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Weekly Watchdog: July 11–17, 2024

This week's meetings, hearings and opportunities for public input

GET INVOLVED

Healthcare Town Hall
2 p.m. Saturday, July 13, Bellingham Public Library, 210 Central Ave.

The League of Women Voters Bellingham and Whatcom County and Whole Washington are hosting a free community conversation about the current health care system and how establishing the Washington Health Trust could help people in Washington state.

Port of Bellingham Board of Commissioners
4 p.m. Tuesday, July 16, 1801 Roeder Ave., or online

Port commissioners will hear a presentation on the port’s Quarter 2 financials.

Bellingham Plan Open House
5 p.m. Wednesday, July 17, Squalicum High School, 3773 E. McLeod Road, Bellingham

The last of the city’s scheduled in-person open houses on the Bellingham Plan, this conversation will focus on how the city will grow in the next 20 years, bringing together themes from previous discussions.

North Whatcom Fire and Rescue public meeting
5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 17, Blaine Senior Center, 763 G St., Blaine

Fire Chief Jason Van der Veen will host a public meeting for community members to ask questions about the fire district’s levy lid lift that will be on the August ballot. More public meetings are scheduled in Blaine, Birch Bay and Lynden on July 24, July 25 and July 27, respectively.


FULL CALENDAR

Thursday, July 11

Washington State Department of Natural Resources Timber, Fish and Wildlife Policy Committee meeting
9: a.m., virtual meeting

Agenda online.

Whatcom State Department of Transportation Commercial Aviation Work Group meeting
9 a.m., virtual meeting

Agenda online.

Blaine Public Works and Park Advisory Committee meeting
9:30 a.m., 435 Martin St., Suite 3000, or virtual meeting

Agenda may be posted in advance.

Bellingham Greenways Advisory Committee meeting
7 p.m., 2221 Pacific St., or virtual meeting

Agenda may be posted in advance.

Monday, July 15

Whatcom County Forest Resilience Task Force meeting
11 a.m., 311 Grand Avenue, Suite 105, Bellingham, or virtual meeting

Agenda online.

Whatcom County Business and Commerce Committee meeting
11 a.m., 1801 Roeder Avenue, Bellingham, or virtual meeting

Agenda online.

Bellingham City Council (multiple meetings)
1 p.m. – 7 p.m., 210 Lottie St., or virtual meeting 

Agendas online. Council committees meet at 1 p.m. (Public Works and Natural Resources); 1:50 p.m. (Planning Committee); 2:10 p.m. (Committee of the Whole); 7 p.m. (Council).

Ferndale City Council meeting
5 p.m., 5694 2nd Ave., or virtual meeting

Agenda may be posted in advance.

Anacortes City Council Work Session meeting
5 p.m., 904 6th St., or virtual meeting 

Agenda may be posted in advance.


Lynden City Council meeting
7 p.m., 205 4th St.

Agenda may be posted in advance.

TUESDAY, July 16

Whatcom County Incarceration Prevention & Reduction Task Force Behavioral Health Subcommittee meeting
9 a.m., 311 Grand Ave., Suite 105, Bellingham, or virtual meeting

Agenda online.

Whatcom County Council Water Work Session meeting
10:30 a.m., 322 N. Commercial St., Bellingham, or virtual meeting

Agenda may be posted in advance.

Bellingham Design Review Board meeting
3 p.m., 210 Lottie St., or virtual meeting

Agenda may be posted in advance.

Bellingham Public Library Board of Trustees meeting
3:30 p.m., 210 Central Ave.

Agenda may be posted in advance.

Port of Bellingham Board of Commissioners meeting
4 p.m., 1801 Roeder Ave., Bellingham, or virtual meeting

Agenda may be posted in advance.

TUESDAY, July 17

Island County Planning Commission meeting
6 p.m., 1 6th St. NE, Coupeville, or virtual meeting

Agenda online.

Bellingham Mayor’s Neighborhood Advisory Commission meeting
6:30 p.m., 210 Lottie St., or virtual meeting

Agenda may be posted in advance.


OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMENT

Name the pier. Deadline: July 12, 2024

Do you have a name suggestion for the pier at Little Squalicum Park? Please provide your input here. Name suggestions will be forwarded to the Bellingham Parks & Recreation Board and Bellingham City Council for final approval. Survey online.

Holly Street Bike Lane Pilot. Deadline: August 2024

Starting in May, the City of Bellingham will be piloting a new bike lane on Holly Street, from Ellis Street to Bay Street, to improve safety, mobility, and accessibility for cyclists and pedestrians. The city is collecting feedback from the community about how safe the bike lanes make moving on Holly Street feel for all users. This information will be evaluated in the early fall to decide the final design of a capital project. Survey online.

Water Adjudication Assistance survey. Deadline: Summer 2024

The Washington State Legislature is providing funding to Whatcom County to develop and implement outreach and provide filing assistance to water users. Survey online.

The Bellingham Plan: “Ways the City Could Grow.” Deadline: 2024

Bellingham could grow in a variety of ways. Let the City of Bellingham know the pros and cons of each of the listed approaches on its individual comment boards. Add pros and cons (or up-vote someone else’s comment). Go to this webpage and scroll halfway down to see the comment boards.

Weekly Watchdog is published online Thursdays and in print Fridays. To submit a meeting for consideration, email newstips@cascadiadaily.com.

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