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Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay
Nov. 25 - Dec. 2, 2020
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IN THIS
ISSUE
Border closure extended, page 3
B&O revenue helps city’s 2021 budget
NWFR approves property tax levy, page 10
Family-run board game booms, page 15
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
Volunteers prep annual Thanksgiving baskets
B y P a t G r u bb
(See Budget, page 6)
s Community Assistance Program volunteers helped prepare the yearly Thanksgiving baskets to be distributed to local families on November 24 in the Cost Cutter parking lot. Co-director Shirley Tobian said the baskets would feed about 950 adults and nearly 500 children. Baskets contain turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and other traditional food itmes. Photo by Grace McCarthy
School district grapples with health guideline By Grace McCarthy The Whatcom County Health Department has revised its recommendations on phasing students into middle and high schools on November 18, leaving the Blaine school district scrambling as sixth and ninth graders are scheduled to return Monday. In a letter to county superintendents, Whatcom County health officer Dr. Greg Stern recommended the county’s seven school districts pause adding older students to the buildings, unless they are special needs students or struggling in online classes. Elementary schools are exempt from this pause. “Transmission of virus by the older students is similar to adults and their class schedules are not conducive to limiting the number of other students and teachers
with which they have contact,” the letter reads. “Elementary school students can be grouped in small cohorts and limit their number of staff and student contacts, and they are less efficient in transmitting infection than older children and adults.” Blaine Elementary School phased in its remaining students, fourth and fifth grade, on November 23. Currently, 325 students are in district buildings per week but Granger said this number is fluctuating as more parents opt for fully remote learning as Covid-19 cases rise. About 20 percent of students with the option are in online-only classes, he said. The most recent letter to superintendents changes the advice given in October 12 and August 31 letters that encouraged schools to take a cautious, phased approach to in-person learning. Dr. Stern wrote that the county’s growing Covid-19 cases, which are
in the state Department of Health’s moderate category for school activity, could eventually rise to levels high enough to reduce (See Schools, page 6)
INSIDE
Higher than expected revenue from the city of Blaine’s Business and Occupation (B&O) tax has provided much-needed relief to city finances and the 2021 budget. City finance director Jeff Lazenby briefed council members at their regular bi-monthly meeting on Monday night telling them he now expected a budgeted increase from $65,000 to $200,000 and attributed the increase to council’s recent decision to re-implement late fees on B&O delinquencies. Lazenby said “one large outlier” had paid up and he was working with another company to get them caught up as well. So far this year the city has collected $197,000 in B&O taxes for just three quarters, city manager Michael Jones pointed out. As a result, the proposed city budget now projects revenue of $6,792,000 with $6,761,000 in expenditures for 2021. The budget will be presented to council for final action on December 14. There have been no public comments on the budget through the city website and no comments were received during the public hearing held at Monday’s meeting. One positive result of the unexpected revenue gain is that the city will be able to provide a cost of living allowance (COLA) of 2.25 percent for members of the non-union Blaine City Light bargaining unit. Jones told council that during collective bargaining negotiations with the unit, he had essentially told them the city could only afford a 1 percent increase due to projected revenue. He asked council to consider upping the COLA pointing out that the employees had been cooperative and shown understanding of the city’s plight. The COLA percentage is also close to what other bargaining units receive from the city, Jones said. The increase from 1 to 2.25 percent would cost the city less than $1,500. Councilmember Mary Lou Steward said, “If we can afford to pay them that little amount of money, then we should.” Council voted six for, with Garth Baldwin abstaining, saying he thought doing so was “excessive and arbitrary.” In other business, council approved its legislative agenda for 2021. The six items are those priorities and funding requests it
Coming Up . . . . . 14 Classifieds . . . . . 11 Letters . . . . . . . . . 4 Police . . . . . . . . . 14 Tides . . . . . . . . . . 14
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