Bellingham Greenways Advisory Committee

# Greenways Meeting Faces Americorps Crisis and Major Trail Funding Request The May 1st Bellingham Greenways Advisory Committee meeting began with routine business but was dominated by an urgent crisis: the sudden federal cancellation of Americorps funding that has left the city's volunteer stewardship program in jeopardy. The committee also considered a substantial $1 million funding request for a new waterfront trail connection. ## Meeting Overview The committee convened with a quorum present, including new member Derek, a civil environmental engineer who replaced the recently resigned Jacob. The meeting took place against the backdrop of significant federal cuts to community service programs, which directly impact Bellingham's parks volunteer initiatives. Chair Peter Hamlin led the discussion through a packed agenda that included construction updates, a major trail funding proposal, and strategic planning for the city's Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) plan. ## Crisis Hits Parks Volunteer Program The most dramatic moment came during public comment when Sky Versatt, an Americorps restoration educator, delivered devastating news about federal budget cuts. "Last Friday our world was turned upside down when the Department of Government Efficiency canceled over 400 million dollars in Federal grant funding, affecting thousands of programs across the country and prematurely ending the service of over 32,000 Americorps members," Versatt told the committee. The impact on Bellingham is immediate and severe. The city's parks volunteer program will lose two full-time Americorps positions—Versatt and colleague Allison from Washington Service Corps—plus a five-person Washington Conservation Corps crew. "We are only scraping by what a second that was below or near minimum wage," Versatt explained, noting that terminated Americorps members are not eligible for unemployment benefits. Versatt presented compelling statistics demonstrating the program's value: in 2024 alone, the volunteer program engaged over 1,300 unique volunteers contributing more than 13,500 hours of service, valued at over $470,000 using University of Maryland calculations. The program was on track for 20% growth in volunteer hours for 2025. "We planted over 5,000 plants in 2024, we moved almost 400 cubic yards from invasive species and engaging the community," Versatt said. "This is not just an environmental initiative. It's also a way to bring people together and give back to our local parks." The staffing crisis creates an immediate bottleneck. With only a volunteer coordinator and one seasonal R&D position remaining, the program has placed a hold on processing 120 pending applications for park stewards. The school stewardship program, which works with over 1,000 students annually, is also suspended. Brian Armstrong, a park steward at Squalicum Creek Park, reinforced the urgency during his own public comment. "The amount of work that the volunteer program does, as well as the others as the independent stewards such as myself is just transformational," he said, describing dramatic improvements at his stewardship site. Armstrong advocated for increased Greenways funding to support the program, noting its alignment with PROS plan principles around partnerships, preservation, and community involvement. ## $1 Million Trail Connection Request Transportation officials presented a significant funding request for a new trail connecting South Bay Trail to the upcoming Salish Landing Park. Joel, interim co-director of public works, outlined a $3.38 million project to create pedestrian and bicycle access along Wharf Street, with Greenways being asked to contribute $1 million—nearly 30% of the total cost. The project stems from federal railroad administration grants for "quiet zone" improvements—modifications that allow trains to pass through without blowing their horns. "If you live on the south side of town you may probably have noticed. I was down an event at the ferry terminal, and it was like Whoa, there's a train going by, and it's quiet," Joel explained, referencing the successful Fair Haven quiet zone. The Wharf Street improvements would include a 12-foot-wide shared-use path separated from vehicle traffic by a two-foot buffer. The path would cross two railroad lines with appropriate safety gates before connecting to Cornwall Avenue and eventually the South Bay Trail system. Parks Planning Manager Lane Roberg strongly supported the proposal, arguing it's essential for accessing the new 17-acre waterfront park. "We're building a 17 acre waterfront park, and we have no way to get bikes and pets to access it," Roberg said. "If I mean, we talk about connecting destinations with our Greenways network, I mean, this is going to be a destination park. So, not having a way for bikes and pets to get there would be a bummer." However, committee members expressed concern about the large funding request. Neil Schaner questioned why transportation funds couldn't cover the entire cost, while others worried about competing priorities. The discussion revealed that park impact fees are currently at only $300,000 annually, far below historical levels, limiting alternative funding sources. Committee member concerns centered on the project's scale relative to other unfunded trail needs. One member noted that Sandwich Crest Greenway, acquired 20 years ago, has received minimal investment despite being a long-standing priority. ## PROS Plan Trail Mapping Initiative Peter Hamlin presented an ambitious new approach to updating the city's proposed trails map for the PROS plan. Using GIS technology, the parks department has created an interactive mapping tool that layers multiple data sets: existing trails, proposed bike infrastructure, pedestrian improvements, residential