FAQs • Whatcom County, WA • CivicEngage

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Assessor

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1. What are the Assessor's Office hours?

Our office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Our office is closed on all county observed holidays.

2. How can I reduce my taxes?: There is a list of exemption and tax relief programs that can be used to reduce property taxes on our website.

3. How often is my property valuated?: Assessors must annually update values to real property. The Assessor is required by state law to assess properties at market value. Properties are physically inspected every 6 years and are statistically updated the other years. If changes to value are made, the assessor mails property owners a Valuation Change Notice. The notice states the new and the previous values.

4. What if I feel there is an error or that my property has been unfairly valued?: Contact the Assessor’s Office if you feel there is an error or that your property is valued at more than fair market value. If the Assessor and you cannot agree on a satisfactory valuation, you have the right to appear before the Whatcom County Board of Equalization.

5. How do I appeal my property valuation?: Contact the Assessor’s Office first to verify information. The county Board of Equalization outlines the steps to file an appeal on the assessed value on a property. Appeals must be received by the Board of Equalization on or before July 1st of the assessment year (the year before taxes are due) or within 30 calendar days after the date of a notice of valuation. Additional information can be found on the Board of Equalization’s webpage.

6. Can you tell me who owns a property?: You can view ownership information on the real property search website or contact us. However, it’s important to note that Assessor’s Office records are for tax purposes only and we do not guarantee or insure title.

7. Why isn’t the current owner appearing on the property search website?

Our results default to the most recent appraisal year with a certified value. To view the current ownership on a property, make sure that the most recent appraisal year for tax year is selected in the results display section before hitting the search button. This allows any ownership that has been changed in the current year to be viewed.

For example, if a property sold in April 2020, you’ll need to manually change the results display to 2020-2021 since values for 2020 are not yet certified, but the ownership change occurred during this calendar year.

Property search website view current ownership

If the property does not show the current ownership in the current appraisal year for tax year it is possible the current document for changing ownership has not been processed by the assessor’s office yet. This process can take up to two months after the document has been recorded with the county auditor’s office.

8. How do I change the mailing address my valuation notice is sent to?: We have instructions on our website about different ways to contact us and the information we need to update a mailing address for a property. This is the address where the assessor’s change of value notice is mailed. Updating your mailing address with the Assessor’s Office will also update your address for Treasurer’s office property tax statements.

9. How can I get my information removed from the assessor’s website?

Assessor records are public records and subject to full disclosure, except for records that are expressly exempt from disclosure by law. The exceptions are as follows:

For our office, records that are exempt from disclosure and treated as confidential are income and expense information for the senior citizen and disabled persons programs (RCW 84.36.389), and also commercial/industrial property and personal property asset information (RCW 42.56.070 and 42.56.210).

The Washington State Legislature passed law (RCW 40.24) in 1991 creating a program for protecting personal address information for persons who are survivors or victims of crime. These are sometimes referred to as witness protection programs. Individuals may seek to have personal address information suppressed by registering for the Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) with the Washington Secretary of State. In 2011, the ACP began accepting "criminal justice employees who have been threatened or harassed because of their work". Assessors are notified by the Washington Secretary of State when individuals become enrolled for ACP.

For more information, please see the Address Confidentiality Program website here:
https://www.sos.wa.gov/acp/

On their website you can view the eligibility requirements and how to apply by clicking the "Get Help" link.

Address confidentiality program eligibility link

10. Does an appraiser from the Assessor’s Office have the right to enter my private property?

RCW 84.40.025 states, “For the purpose of assessment and valuation of all taxable property in each county, any real or personal property in each county shall be subject to visitation, investigation, examination, discovery, and listing at any reasonable time by the county assessor of the county or by any employee thereof designated for this purpose by the assessor. In any case of refusal to such access, the assessor shall request assistance from the department of revenue which may invoke the power granted by chapter 84.08 RCW.”

Appraisers do not need interior access to homes and buildings, but they do need access to all sides of the building; therefore, they may enter the backyard even on fenced properties.

When working neighborhoods, the appraiser may be on foot to reduce mileage and fuel costs. They will be carrying county issued ID. If you have a doubt, please call the Assessor main line at 360-778-5050, we can describe the appraiser working your neighborhood that day.

