A structured study guide helping readers understand the meeting's content and context. ### Meeting Overview The Mayor's Neighborhood Advisory Commission (MNAC) met on January 21, 2026, with Mayor Kim Lund facilitating via remote connection due to illness. The meeting focused on the city's 2026 legislative priorities, introduced a new "Department Head Roadshow" format for community engagement, and featured updates from 18 neighborhood associations across Bellingham. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Mayor's Neighborhood Advisory Commission (MNAC):** A city body where representatives from Bellingham's 20+ neighborhood associations meet monthly to share updates and receive information from city leadership. **Department Head Roadshow:** A new town hall format where the mayor and all 15 department heads visit different areas of the city for informal Q&A sessions with residents, replacing some traditional neighborhood visits. **Community Streets Program:** A resident-driven program that identifies traffic safety concerns on non-arterial residential streets, with rotating geographic focus areas each cycle. **Small and Simple Grant:** City funding program that provides reimbursements to neighborhood associations for community projects like signage, events, or improvements. **One City Initiative:** A philosophy Mayor Lund introduced to city staff about approaching work with curiosity, humility, and unified service delivery across departments. **Day Shelter:** A critical social service infrastructure that Bellingham currently lacks, where unhoused individuals can access services and shelter during daytime hours when the library is closed. **Model Toxic Control Act (MOCTA):** State funds used for environmental cleanup projects, which the city needs to complete the toxic Salish Landing remediation. **Quiet Zones:** Railroad crossing areas where trains don't sound horns, currently only available in southern Bellingham but expanding northward as the city can fund the required safety infrastructure. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Mayor Kim Lund | Mayor of Bellingham, meeting facilitator | | Janice Keller | Deputy City Administrator | | Colin Beazley | York neighborhood representative | | Annie Sorich | Sunnyland neighborhood representative | | Michael Chrzastowski | South Hill neighborhood representative | | Steve Wilson | South neighborhood representative | | Stephanie Levine | Sehome neighborhood representative | | Steve Abell | Samish neighborhood president | | Lauren Bunke | Roosevelt neighborhood representative | | Bri O'Hare | Lettered Streets neighborhood representative | | Blair Marcotte | King Mountain neighborhood representative | | Jake Charlton | Happy Valley neighborhood representative | | Jan Dietzgen | Fairhaven neighborhood representative | | Bill Beer | Edgemoor neighborhood representative | | Riley Vickers | Cordata neighborhood vice president | | Deb Valentine | Columbia neighborhood representative | | Lindsay Payne Johnstone | City Center representative, Downtown Bellingham Partnership | | Katie Herson-Horvath | Birchwood neighborhood representative | ### Background Context This meeting took place during the second week of Washington State's 60-day legislative session, with the state facing significant budget shortfalls. The city is advocating for several key priorities including housing policy improvements, capital funding for a new municipal court building, and critically, funding for a day shelter to open when the library closes for renovations in November 2026. Several neighborhood associations reported struggles with volunteer engagement and maintaining active boards, a challenge that emerged during and after the pandemic. The city is responding by creating new formats for community engagement, including the Department Head Roadshows modeled after successful events with the Downtown Bellingham Partnership. The King Mountain area is experiencing increased property crime and safety concerns related to encampments behind Walmart, representing broader challenges the city faces with homelessness and the need for comprehensive service infrastructure. ### What Happened — The Short Version Mayor Lund presented the city's 2026 legislative priorities, emphasizing the urgent need for day shelter funding since the library will close for a year starting in November. City staff announced improvements to council agenda distribution and a shift from individual neighborhood visits to three large "Department Head Roadshows" in February, May, and September. Representatives from 18 neighborhood associations shared updates. Several reported struggling to maintain volunteer boards and engagement. Success stories included York's caroling event with 200+ attendees, completion of Small and Simple Grant projects creating new park signage, and Roosevelt neighborhood's revival efforts through community potlucks. Significant concerns emerged about encampment-related crime in the King Mountain area, with the city explaining their multi-departmental approach requiring cooperation from multiple property owners. The meeting concluded with King Mountain residents staying to discuss specific safety issues with city staff. ### What to Watch Next • February 18 Department Head Roadshow on the south side - location and details to be announced • March MNAC meeting will switch from Zoom to Microsoft Teams • Bellingham library closure in November 2026 and concurrent day shelter opening • King Mountain encampment resolution efforts involving multiple property owners • State legislative session outcomes for day shelter funding and municipal court building ---