Mayor's Neighborhood Advisory Commission (MNAC)

The city's 2026 legislative agenda reflects acute fiscal constraints at the state level, with revenue shortfalls requiring any new programs to be revenue-neutral through identified budget cuts. Housing remains the top policy priority, with new emphasis on addressing vacant buildings through potential land value tax legislation partnered with Spokane. The constitutionally-complex nature of property taxation in Washington creates barriers to vacancy taxes used successfully in other jurisdictions. Capital funding requests center on urgent infrastructure needs: the municipal court building has condemned areas requiring relocation to the former federal building on Magnolia Street, while the closure of the main library for renovations creates desperate need for day shelter capacity that doesn't currently exis…

Mayor Lund emphasized the "One City" initiative in staff communications, promoting unified service delivery regardless of departmental boundaries since residents experience city government as a whole entity rather than separate departments. She stressed going slower initially to create more durable long-term solutions for community needs. Neighborhood representatives consistently expressed volunteer burnout and declining engagement in regular association meetings, contrasting with strong turnout for special events and community celebrations. York's Colin Beazley noted over 200 attendees at their December caroling event versus typical small meeting attendance. Sunnyland's Annie Sorich reported similar patterns with only 20-25 people at quarterly meetings despite successful large events. Downtown Bellingham Partnership's Lindsey Payne Johnstone praised the town hall format's authenticity,…

**Mayor Kim Lund, on fiscal constraints:** "New programs or policies that come with a price tag need to be revenue neutral. And so they have to come with addendums that identify the budget cuts that will support those new programs or policies." **Mayor Kim Lund, on day shelter urgency:** "We can't point fingers at other agencies or governments. This is a real time sensitive need in our community and the city is going to lead on bringing a day shelter online concurrent with the closure of the …

The city fundamentally restructured its neighborhood engagement approach, shifting from individual neighborhood visits by department heads to consolidated community-wide town halls. This represents a significant policy change in municipal accessibility and resource allocation. City Council agendas now publish earlier (Monday before Monday meetings) with improved format and transparency features. The Community Streets Program opened its second round focused on Quadrant B neighborhoods, expanding resident-driven traffic safety identification beyond the initial pilot areas. Several neighborhoods completed 2024 Small and Simple grants, installing historical signage at Rock Hill Pa…

A structured study guide helping readers understand the meeting's content and context. ### Meeting Overview The Mayor's Neighborhood Advisory Commission (MNAC) met on January 21, 2026, with Mayor Kim Lund facilitating via remote connection due to illness. The meeting focused on the city's 2026 legislative priorities, introduced a new "Department Head Roadshow" format for community engagement, and featured updates from 18 neighborhood associations across Bellingham. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Mayor's Neighborhood Advisory Commission (MNAC):** A city body where representatives from Bellingham's 20+ neighborhood associations meet monthly to share updates and receive information from city leadership. **Department Head Roadshow:** A new town hall format where the mayor and all 15 department heads visit different areas of the city for informal Q&A sessions with residents, replacing some traditional neighborhood visits. **Community Streets Program:** A resident-driven program that identifies traffic safety concerns on non-arterial residential streets, with rotating geographic focus areas each cycle. **Small and Simple Grant:** City funding program that provides reimbursements to neighborhood associations for community projects like signage, events, or improvements. **One City Initiative:** A philosophy Mayor Lund introduced to city staff about approaching work with curiosity, humility, and unified service delivery across departments. **Day Shelter:** A critical social service infrastructure that Bellingham currently lacks, where unhoused individuals can access services and shelter during daytime hours when the library is closed. **Model Toxic Control Act (MOCTA):** State funds used for environmental cleanup projects, which the city needs to complete the toxic Salish Landing remediation. **Quiet Zones:** Railroad crossing areas where trains don't sound horns, currently only available in southern Bellingham but expanding northward as the city can fund the required safety infrastructure. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Mayor Kim Lund | Mayor of Bellingham, meeting facilitator | | Janice Keller | Deputy City Administrator | | Colin Beazley | York neighborhood representative | | Annie Sorich | Sunnyland neighborhood representative | | Michael Chrzastowski | South Hill neighborhood representative | | Steve Wilson | South neighborhood representative | | Stephanie Levine | Sehome neighborhood representative | | Steve Abell | Samish neighborhood president | | Lauren Bunke | Roosevelt neighborhood representative | | Bri O'Hare | Lettered Streets neighborhood representative | | Blair Marcotte | King Mountain neighborhood representative | | Jake Charlton | Happy Valley neighborhood representative | | Jan Dietzgen | Fairhaven neighborhood representati…