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Bellingham council approves budget fixes, grants, transit plan and opioid settlement; multiple votes unanimous
Summary
On April 27 the council passed budget reappropriations and amendments, authorized grant acceptances and contracts, adopted a rapid-transit locally preferred alternative and authorized participation in the national opioid settlement; most formal votes were unanimous 7-0.
The Bellingham City Council on April 27 approved a package of budget, grant and policy items and authorized the mayor to execute settlement documents related to the national opioid settlement.
Budget and reappropriations: The council approved three linked budget ordinances (committee items labeled as agenda bills 24900, 24901 and 24902) to reconcile beginning reserve balances, reappropriate unused prior-cycle budget authority into the 2026 budget and correct budgetary errors. The series included about $6 million in new expenditures, a reappropriation totaling figures cited near $105 million in expenses and $33 million in associated revenues from prior cycles, and adjustments to estimated ending reserves. The motions carried on voice vote, recorded as unanimous.
Grants and contracts: The council accepted a State and Local Cybersecurity reimbursement grant of $96,500 to fund a PCI DSS gap assessment ($46,500) and a zero-trust network access project ($50,000) and authorized the mayor to sign the agreement. In Public Works, council authorized staff to seek a Washington Recreation and Conservation Office grant for an estimated $500,000 Squalicum Creek property-acquisition project that would support fish-passage improvements and riparian function, and the council approved awarding the Pacific Street Operations Center Fleet Building Improvements contract to Highline Construction LLC for $808,459.37 (lowest responsive bidder).
Rapid transit: The council adopted a locally preferred alternative for rapid-transit improvements and authorized an interlocal memorandum of understanding with the Whatcom Transportation Authority to prioritize and implement enhancements designed to reduce delays and enable more frequent bus service (a short-term project list was described with about $36 million in short-term improvements and operational costs to WTA estimated between $2 million and $4.5 million once frequent service is added). Both the resolution adopting the LPA and the MOU passed with committee recommendations and were adopted by the council.
Public-safety and other votes: The public-health committee amended an ordinance to allow the fire chief or designee to assess a $1,000 penalty for non-emergent lift assists at licensed care facilities; the council approved the amendment and ordinance. After executive session on litigation, the council authorized the mayor to execute documents to participate in the national opioid settlement with six remnant defendants. Final consideration included adoption of an ordinance on multimodal transportation impact fees (agenda bill 24891) and an ordinance updating the composition and qualifications for the Historic Preservation Commission (agenda bill 24886); both were approved by roll-call votes (each 7-0).
Most formal votes recorded in the transcript were unanimous; a few items were informational or had committee-origin recusal (the 2026 action plan came forward with a 6-0-1 approval because a council member recused).
