Kyle Huebner, our Building Official, explains some of the history behind building codes and why they are important.
Kyle Huebner, our Building Official, explains some of the history behind building codes and why they are important.
–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
That’s right folks, it is time for our 2019 Summer of Fun parks activities to begin. See the full listings and details by clicking here.
| City Council Agenda Follow-Up April 15, 2019 | |
| CALL TO ORDER/FLAG SALUTE/ROLL CALL | |
| PUBLIC COMMENT | INFO ONLY |
| CONSENT AGENDA Councilmember Taylor moved, and Councilmember K. Hansen seconded, to approve the consent agenda. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. | APPROVED |
| PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS UPDATE Assistant Planner Jesse Ashbaugh presented updates on the following private projects: Everkept Short Plat – Located at 5924 Aspen Avenue. This is a .37-acre plot is being split into three lots. A lot line adjustment was required in order to increase the density enough to allow three units.Northwest Fence – Located at 5531 Hovander Road. Northwest Fence is moving from their current location on Pacific Highway to this 4.52-acre site. They will be putting two buildings on the site. Building A is 15,300 square feet and will be for offices and light manufacturing. Building B is 37,600 square feet and is for wholesale/retail and construction materials.Woodridge Long Plat – Located at 0 Heather Way, this plat is an eighteen-lot, 3.99 acres plat adjacent to Schell Creek. The homes built will be self-help homes through Whatcom-Skagit Housing for first time home owners. | INFO ONLY |
| PUBLIC HEARING: Downtown Catalyst Program Ordinance Beginning in the early 1980s, a succession of private or City-led groups have sought to address a decline in Ferndale’s downtown core. That decline has been attributed at various points to a change in shopping habits, increased traffic through Main Street, lack of parking, inappropriately sized buildings, lack of building maintenance, and more. Until the mid-2000s the majority of these efforts sought primarily to preserve or enhance existing buildings and businesses. Staff and Planning Commission have been working to establish a Downtown Catalyst Program wherein a small number of developments that meet criteria identified by the City would be eligible for a waiver of all City fees. Staff’s theory has been that such a project would have the ability, through its development, to positively influence properties and developments in the surrounding area, creating a more-vibrant Downtown that could be further improved without additional incentives. At the April 10 Planning & Land Use Committee meeting, several modifications to the original proposal were discussed. The draft being presented to Council at the April 15 meeting incorporates the direction provided at that meeting. Councilmember Xczar moved, and Councilmember Kennedy seconded, to approve the agenda bill. MOTION CARRIED 5-2, Councilmembers Olson and Watson opposed. | APPROVED |
| APPOINTMENTS: North Whatcom Poverty Task Force An ordinance adopting the formation of the North Whatcom Poverty Task Force was approved on February 19, 2019. The task force will conduct a needs assessment and present recommendations to Council regarding poverty in the Ferndale area. Mayor Council confirmation of the Mayor’s appointments to the task force is required. Councilmember Taylor moved, and Councilmember G. Hansen seconded, to approve the agenda bill. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. | APPROVED |
| ORDINANCE: Creating New Fund for Complete Streets Program Public Works Director Kevin Renz explained the need for the new fund for the $300,000 grant received from the Transportation Benefit District, through the Complete Streets Program. Councilmember G. Hansen moved, and Councilmember K. Hansen seconded, to approve the agenda bill. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. | APPROVED |
| DISCUSSION: Council Extra Meeting Reimbursement Mayor Mutchler introduced a proposal to add extra-meeting reimbursement to City Council compensation. Rather than raising Council salaries, this proposal provides for a $65 reimbursement for Council-approved liaison and inter-governmental assignments that are in addition to regular Council and Committee meetings, with a maximum of four meetings per month. The reimbursement would become effective for seats 1,2,3 and 4 in 2020, and Seats 5,6 and 7 in 2022. Councilmember Taylor moved, and Councilmember Kennedy seconded, to approve the agenda bill. MOTION FAILED 2 – 5, Councilmembers Taylor and Kennedy in favor. | FAILED |
| DISCUSSION: Mayor Salary In 1999, the City converted to a Council-Mayor form of government. Councilmember Xczar presented the history of the Mayor’s salary since that time. Councilmember Xczar moved, and Councilmember K. Hansen seconded, to adjust the Mayor’s salary to $2,500 per month, beginning in 2020. Councilmember Kennedy moved to amend the motion to adjust the Mayor’s salary to $2,500 per month, beginning May 1, 2019. MOTION DIED FOR LACK OF A SECOND. Councilmember Xczar moved, and Councilmember Kennedy seconded, to amend the motion to direct staff to bring an ordinance to the next meeting setting the Mayor’s salary at $2,500 per month, beginning January 1, 2020. MOTION CARRIED 4-3, Councilmembers Olson, Watson, and G. Hansen opposed. | APPROVED |
| RECOGNITION: Councilmember Fred Kennedy Mayor Mutchler presented Councilmember Kennedy with a plaque and a City centennial coin, and thanked him for his dedicated service as a Councilmember. | INFO ONLY |
| ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 9:19 p.m. |
The regularly scheduled May 6 City Council meeting has been cancelled. Instead, a Council Retreat will be held from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Ferndale Police Station. This is a public meeting as defined by the Open Public Meetings Act.
