Tom Hollett

Voters' association president Tom Hollett might have gotten heckled through most of the group's annual general meeting, but they liked him enough off the stage to re-elect him president for another year.
...
Hollett said the newly elected board would tackle the issue at their next meeting."We want to promote this and get as many people as we can to our April 8 meeting," he said."Everyone who has a phone is impacted."Code enforcement was again a big issue for association members, and Hollett asked if a part time enforcement officer couldn't be assigned to the Point.
...
As promised when Hollett and his slate took control of the association board at last year's annual meeting, he brought issues now being worked on by the board and future possibilities up for membership approval."The membership drives the ship and that's the tone of the rest of this meeting," he said.While voter education programs and community-wide events planning efforts got the thumbs up, most members in attendance wanted the board to steer clear of political hot potatoes like the makeup of the economic development committee and sewers.

Hollett said the association had asked for more representation on the economic development council (EDC) board, which is now made up of single representatives from local agencies and organizations and several local developers."We were told no," he said.Hollett said the organization was too heavily weighted on the side of business and developers and didn't take common citizens concerns into account."Do you want us to work to get that organization reorganized?You can't even go!It's not open to the public!At least it's important to tell the county government who they speak for because they always tell people they speak for the people of Point Roberts."

Hollett found little support for his concerns.

"This is our new campaign," said Point Roberts Registered Voters Association president Tom Hollett, outlining the group's most recent project - elimination of telephone toll charges for calls between Point Roberts and the rest of Whatcom County.

The issue of local calling service for Point Roberts has lain dormant since long distance was eliminated within the rest of Whatcom County in 1999.
...
"Whidbey can, and probably will, come back and say we'll waive the tolls but add more to the base charge for phone service, and we don't want that either," Hollett said."According to the WUTC if the WTC response is negative we can take it to the WUTC commissioners as a complaint."

To file a complaint for a larger calling area, proponents need to submit evidence from at least 26 community members that they are paying long distance to contact providers of basic needs: schools, doctors, commercial services like stores or a pharmacy, government offices."We need to look into whether it applies broadly in the community or only to a handful of people," Hollett said.
...
Interested community members should contact Hollett at 945-0799..

BACK TO TOP

Voters working on toll-free calling "This is our new campaign," said Point Roberts Registered Voters Association president Tom Hollett, outlining the group's most recent project - elimination of telephone toll charges for calls between Point Roberts and the rest of Whatcom County.