### Meeting Overview The Bellingham City Council Committee of the Whole met on April 13, 2026, with all seven council members present (one remotely). The committee received updates on the 2026 state legislative session, approved changes to the Historic Preservation Commission structure, established a regional fire authority planning committee, and adopted new communications frameworks for the city council. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Committee of the Whole (CTW):** A city council committee format where all seven council members participate together to review agenda items before they go to full council for formal votes. **Legislative Session:** Washington State's 2026 legislative session was a 60-day session that ended March 12, 2026, focused on addressing a $1.8 billion state deficit with limited new initiatives. **STEP Housing:** Supportive, Transitional, Emergency housing bill (HB 2266) that limits cities' abilities to zone and create operating agreements for emergency housing projects. **Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs):** Technology regulated by Senate Bill 602 that allows law enforcement to scan and store license plate data for specific law enforcement purposes. **Historic Preservation Commission:** A 9-member city board being reduced to 7 members, responsible for reviewing alterations to buildings on Bellingham's local historic register. **Regional Fire Authority (RFA):** A proposed governmental structure that would combine City of Bellingham fire services with Fire Protection District 8 services under unified management. **Qualified Elector:** Current requirement that commission members be registered voters within city limits, being changed to allow Whatcom County residents who work in Bellingham. **Communications Charter:** New framework defining roles and responsibilities for coordinating city council communications and community engagement efforts. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Hannah Stone | Council President, Committee Chair | | Kim Lund | Mayor | | Nick Federici | Contract lobbyist in Olympia | | Luke Esser | Contract lobbyist in Olympia | | Blake Lion | Director of Planning and Community Development | | Emmy Sher | City Planner coordinating historic preservation | | Bill Huitt | Fire Chief | | David Braun | Assistant Communications Director | | Melissa Amler | WSDOT Assistant Regional Administrator | | Br…