Letters to the Editor
Letter to the Editor | Update on PenMet’s DeMolay Sandspit project
There was an agenda item 9.1b for the PenMet Board’s meeting on October 6, 2026. That agenda item was to authorize a substantial increase in both the consultants’ fees and the total cost of the DeMolay Sandspit project. I did not attend the meeting, but I’m assuming that the Board unanimously approved item 9.1b as they always do.
The attached paperwork for 9.1b contains an excellent history of the cost for both the consultants and the project itself. Here’s what that history shows:
Baumwelt consulting agreement
Total project cost
Grants
The Board mentions the following additional sources of funding for the DeMolay Sandspit project:
While I applaud PenMet for getting just over $2,000,000 in grants, I fail to understand why they decided to increase the consultant cost and the total project cost rather than offsetting the existing budgeted amounts to reduce PenMet’s contribution to the project? The funds PenMet received from these grants come from the revenue generated by the state of Washington in taxes and fees. It’s well known that Washington state has a serious budget shortfall again this year that was virtually guaranteed by the state’s most recent budget which had built-in shortfalls. So, we, the taxpayers, are fully funding PenMet’s profligate spending plans. What PenMet has received in grants would fully fund PenMet’s original budget for the entire project several times over.
And let’s keep in mind that my alternative to this plan was to purchase a vehicle designed to carry those who need assistance and their various assistance items from the entrance to the Sandspit and back up the hill. Total cost: $15,000 to $25,000. Time to completion: A few days at most. Nuisance factor to Bella Bella and nearby residents: Zero. There is also a cost savings going forward: PenMet pays for outside security which is extremely expensive and the presence of the vehicle operator would eliminate that expense altogether.
Craig McLaughlin
Fox Island