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City of Bellingham Hearing Examiner

BEL-HEX-2026-01-05 January 05, 2026 Public Hearing City of Bellingham 5 min
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The City of Bellingham Hearing Examiner convened on January 5, 2026, for a scheduled vehicle impound appeal hearing, but the proceedings were immediately derailed by technical difficulties that prevented effective communication between the parties. The hearing involved file number HE25-VI050, an appeal by Chris Rossmiller challenging both the validity of a vehicle impound and associated towing and storage fees under Public Works file number 25B-71907. Hearing Examiner Sharon Rice, who serves the City of Bellingham and nine other jurisdictions under contract, attempted to conduct the hearing remotely with Rossmiller participating by phone while Budget Towing's representative joined via Zoom. However, severe audio connectivity issues made it impossible for Rossmiller to hear the examiner clearly, despite multiple attempts to adjust equipment and positioning. The technical problems stemmed from Rossmiller using a new phone that lacked Zoom software, forcing him to participate via a standard phone connection while other parties used video conferencing. After several minutes of troubleshooting proved unsuccessful, all parties agreed to reschedule the hearing to January 23, 2026, at 10:00 AM to allow Rossmiller time to resolve his technical setup. The brief session highlighted the ongoing challenges of conducting administrative hearings remotely, particularly when participants have varying levels of technical capability or equipment limitations. No substantive discussion of the impound appeal occurred due to the connectivity issues.

- **Motion to Reschedule:** Unanimous agreement to reschedule hearing due to technical difficulties - **New Hearing Date:** January 23, 2026, at 10:00 AM (adjusted from initial 1:00 PM proposal to …

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No policy discussions occurred during this session due to the technical difficulties that prevented the hearing from proceeding. The substantive matter involves a vehicle impound appeal challenging bo…
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**Sharon Rice (Hearing Examiner):** Demonstrated patience in attempting to resolve technical issues but ultimately determined that effective communication was impossible and rescheduling was necessary. **Chris Rossmiller (Appellant):** Expressed willingness to participate but was hampered by technical limitatio…
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**Sharon Rice, on audio difficulties:** "I'm already speaking at my maximum speaking voice." **Ms. Bowker, explaining the technical issue:** "It sounds like he has a new phone and his wife wasn't there this morning and normally she helps him with things." **…
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- **January 23, 2026, 10:00 AM:** Rescheduled hearing for HE25-VI050 vehicle impound appeal - **Before January 23:** City staff will assist Chris Rossmiller with Zoom setup on his new phone - **Sub…

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The only change resulting from this session was the rescheduling of the hearing from January 5 to January 23, 2026. The appeal case remains in the same procedural status, with no progress made on the …
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# Hearing Examiner Meeting — Audio Problems Force Rescheduling ## Meeting Overview At 10:02 AM on January 5, 2026, the City of Bellingham Hearing Examiner Sharon Rice convened what was supposed to be a vehicle impound hearing but quickly turned into an exercise in technological frustration. The hearing, conducted remotely via phone and Zoom, was meant to address Chris Rossmiller's challenge to the validity of a vehicle impound and associated towing and storage fees. Instead, it became a brief but telling illustration of how technical difficulties can derail even the most routine government proceedings. Present were Hearing Examiner Rice, city staff member Ms. Bowker facilitating the call, appellant Chris Rossmiller calling in by phone, and a representative from Budget Towing. What should have been a straightforward administrative hearing lasted only five minutes before audio problems forced a complete rescheduling. ## Technical Difficulties Derail the Hearing The problems began almost immediately. "Ms. B…
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## Meeting Overview The Bellingham Hearing Examiner met on January 5, 2026 to hear an appeal from Chris Rossmiller challenging a vehicle impound and associated towing and storage fees. Due to technical difficulties with the audio connection, the hearing was rescheduled to January 23, 2026 at 10:00 AM. ## Key Terms and Concepts **Hearing Examiner:** An independent attorney who serves as a quasi-judicial officer for the city, hearing appeals and making legal determinations on various municipal matters. Sharon Rice serves as Bellingham's contract hearing examiner. **Vehicle Impound Appeal:** A legal challenge to the city's decision to tow and impound a vehicle, which can contest both the validity of the impound itself and the fees charged for towing and storage. **Public Works File Number:** The city's internal tracking number for municipal actions - in this case, file 25B-71907 corresponds to the impound action being appealed. **Quasi-Judicial Proceeding:** A formal legal process where an administrative official (like a hearing examiner) makes decisions that affect individual rights, following legal procedures similar to a court hearing. **Contract Services:** The arrangement where cities hire independent attorneys to serve as hearing examiners rather than having full-time staff, allowing smaller jurisdictions to share costs and expertise. ## Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Sharon Rice | Hearing Examiner (contract attorney serving Bellingham and 9 other jurisdictions) | | Chris Rossmiller | Appellant challenging the vehicle impound | | Ms. Bowker (Kristi) | City staff member facilitating the remote hearing | | Budget Towing representative | Towing company that performed the impound | ## Background Context Vehicle impound appeals are an important part of due process in municipal enforcement. When the city orders a vehicle towed and impounded - whether for parking violations, abandoned vehicles, or other violations - property owners have the right to challenge both the decision to impound and the fees charged. The hearing examiner system provide…
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Government Operations Budget Towing City Of Bellingham Chris Rossmiller Ms Bowker Sharon Rice Hearing Procedure Remote Hearing Technology Technical Difficulties Vehicle Impound Vehicle Impound Appeal