January 2018
www.AllPointBulletin.com
IN THIS
Around the Point, page 3
ISSUE
Library progressing nicely, page 7
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This is why you need smoke detectors, page 9
Point Roberts, WA 98281 Postal Patron Local
County and Happy holidays ... PRCAC discuss gas tax spending By Meg Olson With almost a million dollars sitting in the Point Roberts gas tax fund, the county and the Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee (PRCAC) are moving to streamline the process to decide how the funds should be spent. “The goal here is to work with the community, come up with something we’re all happy with, go to county council, make them happy about it and get something built,” said county engineer Joe Rutan at the December 12 PRCAC meeting. The key to moving projects forward was consensus and a unified voice. “We are a recommending body to council. You are a recommending body to council. Only the council has the authority to write checks. Generally, they will accept recommendations and work with them when we’re all standing in front of them arm in arm,” Rutan said. Brian Walker, senior engineering technician and PRCAC liaison, explained how and for what kinds of projects Transportation Benefit District (TBD) funds could be used. The 1-cent per gallon tax is collected on local gas sales to fund transportation related projects as defined by state law. Acting as the TBD board, county council approves use of the funds. Most TBD funded projects would be capital projects, and would therefore need to be approved on the county’s six-year transportation improvement program, a long-range planning document, and the annual plan. “Those are the projects [that we intend] to actively construct and spend funds on.” Maintenance activities do not need to be on these council approved plans. Both of the current plans identify $150,000 for Point Roberts transportation improvements that Rutan said they had included to make it possible to fast-track a project if there was community consensus. PRCAC needs to take the lead in community outreach, Rutan said, as well as be (See Gas tax, page 2)
s Point Roberts Primary School students entertained an appreciative crowd during their annual holiday concert on December 6. To hear their sweet voices, visit the All Point Bulletin’s Facebook page. Photo by Andrew Grubb
2017
year in
REVIEW
A Look Back at the Year That Just Was
By Meg Olson January • As various Point Roberts associations chose to replace representatives and terms expired, the board of the Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee (PDCAC) saw some changes. Heather McPhee replaced Steve Wolff as the chamber representative, Ron Clark said he would not
seek another term representing the taxpayers’ association while Keith Glading put his hat in the ring for another term as at-large member. • Frequent snow days this winter pointed towards a later release for Blaine school district students come summer. • Reno Ranch, the 25-acre parcel across from the golf course and the largest piece of undeveloped waterfront on the Point, sold to Vancouver investors for $3 million. February
County assessor Keith Willnauer to discuss taxes By
Meg Olson
Whatcom County assessor Keith Willnauer will explain property taxes and answer questions about the most recent property assessments at the Point Roberts Taxpayers Association’s January meeting. “Some property owners are wondering why their land and structure assessments went up as much as 12 percent over last year, while neighbors with seemingly sim-
ilar properties had much smaller increases,” said president Mark Robbins. Robbins added Willnauer had last come to the Point to talk taxes at the association’s 2011 annual general meeting. “With our new assessments in hand, it seems like a good time to ask Mr. Willnauer to come back and answer any questions that property owners might have.” In addition to discussing how properties are assessed, how assessments may be
appealed, and the relationship is between valuations and annual property tax bills, the assessor will be able to explain the increased statewide property tax to support public education, which was approved by lawmakers in 2017. According to Willnauer, that increase may cost taxpayers about $1 per thousand dollars valuation. The meeting will take place on at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, January 10 in the Gulf Road community center.
• A single complainant submitted reports to the county fingering 25 properties for code violations and the resulting enforcement actions had some citizens calling it a “witch hunt” and requesting PRCAC work to loosen rules for recreational vehicles and outbuildings. • Golf course owner Kenji Nose brought on Jane Huang as an equity partner to help him revitalize the (See Year in Review, page 8)
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Church ............................................... 6 Classifieds ......................................... 16 Coming Up ....................................... 18 Obituaries ......................................... 18 Opinion ............................................... 4 Library Picks .................................... 18 Tides ................................................. 14