Whatcom County local governments & agencies update

WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. – The following summaries are drawn from official publications published from January 12, 2026, to January 26, 2026.

Whatcom County Council

• Committee Restructuring: As of January 12, the County Council has transitioned all committees to a “Committee of the Whole” structure. Previously consisting of three members, committees will now include all seven council members to resolve quorum issues and allow for broader collaboration during policy discussions.
• New Council Members: Jessica Rienstra and Elizabeth Boyle were sworn into office on January 12, joining the reorganized body.
• Upcoming Business: The council is scheduled to meet on January 27, where agendas indicate continued discussion on the Justice Project Implementation Plan and other standing committee items.

City of Bellingham

• Utility Rate Increase: Effective this month, city utility customers will see a rate increase of approximately 13.5%. The adjustment is intended to fund essential water services, wastewater treatment, and infrastructure maintenance.
• Parks Projects:
  • Construction on the Boulevard Park beach (between Woods Coffee and the boardwalk) has concluded, with upland restoration now in progress.
  • The Sunset Pond Park project is nearing completion, with a new trail loop connecting three neighborhoods expected to open in late February.
  • Repair work on the Little Squalicum Pier is scheduled to begin this week following damage from recent flooding.
• Council Reorganization: In its first regular meeting of the year (held Jan. 5), the Council reorganized its leadership and presented the 2026 legislative agenda. The council also authorized the issuance of up to $19 million in bonds to finance a new 911 dispatch facility.

Port of Bellingham

• Commission Leadership: During the January 6 meeting, the Commission elected its 2026 officers: Michael Shepard as President, Bobby Briscoe as Vice President, and Carly James as Secretary. Commissioners also finalized appointments to external boards, including the Whatcom Council of Governments, Washington Public Ports Association and Whatcom County Economic Development Investment Board.
• Airport Runway Project Delayed: The Commission voted to delay the Bellingham International Airport (BLI) Runway Rehabilitation Project from 2026 to August 2027. The decision followed a presentation by engineering firm Mead & Hunt, which projected a potential 36-day airport closure. Commissioners have requested staff explore options to shorten the closure to 15 days.
• Executive Search: The Commission approved the job description and a wage range of $184,705–$263,870 for the recruitment of a new Executive Director.

City of Blaine

• Council Meeting (Jan. 26): The City Council agenda for January 26 includes a closed-record hearing regarding a SEPA appeal for the “Avista at Birch Point” development.
• New Business: Councilmembers are scheduled to interview and appoint a member to the Tourism Advisory Committee and consider a professional services contract for electric, water, wastewater, and stormwater rate studies.
• Public Works: The agenda notes a grant award from the Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) to support local infrastructure.

City of Ferndale

• Council Meeting (Jan. 20): The City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, January 20, following the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. The session saw 3 presentations to council members.
  • introduction of 2 new police officers
  • private development projects update
  • review of city staff response during recent flooding events

Bellingham Public Schools

• At the January 15 regular meeting, the School Board passed a resolution urging the Washington State legislature to fully fund public education.

Whatcom Council of Governments (WCOG)

• Transportation Improvement Program: The Whatcom Transportation Policy Board held a public hearing on January 21 regarding an amendment to the 2026 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The amendment includes:
  • providing traveler data and traffic management systems at the 4 Whatcom points of entry on the US-Canada border
  • add budgets to utilize 2024 and 2025 federal funds to support Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) transit operating services
  • add a WTA budget to replace buses with approximately 14 hybrid buses with federal funds
  • add a project, Whatcom County Bay to Baker Trail – Kendall to Glacier, that received state funding for preliminary engineering

City of Everson

• Council members were advised staff were working with Valdez Construction to flood proof city hall up to the windows and install more pumps throughout city hall in case of future flooding. Valdez was the company worked with on city hall renovation.
• Extensive presentations and discussions regarding recent flood events and what efforts and research are being done to minimize future flooding impacts. noting the hard parts of doing anything with the river is permitting and funding.

City of Sumas

The meeting agenda for the January 26, 2026, City Council meeting includes public hearings for 2 conditional use permits. A diesel exhaust fluid delivery, storage and transfer facility on W Front Street and expanding services at a cargo terminal to include transfer of bulk flammable commodities to/from rail cars to tanker trucks.

Also included are proposed service agreements for emergency flood clean-up work.