Emergency? What emergency?

A three-part proposal to provide emergency aid to Point Roberts was thrown back into the county executive’s lap after Whatcom County Council barely managed to rouse itself from torpor to discuss the matter at a Committee of the Whole meeting on October 26. Council had agreed last month to a request by county executive Satpal Sidhu to set aside $250,000 for emergency aid to the Point and said he would return to discuss how the funds could be used to obtain relief to the beleaguered businesses and residents of Point Roberts.

Sidhu prefaced his remarks to council by explaining that even though the border would open up to vaccinated travelers on November 8, Covid-19 testing requirements imposed by the Canadian government on border crossers would mean that Point Roberts and other border communities would not see an appreciable increase in incoming traffic and could not expect much economic recovery in turn. 

“These are not the only options, and I would be willing to hear any ideas from council. Even with the border opening up, there may not be that much more traffic,” Sidhu said.

The executive’s office had prepared three options to help struggling families and businesses in Point Roberts. The first would provide unemployed individuals whose unemployment benefits expired in September 75 percent of their weekly benefits for a period of six weeks. The state employment security department reported that 59 people in Point Roberts had claimed federal benefits during the week of September 4, the final week of the program’s existence. The average benefit to those individuals was $615.88 per week, meaning those individuals would receive a one-time grant of $2,768. If 50 individuals were to participate, the administration projected it would cost $138,400.

The idea failed to gain traction from council. “I’m not comfortable with the county taking on the role of administering unemployment benefits,” councilmember Todd Donovan said, asking, “Is the situation qualitatively different in Point Roberts as opposed to Sumas?” Deputy executive Tyler Schroeder pointed out that unlike the rest of the county, people in Point Roberts were limited to scarce employment opportunities only locally once the pandemic closed the border. Earlier in his description of the option, he had told council that the state employment security department was “willing to provide verification of grant applications.”

Fellow councilmember Ben Elenbaas was equally dubious. “I don’t really want to get into the world of unemployment insurance. What do the people of Point Roberts want, has anyone heard what they want,” he asked. Elenbaas represents district 5 which includes Point Roberts, a place neither he nor any other council member other than Rud Browne has visited since before the pandemic closed the border.

The second option would provide $3,000 hiring bonuses to businesses that hired new employees. These would be one-time grants and would cost $150,000 if 50 new hires were covered. No council member expressed enthusiasm for that idea, either.

The third option would direct grants to businesses that did not qualify for aid under the state’s commerce grant program to border businesses. Businesses with gross revenues of $5 million or more are ineligible as are businesses who don’t satisfy state criteria for whatever reason. Donovan expressed a preference for the third option especially if it could be tied to increased benefits for employees such as a wage increase.

Council member Carol Frazey also leaned toward the direct grant. “I’m also leaning towards option 3 to help businesses who are ineligible for the state commerce grant. I also like what councilmember Donovan said about benefits for employees,” she said. Sidhu responded the benefits may not pass on to unemployed people. “Businesses would have to determine where best they should utilize those funds. It may not be for wages,” he said.

Schroeder told council he would discuss with the Port of Bellingham the possibility of tying benefits to direct grants.

With that, the discussion was over. Councilmembers Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, Rud Browne and Kathy Kershner had not uttered a word in the 12 minutes spent in discussion.