City Council - Regular Meeting
City Council - Regular Meeting
Mon, September 29, 2025
Agenda items
Vote records
Discussion summary
Transcript
Meeting summary
Summary not yet available.
Agenda items (24)
Council Business
1Council BusinessPotential Property Acquisition (Stamps, approx. 3 min.)
2Council BusinessPotential Property Acquisition (Stamps, approx. 3 min.)
3Council BusinessPotential Property Acquisition (Stamps, approx. 3 min.)
4Council BusinessPotential Litigation (Champlin, approx. 10 min.) - ITEM ADDED 9.26.25
5Council BusinessPotential Litigation (Kraham, approx. 5 min.) - ITEM ADDED 9.29.25
24670Council BusinessAuthorize Application to the State Project Review Committee to Use General Contractor/Construction Manager Delivery Method for the Post Point Emission Control Upgrades and Retain Michael Loulakis to Provide Legal Services for the
24671Council BusinessAn Interlocal Agreement with Whatcom County for a Severe Weather Shelter
24672Council BusinessAn Ordinance Amending Bellingham Municipal Code Chapter 6.05 to Adopt Uniform General Business License Requirements Mandated by the State of Washington
24673Council BusinessA Resolution Adopting the Capital Facilities Plan
24674Council BusinessA Resolution Adopting the Multimodal Transportation Plan
24678Council BusinessIntroduction of the 2026 Proposed Budget
Adjournment
29AdjournmentTues. 12 p.m. – Repeat broadcast of Monday afternoon Committee meetings
30AdjournmentTues. 7 p.m. – Repeat broadcast of Monday night regular meeting
31AdjournmentWed. 8 a.m. – Repeat broadcast of Monday night regular meeting
32AdjournmentSat. 12 p.m. – Repeat broadcast of Monday afternoon Committee meetings
33AdjournmentSat. 7 p.m. – Repeat broadcast of Monday night regular meeting Online Streaming: The meetings are streamed live at https://cob.org/btv. Online viewers will see exactly what cable customers would see. Video: Video recordings of each meeting are available on the Internet at https://cob.org/meetings within five business days following each meeting.
Ordinance
24654OrdinanceAn Ordinance Relating to the Vacation of Rimland Drive Between Woburn Street and
Public Hearing
24667Public HearingA Public Hearing on a Proposed Ordinance Authorizing the Relinquishment of a Surplus Utility Easement and Covenant within Vacated Iowa Street
General Business
24668General BusinessMayor's Appointment to the Bellingham-Whatcom County Commission Against
24669General BusinessMayor's Reappointment to the Design Review Board (Approval)
Consent Calendar
24675Consent CalendarAuthorization of Payroll Labor Cost Payments Dated August 16, 2025 to August 31, 2025
24676Consent CalendarAuthorization of A/P Transactions Issued September 05, 2025 through September 11, 2025
24677Consent CalendarAuthorization of A/P Transactions Issued September 12, 2025 through September 18, 2025
Procedural (1)
24679ProceduralApproval of the 9/15/2025 City Council Committee and Regular Meeting Minutes
Additional votes recorded in minutes
Approve relinquishment of surplus utility easement and covenant within vacated Iowa Street
aye 1
voice voteaye
Approve reappointment of Ryan Van Stratton to a second term on the Design Review Board
aye 1
voice voteaye
Authorize application to State Project Review Committee for GCCM delivery method for Post Point emission control upgrades and retain legal counsel
aye 1
voice voteaye
Authorize mayor to execute interlocal agreement with Whatcom County for severe weather shelter
aye 1
voice voteaye
Adopt ordinance amending Bellingham Municipal Code Chapter 6.05 for uniform general business license requirements (Agenda Bill 24672)
aye 1
voice voteaye
Adopt resolution adopting the Capital Facilities Plan (Agenda Bill 24673)
aye 1
voice voteaye
Adopt resolution adopting the Multimodal Transportation Plan (Agenda Bill 24674 or similar)
aye 1
voice voteaye
Authorize mayor to retain outside counsel to represent city in litigation challenging FEMA grant conditions
aye 1
voice voteaye
Authorize mayor to sign on to amicus brief in Planned Parenthood v. RFK Jr.
aye 1
voice voteaye
Approve consent agenda
aye 1
voice voteaye
Verbatim transcript available
180 transcript segments indexed
[Music] I would like to call the uh um se September 29th city council meeting to order And uh before we uh before we begin the meeting, I'd like to uh um lead off with our land acknowledgement statement.
Before we begin, as I've said, we acknowledge that we are gathered on the traditional and unseated territory of the Lummy, Nooks, Samish, and Seymu people who have cared for and tended this land since time immemorial.
Truth and acknowledgement are very critical to building mutual respect and connection through all barriers of heritage and difference. And we begin this effort to acknowledge what has been buried by honoring the truth.
We pay respect to their elders, past and present. And so I'd like you all to please take a moment to consider the many legacies of violence, displacement, migration, and settlement that bring us together here today.
And please join us all in uncovering such truths at any and all public events. So thank you. The Bellingham City Council provides Spanish interpretation at all regular evening meetings. Interpret I'm sorry.
Interpretation can be accessed by in-person attendees by utilizing the headsets located at the front of the room. And remote viewers can log on to co.orgccoom org/ccoom uh CC Zoom and uh click on the language icon at the bottom of the screen to listen in Spanish.
