Bellingham Civil Service Commission

The Bellingham Civil Service Commission held its January reorganization meeting, re-electing its current leadership and processing three employee reinstatement requests following budget-driven layoffs. The brief 15-minute session unanimously approved placing three former Parks Department employees on reinstatement registers after their positions were eliminated as part of budgetary reductions on December 31, 2025. The three employees — Greg Hope (Education Programs and Activity Coordinator), Sam Vita (Park Ambassador), and Cami Serena (Park Ambassador) — were all working in regular non-benefited positions under the 1937 contract when their roles were cut. While their positions were technically classified under civil service, their employment status as regular non-benefited employees meant they weren't covered by civil service protections during the reduction in force. Human Resources Manager Angela Beatty explained that all three employees demonstrated qualifications for the classifications they're seeking on reinstatement registers. However, she noted that for the two former park ambassadors, the specific job duties they performed no longer exist in the city structure, so they're seeking placement in classifications that better match their field experience and skill sets.