Bellingham City Council Committee of the Whole

**Strategic Communications Transformation:** Morin outlined an ambitious shift from traditional government communication to a community-centered approach. The plan emphasizes "service to the community" rather than public relations, focusing on two-way dialogue and meaningful engagement. Key elements include moving from text-heavy materials to visual-first communication using infographics, videos, and multimedia presentations. The city will update its branding, including colors for accessibility compliance, and create consistent design language across departments. Council members engaged deeply with questions about brand identity, tone, and accessibility requirements. Council Member Stone raised concerns about the additional workload required to make visual content accessible, noting federal mandates and the complexity of alt-text for graphics. Morin acknowledged this as a significant challenge but indicated they're explor…

**Melissa Morin** advocated strongly for a fundamental shift in how the city approaches communication, emphasizing transparency, authenticity, and community service over traditional public relations. She positioned the communications team as facilitators of democratic engagement rather than message controllers. **Council Member Stone** expressed support for visual communication while raising practical concerns about accessibility compliance costs and timelines, drawing from experience at the college level with similar challenges. **Council Member Hammill** highlighted the unique challenge of council communications, noting that unlike other city departments, council discuss…

**Melissa Morin, on the communications philosophy:** "We think much more about our work as service to the community. So when I think about how we support the work of the city as part of our purpose, the work of the city is about public service and service to the community." **Morin, on visual communication transition:** "We need to move away from that and take much more of a visual first approach to our communications going forward. So that looks like much more use of videos and infographics,…

The city formally adopted emergency authority to waive competitive bidding for weather-related infrastructure repairs, moving from ad hoc emergency declarations to council-ratified authority. The Wilbur Culvert was added to the emergency repair list through council amendment. Council endorsed a fundamental shift in city communications philosophy from traditional government messaging to community-centered engagement. The city committed to transitioning from text-heavy communication to visual-first approaches, with accessibility compliance …

### Meeting Overview The Bellingham City Council Committee of the Whole met on December 15, 2025, for two primary purposes: to receive a presentation on the city's new Strategic Communications and Engagement Plan for 2026-2028, and to approve an emergency resolution for weather-related infrastructure damages from the December 10 storm. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Committee of the Whole:** A meeting format where all city council members participate in a working session to receive presentations and discuss issues before formal votes at regular council meetings. This committee generally does not have public comment periods. **Strategic Communications Plan:** A three-year roadmap guiding how the city will communicate with residents through websites, social media, public engagement events, and emergency alerts. The plan emphasizes moving from text-heavy communications to visual-first approaches. **Emergency Resolution:** A formal city council declaration that allows staff to bypass competitive bidding requirements during emergencies, enabling faster response to urgent infrastructure repairs and public safety threats. **Infiltration and Inflow (I&I):** When stormwater enters sewer systems through cracks in pipes or improper connections, causing backups during heavy rain events. This is a major challenge for aging sewer infrastructure. **Fish Passage Culverts:** Specialized drainage structures designed to allow fish migration while managing stormwater flow. These often provide better flood protection than traditional culverts. **BTV:** Bellingham Television, the city's video production team that creates content for public meetings, city programs, and communications initiatives. **One City Approach:** The communications team's goal to ensure consistent messaging and visual identity across all city departments, so residents receive unified information whether interacting with police, parks, planning, or other services. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Hollie Huthman | Committee Chair, City Council | | Melissa Morin | Communications and Community Relations Director | | Joel Ingram | Public Works Director | | Nicole Oliver | Public Works Staff | | Hannah Stone | City Council Member | | Daniel Hammill | City Council Member | | Edwin "Skip" Williams | City Council Member | | Lisa Anderson | City Council Member | | Michael Lilliquist | City Council Member | | Jace Cotton | City Council Member | | David | Council Communications Staff (referenced) | ### Background Context Bellingham is transitioning from a small city to a mid-size city of nearly 100,000 residents, requiring more sophisticated communication strategies. The city has been building its communications capacity o…