Candidates coming toBirch Bay for open forum

All six candidates running for legislative positions in the 42nd district will visit Birch Bay for a candidate forum on Thursday, October 9.

Residents of Blaine, Birch Bay and Lummi Island are invited to meet the candidates and hear their views on pertinent local issues before the general election in November. The event is being co-sponsored by the Birch Bay Steering Committee and The Northern Light. 

This year marks the first time Birch Bay has hosted a candidate forum for state offices. In the past, the forum has been exclusively for county candidates. 

Kathy Berg of the Birch Bay Steering Committee said she’s excited that the candidates have agreed to appear at the forum.

“We think the people of Birch Bay, Blaine and Lummi Island need to know their state legislators better, and they need to know us better,” Berg said.

The two Washington State Senate candidates, incumbent Doug Ericksen and challenger Seth Fleetwood, have agreed to attend. All four candidates for state representative, position 1 candidates Luanne Van Werven and Satpal Sidhu and position 2 candidates Vincent Buys and Joy Monjure, have also committed to the event.

Lummi Island resident Terry Terry will be moderating the event and reading questions from the audience. Since the forum will not offer a microphone for the crowd, Berg suggests emailing any questions to her beforehand. Otherwise, pens and paper will be provided for people to write out their questions at the event.

The forum will take place at Birch Bay Bible Community Church at 4660 Bay Road at 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 9. Email any questions for the candidates to Kathy Berg at chairkathy@birchbayinfo.org.