Around the Point – April

Following a sparsely attended virtual candidates forum, the Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee (PRCAC) will consider skipping a community vote in filling two vacancies.

PRCAC president Allison Calder said that only two of three candidates and five other people, including committee members, attended the March 14 forum. “Since a lot of people did not show up to listen to the candidates, I’m not sure what the value of calling for a community vote would be,” she said. “It’s an uncomfortable situation since what would people be basing their vote on?”

Calder said she had contacted the county executive’s office asking for guidance, with a suggestion that he should possibly appoint simply based on the three applications received for the two positions. Applicants are Jessica Basore, Elizabeth Mason, and Jared Oberhaus.

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Fire commissioners have appointed Norm Katz to replace Raye Newman, who resigned as a commissioner for Point Roberts Fire District 5.

Fire chief Christopher Carleton said commissioners accepted Newman’s resignation and appointed Katz at their February 9 regular meeting, and he took the oath of office at the March 9 meeting.

“I think we are in a special place here and there are a lot of special people here who do a great deal for the community,” Katz said when asked why he wanted to be a fire commissioner. “I just want to be a part of that team.”

Katz, a 20-year resident of Point Roberts, said he had been a volunteer with the Point Roberts Emergency Preparedness Committee for most of his time on the Point and had gotten to know Carleton and other members of the fire department in that capacity. “I’ve seen a lot of good things happen and I want to help that continue.”

In other fire department news, Carleton said that the district is in the process of hiring firefighters to fill vacant positions as department members moved on to full-time career positions.

“We have 15 people in the hiring process now and I expect to bring on six or seven to fill open positions,” he said.