Search toggle
Contact toggle
Contact toggle
Search toggle
Say hello.
Focus Str. 5th Ave, 98/2 34746 Manhattan, New York
+1 222 44 55
hello@acme.com
What are you looking for?
Real Briefings

Committee of the Whole

BEL-CTW-2024-11-04 November 04, 2024 Committee of the Whole City of Bellingham
← Back to All Briefings
Nov
Month
04
Day
—
Min
Published
Status

The Bellingham City Council's Committee of the Whole held its final budget work session for 2025, addressing minor budget corrections and additions totaling several million dollars while grappling with significant fiscal constraints. The most significant action was approving a comprehensive budget adjustment memo that includes new capital projects, operational changes, and corrections to previously omitted items. The committee also addressed several policy matters with long-term implications. Hearing Examiner Sharon Rice presented her annual report highlighting systemic concerns about vehicle impound appeals, where appellants have had zero success in ten years, prompting council to direct staff to develop ordinance changes. The committee approved the statutorily required property tax levy increase of 1% and endorsed a resolution supporting increased Food Bank funding, reflecting the city's response to rising poverty rates. A notable discussion emerged around the state's potential mandate for increased public defense funding, which could cost the city $3-6 million annually versus the current $1 million expense. Council decided to prepare testimony materials for upcoming state hearings on this issue, demonstrating proactive engagement on unfunded state mandates. The meeting concluded with approval of the 2025 council calendar, though discussion revealed ongoing deliberations about establishing annual council retreats. The session highlighted the tension between maintaining essential city services while addressing growing community needs during a constrained budget cycle.

**Budget Adjustments (AB 24309) - APPROVED 7-0** - Corrections totaling $182,000 for fleet fund revenue and $649,800 for medic student training costs - New operational proposals including $100,000 for Public Facilities District professional services - Security services reorganization moving 3.5 FTE positions from Library to Facilities Department, adding 0.5 FTE - Lake Whatcom watershed staffing increase: 1.0 Environmental Coordinator and 4.0 FTE crew ($732,000) - New capital projects including Bay Street Bridge skate park feasibility ($100,000) and Federal Building remodel planning ($250,000) - Multiple stormwater and infrastructure projects totaling over $4.8 million, largely grant-supported **Public Works Variance Extensions (AB 24310) - APPROVED 7-0** - Directed administration to develop ordinance amendment allowing one-year extensions for public works variances, parallel to exist…

About 50% shown — sign up free to read the rest Sign up free →
**Budget Constraints and Priorities** Staff emphasized this represents the final budget adjustments before the November 18th adoption. The mayor acknowledged difficult choices in a constrained budget environment while highlighting strategic investments. The Lake Whatcom watershed expansion reflects growing property management needs, while the Federal Building remodel planning addresses space constraints as Public Works engineering relocates. Council Member Lilliquist noted he would have proposed adding climate office capacity but felt unable to do so given budget realities. Mayor Lund responded by describing multi-hour strategic meetings to embed climate work across departments rather than expanding dedicated staff. **Vehicle Impound Appeals Reform** Hearing Examiner Rice's report sparked extensive discussion about fairness in vehicle impound appeals, where no appellant has succeeded in ten years. She highlighted cases involving people experiencing homelessness, permit purchase data entry errors, and motorhome owners attempting to comply with notices but still facing impoundment. Legal staff…
About 50% shown — sign up free to read the rest Sign up free →
**Hearing Examiner Sharon Rice** Requested code changes to allow public works variance extensions and vehicle impound appeal reforms. Specifically asked for criteria allowing appellants to win relief, noting the zero success rate over ten years creates due process concerns and undermines public trust in government. **City Attorney's Office (Alan Marriner and Matt Stamps)** Supported the public works variance extension as a simple code change. On vehicle impounds, explained the narrow authority under state law while noting active consideration of codifying Homestead Act and excessive fines analysis. Emphasized that impound regulations implement state mandates with limited local discretion. **Mayor Kim Lund** Emphasized strategic capacity building through multi…
About 49% shown — sign up free to read the rest Sign up free →
**Council Member Lilliquist, on budget constraints:** "I do not have a budget adjustment... But that is the budget amendment I would have proposed if I felt there was just some room to do [climate office expansion]. But more might happen faster if there were more people to do it right." **Hearing Examiner Rice, on vehicle impound appeals:** "I want people to have the ability to win appeals that they are allowed to file. And because we've had a zero success rate that brings concern to my atten…
About 49% shown — sign up free to read the rest Sign up free →

- **November 18, 2024**: Final budget ordinance adoption at regular council meeting - **November 15, 2024**: Status update required on North Coast Credit Union appeals of tiny house encampment permits - **November 30, 2024**: Deadline for transmitting property tax levy ordinance to Whatcom County Council - **January 2025**: Community court launch (delayed from fall 2024) - **Early 2025**: Keep Washington Working Advisory Group work expected to begin - **End of 2024**: Supreme Cou…

