Your Government

Citywide Community Meeting Set for May 31st, 6:30PM

Citywide Community Meeting Set for May 31st, 6:30PM

Get the inside scoop on what is happening in Ferndale directly from Mayor Greg Hansen, council members, city staff and community leaders at our in-person Citywide Community Meeting on Tuesday, May 31st  at 6:30pm in the Pioneer Pavilion (2007 Cherry St). The City will be holding an open Q & A session, as well as providing opportunities for the public to give feedback on a number of upcoming city
initiatives.

At this event, participants can

  • Learn about progress on the Thornton St. Overpass and Metalworks Skatepark
  • Offer feedback on the best use of remaining COVID relief funds
  • Explore the recent investments in City’s utility infrastructure and utility rate equity
  • Connect with community groups and non-profits
  • Meet your neighbors!

Open house begins at 6:30pm, with a presentation at 7:00pm. If you have any questions, call
Communications Officer Riley Sweeney at (360) 685-2353.

 

May 17, 2022

Announcing Ferndale Parks 2022 Summer of Fun

Ferndale Announces 2022 Summer of Fun Parks Activities

The City of Ferndale is proud to announce a full slate of summer parks activities this year, including everything from acrobats to a Metallica cover band. Participants can enjoy movies, food, live music and activities in Ferndale’s parks almost every weekend throughout the summer.

“I know everyone is ready to cut loose and have fun in the parks this year,” said Mayor Greg Hansen. “Once again, Ferndale has an incredible line up of free, family-friendly activities ready to go.”

This year, Ferndale’s parks events are made possible in part by the generous support of WECU, a local credit union serving Whatcom County for over 80 years.

Here is the full slate of activities:

Food Truck Fridays will be held on the first Friday of each summer month (June 3rd, July 1st, August 5th and September 2nd) at Pioneer Village, next to Star Park. Food trucks from around Whatcom County will be selling hot meals starting at 5:30 p.m.

In addition, there will be interactive entertainment at each Food truck event. June’s event will include a performance by the Bellingham Circus Guild on the Pioneer Park stage. July’s event will include several croquet courses for play throughout the evening and August’s event will feature a performance by swamp rock and Americana band Pacific Twang.

Music in the Park. Are you ready to rock? Join Ferndale for three live concerts on the Pioneer Village stage this summer starting at 6 p.m. Food trucks will also be on site selling meals for concert attendees.

Saturday, June 11th – The Walrus. This Bellingham-based classic rock band brings the hits of the Beatles, Queen, Led Zepplin, Tom Petty, Heart and more to life with their lively vocals and rich musical arrangements. If you are looking for a classic fun pop band – don’t miss The Walrus!

Saturday, July 9th – Blistered Earth. We are proud to welcome the DEFINITIVE Metallica Tribute Band to the Pioneer Village Stage. Experience the raw energy and showmanship, as Blistered Earth pays its respects to the one of the greatest heavy metal bands of all time.

Friday, July 22nd – Baby Cakes. This Bellingham-based powerhouse band provides a luxurious joyride through the golden age of American Soul, Funk and R&B. Their unique mix of male and female lead vocals, as well as full horn and rhythm section, will have you dancing in your seats!

Flicks in the Park. Grab your blanket or comfortable camping chair and come on down to Pioneer Park when the sun goes down for a feature film. The movie starts a little after 9 p.m. when it gets dark enough to see the film.

June 17th – Encanto. Get swept away by the Pixar magic of this multi-generational tale of magical gifts, family and toe-tapping music that we guarantee will be stuck in your head forever. (Rated PG)

June 24th – Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Do you like time travel? How about Keanu Reeves? What about the power of epic rock music to heal the space-time continuum? Don’t take it from us, come on down and enjoy this classic comedy so that we all can be excellent to each other. (Rated PG)

July 8th – Spider-Man: No Way Home. Say you are your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man and you have accidentally released your secret identity to the world. What do you get? A wizard to fix it, obviously. When Dr. Strange’s spell goes awry, Spider-Man must enlist help to try and fix everything. Superhero thrills at their finest.  (Rated PG-13)

Field Games, July 16th at 1 p.m. at VanderYacht Park. Sack races, tug-o-war, toss the water balloon and more. All the classic field games from your favorite summer camp are alive and well at VanderYacht park. Run, jump and frolic with these great events and then get hosed down by a real fire truck at the end of the event, courtesy of Whatcom Fire District 7.

