Hawkins looks back on service to the city of Blaine

Charlie Hawkins gave his final farewell after 16 years on Blaine City Council, leaving a legacy that he represented for generations of old time Blaine families.

Hawkins served several terms in the ‘90s on the city’s park and cemetery board and former board of adjustment, an appeal board for zoning decisions, before being elected to council in 2005. He ended his 16-year tenure at the end of 2021.

Hawkins comes from a long line of Blaine residents on both his mother’s and father’s side of the family who settled in the area in the 1880s and early 1900s. Growing up in Blaine during a time when the population was only 1,200, Hawkins said he spent his childhood working in berry fields and clam digging before starting his career commercial fishing in 1966. 

Changes in the city during Hawkins’ lifetime included watching the city’s gravel roads become paved, stores leave downtown as big-box stores popped up around the county and fewer commercial fishermen boats in the Blaine Harbor.

“If you grew up in a town, you have a love for the city and doing things to make it better,” Hawkins said.

Hawkins said some of his biggest accomplishments include construction of the pirate playground at Blaine Marine Park and award-winning Lighthouse Point Water Reclamation Facility, as well as the city’s involvement in maintaining the historic Plover ferry.

“It’s a cooperative effort. If you want to get something done, you have to get help from the citizens. They have to tell you what they want,” he said. “You can’t do everything because there’s only so much money so you have to pick and choose.”

Along with other councilmembers, Hawkins’ time on council saw through economic development on the old Blaine Municipal Airport property, including the property sale to Family Care Network. Hawkins said he originally was against selling the airport land, but ended up satisfied that the land was sold to companies interested in long-term investment in the city.

“Once it’s done, you can’t be against it forever,” he said. “You have to turn around and do what is best for the city.”

Former city manager Gary Tomsic, who started working for the city in 2000, said Hawkins helped him get to know the people in Blaine when he was hired.

“Charlie represented a tie to the history of Blaine and to the early families that lived in Blaine and were leaders at the time,” Tomsic said. “He grew up with people who were active in the community.”

Tomsic lauded Hawkins’ leadership style as a practical man who valued community input to guide his decisions on council.

“He was a very pragmatic type of guy,” Tomsic said. “He’s not stubborn but he thinks things through pretty well and may be weighing things with a different set of criteria than someone who’s younger or hasn’t lived here as long.”

Although Hawkins will no longer be involved in city council, he said he’ll still pay attention to council’s actions and stay involved in the Drayton Harbor Shellfish Protection District.

“As I reflect on my years on council, I want to thank all the city staff and volunteers who make Blaine such an amazing place. Without their dedication and persistence, I’m sure our list of accomplishments wouldn’t look as good,” Hawkins said in a prepared statement. “I also want to thank the people of Blaine for trusting me to represent them on city council. It has been my honor and pleasure.”