimates and will fluctuate with property assessments over these coming years. The amounts might even decrease as a greater tax base supports the levy.
A little known fact that I recently learned is that the BP Cherry Point Refinery is located within our school district and represents 24 percent of the tax base. We are very fortunate indeed to have this corporate partner in support of our schools. 
Also on the ballot this March will be a bond request, which is presented to voters when funds are needed for specific objectives, and not for everyday costs of running our schools. This new bond is for $40 million for upgrades and space expansion at our schools.
The high school is a priority as it has not been upgraded in 35 years and was built to educate 300-400 students and now educates over 750. There are simply not enough classrooms or cafeteria space and the stadium really needs to be reinforced. The band, science labs, music, choir, art, a language art and technology classes are all currently held off campus as there is not enough room to carry out these vital components of our high school curriculum.
There are more upgrades planned than I can mention here and you can find lots of information on the school district website at www.blaine.wednet.edu. The current bond rate you are paying for previous upgrades to Blaine campuses (including Point Roberts) amounts to $0.83 per thousand.
With this additional bond approved you could expect that the new amount would be an increase of about $0.50 to around $1.33 per thousand.
Please vote, and please vote yes in support both of these important levies. Yes to schools, yes to our kids and yes to generations of students to come. 
Linda Hughes
Point Roberts

The Editor:
In the past I have never questioned the significance of a school building in regards to how a student performed. Although I have seen some of the newer and nicer schools in our area and find myself admiring their different approaches to construction, I have never attributed their craftsmanship and architecture to how well one of their kids behaved or performed. I have also never really thought much about how a school can affect the pride of its student body, until now.
When I first heard about the upcoming school levy and bond issue and saw the new design plans and modifications, the first thing I thought of was how nice it would be to be able to look at my peers in the county and say, “I am from Blaine” and see the admiration in their faces. With our pale, putty colored buildings and lack of school colors, the only positive image most people envisioned in the past when they heard the name, “Blaine” was the Peace Arch, or Luke Ridnour and the glory days when Blaine was an elite basketball power house. I am fond of those days, too.
But what about now? What about students today? What pride comes from “average” sports teams, under-funded classrooms, cancelled programs or a lack of necessary resources and services? Today, classrooms are full and class choices are few. Counselor offices are overflowing with the demands of students’ academic as well as emotional needs. Students are eating lunch in courtyards, classrooms, and freezing locker halls. The library is so overcrowded that it’s become a social event rather than a quiet place to study.
More importantly, I often hear some students speak with serious apathy about their education, their classes, their family life, and the ensuing personal choices they make because they think they have no other options. Many have no pride in education or in themselves. And there’s little help available. We shouldn’t wait around for another sports team to save us – we must find pride within the halls of our school, our community, and our homes. Voting yes to the school levy/bond issue in March is the first necessary step. Please help students help themselves; Blaine high school is worth it. Thank you.
Brandon Bleecker, BHS senior
Blaine

The Editor:
As the craziness of the holiday season ends, I have been able to slow down and take time to reflect on the highlights of the previous year. As a new member of the Blaine middle school PTSO, I have been positively impacted by the incredible group of parents that join us each month to help support our wonderful school and amazing kids. Without the dedication of these parents, teachers and administrators, the wonderful events that have taken place would not have happened.
Our main event was back in October, when the BMS PTSO organized a Monster Mash Dance for the students. This event was a huge success! The students all had a great time and are awaiting the spring dance that is to take place in May. The success of the Halloween dance was due to the support of many parent chaperones as well as the generosity of some local businesses.
Prizes were awarded to the winners of the costume contest. Sports Unlimited donated a sweatshirt, Little Caesars donated pizza prize packages and parent Jodie MacArthur made an incredible candy bouquet. Thanks to Jennifer Spencer of Award a Memory Engraving, Trophy and Vinyl, a trophy was awarded to the winner of the dance off competition. The kids were thrilled with all of the generous prizes.
The BMS PTSO is looking forward to hosting a skate night in February, helping out with the state math champs event in April, the spring dance in May and then to close out the school year with the 8th grade tea. We look forward to continuing to work with the parents and community members. Each of the board members would like the parents and community businesses to know that we truly appreciate your support and dedication and know that we couldn't do it without you!
Julie Butschli, PTSO president
Blaine

The Editor:
I support the capital project bond and the maintenance and operations levy proposed by the Blaine School District. My children did not attend Blaine schools, but they went to other schools – and so did I, some 60 plus years ago. My parents paid taxes to support those schools, as did other members of the communities where we lived. I can’t imagine not supporting the educational needs of the present generation; they deserve it as much as I and my kids did.
The capital projects bond will increase my taxes by about fifty cents per year per $1,000 assessed valuation: $100 for a home assessed at $200,000, $150 for $300,000. Most of the high school is 35-years-old; and built for a much smaller group of students. The kids and their teachers need more space, and space updated to fit today’s needs.
The proposed levy for maintenance and operations is a replacement for the existing levy that expires at the end of 2008. The current rate is $1.09 per thousand assessed valuation; the proposed levy rate will increase only slightly, to $1.19 per thousand in 2009. Thanks to BP, Blaine’s levy rate is substantially less than other levy rates in the county; Ferndale’s rate is $2.30 per thousand, $3.48 is the highest in Whatcom County.
See the school district’s website, http://www.blaine.wednet.edu/; the answers to the FAQs (frequently asked questions) settled my concerns.
Please, for the sake of today’s students, and for the sake of the community that needs educated citizens and workers, plan to vote yes on the bond and levy elections next March.
Janet G. Hansen
Blaine

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.
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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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