So Martha, could you please uh uh jump in and Thank you, Martha. Okay, one announcement. is it will be having a public hearing on the 2026 budget on October 6th, 2025. The city council will hold its first hearing on the proposed 2026 budget and the budget document can be viewed online at co.org backbudget.
An additional public hearing is planned for November 3rd. Detailed information can be found at a at meetings.co.org 5 days prior to that hearing. Okay, are we ready for the roll call? >> Hannah Stone >> here.
>> Dan Hamill >> here. >> Lisa Anderson >> here. >> Michael Lilloquiz >> here. >> Jace Cotton >> here. >> Skip Williams >> here. >> All right. Six council members are present with council president Huffman excused.
>> Okay. Thank you. Okay. Getting to the business of the council. Uh our first meeting today was of the public uh public uh I'm sorry. We're going to have a public hearing on a proposed ordinance authorizing the relinquishment of a surplus utility easement and covenant within vacated Iowa Street.
And based on that, I will turn it over to Steve Sundine from the uh for presentation. Steve Sundine for presentation. Joel Font, I'm sorry. >> Sorry, you had me a little confused there. So, um, uh, Joel Font, public works director.
Good evening. Um, Mayor Prom Williams, Council, um, Council President Prom, Mayor, we're both confused. So, anyway, um, moving on. Uh I um I am going to turn the um this over to assistant um public works director uh for engineering Mike Wilson to give a little bit of uh background on this um public hearing and the proposed relinquishment of the um the utility easement and covenants.
>> Thank you Joel. So my name is Mike Wilson. I'm the assistant director of public works over in engineering and and the city engineer. It's a pleasure to be here uh with you tonight. Uh tonight, pending public input, we're recommending that we vacate or uh relinquish an easement.
The easement's located at Iowa Street is that's where the actual easement is. It has to do with the operation of Aaron's Bakers at 427 Ohio Street. So, if you look at the graphic, uh, the here's Ohio Street and the bakery fronts on Ohio Street.
In the back of the bakery, the yellow highlight is where the Iowa Street vacation or the e easement relinquishment is proposed. The the street was actually vacated prior in 1977 and uh at that time an easement utility was reserved and retained.
Um, we've checked as a city and we've checked with the private utilities as well and there's no longer any need or interest in the utilities easement. So, um, we've concluded that the easement is not required.
And so, as required by public law, a public hearing is to is required to take action on this for, uh, for the relinquishment. And so, that's what's before you today. And again, we recommend approval of the relinquishment of the easement.
Happy to address any questions. Okay, thank you. Are there any questions from the council? Okay, seeing none, then I'd like to open this up for public uh uh comment. And I just want to remind our our audience that if you're coming up to to comment on this uh particular proposal, you must limit your comments to this particular proposal.
Uh public comment about other topics will be handled at our usual u uh public comment section after the regular meeting. Okay. So, do we have any >> We don't have any individuals signed up for to provide testimony tonight.
>> Okay. Okay. Any any discussion then? Yes. Council member Anderson. >> Thanks. Um over the weekend I went out and looked at this area and it's really not something usable for a through fair, especially with Bellingham High School having their sports field there.
So, um I often will look at things to see if it could be an alley or a road before we give something up, but um it's just not conducive for creating any kind of um motor or um pedestrian travel for a trail.
So, uh with that comment, I would uh move approval. >> Second. >> Okay. U uh before we vote, Mike, did you have something you wanted to say? One one thing I failed to mention is associated with the vacation of the ride ofway back in 1977.
There was a reservation that uh the city could acquire the right of way back and there's a covenant to that effect. We're recommending that that be um u we no longer need that as well. So that's embedded in the resolution.
Uh but I just wanted to point that out that we're asking that that covenant be done away with as well. >> Okay. Thank you. Any any further discussion? Okay, there's a motion to to approve. Um, Mr. Mariner, is this a first and second reading or is this final?
>> Um, this I don't think this involves uh just a resolution. So, uh it would just be one >> one >> vote. Okay. Thank you. >> It's an ordinance. >> This is an ordinance. We'll need a second. >> It is an ordinance.
Then it would be a first and second. first and second. >> I thought I thought that they had said there was a resolution. >> Okay. So, do we need to amend the motion to uh uh reflect that? >> No. Okay.
>> Okay. It's been moved and seconded to accept the staff uh recommendation. So, um all in favor, please say I. I. >> I. All opposed. Okay. Motion carries 6 with one excused. And now it's time to turn it over to the mayor's report.
Good evening members of council, members of the community that are here this evening and city staff. Uh I have two appointments this evening. The first is for council's information only and that is I will be appointing Katie Chandler to a first term on the Bellingham Watcom County Commission against domestic violence and it says for council's approval in my notes.
So do we have clarification on if that's information or approval? Okay, information only. Um the second one however is for council's approval and that is I'm seeking council's um approval for reappointing Ryan Van Stratton to a second term on the design review board.
>> Okay. >> Move approval. >> Second. >> Okay. It's been moved and seconded to accept Ryan Van Stratton for a second term on the design review board. Any discussion? Seeing none. All in favor, please say I.
