City Council - Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity Committee
City Council - Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity Committee
Mon, September 14, 2026
Agenda items
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Discussion summary
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Meeting summaryAI-generated
City Council – Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity Committee — September 14, 2026
This committee meeting was chaired by Council Member Dan Hammill, joined by committee members Hollie Huthman and Skip Williams. Three items were taken up: a proposed kratom ban, a vehicle impoundment code update, and a presentation on the city's equity and belonging work plan.
Kratom Prohibition Ordinance
The committee considered an ordinance that would ban the preparation, distribution, and sale of kratom and related products — including synthetic derivatives — within Bellingham city limits. Mayor Kim Lund and Interim City Attorney James Herb presented the measure on behalf of the administration.
Kratom products are currently sold openly at local gas stations, convenience stores, and smoke shops in forms including capsules, powders, gummies, drink shots, and flavored products — some with packaging that could appeal to young people. Federal health agencies have linked kratom use to substance use disorder, seizures, and liver toxicity, and certain synthetic derivatives act as potent opioids. A handful of synthetic alkaloids were recently listed as Schedule I substances by the DEA on an emergency two-year basis, but Herb explained that listing alone is essentially unenforceable: there is no reliable field test to detect these compounds, no labeling requirements on packaging, and no regulatory infrastructure requiring manufacturers to disclose their contents.
That enforceability gap was central to the council's discussion. Some council members asked why Bellingham was pursuing a total ban rather than a threshold-based approach — similar to what Whatcom County is reportedly considering, which would ban synthetic kratom but allow natural leaf. Herb explained that without a way to test products in the field, a threshold-based rule would be impossible to enforce and was therefore rejected in favor of a complete prohibition.
Council Member Lisa Anderson clarified an important point for the public: the ordinance bans sale and distribution, not possession. Residents who currently order kratom leaf online for personal use — including some who wrote to the council citing use for arthritis or pain management — would not face criminal penalties under this ordinance. The city simply would not allow the products to be sold locally.
The ordinance is written as a gross misdemeanor rather than a civil infraction, a deliberate policy choice to signal the seriousness of the issue and maximize deterrent effect. Herb noted the council could change this, but no member moved to do so. Chief Mertzig (referenced, not directly quoted) indicated enforcement would begin with education rather than immediate arrests. The ordinance would take effect 15 days after third and final reading, giving retailers time to remove inventory.
Council Member Hammill provided background on the issue's history: community member Summer Salazar raised the alarm at public comment in April, leading him and Council Member Jace Cotton to begin researching a local ordinance. State legislation (HB 2291) that would have addressed kratom statewide failed in Olympia. The city briefly paused its work when the DEA announced emergency scheduling in July, but resumed after Mount Vernon passed a similar local ban. Mayor Lund noted she personally saw kratom marketing materials — a mood-state chart promoting different product varieties — picked up by her 20-year-old son at a gas station, illustrating how accessible and normalized the products have become.
Council Member Michael Lilliquist noted that while the DEA scheduling is a welcome first step, the absence of a full regulatory apparatus (lab audits, mandatory labeling, manufacturer oversight) is concerning. The administration indicated they would support adding state-level kratom regulation to the city's lobbying agenda, but said a comprehensive regulatory scheme is beyond municipal capacity.
Vote: Council Member Williams moved to recommend approval; Council Member Huthman seconded. Motion carried 3–0.
Vehicle Impoundment Code Amendments
Staff attorneys Kieran Phillips and Matt Stamps presented an ordinance making three changes to the city's vehicle impoundment code:
1. Transfer of jurisdiction: Impound hearings will move from the Hearing Examiner to Bellingham Municipal Court. The Hearing Examiner herself recommended this change in her 2024 annual report, citing the volume of hearings and the municipal court's broader equitable powers to reach just outcomes.
2. Principal residence protections: In response to the Washington State Supreme Court's *Seattle v. Long* decision, which extended homestead exemption protections to people living in their vehicles, the ordinance creates a structured process for vehicle residents to request an expedited hearing to recover their vehicle from impound without paying upfront. The city would pay towing and storage costs, then hold a judgment against the vehicle owner — collectible later if the city chooses.
3. Administrative cleanup: An obsolete fee that towing operators were supposed to collect and forward to the city — but rarely did — is repealed. In its place, the ordinance codifies existing city procedures for disposing of unclaimed junk vehicles after 15 days (auction or scrap).
No substantive concerns were raised. Council Member Lilliquist asked about the *Seattle v. Long* case, and staff explained its homestead exemption implications clearly.
Vote: Council Member Huthman moved to recommend approval; Williams seconded. Motion carried 3–0.
Equity and Belonging Work Plan Presentation
Dvorah Benza, the city's Strategic Initiatives Manager for Equity and Belonging, presented a high-level overview of the city's 2026 work plan and priorities heading into 2027. This was an informational presentation; no vote was taken.
Benza opened by acknowledging that much of 2026's capacity was consumed by the intensifying effects of federal civil immigration enforcement activity, which required rapid community outreach, policy review, and cross-departmental coordination — including with the Bellingham Police Department, Whatcom 911, and the library.
Key highlights from the work plan included:
Keep Washington Working Act Work Group: Benza described this as the standout accomplishment of the year. The city convened a unique working group — believed to be one of the only such bodies in the state — that brought together community members, law enforcement, fire, and the mayor's office to examine in detail how Bellingham complies with the state's Keep Washington Working Act, which limits local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The group met nearly monthly, reviewed BPD policies, training materials, and Whatcom 911 data practices. BPD and Whatcom 911 have already begun implementing some recommendations, including improved federal contact data documentation and scenario-based training. Text-to-911 for greater language access is under consideration at Whatcom 911.
Language Access: A final draft language access plan is nearly complete. It will standardize existing practices across departments — interpreter access, translated materials, multilingual web content — and establish tiered service levels. Website accessibility upgrades (WCAG compliance) have already enabled new PDF translation tools and HTML form conversion for automatic translation. Staff are also evaluating the role of AI-assisted translation and how much human review is appropriate.
LGBTQ Protections Ordinance Implementation: Following last year's ordinance, staff are developing updated employee training on state gender-segregated facilities requirements and continuing community engagement with LGBTQ residents on implementation priorities. The city continues to support Pride and Youth Pride events.
Community Well-Being: The city participates in the Community Consortium for Cultural Recognition (a partnership with the county, school district, Western Washington University, and others) and has hosted events including a Martin Luther King Day observance and an Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month event. The upcoming Indigenous Peoples' Day event on October 12th at Lummi Nation School was highlighted; the public was invited to attend.
Council Member Huthman asked about the status of the rainbow crosswalk on Cornwall Avenue. Benza said it remains a work in progress: Public Works has plans to eventually repave Cornwall, and the city is considering whether a more durable and representative public art installation might replace or succeed the current crosswalk. An update will be brought to council as plans develop.
