Around The Point

Despite the sudden resignation of Point Roberts Water District field operator Casey Hubbard,  commissioners have voted to increase the salary for the position.

Hubbard had recently completed certification in Class 2 Water District Management, for which he had been promised a salary increase from $20 to $26 per hour, said district manager Dan Bourks. The training and testing for the certification was paid for by the district at approximately $400.

Bourks said even with Hubbard leaving at the end of October to move to North Carolina, the field operator position needed to have a higher rate of pay. “I did a survey of wages in other districts and we need to come in line with those, especially if we want to recruit qualified candidates,” he said.

The position will be advertised in October and Bourks said two well-qualified candidates have already expressed interest.

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When the border does open, the Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce will be ready to welcome visitors to the Point, and encourage them to make the trip.

Through a 2022 Whatcom County lodging tax tourism promotion grant, the chamber is launching a promotion program that will include brochures distributed on the Tsawwassen ferry and in visitor centers in B.C. and Washington as well as the development of a visitor information website.

“The goal is to attract people to come and visit and stay,” said chamber representative Louise Mugar.

“Once they get here we will have to have something to offer them.”

The grant will also support a visitor kiosk that will be located at the Point Roberts Marketplace that will share information about what to see and do on the Point and direct them to local businesses. The reimbursement grant for up to $17,500 included the purchase of a kiosk but Bellingham Whatcom Tourism has donated one of theirs to the effort.

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Sales of single-use plastic bags will be banned in Washington state beginning on October 1 after governor Jay Inslee rescinded the proclamation delaying the original January 1, 2021 start date.

The ban prohibits the sale of single-use plastic bags for grocery stores, restaurants, small vendors and retail businesses, according to a Department of Ecology (DOE) press release.

Instead of using these bags, businesses can either sell customers bags that are compliant with the ban or customers can bring reusable bags.

Stores can sell paper bags or more durable plastic bags for eight cents. The eight cent charge, mandated by law, is not a tax, but is kept by the merchant both to encourage customers to bring their own bags and to account for the increased cost of compliant bags.

The bag ban is intended to cut down on pollution caused by plastic bags, which are difficult to recycle and can clog recycling sorting machines, according to the press release.

Inslee also signed a new state law that went into effect July 25.

For more information on the ban, visit ecology.wa.gov/bag-ban.