Letters to the Editor

The Editor:
Last week volunteers gave 211 coats to needy adults and children during the Tuesday and Friday open hours at the Blaine Food Bank. Seventy-five of the coats were children’s coats purchased by six of the member churches in the Peace Arch Christian Ministerial Association (PACMA). The remaining coats were serviceable used coats provided through donations of the various PACMA churches in the Whatcom County Interfaith Coalition annual fall coat drive.
Special thanks go to Jeane Austin and the Children’s Coat Committee, to Lynne Chapman and the volunteers from St. Anne’s and Christ Episcopal Church for handling the hours of distribution, and to Carl Bradley for use of his “clothing storage truck.”
Brent Brentnall, director,
Community assistance program
Blaine

The Editor:
Each year the senior class at Blaine high school has an alcohol and drug free grad night event. The festivities involve various types of supervised activities.
The event takes place immediately after graduation ceremonies and students are transported via charter bus to a particular venue where there is an evening full of fun and activities. Fundraisers are the only way that this grad night event can happen as the cost runs approximately $150 per student.
We would like to make this event affordable for all students who would like to participate. We are hoping through fundraisers and help from community members that this goal can be accomplished. Any parent who would be willing and able to donate cash or any community business or individual that would like to help sponsor a student, please contact Kevin or Melanie Haines 332-6717, or send your donations to the address below. Donations are fully tax-deductible!
A deadline of December 1 has been established so that the parent committee can then determine just how much cash needs to be raised through fundraisers. Checks can be made payable to: BBC Class of 2007, 1182 Mitchell Avenue, Blaine, WA 98230.
Melanie Haines
Blaine

The Editor:
The Birch Bay Village board of directors after reviewing each estimated 2008 budget expenditure has determined that to maintain existing Birch Bay Village (BBV) standards the dues to be assessed to each lot should be $1,350 (an estimate may be higher than the actual expenditures – but may also be lower). Rather than increase the required 2008 per lot fee by 27 percent to $1,350 they opted for a more saleable increase of 9.4 percent to $1,160. The $190 per lot shortfall will therefore be paid out of general revenue (dues) thus depleting reserves by $214,000. The sources of BBV revenue are annual dues and fee generating resources. All fee generating facilities; moorage fees, golf fees, swimming pool fees, ACC, and security should be carefully analyzed annually.
For example, the security budget through a special assessment was increased by $45,000 in 2007. The board is projecting a revenue decrease from $3,100 in 2006 to $1,600 in 2007. This decrease is on a security budget that exceeds $250,000. A further example shows no increase in moorage fees in years 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. To moor a 36-foot yacht in BBV costs $612 per year, in Blaine/Bellingham the per year cost is $2,700. The board, when setting moorage fees, would have members believe that fees cover total marina costs.
The costs referred to are day-to-day expenses. All major expenditures including new wharf replacement, new pilings, ramps, electrical upgrading, dredging ($140,000 every three years) are paid from general revenue (dues). The BBV commissioned engineer report estimates major marina expenditures for last year to be $234,000. As you are aware a $100 per lot per year has been assessed from 2000. Annual dues since year 2000 have increased 130 percent.
Should all revenue-producing fees not more closely reflect operating costs thereby creating greater equality for all BBV members? It was disturbing to read the BBV board letter of October 2006 voicing its objection to BBV members expressing their opinion in publications such as The Northern Light. One would hope freedom of speech remains a cherished tenet of a free society. Should the budget pass? Your decision!
B. Boutilier
Birch Bay

The Editor:
The fall elections are looming on our horizon and there are candidates for city council soliciting for our votes. My request is that any of those candidates wishing to be considered state their position regarding any resurrection of the Blaine airport issue.
I was under the impression that the voters had clearly defeated the minority efforts on this question. Apparently not. Rumor has it the clique will make another attempt to bring this issue back for another round. That is why it is so important we know where the candidate stands.
R.E. Bos
Blaine