Multiple council members and Mayor Lund praised the breadth of Dvorah Benza's work and her integration across city departments — noting her role in surfacing equity questions early in processes like the city's evaluation of Flock camera technology. Council members also took the opportunity to thank Deputy Administrator Janice Keller, who recently announced her retirement after 25 years with the city, for her long-standing role as a champion of equity in Bellingham.
Key Takeaways
Kratom is effectively banned in Bellingham. The committee unanimously recommended an ordinance prohibiting the sale and distribution of all kratom products — natural and synthetic — within city limits. Possession is not criminalized. The total ban was chosen because no field-testing mechanism exists to enforce a threshold-based approach.
Impound hearings move to municipal court, and unhoused vehicle residents gain a clearer legal pathway to recover their vehicles under Washington Supreme Court precedent, with the city absorbing upfront towing costs and entering a collectible judgment.
Federal immigration enforcement has significantly shaped 2026 equity work, with the Keep Washington Working Act work group emerging as a model for the state in how to examine and strengthen local compliance with the law.
A language access plan is nearly finalized and will standardize multilingual services across all city departments, supported by recent website and form accessibility upgrades.
Deputy Administrator Janice Keller's retirement was publicly acknowledged; she has been a central figure in the city's equity and belonging work for 25 years.
AI-generated summary from voice-to-text transcript. Not the official record. Verify important details with the source documents linked above.
What happened at this meeting
An ordinance regarding vehicle impoundment, amending Bellingham Municipal
# Vehicle Impoundment Ordinance Summary
Staff presented an ordinance amending Bellingham Municipal Code chapters 2.56 and 11.18 to address vehicle impoundment procedures, primarily transferring jurisdiction of impound hearings from the hearing examiner to municipal court—a recommendation made by the hearing examiner due to case volume and to provide greater equity powers for just outcomes. The ordinance codifies protections established by the Washington State Supreme Court case *Seattle v. Long*, which applies homestead exemptions to vehicles serving as principal residences, and creates a structured process allowing vehicle residents to request expedited hearings for vehicle release from impound lots. Additional changes include repealing an obsolete administrative fee rarely collected by towing operators and codifying the city's current procedures for disposing of unredeemed junk vehicles after 15 days in the impound lot. A committee member inquired how *Seattle v. Long* informed the ordinance, and staff explained that the case established vehicles cannot be executed on, attached, or held as collateral for debt—protections mirroring traditional homestead exemptions. The motion for approval carried unanimously.
Staff presented an ordinance amending Bellingham Municipal Code chapters 2.56 and 11.18 to address vehicle impoundment procedures, primarily transferring jurisdiction of impound hearings from the hearing examiner to municipal court—a recommendation made by the hearing examiner due to case volume and to provide greater equity powers for just outcomes. The ordinance codifies protections established by the Washington State Supreme Court case *Seattle v. Long*, which applies homestead exemptions to vehicles serving as principal residences, and creates a structured process allowing vehicle residents to request expedited hearings for vehicle release from impound lots. Additional changes include repealing an obsolete administrative fee rarely collected by towing operators and codifying the city's current procedures for disposing of unredeemed junk vehicles after 15 days in the impound lot. A committee member inquired how *Seattle v. Long* informed the ordinance, and staff explained that the case established vehicles cannot be executed on, attached, or held as collateral for debt—protections mirroring traditional homestead exemptions. The motion for approval carried unanimously.
A presentation on the City's equity and belonging workplan
# Summary: City's Equity and Belonging Workplan Presentation
Staff presented a comprehensive overview of the City's 2026-2027 equity and belonging workplan, led by Janice Keller from the mayor's office and D'Vorah Benza, strategic initiatives manager for equity and belonging, emphasizing that this work is a shared responsibility across multiple city departments. A significant portion of the year's focus shifted toward addressing increased federal civil immigration enforcement activity, requiring expanded community outreach and policy review, though D'Vorah acknowledged this shift may have limited progress in other workplan areas. Key initiatives highlighted include the 2025 welcoming city resolution, LGBTQ protections ordinance, language access planning (featuring tiered service levels and centralized interpreter resources), and the Keep Washington Working Act workgroup—a unique statewide model involving community members, law enforcement, and city leadership that has already prompted BPD and Whatcom 911 to implement recommendations. Staff also reported on cultural engagement efforts including MLK Day events, Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month, and Indigenous People's Day planning, with ongoing community engagement on implementation priorities. Council members praised the systemic approach and dedicated equity staff, emphasizing the work's importance for serving both the community and city employees.
Staff presented a comprehensive overview of the City's 2026-2027 equity and belonging workplan, led by Janice Keller from the mayor's office and D'Vorah Benza, strategic initiatives manager for equity and belonging, emphasizing that this work is a shared responsibility across multiple city departments. A significant portion of the year's focus shifted toward addressing increased federal civil immigration enforcement activity, requiring expanded community outreach and policy review, though D'Vorah acknowledged this shift may have limited progress in other workplan areas. Key initiatives highlighted include the 2025 welcoming city resolution, LGBTQ protections ordinance, language access planning (featuring tiered service levels and centralized interpreter resources), and the Keep Washington Working Act workgroup—a unique statewide model involving community members, law enforcement, and city leadership that has already prompted BPD and Whatcom 911 to implement recommendations. Staff also reported on cultural engagement efforts including MLK Day events, Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month, and Indigenous People's Day planning, with ongoing community engagement on implementation priorities. Council members praised the systemic approach and dedicated equity staff, emphasizing the work's importance for serving both the community and city employees.
An ordinance prohibiting the preparation, distribution, and sale of kratom products, adding a new section to chapter 10.08 of the Bellingham Municipal Code, and prescribing penalties
# Kratom Ordinance Summary
Mayor Kim Lum Lond and interim city attorney James Herb presented an ordinance prohibiting the preparation, distribution, and sale of kratom products within city limits, citing health risks including substance use disorder, seizures, and liver toxicity, particularly concerning products marketed to youth at convenience stores and smoke shops. Staff recommended a complete ban rather than the county's proposed threshold approach because law enforcement cannot effectively test kratom in the field to distinguish natural leaf from more potent synthetics, and no viable regulatory scheme exists for packaging. Council Member Huffman expressed concern about deceptive marketing tactics and supported the ordinance as a signal to state and federal officials that kratom requires regulation, while Council Members Anderson and Cotton raised questions about enforcement and federal scheduling that staff addressed by explaining the lack of enforceable testing schemes. The ordinance prohibits sale and distribution but not possession or purchasing, allowing individuals to continue use of products purchased online for medical purposes. Staff recommended designating violations as gross misdemeanors rather than civil infractions for deterrent effect, and the committee approved a 15-day effective date after final reading to allow retailers time to clear inventory and permit the Police Department, led by Chief Mertzig, to focus on education before enforcement; the motion carried unanimously.