>> I. >> All opposed. Motion carries six of I'm sorry, 6 with one excused. >> Thank you. Next, I wanted to speak tonight about our considerable conversation from earlier today about the budget. Responsible stewardship of city's financial resources are among the most important responsibility the mayor and the city council have in our respective elected positions.
I presented my 2026 proposed budget to council during the committee of the whole this afternoon and I urge community members to watch the video of that presentation when it is posted tomorrow afternoon.
Tonight, I'm going to use my mayor's report to relay a few important highlights. Earlier this year, we forecasted a $10 million budget shortfall in the city's general fund for 2026. To close this gap, we had to make difficult choices to balance the budget.
This includes reducing staffing costs by eliminating over 40 positions, most of which are currently vacant and frozen positions. It proposes cutting services or rather funding them through other dedicated resources when appropriate.
It also seeks for increasing our local sales tax by 0.1% to fund safety services. I'd like to share more detail about the proposed public safety sales tax increase. Council will discuss this proposal in more detail at its next meeting in October.
State legislators last session were aware of the financial difficulties that local governments statewide are facing. They gave us just one tool for local action and the 0.1% public safety sales tax increase is that one tool.
If enacted, we must spend it as the state legislature directs for public safety needs. In Bellingham, we need it to sustain our existing levels of comprehensive safety services. This 0.1% sales tax adds about $1 to the cost of a new cell phone and about $15 to the cost of a used car.
It will, however, in total add nearly $4 million in revenue for the city in 2026 to fund existing public safety. s. It does not fund new staff nor new programs. It will fund current public safety services that our community has requested and appreciates, such as our downtown bike cops, nearly half a million dollars annually to support the Grace Alternative Response Program, support for our public defenders, support for our domestic violence services, along with resources for a portion of our newly launched community court and the officers dedicated to the regional drug drug task force to help address the fentinal crisis.
These are some of the many ways the general fund has expanded to broadly support safety in Bellingham. If the sales tax increase is not enacted by council, another $4 million in programs and services along with the jobs that support them will need to be eliminated.
It will mean deep cuts to the essential safety and other city-wide services that we all depend upon. At its core, a budget is a values document, a reflection of the city's legal requirements, community priorities, and the core services that we provide.
Like other municipalities throughout the state, we are coming to terms with years of increased demand for government services, increasing costs to deliver those essential services, and flat or declining revenues.
My leadership team's work to craft a balanced budget represents dozens of hours of work, and it is the outcome of a collaborative approach and our shared thinking about what is best for Bellingham. At this time, we worked incredibly hard to bring forward a 26 budget that is both responsive and responsible, and it puts us on a path towards greater sustainability and fills an estimated $10 million general fund shortfall.
We have and we will continue to work with labor leaders and all employees. We will work closely alongside the city council, key city partners, and our broader community. We have introduced new tools this year to help people understand our budgeting challenges and the strategies that we are proposing to address them.
Our budget web page at co.org/budget org/budget includes new information, including the full proposed budget and a one-page summary of key points along with a video intended to increase community understanding of city budget requirements.
I'd like to share the video here tonight. This video speaks to why even when our general fund has challenges, important city work from our dedicated funds enables other big projects to be moving forward.
It also speaks to the requirement that we produced balanced budgets unlike the federal government. We hope that you can find this informative and that it underscores our commitment to transparency and community engagements.
Ever wonder where your local tax dollars go and why money for roads can't be used for parks? Let's break it down. Bellingham's budget is split into more than 50 funds, most legally tied to a specific purpose.
For example, utilities funds are paid for by utility fees that support drinking water, sewer, and storm water. The parking services fund uses parking meter payments and fines to support parking infrastructure and a vibrant downtown area.
The greenways and affordable housing funds are voterapproved levies for parks and housing. Each dedicated fund has its own funding source and strict spending rules, so one fund can't borrow from another.
But projects paid for by a dedicated fund with a healthy balance can still go forward. Even if other funds have lean budget years. Unlike dedicated funds, the general fund is the only one that has flexibility to support everything the city does.
It pays for most of the people who provide services you use every day. From library workers to firefighters and everything in between. In fact, nearly 70% of the general fund goes to staffing. How is the general fund funded?
It comes from five nearly equal sources. Property tax, sales tax, business and occupation tax, utility tax, fees, and other sources. Here's the challenge. Tax dollars don't go as far as they used to. Costs keep rising, but the city's revenue doesn't always keep pace.
One reason is that Washington state law limits how much cities can raise property taxes, even if their expenses grow faster than that limit. Another reason is that economic ups and downs affect how much the city earns from sales tax or how much we pay for goods and services.
Through it all, we have to be ready to smooth over temporary dips in revenue or sustain unexpected events. That's why we keep some funding in reserves to help us bridge short-term gaps. Ultimately, we're required to keep a balanced budget.
Unlike the federal government, we can't keep spending more than we bring in. We take our responsibility to manage your tax dollars seriously. So, in lean years, we may reduce our levels of service to control spending.
And in better years, we maintain or even expand city services to focus on doing more of the work that is uniquely ours to do. Want to dive deeper? Learn more about Bellingham's budget structure, financial policies, and fund breakdowns at co.org/budget.
>> And that video concludes marriage report tonight. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. Okay, next on our agenda is our um afternoon committee meetings and the first one being public works and natural resources chaired by council member Stone.
