Bellingham City Council Committee of the Whole

Bellingham's City Council held a comprehensive budget work session followed by committee business, approving $429,000 in budget corrections while grappling with ongoing fiscal challenges and rising service demands. The meeting began with approval of a substantial budget errata memo that revealed significant oversights in the 2026 budget process, including a $266,000 double-counting error in Parks & Recreation's fleet budget and multiple position classification corrections across departments. The Municipal Court's presentation dominated the budget discussion, highlighting dramatic increases in criminal filings—particularly DUIs with "astronomically high" blood alcohol levels and repeat offenders—that are driving up supervision costs by approximately 20% annually. Court officials reported having 823 individuals under supervision as of October, up from 696 at the year's beginning, with the successful but over-capacity community court program serving 20+ participants when originally capped at 10-15. The Council voted to freeze a $105,000 legislative assistant position to help balance the 2026 budget, while Mayor Lund's office outlined strategic priorities including fiscal stability efforts, the upcoming $5 million courthouse renovation, and implementation of new technology systems to modernize city operations. The afternoon session moved efficiently through routine business, approving interlocal agreements, impact fee schedules, the property tax levy, and the 2026 meeting calendar. Staff emphasized that while the $429,000 budget increase seems substantial, it represents less than half a percent of the city's $125 million revenue stream, though officials acknowledged the concerning trend of continuing budget pressures across departments.

**Budget Errata and Corrections (AB 24712):** Approved 7-0. Added $429,000 net to the general fund to correct various oversights including museum COLA ($10,150), municipal court supplies ($62,500), Parks & Recreation fleet double-counting correction ($266,400 net add), and Fire Department emergency services revenue ($100,000). Staff recommendation aligned with Council action. **Legislative Assistant Position Freeze:** Approved 7-0. Froze unfilled $105,000 legislative assistant position for 2026, removing budget authority while preserving the FTE for potential future restoration when budget conditions improve. **Probation Services Interlocal Agreement (AB 24713):** Approved 7-0. Renewed annual agreement with Whatcom County District Court for probation services, with costs increasing approximately 20% annually due to growing caseloads (823 current individuals under supervision). **School District Impact Fee Schedule (AB 24711):** Approved 7-0. Added Bellingham School District's impact fee schedule to the Capital Facilities Plan, with updates planned for 2026 to align with middle housing terminology and state legislation changes. **2026 Property Tax Levy (AB 24714):** Approved 7-0. Authorized $304,818 increase (0.9573% increase, below the 1% maximum due to not taking increase on affordable housing portion of levy). Must be transmitted to Whatcom County by November 30, 2025. **2026 Meeting Schedule (AB 24719):** Approved 7-0. Established bi-weekly meeting schedule with reorganization meeting and first regular meeting combined on January 5, 2026, due to space constraints and holiday timing.

**Deputy Administrator Longman, on budget corrections:** "This is pretty much every budget cycle. You see one of these memos. These are just, you know, after building the budget, and going through everything, as discussions continue, just things that got slipped through or missed along the way, or have changed in the interim." **Judge Deborah Lev, on DUI trends:** "We have had more .2 and above. So almost three times a little limit like routinely. So those people on a second, third lifetime offenses, like we have to monitor them... that number has gone up and it boggles the mind, frankly, how to me like how it's happening." **Judge Lev, on community court philosophy:** "Our goal is not to, although we could, because we have people who picked up massive amounts of new serious charges, our goal is to try to get them through the program regardless of that." **Council Member Cotton, on technology improvements:** "I really appreciate under the current leadership the embracing of IT and the different tools out there that can streamline efficiency but also our front facing for the public to access information." **Mayor Lund, on fiscal challenges:** "We also know that the budget that fire put forth and some of our other public safety, those are workable for a short period of time. They're less workable as we go forward." **Deputy Administrator Longman, on budget scale:** "I mean you know we're also estimating $125 million in revenues, right? So there's a lot of ways that can go either way. So if you're still in the ballpark, but better if we're on the other side of the equation, for sure."