Mayor Kim Lum Lond and interim city attorney James Herb presented an ordinance prohibiting the preparation, distribution, and sale of kratom products within city limits, citing health risks including substance use disorder, seizures, and liver toxicity, particularly concerning products marketed to youth at convenience stores and smoke shops. Staff recommended a complete ban rather than the county's proposed threshold approach because law enforcement cannot effectively test kratom in the field to distinguish natural leaf from more potent synthetics, and no viable regulatory scheme exists for packaging. Council Member Huffman expressed concern about deceptive marketing tactics and supported the ordinance as a signal to state and federal officials that kratom requires regulation, while Council Members Anderson and Cotton raised questions about enforcement and federal scheduling that staff addressed by explaining the lack of enforceable testing schemes. The ordinance prohibits sale and distribution but not possession or purchasing, allowing individuals to continue use of products purchased online for medical purposes. Staff recommended designating violations as gross misdemeanors rather than civil infractions for deterrent effect, and the committee approved a 15-day effective date after final reading to allow retailers time to clear inventory and permit the Police Department, led by Chief Mertzig, to focus on education before enforcement; the motion carried unanimously.
Agenda items (3)
Procedural (3)
25040ProceduralAn ordinance regarding vehicle impoundment, amending Bellingham Municipal
Changes are being proposed to how Bellingham handles vehicle impoundment procedures under city code.
What happened
# Vehicle Impoundment Ordinance SummaryStaff presented an ordinance amending Bellingham Municipal Code chapters 2.56 and 11.18 to address vehicle impoundment procedures, primarily transferring jurisdiction of impound hearings from the hearing examiner to municipal court—a recommendation made by the hearing examiner due to case volume and to provide greater equity powers for just outcomes. The ordinance codifies protections established by the Washington State Supreme Court case *Seattle v. Long*, which applies homestead exemptions to vehicles serving as principal residences, and creates a structured process allowing vehicle residents to request expedited hearings for vehicle release from impound lots. Additional changes include repealing an obsolete administrative fee rarely collected by towing operators and codifying the city's current procedures for disposing of unredeemed junk vehicles after 15 days in the impound lot. A committee member inquired how *Seattle v. Long* informed the ordinance, and staff explained that the case established vehicles cannot be executed on, attached, or held as collateral for debt—protections mirroring traditional homestead exemptions. The motion for approval carried unanimously.
25041ProceduralA presentation on the City's equity and belonging workplan
City staff will present an overview of Bellingham's workplan for promoting equity and belonging in the community.
What happened
# Summary: City's Equity and Belonging Workplan PresentationStaff presented a comprehensive overview of the City's 2026-2027 equity and belonging workplan, led by Janice Keller from the mayor's office and D'Vorah Benza, strategic initiatives manager for equity and belonging, emphasizing that this work is a shared responsibility across multiple city departments. A significant portion of the year's focus shifted toward addressing increased federal civil immigration enforcement activity, requiring expanded community outreach and policy review, though D'Vorah acknowledged this shift may have limited progress in other workplan areas. Key initiatives highlighted include the 2025 welcoming city resolution, LGBTQ protections ordinance, language access planning (featuring tiered service levels and centralized interpreter resources), and the Keep Washington Working Act workgroup—a unique statewide model involving community members, law enforcement, and city leadership that has already prompted BPD and Whatcom 911 to implement recommendations. Staff also reported on cultural engagement efforts including MLK Day events, Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month, and Indigenous People's Day planning, with ongoing community engagement on implementation priorities. Council members praised the systemic approach and dedicated equity staff, emphasizing the work's importance for serving both the community and city employees.
25055ProceduralAn ordinance prohibiting the preparation, distribution, and sale of kratom products, adding a new section to chapter 10.08 of the Bellingham Municipal Code, and prescribing penalties
The city is proposing to ban kratom products in Bellingham, making it illegal to make, sell, or distribute kratom. Violations would result in penalties under city law.
What happened
# Kratom Ordinance SummaryMayor Kim Lum Lond and interim city attorney James Herb presented an ordinance prohibiting the preparation, distribution, and sale of kratom products within city limits, citing health risks including substance use disorder, seizures, and liver toxicity, particularly concerning products marketed to youth at convenience stores and smoke shops. Staff recommended a complete ban rather than the county's proposed threshold approach because law enforcement cannot effectively test kratom in the field to distinguish natural leaf from more potent synthetics, and no viable regulatory scheme exists for packaging. Council Member Huffman expressed concern about deceptive marketing tactics and supported the ordinance as a signal to state and federal officials that kratom requires regulation, while Council Members Anderson and Cotton raised questions about enforcement and federal scheduling that staff addressed by explaining the lack of enforceable testing schemes. The ordinance prohibits sale and distribution but not possession or purchasing, allowing individuals to continue use of products purchased online for medical purposes. Staff recommended designating violations as gross misdemeanors rather than civil infractions for deterrent effect, and the committee approved a 15-day effective date after final reading to allow retailers time to clear inventory and permit the Police Department, led by Chief Mertzig, to focus on education before enforcement; the motion carried unanimously.
Additional votes recorded in minutes
Recommend approval of ordinance prohibiting preparation, distribution, and sale of kratom-related products
aye 3
Daniel 'Dan' Hammillaye
Edwin 'Skip' Williamsaye
Hollie Huthmanaye
Recommend approval of ordinance regarding vehicle impoundment amending BMC chapters 2.56 and 11.18
aye 3
Daniel 'Dan' Hammillaye
Edwin 'Skip' Williamsaye
Hollie Huthmanaye
Verbatim transcript available
174 transcript segments indexed
Good afternoon and welcome back to the Bellingham City Council committee meetings. We're going to start this afternoon with public health, safety, justice, and equity. That committee is chaired by Council Member Hamill.
So, I'm going to turn it over to him at this time. >> Thank you, Council President Stone. Uh this afternoon, I'm joined by uh committee members Huffman and Williams. We have three items before us this afternoon.
The first is an ordinance prohibiting the preparation, distribution, and sale of products, adding a new section to chapter 10.08 08 of the Bellingham municipal code and prescribing or describing u penalties.
Uh [clears throat] presented for the city council consideration is an ordinance prohibiting the preparation, distribution and sale of credin related related products including concentrated uh 70 within city limits.
These psychoactive products are readily available at convenience stores, smoke shops, and other retail establishments. sometimes in the form and flavors that may appeal to young people or without labeling that clearly communicates their potency and risks.
Federal health agencies have warned that use has been associated with substance use disorder, seizures, liver toxicity, and other serious adverse effects while concentrated 70 acts as a potent opioid and presents heightened risks of misuse and dependence.
The proposed ordinance is intended to reduce access to and use of these products and protect the health, safety, and welfare of the community. And we're joined here this afternoon by Mayor Kim Lum Lond and James Herb, our interim city attorney.
