Every five (5) years, Whatcom County submits a Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan (NHMP) for review and approval by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It is time to update the plan and submit it to FEMA once again. We are using the 2016 plan as the basis to create the 2021 plan.
The purpose of an NHMP is to identify the types of natural hazards that impact a jurisdiction, assess each jurisdiction’s vulnerability to those hazards, and formulate mitigation strategies that will lessen the severity of natural disasters by protecting human life and property. Plans must be reviewed and updated to remain active. This process is very important and allows Whatcom County to receive Federal funding for mitigation and pre-disaster projects to lessen the impact of disasters when they do happen.
FEMA reviews Whatcom County’s plan for accuracy and mitigation measures being considered, underway, or already completed. An updated Whatcom County plan is due to be submitted to FEMA in 2021.
Washington State Department of Transportation will be conducting their annual inspection of Pioneer Bridge (our main bridge over the Nooksack River) Mon. April 5th, starting at 10:00am and should be completed by 3pm.
During this work, traffic will be reduced to alternating, single lane traffic over the bridge. Public Works crew will be directing vehicles through the area.
Drivers are urged to obey all traffic direction and utilize alternate routes if possible, such as Second Avenue/Portal Way or Slater Road. For more information, please contact Ferndale Public Works at (360) 384-4006.
Recently, former Mayor Gary Jensen wrote a tribute to the Ferndale High School football stadium which is getting demolished and rebuilt as part of the construction of the new Ferndale High School. As it explores a key part of Ferndale’s history, the City has published it here with permission:
Can you write an obituary for a Football Stadium? How about one that has been at the same location for 80 years?
The Ferndale High School football team played it’s last ever game on the grass of Memorial Field. The old stadium will be soon torn down, allowing for a new high school. A new stadium will be constructed in a different location. To some it might be a simple patch of grass. For many others a field of grass with thousands of memories . A place where high school heroes were made.
My neighbor, FHS class of 1951, recalls most of the school getting out of class to spread gravel on the then new track surface. Imagine that happening today. He did not recall if they received shop class credit for the wheelbarrow work or P.E. credit for the rake work. In the 70’s the track surface was red brick cinder. I can still feel and hear the sound of extra long spikes crunching through that cinder as you pounded into a turn on that track. Ferndale’s track was unique in that it had enough room to hold a 220 yard dash on a straightaway. In my era, the football team locker room was located in the basement of the oldest building on the high school campus. As we left that basement on game nights, the sound of hundreds of metal tipped football cleats hitting the cement floor and then thundering up older, wooden steps, seemed to shake that old building up and down the halls. Out the doors and running out onto the field of grass, now a different shade of green because of all those lights , mounted high on wooden poles.
A buddy and I once rode our Harleys to Idaho so we could watch Ferndale play. In typical American male fashion, no maps or directions required. We simply just rode into town looking for the stadium lights. Similar to small towns all across our country, those stadium lights serving as a beacon, calling the high school fan home. Friday Night Lights!
The grass at Ferndale’s field helped to produce a pretty memorable list of stars. One NFL punter (Michael Koenen), Two NFL Quarterbacks (Doug Pederson and Jake Locker), One NFL Tight End (Cody Boyd), One NFL drafted Defensive Lineman (Ross Boice) and probably WWU’s greatest Running Back (Pat Locker) and numerous other college scholarships in football. It helped to produce one Super Bowl winning coach (Doug Pederson), one NCAA Champion football and Seattle Seahawks Coach, probably wandered the sidelines, when his father Pinky was the Head Football Coach for Ferndale (Dennis Erickson). It also aided in producing one Quarterback/Wrestler , who won Three State Championships (Jason Muggy) and another Running Back/Wrestler , who won Two State Championships (Ben Broselle). That grass helped to produce a Washington State AAA Champion Football Team and a State Champion Band and Drill Team.
It even helped to produce two Ferndale Mayors. One who learned how to hit, or be hit, fall down and then get up with a smile and a handshake. Something politicians of today could still use more of. That stadium allowed me to sit in the stands and watch a skinny, all legs, sophomore, don a cheerleader uniform and grow into a great young lady. The love of my life, second only to the other football cheerleader, her mother. In three years she never knew the feeling of her team losing on that grass.
We thank so many families, many multigenerational, who allowed young men to play on that grass. Names such as Hannah, Locker, Brudwick, Pederson, Oxford, Cline, Muggy, Irwin, Finkbonner, Westford, Ebe, Unick, Hoelzle, Perrin and Broselle. We also thank one of the best coaches we have ever seen, Vic Randall, and all those who came before and after him, such as Bill Dawes and State Champion, Jaime Plenkovich. Ferndale Memorial Stadium, “It’s a matter of Pride”, we say goodbye to you! The name and location may change but that patch of grass will not soon be forgotten.
The City has been informed of a potential phone scam related to City utility bills where the caller purports to represent the City of Ferndale and requests additional personal information in order to initiate a refund for a water deposit. The City of Ferndale does not make contact with individuals in this manner. Please do not provide any personal information if you receive such a phone call.