Yoga in the Park, Aug 13th at 10 a.m. in Pioneer Village. Stretch, reach and flex in the comfort of the beautiful Pioneer Village. Join our yoga instructor, courtesy of Flow Motion, for a relaxing morning in the park on a sunny Saturday. The perfect thing to help you Namaste healthy and flexible.

As always, Ferndale parks events are free and open to the public. More information is available at www.ferndaleparks.com or by contacting Recreation Coordinator Riley Sweeney at rileysweeney@cityofferndale.org or (360) 685-2353.

 

April 19, 2022

Ferndale Moves to Hybrid City Council Meetings

Last night’s hybrid city council meeting was a success! Council, staff and the public were able to conduct the people’s business both in-person and online. Going forward, we anticipate that this will be part of our regular operations. You can attend the next city council meeting, April 18th at 5PM at the City Annex (5694 Second Avenue) or online at www.cityofferndale.org.
April 5, 2022

Ferndale City Clerk Completes Service as WA Municipal Clerks Association President

Susan Duncan (right) passes the gavel to incoming president Shawn Campbell of Auburn

Ferndale City Clerk Completes Service as WA Municipal Clerks Association President

Last week, Ferndale City Clerk Susan Duncan completed her term as president of the Washington Municipal Clerks Association (WMCA). The WMCA sets the professional and educational standards for municipal clerks throughout the State of Washington. As president of the organization, Duncan coordinated their annual conference and provided support for municipal clerks statewide.

“To have a recognized expert like Susan Duncan working for Ferndale is an incredible boon to the City,” said Mayor Greg Hansen. “She brings a wealth of experience and deep knowledge of legislative procedure and state law to her work. Her commitment to transparency and good government process keeps the City running smoothly.” The City Clerk is responsible for council agendas, serves as the City’s parliamentarian, oversees record retention and public records requests and serves as the archivist for the City. In addition to those responsibilities, Duncan also serves as the Human Resources Department for the City of Ferndale, and liaison to the Ferndale Arts Commission.

Duncan, who was elected president of the WCMA in 2021, remains serving on their board as the immediate past president into 2023. “I am so grateful for the leadership, mentorship, and professional development I have received as part of the WMCA.”

For more information on the WCMA, check out their website here. For more information about the role of the City Clerk and the legislative process, see this explanatory video featuring Duncan here.

March 25, 2022

City Facilities are Mask Optional Starting March 12th

City Facilities are Mask Optional Starting March 12th

In accordance with updated guidelines from the state and the Center for Disease Control, visitors to Ferndale public facilities such as City Hall, the Police Station and the Pioneer Pavilion will no longer be required to wear masks as of March 12th. Visitors are still encouraged to wear a mask if they are at high risk for severe illness or living with medically fragile individuals.

Currently, the City is working towards holding their first hybrid city council meeting in April that will be both open to the public and streaming live over Microsoft Teams.

“We have learned a great deal over the last two years on how to use technology to connect with our residents,” said Mayor Greg Hansen, “As some of these restrictions lift, we are going to keep what works and restore physical access to these spaces.”

The indoor mask requirement is now contingent on local COVID-19 case numbers. Currently Whatcom County is on track to lift their mandate on March 12th but it may return if cases spike. For more information on local COVID-19 conditions, please see the Whatcom County Health Department COVID-19 page here.

March 8, 2022

Non-Threatening Device Located at Vista Middle School

Joint Statement from the Ferndale School District and Ferndale Police Department

This morning, March 7th, the administration at Vista Middle School reported a suspicious device to the Ferndale Police Department. Students and staff were removed to a safe distance as recommended by law officials.