Welcome. >> Thank you, [clears throat] Council Member Hamill. Uh I think the summary statement uh definitely goes into the why behind uh this proposed ordinance for council's consideration. I would just add that the sale ofrredom and related products are available in our local convenience stores, our gas stations, smoke shops, and other retail establishments.
They are frequently sold as capsules, tablets, powders, drink mixes, shots, gummies, and other products. And this ordinance responds to the local availability [clears throat] uh that we currently are observing in the community and receiving comments both um written and oral about the impacts that uh these products are having on community members and families.
And it reflects that there's currently an absence of a comprehensive retail regulatory system that adequately addresses both product strength, labeling, placement, and youth access by prohibiting local sales and distribution.
The proposed ordinance is intended to reduce the easy access to minors and adults, prevent substance misuse and dependency, lower the risk of poisoning and accidental overdose, and protect the Bellingham community from longerterm health consequences.
This action is in alignment with other Washington cities and states like California and Massachusetts that have taken similar actions and together they reflect the growing concerns about the expanding retail availability of such psychoactive products that can be purchased without a prescription.
And so um we are here today to answer any specific questions about the ordinance and hear your thoughts. on the ordinance as proposed. >> Thanks, Mayor. Committee members, Council Member Williams. >> This is pretty straightforward.
Um and and my only question is in the background information on page 61 of the packet, it uh describes another substance called I don't even know how to even uh pronounce it. Tep tepnipine or what? And is this ordinance going to address that as well as as an as a as a substance?
>> Uh, thank you for the question. Uh, no, the ordinance as drafted does not address I'm going to try TN taneptine. >> Okay. >> I'm not sure if that's pronounced correctly, but yeah, neither of them. You know the ordinance is focused on uhratom itself and its derivative uh components the different alkyoids and the synthetics that are being um generated based on those alkaloids.
>> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Oh >> hi Iris not legislative policy analyst. Um just for the context of that that report was um sort of background information that was requested from council member Hamill >> about bothratom and other um products.
So that was the inclusion of that report um given that the timing of this happened when the research was requested at the same time that the administration was looking into um regulating. So >> there isn't um a lot known from my research of how prevalent TNept which I believe is the pronunciation is here.
Um uh it was just an addition to that in the in the report just the background information. >> Okay. Any other questions? >> Uh council member Hen. I'm curious I'm curious if uh in crafting this legislation, we've had input from the health department um or other professionals in the substance use dependency field um to help influence the language or the direction that that we're taking here.
Uh we have heard the county council has just had a briefing on this topic and is considering action. Right now we have indications that that action might include a threshold for naturalratom and a ban on the synthetic product.
Um but they have yet to um continue to evaluate if that's the direction they will ultimately go in or not. But I think that's where they may be um thinking of heading and um we're happy to talk more about why we see a complete ban of these products at this time as the best next step.
>> I'd be interested to hear that uh line of thinking as well. >> So would I >> uh sure I'll take that question. So there's no effective means of testing this these products which are available in leaf, pill, liquid, and other uh edible forms.
Uh there's just no way for uh law enforcement or code enforcement off or code enforcement officers to enter a retail establishment, pick an item off the shelf, and meaningfully test it in the field to determine whether or not it contains uh substances that exceed the limits that are found in the natural uh existing leaf.
Uh so rather than uh create uh a regulatory scheme that is completely uninforceable uh we thought it would be better just to ban all of the substances whatsoever uh so that you don't have that problem.
There's also not a very good uh regulatory scheme around uh packaging materials. So you know whether or not the substance that's being advertised for sale includes just the natural leaf or you know the more potent synthetics.
There's no way to know that by looking at the packaging. There's no way to test for it. Uh so that's why we thought a broad-based approach and ban was a more effective uh public health and safety measure.
>> Any further questions? >> Okay. >> Um well, [clears throat] absent that um and we are looking for a a motion here in a moment. I I wanted to provide some background and context to this. Um so this has been on the radar screen uh for me personally and another council member here who I'll mention in a moment.
Um so at the state level last year house bill 2291 and the companion bills senate bill would have provided these kinds of protections similar not exactly the same uh on create them and similar products that those bills did not pass.
They failed to make it through. However, [clears throat] I did um I was supportive of uh 42nd uh Rep. Joe Timman's leadership on House Bill 2532, which was the nitrous oxide ban, which did go through.
Uh these products in general are they're marketed very similar to if people of a certain age will recall Joe Camel, those [clears throat] products to market um tobacco products to to minor. The these are very similar in their packaging.
There's even one with a nitrous oxide uh product that is called Skittles Blast. So, it could be very confusing to to young adults or even to kids. So, was following that uh quite a bit uh over the last ledge uh SE session down in Olympia.
And then so flash forward to April of this year. um a concerned community member named um Summer Salazar, who's here today, um provided public comment uh in April and then in um on April 17th, council member Cotton and I met with um Miss Salazar and began looking into restricting the sale ofratom and similar products.
This included engaging our policy analyst Iris KN and doing our own research into how to proceed forward. On July 10th, our policy analyst communicated to us that the DEA would commence scheduling and similar products as schedule one as a schedule one narcotics starting in August of this year, so last month.
This [clears throat] effectively halted our research uh because we concluded that the federal scheduling would take precedence over local efforts. We still had questions about how enforcement would be conducted and how other drugs would be regulated.
Shortly after the Mount Vernon City Council passed an ordinance banning the sale ofratom and related products. Um I say all this to inform the public that at least two council members have been monitoring this issue for quite some time with an eye towards enacting an ordinance restricting the sale of these products.
Uh all that said, I support the mayor and her team. Thank you for bringing this forward. I think it's very timely and it uh to me it's uh a matter of protecting the public from unregulated uh drugs. open up any other questions.
Council member Anderson, >> thank you and thank you for bringing this forward. I think a lot of us uh have been contacted by the public. Um definitely been on the radar. I want to thank staff and other council members for um looking at this uh in their committee.
Um I want to make sure that uh not only I identify but the public is aware what this does and does not do. And um please correct me if I'm incorrect at anything with this statement. Um what this does do is ban the local sell and distribution of these products.
So the gas stations or shops so that because there's not age restrictions for purchasing the way it is marketed um youth will get a hold of it. And I have known youth who have um but to my knowledge this does not make uh possession illegal.
So we have received emails from individuals who buy leaf on through the internet and they have um basically shared that they use it for arthritis or other medical necessary means in lie of prescription drugs.
And at this point, this ordinance does not necessarily limit their ability for possession. I think there's concern that we're making it illegal in Bellingham to necessarily use it. We're just making it so that it can't be sold and distributed on the local level within the city of Bellingham.
So, I'm assuming this is a correct statement. Okay. I didn't want to reply to a couple of these emails and reply incorrectly. So, I just >> Yes, that's correct. >> Okay. Thank you. And I do support this.
