### Meeting Overview
The City of Bellingham Committee of the Whole met on April 27, 2026, to consider a cybersecurity grant acceptance and receive a detailed update on the Central Library's Phase 2 interior renovations. The meeting focused heavily on the library project, which represents a major community investment in updating the 75-year-old building.
### Key Terms and Concepts
**Committee of the Whole:** A format where all City Council members meet as a committee to review items before they go to the full council for formal voting.
**PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard):** A set of security standards designed to ensure that companies that accept, process, store, or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment.
**Zero Trust Network Access:** A cybersecurity approach that requires verification from everyone trying to access resources on a private network, regardless of whether they are inside or outside the network perimeter.
**REIT Funding:** Real Estate Excise Tax funding - a tax collected when real property is sold, used by the city for capital projects.
**Phase 2 Renovation:** The second stage of the Central Library renovation project, focusing on interior improvements to youth spaces, staff areas, and building systems.
**ADA Improvements:** Modifications to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, making facilities accessible to people with disabilities.
**Interlibrary Loan:** A service that allows library patrons to borrow books and other materials from libraries other than their home library.
**1% for the Arts:** A program that dedicates a percentage of capital construction budgets to public art projects.
### Key People at This Meeting
| Name | Role / Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Hannah Stone | Council President, Committee Chair |
| Jace Cotton | Council Member |
| Dan Hammill | Council Member |
| Hollie Huthman | Council Member |
| Don Berdick | IT Services Director |
| Joshua Knight | Cyber Security Analyst |
| Rebecca Jud | Library Director |
| Christy Vaness | Library Board of Trustees memb…
