### Meeting Overview The Public Works and Natural Resources Committee met on September 29, 2025, to consider using a collaborative construction delivery method for the Post Point Wastewater Treatment Plant emission control upgrades. The committee unanimously approved staff's request to apply to the State Project Review Committee to use a General Contractor/Construction Manager (GC/CM) approach for this $40 million project. ### Key Terms and Concepts **General Contractor/Construction Manager (GC/CM):** A collaborative project delivery method where a contractor is brought on board during the design phase to provide construction input, rather than only after design is complete. **Design-Bid-Build:** The traditional construction delivery method where design is completed first, then the project is competitively bid for construction. **Project Review Committee (PRC):** A state committee that must approve the use of alternative delivery methods like GC/CM for public projects in Washington State. **Post Point Wastewater Treatment Plant:** Bellingham's sewage treatment facility that serves over 95,000 residents and processes up to 72 million gallons per day. **Quad L Emission Limits:** Federal air quality standards (40 CFR Part 60 Subpart LLLL) that require more stringent emission controls than current standards. **Notice of Violation (NOV):** A pending enforcement action from the Northwest Clean Air Agency regarding Post Point's current operations. **Biosolids Project:** A previous Post Point project that was stopped in 2021 due to PFAS contamination concerns in the end product. **PFAS:** Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, often called "forever chemicals," that are persistent environmental contaminants. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Hannah Stone | Committee Chair, First Ward Council Member | | Lisa Anderson | Committee Member, Fifth Ward Council Member | | Jace Cotton | Committee Member, At-Large Council Member | | Kim Lund | Mayor | | Mike Olinger | Deputy Director, Public Works | | Steve Day | Plants Engineer, Public Works | | Matt Stamps | Assistant City Attorney | | Michael Loulakis | Legal consultant for GC/CM process | ### Background Context This decision comes after the city stopped its previous biosolids processing project due to PFAS contamination concerns. Now the city must upgrade its emission control equipment to meet stricter federal air quality standards while continuing to operate the plant that treats all of Bellingham's wastewater. The Northwest Clean Air Agency has issued a notice of violation for current emissions, creating regulatory pressure to move forward quickly. The city has successfully used the GC/CM approach on two previous Post Point projects—one completed in 2012 and another authorized in 2021 (though later cancelled). This collaborative approach allows the contractor to provide input during design, potentially reducing change orders and improving constructability while maintaining the plant's critical operations. Community members have raised concerns about this project, advocating for alternative approaches like drying and transporting waste to eastern Washington landfills. However, state ecology officials have stated that landfilling biosolids contradicts state laws and Washington lacks adequate landfill capacity for this approach. ### What Happened — The Short Version Staff presented their recommendation to use GC/CM delivery for the emission control upgrades project and to retain legal expert Michael Loulakis. Steve Day explained that GC/CM provides early contractor input during design, allows pre-procurement of specialized equipment, and enables better coordination to maintain plant operations during construction. Council Member Anderson acknowledged community concerns about the project approach but supported moving forward with the application deadline of October 15th. She emphasized there would still be opportunities for community input between now and when construction contracts are awarded. Mayor Lund confirmed meetings with concerned community members would happen and read state ecology guidance opposing landfilling as an alternative. Council Member Cotton asked about the selection process, confirming that contractor selection would return to council for approval. Council Member Lulakis questioned why progressive design-build wasn't considered instead, with staff explaining that GC/CM maintains more city control over the design process. The committee unanimously approved authorizing the PRC application and retaining Michael Loulakis for legal services. ### What to Watch Next - PRC application due October 15, 2025 - PRC review and decision in December 2025 - If approved, RFP issuance in January 2026 - Community meetings between now and contractor selection - Contractor selection returning to council for approval (estimated 2026) - Construction timeline: 2028-2031 ---