Um, as I said, I I have known youth who um have obtained this at local stores and parents found out what they had because the kids really didn't know the severity of it. And I agree with the the blanket.
um aspect because we don't have the resources to go in and do the product testing. Um people have compared like well marijuana is legal but you're doing this. The difference is there's a lot of testing and there's oversight.
There's age limits and packaging requirements and so there's a lot of state law that goes into the ability and who gets to sell and what happens if they do it incorrectly much like alcohol. And right now this is just kind of the wild west of an unregulated drug that has really bad impacts.
So, um I fully support this. >> Thank you, Mayor. Um we to Council Member Anderson's point about um the unregulation piece, we would be in favor of adding this to our lobbying agenda if the state wanted to take this on um create those thresholds um a means for testing, for reliability, product control, and distribution similar to the way that we've done for marijuana in this state, then I think um we could add that to our agenda.
But I think it's beyond our municipality's ability to take that on. I would just also add personally um I saw a postcard that my 20-year-old son picked up at a gas station and it was a chart of mood states um that were achievable with different cratom products depending on the desired state.
It was a recommendation for a purple or a red or um so on and so forth. And so to the Joe Camel point that Council Member Hamill made, um there's a lot of access for people to think that this is um a harmless way to improve um their state of being and um no mention of potential consequences.
So um it's an interesting piece of marketing collateral to take a look at very timely to this proposed ordinance. >> Yeah. Thanks, Baron. Got two committee members with questions and I'll recognize uh council member Loquist after.
Um I saw council member Williams first. >> Oh just just going to make a mo motion to recommend approval. >> Thank you. Council member Huffman. >> Thank you. Um I'm I'm happy to support uh the motion. Uh, I think council member Anderson, you brought up a really good point that is important for the public to be aware of is that the it is just the um prohibition of selling preparing um the product and not possession or purchasing.
Um, I think it's also important to point out that we're fully aware that somebody could go outside the city limits and still purchase it. this isn't um this isn't going to affect anybody's ability to do that.
But I do I do think that um we can if nothing else be a uh a sign to our state electeds um potentially federal that this is something that we are concerned about and um concerned enough to take an action like this.
that um it does appear to be something that should probably be regulated and and currently isn't. Uh it seems that the government is is taking a bit to catch up um in order to to to be able to uh to warn people purchasing this that there are uh potential side effects or um possibility of injury or e even death from this substance.
Um, so I I would assume that perhaps if the state does pass legislation or there is legislation at a federal level that um we would adjust or would would that those actions supersede this ordinance? Um what what would happen in the future if there was action at a higher level of government?
>> That's a great question. It really depends on what action is taken and by what agency takes the action. For example, there were three bills pending in Olympia during the last legislative session. One of them would have preempted local regulation of Gradom and associated products.
The other one would have left local uh regulation possible. Uh so that it expressly stated that uh municipalities can go further than what the state was allowing. Um and then who knows what the federal government might might choose to do.
Uh so it really depends on what action is taken. Um, and then we'd have to evaluate that and determine whether or not it makes sense to make any changes to this ordinance or if the ordinance is preempted in its entirely, if it makes sense to repeal this ordinance at that time.
So, um, too early to speculate as to what may happen in the future. >> Reilist and then Cotton. Yeah, this is going to go along similar lines, but first I did speak to some people in the medical field and and they have no doubt this stuff is dangerous uh in high concentrations and used by people with no guidance.
Uh it can be it can be quite dangerous. And so that just leads me to believe that it really ought to be regulated by people who do this professionally, by the FDA or other health officials. And the fact is they apparently have not.
And so it's unregulated and available to people and it's causing harm. So I do feel we are compelled to act. But I do want to ask about what it means to someone explain to me what it means that it is apparently listed as a schedule one drug with no known medical use.
I thought that came with legal consequences and regulations. What does it mean that it's currently a schedule one and what does it not mean that it's only been listed as a schedule one and there is another regulations?
Do you remember earlier when I said that we didn't want to adopt a regulatory scheme that was uninforcable? That's what it means. So they listed a couple of the synthetic derivatives of cratom as schedule one drugs that cannot be tested for.
So, I mean, I I don't know how you enforce that um to say, "Well, these things are now listed as schedule one, but we don't have uh a regulatory scheme that requires processors or retailers to list on the packaging whether or not those schedule one now substances, which it's an emergency listing for two years only, uh whether those are included or not in the substance that's being sold.
Uh there's no way for us to meaningfully test for it. Uh and it's uh so it it just is an uninforcable regulatory scheme. It doesn't help us in any way, shape, or form to try to address this community health problem in our community.
>> Well, I understand it's uninforceable by us, but the federal government does regulate many things um that are testable in very specific concentrations. You can have 01% lidocaine in your hand cream, whatever.
There are ways to regulate these things. They require an entire government apparatus to oversee the manufacturers under regulatory scheme. Um it's I guess that's surprising that the they adopted the first step of regulation which is to list it but apparently they have none of the following steps which would allow them to go to a manufacturer and say hey you need to legally label this.
You need to test it. You need to follow these protocols. You need to have an auditable trail in your lab to show us it's the case. you need to label it appropriately. I mean, abs with all of that, um, yeah, that's kind of disappointing.
I at least they've taken one step. I'll I'll just look on the right side that they've taken one step. They have listed it preliminarily as a schedule one substance. >> Council member Cotton. Um, first of all, like thank you to the administration for the work on this and um and for the community members who've um been helping uh educate um all of us on these issues.
Um also great reporting the Cascadia Daily uh shout out as well. Um uh couple of questions. Um, one is, uh, what if, if a community member was to visit a gas station and see this being sold, what would, um, your advice to them be, um, in terms of, um, reporting that issue?
>> I would think they could call the Bellingham Police Department to report it. Great. >> Um, and uh can you also talk me through um the gross misdemeanor versus civil infraction and um to the extent that that streamlines enforcement or other considerations?
>> Sure, that's a great question. And so this is ultimately a policy choice by the city council in terms of whether or not to um make a violation of this ordinance a civil infraction or criminal infraction.
Um it uh in terms of enforcement for our prosecutors obviously in our courts, it's not going to make much of a difference if it's a crime or if it's a civil infraction. Um but uh some of the jurisdictions that are choosing to address this issue are making it a crime rather than a civil infraction because it's a stiffer penalty.
It provides a greater deterrence uh and it really highlights the uh importance of this issue uh not just for um retailers and um processors and distributors but also for families for community members who might not understand uh how dangerous this product is.
Uh so that's why we are bringing it to you uh in draft form as a gross misdemeanor rather than as a civil action. Uh but it's certainly up to the council to decide how they want um to adopt the ordinance.
>> Follow um I'm not sure I have a strong preference, so I'm open to other people's thoughts. Um but um one other followup um is just this would take effect 15 days after third and final. Um was consideration given to an emergency um ordinance and um are there pros and cons there to consider?
