City Council - Committee Of The Whole

City of Bellingham Committee Of The Whole Minutes July 21, 2025, 1:00 PM Mayor: Kimberley Lund Contact: (360) 778-8100, mayorsoffice@cob.org Council Members: Hannah Stone, Hollie Huthman, Contact: (360) 778-8200, ccmail@cob.org Daniel Hammill, Edwin H. “Skip” Williams, Lisa Anderson, https://cob.org/council Michael Lilliquist and Jace Cotton Call to Order Council President Huthman called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. Roll Call Present: Council President Hollie Huthman, Second Ward Council Member Hannah Stone, First Ward (Attended remotely, non-voting until in-person) Council Member Daniel Hammill, Third Ward Council Member Edwin H. "Skip" Williams, Fourth Ward Council Member Lisa Anderson, Fifth Ward Council Member Michael Lilliquist, Sixth Ward Council Member Jace Cotton, At-Large Council Standing Committee Meetings: Open to the public to attend. Note: there is generally no public comment period for Committee sessions. Standing Committee Members receive reports and information, ask questions and, when appropriate, vote on a recommended action for consideration by the full Council at the Regular Meeting. The notice of Committee Meetings identified below also serves as notice of Special Meetings of the City Council at the times identified as Council Members who are not members of the committee routinely attend and participate in the Committee Meetings. Committee Chairs give a report of the Committee Meeting at the Regular Meeting in the evening prior to deliberation and formal vote. Please be advised that if the City Council is ahead of schedule, they may start with old/new business before the official Committee of the Whole meeting time. Jace Cotton / Edwin H. "Skip" Williams moved to reorder the agenda items and discuss Agenda Bill 24610 first. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. EXCUSED: Stone 24610 1. A Resolution Deferring to the Voters Initiative No. 2025-03 Prohibiting Landlords p. 12 from Interfering with Tenants Engaged in Protected Activities James Erb, Deputy City Attorney, presented the draft resolution, which defers to the voters Initiative No. 2025-03, which prohibits landlords from interfering with tenants engaged in Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 1 July 21, 2025  protected activities. Council must enact the initiative bill, defer the bill to the voters, or reject the bill and pass a different bill dealing with the same subject for the ballot by August 5, 2025 to meet the deadlines established by the auditor. Council Members discussed the resolution and asked questions. Michael Lilliquist / Lisa Anderson moved to recommend approval of the resolution deferring to the voters Initiative No. 2025-03, which prohibits landlords from interfering with tenants engaged in protected activities as amended. Michael Lilliquist / Lisa Anderson moved to amend the resolution to: "City staff is authorized to take additional actions that may be required by the Whatcom County Auditor to ensure that this measure is placed on the ballot in November, including, for example, preparing a ballot measure cover sheet, verifying eligibility of committee members, completing the committee appointment form, working with the Whatcom County Auditor Office to solicit committee members, as appropriate, and drafting an explanatory statement for the initiative bill." MOTION CARRIED 6-0. EXCUSED: Stone Daniel Hammill / Edwin H. "Skip" Williams moved to strike the language from the resolution: “The City appoints the following individuals to serve on the committees FOR and AGAINST the initiative bill. These individuals have volunteered to draft statements for the local voter’s pamphlet: Committee FOR the ballot measure: 1. Cate James 2. Kara Henry 3. Neal Tognazzini Committee AGAINST the ballot measure: 1. R. Perry Eskridge 2. TBD 3. TBD” MOTION CARRIED 6-0. EXCUSED: Stone Michael Lilliquist / Lisa Anderson moved to authorize the administration to recommend the following names, pending verification of their residency, to the Whatcom County Auditor's Office for the pro/con committees: Committee FOR the ballot measure: 1. Cate James 2. Kara Henry 3. TBD Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 2 July 21, 2025  Committee AGAINST the ballot measure: 1. Neal Tognazzini 2. TBD 3. TBD MOTION CARRIED 6-0. EXCUSED: Stone AMENDED MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 24589 2. An Ordinance Relating to Equal Protection and Equal Provision of City Services p. 3 Regardless of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Gender Expression, and Creating a New Chapter of the Bellingham Municipal Code Regarding Such Matters Council Member Stone returned to discuss the ordinance, which creates a new chapter of the Bellingham Municipal Code (BMC) to provide equal protection of City services for LGBTQ+ community members. Council Members discussed the ordinance and asked questions. Hannah Stone / Jace Cotton moved to amend the ordinance: “Section 2. Chapter Created. There is hereby created a Chapter X.XX of the Bellingham Municipal Code (BMC) entitled "Equal Protection and Provision of Services Regardless of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Gender Expression” which shall read as follows:” “Section X.XX.040 – Administrative Policies (f) to: The City shall oppose or support legislation or actions at the state or federal level that the mayor and city council determine impact the rights, safety, or dignity of LGBTQ+ individuals in Bellingham as outlined in accordance with this Chapter. Such determination shall be made based on legal review of proposed legislation or related actions, consultation with the City’s lobby team, or feedback from community partners, advocacy groups or members of the public. The mayor and city council shall determine what actions if any the City takes to oppose or support such legislation or actions. Examples of such actions include, but are not limited to, inclusion as part of the City’s lobbying priorities, letters or other written correspondence and in-person meetings with state or federal legislators, testimony during legislative hearings, passage of local resolutions, ordinances or other amendments to the BMC, etc.” MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 3. Old/New Business Council Member Stone requested feedback from the Council and Administration about community resources for landlords and tenants after the passage of the rental fee ordinances. The Administration requested to return to Council at the August 11, 2025 meeting to discuss planned community resources. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 3 July 21, 2025  Council Member Anderson expressed support for creating a process before the next legislative session to establish lobbying efforts and clarify roles and responsibilities of Council. Lisa Anderson / Michael Lilliquist moved to request the Mayor, Council President, and Council staff form a legislative workgroup to define roles and responsibilities in Citywide lobby efforts for the next state legislative session. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Council Member Stone highlighted the need to discuss potential changes to Council external committee assignments in the near future. Council Member Cotton inquired about holding a Council retreat this year. Council moved into Executive Session at 2:05 p.m. to discuss two items until 2:15 p.m. 1. Labor Relations: Review contract proposal for IAFF 106S 2. Potential Property Acquisition Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 2:15 p.m. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 4 July 21, 2025