**Meeting ID:** BEL-CON-CTW-2025-11-03 # Committee of the Whole Meeting - Budget Season Decisions and Routine Business The Bellingham City Council Committee of the Whole convened on November 3, 2025, for a budget work session and afternoon business meeting. All seven council members were present for the nearly two-hour session that mixed budget deliberations with routine municipal business. ## Meeting Overview The meeting split between a budget work session in the Mayor's Boardroom and regular committee business in Council Chambers after lunch. The budget work session consumed most of the morning, featuring presentations from Municipal Court, the City Council office, and the Mayor's office about their 2026 budget proposals and work plans. The afternoon included routine items like contract renewals and calendar setting, plus brief old/new business. ## Budget Corrections and Adjustments The meeting began with Finance Deputy Administrator Forrest Longman presenting the inevitable budget corrections memo — what he called "pretty much every budget cycle" housekeeping. The changes totaled $429,000 in net additions to the general fund, the most significant being a $266,400 Fleet Fund double-counting error in Parks & Recreation. "These are just, you know, after building the budget and going through everything, as discussions continue, just things that got slipped through or missed along the way, or have changed in the interim," Longman explained. The corrections covered departments from the Museum (a missed 2.7% cost-of-living adjustment) to the Fire Department (adding $100,000 for emergency medical services to Galbraith recreation areas through South Whatcom Fire Authority). Council Member Hammill asked the key question: "Will these be continuing deficits like this that will be a problem next year?" Longman acknowledged the concern but put it in perspective: "We're under half a million dollars deficit... we're also estimating $125 million in revenues, right? So there's a lot of ways that can go either way." The council approved the corrections 7-0. ## Municipal Court's Growing Caseload Challenge Municipal Court Director Tami Bennett and Judge Deborah Lev painted a picture of a court system straining under increasing caseloads and increasingly serious offenses. Their proposed solution: adding a second judicial officer to enable jury trials and additional court sessions. "With the increased caseloads that we've been seeing," Bennett explained, "we were able to make the greatest cut" to supplies (45% reduction) and copying (70% reduction), "but one of the major additions that we're looking at for next year... is appointing a second judicial officer." The court's community court program — the city's response to recriminalizing public drug use — has exceeded expectations but hit capacity constraints. Judge Lev described the challenge: "We thought we could cap it at 10 to 15 but we can't because there are people that need these services." The community court operates every other Tuesday, alternating with mental health court. Participants were initially capped at 15 but now exceed 20, with some staying in the program much longer than the planned 6-8 months. "Unlike other diversion programs, you mess up, you're done, right? That create space. That's not really also the goal of this program," Judge Lev explained. The court's philosophy of "until revoked" means extending program periods by months to help participants succeed. This therapeutic approach comes with costs. The "other services and charges" line item — primarily probation services — continues growing as the court supervises more people on increasingly serious charges. Judge Lev provided stark context about the DUI trends: "The DUIs we are seeing... a very huge chunk of them, 50% or more, are repeat offenders. And the BAC levels are astronomically high. We have had more .2 and above... routinely." She continued: "We've literally had DUIs where people are driving down the street and then fallen unconscious due to drug use while driving and then crashing... many of those while using monitoring." Council Member Stone asked about community court capacity and external service availability. Judge Lev confirmed that while probation serves as the connection point, the program utilizes an interdisciplinary team of community services. The court also announced a new food pantry "available and accessible to not only community court participants, but everyone who may be in need," hoping to reduce theft and shoplifting charges by providing essentials. ## Council Office Budget and Staff Decision Council President Huthman presented the Council office budget, noting the challenge of reducing costs when "81% of our budget is salaries and benefits" with only 10 FTEs. Travel was cut 80%, and various office expenses trimmed. The main decision involved a frozen Legislative Assistant position that has never been filled, costing approximately $105,000 if funded. The position would staff the front desk and assist Legislative Office Manager Jackie Weller. Huthman put Weller on