zones, schools, and environmental constraints. "One of the things that we've been. We've done in the last few months is we've got. We've incorporated the bike and pedestrian Master Plan data where they are gonna fill in gaps in terms of access," Hamlin explained, showing how orange lines represent existing sidewalks while blue indicates proposed improvements. The mapping effort attempts to connect all parks within the city through a comprehensive trail network. A computer-generated "spider diagram" shows potential connections extending from downtown to regional destinations like the Coast Millennium Trail and connections to state lands near Lake Samish. The tool also incorporates future park locations and development patterns. "Just like any other public infrastructure that would be required if we have things in our comp plan, which this is a, you know, it's a chapter of the Comp plan that's required public infrastructure like a trio or park. Then the developer when they build that development, has to provide that facility," Hamlin explained. Committee members appreciated the comprehensive approach but requested guidance on prioritization. Neil Schaner asked about timeline and methodology: "Do you have a recommendation about how we can digest all this information and how to think about updating our current proposed trails map into a future proposed trails, map." Hamlin indicated the parks department would develop a draft based on existing master plans and known constraints, then seek committee feedback through the online tool over the summer months. ## Field Trip Planning and Construction Updates The committee planned summer field trips to visit Greenways-funded properties and construction projects. Suggested destinations include East Baker View Park, King Mountain and Queen Mountain properties, the new Samish Crest acreage, and potentially Salish Landing Park as it develops. Construction updates included the start of work on the Sunset Pond loop trail, which will require two seasons due to fish habitat protection windows. The project includes bridges over Swallow Creek and extensive boardwalk sections through wetland areas. Hamlin also announced that the PROS plan goals and policies are now published online and will go to the Planning Commission on May 29th, with public comment opportunities available. ## Closing and Next Steps The meeting concluded without formal action on either the Americorps crisis or the Wharf Street funding request. Both issues will require resolution through the upcoming budget process, with the volunteer program funding representing an immediate need and the trail project fitting into longer-term transportation improvement planning. The federal cuts to community service programs create an urgent challenge for maintaining the volunteer stewardship work that has become central to Bellingham's parks maintenance strategy. As Versatt noted in closing her presentation, "My question to you is, will the city and Greenway. What will the City and Greenways Committee do to ensure the volunteer program is set up to succeed and serve as an outlet for all volunteers who are wanting to contribute their time to the city without the use of Americorps members with the Americorps program looking increasingly unstable." The committee adjourned at 8:47 PM with multiple complex issues requiring resolution through the city's budget process in the coming months. The intersection of federal policy changes, local infrastructure needs, and community stewardship programs highlighted the ongoing challenges of maintaining public spaces and recreational access in a growing city.

## MODULE S1: STUDY GUIDE **Meeting ID:** BEL-GRN-2025-05-01 A structured study guide helping readers understand the meeting's content and context. Written for a general civic audience — assume no prior knowledge of the issues. ### Meeting Overview The Bellingham Greenways Advisory Committee met on May 1, 2025, to discuss several major topics including a significant federal funding crisis, a proposed $1 million trail project, and updates on comprehensive plan development. The meeting addressed immediate concerns about the loss of AmeriCorps volunteers and considered new infrastructure investments. ### Key Terms and Concepts **AmeriCorps:** A federal volunteer service program that places members in community organizations. Two AmeriCorps members at Bellingham Parks were abruptly terminated when the federal "Department of Government Efficiency" canceled over $400 million in grants nationwide. **Park Impact Fees (PIF):** Fees paid by developers when building new projects to help fund park infrastructure. These fees were mentioned as potentially being "tapped out" for the current year. **Greenways Levy:** A voter-approved property tax that funds trail construction, park development, and related infrastructure in Bellingham. Different projects are funded from different "buckets" within the levy. **PROS Plan:** Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan - a comprehensive planning document that guides the city's parks and recreation investments over multiple years. **Quiet Zone:** A railroad corridor where trains are not required to sound their horns, achieved through special safety improvements at crossings. **Transportation Improvement Program (TIP):** A 6-year planning document that outlines how the city will fund transportation projects, required to be updated annually by the state. **South Bay Trail:** An existing multi-use trail that connects various parts of south Bellingham. **Salish Landing:** A new 17-acre waterfront park being developed on former industrial land. