Expect snow clearing delays ...

Whatcom County will have equipment in Point Roberts to deal with winter weather, though staffing shortages could mean there won’t always be someone to operate it.

“My understanding is the county does plan to stage equipment in Point Roberts as in years past,” said communications specialist Marie Duckworth. “They are doing maintenance right now on snow equipment to make sure it is in great shape heading into the season.”

Duckworth said the county is short of staff who are licensed to operate the machinery, which will make response to weather events slower county-wide. Changing procedures at the border could also make it faster, or slower, for county crews to get here.

“The feedback I’ve gotten from our operators has been that recently, as essential workers, it’s been faster for them to get back and forth,” Duckworth said.

In a letter to assorted school, fire and other governmental agencies, public works director Jon Hutchins said his department will be hard pressed to respond to winter conditions due to Covid-19 and other staff-related issues.

“Normailly, the department would have 52 trained CDL [commercial drivers licenses] drivers for emergency work– including snowplow work. Right now there are only 27 employees with sufficient training and licenses ... The significant training and staffing impacts we are experiencing will bring the department to the very edge of our service capability for snow and ice removal and storm response,” he wrote.

Hutchins asked agencies to prepare and make contingencies in the event that the department was unable to mobilize. 

In response, the Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce wrote Hutchins to renew a request that it had made previously; namely, to set up a system whereby local qualified contractors could use county equipment to provide emergency road and tree clearing services.

“We are writing to you again now with our desperate and heartfelt plea that you reconsider your earlier response to us.

“We have a good number of local, reliable, CDL drivers and other contractors available to form an emergency response team, spearheaded by our local fire chief Christopher Carleton. All emergency response efforts that would require the use of county equipment will be delegated by chief Carleton.

As you may already know, our community often must wait several days before the county’s public works department can attend to our roadway clearing requirements in severe weather events. One of our recent severe storms resulted in fallen trees, trapping residents, families and seniors, with no access to the main roads to go for food, shelter or showers. Emergency vehicles were unable to traverse Point Roberts without first attending to road clearing efforts, all without the use of perfectly good road clearing equipment stored just minutes away.

“We implore you to look beyond internal regulations and other reasons you have previously cited to decline our request for special consideration of this importance. Now is the time to find a solution to this recurring problem, with the health and safety of our community at the center of the decision making process. We need a small works roster of local contractors, CDL drivers, and other skilled service providers, that can be hired by the county in case of emergency.”

No response had been received by press time.