The Whatcom County Council Committee of the Whole convened on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, for a packed three-and-a-half-hour session that showcased the complex balance between housing policy, land use planning, and public accountability that defines local governance today. Chair Kaylee Galloway opened the hybrid meeting at 1:16 p.m. with seven council members present, immediately noting the ambitious agenda ahead and warning speakers to keep tight to their time allocations.