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December 16, 2025
 Nooksack River in Ferndale, swollen from the rain.
Whatcom County is once again in the process of recovering and rebuilding after a historic flooding event. Our hearts go out to all our community members whose homes and businesses were impacted by the flood waters. Repairing the damage will take time, but we will get through it by working together and supporting one another along the way.
Damage Assessment Form
If you suffered damage due to the flood, please complete a Damage Assessment Form to begin the FEMA reimbursement process.
Debris Disposal
To facilitate the clean-up process, there are three Whatcom County locations currently offering free disposal of flood debris:
- Stremler Yard, located at 9626 Swanson Road, is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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RDS Disposal, located at 4916 Labounty Drive in Ferndale, is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
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Republic Services, located at 1524 Slater Rd in Ferndale, is open daily 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Follow signs and on-site directions for flood disposal. Visit the county’s debris management webpage for information about what items can be accepted.
Emergency Shelter
If you've been displaced because of the flooding and need emergency shelter, please complete the form below to get help:
Recovery Support
We appreciate all of the staff and volunteers who have donated their time supporting the emergency response and assisting in clean-up efforts so far. If you’d like to volunteer, please fill out a form and a volunteer coordinator will reach out to you. If you have additional questions or you’d like to find out how you can donate to recovery efforts, call the Flood Incident Call Center at (360) 788-5303.
Stay Informed and Sign Up for Alerts
Make sure you don’t miss any important safety information or alerts:
 Whatcom County Courthouse rotunda in winter.
Council wrapped up a lengthy budget review and deliberation process at their Tuesday, December 2 special meeting with the adoption of mid-biennium budget adjustments and levy amounts for 2026.
The county has been engaged in budget discussions and planning for most of the year, as Whatcom County, like many other local governments and organizations, faces a challenging financial landscape with costs to provide services outpacing revenue growth. Prior to the fall budget season, departments worked to update their service inventories, implement efficiencies, and identify areas for further cost reductions.
The County Executive transmitted his proposed mid-biennium adjustments to Council in October. The Executive’s recommendations included addressing unavoidable cost increases, applying restricted funds to core services, reallocating one-time funds, and cutting expenses. Cost reductions will be achieved by eliminating or temporarily freezing vacant positions, reducing discretionary spending, and implementing service reductions.
Council reviewed the Executive’s proposal, solicited public feedback during two public hearings, and made additional adjustments, including adding funding for local food banks and strategic planning required by the county charter.
Two major points of discussion throughout the budget process were the structural imbalances in the Road Fund and the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Fund.
In 2025, Public Works took steps to address cash flow problems in the Road Fund, including removing or delaying capital projects, reducing operations, and freezing vacant positions. In order to begin long-term stabilization and prevent deeper reductions and layoffs, Council approved further reductions to the department’s capital and operations spending, as well as a 1% increase in the Road Fund levy for 2026.
The EMS Fund has come under strain as the county’s population has grown, and years of inflation have caused Advanced Life Support (ALS) reimbursements, paramedic school training, dispatch services, and other costs to rise above budgeted amounts. To avoid sudden disruptions to service levels, Council opted to use its deferred taxing authority, also known as banked capacity. The dollar amount of the increase over last year's levy amount will be $2,698,925, a 19.9% percent increase over the previous year.
In discussing next year’s EMS levy amount, Councilmember Elenbaas stressed the importance of EMS services and the impacts of any reductions to service. “I’ve been the person on the phone," he said, "concerned that [someone] wasn’t going to make it, and I didn’t care what it took to make sure District 7 showed up in time to save their life, and they did.”
Going into 2026, the county will continue to monitor financial conditions and make adjustments as they begin planning for the 2027-2028 biennial budget.
 Bob Anderson shares a presentation on Lummi Island Health & Wellness at the October 28 Health Board meeting.
At their October 28 meeting, Health Board and Public Health Advisory Board (PHAB) members invited several community leaders to share about some of the local public health initiatives that are currently at work serving residents of Whatcom County. Presenters included Dr. Gabriel Durbin of Whatcom Mobile Medicine, Bob Anderson of Lummi Island Health and Wellness, Beth Ruth of Skagit County Public Hospital District #304, and Kristina Michele Martens of the East Whatcom County Health Equity Zone.
“There’s so much good work going on across our county that’s outside of local government. It’s folks who are coming together to solve local problems,” said Health Board Chair Jon Scanlon in his introduction to the presenters. “The hope here is that we learn from each other and that others are inspired to start new initiatives across our community around public health and healthcare.”
Whatcom Mobile Medicine was started in 2023 with the goal of providing basic primary care services to the rural residents of East Whatcom County, where healthcare access is limited. Durbin, a naturopathic doctor, explained that since flooding destroyed the Sumas medical clinic in 2021, many residents have been forced to make long treks into Bellingham for care, and some have even put off seeking treatment for non-emergency issues entirely. Durbin said Whatcom Mobile Medicine is trying to address this need.
“Over the past year,” Durbin said, “we have been able to help residents in our rural communities manage hypertension, diabetes, depression and anxiety, and other common ailments, such as back pain and upper respiratory infections.”
Whatcom Mobile Medicine sees patients in the afternoons on the first and third Mondays of each month at the East Whatcom Regional Resource Center in Kendall and offers follow-up care via phone, telemedicine, and patient portal. The program is hoping to expand its offerings and availability in the future.
