Action Taken at June 1, 2026 Meeting
Shall the council:
91. Authorize the mayor to spend $280,000 to purchase property from the owner, The Oeser Company? The 20-acre parcel is undeveloped and located near the north end of Lake Whatcom.The property is located in the Lake Whatcom Watershed, it will be acquired through the Lake Whatcom Watershed Land Acquisition and Preservation Program. The program is funded by water customers through a surcharge on their utility bill. (Discussed in Executive Session.) Approved 6-0, Hannah Stone excused.
92. Authorize the mayor to spend $68,000 to purchase property from the owner, The Oeser Company? The 10-acre parcel is also undeveloped and located near the north end of Lake Whatcom. The property is located in the Lake Whatcom Watershed, it will be acquired through the Lake Whatcom Watershed Land Acquisition and Preservation Program. The program is funded by water customers through a surcharge on their utility bill. (Discussed in Executive Session.) Approved 6-0, Hannah Stone excused.
93. Authorize the mayor to spend $675,000 to purchase property from the owners, Alan and Neva Van Hook? The property is located near Sudden Valley and has home that will be demolished. The property is located in the Lake Whatcom Watershed, it will be acquired through the Lake Whatcom Watershed Land Acquisition and Preservation Program. The program is funded by water customers through a surcharge on their utility bill.(Discussed in Executive Session.) Approved 6-0, Hannah Stone excused.
94. Authorize the mayor to retain outside counsel to represent the city in class action litigation against certain manufacturers of PFAS? Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances are often referred to as “forever chemicals.” (Discussed in Executive Session.) Approved 6-0, Hannah Stone excused.
95. Appropriate $5,872,526 for payroll checks issued from April 16 to April 30, 2026? (AB24947) Approved 6-0, Hannah Stone excused.
96. Appropriate $8,337,967 for goods and services checks issued from May 1 through May 14, 2026? (AB24948/24951) Approved 6-0, Hannah Stone excused.
97. Authorize the mayor to award the low bid of $873,428 to Specialty Equipment of Anacortes dba Neptune General Contractors for the Jills Court trail project? The engineer’s estimate was $1,797,617. The Jills Court trail will provide a connection from Sunset Pond Park and Bay to Baker trail to the King Mountain neighborhood and the Bakerview Neighborhood Park, it is consistent with the Greenway Strategic Plan. The city acquired a trail easement from Jills Court Storage in 2022, and the property at 1492 Telegraph Road in 2024 for development of the Jills Court trail. The trail will be approximately 1,500 linear feet and consist of 8- to 10-foot-wide crushed limestone surfacing, with multiple retaining walls required. The city received seven bids, the high bid was 1,282,550. (AB24954) Approved 6-0, Hannah Stone excused.
98. Authorize the mayor to accept a $236,212 grant from the federal government for a 2026 FIFA World Cup? This event will be hosted across 11 cities in the United States including Seattle with 78-based matches making up an extensive series of high risk events. This U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant will enhance the ability for local law enforcement to prepare for, protect against, and respond to threats and emergencies during the World Cup matches, from June 11 through July 20, 2026. Equipment purchases include personal protective equipment and explosive device detection equipment. Overtime is for additional staff needed on game days for fan zone activity. (AB24956) Approved 6-0, Hannah Stone excused.
99. Authorize the mayor to award the lowest responsible bid of $3,058,400 to Tiger Construction of Everson for the Tremont Lift Station project? The engineer’s estimate was $3,371,258. A low bid of $2,801,553 was submitted by Faber Construction, it was deemed ineligible based on Faber’s use of the wrong bid form. The project will install a new sanitary sewer lift station at the corner of Tremont Avenue and Meridian Street in north Bellingham. A sewer system installed in 2010, currently dry, will connect to the lift station and provide new service in the areas of Meridian Street near Kline Road and Kelly Road in Bellingham’s Urban Growth Area. This lift station will service future development in north Bellingham. The city received five bids, the high bid was $3,772,848.(AB24957) Approved 6-0, Hannah Stone excused.
100. Authorize the mayor to enter into an agreement with the Washington State Department of Transportation for the Pine Street Crossing Project? The city was awarded a federal grant of $950,000 on 3/27/2025 for the Pine Street Crossing project. The project will update the crossing to quiet zone standards, add a multi-use trail crossing, upgrade utilities and upgrade the Pine Street and Cornwall Avenue intersection to include a multi-use pathway, quad gates, medians and improved street frontage to Cornwall Avenue. The grant also includes the addition of unobligated regional Carbon Reduction Funds in the amount of $227,544. The estimated total project cost is $2,765,200; local funds will come from the real estate excise tax and transportation fund. (AB24958) Approved 6-0, Hannah Stone excused.
101. Authorize the Parks and Recreation Department to apply for a $1,470,000 state grant to fund the Middle Fork Spring open space trail? The trail will provide a connection between Cordata Park and West Stuart Road and will also serve as a segment of the broader Bear Creek to Queen Mountain trail corridor identified in the 2026 Park, Recreation and Open Space Plan. The city acquired the Middle Fork Spring open space property in 2022 for development of the trail. The grant will require a city mach of $478,000. This resolution will be included with the grant application to the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO). AB24955 (Resolution 2026-12) Approved 6-0, Hannah Stone excused.
102. Spend $13,000 for permanent access to the city’s North End Regional Pond wetland mitigation site? The City of Bellingham constructed the North End Regional Pond, a regional stormwater detention facility north of Bakerview Road. This pond impacted wetlands requiring the construction and perpetual maintenance of an approximately 20-acre compensatory mitigation site. The city has been maintaining the mitigation site since 2014. Access to the mitigation site is challenging, with the most efficient access occurring off Northwest Avenue through property owned by Mersey, LLC-of Sedro Woolley. This one-time payment replaces the $1,000 monthly payment. (AB24949) Approved 6-0, Hannah Stone excused.
