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
CONSENT AGENDACouncilmember 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:
Boil all drinking water. Tap water should be
boiled vigorously for three minutes before using it to drink, cook, or prepare
food. Let the water cool sufficiently before drinking.
Ice made with un-boiled tap water should not be
used for drinking purposes.
Dishes and food contact surfaces may be
disinfected using tap water that contains one teaspoon of household bleach per
gallon.
The tap water is safe for other purposes such as
bathing; however, small children should be discouraged from swallowing bath
water.
Water boiled for drinking and cooking purposes
may be used for brushing teeth.
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
