The proposition to create an advisory ballot measure to be voted on in November to seek citizen input on eminent domain being used by oil pipeline companies did not pass at the Tuesday, July 25, County Council Meeting. Council Members Browne, Weimer, and Brenner abstained and Council Member Mann was absent, so the motion failed. Thank you to all who spoke to and wrote in to the County Council about this topic. Continue reading
Council Member Todd Donovan brings forward concerns of community members regarding immigration policies at the June 27, 2017 Whatcom County Council Meeting
1:08pm July 4, 2017 Dena Jensen
I am posting this link to a portion of last week’s [June 27 2017, Whatcom] County Council meeting where Council Member Donovan says he is trying to figure out how to procedurally approach addressing an ordinance and concerns people have expressed having to do with how our law enforcement agencies might be interacting with people of the immigrant community. He says that a group of people have brought this to the attention of himself and Council Member Weimer. Continue reading
Click the graphic to access the complete 6/20/2017 letter from the Bellingham City Council to the Whatcom County Council
July 1. 2017 Dena Jensen
On June 27, 2017 the Whatcom County Council’s Special Committee of the Whole (made up of all seven council members) met for an afternoon session to discuss the letter they had been sent by the Bellingham City Council regarding the currently proposed Jail Facility Finance and Use Agreement. I listened to the audio of the meeting and wrote up fairly detailed summaries of the comments and discussions during the meeting that I had posted in the comment section to a Facebook post. I thought I would share that material here to give more people access to the information, since it might come in handy over the next few weeks while the JFFUA is under consideration and the potential looms of a .2% tax to finance a new Whatcom County Jail going on the November 2017 ballot. Here is the link to the audio for that meeting: Special Committee of the Whole PM June 27 2017.mp3
September 21, 2016 Wendy Harris
At the staff presentation to the county council on the Critical Area Ordinance, staff provided their goals and proposed changes (why are they making changes now?) without explaining how the CAO worked or how the new proposals fit into the CAO requirements. They skipped any mention of the Critical Aquifer Recharge Areas, and only mentioned farm plans with regard to an suggestion for an annual report. I felt this left the council and public uninformed. Continue reading
Click the graphic to access the full copy of Ordinance 2016-031
September 18, 2016 Dena Jensen
Dear Whatcom County Council:
I have been trying to think if I have anything to say, now that you have already cast your votes to remain in a relationship with GPT proponents/consultants for another six months.
Here’s what I have and I deliver it in an effort to have it be helpful in future considerations and actions by the County Council: Continue reading
Memorandum from Mark Personius, Assistant Director County Planning & Development Services with suggested policy language “in-lieu of the proposed Cherry Point UGA narrative and policies included in the July 5th Council agenda packet.”
At the July 12 evening Whatcom County Council Meeting, which I attended, Council Chair Barry Buchanan made an announcement at the beginning of the meeting. Continue reading
Please consider supporting the below changes [to the Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan, Chapter 2 Land Use] drafted by council member Carl Weimer through public comments and testimony. They are intended to protect the environment and Lummi cultural values at Cherry Point. Continue reading
April 11, 2016 Wendy Harris ACTION
To Comment On Habitat Conservation Areas: #1
If you want to send a comment to the Planning Commission on the issue of Habitat Conservation Areas, or provide comment to the PC, I have a number of talking points. Continue reading
February 16, 2016 Dena Jensen
Anyone who is familiar with, and potentially concerned about, the issue of dredging gravel from the Nooksack River may want to listen to the meeting audio from the Whatcom County Natural Resources Committee meeting on February 9, 2016. Continue reading
20 hrs November 8, 2015 Wendy Harris
Thanks to the lobby efforts of our local BIA and property rights groups, most people, including many of our county and city council members remain confused about the actual standards and rules that apply to critical areas. Continue reading
noisy waters northwest 
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