Whatcom County Council

Council has another packed agenda next week. Join us Tuesday, October 6 for the following meetings:

--9:30 AM Special Council
--10:00 AM Health Board and Public Health Advisory Board
--1:00 PM Special Committee of the Whole

Watch the meetings in Council Chambers at 311 Grand Avenue in Bellingham or register to receive a Zoom link to watch or participate online.

Learn more and get your Zoom link: www.whatcomcounty.us/3415

View meeting agendas in the Legislative Information Center: whatcom.legistar.com

Councilmembers Elizabeth Boyle, Barry Buchanan, and Jon Scanlon are headed back to District 2 for another Community Conversation!

Join the councilmembers and members of the King Mountain Neighborhood Association at the Bellingham Covenant Church (1530 E Bakerview Rd) for a special Q&A event on Wednesday, October 7 from 5:00-7:00 p.m.

This event is an opportunity to ask questions and share your ideas for King Mountain and Whatcom County. It promises to be a great conversation, and we hope to see you there!

Learn more and view other upcoming events: www.whatcomcounty.us/4668

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the County Government Open House last night! We loved hearing from everyone and having the opportunity to share some of the great work our departments are doing throughout the county.

BURN BAN TO BE LIFTED THURSDAY OCTOBER 1ST

Effective 8:00AM on Thursday October 1st, burn restrictions in Unincorporated Whatcom County will be lifted.

We appreciate everyone’s cooperation during the burn ban period. With improved weather conditions and reduced fire risk, residents will soon be permitted to resume outdoor burning in accordance with local regulations.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬:
- Open burning (yard debris, brush piles, campfires, etc.) will be allowed.
- A burn permit is required for anything larger than a 4x4 pile. This can be found on our website: https://www.whatcomcounty.us/DocumentCenter/View/1477/Burn-Fire-Operation-Permit?bidId=
- Use caution and never leave fires unattended.
- Be mindful of wind conditions and have water/equipment nearby.
- Burning trash, construction debris, cardboard, etc. is still illegal!
For a full list of what is legal to burn visit https://www.whatcomcounty.us/690/Outdoor-Burning

𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭!
Even though the ban is lifted, responsible burning is still essential to help prevent wildfires.
Please share this information with your neighbors and community. Stay safe and thank you again for helping protect our county!

Join us tomorrow, Tuesday, September 29, for Whatcom County Council and committee meetings!

Meeting Schedule:
--9:00 AM Finance and Administrative Services Committee
--1:30 PM Committee of the Whole
--6:00 PM Council

Watch the meetings in Council Chambers at 311 Grand Avenue in Bellingham or register to receive a Zoom link to watch or participate online.

Zoom link: www.whatcomcounty.us/3415

View meeting agendas in the Legislative Information Center: whatcom.legistar.com

On Tuesday, September 29 at 6:00 PM, Council will hold public hearings on these items:

--AB2026-649 Resolution approving the Public Works Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program for the years 2027-2032

--AB2026-651 Resolution adopting the 2027 Annual Road Program

Community members are welcome to participate in the public hearings by attending the meeting in person in Council Chambers at 311 Grand Ave. in Bellingham or online via Zoom. If you plan to speak remotely, please register for a Zoom link by 4:00 p.m. On-site participants will be invited to speak first, followed by online registrants. Each speaker will have three minutes to address the Council.

Zoom link: www.whatcomcounty.us/3415

View the full meeting agenda in the Legislative Information Center: whatcom.legistar.com

Community Conversations is headed to District 2!

Join Councilmembers Elizabeth Boyle, Barry Buchanan, and Jon Scanlon on Thursday, October 1 for a friendly, open discussion with members of the Barkley Neighborhood Association!

Next week's event will be at Round Table Pizza (1145 E Sunset Dr) in Bellingham from 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Councilmembers will share updates on current county projects, answer questions, and hear your ideas for Whatcom County. We hope to see you there!

Interested in learning more about the county's budget process? Join Council's Special Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday, September 22 at 9:00 AM for a series of presentations from County departments on the 2027-2028 Biennium Budget.

Department Presentation Schedule:
--9:00 AM - Public Works
--10:00 AM - Parks and Recreation
--10:30 AM - Planning and Development Services
--11:00 AM - Medical Examiner's Office
--11:30 AM - District Court

--12:00-1:00 PM - Lunch Break

--1:00 PM - Superior Court
--1:30 PM - Superior Court Clerk's Office
--2:00 PM - Public Defender's Office
--2:30 PM - Sheriff's Office
--3:30 PM - Executive's Office/Non-Departmental
--4:00 PM - Discussion

The County Executive delivered his recommended budget to Council on September 1. Council will spend the next several weeks deliberating and taking input from the community before holding a public hearing and voting to adopt a final budget later this fall.

You can watch Tuesday's meeting in Council Chambers at the County Courthouse (311 Grand Avenue) in Bellingham or register to receive a Zoom link to watch along online.

Zoom link: www.whatcomcounty.us/3415

Learn more about the development of the 2027-2028 Biennial Budget: www.whatcomcounty.us/4814

Save the date for Flood Preparedness Week: October 12-16.

Flood season is on its way. Mark your calendar for Flood Preparedness Week, October 12–16. Throughout the week, we’ll share simple steps, local resources, and information to help you prepare for flooding before it happens.

Want to get started now? Find flood preparedness information and resources at www.whatcomcounty.us/flood.

Our next Community Conversations event is coming up on Monday, September 21 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Point Roberts Community Center (1437 Gulf Rd).

Join Councilmembers Barry Buchanan, Ben Elenbaas, and Jon Scanlon, as well as members of the Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee, for an open discussion about community priorities, county projects, and anything else you would like to learn about.

Everyone is welcome to attend. If you can't make it in person, we have a Zoom option available. Visit www.whatcomcounty.us/4668 for more information. We hope to see you there!