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Real Briefings

Bellingham City Council

BEL-CON-2024-09-30 September 30, 2024 City Council Regular Meeting City of Bellingham 55 min
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The September 30th Bellingham City Council meeting was dominated by significant property acquisitions and budget discussions as the city navigates ongoing fiscal challenges. Council approved two major property purchases totaling $2.86 million, including a $1.26 million acquisition adjacent to the tiny home village site and a $1.6 million, 3.4-acre parcel on Telegraph Road for parks and trails development. Mayor Kim Lund presented her proposed 2025 budget earlier in the day, acknowledging a multi-million dollar ongoing general fund deficit and declining revenues over five of the last nine months. The proposed budget employs creative resource utilization and targeted reductions to provide short-term relief while allowing strategic investments in priority programs. However, the mayor emphasized this budget serves as a temporary bridge to financial stability, with difficult decisions likely extending into 2026. The evening session also addressed landlord-tenant relations with two draft ordinances targeting "junk fees" in residential rentals and manufactured home communities. Council Member Jace Cotton led presentations on these consumer protection measures, which aim to define and prohibit unfair or excessive fees while establishing enforcement penalties. In a controversial 4-2 vote, council approved dissolving the Immigration Advisory Board while simultaneously creating a new Keep Washington Working Act advisory workgroup. Council Members Michael Lilliquist and Jace Cotton opposed the dissolution, highlighting ongoing debate about immigrant rights advocacy structure. The meeting concluded with final passage of an ordinance establishing a shelter protection area adjacent to the Way Station, completing a process to regulate activities that might disrupt the homeless services facility.

**Property Acquisitions (Passed 6-0 each):** - Approved $1.26 million purchase from Pacific Northwest Credit Union for property adjacent to tiny home village, closing by November 10, 2025 - Approved $1.6 million purchase of 3.4-acre parcel at 1492 Telegraph Road for parks and trails development **Advisory Board Changes:** - Created Keep Washington Working Act advisory workgroup (Passed 6-0) - Dissolved Immigration Advisory Board and repealed BMC Chapter 2.26 (Passed 4-2, opposed by Lilliquist and Cotton) **Interlocal Agreements (Both passed 6-0):** - Approved agreement with …

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**Budget Crisis and Strategic Response:** Mayor Lund's budget presentation revealed the severity of Bellingham's fiscal challenges, with flattening and declining revenues exacerbating an existing multi-million dollar general fund deficit. The administration's approach balances short-term stability measures with strategic investments in priority programs while minimizing service delivery impacts. The mayor emphasized the temporary nature of many revenue strategies and warned that careful consideration and difficult decisions will likely continue into 2026. **Housing Policy through Property Acquisition:** The two major property acquisitions demonstrate the city's continued commitment to housing and recreation infrastructure despite budget constraints. The property adjacent to the tiny home village specifically supports long-term affordable housing development, while the Telegraph Road parcel expands northern parks and trails connectivity. **Fiber Network Infrastructure:** Council extensively discussed the city's fiber network futur…
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**Mayor Kim Lund** emphasized fiscal responsibility while maintaining community priorities, stating the budget reflects "responsible stewards of our constrained public dollars and maintaining our existing assets while continuing to make progress on key community priorities." **Council Member Michael Lilliquist** provided context on both the multifamily tax exemption program and the Immigration Advisory Board dissolution, noting the program's success in producing over 1,500 regular housing units while the affordable housing component remains ineffective. He opposed dissolving the IAB, supporting continued advocacy work. **Council Member Lisa Anderson** prioritized a…
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**Mayor Kim Lund, on budget philosophy:** "Excellence and governance means being responsible stewards of our constrained public dollars and maintaining our existing assets while continuing to make progress on key community priorities and much needed ongoing investments in the people that go to work here every day." **Mayor Kim Lund, on moral leadership:** "Moral leadership requires acknowledging difficulties, considering objections, and demonstrating a willingness to do what is right and just…
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**October 7, 2024 Public Hearings:** - Bellingham Police Department's BJA FY24 Edward Byrne Memorial Assistance Grant application - Proposed 2025 Budget public hearing **Future Meeting Items:** - Landlord tenant relations ordinances (AB 24253 and 24254) return for additional discussion - Emergency powers section review and municipal code cleanup - Budget deliberations continuing through fall 2…

