INCESTUOUS BACKWATER

The same law firm that provides Blaine city attorney Peter Ruffatto also provided attorneys to fight the Water Planning Matters State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) appeal against the Avista at Birch Point planned unit development, which the city expedited by issuing a fraudulent SEPA determination and Critical Area determination. 

In 2024-25, former councilman and lifelong Blaine resident Mike Hill--owner of Chevron, Starbuck's, Blaine Visitor's Center, and Bordertown Mexican Grill--voted in violation of the state Ethics in Public Service Act and the Blaine Municipal Code to increase the value of his commercial properties in the Central Business District. No attempt was made by the mayor or other council members to stop this criminal self-dealing by a public official.

On October 13, 2025, Hill organized a 'lynch mob' to support David Brudvik's death threats against Water Planning Matters leaders at the Blaine City Council meeting, and neither the mayor, city manager, or chief of police said a word. Until, that is, November 4, 2025, when Mayor Mary Lou Steward and Chief of Police Rodger Funk chose to show their support for the convicted violent felon online and in his Whatcom District Court hearing.

On October 21, 2025, Mike Hill--no longer a councilman--instructed Blaine Chief of Police Rodger Funk to violate the Civil Rights Act by sending officers to the homes of Water Planning Matters activists to serve notice they are banned from Starbuck's, Bordertown Mexican Grill, Blaine Visitor's Center, and Chevron. After receiving a phone call from Starbuck's lawyers, Chief Funk phoned the activists rescinding the ban on all but Chevron.

Back on November 12, 2024, then councilman Hill accosted Water Planning Matters spokesman Otto Pointer at a city council meeting, and none of the other council members said a word. Of interest is the misconduct by Chief of Police Funk that night, who acted to protect Hill by turning off his body camera, and reportedly telling The Northern Light editor Grace McCarthy not to report the incident. It wasn't reported. 

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