>> Thank you very much. So this afternoon I was joined on the public works and natural resources committee by council members Anderson and Cotton. We had one item before us this afternoon and that was agenda bill 24670.
So this agenda item is regarding authorization of an application to the state project review committee to use general contractor construction manager known as GCCM delivery method for the postpoint emission control upgrades and to retain Michael um Lucas um Michael Luluakis to provide legal services for the project.
So, the postpoint emission control upgrades project is expected to benefit from the use of a collaborative delivery method for design and future construction phases. The city has successfully applied for the Washington State Project Review Committee for approval to utilize the GCCM delivery method for two previous capital projects at Post Point.
Staff provided this afternoon information about collaborative delivery options and the process for selecting GCCM for this project. So staff is recommending that the council authorize the application to the PRC to use the GCCM project delivery method for the project and to retain Michael Ulakis to provide legal services for the project.
So this afternoon we were joined by Mike Olinger who's the deputy director for public works as well as Matt Stamps from the city attorney's office and Steve Day who's the plants engineer. Um Steve provided the presentation this afternoon.
If there are individuals who um have questions or want more information about this project that um recording is certainly available online through the meetings website um for the council. This afternoon there was consideration of the motion brought to council.
So this motion specifically was just regarding authorization to apply for potential use of the GCCM delivery um for this particular project, but it would be several months before we have a decision. Um and so awaiting that decision, there certainly would be opportunities for additional public engagement andor questions from um from council.
But at this time this afternoon, there was unanimous recommendation from the committee to approve the authorization to apply and to retain Michael Luluakis for the project. And I so move. >> Second. >> Okay.
It it has been moved and seconded to to to approve the recommendation. Council member Lilliloquist, do you have something to say? >> Yeah, I don't serve in the committee, so I didn't have a chance to to weigh in on on the discussion.
Um Hannah already touched on one of those points, which is that taking this step forward um doesn't close off discussion, and that's important to me because we've received several letters from um some pretty well-informed community members expressing a variety of concerns, some of which I I think I I can I'm comfortable with, others I think are still open questions.
Um I think it's a matter of of public process and engagement. My understanding administration has indicated that they actually have reached out to some of these people and will continue those conversations.
One of the rhetorical questions that was asked this afternoon is if there was more compelling information that had come forward um what what would that compelling information look like? So I wrote down six things that would be compelling information uh that the current solution is not a complete solution.
In other words, there's concern that the pollution levels might be still too high. But then again, they might not be still too high. they may be adequately controlled with a new pollutions control mechanisms.
Uh compelling information could be the current solution has risks such as unsustainability that the incinerators won't actually be able to be fixed that they will actually fail on us. That's a legitimate concern and that would be compelling but then again there's other evidence that maybe we can fix them and that concern is not there.
Other compelling information might be that the solution takes too long to implement and it does 2020 2031 it's going to be up and operational and so that's not ideal. Um is there anything that could happen sooner?
Um compelling information might also be that the alternative solutions are better or more viable. We've heard information that one of those proposals probably is not viable because it actually runs counter to state law.
So that's compelling information. Is there a viable alternative? And if it's not viable, it's no longer compelling. Is the alternative to solution cheaper? We've seen a lot of guesses and estimates when you run it over the next 8 10 years.
The alternative doesn't seem that much cheaper and that doesn't take into account a lot of upfront expenses which may or may not be used in the future. Some of those things like dewatering and drying could be useful in the future.
I don't know. That's an open question. These are the sort of things that I'd like to myself understand. the alternatives might be easier and quicker to achieve. Again, I have some skepticism about that if it's compelling evidence that it is, but I'm seeing that getting uh the alternatives up and running is actually itself a multi-year procedure fraught with uncertainty.
So, the question was rhetorically what is compelling information? Those are the issues that are brought forward. Those are the ones I want to satisfy myself on. I'm glad that we have time. I'm glad the administration wants to get involved in those discussions.
I personally would like to, but I'm not on the committee. If there's room to include me, I'd be happy to participate. >> Council member Stone, >> just a followup briefly. Um, so this item in the application moving forward, so there is an o I believe it's the October 15th um deadline for submission of the application.
So wanting to make sure that we're able to move forward with the application um in a timely fashion so that that can be a consideration for um an option moving forward with the project. Also just wanting to highlight the, you know, notice of violation that have been issued for postpoint and the requirement that the city come into compliance with um the triple L, I mean the quad L um requirements.
And so obviously with the you know information that the mayor shared this afternoon from the department of ecology and certain proposals that as council member Liilquist noted contradict state law. at this time this is the proposal that you know best meets the city's needs and will address our you know legal requirements um as well.
So certainly with you know all work there um are future decisions along the continuum um that will be made but at this point it's to undertake the application and undertaking the um basis of design which will carry us through into the this early you know first quarter um and beginning of second quarter of next year 2026.
So um there's not immediate action being taken but this is a a key first step um to move this project forward. Thank you. >> Okay, Council Member Anderson. >> So, um, we had a long discussion including kind of information of how we got to this point where we're going to be potentially spending a sizable amount of money.
Um, basically addressing some issues with air quality, which is needed. Um, so you could watch the day session to kind of get a little bit of background of how we got to where we are today. We stopped a rather large project.
um where probably 101 15 years was invested to get to that point and we kind of stopped it in the 11th hour because it really wasn't the right fit. Um new technology and information comes forward. I'm supporting this today because I am um we received communication from uh various stakeholders and uh representatives within the community who would like to have a discussion.