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**Organizational Structure:** - Immigration Advisory Board officially dissolved with BMC Chapter 2.26 repealed - New Keep Washington Working Act advisory workgroup authorized for creation **Property Portfolio:** - City's real estate holdings expanded by $2.86 million with two strategic acquisitions - Affordable housing development capacity increased with tiny home village adjacent property - Parks and trails system expanded with Telegraph Road parcel acquisition **Infrastructure Planning:** - Fiber network comprehensive plan elements formally adopted - …
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# A Day of Difficult Decisions: Budget Pressures and Policy Debates Shape Bellingham's Path Forward On September 30, 2024, the Bellingham City Council convened for what would prove to be a marathon day of governance — one that exemplified the challenging balancing act facing local government in an era of constrained resources and competing priorities. From an early morning executive session to evening public comment, the day's proceedings revealed a city grappling with fundamental questions about its future direction. President Pro Tem Holly Huffman presided over the evening regular meeting, filling in for Council President Dan Hammill who was excused. The chamber held the usual mix of officials, staff, and engaged citizens — though few could have anticipated the scope and complexity of decisions that would unfold over more than twelve hours of committee meetings and formal deliberation. ## The Budget Reality: A Temporary Bridge to an Uncertain Future The defining moment of the day came during the afternoon Committee of the Whole session, when Mayor Kim Lund presented her proposed 2025 budget — a document she candidly described as "yet a temporary bridge to a more financially stable future." The mayor's stark assessment of the city's fiscal reality set the tone for much of the evening's discussion. "My administration began developing this budget with a multi-million dollar ongoing general fund deficit and flattening and declining revenues for five of the last nine months have exacerbated this gap," Lund told the council and assembled community members. Her words carried the weight of months of difficult internal deliberations, as city staff worked to craft a spending plan that could maintain essential services while avoiding deeper cuts. The proposed budget, Lund explained, "leverages creative uses of existing resources and employs targeted reductions to provide short term budget relief while allowing for strategic investments in priority programs and minimally impacting the delivery of our services." Yet even as she outlined these strategies, the mayor was quick to acknowledge their limitations. "Many of the revenue strategies that it employs are not long term solutions, and the careful considerations and the hard decisions that are reflected in this budget will likely extend into 2026," she said, painting a picture of continued fiscal challenges ahead. The mayor's vision for navigating these constraints centered on what she called "excellent gove…
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### Meeting Overview The Bellingham City Council met on September 30, 2024, in a regular meeting chaired by Council President Pro Tem Hollie Huthman due to President Dan Hammill being excused. The meeting addressed significant housing investments, technology infrastructure decisions, and administrative restructuring while Mayor Lund presented the challenging 2025 budget proposal. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Multi-Family Tax Exemption (MFTE):** A tax incentive program with two versions - one encouraging regular apartment construction (very successful with over 1,500 units) and another for affordable housing (hasn't worked yet in Bellingham and needs modification). **Junk Fees:** Unfair or excessive fees charged by landlords including move-in fees, rental application fees, pet fees, and administrative fees that exceed actual costs or aren't linked to real expenses. **Keep Washington Working Act (KWW):** A 2019 state law protecting immigrant workers' rights and dignity that the city must comply with, requiring specialized advisory oversight. **Interlocal Agreement:** A contract between government entities, like the partnerships approved for Lake Whatcom forest management and inmate housing services. **Executive Session:** Closed meetings where council discusses confidential matters like property acquisitions, labor negotiations, and legal issues away from public view. **General Fund Deficit:** The city's ongoing financial shortfall where expenses exceed revenues, creating budget challenges that Mayor Lund described as "multi-million dollar" and extending into 2026. **Fiber Network Comprehensive Report:** A technical study showing the city would need $40-90 million to become a fiber internet provider, costs deemed too high given other community priorities. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Hollie Huthman | Council President Pro Tem, presiding | | Kimberley Lund | Mayor | | Hannah Stone | Council Member, Public Works Chair | | Jace Cotton | Council Member, Community Development Chair | | Michael Lilliquist | Council Member | | Lisa Anderson | Council Member | | Edwin "Skip" Williams |…
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Budget & Finance Housing Government Operations AB 24235 AB 24248 AB 24249 AB 24250 AB 24253 AB 24254 AB 24256 AB 24257 AB 24267 Btv Bellingham Immigration Advisory Board Lighthouse Mission Ministries Pacific Northwest Credit Union Policylink South Correctional Entity Whatcom County Blake Lyon Hannah Stone Holly Huffman Jace Cotton James Erb Joel Pfundt Kim Lund Lisa Anderson Michael Lilliquist Skip Williams Affordable Housing Budget Finance Climate Action Homelessness Immigrant Rights Infrastructure Investment Junk Fees Keep Washington Working Act Lake Whatcom Watershed Landlord Tenant Relations Municipal Broadband Parks Recreation Property Acquisition Public Safety