November 16 - 22, 2023
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IN THIS
ISSUE
BBBPRD2 winter guide inside, pages 7-10
Blaine has a new speakeasy, page 5
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
Fall sports season recap, page 6
Fall leaves frame Semiahmoo City of Blaine hearing on public record fees ends in yelling By Grace McCarthy
(See Council, page 5)
s Fall foliage has decorated areas of Blaine, including near the old Semiahmoo water tower, during a vibrant autumn this year. Photo by Grace McCarthy
Tanksley wins Whatcom County Sheriff race By Grace McCarthy Blaine police chief Donnell Tanksley will be the next Whatcom County Sheriff after taking a significant lead following the Election Day tally. The latest ballot count on November 9 showed Tanksley received 51.9 percent of the votes, while Whatcom County undersheriff Doug Chadwick trailed with 47.9 percent. The Whatcom County Auditor’s Office showed the two candidates were separated by 3,113 votes. About 250 ballots were left to count, ex-
cluding absentee and out-of-state voters, after 80,834 ballots had been tabulated, according to the auditor’s office. “This win is not just mine; it’s ours – a win for everyone who believes in a fresh start and a community-focused approach to public safety,” Tanksley wrote in a statement on his campaign’s Facebook page. “Your trust and shared vision mean the world to me.” Tanksley added his top priority would be a smooth transition at the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office as well as ensuring the jail operates to its fullest potential while the new jail is built.
Port of Bellingham to vote on 2024 budget By Grace McCarthy Port of Bellingham commissioners are slated to vote on the port’s 2024 budget during their regular board meeting on Tuesday, November 21. The Port of Bellingham generates revenue through property taxes, port-owned marinas in Bellingham and Blaine, the Bellingham International Airport, marine terminals and real estate property. The budget’s expenditures focus on economic development, infrastructure preservation
and environmental cleanup. The port budget forecasts operating revenues to increase from 2023 to 2024, with a total of $33.5 million in revenue, said Tamara Sobjack, chief financial officer for the port. Operating expenses will also be $33.5 million, up from 2023 due to increased costs and inflation. Overall, the port is projecting a $12 million deficit, due to capital works and environmental cleanup projects. Sobjack said despite the deficit, the port has a healthy reserve and is expected to end 2024 with $27 million.
Port staff anticipate spending $22.3 million on capital projects. The 2024 budget’s largest capital projects will focus on Blaine Harbor and Squalicum Harbor improvements. The largest capital project in Blaine Harbor will be replacing the boathouse with open slips on M dock, totaling $2.8 million in 2024. The port has allocated funds for Blaine Harbor capital projects in 2024: $60,000 for webhouse lighting; $10,000 for cash(See Port, page 5)
With Tanksley’s departure from the Blaine Police Department all but ensured, city administrators are preparing to fill his vacancy. City manager Mike Harmon said during the November 13 council meeting that he was meeting with Tanksley and Blaine police lieutenant Michael Munden to discuss a transition plan. “We have interest in the chief position, which is good,” Harmon said. “We wish Sheriff Tanksley well.” In a statement to The Northern Light, (See Sheriff, page 2)
INSIDE
A public hearing on Blaine City Council approving fees for copies of public records turned into a shouting match after council attempted to limit two speakers’ testimony when they began commenting on unrelated topics. City council held a November 13 public hearing on Resolution 1935-23, establishing fees for public record request copies, and Resolution 1936-23, increasing the fee for body-worn camera footage requests. Even though the fees are standard for public agencies in Washington state, speakers expressed concern the effect would be to limit city transparency. About eight people spoke at the heated hearing before council approved the resolutions in a 4-0 decision. The resolutions In October 2022, city council asked staff to update the fees for copies of public records and, after working with the city attorney, staff recommended council follow the state’s guidance on the fees. Under the new fee schedule for public records, the city will charge 15 cents per page for paper copies, 10 cents per page for scanned copies, and 5 cents for every four electronic files or attachments. (For example, a requester would pay $62.50 to receive 5,000 emails, which city staff have argued doesn’t come close to covering the length of time spent on the request.) The city will increase its fee from 66 cents to 74 cents per minute for body-camera footage to partially reflect the time it takes to redact content. The Blaine Police Department only has one employee scanning requested body-worn camera footage for redactions after a recent layoff. “If an officer makes an arresting stop or anything of that nature, if they hold a driver’s license in front of a body cam, an individual at the police department has to frame-by-frame blur out the driver’s license,” deputy city manager Sam Crawford said. The city has experienced a sharp in-
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