The Editor:
It is exciting to see well-qualified candidates such as Garth Baldwin running for the Blaine City Council ward 3 position. Please consider casting your vote for Garth.
I have served on the Blaine parks board with Garth for several years. His knowledge and historical references for our town are remarkable. He is not a single-issue candidate. He also has superior problem solving skills, and is always working for the betterment of the Blaine community and all its citizens.
Joan Clark
Blaine
The Editor:
The ballots were mailed; the voter pamphlets were distributed; now it’s your turn. The system only works well when all eligible voters exercise their right and privilege to vote.
The voter pamphlet – more accurately described as a tome this year – provides information about all the candidates and issues in this primary election. However, to fulfill your responsibility, you only need to read the information on the few candidates and issues appearing on your ballot; reviewing the rest is optional.
One impressive candidate for the county council coastal district 5 seat is Natalie McClendon. She has the knowledge, experience and integrity to powerfully represent the residents of Point Roberts, Blaine, Custer, Ferndale and the unincorporated areas (such as Birch Bay) north of Bellingham and generally west of I-5. This is the first time these residents are electing their representative since the reorganization of the council districts in 2017.
I urge you to vote because we can – a privilege not enjoyed by many in the world.
Ruth Higgins
Birch Bay
The Editor:
A sincere message of thanks to the Blaine/Birch Bay communities for your unfailing support of the 2019 Blaine Harbor Music Festival. This year’s 18th celebration of jazz in its many forms was a huge success. We had 60 enthusiastic campers this July and the same talented corps of teachers that you have come to recognize and enjoy over the years. By any measure, it was the best camp season that we have ever had.
The students were a model group of young musicians, and the teachers were all willing to go the extra mile to serve them. Still, none of this would be possible without the foundation of community support that Blaine provides. To those who attended our concerts, to Kathy Stauffer and Semiahmoo Resort who provided sponsorship, to the restaurants who supplied lunches, and Camp Horizon who offered our boarding students dormitory space, to our donors and our volunteers, and to the Blaine school district and the city of Blaine, great thanks for the essential roles that each of you played in this memorable production. See you next summer!
Bryan Johnson, co-president
Kitty King, co-president
The Editor:
A few years ago my partner Jackie got sick with a condition so rare most doctors never see it. Nonetheless, Dr. Marta Kazymyra diagnosed it, got her into the surgical rotation at Virginia Mason within days and saved her life. A few weeks ago, Dr. David Allan shepherded me through scary open heart surgery.
We trusted them then, and are glad we did. Not to mention how lucky we feel to have such talented and well-trained people here.
Now that Blaine needs a new physician to take over at Bay Medical Clinic, we need to trust our local doctors to play a leadership role in solving that problem, as they have been trying to do.
But the city’s coordination with them in this tricky and delicate process has been poor. Whether intentionally or not, the city is running the risk of blocking Dr. Allan’s and Dr. Kazymyra’s efforts to find a replacement.
Because of this, Blaine could very well end up with no local providers at all, since the local HMOs like Family Care Network and PeaceHealth have a track record of pulling out of rural situations such as ours.
Who is better to find a physician who wants to be here (which is the only way it will work) than our two doctors, who know the inside of what it’s like to work here and where to go to find good prospects?
Our own local doctors, who have practiced here for 40 years, have done plenty of market research, with much higher stakes than some suit peddling another $80,000-plus study.
As a city, let’s be as loyal and trusting with them in meeting this challenge, as they have been with us for more than a generation. Now is not the time to exclude them from the process.
I hope the city management and council realizes that in these two local doctors, they have the key resource in making sure Blaine has a competent medical office for years to come. If you agree, tell your council representative, and follow up. This is a very big deal, people.
Jack Kintner
Blaine
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