Letter to the Editor: June 7-13

The Editor:

This past Saturday, June 2, the Blaine Chamber of Commerce sponsored a “Ride to the Border.” This event shut down Peace Portal Drive from Martin Street to G Street to all traffic except motorcycles and also shut down H Street from Peace Portal Drive to 3rd Street for vendors who were part of the regular Blaine Saturday Farmers and Craft Market. There were also several other sites set up at H Street and Peace Portal Drive including the Annual Slug Races, thanks to Ron Snyder and Cathy Taggett.

I did not notice any adverse impact on traffic in Blaine. There were not a lot of motorcycles in town, although the Bellingham American Legion Post 7 “Legion Riders” had a contingent pass through town on Friday and Saturday.

The problem that Blaine has with events like this is total lack of visible support by the members of the city council.  We were not there for the entire event, but during the several hours that we were there we did not see a single council person. This is not the first time that we have been to a Blaine event and did not see a single council member. There was one city staffer who showed for a short while, Debbie Harger, the Blaine tourism director.

The council last week turned down a proposal from a developer who probably would develop a truck/travel center on the old airport property, a parcel of land that has now been non-revenue producing for over 10 years. We already have a non-controlled truck center along 543 and on Ludwick Avenue. If this council is not sincere in their statements that they want to develop Blaine, then maybe they need to get out of the way.

Vernon V. Tabb

Blaine

(Ed. note: This letter has been edited to meet length requirement.)