103. Confirm Bellingham’s compliance with state requirements and completion of the 2025 periodic update to the Comprehensive Plan? Compliance with the Growth Management Act is critical to maintain Bellingham’s eligibility for state funding. Council approval of this resolution confirms the connection between Bellingham’s adoption of the 2025 periodic update to the Comprehensive Plan, the Bellingham Plan, and the adoption of state-required regulatory updates. These measures were adopted at the 11/17/2025 meeting, vote #245; the 12/8/2025 meeting, vote #261, #262, #263, #264 and #265; the 12/15/2025 meeting, vote #279. Collectively, all of these actions comprise the state-required elements of Bellingham’s periodic update to the Comprehensive Plan. This confirmation will provide the Washington State Department of Commerce the means to determine Bellingham is compliant with the Growth Management Act. AB24950 (Resolution 2026-13) Approved 6-0, Hannah Stone excused.
104. Reduce the citywide residential street speed limit to 20 mph? This change will affect residential streets and most collectors, not arterial roadways. The City of Bellingham has historically set speed limits based on the prevailing 85th percentile speed, consistent with prior national engineering guidance, which has been recently updated. Adoption of this ordinance will enable the city to proactively reduce crash severity, improve safety for all users, and advance Bellingham’s traffic safety objective of eliminating fatal and serious injury crashes citywide. Education and outreach will be performed to inform residents of the new speed limit implementation and encourage observance of the new speed limits. Enforcement will also be conducted within the current traffic enforcement capacity of the police department. AB24933 (Ordinance 2026-06-014) Approved 6-0, Hannah Stone excused.
105. Amend the 2026 budget (amendment #2) to recognize revenues and expenditures associated with the Public Safety Funding Program? At the 5/18/2026 meeting, vote #89, the city received a state grant for $3,703,583. The grant requires a city match of $50,211 to hire two entry-level police officers for the remainder of 2026. In the first year, $1,490,504 of the grant revenue will provide funding for the Alternative Response Team (ART), department-wide training, dash cameras and grapplers for police cars, drones as first responders, domestic violence and sexual assault services, retention incentives for retiring officers, and salary and benefit contractual obligations. Additionally, it will fund two new positions and provide seventy-five percent funding for three frozen entry-level police officers positions. fiscal year. AB24937 (Ordinance 2026-06-015) Approved 6-0, Hannah Stone excused.
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Action Taken at June 15, 2026 Meeting
Mayor’s report
Councilmember Huthman reported that the Mount Baker Theatre is celebrating its centennial year and encouraged the community to attend a program. The theatre was built by Fox Theatres, controlled by William Fox of the Fox Film Corporation. Builders broke ground for the theatre on April 6, 1926. The theatre opened on April 29, 1927 with the silent film “Slide, Kelly, Slide.” It was about a New York Yankees pitcher played by William Hines. It also stared Sally O’Neil, Harry Carey and Frank Coghlan Jr. The Wurlitzer organ was played by Joy Brown.
Shall the council:
106. Authorize the mayor to enter into litigation against various federal agencies regarding federal grant conditions? (Discussed in Executive Session.) Motion carried 7-0
107. Authorize the mayor to enter into an indemnification agreement with Mercy Housing Northwest regarding the Holly Street landfill site? Mercy Housing Northwest (Mercy Sponsor) and Old Town Village LLC have entered into a purchase and sale agreement for “E” Street land at 1401, 1411 and 1413 in Bellingham. The property is located within the boundaries of the Holly Street cleanup site. The City Council has authorized a $5 million loan to Mercy Sponsor to support the development of 74 units of affordable senior housing on the property. (Discussed in Executive Session.) Motion carried 7-0
108. Authorize the mayor to retain outside counsel to represent the city in antitrust litigation against certain fire truck manufacturers? (Discussed in Executive Session.) Motion carried 7-0
109. Authorize the police chief to accept a $19,330 federal grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance? The Bellingham Police Department has been awarded a Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership grant to offset by 50 percent the cost ($38,433 plus shipping and handling) of bullet proof vests. (AB24964) Approved 7-0
110. Appropriate $5,687,656 for payroll checks issued from May 1 to May 15, 2026? (AB24966) Approved 7-0
111. Appropriate $4,494,773 for goods and services checks issued from May 22 through May 28, 2026? (AB24969) Approved 7-0
112. Adopt the annual six-year (2027-2032) transportation improvement program? (Public hearing held at June 9 meeting.) State law requires cities to update their transportation program by July 1 of each year. The program provides a list of capital improvement projects and establishes the city’s eligibility for state and federal funds. Projects funded include pavement resurfacing, non-motorized transportation improvements, clean energy transportation, bridge reconstruction and various transportation and safety improvement programs. Twenty-nine projects are listed in this year’s plan with an estimated cost of more than $213 million over six years. AB24963 (Resolution 2026-14) Approved 7-0
113. Vacate the eastern one-half (15-feet) of Fir Street abutting the western 110-feet of block 13, Silver Heights? (Closed record hearing.) Miriam Stone, the owner of the residential property at 3702 Silver Beach Avenue requested the vacation of the eastern half of Fir Street abutting her property. She plans to add on and remodel the existing single-family residential structure. The Bellingham Hearing Examiner held a hybrid public hearing and recommended approval. The petitioner remitted the full fair market appraised value of $44,000 for the subject right-of-way. The abutting property and right-of-way are not within the Lake Whatcom Watershed. AB24940 (Ordinance 2026-06-016) Approved 7-0
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Bellingham City Council
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