Another initiative focused on improving health access and outcomes for residents in rural eastern Whatcom County is the East Whatcom County Health Equity Zone. Michele Martens shared that this project originated with the Washington State Legislature, which authorized the state Department of Health to identify and support health equity zones, geographic areas where communities face significant barriers to health. The Mount Baker School District was selected as one of three pilot zones in 2023. The goal of the health equity zone project is to identify the community’s most pressing health needs and foster and support projects that address them.
Michele Martens emphasized that while the health equity zone project grew out of a state policy, residents of East Whatcom are the ones deciding how it evolves. A Community Advisory Board consisting of local residents evaluates and scores proposed projects, and then everyone in the school district ages 14 and older will be able to vote for the projects they want to see move forward.
Lummi Island Health and Wellness grew out of a similar desire to improve healthcare access for a geographically isolated community. Anderson said the program’s mission is to create a system of health and wellness resources that help islanders become more resilient in coping with life’s changes and challenges. In the program’s first few months, Lummi Island Health and Wellness has been hard at work, launching a new resource center, hosting fitness and wellness classes, introducing a new telehealth service, and opening a foot care clinic for residents.
“There’s a DNA in our community about helping each other,” Anderson said, describing the keys to the program’s initial success. He expressed hope that the Lummi Island Health and Wellness model will be helpful to other communities facing similar challenges.
Ruth of Skagit County Public Hospital District #304 shared information about public hospital districts, which are sometimes established by communities to fill gaps in local healthcare access.
There are currently 58 public hospital districts in Washington State, one of which is located in Point Roberts. Residents of the noncontiguous Whatcom County city voted to establish the Point Roberts Public Hospital District in 2005 to manage funds for the Point Roberts Clinic. Prior to the opening of the clinic in 2003, Point Roberts residents had to travel across two international borders to access US healthcare.
“I'm always heartened to hear about all the different ways people are supporting one another,” said Councilmember Kaylee Galloway. “We live in a really caring community, and hopefully others are inspired to support these organizations or even start new programs to connect people in their own neighborhoods."
Additional presentations on community-led public health initiatives are anticipated in 2026. Check the Legislative Information Center for upcoming meeting agendas.
 Councilmembers listen to a presentation about proposed locations for the new behavioral care center.
Councilmembers received a presentation during their December 9 Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee meeting outlining various options for the location of the upcoming behavioral care center.
County voters approved a sales tax in 2023 to fund construction of a new jail, behavioral care center, and a host of behavioral health care, diversion, and reentry support services.
The behavioral care center is envisioned as a facility that will offer short-term behavioral care as an alternative to incarceration with the goal of promoting long-term recovery and rehabilitation.
Adam Johnson of STV Consultants presented three different possibilities for the behavioral care center’s future location.
One potential option is for the county to repurpose the current jail work center located at the Division Street campus in Bellingham. This campus is also home to the Anne Deacon Center for Hope (ADCH), which provides substance use disorder treatment and behavioral health care services. The structure that currently houses the jail work center would require significant retrofitting in order to meet the functional and aesthetic requirements of the proposed behavioral care center, but the location’s proximity to the ADCH is a significant advantage in terms of providing a continuum of care.
Another option is for the county to construct a new facility at the Division Street campus. This proposal retains the advantage of proximity to the ADCH while also allowing for the construction of a facility specifically designed for the purpose of providing behavioral health care services.
A third possibility is for the county to construct the behavioral care center alongside the new jail at the LaBounty site in Ferndale. This option allows for the most flexibility in terms of design and construction, but it also has the potential to be the most expensive due to the site's unique development and mitigation requirements.
Council is expected to decide on a behavioral care center model and location in January.
Sign up to receive monthly updates on the Justice Project.
 Applications for membership on Whatcom County advisory groups are due by 10 a.m. on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.
Are you looking for a way to make a difference in your community? Volunteer for a Whatcom County advisory group!
Whatcom County currently has vacancies on a multitude of advisory boards, committees, and commissions. These volunteer groups help shape local policy by advising the County Council and County Executive on important topics such as flood control, climate and natural resources, business and commerce, criminal justice, public health and social services, ferry transportation, and more.
"I'm grateful to those who volunteer their time and expertise to make recommendations to the county. The members of these groups usually have a connection to the topic and the group they are a part of, and they provide an important service to the county by sharing their perspectives," said Councilmember Mark Stremler. "Joining an advisory group is a way that you can make your voice heard and work alongside others who have similar interests."
Tom Follis, a current member of the Whatcom County Board of Equalization, believes there are many benefits to membership on a county advisory group, such as the interchange of ideas from people of differing backgrounds and points of view, the development of a better understanding of governmental rules and regulations, and hopefully contributing to a better community overall.
Rosa-Maria Hunter is a member of the Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force, the group responsible for making recommendations to the Council and Executive on the county's criminal justice and behavioral health programs.
Hunter encouraged people to consider volunteering because "contributing to the well-being of our communities is a shared responsibility."
"We often say, 'it takes a village,' and that saying holds true here. When the people of a community stay engaged and involved, the community moves forward," said Hunter. "When we don't, progress stalls."
Advisory group term lengths vary, but most groups have terms that expire at the end of two, three, or four years. Meeting frequency and location also varies, but many groups operate in a hybrid format with options for online and in-person participation.
Advisory group applications are due by 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 6, 2026. Applicants must live in Whatcom County and meet the specific requirements of the positions.
 Councilmembers pose for a group photo in the Council Office lobby following their last regular meeting of 2025.
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