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| Whatcom
County Council Members |
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Left to Right: Kathy Kershner, Carl Weimer, Ken Mann, Barbara Brenner, Sam Crawford,
Bill Knutzen, L. Ward Nelson |
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The Whatcom County Council
is the legislative branch of Whatcom County government. The County
Council is comprised of seven members. Two members are elected from each
of the three County
Council districts, and one member is elected as the countywide at-large
representative. All County Council positions are non-partisan. The term
of office for each position is four years. The Councilmembers are:
Term expires: |
Bill Knutzen
At-Large Representative |
January, 2014 |
Kathy Kershner
District 1, Position A |
January, 2014 |
L. Ward Nelson
District 1, Position B |
November, 2010* |
Ken Mann
District 2, Position A |
January, 2014 |
Sam Crawford District 2, Position B |
January, 2012 |
Carl Weimer District 3, Position A |
January, 2014 |
Barbara Brenner District 3, Position B |
January, 2012 |
* Councilmember Nelson will serve until an interim councilmember is elected in the next November general election. |
Public Involvement
The Whatcom County
Council welcomes comments from the public. Citizens may contact the councilmembers
at the County Council Office, in writing,
by phone, by email,
and by attending County Council meetings.
The County Council generally meets every
other Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m. in the County Council Chambers
at the Whatcom County Courthouse, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham. Time is
scheduled to accept public comments during the open session of each regularly
scheduled County Council meeting. Please contact the County
Council Office to confirm meeting times and locations.The Whatcom County
Council notifies the public of all Council meetings. With few exceptions,
meetings are open to the public and subject to the
Open Public Meetings Act (RCW 42.30). The public has access
to most documents, which are subject to public
disclosure (RCW 42.56), on file in the County Council Office.
Whatcom County
Council meetings are televised on BTV10, Comcast channel 10, at 7:00 p.m. on the two Wednesdays following
a regular Tuesday evening County Council meeting,
Powers
The County Council
exercises its legislative power by adoption and enactment of ordinances
and resolutions. The Council is elected to:
- Levy taxes, appropriate revenue, and adopt the County budget.
- Adopt plans for the present and future development of the county.
- Establish, combine, and abolish non-elective administrative offices and executive departments and to establish their powers and responsibilities, except as otherwise provided for in the Whatcom County Home Rule Charter.
- Conduct public hearings on matters of public concern.
- Create land use rules.
- Set speed limits, no-shooting zones, and animal control regulations.
- Enact public safety laws.
- Create County government policy.
- Establish the compensation for all County officers and employees and to provide for the reimbursement of expenses.
- Councilmembers may not receive a salary increase for the term of office during which the salary ordinance is adopted or receive a salary in excess of fifteen (15) percent of that of the County Executive.
(Whatcom County Home Rule Charter, Article 2, Sections 2.20, 2.21)
The entire County
Council acts as:
- The Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors,
to approve projects for the Flood Control Maintenance Program.
(RCW 86.15.050, WCC 17.20.030(D))
- The Whatcom County Board of Health, in all matters pertaining to
the preservation of life and health of people within Whatcom County.
(WCC 24.01.050, RCW 70.05.060)
- The Committee of the Whole, to hear items that must be discussed
in closed executive session.
The Council has
five subcommittees:
- Natural Resources Committee: water, forestry, agriculture, fishery,
and mineral issues
- Finance and Administrative Services Committee: budget, taxation
and purchasing, personnel policies and union negotiations
- Public Works and Safety Committee: road construction and vacation,
new construction, remodeling, public utility issues, and criminal
justice issues
- Planning and Development Committee: zoning, development, stormwater,
fire, and septic and sewer issues
- Health Committee: health related issues referred to the committee by the Board of Health, Public Health Advisory Board, or Health Department(WCC 2.02.150(C)(1) through (5))
The Council appoints
three councilmembers to each committee during Council reorganization at
the beginning of each year. The committees regularly meet during the day
on regularly scheduled Council meeting days, generally every other Tuesday, except the Health Committee.
The Health Committee generally meets monthly. In addition, the Council appoints individual members of the County Council each year to various local, state,
and federal boards, committees, and commissions. The County Council may,
by ordinance, create and appoint citizens to advisory
committees on specific topics.
Subpoena Powers
In certain matters,
the County Council may act as a quasi-judicial body. In connection with
the legislative process, the County Council may investigate the affairs
of the County and any County department, office or agency. The Council
may subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, take testimony, and require
the production of evidence. It may invoke the aid of any court of competent
jurisdiction to carry out such powers, provided that any witness shall
have the right to be represented by counsel. (Whatcom County Home
Rule Charter, Article 2, Section 2.21)
Whatcom County Commissioners and Councilmembers: 1854-Present
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