Applications are now being accepted to fill two vacancies on the Ferndale City Council due to the resignation of two Councilmembers.
Both vacant seats will be on the November ballot as two-year, unexpired terms; therefore, those appointed will serve only until the November election has been certified, at which point those candidates who prevail in the election will take office and serve for the rest of 2019, as well as the remaining two years on the unexpired terms.
Applicants should plan to attend the June 3, 2019 regular City Council meeting, during which they will have an opportunity to introduce themselves. The selected applicants may be sworn in that evening, and will begin to serve immediately. For instructions and an application packet, please click here.
Curious about the city finances? City Finance Director Sirke Salminen will be hosting a series of finance workshops before city council meetings starting May 20th, at 5:30pm at the City Annex (5694 Second Avenue). These meetings will be open to the public and intended to help everyone better understand how your city manages public funds.
The workshop May 20th will focus on debt – how it is used to facilitate public projects.
The next workshop will be June 17th at 5:30pm at the City Annex and will be focused on the city budget calendar.
We’ve had a few break-ins recently and the easiest way to stop those is the 9PM Routine. Each night, make sure you’ve got your car locked, windows shut, doors locked and the shed secure. Bring in valuables from your car or mailbox. Turn on exterior lights.
These are simple steps but can have a big impact on preventing crime. Together, we can stop crime before it starts.
Big congrats to Michael Bannerman, winner of our #ThorntonOverpass logo contest! He will wield a golden shovel at the groundbreaking this year.
Thank you to all of our participants who brought their creativity to this project, we appreciate your efforts.
For everyone who wants to follow updates on this project – make sure to follow the hashtag #ThorntonOverpass, where we will be sharing pictures, videos, news and updates as we move forward.
Photo Credit: Jarrod Erb, Capital Projects Inspector
Eagleridge Students Explore the Math Behind the Thornton Overpass Project
Students at Eagleridge Elementary got to roll up their sleeves and, using new math skills, plan out a key piece of the Thornton Overpass project this week.
Capital Projects Manager Katy Radder and her team of City employees (see below) taught students how to utilize math to measure distances on a map drawn to scale. Then they were given yarn representing each of the different utilities (light, water, sewer, storm and communications) that need to be installed in the Thornton Overpass, which begins construction this year.
Students worked to fit the utilities into the space for the project while working within limitations. After all, water and sewer lines cannot be placed too close together.
Public Works staff also answered questions about Ferndale’s infrastructure and what it is like working for the city.
The City is always happy to encourage residents to explore all the fun projects available to you with a little bit of math, especially if it means recruiting future Public Works employees.
Eager Participants
One potential utility layout
Public Works staff (from left to right) Jarrod Erb, Stephanie Hendrickson, Kyla Boswell, Katy Radder, Paul Knippel
In lieu of their usual meeting, City Council, staff, and the Mayor met for a facilitated retreat to set goals and improve communication between each other and the public.
With big decisions approaching this year concerning the new Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion and selecting a downtown catalyst project, the participants worked with facilitator Laura Todd to improve coordination between staff and council. They concluded with goal setting for the rest of the year.
“At the end of 2019, when you look back on this year, what will you have done?” asked Todd. Council and staff agreed on the above list, including laying the groundwork for a new downtown, involving the public in the decision-making process and establishing a fair and equitable rate structure system.
Aaron Brown, Vice-Chair of the WCF Board, poses with Ferndale Arts Commission Members Rebecca Xczar, Andrew Hansen and Colleen Harper
Alleyways throughout downtown Ferndale are about to receive some color courtesy of a grant from the Whatcom Community Foundation. Earlier this year, the Ferndale Arts Commission was awarded a “Project Neighborly” grant to install murals in several alleyways in downtown Ferndale.
Similar to the water tank beautification
project last year, these murals will be designed by the Ferndale Arts
Commission and installed by volunteers.
“Public art is essential to a
vibrant downtown. They prevent graffiti and make our community a more
attractive place to live, shop or dine,” said Councilmember Rebecca Xczar. “I’m
grateful for the Whatcom Community Foundation’s support for this project and am
ready to roll up my sleeves and make it happen.”
Members of the public who are interested in helping install the murals should follow the Ferndale Arts Commission facebook page for updates and volunteer opportunities.
Earlier this year, the City Council formed the North Whatcom Poverty Task Force and they are scheduled to convene their first meeting on Weds. May 8th, at 5pm in the City Council chambers (5694 Second Avenue).
The public is invited and encouraged to attend.
The North Whatcom Poverty Task Force is a temporary advisory body tasked with conducting a needs assessment for the greater Ferndale community and presenting a set of recommendations to the Ferndale City Council that will address the impacts of income inequality, homelessness, food insecurity and rising housing prices.
The task force will be looking at issues across North Whatcom because the effects of poverty do not stop at the city limits and a holistic approach is needed to address these issues.
For questions or more information, please contact Communications Officer Riley Sweeney by clicking here or calling (360) 685-2353.
–On Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Ferndale Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public its 17th opportunity in nine years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your pills for disposal to Ferndale Police Department at 2220 Main Street. (Sites cannot accept liquids or needles or sharps, only pills or patches.) The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Last fall Americans
turned in
nearly 460 tons (more than 900,000 pounds) of prescription
drugs
at more than
5,800 sites operated by the DEA
and
almost 4,800 of its state and local law enforcement partners.
Overall, in its 16 previous Take Back events, DEA and
its partners have taken
in almost 11 million pounds—nearly 5,500 tons—of pills.
This initiative addresses a vital
public safety and public health
issue. Medicines that languish in
home
cabinets are highly susceptible to
diversion, misuse, and
abuse. Rates of prescription
drug abuse in the U.S.
are alarmingly high, as
are the number of accidental
poisonings
and overdoses due
to these drugs. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration’s
National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows year after year that
the majority of misused
and abused prescription
drugs are obtained from
family and friends,
including someone else’s medication
being stolen
from
the
home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans
are now advised
that
their usual
methods for disposing of unused
medicines—flushing them down
the toilet
or throwing them
in the trash—both pose potential safety and health
hazards.
For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the April 27 Take Back Day event, go to www.DEATakeBack.com
