Whatcom County Finance and Administrative Services Committee

# Navigating Property Appeals and Community Forest Partnerships in Whatcom County At 9:32 AM on August 6, 2025, the Whatcom County Finance and Administrative Services Committee convened in a hybrid format to tackle two substantial topics that highlighted the county's evolving approaches to both citizen services and environmental stewardship. With Committee Chair Barry Buchanan stepping in to preside over the meeting in the absence of the regular chair, the session would prove to be a revealing examination of how government processes work when they work well — and when they encounter friction. ## Meeting Overview The committee, consisting of Councilmembers Tyler Byrd, Todd Donovan, and Barry Buchanan, gathered with several other council members observing, including Ben Elenbaas, Kaylee Galloway, Jon Scanlon, and Mark Stremler. The meeting was structured around special presentations that would consume most of the time, followed by a swift processing of seventeen consent agenda items totaling millions in contracts and agreements, and concluding with discussion of the ninth budget amendment of the year. ## The Assessor's Office: Transparency Gains, Service Struggles County Assessor Rebecca Xczar opened the meeting with a comprehensive presentation on her office's functions, beginning with the fundamental principle that drives all property assessment work: "All work is defined in our CWs and wax with guidance and oversight provided by the Department of Revenue. We value property for taxation purposes at 100% of true and fair value, unless otherwise exempt by law." Xczar's presentation revealed a department in transition, having invested heavily in technology and transparency while grappling with the practical challenges of serving a community that has seen dramatic increases in property values and, consequently, appeals. The assessor detailed the office's systematic approach to revaluation, explaining how the county is divided into six areas with one-sixth inspected annually while the remaining five-sixths receive statistical updates based on market data analysis. "Changes in assessed value follow analysis of sales in the prior year," Xczar explained, noting that for 2025, the countywide change is estimated at a modest three to five percent increase — a marked contrast to the dramatic increases that sparked controversy in previous years. The office has made significant strides in public accessibility, launching new data por…