Um but we have a deadline. uh if we don't meet that deadline then we can't consider whether or not this this type of contract process would be viable. So we need to meet that deadline which is coming in a week and a half.
It does not mean that ultimately there's not offramps available. So this is and we don't even know if uh the PRC will approve this type of um contract process that we're going through. So, we're just going to find out can we and then the next steps.
But in the meantime, we'll be able to have those stakeholder conversations and see if there's any new information that hasn't been shared um or expressed over the last I think we've been working on post post point for the last three years.
So, um, and it's not a motion, but I would, even though, uh, Council Member Liiloquist is not on the committee, I would be perfectly happy, um, for him to be able to attend that meeting because he is a bit of our resident scientist.
Um, I'm at a 50% capacity. I think he's probably about a capacity. actually probably 82% but um anyway unless council member Stone or another committee member is available to be part of those conversations it'd be nice to have a council member available to be able to report back some of the information and share it.
So anyway um I do support this because it's just one step but it's not the the final step to this. >> Okay, any more discussion? It's been moved and seconded to to to approve this. Okay. All in favor say I.
>> I. >> All opposed. Motion carries. 6 with one one member excused. >> That was the end of committee. So I'll send it back to you, President Prom. >> Okay. Thank you. Okay. The next uh committee we had was uh uh community and economic development which was chaired by council member Cotton.
>> Thank you, President Prom. Um uh so I'm joined on that community and economic development committee by um council members uh Dan Hamill and Skip Williams, although everyone is present and participated.
Um so we had one agenda item today that was an interlocal agreement with Wakom County for the severe weather shelter. Um and the city and county um proposed an interlocal agreement to support operations uh for the 2025 2026 severe weather shelter.
Um the shelter will again be operated by Wakom County um after the county received um no applications from outside providers in response to a request for proposals. And the shelter is approximately um be approximately 60 beds with surge capacity as approved approved by local officials and um will once again serve as a life-saving intervention during extreme weather conditions.
Um and uh the fiscal impact is um up to $100,000. Um although the um county comes in for the first 350. Um and so I encourage anyone to listen to that um uh recording when it's available tomorrow. And um with that, oh yeah, we had a motion.
Um uh there was a unanimous recommendation to authorize the mayor to execute the interlocal agreement with Wakom County for severe weather shelter and I moved. >> Second. >> Okay. It's been moved and seconded to approve this.
Um, any further discussion? Anyone? Council member Stone. I was just going to note um what Council Member Cotton was alluding to. So, the first $450,000 will be covered by the county with respect to expenses.
And if the expenses dur during the season um since this is a severe weather shelter, so it's not open the entire season, but is opened when the temperature drops below 32 degrees. Um and so if the season demands it and there's um need that exceeds that $450,000 that after that point then costs are evenly split between the city and county.
Um and the city is committed to up to $100,000. >> Okay. Council member Liiloquist. >> Nope. I'm just >> Oh, you're just >> climbing along >> hand talking. >> Okay. I thought you were uh sign languaging or something.
Okay. Any any further discussion? Okay. Uh then all in favor, please say I. >> I. >> I. All opposed. Motion carries. 6 with one excused. >> Thank you, Council Member S, for that clarification. Um end of committee report.
>> Okay. And our next budget, our our next committee was budget and finance chaired by council member Anderson. >> Thank you. Um we had one item before us today and I was joined with uh Council Member uh Lilquist and Council Member Hamill.
Um bill number 24672, an ordinance amending the Bellingham Municipal Code Chapter 6.05 05 to adopt uniform general business license requirements as mandated by the state of Washington. In 2017, the Washington state legislator legislature adopted in gross bill 20005 codified in chapter 35.90 revised code of Washington RCW which requires cities who have a general business license requirement to work together through the association of Washington cities to adopt a model ordinance which contains among other provisions a uniform minimum licensing threshold under which a person would be relieved of the requirement to obtain a city's general business license AWC um has updated the minimum licensing threshold from 2,000 to $4,000 and a model ordinance which the city must adopt to be in effect January 1st, 2026 as required by the state law.
Um the motion was made and um approved by three council members um on committee um to approve uh this uh let's see is it an this ordinance and I so move >> second. >> Okay, it's been moved and seconded to uh to approve agenda item 24672.
Is there any further discussion? Okay, seeing none, all in favor, please say I. I. >> All opposed. Motion carries six zero with one excused. >> End of committee report. >> Okay. Thank you. Okay. The next uh committee was is what we call the committee of the whole and that's where we're all part of that uh committee.
We had um three items and on on our our agenda to uh uh today, two of which are very very similar. So I'm I'm going to start with the first one, agenda bill 24673, which was a resolution adopting the capital facilities plan.
Oh, by the way, this committee is chaired by the president. So um so the Bellingham uh plan, the city's comprehensive plan for growth will come before the city council for adoption in the coming months.
An important component of this plan is a series of implementation documents and uh two new plans will be proposed as part of this list. The first one is the capital facilities plan and and prior to considering the Bellingham plan as a whole, uh staff recommends that the council approve a resolution adopting this plan, the council facilities plan as a city document.
