The regularly scheduled Council Committee meetings on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 will be held remotely via Microsoft Teams, with staff and Councilmembers accessing the meeting from individual locations. This complies with Governor Jay Inslee’s Proclamation 20-28, as extended until further notice.
These are still open public meetings as defined by the Open Public Meetings Act. The City will be using Microsoft Teams to livestream the meeting. Members of the public do not need to download anything to view the proceedings. To join the live events, click on the following links:
The Public Works & Utilities Committee meeting begins at 8:00 a.m.
The Finance & Administration Committee meeting begins at 9:00 a.m.
The Planning & Land Use Committee meeting begins at 10:00 a.m.
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.
– Gary Jensen, Ferndale High School Class of ’73
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.
The City Council meeting at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 15, 2021 (note the time change from the regular start time of 6:00 p.m.) will be held remotely via Microsoft Teams, with staff and Councilmembers accessing the meeting from individual locations. This complies with Governor Jay Inslee’s Proclamation 20-28, as extended until further notice.
This is still an open public meeting as defined by the Open Public Meetings Act. The City will be using Microsoft Teams to livestream the council meeting. Members of the public do not need to download anything to view the proceedings. To join the meeting, click here.
Included in Monday’s meeting is a Public Hearing regarding amendments to FMC 18.88 – Shipping Containers. Members of the public who wish to provide comment on the Shipping Containers item or other agenda items may provide comment by one of the following methods:
Members of the public who wish to submit comments on items not on the agenda are encouraged to submit written comments to City Clerk Susan Duncan by emailing susanduncan@cityofferndale.org. Comments received prior to 4:30 p.m. Monday, March 15, 2021 will be read during the public comment period of the meeting and included in the meeting record. For more details on submitting public comments for a remote meeting click here.