The City of Ferndale is proud to announce a full slate of summer parks activities this year. With careful consideration and consultation with our health experts, the city is moving forward with our “2021 Summer of Fun.”
These events will be held outdoors in Ferndale parks and require that all attendees practice social distancing and wear a face covering to ensure everyone can have a safe experience.
“We know everyone is excited to get out of the house and do something fun this summer. We believe we have a way to come together as a community in a safe and responsible way,” said Mayor Greg Hansen.
Here is the full list of activities:
Food Truck Fridays will be held on the first Friday of each month (June 4th, July 2nd and August 6th) at Star Park. Food Trucks from around Whatcom County will be selling hot meals starting at 5:30 pm. Participating vendors include the Mobile Mouth Hole, Cicchitti’s Pizza, Outlaws BBW, Simmering Tava, Pete’s Poutine and BareBones BBQ.
Music in the Park will be held on Friday June 18th, and Saturdays July 17th and August 14th on the stage in the historic Pioneer Village. Seattle area rock cover band “3 Trick Pony” will be playing June 18th, and Bellingham R&B/Hip-hop sensation “SpaceBand” will be playing July 17th and “Vaudeville Etiquette” an energetic, psychedelic folk band will be playing August 14th. Gates open at 5:30pm, music starts at 6pm.
WECU presents Flicks in the Park held Friday nights on June 25th, July 9th and July 16th at dusk in the historic Pioneer Village. We will be showing “Coco” “Labyrinth” and “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”. gates open at 9:00pm, movie begins at dusk.
The Great Ferndale Frontier Folly, a citywide scavenger hunt with riddles and prizes. This event will be held throughout the month of July.
Stargazing with the Perseids Meteor Shower will be held on Friday, August 13th after dark at VanderYacht Park. Identify constellations with glow-in-the-dark star charts, observe the moon and other celestial objects through larger telescopes provided by amateur astronomers or just relax and enjoy the peak of the Perseids Meteor Shower.
More food trucks, bands and films will all be announced later this Spring via the City of Ferndale’s social media channels. More information is available at www.cityofferndale.org/parks or by contacting Recreation Coordinator Riley Sweeney at rileysweeney@cityofferndale.org or (360) 685-2353.
Incoming WMCA President Susan Duncan (right) with outgoing President Debbie Jermann (left)
Ferndale City Clerk Susan Duncan Elected as President of Washington Municipal Clerks Association
Ferndale City Clerk Susan Duncan was recently elected President of the Washington Municipal Clerks Association (WMCA). Founded in 1969, the WMCA is the statewide professional organization for municipal clerks, facilitating development, support and professional excellence from those who manage the administrative services of our local governments.
Duncan has been the City Clerk of Ferndale since 2015 and is responsible for management of all public records, assembly of council packets, and all human resources responsibilities for the City. In 2016 she received her certification as a Certified Municipal Clerk and in 2020 she received her certification as a Master Municipal Clerk.
“We are so proud of Mrs. Duncan – and we are grateful to have her expertise recognized on a statewide level. It is no secret that we have incredible staff working for the City of Ferndale,” said Mayor Greg Hansen.
Duncan will be sworn in later this month at the Annual Business Meeting of the WMCA.
THE CITY EXTENDS ITS GRATITUDE TO THE LUMMI NATION
WHEREAS, the ability for a community to stop the spread of COVID-19 remains dependent on being able to vaccinate as many members of the public as possible; and
WHEREAS, the Lummi Nation and the community of Ferndale share a long and deep history together; and
WHEREAS, the Lummi Nation recognizes the importance of vaccinating Ferndale School District teachers, staff, and employees; and
WHEREAS, Ferndale School District staff were not currently eligible for the vaccine under the guidelines laid out by the Washington State Department of Health; and
WHEREAS, as a sovereign nation, the Lummi Nation has access to a different supply of vaccines and is able to implement a vaccine schedule that meets the needs of their community; and
WHEREAS, the Lummi Nation identified the Ferndale School District teachers, staff and school board as essential members of their community and therefore included them in their eligibility schedule; and
WHEREAS, the Lummi Nation established a vaccination event on February 27th to provide the COVID-19 vaccine to 374 school district employees: and
WHEREAS, generosity is a core value of the Lummi Nation and speaks to who they are as a people;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, we, the City of Ferndale, do hereby express our profound gratitude to the Lummi Nation for helping vaccinate our Ferndale teachers and staff. Your generosity protects our community as a whole and we are deeply thankful for this effort.
Remembering a single day can bring the distance of a year into focus. It was at the second council meeting in March, only my sixth meeting since being sworn in as the Mayor of Ferndale, when we received notice from the Governor that we were going into a statewide lockdown. In a single moment, the course of our city changed.
Ferndale did what we had to do. We buckled down, wore our masks, shifted to remote work where we could and tried to flatten the curve, but as the weeks stretched into months and we experienced spike after contagious spike, it was clear that this was a marathon, not a sprint.
