City News

It is with great sadness that the City of Ferndale shares the passing of The Honorable Judge Michael Bobbink. He dedicated over 30 years of service to judicial systems in Whatcom County.

Michael Bobbink served the Ferndale community as its Hearing Examiner for nearly twenty years, beginning in 2006. In doing so, Mr. Bobbink elevated and professionalized the City’s land use processes and decision-making. As an independent decision-maker, Mr. Bobbink was known for his relentless defense of the rights of the community to participate in the process, and did not hesitate to hold the City and land use applicants to the high standards of adopted regulations. Mr. Bobbink recognized early on that Ferndale would grow significantly, and expressed immense satisfaction that the City’s proactive approach to land use development placed Ferndale in an enviable position to respond to growth. Mr. Bobbink will be deeply missed.

Drivers should expect delays Thursday, September 28^th through Friday, September 29^th, as work being accomplished in association with the City’s Thornton Street Overpass Project will cause traffic impacts at the Portal Way/Second Avenue/Thornton Street/Interstate 5 roundabout at Exit 263 in Ferndale starting at 7:00AM tomorrow morning.  Flaggers will be stopping and directing truck traffic into the work site from the roundabout between the hours of 7:00AM to 7:00PM as crews pave the new roadway.  Drivers should follow flagger’s instructions and are encouraged to utilize alternate routes, if possible.

Paving work is weather dependent, so this schedule is subject to change.  If you have questions regarding this notice, please contact the Ferndale Public Works Department at (360) 384-4006.

Zervas Architects is seeking public comment on the current design of the Ferndale City Hall. They will be hosting a public listening session regarding the Civic Campus Project on Wednesday, September 27, 2023 at the Pioneer Pavilion, from noon until 7:00 p.m.

This is an opportunity for members of the public to provide input and comments on the needs of the community regarding the design of the new Civic Campus. Help our consultants design a civic campus that will cost-effectively meet the needs of the community for the next 50 years and beyond!

City Staff members will also be available to answer questions about the City’s financial plan for the project.

The Bellingham/Whatcom County League of Women Voters is hosting a candidate forum for Mayor and  Councilmember candidates on Thursday, September 28, 2023. The event will be at the Ferndale City Annex, 5694 Second Avenue, from 6:00 – 8:15 p.m. Visit the LWV website for more information.

LWV Bellingham Whatcom Election Forums – League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County

For Immediate Release:

09/19/2023

Vehicle Fire

Case # 23F7377

On 09/18/2023 at about 3:37 pm, a Ferndale Police Officer observed a vehicle on fire in the Walgreen’s parking lot, located at 1901 Main Street.  Upon further investigation, the officer located an unresponsive male inside of the vehicle.

The officer immediately took action and pulled the male from the vehicle while flames and heavy smoke were visible from the engine compartment.  With the help of a nearby citizen, the officer was able to drag the male to safety. Click here to see the body camera footage.

Whatcom County Fire District 7 responded and eventually transported the male to the hospital for treatment.

This case remains under investigation.  The Ferndale Police Department is working with the Whatcom County Fire Marshall’s Office to determine the cause of the fire.