New hospital district commissioner appointed

Noel Newbold has been appointed to fill the position vacated by former hospital district commissioner Richard Dennis who resigned February 9 after announcing his plan to move to Texas with his wife.

Commissioners Stephen Falk and Sara Oggel voted in favor of Newbold following an executive session at the hospital district’s regular meeting on March 9.

Along with Newbold, Paul Robert Smist and Donna Prudhomme had put their names forward as candidates. Smist and his wife moved permanently to Point Roberts last year after having a summer home for the last “five or six years.” His experience was primarily in finance and accounting and putting together real estate investment groups.

Prudhomme has been a resident in Point Roberts for six years and said her career experience had been more operational than policymaking. Holding an MBA from McGill University, she described part of her motivation behind applying for the commission was due to her being a caregiver for a disabled husband. “It’s incredibly important for us to have a functional clinic,” she said, adding, “I would be interested in helping the clinic expand its services.”

Plain-spoken, Newbold seems destined to bring fresh air to the commission. “I’m just realizing I know shit,” she started off, explaining that she came from a production background in music and film. “I love the clinic and I think it is incredibly important to the community,” she said. “I’m not working, and I think it’s time to give back to the community. I have colorful language and I try to watch it, but I have good instincts.” Following her appointment, she thanked Falk and Oggel and said, “I’ll try not to piss anyone off.”

Among the questions asked by commissioners of the candidates was one raised by Falk who queried each of the candidates if they were vaccinated and following recommended pandemic health practices; both Smist and Newbold replied they were fully vaccinated while Prudhomme replied in the negative.

In other district news, the clinic’s medical director, Dr. Sean Bozorgzad, said the number of positive Covid-19 test results in Point Roberts had been dropping in recent weeks.