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Auditor - Recording

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1. Where do I obtain a form for recording purposes?: Most office supply or stationery stores carry certain legal forms. The recording requirements are found under
RCW 65.04.045

2. How do I change the ownership of a piece of property?: The Auditor’s Office staff are not experts in real estate law and are prohibited from giving legal advice. We suggest you consult a real estate attorney or a title company about this matter.

3. How do I remove or add a name from my property?: The Auditor’s Office staff are not experts in real estate law and are prohibited from giving legal advice. We suggest you consult a real estate attorney or a title company about this matter.

4. How do I transfer property?: The Auditor’s Office staff are not experts in real estate law and are prohibited from giving legal advice. We suggest you consult a real estate attorney or a title company about this matter.

5. How do I do a title search?: Our records are located by name (grantor / grantee) and date of recording. To ensure a title search is done completely and accurately we suggest you contact a title insurance company.

6. What does the Auditors Office staff look for in a legal document?: By law the Auditor's Office staff reviews your document to verify that it meets the State's formatting and legibility standards, and that the first page contains the key indexing information required by statute. You may be required to complete a coversheet for your document if the required indexing information is not present on the first page or the formatting is not correct. The Auditor's office staff cannot verify the accuracy or effectiveness of the information within your document.

7. How can I tell if my documents are correct before I record them?: Careful review of the contents of legal documents is the responsibility of the submitter. The Auditor's Office staff is responsible for ensuring that state mandated formatting and legibility requirements are met. Remember, once recorded to the public record, your document is permanent and cannot be removed or changed. We highly recommend that you consult a real estate attorney when recording legal documents.

8. What is a multiple title document?: A multiple title document is a single document that contains more than one transaction, where each transaction could stand on its own and requires separate entries in our index. Per RCW 36.18.010 each transaction in a single document that meets this definition requires a separate recording fee. The fee is calculated for each type of transaction/title listed on your document. You can help minimize the confusion of multiple title documents by being very clear about what the intent of your document is, and how many actions it contains. A complete explanation of how recording fees are calculated for multiple title documents can be found here .

9. I received a document in the mail that says Reconveyance on it, what is it?: This document means your Deed of Trust has been paid in full. You have either made the final payment on your Deed of Trust or have refinanced your property.

10. How do I get a copy of my deed (or any other recorded instrument)?: You may request a copy by mail, on the phone, or in person at the Whatcom County Auditor's Office. Information on how to request a copy can be found here: Copy Request

11. Do you accept faxed requests?: We do not accept faxed requests. You may request a copy by mail, over the phone, or in person at the Whatcom County Auditor's Office. Information on how to request a copy can be found here: Copy Request

12. How long does it take for a document to be recorded and returned by mail?: The turnaround time for recording is 24 hours upon receiving the document and up to 14 days before the recorded document is returned by mail.

13. Can I search property records to find the owner of a parcel when I only have the address?: We do not maintain an address field. Please contact the Whatcom County Assessor’s Office via phone at 360-778-5050 or
online.

14. Can you tell me who the owner of a piece of property is by parcel number or street address?: We cannot tell you who the owner of a piece of property is by parcel number or street address. Please contact the Whatcom County Assessor’s Office via phone at 360-778-5050 or
online.

15. Do you have birth and death records?: We do not have birth or death records. Please contact the Whatcom County Health Department via phone at 360-778-6000 or online.

16. Where do I obtain information regarding divorce or probate records?: You may obtain court records via the County Clerk. Please contact the Whatcom County Clerk’s Office via phone at 360-778-5560 or online.

17. How do I find out about property tax information?: Property tax information can be obtained at the Whatcom County Treasurer’s Office via phone at 360-778-5160 or online.

18. Are there document types that are restricted from viewing online?: Veteran service records and marriage records are not viewable online.

19. How long between when a document is recorded and when it is available on your website?: Documents will not be available online for viewing until the document has been indexed. This could be anywhere from 24 hours to 5 days. Please refer to the indexed through date.

