For the ninth consecutive time, the Whatcom County Council has extended its interim moratorium on building crude oil exporting facilities in the Cherry Point industrial zone. This latest extension of the temporary ban narrowly passed by a vote of 4–3 at the council’s virtual public hearing on June 2, 2020. Councilmembers Tyler Byrd, Ben Elenbaas and Kathy Kershner voted against …
Whatcom County Council Approves Virtual Public Hearing – Set to Vote on Ninth Extension of Cherry Point Expansion Moratorium
The Whatcom County Council has introduced for a public hearing another extension of its interim moratorium on expansion of/or new crude oil exporting facilities at the Cherry Point Industrial Zone. If passed it will be the ninth time that the Council extends the moratorium.
Bellingham City Council Calls for Rent and Mortgage Relief; Port Establishes Rental and Moorage Relief Program
Bellingham City Council Calls for Rent and Mortgage Relief, Port Establishes Rental and Moorage Relief Program
Whatcom County Council Creates COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, by Interfund Loan of Money from the County’s EDI Fund
The Whatcom County Council has established a special revenue fund that will give them the cash flow to quickly respond to the coronavirus pandemic crisis. The COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund will track and account for revenues used for the county’s rapidly expanding response to the virus which has already infected thousands and killed hundreds of people statewide. The county council …
Bellingham City Council Requests Constitutional Review of Mayor’s Emergency Powers
The Bellingham City Council has asked the city attorney to provide a legal review of the constitutionality of the mayor’s emergency powers to prohibit sales or possession of firearms in the event of disaster. The request was made March 23, 2020, as the council approved “procedural” updates to the city code outlining the emergency powers of the mayor — hours …
Whatcom County Prepares for Coronavirus Emergency
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has reached Whatcom County and the County Council has allotted a quarter-million dollars for an emergency response. County Executive Satpal Sidhu declared a public health emergency on March 10, 2020 after the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) confirmed a case of COVID-19 in a Whatcom County resident. The individual is a woman in her 60’s …