>> That's a great question. We didn't really consider whether or not we wanted to do an emergency ordinance. Uh we did talk briefly about whether or not we wanted to actually postate the effective date of this ordinance um because as you know a lot of uh retailers within our community have many of these products on the shelves.
Um and so we didn't want to immediately uh have the ordinance take effect. um we'll give them 15 days after third and final to to deal with that inventory um to move it hopefully outside of the city limits uh or or take any other steps to deal with it rather than say you have to do that overnight.
Um also in speaking with Chief Mertzig, the plan will be uh to primarily focus on education first uh before they go out and start arresting people for violations of this ordinance. So there will be a little bit of lead time for communications uh along that realm as well.
Thank you. >> There are further questions from committee or councel. Okay. A motion's been made to pass uh this ordinance in the committee. Um all those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed.
Abstensions recusals. Motion carries. 30. I'll bring it forward tonight. Thank you. Okay. Our next item is an ordinance regarding vehicle empoundment amending Bellingham Municipal Codes or code chapters 2.56 and 11.18.
This ordinance transfers jurisdiction of impound hearings from the hearing examiner to the mun municipal court. It also amends portions of chapter 11.18 of the municipal code to align with current state law for impounding vehicles that qualify as principal residences.
Finally, it repeals an obsolete uh administrative fee and uh codifies the city's procedures for disposing of unredeemed junk vehicles. Here to take us through is Kieran Phillips and Matt Stamps from our legal department.
>> Yes. Good afternoon, um members of the committee and council members. Um, so this is a um staff-driven um ordinance and amendment to the code and the the primary thing that we're changing here is transferring jurisdiction of impound hearings to the municipal court.
You may recall that those have been heard by the hearing examiner and in her 2024 report to council. That was actually one of her suggestions that um council amend the code to transfer the jurisdiction of the hearings to municipal court.
In part because of the volume and in part she felt that the municipal court might have more equity powers in order to reach just results in some of these hearings than what she was capable of doing in her limited jurisdiction.
So that is the main change. Um but that we also um we know that more and more people are living in their vehicles and there has been some recent Supreme Court state law um Supreme Court cases talking about how princip people who are living in their vehicles as a pr principal residence have some protections from that vehicle being held in the impound lot um for too long.
And so this creates a structured process for people living in their vehicles to request an expedited hearing in order to get that vehicle released from the impound lot sooner um than they might have under the current timing that we have for impound hearings.
So that is us um codifying some of the case law that has come down from the state supreme court. And then the other thing that it does is it repeals um an obsolete administrative fee that we had in part of the code that was supposed to be collected by the towing operators and then forwarded back to the city.
And we did some research and we found out that that has been very rarely happening. Um so we thought that we would do away with that and then in that section we instead um codify what the city's current process is for dealing with um when vehicles have been impounded but they've also been certified as a junk vehicle.
what the city does with them after they've gone unredeemed for 15 days and then are um and that so it's whether they can be sold at auction or whether they can be taken to the scrapyard after the 15 days in the impound lot.
>> Any questions? >> I'll take a quick go. I'm just curious as to how um Seattle versus Long factored into your thinking on this one. >> Yeah. So, in that case, the state supreme court um applied our state's homestead exemptions to a vehicle resident.
So, a homestead exemption is that um that your home cannot be taken to satisfy debts. So, a court could um protects your home from being collected to satisfy money's owed. And so in the Seattle versus Long case, that was the first time that our state supreme court said that that homestead protection also applies to vehicle residences.
And so what that law says is that a vehicle cannot be executed on, attached, or held as collateral for a debt. And so what we're doing it and so that's what happens when a vehicle is being held in an impound lot.
it's being held there and it can't be released until it's been redeemed by payment. So, this creates a mechanism where the person can go to court and if they prove that it is their principal residence and the court can order the impound lot to release it sooner without payment.
And then what this um change codifies is what the city has already been doing under our contracts with our towing operators is that the city pays for the cost of the towing and the storage that has occurred before the vehicle was released and then so the the court would re order the vehicle be released and then the city to pay those charges and then enter a judgment in favor of the city against the owner of the vehicle.
so that we do have a collectible judgment after that that the city could execute on if it chose to. >> Okay. Thanks for explaining that. It's helpful. >> Committee, I'll entertain a motion. >> I'll go ahead and move approval.
>> Okay. >> Recommend. >> Recommend approval. Okay. Um any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. I. Opposed. Absent recusal. Motion carries 30. I'll bring it forward tonight.
Thank you. Our third and final agenda item is a presentation on the city's equity and belonging work plan. Uh city staff will update the Bellingham City Council on work to foster an inclusive, welcoming, and safe community where the rights and dignity of all residents are maintained and protected.
Staff involved will share highlights from the city's equity and belonging work plan, including priority initiatives underway in 2026 that build on years of policy commitments. More information is available on the city's website um at the co.org protecting the rights and dignity of all.
Um here to take us through Janice Keller and Dborah Benza from um our who's our strategic initiatives manager in equity and belonging. >> Good afternoon. I just wanted to do the briefest introduction before we let Dborah get started.
Janice Keller with the mayor's office. Um, I just wanted to uh highlight for you that um we all have a responsibility for equity and belonging. So, Dborah is our city's lead for this work and she is going to share the highlights of what is a very very assertive work plan for 2026 and 2027.
Um, it involves a lot of other people as well. So, certainly if you have questions today, we'll um we'll give it a swing. Um, but if we aren't able to go into a lot of detail, we'll certainly get back to you.
And if there are topic areas you'd like us to come back with, we'd be delighted to do that. Um, this was intended as an overview of a of a whole lot of work plan items. Um, D'Vorah, go ahead. >> Um, good afternoon.
Um, thank you so much, Janice, for that introduction. As Janice said, I'm here to present a high-level overview of our equity and belonging work plan and the progress that we've been able to make in 2026 um and priorities going into 2027.
Um this presentation is an overview of the work that we've done in the past year and um there's quite a bit of work um and quite a bit of planning. So I look forward to providing this information and and have taking part in further discussions or further um work sessions.
Um so much like last year, much of this year has required us to shift our attention toward the ongoing effects of increased federal civil immigration enforcement activity in our community. Um, this has increased the need for community outreach, public information, policy review, procedural changes, and coordination across the city.
This work is not just held within the mayor's office, but across a variety of departments like our police department, our 911 dispatch center, um, and and many other uh, departments, um, the library, for example, as well.
Uh so that has been much of the focus and uh that might be uh why there's a little less progress than desired in some of the other areas in this work plan. Uh so this work plan builds on years of the of cities of the city's policy commitments.
Um recent actions include but are not limited to the 2025 welcoming city resolution. Uh the LGBTQ protections ordinance. uh this year's resolution affirming civil and constitutional rights for all um and as well as uh the adoption of the Bellingham plan in which we included a very ambitious um and innovative set of goals around fostering belonging and well-being in our community.
