Community and Economic Development Committee

**Regional Economic Development Coordination:** The presentations highlighted the collaborative funding model established through the interlocal agreement between the city ($116,827 annually), Whatcom County, and Port of Bellingham. This coordination allows entities like the SBDC to receive unified funding rather than seeking separate contracts from each jurisdiction. **Border Economic Impact:** Both organizations reported significant challenges from reduced Canadian border crossings. The SBDC cited a 52% month-over-month decline in vehicles entering the U.S. from April 2024 to 2025, representing about 12% of county revenue. Local businesses report 10-15% revenue decreases, with visible impacts like readily available parking at typically crowded stores like Trader Joe's and Costco. **Industrial Land Planning:** Schroeder presented ong…

**CJ Seitz (SBDC Executive Director):** Emphasized the resilience of the small business community through challenges like COVID-19 and floods, while noting current pressures from border impacts and labor cost compression. Highlighted successful partnerships with First Federal Bank and Whatcom Community Foundation for micro-lending to "non-bankable" businesses. **Tyler Schroeder (Port Economic Development Director):** Focused on infrastructure needs and industrial development opportunities. Stressed the importance of having "shovel-ready" development sites and coordinating economic development with comprehensive planning processes. Highlight…

**CJ Seitz, on small business resilience:** "Our community, our small business community is really resilient. And we went through Covid 19. We went through the floods together and they created a lot of resiliency, created a lot of partnerships and friendships throughout the economic development community." **Council Member Hammill, on border impact visibility:** "You can go to Trader Joe's and pull into a parking spot right now, which you have not been able to do for years. And Costco's seein…

**Partnership Clarity:** The committee reinforced the ongoing value of the tripartite interlocal agreement funding model, providing coordinated support for regional economic development rather than fragmented approaches. **Border Impact Recognition:** Official acknowledgment that reduced Canadian border traffic represents a significant economic challenge requiring coordinated regional response, affecting both retail sales and lodging occupancy. **Industrial Planning Integration…

### Meeting Overview The Community and Economic Development Committee met on April 28, 2025, with Chair Jace Cotton and members Daniel Hammill and Edwin Williams. The committee received two presentations: one from the Western Washington University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) on their 2024 activities and another from the Port of Bellingham's Regional Economic Partnership on their strategic work and 2025 plans. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Small Business Development Center (SBDC):** A federally funded program hosted by Western Washington University that provides free, confidential one-on-one business counseling to small businesses in Whatcom County, helping with everything from startup planning to business expansion and succession planning. **Interlocal Agreement:** The collaborative funding arrangement between the City of Bellingham, Whatcom County, and the Port of Bellingham that supports regional economic development activities, including the SBDC and Regional Economic Partnership. **Regional Economic Partnership (REP):** The Port of Bellingham's economic development division that works with businesses throughout Whatcom County on retention, expansion, workforce development, and infrastructure planning. **Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS):** A long-term planning document covering 2022-2026 that guides regional economic development with six main goals, from strengthening the base economy to promoting diversity and inclusion. **Foreign Trade Zone:** A designated area where businesses can import goods without immediately paying customs duties, helping companies manage tariff impacts and manufacturing costs. **Buy/Sell Clients:** Businesses working with the SBDC on ownership transitions, including succession planning, business valuations, and helping buyers secure financing to purchase existing businesses. **Business Retention and Expansion (BRE):** Systematic outreach to existing businesses to understand their needs, challenges, and growth plans, helping them stay and expand in the community. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Jace Cotton | Committee Chair, Council Member At-Large | | Daniel Hammill | Committee Member, Third Ward | | Edwin H. "Skip" Williams | Committee Member, Fourth Ward | | CJ Seitz | Executive Director, WWU Small Business Development Center | | Tyler Schroeder | Economic Development Director, Port of Bellingham | | Tara Sundin | Community & Economic Development Manager, City of Bellingham | | Eric Grimstad | SBDC Certified Business Advisor | | Dr. Liliana Deck | SBDC Community Business Development Director | ### Background Context Bellingham and Whatcom County face economic challenges as a border community, with Canadian b…