Law enforcement, including the Hazardous Device Unit from the Bellingham Police Department, assessed the device, disassembled it, and found it to be non-threatening. Additionally, a comprehensive search of the building and surrounding perimeter was conducted, and students & staff returned to normal operations.

In every case, the safety of our community is our top priority and guiding principle. The Ferndale School District is grateful for the quick response by Ferndale Police Department as we worked diligently and collaboratively to ensure threats are fully investigated and resolved. Together, this partnership continues to keep our students, staff, and communities safe.

As always, we encourage you, parents, students, staff, and community members, to report any concerns or questionable behavior to Ferndale Schools administration and/or Ferndale Police Department. Please remember that Ferndale Schools also have an anonymous reporting tool Vector Alert, formally known as Safe Schools Alert. By working together, we can continue to ensure a safe learning and teaching environment for all students and staff.

 

March 7, 2022

Ferndale Uses COVID Relief Funds to Jump Start Downtown

Mayor Greg Hansen with Ferndale’s Downtown

Ferndale Uses COVID Relief Funds to Jump Start Downtown

Thanks to an infusion of COVID relief funds, the City is launching a number of initiatives aimed at improving Ferndale’s downtown. Of the approximately $4.2 million the City is set to receive from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), here are some of the ways the City is using that money to support our downtown:

Main Street Program: The City has allocated $400,000 to establish a Main Street Program, complete with events, programing and a paid executive director, to pursue economic development for our downtown core. These seed funds would help the program get established however it is intended to be self-sustaining in the following years. Rather than relying on the previous volunteer efforts of the Ferndale Downtown Association, this program can promote redevelopment efforts, beautification and bring fresh economic activity to Ferndale’s downtown core.

In addition to this seed funding for the Main Street Program, the City has provided an additional $450,000 to the program, including $200,000 for grants or loans to incoming businesses that will support Downtown revitalization, $200,000 for grants or loans to existing businesses which seek to grow or change in a manner that supports revitalization or who undertake improvements to respond to COVID-19, and $50,000 for Downtown beautification efforts and/or matching funds for beautification efforts that the Program may wish to pursue.

Business Interruption Grants: The City has allocated $200,000 to the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce to distribute as business interruption grants for Ferndale businesses impacted by COVID-related closures. The city anticipates that a majority of the grants will be targeted at businesses with 20 or less employees.

Supporting the Community Resource Center: The City has allocated $400,000 to the Ferndale Community Service Cooperative to hire a full-time executive director and expand services to the city’s most vulnerable who have been hit hardest by the pandemic. This is also a seed money investment with the goal of the Cooperative becoming self-sustaining at the conclusion of this grant.

The Cooperative is currently working with our state legislators to secure additional funding for a community navigator position that would help those experiencing hardship navigate local resources and services.

All of these initiatives are supported by COVID relief funds and do not impact the City’s general fund.

“While all of these efforts are worthwhile on their own merits, taken together, they are an unprecedented investment in Ferndale’s future,” said Mayor Greg Hansen. “While the impacts of the pandemic are still being felt, the decisions we make today put us on the path to come roaring back.”

 

February 10, 2022

Ferndale Police Seek Public’s Help Locating Homicide Suspect

Ferndale Police Seek Public’s Help Locating Homicide Suspect

On 01/23/2022 shortly after midnight, the Ferndale Police responded to a report of a shooting at a large party. Responding officers located a victim on the ground outside who had sustained two gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to the hospital and later succumbed to his injuries.

An arrest warrant has been issued for as MIGUEL ANGEL MIRANDA (06/13/1998) in connection with this homicide.  He was last seen in a white 2010 Acura, Washington License BYD1918, with dark tinted windows and black wheels. The police department is seeking the public’s help in locating Miguel Miranda and the vehicle involved. Miranda is considered armed and dangerous.

If you see or know the whereabouts of Miranda, please call 9-1-1 DO NOT approach him.

January 27, 2022