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July 2025

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Salish Sea House planning ongoing, page 8

Park district plans upgrades, page 9

ECRWSS PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 14

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Port commission to expand? page 12

Point Roberts, WA 98281 Postal Patron Local

Happy 4th of July, Point Roberts! Consultants still have a ways to go on plan B y P a t G r u bb Consultants working on a Port of Bellingham’s $89,900 economic development study for Point Roberts have yet to grasp the community’s unique challenges and well-known local priorities. Maul Foster & Alongi Inc. delivered their summary report memo at a second of three scheduled public meetings during the Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee’s regular monthly meeting on June 26, recommending five strategies to boost economic development in the isolated Washington peninsula. However, a review of the study reveals significant gaps between the consultants’ recommendations and Point Roberts’ on-the-ground realities. [The PRCAC meeting took place while the APB was going to press. A report on it will be published subsequently.] Missing community priorities The study overlooked several key infrastructure projects that have long been community priorities, including restoration of the boat ramp and fishing dock at Lighthouse Park and/or reconstruction of a historical fishing dock at the foot of Gulf Road. “The county replaced the old [Lighthouse Park dock] with a floating dock designed for a lake which failed within three weeks and have refused to put in another one,” said former chamber of commerce president Brian Calder. The old Gulf Road dock pilings remain visible as a reminder of past maritime activity that could support tourism. Calder wrote a scathing response to the study almost immediately after receiving it. For a study focused on economic development and tourism, the omission of these specific, achievable projects that have clear community support raises questions about the depth of the consultants’ community engagement. Questionable case studies The consultants selected Alburgh, Vermont; Mackinac Island, Michigan; and Samsoe Island, Denmark as comparable communities, but provided virtually no (See Report, page 6)

s A bevy of young ladies on a horse-drawn float in a home-grown parade in 1921. According to local historian Pauli DeHaan, it was one of the earliest parades and one of very few that took place until a resurgence occurred in 1976. Photo courtesy of the Point Roberts Historical Society

Commissioners toss executive director Rob Fix By Grace McCarthy In a 2-1 vote, the Port of Bellingham commissioners voted to remove executive director Rob Fix during its June 3 regular commission meeting. Director of maritime Tiffany DeSimone was appointed as interim director. Fix did not attend the commission meeting. Commissioners Michael Shepard introduced the motion and Ken Bell voted in support of it, while president Bobby Briscoe was opposed to removing Fix. There had been no previous public indication that commissioners Bell and Shepard were unhappy with Fix’s performance and they praised him for the job he has done. They gave no reason why he was be-

ing let go apart from offering vague justifications about going in a “new direction” and “new opportunities.” “We have been through some very tough times, including Covid, with the executive director, and he did an amazing job,” Bell said. “We’ve never had a budget that hasn’t met its target … his integrity is beyond reproach.” The separation appears preplanned as the port’s attorney confirmed during the meeting that Fix had already seen a draft of the separation agreement. Shepard’s motion initially was to terminate Fix’s employment, but after being questioned by the port’s attorney, the commissioners amended it to be a mutual separation

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Church ............................................. 10 Classifieds ......................................... 12 Coming Up ....................................... 12 Obituary ........................................... 14 Opinion ............................................... 4 Numbers............................................ 14 Sheriffs ............................................. 14 Tides ................................................. 10

(See Fix, page 5)

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