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Bellingham City Council

BEL-CON-2026-01-26 January 26, 2026 City Council Regular Meeting City of Bellingham 18 min
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The Bellingham City Council convened for its first regular meeting of 2026, marked by significant announcements about modernized city operations and substantial infrastructure investments. The meeting began with Council President Stone highlighting new agenda formatting that will provide earlier access to meeting materials—agendas and packets now published one week in advance rather than just days before meetings, representing a major transparency upgrade for city government. Mayor Lund used her report to share her "One City" philosophy, which she had recently presented to all city staff during "Ask Me Anything" sessions. This internal campaign emphasizes public service as "noble work" and encourages collaboration across departments, curiosity and humility in approach, and an outcomes-forward focus. The mayor cited specific examples of excellent city service, from water main break response to assisting a lost dementia patient at Lake Padden Park, positioning these as examples of the service excellence the One City approach can achieve. The council introduced a new "Council Assignment Reports" section, providing dedicated time for members to report from their various external board and committee assignments. These reports revealed significant regional transportation policy discussions, legislative advocacy efforts in Olympia, and progress on the behavioral care center project stemming from the justice sales tax initiative. Six substantive agenda bills passed unanimously, totaling over $8.9 million in city investments. The largest single item was a $5.98 million contract award for Old Town redevelopment street improvements. The city also accepted nearly $3 million in state grants for Central Library renovations and approved a 5% increase in Lake Padden Golf Course fees. A significant governance change established a second full-time municipal judge position to handle increasing court caseloads. The meeting also addressed labor relations with a four-month extension

**AB 24807 - Old Town Redevelopment Contract (Passed 7-0)** - Awarded $5,982,839.23 contract to Earthwork Solutions LLC for street improvements on C, D, and E Streets between Holly and Bancroft, plus Astor Street from C to F Street - Staff recommendation: Award contract. Council action: Approved as recommended - Includes apprenticeship requirements, funded by county grants/loans ($3M), real estate excise tax, and transportation funds - Project will enable "several hundred new housing units" according to staff packet **AB 24815 & 24816 - Library Grant Acceptances (Both passed 7-0)** - Accepted $999,100 state grant (Commerce Contract #26-96647-028) for Central Library renovation - Accepted $1,950,000 state grant (Commerce Contract #26-96647-001) for Central Library renovation - Staff recommendation: Accept both grants. Council action: Approved as recommended - Combined $2.949 million will fund youth spaces, safety/security updates, staff areas, and HVAC improvements - Construc…

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**One City Philosophy Implementation** Mayor Lund devoted her entire report to explaining the internal "One City" philosophy she's implementing across city operations. This represents a significant cultural change initiative aimed at breaking down departmental silos and encouraging collaborative, outcomes-focused service delivery. The mayor emphasized that public service is "noble work" and provided specific examples of exceptional city service, from rapid water main break cleanup to park employees assisting a lost dementia patient. She positioned this as both internal culture building and a framework for better resident experience with consistent, reliable city services. **Municipal Court Capacity and Constitutional Requirements** The creation of a second municipal judge position addresses increasing caseload complexity and constitutional speedy trial requirements. Deputy Administrator Forrest Longman explained that the current structure—one judge and one commissioner—creates bottlenecks because commissioners cannot hear trials. The new position costs $288,547 annually but is largely offset by freezing the commissioner position ($250,359) and receiving additional state judicial funding. The timing creates an unusual situation where both judges will face election simultaneously in 2029 rather than staggered terms. **Transportation Policy and Service Equity** Council Member Lilliquist's WTA report revealed significant policy shifts in regional transit planning. The board is revising service guidelines to emphasize "high ridership routes" over broad coverage, potent…
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**Mayor Kim Lund** positioned herself as a culture change leader with the One City philosophy, emphasizing service excellence and interdepartmental collaboration. She provided specific positive examples of city service while acknowledging resource constraints and the practical challenges of implementing cultural change across all city departments. **Council President Hannah Stone** demonstrated policy leadership in multiple areas: reporting extensively on legislative advocacy efforts in Olympia, raising concerns about golf course accessibility as a municipal service, and explaining council participation in federal immigration enforcement litigation. She emphasized the amicus brief challenges civil rights violations, not federal immigration authority itself. **Council Member Michael Lilliquist** served as primary spokesperson for infrastructure and transportation policy, presenting complex technical information about the Old Town redevelopment contract and WTA service guidelines changes. His reports from multiple regional boards (WTA, Justice Project Finance, Association of Washington Cities) positioned him as deeply engaged in regional policy coordination. **Council Member Daniel Hammill** focused extensively on p…
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**Mayor Kim Lund, on public service philosophy:** "Public service is noble work. And I think it's especially important to affirm in this moment right now that public service is noble work and that every individual that goes to work at the city of Bellingham has an important role in creating a safe, thriving and future ready community." **Mayor Kim Lund, on service excellence:** "We had a city crew on scene first thing the next morning and we returned it to a like new condition. She said her d…
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**February 9, 2026 City Council Meeting** - Council Members Hammill and Williams will present a resolution addressing immigration enforcement and civil rights issues, building on the amicus brief participation and current national events. **Late Fall 2026** - Central Library renovation construction expected to begin, requiring closure of the main branch while expanding hours at Bellingham, Fair Haven, and Barkley Village branch libraries. **January 27, 2026** - Deadline for capital funding applications to state legislature for day shelter and municipal court renovations, as reported in legislative update. **2029 Municipal Judge Elections** - Both municipal judge positions will appear on the November 2029 ball…