And this uh document outlines priorities for the 20-year planning period and has no direct fiscal impact. We got a very good presentation from Elizabeth Ericson who is one of our senior planners and I just want to emphasize how how this change is going to affect this item and the next one as well.
And that what it's going to do is here's our comprehensive plan which is a global policy document and then the other master plans will be embedded in the in the comprehensive plan by reference. So as the as the time frame goes forward um over a longer period of time that would be the comprehensive plan but then the other plans could be changed and amended as that time period goes forward.
And so rather than having to reconsider the whole comprehensive plan, these would be implementation documents rather than policy documents which will be referenced in the global plan. That's the general concept.
So, um, we we heard a very good presentation from Elizabeth Ericson and, um, for this item, the, uh, committee recommended recommended adoption of the general plan. And I so moved. >> Second. >> Uh, council member Lilliloquist.
Yeah, I really want to reiterate what council member um Skip Williams just said. Um there are 22 planning documents and if you want to know what the city's going to do and what we're going to spend money on our long range plans where millions of dollars go, there are 22 documents listed here and they're the ones you need to pay attention to.
They're the ones that have to deal with our stormwater plan, our consolidated plan for housing, the urban village plans, um the multimodal transportation plan, the ADA accessibility plan, uh the Bellingham libraries plan, the shoreline master plan.
These are the key documents for the city that the city council adopts. So, yes, the comp plan is the big one. It gets all the glory, but truthfully, if you're if you're a city watcher, I think you should look at that list, pick the ones that matter to you most, and pay attention to those documents.
Okay. Is there any further discussion? Anyone? Okay. Seeing none, then um it's been moved and seconded to adopt. So, all in favor, please say I. >> I. >> I. All opposed. Motion carries 6 with one excused.
>> The second agenda bill that we had is very very similar. It's just dealing with a different topic. So, I guess it's really not that similar, but conceptually it is. It's it's um it's an implementation plan for our multimodal transportation um implementation.
So, once again, the Bellingham comprehensive plan will be coming before us in the next couple of months. But one more important component that we uh discussed and dealt with today is the multimodal transportation plan.
And uh the what once again there's a policy plan and there's an implementation plan. And if you would like to uh see the information that was presented by Sydney Prusac, who is one of our city planners, you can look at the uh vis the video of the meeting tomorrow.
But anyway, it's basically just embedding this plan by reference in the in the comprehensive plan. After a thorough discussion, the committee voted to approve the passage of this resolution and I so move.
>> Second. >> Okay. Any further discussion? Michael, uh, Council Member Lilloquist. >> Uh, thank you. Uh, this is an unfortunately going to be a technical question. Um, this afternoon, uh, Council Cotton expressed concerns about her mode shift goal and I suggested don't worry, we can probably address that in policies in the comp plan.
However, look at those policies and none those are more like methods and how to achieve mode shift rather than setting targets for mode shift. So the mode shift targets are only in this satellite document.
Amending this satellite document once it is part of the comp plan I believe requires a type six process which is long. However, at the moment it is not yet part of the comprehensive plan. It won't be for a couple months.
Right? So at the moment it's we can amend it without going through a very long procedure. Is this correct? Is this the moment that council member Cotton might actually have us entertain some language with regard to the mode shift goals?
Because I fear that the moment will pass and I let him I told him maybe there's a moment later but now I think there isn't a moment later. >> Well, I'm I'm not sure that I would agree that all the plans that are adopted reference by reference require type six processed update.
I can think of a number of plans that um that's not the case. So I'm I'm I'm not sure that I >> So all that matters in this case is this one issue of mode shift goals. Do you think that if if we can address it later then then this is a non-issue and we can vote.
>> I think it can be addressed later. just just to maybe clarify for myself. Um the the information I got was that all of these plans, these different implementation plans could have a totally different um modification requirement.
Some would be type six, some may not be that way. But the purpose of what we were talking about was more along the lines of whatever the process is for each of these implementation plans. Once they are changed, they're referenced in the comp plan by reference.
And I think that that was the meaning. >> Yeah. But I would I would also say that whatever the process was to approve the plan the first time, if you're going to amend it, that's the same process. It's not always a type six process.
>> Yeah. But it's only those are only referenced in the comprehensive deal >> by reference. So nothing's really going to change in those uh modification processes. Right. >> That's correct. Uh uh, Mayor London.
>> So, examples of plans that are adopted by reference that do not include a type six process would be our um bike and ped master plans. So, we would likely treat this the same way if that gives more clarity about where we're at.
>> I didn't I didn't want to steer Council Cotton wrong and and lose his chance. >> I appreciate that clarity. Thanks, guys. >> Okay. Uh, Council Member Stone. So I just have a question I guess for council member Cotton about clarification because hearing how council member Liiloquist interpreted it from this afternoon's discussion what I heard you say was that there were aspects of the 2016 comprehensive plan that are now no longer potentially in the new Bellingham plan proposal because they live in the multimodal plan which will be identified by reference.
Um, but you are seeking to elevate some of that information from the multimotal plan back into the Bellingham plan, right? Okay. And so that would be a discussion when we're reviewing the whole plan, but that would live outside of this multimodal plan.
Okay. I just want to make sure. >> Seeing no further discussion, I will call for the question. So all in favor please say I. >> I. >> All opposed. Motion carries 6 with one excused. Okay. Our last item which was agenda bill 24678 which was the introduction of the 2026 proposed budget.
