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What feels like an amoeba, looks like...

by Meg Olson

�It�s kind of like an amoeba,� said Point Roberts water district commission chair Madeleine Anderson.

�It�s kind of a hard thing to get a handle on,� agreed fellow commissioner Arthur Wilkowski.

Bemused by the response of the Point Roberts Economic Development Committee (EDC) to a district inquiry regarding the legitimacy and purpose of that group, water district commissioners agreed to ignore it. �I won�t be going to any meetings,� said commissioner Lorne Nielson at the district�s September 10 meeting.

In a September 1 announcement sent to the district, the 17-member EDC is described as �a non-governmental organization which formed as an ad-hoc action oriented group of committed stakeholders.�

�Stakeholders. I don�t know what that means here,� Nielson said. Members listed include representatives from the fire, water and parks districts, the chamber of commerce, county parks, the character plan advisory committee, county planning and development services, the Port of Bellingham and local voters and taxpayers groups. Development and economic interests are represented by realtor Jim Julius, Delta architect Brian Hart, Pier Point developer Tod Manrell and a representative from the marina. There are also three at large members, two of which first came to the committee as representatives from the registered voters association, to which they no longer belong. �They�re looking at economic development so people who are developers should be involved. That�s what they mean by committed stakeholders here,� Wilkowski offered.

The EDC release explains that the group was formed as the steering committee for the Point Roberts Economic Development Plan, commissioned by the Port of Bellingham and completed in 1999. �Membership remains generally as structured for the original steering committee,� it states, and the group has �developed an action-oriented mission statement and set goals of implementing strategies in the plan.�

�The plan is written and done. This group still meets, so in some ways it would be like the consultants never went away,� Wilkowski said drawing a comparison with the recently completed development of a sewer comprehensive plan for the Point. He said he had no issue with the group meeting but felt it was awkward for a public agency to have an official spot on an unofficial committee. �I don�t have a problem with people wanting communication between organizations in Point Roberts since we lack a local government, but if that�s the purpose why are there private individuals on there? Why some individuals and not others? Why are we going into a closed room to discuss water and sewer with these people? If they want to talk water and sewer they can come here,� he said.

Nielson said he didn�t want to condemn the group or close any doors. �I think they�re working on some positive things for the community,� he said. The group�s infrastructure task group secured the grant used to fund the new sewer comprehensive plan, and other task groups are working on a trail network and a pier at the foot of Gulf Road. �It�s good to have a listening ear,� Nielson said. �We can attend as ourselves and agree here we don�t have to make any comments.�

Wilkowski pointed out that the only reason any of them would be welcome at an EDC meeting was as water district commissioners, since the meetings are not open to the public. �You can�t go as a private individual,� he said.

As discussion of the EDC fizzled Wilkowski launched his monthly sewer salvo, throwing out a motion that �if the water board pursues a sewer system only the affected property owners would pay for that system other than what is acquired by grants.�

�I wouldn�t support that. It may not be feasible for certain properties to pay for the system,� Nielson responded, but declined to discuss the issue of funding a theoretical sewer system. �It�s coercing us into policy,� he said. �I suggest we wait until after the election before we put anything into place.� Anderson agreed and seconded Nielson�s motion to table the issue until at least January. Wilkowski voted against the motion, which passed 2-1.

Wilkowski is the only of the three commissioners facing a challenge to his position on the November ballot. In preliminary counts of primary results he was faring well, ahead of his two rivals by a solid margin.

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