November 2023
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Hey Siri. What the? page 5
Advance care workshop, page 9
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This is Radio Point Bob. Are we reaching you? Page 12
Point Roberts, WA 98281 Postal Patron Local
Jail proponents hope third time is the charm By Nolan Baker To pay for a new jail in Whatcom County, voters have been asked to approve a sales tax increase from 8.8 to 9 percent to fund in-part what the county estimates to be at least a $39.5 million capital investment, with more than $21 million in annual operating costs. Major capital investments include: $12 million (with $3 million from proposed sales tax) in funding for construction of a 23-hour crisis relief center. $8-10 million annually in capital expenses for the new jail and $8 million in one-time expenses for a behavioral health treatment center. $6 million in capital investments to fund re-entry support services. $4 million to maintain and expand recovery and supportive housing programs. County voters have twice rejected similar ballot measures. Proponents of Proposition 2023-04 hope the third time will be the charm to green light. Sales tax would also fund an in-person behavioral health facility, and diversion, housing, and re-entry programs. The current jail, located in downtown Bellingham adjacent to the county courthouse, was built in 1983 to accommodate 148 inmates. According to booking data by the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO), as of October 9, the jail is housing 163 inmates. Since March 2020, booking restrictions have been implemented to attempt to keep the jail population manageable while the county court system worked through hundreds of backlogged cases. Still, the jail remains at or near capacity on a weekly basis, according to WCSO data. WCSO Corrections lieutenant Caleb Erickson said that corrections staff at the downtown jail are forced to constantly improvise ways to fit more people than the jail was built to safely house. “Everything is designed for 148 people,” Erickson said. “It’s full as a tick.” Erickson said corrections staff have had to increase capacity in makeshift ways as the jail stays above capacity. That included (See Jail, page 3)
s After fours years of work, the Point Roberts Historical Society will be installing the last of the historical markers comprising the Point Roberts History Trail. Above, Ah Fat, one of the Point’s earliest residents in the modern era is recognized. Photo by Tony Bordeville
Construction on Blackfish Resort gets underway B y P a t G r u bb After “20 years, 4 months of working on the project,” said owner Steve O’Neill, work has started on the Blackfish Resort on Marine Drive. O’Neill told the All Point Bulletin October 25 that “We’ve just passed the first inspection,” referring to foundation work that has been recently completed at the site. “The county has been great to work with,” he said. “We are moving forward and getting pricing on the next steps. We should be pouring concrete into the foundation forms in about three weeks.” The work has been done by Pearson Construction and keeps the permitting of the project active. The Blackfish Resort will offer a boutique hotel, restaurant, and spa experience,
a first for Point Roberts. The red building fronting Marine Drive will become a brew pub and commercial kitchen. O’Neill says the pub will comprise the first phase of the project. (See photo, page 4.) O’Neil had been facing another kind of deadline. The county had scheduled a November 27 auction for back taxes totaling $138,415.88 on the property. O’Neill said he had “just went in to pay my back taxes on Thursday [October 19]. That felt good. Hard but good.” O’Neill said he wasn’t ready to issue a full-scale press release on the project but promised to keep Point Roberts in the know. His son Conor has recently started his own excavation and grading company, Next-Gen Land Services LLC (nextgenlandservicesllc.com) and has been working with his father on the project.
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Church ............................................... 8 Classifieds ......................................... 12 Coming Up ....................................... 13 Library, Local Stats ......................... 11 Obituary ........................................... 14 Opinion ............................................... 4 Sheriffss ............................................ 12 Tides ................................................. 11