Uh the mayor and the administrative staff presented us with a very very deep presentation on the 2026 proposed city budget. It proposes an operating budget of uh $388.2 million which in includes a general fund budget of 128.6 6 million and a capital budget of $154.8 million.
Now, one of the uh statements that really resonated with me was that this budget proposal was built on three foundational principles. One was ensuring the city's financial sustainability. Second was was focusing on the work, the work that only the city can do.
And the third, which I think you've heard in the mayor's presentation earlier this evening, was being able to leverage our dedicated resources such as a voter approved levies and dedicated taxes that support our efforts relative to providing affordable housing.
our our streets and our multimodal investments. The total impact fiscally is $542,954,919. So uh this presentation was very very enlightening and um and it was for our in information because we're going to be processing this with the administration over the next few months to really clarify and refine this budget for final adoption.
We are working our way through this and our challenge all of our challenge is is of finding fiscal stability and that is going to be an ongoing challenge for years. However, our responsibility is building a budget that truly reflects our community's values and delivers the important work that only we can do now.
and into the future. And so if any of you in the audience would like more information, you can uh go to uh uh co.org backbudget to really look at the budget numbers. And you can also view our afternoon meeting today on the uh on the uh website.
So that was just for information and there was no further action taken by the council on it other than we're going to proceed with some budget work sessions over the coming weeks to get to a final budget by the end of the year.
So that being said, that is was the end of our meetings except for old and new business. And I think council member Hamill had an announcement made in old and new. >> Oh, I just want to um just for the um audience and the folks are watching at home, I just wanted to thank uh um Bellingham Fire Department.
I went out with them on Wednesday of last week uh to fire station one and just had really um positive experience as always with our first responders. And one of the um the people that I talked to was actually someone was very new to the fire department and she just made a comment saying that um she felt really confident about the people that she worked with because they um without any kind of hesitancy would always run towards a problem and never away from it.
And that was kind of universal. I've just experienced that over the years with um with both fire, police, public works, um all of our departments, library, um etc. So, I just really um kind of just like took that little nugget of wisdom home with me and I think that that's um how you know given all the things that we just discussed in terms of the budget challenges that are happening that we face an obligation to um to respond to any any problem um that's facing Bellingham.
So, >> thanks. >> Is there any other old and new? Council member Liiloquist. >> Yeah. So, as a report out of the community, if you don't mind, I'm going to report out actually for two other council members who were also at an event with me.
So, Skip and Dan also attended the All Hand Wascam Summit last week uh put on by Chuck and Health Foundation. I think it's the third year in a row. I just wanted the the community to uh realize that uh nonprofits, government agencies across the way are still dealing very seriously with what it means for a community as a whole to respond to the the opioid crisis and in addiction in general.
I had about a dozen takeaways. I'm going to mention a couple of them. Um one, opioid uh overdoses in Watcom County are down. That's good news. However, there's still several overdose deaths each month.
services and vouchers and case management are good and vital, but one of the things that was really made clear is the antidote to addiction is really human connection and belonging. That that's really what it takes if you've ever been with someone overcoming addiction.
Uh all those other things are important, but what really needs to happen is that connection and belonging. Um health care in the jail often takes the form of medication, which is quite different from wellness.
And so jails really aren't an ideal place to get well. and that there are two critical points in the system at the same point in the system that are prone to bake breakdown and and without them you have the cycle of jail release and jail and that has to do with broadly speaking is my notes re-entry support and what's described as a warm handoff to services so you don't just release someone into a worse situation in particular finding housing transitional housing supportive housing sober housing for someone who's dealing with addiction and a reminder that 70% of the jail inmates here in Watcom County are grappling with a substance use or an addiction issue.
Those are some of the takeaways that I took from that conference. >> Thank you. I just want to acknowledge that council member Cotton was there. >> There you were. >> There as well. What I came out of that with e even going to the first session a couple of years ago was that um we can always look at the the effect of all of the fentanyl crisis and all of that and if we look at it from a point of view of it it's affecting us but we have no understanding of how it's affecting the rest of our um colleagues and and neighbors in other cities and other towns here in Watcom County and beyond and that we must take a systematic approach to dealing with this.
I've had those issues with within my family and um and there are gaps in service that we should all well not we should all be aware of but but our our governance should be cognizant of what those gaps are and be able to say we can provide this or we can provide that and here's a gap that we don't have and how do we fix that?
I I want to commend C council member Hamill for being able to get the D the Dwallik project going and getting it up here which filled a gap that we didn't have which is bringing treatment programs to the people that need them as opposed to trying to get the people to go to the program.
That is a big step that could lead to growth by either it could affect the way that the lummy nation handles it. It could affect it. It could just grow into something that provides very good treatment options.
And um so I come out of those with a good uh feeling that people are listening and walking out of that room with a greater understanding and I think that is a very very positive thing. So any any further discussion about this anyone?
Uh, council member Stone, >> I just had another item, brief item for old and new and was just requesting from council is whether um I could work with Iris KN and David Braun in our office just to try and pull together maybe a a one pager.
So, members of the community have reached out to me recently about um either they've been in this area for a long time or maybe new to the area, but as we've seen sort of the um the different right approaches to rights and protections for members of our community who may be most vulnerable, thinking about members of the immigrant community as well as um LGBTQ plus community um and others.
