BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A deadline for the new Whatcom County Jail and the future of downtown Bellingham were among the topics covered in the annual State of the City and County address on Tuesday.
Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund and Whatcom County Executive Satpal Sidhu each made presentations and answered questions during the event at Hotel Bellwether.
Sidhu says the county is targeting the new jail to officially open on July 4, 2028, though he admitted it’s a lofty goal for the biggest project in county history.
On a broader scale, Sidhu says county staff are working to identify what services are critical and which can be expendable, given the county’s budget deficit.
Lund echoed many of Sidhu’s sentiments about a reduction in services and programs moving forward.
She says all city departments outside of police and fire have been ordered to trim their costs by 6% to keep the budget deficit manageable.
But Lund highlighted her work to revitalize downtown Bellingham, including the return of bike patrols, new housing in the Old Town district and plans for a “state of the art” skatepark near the waterfront.
Both leaders say they have yet to learn the tangible effects of the drop in Canadian travel over the border on the local economy, though a report with new insight is expected to be released next month.
