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 Whatcom County is currently in the midst of its mid-biennium budget review and modification process.
One of Council’s primary responsibilities as the legislative branch of the county is to levy taxes, appropriate revenue, and adopt budgets. Whatcom County operates under a biennial budget cycle with a mid-biennium review, which means that a two-year budget is approved in even-numbered years and adjusted in the off year. The 2025-2026 budget was approved in November 2024, and the county is currently in the midst of its mid-biennium review and modification process.
County government is responsible for providing or supporting the delivery of a wide variety of essential services and community priorities, including safe roads and bridges, secure elections, veterans’ assistance, law enforcement and public safety, food inspection and public health programs, parks and trails, and so much more. The biennial budget funds these services which county residents rely upon every day.
Like many counties, cities, and organizations across the country, Whatcom County is facing budget challenges. The cost to provide services is outpacing annual revenue growth. One reason for this imbalance is inflation, which decreases the value of the revenue the county collects. When adjusted for inflation, the value of property tax collections from 2021 to 2024 actually declined by $3.6 million. Unfunded federal and state mandates and other unbudgeted cost increases for required services are another compounding factor. Discussions between the Council and Executive’s Office indicate that both short and long-term remedies are needed if the county is going to maintain a structurally balanced budget in 2027 and beyond.
To prepare for the mid-biennium review, county departments updated their service inventories to provide community members and decision makers with a clear picture of current service levels and help identify priorities. Some of the options on the table for the county in the short-term include reducing expenses by eliminating and freezing vacant positions, applying restricted funds toward core services, and using one-time savings to maintain the General Fund balance. In the longer term, the county plans to continue to look for efficiencies in operations and lobby funding from the State for unfunded mandates such as new public defense caseload standards.
Council received a presentation from Public Works regarding the status of the county’s Road Fund during their Committee of the Whole meeting on September 23. They also discussed challenges in the county's EMS Fund at their October 7 Committee of the Whole meeting. Additional budget discussions are planned for future meetings. Community members are encouraged to review departments’ budget submissions and participate in the mid-biennium review process by attending Council meetings and sharing feedback.
The County Executive is expected to deliver final budget recommendations later this month. Council will hold a public hearing and vote on the 2026 budget in November or December.
Check the Legislative Information Center for agendas and meeting information.
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 Councilmembers listen to a presentation from Mission Critical Partners on fire and EMS services in Whatcom County during their Committee of the Whole meeting September 23, 2025.
During their Committee of the Whole meeting on September 23, councilmembers received a presentation from Rick Harrison of Mission Critical Partners, the consultant hired in 2024 to conduct an independent review of the county’s fire and EMS systems.
Council commissioned the report on the county’s fire and EMS services to support long-term planning and identify opportunities for cost savings, collaboration, and increased efficiencies.
In his opening statement, Harrison commended the county’s fire and emergency service professionals for their commitment to public safety and acknowledged the long history and deeply rooted traditions of their agencies.
In Whatcom County, fire and rescue services are delivered by 12 fire districts, one regional fire authority, and two cities.
The final report from Mission Critical Partners includes a total of 19 recommendations for the county’s fire and EMS providers.
Several of these recommendations highlight potential savings that could result from the sharing of fleet management, facilities, command staff, and purchasing strategies. The report also recommends considering the consolidation of operations between District 17 and District 7 as well as District 18 and the South Whatcom Fire Authority. Consolidation or co-location of the county’s two dispatch centers is also suggested as a way to increase efficiency. Under the current system, fire and EMS dispatch operates out of Prospect communications center in Bellingham, but all calls are first routed through What-Comm communications center, the primary answering point for all law enforcement dispatch.
The report also calls for greater collaboration and communication between county government and fire service leadership.
Councilmembers Byrd, Elenbaas, and Galloway agreed to work together on behalf of the Council, in coordination with the Executive’s Office and new incoming EMS Administrator, to advance the recommendations outlined in the report.
If you want to follow their progress, future discussions will take place in meetings of Council’s Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee.
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 Matrix Consulting Group shared the results from their independent evaluation of the county's Human Resources policies at the September 23 Committee of the Whole meeting.
In February, Council commissioned Matrix Consulting Group to conduct an independent evaluation of the county’s Human Resources (HR) policies and procedures. Alan Pennington, Matrix president and the project’s manager, presented the final report to councilmembers during their Committee of the Whole meeting on September 23.
