County executive candidates weigh in on Birch Bay issues at public forum

All four candidates for Whatcom County executive promised to work with the Birch Bay community to streamline permanent public restrooms and help the residents through the incorporation process, if that’s what the community wants.

Approximately 50 people attended the county executive forum at the Birch Bay Bible Community Church on Thursday, July 28. Each candidate fielded questions sent in to Birch Bay Steering Committee co-chair Kathy Berg, one of the organizers, and questions from the audience toward the end of the roughly two-hour forum.

The main topic of the night was Birch Bay’s involvement in countywide affairs and the county government’s commitment to improve the community. Berg said she has always considered the county executive the mayor of Birch Bay because of the position’s influence on the unincorporated community.

Many of the candidates’ answers centered around improving Birch Bay’s autonomy and local control as a distinct community in the county. These points were most evident in the discussion of permanent public restrooms for Birch Bay.

Tom Anderson, former general manager of Whatcom County public utility district 1, said he doesn’t understand why the county has not yet provided public restrooms for Birch Bay. He said he would work with the county parks and recreation department to find a solution that would improve both residents’ and tourists’ experiences in the community.

“I’m appalled it hasn’t been solved,” Anderson said.

State  senator Doug Ericksen (R-Ferndale) said he would provide a solution that combines the public and private sectors. This method, he said, is the best way to ensure the restrooms are built and maintained economically and efficiently.

Former Lynden mayor and current Birch Bay resident Jack Louws said he would use his experience in securing public restrooms for downtown Lynden to aid in the cause for Birch Bay. The county’s economic development funds, which were used to build public restrooms in Glacier, should serve the same purpose in Birch Bay.

When Birch Bay does eventually get restrooms, thought must also be given to how much it would cost to maintain them, former county planning director David Stalheim said. He said it’s embarrassing that tourists in Birch Bay have to use portable restrooms.

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