Council Committee meetings on May 1, 2019 have also been cancelled.
The City of Ferndale is now hiring a Deputy City Clerk. This is a full-time position offering competitive wages and benefits. For a complete job description, click here. For an employment application, click here.
Closing Date: May 1, 2019
The City of Ferndale is an Equal Opportunity Employer
4/6/19 – 3:40pm Update: Boil Advisory is lifted. Test results came back satisfactory – all clear for Ferndale Water.
4/5/18 – 8:40pm Update: Crews are working to restore service within the hour however the boil advisory will remain in effect through tomorrow (Sat. April 6th) as samples are tested for potential issues.
During an inspection this morning, public works staff identified a leak in the water main that services the north Portal Way area. The Public Works crew mobilized on site, identified the source of the leak to be a cracked 12-inch valve and began work to repair the line.
Starting at 3pm and continuing through till 8pm, customers in the area will experience disruptions in their water service.
As a result of this work, the City is issuing a boil water advisory as a precautionary measure. An advisory does not mean that the drinking water is contaminated, but rather that it could be contaminated, so precautions should be taken until drinking water quality testing can be completed to confirm that no bacterial contamination is present.
Under a boil water advisory, customers in the affected area (see map) should follow these guidelines:
Thanks to careful monitoring and strict safeguards, it is unlikely that drinking water quality would be compromised, this is simply a precautionary measure. The City will issue updates via our website and social media when this advisory is lifted.
For more information, please contact Chief Plant Operator Mike Olinger at (360) 384-4607 or mikeolinger@cityofferndale.org
Washington State Department of Transportation will be conducting their annual inspection of Pioneer Bridge (our main bridge over the Nooksack River) Weds. April 3rd, starting at 11:30am and should be completed by 4pm.
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. For more information, please contact Ferndale Public Works at (360) 384-4006.
Calling All Artists! Thornton Project Needs a Logo
The City of Ferndale is preparing to break ground on the new Thornton Street Overpass Project late summer/early fall 2019. This will be the largest public project since we built a bridge across the Nooksack.
You can be part of this major event! The City needs a logo to represent the project – something bold and uniquely Ferndale. The artist who designs the logo for this project will be invited to wield a golden shovel at the groundbreaking.
If you have an artistic eye or just a few ideas for a potential logo, send in your sketch, digital graphic or back of the napkin doodle to Communication Officer Riley Sweeney at rileysweeney@cityofferndale.org. Submissions are due by April 30h, 2019.
After several years of heavy snowfall, the City of Ferndale opened negotiations with Elsa and Mr. Freeze in an attempt to secure a milder winter for Ferndale.
“While we may have received a frosty reception in the past, I believe now icy a path forward,” said Mayor Jon Mutchler at the recent council meeting.
Though the glacial pace of negotiations may chill enthusiasm for this measure, the City believes tensions are thawing. When reached for comment, the delegation agreed that they had given Ferndale the “cold shoulder” but are ready to “let it go.”
Whether or not an agreement can be reached, the City will continue to prepare for inclement weather. Click the links below to learn more about what to do in a flood, snow or ice weather incident.