Even as we were still comprehending the scope of the pandemic came the second blow – the curtailment of Alcoa. The smelter had put food on the table for three generations of Ferndale families and it leaves a big hole in our hearts.
Alcoa
I had expected to spend my first year in the Mayor’s office working on revitalizing our downtown, working on plans for a new city campus or celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Old Settlers Picnic.
We do not get to choose the times in which we live, only how we respond to the moment of crisis. In this, know that we have incredible public servants working around the clock on behalf of our city. City staff got right to work solving problems, building bridges and leveraging our relationships with our community partners to meet the moment head on. From the school district to the port, our local businesses to our non-profits, everyone put their heads together to tackle this crisis.
We developed COVID safe construction standards to allow private and public projects in Ferndale to safely resume work ahead of the rest of the state. We secured over $294,000 in grants for Ferndale businesses and organizations. We worked with the Ferndale Community Resource Center to help with utility bills and even made our own Variety Show with the Old Settlers Association to help celebrate their anniversary.
Thornton Overpass
All of this while never losing sight of our long-term goals. We continued critical investments in our infrastructure, including significant progress on the Thornton Overpass and the Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion. Housing construction remained strong throughout 2020 and into the new year.
As we turn our eyes to the future, the question remains: what is the state of the City of Ferndale? From a city budget perspective, we are in a better position than many of our neighboring small cities. Ferndale always struggled to generate retail sales taxes, a critical component of city budget, but the shift to online purchases has brought in a corresponding boost in city revenues. That said, a city cannot sustain itself without our locally owned businesses, they are more than just a budget line item, they are jobs, community touchstones and that which gives us our identity. Please do what you can to support our local businesses during this difficult time.
With the sudden influx of sales tax and the constant stream of construction activity in Ferndale, our city budget is steady for 2021 although we are being cautious about the future. As Anthony Bourdain said, “Luck is not a business model.” And for those of you put out of work by the Alcoa curtailment or the impacts of COVID, this is small comfort.
We are continuing our work to ensure there is a path, not just back to normal, but to a brighter and better Ferndale. We are investing in our public spaces – a new bathroom in VanderYacht Park, a Picnic Shelter in Star Park and, if the state legislature approves our grant, a new Skate Park in Pioneer Park. These public facilities provide opportunities for community events, safe places to recreate and create local construction jobs.
Star Park Picnic Shelter rendering
We are looking ahead at long-term solutions before they become home-grown disasters. Next month, council will consider placing an affordable housing measure on the ballot this November which would provide much needed matching funds to build affordable units right here in our city for Ferndale residents. This approach, coupled with improvements to our zoning, infrastructure, an emphasis on housing above commercial uses within the Downtown core allows us to tackle the housing crisis on multiple fronts. One only need look at the crisis unfolding in front of the Bellingham City Hall lawn to know that we cannot wait to tackle the housing crisis – we need to take the steps today to help people stay in their homes.
In that vein, we are committing the resources to get several road projects shovel ready, including Ferndale Terrace and connecting the Thornton Overpass to our neighborhoods on the hill. This will allow us to capitalize on infrastructure grants put out by the state and federal government to bring those dollars home to our town and fix a few potholes while we are doing it. The City has been aggressive in informing our representatives in Olympia and Washington DC of infrastructure needs, so that we are well-positioned as a City should infrastructure stimulus bills be adopted.
This last year has been a learning experience, and I do not want it to go to waste. We will expand on the communication tools we have mastered during the pandemic to allow more transparency and better access to your government, whether that is streaming a live video of your council meeting or interactive surveys allowing you to provide instant feedback on city decisions.
Old Settlers Parade
Finally, we will be working to support our signature Ferndale events – our Pioneer Days, Street Festival and Summer of Fun, to ensure that they last for the next generation. They will require all of us to step up – volunteer, sponsor and participate if we want to keep them running strong.
I still have those big plans from the start of my term sitting in my office. We will still need a new city campus with a courthouse and council chambers that can meet our needs going into the future, and I look forward to that day where I can walk past our new catalyst buildings in downtown Ferndale, enjoy a hot dog at Pioneer Days or drive over the Thornton Overpass on my way through the City.
Those days are not far in the distance, they are just around the corner.
For the last 10 years, the Community Garden has been under the care and leadership of Gloria Perez, master gardener and dedicated volunteer. Now it’s time for Gloria to retire!
The Community Garden is looking for one or two dedicated individuals, Ferndale resident, who can take over coordination and management of the garden. Prior gardening experience is preferred and Gloria will provide full training. The Garden is a critical community resource and the Coordinator is a critical role. Through a generous grant from the City of Ferndale, we will be able to provide the new coordinator(s) with a small annual stipend for their time and effort. If you are interested, please contact Gloria at rainglo@comcast.net.
For more information including job description and stipend details, see the flyer here.
The City of Ferndale needs your help in picking the best names for our four snow plows. We have solicited ideas from the public and made a list of potential names. Please vote for the four best names and we will go with the names that receive the most votes.
