School district has funding for future school property in Birch Bay, says finance director

Blaine school district finance director Amber Porter told district board members during the October 25 regular school board meeting the district has the funds to purchase a property in Birch Bay that would be used for a future school. 

In October 2014, the school board passed a resolution for property acquisition, 14/15-04, that recognized the growing Birch Bay population would be well served with an elementary school and set a goal to acquire a site when the district had the funding in place to do so. 

“I do feel confident we can get something,” Porter said during the meeting, adding with a slight laugh, “as long as it’s not a water property.” 

She said the district would ideally purchase a 10-acre site or larger that is in close proximity to the large population areas in Birch Bay. 

Porter said this may be difficult because the site has to be within the Blaine school district area, which is tight along the bay. The border with the Ferndale district lies halfway between Blaine and Kickerville roads.

Should properties become available, Porter said the board will need to enter into negotiations with the property owners to evaluate whether the property meets the board’s criteria and then authorize the superintendent to make the purchase. “I just wanted to put that on your radar,” she said, as the finances could become available by mid-November.