But the the outreach that I've received is just feeling like there are concerns about what your sort of rights and protections are here locally and knowing that we have passed, you know, multiple ordinances and resolutions.
Um, and the request was, is there any way to come up with something that's sort of more user friendly, like a onepage document that sort of summarizes, you know, what are the um the laws here in Bellingham and how you access, you know, resources or city services.
Um, and it was just a and I don't know what that would, you know, look like. And so I'm wanting to take on that work and just wanting to, I guess, a nod from council of whether or not that's something that I could explore with council staff initially just to, you know, take on that work and see what it looks like and then obviously needing to follow up with um, you know, the mayor's office and administration going forward.
But I don't want to make a request. I know everyone's um yeah workload is is full, but I thought that could be something that would be a great resource to to members of the community. >> Marilyn >> uh administration shares that opinion and we've actually been um we've reached out to and have been working with um the public rights project and so I would like to bring you into that conversation and um bring you along with where that's at.
>> Great. >> Yeah. Well, I was thinking about in reflection, there'll be report outs from um the executive session as well, but um just thinking about how we can make that more tangible. So, I appreciate that update.
>> Okay. Any other uh items for old and new? Michael uh Council Member Lillquiz. >> Thank you. Um you reminded me. Yeah, I'm I'm hoping to borrow a little bit of our policy analyst time as well for a project.
As you may recall back in February, March, um I flagged the issue of um algorithmic price fixing for rentals, there's been federal lawsuits about how that's anti-competitive and harmful to consumers. State law contemplated a change.
It didn't pass. Um the issue is still live and I note that King County just passed a version of the law which is very similar to the one that was contemplated by state law. If it's not a problem, I'd like to have um our policy analyst do a little work into what kind of background research King County did to implement that at a local governmental level as opposed to a state level and maybe bring that forward.
Hopefully, there might be something good there in the future to protect our community. But I need some maybe some some of our policy analyst time to do that work. Shouldn't be a big project. >> Well, I don't see why that would be a problem.
So, >> so thank you. >> Anyone else? Okay. Then we went a after after the meeting, we went into executive session to deal with five items. And I'm I'm going to review them with you right now. Item number one was a potential property acquis acquisition with stamps and the staff provided information on a potential Lake Watcom watershed property acquisition.
This was just for information and discussion and no action was uh taken uh by the council. Item number two, similar uh pro a another potential property acquisition. Staff provided information on a potential Lake Watcom watershed property acquisition.
Once again, it was for information and discussion and no action was uh taken. The third one, I'm beginning to sound like a parrot. stamps also uh provided another uh the more in information about a third uh potential Lake Watcom property acquisition which was for information and discussion.
So no action was uh taken by the council. The fourth item was a potential litigation from uh chaplain and staff provided information on a potential litigation matter. The action entertain a motion authorizing the mayor to retain outside counsel to represent the city in litigation challenging FEMA grant conditions.
>> Move approval. Second. >> Okay. It's been moved and seconded to approve that motion. Uh, any further discussion? See, uh, Council Member Liiloquist, >> it may help the public understand that these new FEMA conditions are being imposed by the Trump administration and our concern is that they're harmful to public health and that'll be the basis for our involvement in the lawsuit.
>> Okay. Any further discussion? Okay, seeing none, all in favor of the motion, please say I. >> I. I. >> All opposed. Motion carries 6 with one excused. And our our last item was a a potential litigation.
staff provided information on a potential litigation matter and I will entertain a motion authorizing the mayor to sign on to an amicus brief in in Planned Parenthood versus RFK Jr. So move >> second.
>> Okay. Any further discussion? >> Yes. >> My comments on the last one were actually comments on this one. My mistake. >> Well, they're they're both kind of relative anyway. Okay. So, so then seeing no further discussion, all in favor, please say I.
>> I. All opposed. Motion carries 6 with one excused. And that uh we are moving to the consent agenda. >> Move to approve. >> Second. >> It's been moved and it's been moved and seconded to approve the consent agenda.
>> Okay. All in all in favor please say I. >> I. >> All opposed. Motion carries 6 with one ex excused. I believe that concludes our meeting. >> So, yes, council member Stone. >> So, I was just going to make note because in the packet the changes to final consideration of ordinances.
Um, and so we don't have any final consideration of ordinances this evening. Um there had been an ordinance relating to the vacation of Remlin Drive between Wuburn Street and Barkley Boulevard, but that's been pulled and delayed until um the property owner.
So Talbot dedicates new rights of way in that area. But also um wanting to note, I know we've received a lot of feedback regarding the um public safety tax. Just wanting to make sure the public knew that that item is not being voted on this evening.
Um, and that that will be brought up at our next meeting on October 6th. >> Okay. Anything else from anyone? Okay, then that concludes our meeting. >> Public comment. >> We've got public comment. >> I know, but the meeting's over.
So now we will move to the public uh comment period and if you are if you are watching on live online or on BTV the broadcast will now end. However the public can continue watching via Zoom at co.orgccoom org/cczoom or listen via phone by dialing 253-2158782 and entering meeting ID 896-98012044 and password number nine once again that's co.orgccoom org/cczoom or dial 25322158782 and enter meeting ID 896-9812044 and password number nine.