February 21 - 27, 2019
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Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay HHHECRWSSHHH Postal Customer
IN THIS
ISSUE
Bay Medical Clinic not expected to close, page 2
Another step taken toward new park along Drayton Harbor
Assessor to retire after 41-year career, page 3
Students heading to state music competition, page 7
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Bite of Blaine raises funds for July 4 festivities
By Jami Makan
s Community members enjoyed tasty samples at the 19th annual Bite of Blaine, which took place on Monday, February 18 at Semiahmoo Resort. Shown here, Chuckanut Bay Foods, who won judge’s choice award. See photos on page 8.
Photo by Louise Mugar
School district completes state-mandated lead testing By Oliver Lazenby The Blaine school district finished its 2018 state funded lead testing at Blaine Middle School and has since replaced three sink fixtures that tested over 10 parts per billion of lead. In November, the Washington State Department of Health took samples from all 66 water fixtures at the Blaine Middle School. Results came back in December
and the three fixtures the district has since replaced, which were all sink fixtures rather than drinking fountains, had 11, 14 and 15 parts per billion of lead. The state Department of Health requires that districts replace all fixtures that test at 20 parts per billion of lead or more. All fixtures at both primary schools and the elementary school were tested earlier in 2018 and the district replaced any fixtures that tested over 10 parts per billion at those
schools, a self-imposed limit. Of the middle school’s 40 drinking fountains, 38 had 1 or fewer parts per billion of lead. One drinking fountain had two parts per billion and another had four parts per billion. The district doesn’t currently have plans to test fixtures at the high school, superintendent Ron Spanjer said. “As of this year, everything that kids would be drawing water from for drinking
(See Park, page 3)
School board approves bleacher purchase for high school grandstand By Oliver Lazenby The Blaine School Board approved the district to purchase bleachers and a press box for $1.37 million at a February 13 special meeting. The bleacher structure, built by Southern Bleacher of Graham, Texas, will have a total of 2,056 seats, including 232 with backrests and 16 spaces reserved for wheelchair seating. It will also include a roof and a press box that’s 10-feet by 36feet with four separate compartments. The
price includes installation. School was cancelled for snow on the day of the special meeting. Four board members were present at the meeting, and board member Joan Lotze participated over the phone. Board members voted unanimously in favor of approving the bleacher order. Since the district is purchasing the bleachers from a state-approved vendor, it doesn’t need to go through a formal bidding process. The bleachers and press box are one of
two components of the high school grandstand project. The other is the building underneath, which includes concession stands, restrooms, storage, an electrical room and an equipment drying room. That portion of the project should go to bid around March 1, school district superintendent Ron Spanjer said at the February 13 special meeting. The district’s architect for the project, Zervas Architects of Bellingham, estimated the portion under(See Bleachers, page 3)
INSIDE
(See Lead, page 3)
Letters . . . . . . . . . 4 Sports . . . . . . . . . . 6 Classifieds . . . . . 11 Coming Up . . . . . 14 Police . . . . . . . . . 14 Tides . . . . . . . . . . 14
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Whatcom Land Trust has acquired a one-acre property located at California Creek in the Drayton Harbor watershed, adding significant shoreline access to property that it already owns in the area. On December 31, Whatcom Land Trust closed on the residential property, which is adjacent to another 11.5-acre property that it purchased in June 2017. The property is located at 4677 Drayton Harbor Road, and was purchased for $350,000, according to Whatcom Land Trust conservation director Gabe Epperson. Together, the two properties will allow Whatcom Land Trust to expand public access along the shores of Drayton Harbor. The goal is to eventually transfer the property to Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 to create a new recreational park. “Currently, there are two structures out there, and those will be removed at some point, to make room for a park in those areas,” said Whatcom Land Trust communications director Karen Parker. “It’s nice because now the park will include more of the waterfront area.” In a February 1 press release, the trust said that Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 has agreed to contribute to the purchase with eventual plans to demolish the homes, and to install park infrastructure such as parking, re-