Action Taken at September 29, 2025 Meeting
Shall the council:
193. Authorize the mayor to retain outside counsel to represent the city in litigation challenging FEMA grant conditions? (Discussed in Executive Session.) Motion carried 6-0, Hollie Huthman excused.
194. Authorize the mayor to sign an amicus brief in Planned Parenthood v. RFK Jr., Nos. 25-1698; 25-1755 (1st Cir.)? The amicus brief challanges recently enacted legislation prohibiting certain health centers that provide abortions, including those associated with Planned Parenthood, from receiving Medicaid reimbursement. (Discussed in Executive Session.) Motion carried 6-0, Hollie Huthman excused.
195. Apply 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 project? The project is progressing through the early phases with design expected to be completed by September 2027 and construction concluded by June 2031. The project is expected to benefit from the use of a collaborative delivery method for design and future construction phases. The city has used the general contractor/construction manager (GC/CM) delivery method for two previous capital projects at Post Point. The facility improvement project in 2012 and the biosolids project in 2021. It was determined that GC/CM is the preferred delivery methodology for the emission control upgrades project. (AB24670) Approved 6-0, Hollie Huthman excused.
196. Authorize the mayor to sign an agreement with Whatcom County for the operation of a severe weather shelter during the winter of 2025-2026? To operate the shelter, the city will contribute up to $100,000 and the county up to $550,000. The county will host the shelter which, similar to previous years, will only be placed in operation in the event of dangerous weather conditions from 10/1/2025 to 4/30/2026. The shelter will be located within the city limits and will have capacity to host 60 individuals and will coordinate with various outreach organizations to refer guests to the facility. The program will be staffed by Whatcom County employees. After publishing a request for proposals in the summers of 2023, 2024 and 2025, Whatcom County has received no proposals from applicants interested in operating a severe weather shelter. (AB24671) Approved 6-0, Hollie Huthman excused.
197. Appropriate $5,484,505 for payroll checks issued from August 16 to August 31, 2025? (AB24675) Approved 6-0, Hollie Huthman excused.
198. Appropriate $6,680,997 for goods and services checks issued from September 5 through September 18, 2025? (AB24676/24677) Approved 6-0, Hollie Huthman excused.
199. Adopt the Capital Facilities Plan? The 2016 Comprehensive Plan includes descriptions of many facilities and services within the capital facilities and utilities chapter, much of which is required by the Growth Management Act. Most of this detail has been shifted to this new Capital Facilities Plan to allow the facilities and services chapter of the Bellingham Plan to function as the higher-level policy element. It includes a list and accompanying descriptions for anticipated improvements needed during this (20-year) planning period. This list can be utilized in future budget conversations to ensure that improvements are staggered, prioritized, and funded appropriately. The later Bellingham Plan ordinance will adopt this document as part of the Comprehensive Plan. AB24673 (Resolution 2025-21) Approved 6-0, Hollie Huthman excused.
200. Adopt the Multimodal Transportation Plan? The Bellingham Plan, Bellingham’s Comprehensive Plan for growth, is scheduled to be adopted by the end of the year. An important component of this plan is a series of implementation documents. The 2016 Comprehensive Plan included detailed information on the city’s transportation system, much of which is also required by the Growth Management Act. Most of this information has also been shifted to the new Multimodal Transportation Plan and incorporates this summary forecasting information and provides connections to existing implementation documents. AB24674 (Resolution #2025-22) Approved 6-0, Hollie Huthman excused.
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Action Taken at October 6, 2025 Meeting
Shall the council:
201. Adopt the Legislative Lobbying Guide for the Bellingham City Council? City leaders established a new approach for lobbying activities in 2024-2025. The eight-page guide defines roles and expectations for citywide lobbying activities, outlines a selection process for council members to serve on a standing working group, and clarifies what actions council members can take to contribute to lobbying efforts even if they are not currently serving on the working group. Council will annually appoint three council members to be part of the lobbying working group. The working group meets weekly during the legislative session to draft the legislative agenda for council approval and lead citywide lobbying efforts. (AB24683) Approved 7-0
202. Authorize the mayor to award the low bid of $5,323,495 to CDK Construction of Duvall to replace the generator at the Post Point resource recovery plant? The engineer’s estimate was $5,182,950. Eight bids were received; the high bid was $6,979,270. The project will replace backup power generator units, switchgear, and control systems. These generators provide essential backup power during outages or service disruptions. The city installed the current generators in the early 1990s during a major plant upgrade. Replacement parts are now difficult to acquire, and reliability is increasingly at risk. The replacement will not take place for 10–14 months while the equipment is ordered, manufactured, and tested. (AB24684) Approved 7-0
203. Authorize the police chief to renew an agreement with the South Correctional Entity (SCORE) to house inmates? At the 3/21/2016 meeting, vote #45, the council initially approved an agreement to house inmates at the South Correctional Entity in Des Moines. The 164,000-square-foot facility has the capacity to house 813 inmates. Before the SCORE agreement, inmates were sent to the jail in Yakima County. The South Correctional Entity will be used as an option for times when Whatcom County jail is on restriction or only booking felony offenses. The per day booking fee is $95 and the general population bed rate is $156 for guaranteed beds and $224 for non-guaranteed beds. New is a $75 virtual court administration fee adopted by SCORE’s administrative board. (AB24686) Approved 7-0
204. Authorize the mayor to accept a two-year $80,000 state grant for litter prevention, illegal dump cleanup and public outreach? This Department of Ecology grant helps offset costs associated with volunteer coordination, supplies, and safe disposal of collected material. The city expects to clean 400 miles, clean up 100 illegal dumps, collect 135 pounds of litter, and collect 300 pounds of illegally dumped material during the 2025-2027 biennium. This will be achieved by expanding education and outreach to promote the volunteer litter program, providing necessary supplies to sustain volunteer efforts, organizing community recycling events, and installing more pedestrian waste bins. This grant expires on 6/30/2027; no city match is required. (AB24687) Approved 7-0