About 50% shown — sign up free to read the rest Sign up free →
**Immediate Changes:** - Budget incorporates $732,000 Lake Whatcom watershed staffing expansion - Security services consolidated under Facilities Department with additional 0.5 FTE capacity - Bay Street Bridge skate park and Federal Building remodel advance to feasibility phase - Multiple infrastructure projects totaling $4.8+ million added to capital budget - Property tax levy increased by statutorily allowed 1% for 2025 **Policy Direction Established:** - Council committed to developing public works variance extension procedures - Food Bank funding increase endorsed as municipal priority despite budget constraints - Materials development authorized for state indigent de…
About 50% shown — sign up free to read the rest Sign up free →
# Committee Deliberations on Budget, Justice, and Community Needs ## Meeting Overview On the first Monday of November 2024, the City of Bellingham's Committee of the Whole convened for what would prove to be a substantive budget work session and discussion of municipal justice reforms. All seven council members were present as they gathered first in the mayor's boardroom at 10:30 a.m., then moved to council chambers for the afternoon session. The meeting addressed final budget adjustments, heard an annual report from the Hearing Examiner about systemic issues in the vehicle impound appeal process, and tackled questions about public defense funding mandates that could dramatically impact city finances. The meeting reflected a city government wrestling with fiscal constraints while maintaining its commitment to core services and social needs. From approving a $100,000 increase for food bank funding to debating potential $6 million impacts from state-mandated public defense standards, council members navigated competing priorities against the backdrop of a challenging budget year. The tone was workmanlike but engaged, with council members asking detailed questions about everything from skate park feasibility studies to constitutional protections for people living in their vehicles. ## Final Budget Adjustments and Municipal Priorities Deputy Administrator Forrest Longman walked council through a comprehensive memo containing mostly minor budget corrections and several new proposals that had emerged during the budget process. The adjustments fell into three categories: simple errors that needed fixing, new operational proposals, and new or modified capital projects totaling several million dollars. The corrections were straightforward—fixing position tables for Human Resources and Library departments, adding fleet fund revenue for new vehicle purchases, and recognizing medic training costs and revenue from Whatcom County. "These are items that either got dropped somehow in the process by mistake, or have come up through discussions as we've gone along," Longman explained. More substantial were the new operational proposals. The city requested $100,000 in professional services for the Public Facilities District, which is "ramping back up to look at extending the term of its revenue for another period of time." Security services were being centralized, moving security information attendants from the library to the facilities department and adding half-time…
About 13% shown — sign up free to read the rest Sign up free →
### Meeting Overview The Bellingham City Council's Committee of the Whole met on November 4, 2024, for a budget work session focused on making final adjustments to the 2025 budget before council's final vote. Key agenda items included approving last-minute budget corrections, hearing the annual report from the Hearing Examiner, setting property tax rates, and discussing increased funding for the Bellingham Food Bank. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Committee of the Whole:** A meeting format where all seven city council members participate together to discuss and vote on items before they go to the full council meeting for final approval. **Property Tax Levy:** The annual amount the city is authorized to collect from property owners, calculated as a percentage of assessed property values. State law limits increases to 1% plus new construction. **Municipal Court:** The city's court system that handles local violations like traffic tickets, parking infractions, and minor municipal code violations. **Hearing Examiner:** An independent quasi-judicial official who conducts hearings on land use applications, appeals, and other regulatory matters, operating separately from city staff. **Vehicle Impound Appeals:** Legal proceedings where people can challenge the validity of their car being towed or the fees charged by towing companies. **REET Funds:** Real Estate Excise Tax funds collected when properties are sold, which can only be used for capital projects like buildings and infrastructure. **Public Facilities District (PFD):** A special government entity that operates the Bellingham Civic Field ballpark, funded through taxes and considering extending its tax authority. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Daniel Hammill | Council President, Third Ward | | Kim Lund | Mayor | | Hannah Stone | Council Member, First Ward | | Hollie Huthman | Council Member, Second Ward | | Edwin "Skip" Williams | Council Member, Fourth Ward | | Lisa Anderson | Council Member, Fifth Ward | | Michael Lilliquist | Council Mem…
About 50% shown — premium members only Upgrade to premium →

Share This Briefing

Tags & Connections

Budget & Finance Public Safety Social Services Government Operations AB 24309 AB 24310 AB 24311 AB 24312 AB 24313 Bellingham Food Bank City Attorney Office Facilities Department Lake Whatcom Watershed Municipal Court Public Works Department Supreme Court Whatcom County Alan Marriner Daniel Hammill Edwin Williams Forrest Longman Hannah Stone Hollie Huthman Jace Cotton Kim Lund Lisa Anderson Matt Stamps Michael Lilliquist Sharon Rice Tami Bennett Affordable Housing Behavioral Health Budget Finance Climate Action Criminal Justice Eviction Policy Food Security Homelessness Infrastructure Investment Lake Whatcom Watershed Municipal Court Expansion Permitting Fees Stormwater Transportation Policy