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**City governance transparency increased significantly** with the new agenda format providing one week advance access to meeting materials instead of just days, and modernized document templates with enhanced background information and impact statements. **Municipal Court capacity expanded** from one judge plus one commissioner to two full-time judges, enabling trial scheduling capacity to meet constitutional speedy trial requirements and handle increasing caseload complexity. **City's Central Library renovation funding increased by $2.949 million** through state grant acceptance, bringing the total project funding to over $8.4 million for comprehensive renovation of the 1950 building serving a quadrupled population. **Old Town redevelopment advanced significantly** with $5.98 million contract award enabling street improvements that will "unlock redevelopment potential across multiple blocks, delivering several hundred new housing u…
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# Bellingham City Council Charts New Course with Infrastructure Investment and Governance Reforms On this Monday evening in January, the Bellingham City Council convened for what would prove to be a meeting of both routine business and significant forward momentum. With Hannah Stone presiding as the newly elected Council President, the meeting showcased the city's commitment to modernizing its operations while addressing pressing community needs through major infrastructure projects and policy improvements. ## Meeting Overview The January 26, 2026 regular meeting brought together all seven council members at 7:00 PM in City Hall chambers. The session highlighted the city's evolution toward greater transparency and efficiency, beginning with President Stone's introduction of newly redesigned agenda materials that would be published a full week in advance of meetings. This modernization effort, developed by Deputy City Clerk Kelly Gets and Enterprise Systems Architect Matt Bazansen, represented months of behind-the-scenes work to make city government more accessible to residents. Mayor Kim Lund used her report time to share insights from recent "Ask Me Anything" sessions with city staff, emphasizing what she called the "One City" philosophy of collaborative public service. The council also inaugurated a new "Council Assignment Reports" section, allowing members to share updates from their various board and committee appointments beyond the city. ## Old Town Redevelopment Takes Major Step Forward The evening's most significant infrastructure decision involved awarding a $5.98 million contract for Old Town redevelopment to Earthwork Solutions LLC. Council Member Michael Lilliquist, chairing the Public Works and Natural Resources committee, explained that this project represents a crucial public-private partnership involving multiple development agreements dating back to 2020. "This commitment to public infrastructure investment reduces private development risk and unlocks redevelopment potential across multiple blocks, delivering significant public benefits, including the creation of several hundred new housing units," Lilliquist told his colleagues during the committee report. The project will transform C, D, and E Streets between Holly and Bancroft Streets, along with Astor Street from C Street to F Street. The work includes new curb and gutter, widened streets conforming to the Old Town Urban Village Plan, modern lighting on Astor and C Streets, com…
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A structured study guide helping readers understand the meeting's content and context. ### Meeting Overview The Bellingham City Council held its regular meeting on January 26, 2026, featuring several major infrastructure contracts and grants, plus new transparency initiatives including publishing agendas one week in advance and creating a new council assignment reports section. ### Key Terms and Concepts **One City Philosophy:** A service approach Mayor Lund described that emphasizes collaboration across departments, focusing on outcomes rather than just completing tasks, and approaching work with curiosity and humility. **Franchise Agreement:** A legal contract that allows a company to install and operate infrastructure (like fiber optic cables) in city rights-of-way. In this meeting, NFC Northwest LLC received a 10-year nonexclusive franchise to provide telecommunications services. **Municipal Judge vs. Commissioner:** Only judges can hear trials in municipal court, while commissioners handle other court functions. The city is creating a second judge position because of increased caseload and case complexity. **Amicus Brief:** A legal document filed by parties not directly involved in a case to provide information or perspective to the court. Council members signed onto an amicus brief regarding civil rights violations in Minneapolis. **Public-Private Partnership:** The Old Town redevelopment project is structured this way, with the city constructing street improvements while private developers handle building construction. **Real Estate Excise Tax:** A local tax on property sales that helps fund transportation projects, including the Old Town street improvements. **LEED Certification:** Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards that the library renovation project must meet as part of the state grant requirements. **WTA (Whatcom Transportation Authority):** The regional transit agency that provides bus service, with new service guidelines emphasizing high-ridership routes and access to opportunity. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Hannah Stone | Council President | | Hollie Huthman | Council President Pro Tempore | | Daniel Hammill | Council Member | | Edwin "Skip" Williams | Council Member, Mayor Pro Tempore | | Lisa Anderson | Council Member | | Michael Lilliquist | Council Member | | Jace Cotton | Council Member At-Large | | Kim Lund | …
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Government Operations AB 24807 AB 24808 AB 24813 AB 24814 AB 24815 AB 24816 HB 2266 HB 2374 SB 5884 Association Washington Cities Central Library Department Of Commerce Earthwork Solutions Incarceration Prevention Task Force Justice Project Nfc Northwest Premier Golf Troon Golf Whatcom County Wta Board Carol Rofkar Craig Mueller Daniel Hammill Edwin Williams Forrest Longman Hannah Stone Hollie Huthman Jace Cotton Kim Lund Lisa Anderson Michael Fosnick Michael Lilliquist Michael Wilson Rebecca Judd Steven Janiszewski Behavioral Care Center Central Library Fiber Optic Franchise Golf Course Fees Immigration Enforcement Justice Project Legislative Advocacy Municipal Court Municipal Court Expansion Old Town Redevelopment One City Philosophy Police Contract Police Contract Negotiations Prevailing Wage Public Service Philosophy Public Transparency State Grants Telecommunications Franchise Wta Transportation