So, just want to provide an overview of of why this work matters and some of the values that I bring into my day-to-day work and collaboration across the city. Uh, essentially the goal of uh having dedicated equity and belonging plans and goals is to build a Bellingham for all, to build um a a city as an administration that serves all, that is accessible and responsive to our community needs.
um as well as a vibrant community that represents all of the experiences and identities here in Bellingham. Um this work is also rooted in in the innate rights and dignity of all of those who visit um and live and work here in Bellingham.
And much of our work um these commitments started long before I came into this position uh with our commitment to human rights um as well as several um ordinances dating back to 2017 that established our commitments and clear actions.
And there's always so much progress, so much work that can be done in this um body of work. When we're talking about moving forward, equity and belonging, we are talking about um addressing centuries of um institutional oppression and uh this work is takes time and effort and most importantly connection across all experiences, all organizations um within our city to move this forward.
So some of the priority areas that um uh myself and many others in the city have been able to work on this year is again addressing those impacts of um federal immigration actions and uh very various other federal actions um that have impacted our community here.
Um I would say the star of the show of the work plan has been our work with the keep Washington working act work group. That is a work group I think we are all very proud of. the process um that we ended up with in the uh recommendations that came out of that work as well as just the connections and understanding we were able to build um in that work group.
Another priority has been uh language access. We've been hard at work trying to build out a language access plan that clarifies and standardizes some of um that clarifies and standardizes all of our language access practices across the city.
Um again um as I previously mentioned last year the ordinance um protecting LGBTQ individuals was passed um by you all and so some of uh that included some specific actions for the administration to take and so we've been working on moving that forward.
Uh we've also been working on embodying the goals that were set forth in the community well-being chapter. Um, and a key component of all of this work is ongoing community engagement. So, uh, our wonderful communications team here at the city, led by, uh, Melissa Moore, the communications director, and I work very closely together on a daily basis in moving forward culturally informed, uh, engagement strategies.
So to dive a little bit further into some of this, oh again high level but with some additional detail of uh what we've been doing this year. Um again the keep Washington working act work group um was quite a unique process.
Um throughout our communications with um other jurisdictions and with the governor's office, we've came to realize that this is one of probably currently the only work group in the state that really sat down and examined with community members, law enforcement, the mayor's office, um 911 on how we best adhere to the keep Washington working act.
Um and so this work group consisted of community members um and city staff who met on a very dedicated basis um 2 hours every nearly every month to really hash out every aspect of the keep Washington working act.
We had presentations um from a variety of staff members. So thank you to to BPD and to Watcom um and to the fire department as well for dedicating their time to these meetings. Um the group reviewed um a wide variety of BPD policies, training materials.
Um they reviewed the our city's data collection practices, um Watcom 911 practices as well as aspects of language access as it relates to public safety. Uh so the final report identified um quite a bit of opportunities to um improve existing compliance.
Right, we are in compliance of the keep Washington working act. that is something um that is critical um to public safety and to our community here in Bellingham, but the actions identified enhance that and take it to another level.
Um since the completion of that work group, we have been able to meet with representatives of the governor's office as well as other jurisdictions. Um and we think this body of work is is truly um a leader in this area that we've been able to uh be a leader in this area and identifying adherence to this state law.
So uh BPD and specifically uh Wacom 911 as well have been hard at work at already implementing some of the recommendations within the report. Um, we had our members present to you all a few months back about the recommendations and so Chief Merzig is also here to provide some additional contact context.
Um, but so far uh they have already begun improving the federal contact data documentation. So clarifying some of the languages like removing the abbreviations that exist and having the full term um in there so members of the public can understand.
um adding additional deta detail uh to the data where necessary and there'll be some ongoing improvements to that uh federal contact data documentation as well. Um a lot of the um kind of more complicated uh recommendations from the group were around um policy changes and uh training.
And so specifically, uh, BPD and Watcom have already started, um, developing and implementing some of those training, uh, those scenario-based training recommendations. Um, uh, WATCOM is also, um, not has not yet implemented, but is looking into um, the text to 911 option to allow greater language access and um, accessing uh, public safety services.
Um and you know the recommendations also encouraged um a great deal of community engagement which we have been doing. Um, in addition to the workg group, not just because the work group recommended, but uh, Chief Mertzig, members of BPD and WACOM and myself, um, have been at many, uh, public meetings, uh, mayor as well have been at many public meetings, um, and community meetings and having discussions with those most impacted by federal immigration enforcement.
So moving on to the area of language access. Uh we do have a final draft in the works. It's very near completion. Um and this final draft of a um of a language access plan is meant to standardize the practices that we already have here in place.
So that's providing meaningful language access um to those with limited English proficiency, um translating meeting materials, having interpreters at at meetings when necessary, um having um web content easily translatable.
Uh so those practices are already in place and we're hoping that this plan just uh creates us a guide for all of departments um to use. And so through that plan, we're creating uh levels of service. So there'll be high, mid, and minimum levels of services um and um resources in one place about how do you access an interpreter, a translator, etc.
Um an area of work that has not been my focus, but has been the focus of um our communications team and um our ADA coordinator is the um web accessibility requirements. the WICAG requirements and that has allowed us um to move forward quite a bit as well in language access.
Um because of those um necessary updates, we have some new PDF translation tools. We've made improvements to the web translation widget. Um and many of our forms are now being um if not already uh being changed to HTML format are being changed to HTML format.
and that allows for automatic translation of those forms. Um, and a a big aspect um in trying to develop this language access plan is understanding the role that machine translation or AI might play. Um it can be a very powerful tool but uh we're just trying to understand what exists um what is the efficacy of these tools um and what level of human review um do we want to have when um presenting uh uh AI or machine translated uh materials.
Okay. And then moving on to the LGBTQ protections ordinance implementation. Um, one of the very specific asks that came out of that ordinance was to provide some updated training to employees about the state's gender segregated facilities um requirements.
And so uh back in 2017 when those um uh when that wack was updated uh training was provided to city staff. And so we're in the process of updating that and developing um a method of getting that out to city staff and meeting with those who are particularly um affected and who work um in our public facilities uh more often.
And also part of that uh LGBTQ protections ordinance is taking part in ongoing um engagement. We had a really productive meeting with various members of the LGBTQ community earlier this year to understand what are their priorities in implementing this ordinance.
Um, and we continue to celebrate um and support the LGBTQ community in a variety of ways such as um supporting pride um and youth pride in Bellingham. Um I think we're almost done here. So, um just to touch on some of the community well-being efforts.
Um overall, we continue to celebrate and contribute to different cultural um engagement opportunities here in Bellingham. Um we are active members of the community consortium for cultural recognition which is a partnership across the city, the county, school district, um colleges, western, etc.
And we this year have been able to uh put together a Martin Luther King Day event uh AsianPacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month event. And we are currently planning our Indigenous People's Day event which annually um attracts maybe you know hundreds of people um over at Lummy Nation School.
