Port of Bellingham commissioners have directed staff to request Semiahmoo Marina Condominium Association (SMCA) make good on its verbal promise from nearly a decade ago to provide discounted fuel to Blaine Harbor tenants as the port inches closer to creating a fuel dock.
The discussion during the port’s October 21 meeting was prompted by The Dream Boat Company owner Randall Parten, who encouraged commissioners to send a letter to SMCA asking why it wasn’t following through on the agreement it made with the port.
The agreement in question dates back to 2015, when Blaine Marina Inc. closed its doors, and along with it, the lone fuel services in Blaine Harbor. Shortly after the port began brainstorming fueling options, SMCA told the port commissioners that it would offer Blaine Harbor tenants discounted fuel at its Semiahmoo dock.
At the time, some people raised concerns that SMCA would have a monopoly on fueling. SMCA ended the discount a few years later.
In August 2024, Parten brought a petition with over 70 signatures to the port requesting that the port restore fuel services and ask SMCA to honor its commitment.
Semiahmoo Marina harbormaster Doug Romano told The Northern Light last summer that the SMCA never intended to offer the discount in perpetuity.
“SMCA never executed an agreement with the port, and it had no obligation to offer such a discount,” Romano said. “When it became financially infeasible to continue, SMCA ceased offering a discount to port moorage tenants.”
The port discussed its options in February but did not end with a clear action.
Interim port director Tiffany DeSimone told commissioners on October 21 that port staff was eyeing fuel dock locations while working on Blaine cleanups. The port has previously said it couldn’t add a fuel dock until the Westman Marine site is cleaned, a multi-year project estimated to cost at least $14 million.
Commissioner Ken Bell said he wanted the commission to write a letter to SMCA as Parten had requested. Bell encouraged Briscoe, who was on commission in 2016, to have an in-person conversation with the association.
“They looked you in the eye, made a promise and didn’t deliver on the promise,” Bell said. “I’ve always found that kind of accountability refreshing.”
DeSimone suggested port staff reach out to the SMCA before the commissioners sent the letter.
“It’s unwise to allow a monopoly to continue to dominate and continue to create ill will,” Bell said.
Briscoe said the commission didn’t feel urgency to put in the fuel dock in 2016 because it had the deal with Semiahmoo.
“We’ve got urgency now,” he said. “It’s been long enough that we need to ‘get off the pot’ so to speak and get something figured out.”
