Year in Review 2020: Point Roberts Taxpayers Association

The Point Roberts Taxpayers Association (PRTA) provides a forum for public discussion of issues concerning the Point Roberts community, defined inclusively to include all residents and property owners, U.S. and Canadian, interested in our environment, economy and quality of life.

With respect to county issues, we recommitted ourselves in 2020 to working through PRCAC, in support of the county executive’s wish that it emerge and strengthen as the official “Voice of the Point.”

The Covid-19 pandemic impacted PRTA’s ability to meet and host special speakers and guests. Still, our board managed to meet six times (as required by our by-laws), with the last three meetings held virtually.

We also conducted a virtual Annual General Meeting, primarily to elect directors as required by our by-laws. We had been working with state representative Sharon Shewmake to invite Dr. Lisa Brown, director of the state Department of Commerce, to tour Point Roberts and be our keynote speaker. We look forward to trying again in 2021.

In October, we were pleased to sponsor congresswoman Suzan DelBene’s seventh annual town hall meeting, also conducted virtually, with great technical assistance of the congresswoman’s staff in both DC and Washington.

Working with the Point Roberts Registered Voters Association, our two boards of directors agreed on a common list of priorities. We had scheduled a joint meeting of the two groups to meet with district 5 council member Ben Elenbaas and at-large members Barry Buchanan and Carol Frazey in April; but that meeting was postponed due to the pandemic. We still plan to host such a joint meeting in 2021.

Finally, a historical note: Due to the pandemic, we missed celebrating our association’s 50th birthday in 2020.

First incorporated in 1970 as the Point Roberts Community Association (with a name change to Taxpayers Association in 1990), we continue to adhere to our founding principles and purpose, as an inclusive civic association of American and Canadian property owners working “to encourage the orderly and desirable development of Point Roberts residentially, recreationally and commercially.”