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Derek | New Greenways Advisory Committee member, civil/environmental engineer | | Sky Versatt | Former AmeriCorps Restoration Educator, Parks volunteer program | | Brian Armstrong | Park steward at Squalicum Creek Park | | Joel | Interim Public Works Co-Director and Assistant Public Works Director for Transportation | | Peter | Parks department staff presenting trail mapping updates | | Lane | Parks department staff | | Neil Schaner | Committee member (attending remotely) | | Sarah Brooke Benjamin | Public Works Natural Resources habitat restoration coordinator (by phone) | | David | Committee member | | Ray Dellecker | Committee member | | Dina Dickerson | Committee member | ### Background Context The meeting occurred during a crisis for the city's volunteer programs. The newly created federal "Department of Government Efficiency" had just canceled hundreds of millions in AmeriCorps funding nationwide, immediately ending the employment of over 32,000 volunteers including key staff supporting Bellingham's popular park stewardship programs. This program had generated over $470,000 worth of volunteer labor in 2024 alone, with over 1,300 unique volunteers contributing more than 13,500 hours of service. Meanwhile, the city was considering a major infrastructure investment - a $3.4 million project to create pedestrian and bicycle access to the new Salish Landing waterfront park. The project would require $1 million in Greenways levy funding, representing one of the larger funding requests the committee had seen. The timing created tension between emergency needs (preserving volunteer programs) and planned investments (new trail infrastructure). ### What Happened — The Short Version The committee welcomed a new member, Derek, who replaced a departing member. Two community members spoke during public comment about the sudden loss of federal AmeriCorps funding that eliminated key positions supporting the park volunteer program. Sky Versatt, one of the affected workers, explained how this would drastically reduce the city's ability to process new volunteer applications and maintain restoration programs. Joel from Public Works then presented a proposal for the Wharf Street trail, a $3.4 million project that would create bike and pedestrian access to the new Salish Landing park. The project would cross two railroad lines and require $1 million in Greenways funding. Committee members expressed support for the connection but concern about the large funding request given other priorities. Peter from Parks presented new mapping tools for updating the city's trail plans, showing how different data layers could help identify the best locations for future trails. The committee scheduled several summer field trips to visit properties and construction sites. ### What to Watch Next • Budget discussions in the coming months will determine how the city responds to the AmeriCorps funding loss • The Wharf Street trail proposal will be included in the Transportation Improvement Program and budget process • Updated trail maps will be developed over the summer with opportunities for committee input • PROS Plan goals and policies will go to Planning Commission on May 29th for public comment ---

## MODULE S2: FLASH CARDS **Meeting ID:** BEL-GRN-2025-05-01 **Q:** Who is the newest member of the Greenways Advisory Committee? **A:** Derek, a civil/environmental engineer who has lived in Bellingham for 10 years and works primarily with ports around Puget Sound. **Q:** What federal agency canceled AmeriCorps funding? **A:** The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) canceled over $400 million in federal grant funding affecting thousands of programs nationwide. **Q:** How many volunteer hours did Bellingham's park volunteer program generate in 2024? **A:** Over 13,500 hours from more than 1,300 unique volunteers, valued at over $470,000. **Q:** What is the total cost of the proposed Wharf Street trail project? **A:** $3.38 million, with a federal grant covering $950,000 and Greenways funding requested for $1 million. **Q:** What is Salish Landing? **A:** A new 17-acre waterfront park being developed on former industrial land that currently has no pedestrian or bicycle access. **Q:** How many park steward applications are currently pending due to staffing constraints? **A:** Over 120 applications are waiting to be processed, with only 43 new park stewards onboarded since the program was revamped last year. **Q:** What is a quiet zone? **A:** A railroad corridor where trains are not required to sound their horns, achieved through special safety improvements at crossings including gates and medians. **Q:** When will the PROS Plan goals and policies go to Planning Commission? **A:** May 29th, 2025, and they are currently open for public comment. **Q:** What construction project did the committee learn will start this year? **A:** The Sunset Pond loop trail, which may take two construction seasons due to fish work windows. **Q:** What mapping tool is being developed for trail planning? **A:** An ArcGIS online interface that allows committee members to view different data layers and provide input on potential trail connections. **Q:** How many railroad crossings would users encounter on the proposed Wharf Street trail? **A:** Two crossings - one across the BNSF mainline and another across a maintenance spur. **Q:** What happened to Public Works' AmeriCorps crews? **A:** They transitioned away from Washington Conservation Corps crews a few years ago and brought that work in-house with their own staff. **Q:** What is the value of a single volunteer hour according to University of Maryland data? **A:** $34.79 per hour in 2024. **Q:** What percentage of the Wharf Street project cost would Greenways funding represent? **A:** Less than 30% ($1 million of $3.38 million total). **Q:** How many field trips is the committee planning for summer 2025? **A:** Three to four field trips on Fridays, including visits to East Baker View, King Mountain, Samish Crest, and construction sites. ---