205. Appropriate $5,562,357 for payroll checks issued from September 1 to September 15, 2025? (AB24688) Approved 7-0
206. Appropriate $2,765,396 for goods and services checks issued from September 19 through September 25, 2025? (AB24689) Approved 7-0
207. Impose a one-tenth of one percent ‘Safe and Stable Community Sales Tax’ for criminal justice purposes? The revenue raised by this new sales and use tax will lessen the impacts of the city’s projected $10 million general fund budget deficit in 2026 by an estimated $3.9 million. The new sales and use tax can be used for a broad range of public safety purposes, including law enforcement, domestic violence, public defenders, reentry work, programs that help reduce the number of people interacting with the criminal justice system, and other related purposes. To implement the tax by 1/1/2026, the city must deliver to the state Department of Revenue by 10/17/2025, an ordinance imposing the tax and attesting that the city’s police department meets the requirements of the legislation establishing the tax. To be in full compliance, 25 percent of the city’s commissioned officers must have completed the Criminal Justice Training Commission’s Crisis Intervention Team training. AB24653 (Ordinance 2025-10-023) Amended and approved 7-0
208. Relinquish a surplus utility easement and related covenant encumbering real property located at 427 Ohio Street? (Public hearing held at September 29 meeting.) The utility easement between Franklin and Grant streets was vacated on 1/27/1977. The covenant provides the city with the right to repurchase the right-of-way in the future. The proposed relinquishment comes to City Council for their decision — the property owner plans to expand their existing business. Public Works has no need to purchase the right-of-way or any plans to place public utilities in the retained utility easement area. Other franchise utilities do not exist in the retained utility easement area, and their services are provided from outside the easement area. Therefore, the city’s retention of this retained easement for public utilities is not required. All managers of the franchise utility holders have been notified and no objections to the relinquishment of the easement have been made. AB24667 (Ordinance 2025-10-024) Approved 7-0
209. Adopt the uniform general business license requirements mandated by the state Legislature? In 2017, the Legislature adopted Engrossed House Bill 2005, which requires cities that have a general business license requirement to work with the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) to adopt a model ordinance which contains a uniform minimum licensing threshold under which a person would be relieved of the requirement to obtain a city’s general business license. The association has updated the minimum licensing threshold from $2,000 to $4,000 in the model ordinance, which must be in effect on 1/1/2026. There is anticipated to be a small reduction in the number of one-time registration fees of $40. AB24672 (Ordinance 2025-10-025) Approved 7-0
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Action Taken at October 20, 2025 Meeting
Shall the council:
210. Authorize the mayor to sign onto the amicus brief of the United States v. Newark? A coalition of 66 cities, counties, and elected officials are opposing the Trump administration’s efforts to compel New Jersey cities to enforce the federal government’s immigration policies. Public Rights Project filed an amicus brief on behalf of the coalition. It supports the New Jersey cities’ position that their policies don’t conflict with federal law. The brief was filed in a case brought by the U.S. Department of Justice, which aims to force four New Jersey cities to abandon their so-called “sanctuary policies” and engage in federal immigration enforcement. The cities filed motions to dismiss the case, arguing their local policies are legal and that the district court and appeals court (Third Circuit) have already rejected identical challenges in the past. The above information came from the Public Rights Project website. Motion carried 7-0
211. Appropriate $10,361,159 for goods and services checks issued from September 26 through October 9, 2025? (AB24700/24702) Approved 7-0
212. Appropriate $5,544,789 for payroll checks issued from September 16 to September 30, 2025? (AB24688) Approved 7-0
213. Adopt the Lake Whatcom Invasive Freshwater Mussel Rapid and Extended Response Plan? This plan is a joint undertaking with Whatcom County, the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District and the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. The plan outlines the strategies and actions required for efficient and effective response to any detection of quagga, zebra, or golden mussels in Lake Whatcom. These invasive freshwater mussels have been detected in nearby states and pose a significant threat to the drinking water infrastructure, water quality, the aquatic ecosystem, and recreational activities in Lake Whatcom. The plan supports rapid, coordinated decisions to eradicate invasive freshwater mussels if they are detected in Lake Whatcom. The plan area includes the waters of Lake Whatcom, continuing downstream to the control dam at the head of Whatcom Creek, inclusive of dam infrastructure. It does not include the tributaries of Lake Whatcom or Lake Louise. AB24696 (Resolution 2025-23) Approved 7-0
214. Create a Library Renovation Construction Fund for the central facility? Built in 1951, the downtown library is an important fixture to the community. It was remodeled in 1985 to accommodate a growing population and increase the building’s lifespan. This project includes: renovation of existing spaces on the ground and mezzanine floors, and specific spaces on the main floor; replacement of furniture, fixtures, and equipment; addressing American Disability Act issues on the ground floor and mezzanine, as well as hazardous building materials; repair and updating of the existing HVAC system; and ensuring solar readiness, as budget allows. The renovation project is expected to cost $8,530,000, with funding coming from state grants ($3,030,000), private donations ($3,500,000), and the city’s real estate excise tax ($2,000,000). Construction is expected to begin in 2026 and continue into early 2027. Due to a technical error, the audio recording from this meeting is primarily missing. AB24685 (Ordinance 2025- 10-026) Approved 7-0
