City Council - Committee Of The Whole

City of Bellingham Committee Of The Whole Minutes January 5, 2026, 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 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. 24797 1. 2026 City Council reorganization p. 3 COUNCIL OFFICERS Council President: Daniel Hammill / Hannah Stone moved to nominate Hollie Huthman to serve as Council President. MOTION FAILED 0-0. ABSTAINED: Stone, Huthman, Hammill, Williams, Anderson, Lilliquist, Cotton Michael Lilliquist / Jace Cotton moved to nominate Hannah Stone to serve as Council President. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 1 January 5, 2026  Council President Huthman turned the gavel over to Council President Stone who chaired the remainder of the meeting. Council President Pro Tempore: Hollie Huthman / Lisa Anderson moved to nominate Hollie Huthman to serve as Council President Pro Tempore. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Mayor Pro Tempore: Edwin H. "Skip" Williams / Daniel Hammill moved to nominate Edwin H. "Skip" Williams to serve as Mayor Pro Tempore. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. COMMITTEE STRUCTURE Council Members discussed the role of standing committees and decided to retain the current committee structure. 1. Budget and Finance 2. Community and Economic Development 3. Parks and Recreation 4. Planning 5. Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity 6. Public Works and Natural Resources COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS Hannah Stone / Daniel Hammill moved to approve the committee chair positions as: Lisa Anderson, Budget and Finance Committee Jace Cotton, Community and Economic Development Committee Edwin H. "Skip" Williams, Parks and Recreation Committee Hollie Huthman, Planning Committee Daniel Hammill, Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity Committee Michael Lilliquist, Public Works and Natural Resources Committee MOTION CARRIED 7-0. *Note for the record. Council Member Lilliquist was also nominated to serve as Chair of the Planning Committee. All Council Members abstained from voting on his appointment and the motion failed. Hannah Stone / Lisa Anderson moved to approve the committee membership as: Budget and Finance: 1. Lisa Anderson (Chair) 2. Dan Hammill Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 2 January 5, 2026  3. Michael Lilliquist Community and Economic Development: 1. Jace Cotton (Chair) 2. Hollie Huthman 3. Edwin H. “Skip” Williams Parks and Recreation: 1. Edwin H. “Skip” Williams (Chair) 2. Jace Cotton 3. Dan Hammill Planning: 1. Hollie Huthman (Chair) 2. Lisa Anderson 3. Michael Lilliquist *Notes for the record. Council Member Cotton failed to garner enough support for the Planning Committee. Council Member Hammill and Council Member Williams were nominated to serve as members but withdrew. Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity: 1. Daniel Hammill (Chair) 2. Hollie Huthman 3. Edwin H. “Skip” Williams Public Works and Natural Resources: 1. Michael Lilliquist (Chair) 2. Lisa Anderson 3. Jace Cotton EX-OFFICIO AND OTHER ASSIGNMENTS Community Development Advisory Board: Michael Lilliquist EMS Oversight Board: Daniel Hammill Fire Pension Board: Lisa Anderson was appointed as Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee. Greenways Advisory Committee: Edwin H. "Skip" Williams Incarceration Prevention Task Force: Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 3 January 5, 2026  Daniel Hammill Hollie Huthman, Proxy Justice Project Finance & Facility Advisory Board: Michael Lilliquist Justice Project Oversight & Implementation Committee: Daniel Hammill Lake Whatcom Policy Group: Edwin H. "Skip" Williams Lisa Anderson Library Board of Trustees: Daniel Hammill Mt. Baker Theatre Board: Hollie Huthman Open Space Committee - Joint City/County: The following were appointed as members of the Planning Committee, Hollie Huthman Lisa Anderson Michael Lilliquist Parks & Recreation Advisory Board: Edwin H. "Skip" Williams was appointed as Chair of the Parks and Recreation Committee. Police Pension Board: Hannah Stone was appointed as Council President. Tourism Commission/LTAC: Lisa Anderson was appointed as Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee. WHAT-COMM Communications (911) Admin Board: Daniel Hammill was appointed as Chair of the Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity Committee. Whatcom Council of Governments (WCOG): Michael Lilliquist, Executive Committee Jace Cotton, Policy Committee Whatcom County Marine Resources Committee: Lisa Anderson Whatcom Museum Foundation Board: Jace Cotton Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 4 January 5, 2026  Whatcom Racial Equity Commission: Edwin H. "Skip" Williams Whatcom Transportation Authority: Michael Lilliquist Jace Cotton *Note for the record. Edwin H. "Skip" Williams failed to garner enough support for the WTA board. 24798 2. Presentation and discussion of 2026 City legislative agenda p. 80 Janice Keller, Deputy Administrator, presented a draft summary of the City's 2026 legislative priorities for the state session. City lobbyists Luke Esser, and Nick Federici, provided a preview of the upcoming legislative session. Council Members discussed the priorities, upcoming legislative session, and asked questions. More information is available at cob.org/state-government-relations. Michael Lilliquist / Daniel Hammill moved to recommend approval of the 2026 state legislative agenda. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 3. Old/New Business Council Member Cotton reflected upon how Council currently receives public comment and would like to explore additional opportunities for public engagement. Jace Cotton / Edwin H. "Skip" Williams moved to recommend modifying public comment discussion time from three minutes to two minutes. Lisa Anderson / Jace Cotton moved to table the motion until the City Council retreat. MOTION TO TABLE CARRIED 7-0. Council moved into Executive Session at 2:47 p.m. to discuss three items until 3:15 p.m. 1. Litigation: Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals Matter 2. Litigation: Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals Matter 3. Potential Property Acquisition Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 3:13 p.m. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 5 January 5, 2026