So invite you on October 12th to attend this year's event. Um we are also very active participants in the Wakom racial equity commission. Much of that work um moves forward some of the goals and commitments of the city.
Um and as the commission continues to develop, we are uh proud to support them. Um and overall um like I mentioned earlier, I work very closely with the communications team. Um, and so we continue, Melissa and I, the other communications directors, um, we continue to actively collaborate on different culturally informed practices.
This is an area that I'm really excited to dive further into next year as some changes um, happen with uh, communications here at the city. So, just some implementation factors in all of this. What I'm trying to keep in mind this what I've been keeping in mind this year and what I am trying to keep in mind going into 2027 is that we have to be flexible.
We exist in a changing landscape. Um I think we all had some idea of what to expect um with uh federal uh civil immigration enforcement, but um it is changing every day. How it impacts our communities are changing every day.
And so I think um while it is valuable to set forward a very uh clear and precise work plan, it's also very important to remain flexible so we can respond to our community and respond to um the national context.
Um all of this cannot be done um in one department or in one person. All of this work touches so many departments. I feel very fortunate to have um a team in the mayor's office that is very collaborative and supportive and also co-workers throughout the city and other departments who are always very willing to work with me.
Um and then again I think [laughter] all of us here are considering the budget constraints and how can we creatively use resources, partnerships and collaboration to advance these goals. So that is the highle overview.
Thank you all so much for the support you all have provided in this work over these past few years. Um, and I feel that I would be remiss if I did not specifically thank uh, Deputy Administrator Janice Keller, who has been my supervisor for the past two years and has been with the city for the past 25 years and recently announced her um, her retirement.
Um, I long before I came into the mayor's office, Janice was one of the first people I met here in Bellingham and has been such a champion of equity throughout our community. So, thank you so much. >> Thanks.
>> Any questions? >> Uh, committee members questions. >> Customer Hodman, >> thank you for the presentation. Um it's wonderful to see all of this work on on a few slides. I know that it that is a very very high overview of of what you've been doing.
Uh I have a really specific question though um because it's something that's come up quite a bit in conversations with community members. Um, and I know that this has been something that we've I hear discussed every once in a while when those when those questions come up, but uh can you um tell me tell us what the status of the uh crosswalk that is a rainbow?
Um I know that there have been a lot of there's been a lot of contemplation about um what to do with the crosswalk. um that is, you know, still very much a work in progress. Uh we're aware that public works has some plans to um uh repave all of Cornwall.
That is not set in stone yet, as far as I'm aware. I don't want to speak for public works, but as um those plans are being made to address um the needed repaving, we're also addressing what is the future of um that crosswalk and are there better, more durable, more representative um public art installations we can have here in Bellingham that represent the LGBTQ community.
So, as we develop that in the next year, we will certainly be bringing an update to you. >> Thank you. I appreciate that. And it's good to know that um it's a problem that's being worked on and it's not quite as easy to solve as one might think what I have learned.
So, thank you, >> Council Member Williams. >> I just want to acknowledge your the work that you have done for for our city. I've lived in this city 31 year 34 years I guess. [laughter] Quite uh quite a long time.
and getting to know you and working with you on the racial equity commission. Um, I really welcome the approach that you are taking of a of analyzing the systems that we have and basing the recommendations and improvements on the reality of what we have here rather than just the total um, what's the term I'm searching for?
just uh it the work is being based on the actual reality that people are facing rather than the ideology that people seem to gather when when when emotions run high. And I really really appreciate that work because that is what's going to lead to systemic change.
So, thank you very much. >> Thank you. You are just following your lead here. You've done so much for Bellingham. So, thank you. >> Any further questions? Council President Stone. >> Yeah, I just want to take an opportunity as well to thank Dborah and um Deputy Administrator Keller.
Um you shared a little bit about the keep Washington working act, you know, advisory, that work group. um and the community cannot ever step into, you know, that room now that that work has um come to a close and obviously there will be steps going forward, but that was a huge lift for the the city and for you in particular, D'vorah, um and also for Deputy Keller.
And so just wanting publicly to acknowledge, you know, your support and leadership in that room and carrying that work forward um yeah was a huge benefit to the city but also to the community beyond who, you know, we're hoping to improve our our service and support for.
So just thank you for that commitment. I know it was a very heavy lift. So I appreciate it. Mayor >> um to pick up on council president Stone's comment just now. I think each high level um topic area that Tabbora touched on today, there are hundreds of hours of work um in particular on language access um that is often unseen by the public and it's just such critical work and um you know I'm incredibly grateful to have Dborah in this role in the mayor's office.
Uh, we recently had a question from the community come up about flock cameras and um having Dborah be in the room when we're processing, you know, a presentation on flot cameras early on and that technology and having her be able to ask critical questions to be in the room for conversations like that.
um to council member Williams points like that's where change is happening and so having Dbora in this role and be around the table upfront and early in these important communitywide conversations is really making a difference and um I think we all know it but it's she doesn't often get a chance to to come out in public and and highlight her her broad and important portfolio of work.
So, um, thanks for giving her the opportunity to do this. >> Council member Huffman. >> Um, I'd also like to add that I I really appreciate that, um, that Dborah's position came to be in the first place as well, that we prioritized a staff position to do this work.
And something that I have learned as a council member is that if you really want to see change happen or growth happen in a certain area, you need a staff member that's able to focus on that. And so, um, despite tough budgets and budget cuts and and a lot of difficult decisions, um, we're still prioritizing that, uh, that we have this position and very thankful that Dor Dbora is is in that position.
And so, thanks to the mayor's office uh, for continuing to support that as well. >> Any further questions? Council, any questions? I just want to [clears throat] acknowledge the work. Just chiming in here.
I think it's super important and I want to thank the leadership that's involved with making this a priority for the city. Um this to echo my my colleague. This isn't about ideology. This is about people and it's about the people that we serve and the people that work within our big organization.
So I commend um the the leadership on this. I want to clarify something near the top of your remarks. You had mentioned multiple departments across the city and you had cited a couple beat Bellingham Police Department in Wacom.
Is it fair to characterize the work as being sort of interdep departmental across the city given those examples in there? Would that be um um the work that other departments are are engaged with as well?
>> Oh, for sure. I think I I just named those two off the top of my head, but I can name so many projects and um opportunities I've had to work with almost every department um at the city. I'm thinking about um you know uh big training lift we did with public works and ensuring that um they're you know creating space to understand shared values and um how that can contribute to effective teamwork.
I'm thinking of events that we've done with the library um to you know have community storytelling around different uh lived experiences. So there are so many departments um if I haven't worked with them yet I probably will work with them soon.
So yes very interdep departmental cross-d departmental. >> Thank you. Thanks for clarifying. Okay any other questions? Okay seeing none uh that was our final item so end of committee. >> Thanks. >> Thank you very much council member Hel.