The Editor:
The campaign slogan reads, “Let’s be wild about Harry.”
Lest you think it’s a bit presumptuous asking anyone to be wild about a person with whom they may not have had contact, I’d like to share my primary reasons for supporting Harry Robinson for Blaine city council.
1. Harry has chosen to campaign though he is unopposed. He chooses to go door to door spending energy and resources to better understand and represent the citizens of Blaine.
2. Harry has served this community voluntarily for many of the 14 years he has been here. Seven of those years have been as one of our planning commissioners, working closely with Blaine citizens, city staff and city council.
3. Harry understands the challenges facing Blaine and has the time required to now devote 40 years of business experience to finding solutions.
4. Harry will fill the seat previously held by Bruce Wolf, which will assist in a balanced representation for both the west and east sides of Blaine.
Being unopposed he doesn’t “need” my vote but I will vote for Harry because I know he deserves it and Blaine will benefit.
Nancy Hobberlin
Blaine

The Editor:
Do you want to have confidence in your fire district? I do, and am going to enthusiastically endorse Kathy Stauffer for fire commissioner district 21.
If you live in Blaine/Birch Bay/Semiahmoo you surely know the name Kathy Stauffer. She is probably the most exciting and energetic person in Whatcom County.
Kathy not only understands the need for emergency response in the western area of Whatcom County but will bring a sense of urgency to this critical issue. Kathy’s outstanding ability to bring people together and focus on the big picture will surely benefit all of us in this area.
Kathy is a long time resident and understands the current and growing needs that we have. If you want the feeling of confidence in the emergency response for you or a loved one place your vote for her. She can and will get the job done.
Jimmy Johnson
Blaine

The Editor:
Here I am, once again, writing about some ignoramus who can’t read the signs that say “leash and scoop.” 
Today, I thought it would be relaxing to walk my dog around the park to enjoy the scenery. There were several people in the park, some with their small children, some walking their dogs on leashes, but there was this one man with a fair sized dog who thinks the rules don’t apply to him or his dog. I asked him to please get his dog on a leash and wanted to know why his dog, roaming off leash, was bothering me. I told him that Marine Park is not an off leash park and that there are plenty of off leash parks in the county. He wanted to argue.
Like many other dog owners, I enjoy being able to walk my dog on a lease, cleaning up after the dog, and returning again and again to the park. This person spoiled a nice afternoon by being ignorant of the signs he passed, not cleaning up after his dog and being argumentative. 
Barb Bonsaing
Blaine

The Editor:
The older I get, the more I become. Voters in the Blaine-Birch Bay area, please support the Northwest Park and Recreation District levy to help stem the onset of more fat upon our county!
Passing this levy will help give us more bike and walking trails, sports fields, and programs for youth as well as for expanding seniors.
John Sand
Blaine

The Editor:
At Blaine’s candidate forum, I was aghast when Pete Kremen tried to upstage Lois Garlick on environmentalism. Aside from his pre-election press splashes,. Mr. Kremen has done nothing but promote development for the past 12 years. When he said he was the only candidate who was endorsed by an environmental group, he obviously thought that people in Blaine and Birch Bay wouldn’t know that Lois is endorsed by many environmentalists: Geoff Menzies, who has done more than anyone for the health of Drayton Harbor endorsed Lois; Marian Beddill, Sherilyn Wells, and Hal Hart have endorsed her—among others.
Lois was inducted into the Northwest Women’s Hall of Fame, as an “artist of the environment.” She got the first ever Lifetime Achievement Award from Whatcom ReSources.
I’m voting for Lois, whose managerial experience at WWU is way more than Pete had when he entered politics. We can’t afford four more years of Mr. Kremen’s disingenuous double speak.
Sharon Crozier
Bellingham

Letters Policy
The Northern Light welcomes letters to the editor; however, the opinions expressed are not those of the editor. Letters must include name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters must not exceed 350 words and may be edited or rejected for reasons of legality, length and good taste. Thank-you letters should be limited to 10 names. A fresh viewpoint on matters of general interest to local readers will increase the likelihood of publication. Writers should avoid personal invective. Unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Requests for withholding names will be considered on an individual basis. Only one letter per month from an individual correspondent will be published.

Please send your letter to:
225 Marine Drive, Blaine, WA 98230 or fax 360/332-2777.
E-mail:editor@thenorthernlight.com

Letters Policy

The Northern Light welcomes letters to the editor; however, the opinions expressed are not those of the editor. Letters must include name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters must not exceed 350 words and may be edited or rejected for reasons of legality, length and good taste. Thank you letters are limited to five individuals or groups. A fresh viewpoint on matters of general interest to local readers will increase the likelihood of publication. Writers should avoid personal invective. Unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Requests for withholding names will be considered on an individual basis. Only one letter per month from an individual correspondent will be published.

Please email letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com