A BOTCHED INVESTIGATION

There are three groups of individuals working on water issues in Blaine: 1) SaveBlaine, 2) Blaine Water Coalition, and 3) Water Planning Matters (includes Blaine and Birch Bay citizens). SaveBlaine organized to protect the east Blaine aquifer in 2023. Blaine Water Coalition appeared in 2024 to file formal government misconduct complaints. Water Planning Matters began in 2025 to file formal SEPA appeals and to liaison with state and federal agencies.

I am a speaker for Blaine Water Coalition and an advisor to Water Planning Matters, which includes representatives from Blaine and Birch Bay. I have never been a part of SaveBlaine.

The Ferndale Police Department (FPD) report in response to a request from SaveBlaine (SB), that allegedly accuses SB and others of harassing Blaine officials, was released three days after four Blaine citizens (one from SaveBlaine, one from Blaine Water Coalition, and two from Water Planning Matters) obtained protection orders against death threats issued in response to Mayor Steward's incitement of violence against them. The report failed to review misconduct by Blaine officials, rushing release of the defamatory report prior to uploading documents proving government misconduct. A botched investigation.

FPD was to receive government misconduct documents from SB after the Whatcom District Court protection order hearing on election day. Three of the four petitioners for protection are not part of SaveBlaine. Without waiting for documents, FPD accused these other individuals of harassment. FPD never contacted these accused individuals for comment. They sent it to Blaine Police.

FPD did not wait for documents and evidence. Instead, FPD closed the investigation and hastily came up with 'retaliatory' conclusions. The Northern Light editor Grace McCarthy contacted a SaveBlaine leader, giving her a few hours to respond to the FPD report, which she did not have and McCarthy refused to send. The FPD report was sent to Blaine Chief of Police Rodger Funk, who apparently shared it with The Northern Light. 

The Northern Light article conflates SaveBlaine with Blaine Water Coalition, which helped form Water Planning Matters (WPM). Water Planning Matters had nothing to do with the request to FPD to investigate Blaine. That request was by SaveBlaine. While WPM shares environmental and government misconduct concerns with SB, they are distinct. 

The timing of this attack by the city on its citizens coincides with the conclusion of the Birch Point SEPA appeal by WPM, and the denial by the county of Blaine's plan to annex Birch Point. In other words, RETALIATION.