To conduct their assessment, Matrix reviewed current county policies, staffing levels, and trainings. The consultant also conducted an anonymous survey to solicit employee input. The resulting report details 24 recommendations for operations, policies and procedures, and workforce training and development.
In his opening remarks, Pennington stated that the county has many strengths currently in place, which provide a strong foundation for making needed changes.
Some of those strengths are apparent in the results of the employee survey, where a significant majority of county staff indicated a clear understanding of workplace expectations and policy and responded positively regarding supervisors’ ability to address workplace problems.
The survey results also point to opportunities for improvement, with a majority of employees expressing dissatisfaction with communication and timelines for investigating workplace complaints.
Councilmember Elenbaas said the county should continue to offer surveys on a yearly basis to keep “a finger on the pulse” and help preempt potential problems.
Key recommendations in the report include centralizing complaint processing and investigations under HR, standardizing and applying policies countywide, establishing a formal policy review and update process, and expanding the scope and frequency of available trainings.
Earlier in the day, councilmembers received an update from HR regarding the department’s work to address the consultant’s recommendations. Recent efforts include implementation of a new online learning management system for trainings, updated personnel policies, and enhanced communication, timelines, and tracking for investigations.
Council Chair Galloway noted that the department’s efforts align well with the consultant’s recommendations. “We’ve made a lot of progress already, and it sounds like there is still progress to go," she said.
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 The deadline to appeal your property valuation for the 2025 assessment year is October 27, 2025.
Washington State law requires county assessors to appraise all real property values annually. The Whatcom County Assessor’s Office sent out 2025 Change of Value Notices on September 26. If you received a Change of Value Notice for your property, here are some important things to keep in mind:
- State law requires county assessors to value property at 100% of fair market value.
- Change of Value Notices are not tax bills.
- A change in your property’s assessed value does not necessarily mean your property taxes will increase or decrease by the same amount.
If you have questions about the assessed value of your property, you can contact the Assessor’s Office by calling 360-778-5050, emailing assessor@co.whatcom.wa.us, or visiting the office in person at 311 Grand Avenue, Suite 106 in Bellingham.
To appeal the assessed value of your property, you can submit a petition to the Board of Equalization, the quasi-judicial board responsible for hearing property value appeals. Board members are volunteers appointed by the County Council for their experience and knowledge of county real estate values. Through a hearing process, the Board reviews evidence provided by the petitioner and Assessor in order to determine a property’s true market value. The Board has the authority to sustain the Assessor's original valuation or overturn it by lowering or increasing the valuation for the assessment year in question.
You can submit your appeal petition by emailing BOE@co.whatcom.wa.us or by mailing or hand delivering it to the Whatcom County Board of Equalization, 311 Grand Avenue, Suite 105, Bellingham, WA 98225. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact the Clerk of the Board at 360-778-5016.
The deadline to appeal your property valuation is Monday, October 27, 2025.
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 Ballots for the November General Election will be mailed October 15, 2025.
Ballots for the November 4 General Election will hit the mail Wednesday, October 15.
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This year, there are four County Council positions up for election. Voters will also have their say on 12 proposed amendments to the Whatcom County Charter.
If you're interested in learning about the election process, the Whatcom County Auditor's Office offers a number of helpful resources including in-person registration, ballot services, voter information, and more.
You can also visit VoteWA.gov to view your voter registration, find candidate information, and track the status of your ballot.
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 Whatcom County has five County Council districts.
While the Council’s two at-large representatives are chosen by countywide vote, the other five councilmembers are each elected by voters in their specific district.
Community members are welcome to reach out to any or all members of the Council with questions, concerns, or feedback, but if you are curious or unsure of which district you reside in, we can help!
To find your County Council district and representative, use the link below to navigate to the county’s interactive district map, which utilizes a Geographic Information System (GIS). Once there, select the “County Council” tab and enter your address in the search box. The GIS will do the rest!
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 Mark your calendars!
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Regular County Council and Committee Meeting Dates:
- Oct. 21
- Nov. 5 (Wed.)
- Nov. 18
- Dec. 9
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Special Committee of the Whole - 9AM:
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If you're already looking ahead to next year, councilmembers recently approved regular and special standing meeting dates for 2026.
Check the Legislative Information Center for meeting times, agendas, video, and more.
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Thanks for reading the Council Newsletter. We are grateful for the opportunity to share our work and serve this community.
Email Jenna Gernand at jgernand@co.whatcom.wa.us with questions or feedback on the newsletter.
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