On an Earth Day afternoon that began with celebratory wishes and ended in heated debate over labor policy, the Whatcom County Council convened for a special Committee of the Whole meeting that laid bare both the collaborative spirit and deep divisions that define the current political moment. The April 22nd session, running from just after 1 PM to 3:45 PM in the hybrid council chambers, tackled two substantial agenda items that revealed a governing body still finding its footing after significant electoral changes while grappling with complex policy questions that have stirred passionate community response.