the spot about the workload: "How do you feel about your workload? Does it make sense to have a half time or go without?" Weller diplomatically responded: "Our office could use the assistance, but... we're offering a certain level of support now that is acceptable to you all. I think having this position would free up time for larger projects." Council Member Anderson raised the timing concern: "We do have an election tomorrow that we do not know the outcome of but the potential for potentially three new council members and the onboarding of that and the support that looms over me." After discussion about whether to freeze the position (removing budget authority while keeping the FTE slot for potential future filling) versus leaving it simply unfilled, the council voted 7-0 to officially freeze the position for 2026. ## Mayor's Office: Strategic Initiatives and One City Vision Mayor Lund, joined by Deputy Administrators Janice Keller and Forrest Longman, presented the Mayor's office $3.3 million budget supporting 12 FTEs. They're eliminating 2.5 positions (1.5 currently vacant, including a receptionist and special projects manager, plus the filled climate adaptation manager position). The presentation highlighted the "One City" vision — coordinating work across departments rather than operating in silos. Deputy Administrator Keller described their weekly strategic initiatives meetings: "Sometimes 40 people in this room and it's more of a salon style. So you can come without policy ideas fully baked... and throw it out there." Strategic initiatives include continuing the equity and belonging work, climate action (despite losing the adaptation manager), and public safety coordination. The office leads the citywide encampment team and the Keep Washington Working Act working group. Mayor Lund emphasized downtown revitalization work: "Since taking office, trying to bring vibrancy, safety and a vision for downtown where our small local business community, the people that work there, the people that live there and visit are engaged and feel good about being in our downtown." Communications improvements were highlighted, with Council Member Anderson praising the modernization: "Working in higher education, communication and IT is just so incredibly important... I really appreciate under the current leadership the embracing of IT and the different tools out there that can streamline efficiency." The mayor's team is revamping the council agenda process — moving from paper-based routines dating to 2001 to electronic systems with earlier publication and better public access. Council Member Cotton requested the full work plan details, noting: "The mayor's budget is funny because things just kind of land there because I don't have another home... these are the big picture things... that the community cares about." ## Afternoon Business: Contracts and Calendars After lunch, the committee moved through routine items efficiently. The probation services interlocal agreement with Whatcom County continues a 20-year relationship, with costs averaging 20% annual increases due to more supervised individuals (from 696 at year-start to 823 currently). Adding the Bellingham School District impact fee schedule to the Capital Facilities Plan addresses a technical omission from September's adoption. The fees will be updated next year to align with new housing terminology and state legislation changes. The property tax levy ordinance authorizes a 0.96% increase — below the maximum 1% because the affordable housing portion isn't taking the full increase. This generates an additional $304,818 for 2026. The 2026 council meeting calendar maintains the every-other-week pattern with some adjustments for holidays and space conflicts. The reorganization meeting will occur the same day as the first regular meeting (January 5) due to space constraints and holidays. ## Looking Ahead Council Member Hammill announced the expansion of the Didgwálič mobile medical unit, opening November 10 at First Baptist Church parking lot to serve people with opioid use disorders — staffed and funded entirely by the tribe. Council President Huthman and Council Member Lilliquist expressed interest in participating in the TriFunder CEDS (Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy) 2027-2031 engagement plan interviews, with formal assignment postponed to the next meeting. ## Closing & What's Ahead The committee completed four agenda items in just 15 minutes during the afternoon session, demonstrating efficiency when handling routine business. The meeting concluded with two brief executive session items regarding potential property acquisitions. The budget work session revealed the ongoing tensions between expanding service demands and fiscal constraints, particularly evident in Municipal Court's capacity challenges and the council's decision to freeze an unfilled position. As the city approaches final budget adoption, these conversations illuminate the difficult choices facing local government in balancing community needs with available resources.