20. Why was no image available for the document I tried to view online?: Images begin 1975 with the exception of veteran service records and marriage records. Images that are not available through the records search can be requested in person, on the phone or by mail. Information on how to request a copy can be found here: Copy Request

21. Why are documents watermarked with Unofficial Document?: The website is made available in order for the public to obtain information regarding the documents that are on file in the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office. You can request a certified copy by mail or come into the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office. Copy of a Document.

22. I don’t want to have my documents appear on the website, can I have them removed from view?: You cannot remove the documents from view. Recorded documents are public records and can be viewed by anyone who comes to the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office. The online Digital Research Room makes the same documents available via the internet that are available in the office.

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Board of Equalization

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1. Who is the Board of Equalization?: The board is wholly separate and apart from the Assessor's Office. They are comprised of 7 county residents appointed by the Whatcom County Council to 3 year terms. Board members are selected for their knowledge of real estate values and each member is required by law to attend an intensive training by Washington State Department of Revenue on the valuation of real property. Board members receive continuing education from the Washington State Department of Revenue. The board is directed by state law (Revised Code of Washington, RCW, and Washington Administrative Code, WAC).

2. Who may file an appeal?: A property owner or “taxpayer” may appeal. Taxpayer means the person or entity whose name and address appears on the assessment rolls, or their duly authorized agent. The appeal is filed with the Board of Equalization of the county in which the property is located.

3. Where can I get an appeal form?: Appeal forms are available from the Clerk of the Board of Equalization at the Whatcom County Council Office, or online, or forms are available at the Whatcom County Assessor’s Office, both locations on the 1st floor, County Courthouse:
311 Grand Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225. You may also call the Board of Equalization at (360) 778-5016.

4. What information must I provide for a completed petition?: The petition form has clear directions attached. Your properly completed petition must include specific reasons why you believe that the Assessor's valuation is not correct. The amount of tax, the percentage of assessment increase, personal hardship, and other matters unrelated to market value cannot, by law, be considered by the board. Include the parcel number of the property you are appealing. A separate petition must be completed for every individual parcel. Also include the Assessor's determination of value, other appraisal information, your estimate of value, recent sales of comparable properties, or other supporting information for your appeal. Statements that simply indicate the Assessor's valuation is too high or the amount of tax is too high are not sufficient evidence. All evidence should relate to the true and fair market value of your property. Be sure to indicate if you intend to submit additional evidence prior to the hearing. You must submit additional information at least 21 business days prior to your hearing. For purposes of scanning and records retention, please submit evidence in paper format no larger than 8 1/2" x 11", loosely bound with paperclips, binder clips, or rubber bands. Please do not use staples, dividers, tabs, or binders. If filing after July 1 a copy of the Assessor's Notice of Value must be included with the petition.

5. What is the deadline for filing a petition?: The deadline is July 1st of the current assessment year or within 30 days of when the "Whatcom County Change of Value Notice" was mailed by the Assessor's Office. If you mail your petition, it must be postmarked by midnight of the deadline. You may hand deliver the petition to the County Council Office. If you are appealing other Assessor determinations, for example, denial of an application for Open Space or a removal from the Open Space program by the Assessor, you also have 30 days from the date of the mailing of notification to appeal.

6. If I do not meet the appeal deadlines, can the board be reconvened to consider a late filed petition?: Forms to request reconvening the board are available from the Board of Equalization Office, the Assessor's Office or the Washington State Department of Revenue. There are only limited reasons, by law (WAC 458-14-127), that allow the board to reconvene to consider assessments when an appeal was not timely filed. If a taxpayer did not receive a change of value notice and submits a sworn affidavit to attest to that fact, a petition may be accepted until April 30th of the following year. If a new purchaser bought a property in an arms-length transaction after July 1st and before December 31st of the assessment year and the sale price was less than 90% of the assessed value, a petition may be accepted as well. A waiver of the filing deadline may be accepted, for the current assessment year, if the criteria is met for good cause; please refer to WAC 458-14-056.

7. How does the assessor value my property?: State law requires the Assessor's Office to value property at 100% of it's true and fair market value, according to the highest and best use of the property. The Assessor must take into consideration any situation or circumstance that would affect the negotiations between a willing buyer and a willing seller. Market value is the amount of money that a willing and unobligated buyer is willing to pay a willing and unobligated seller.

8. When do I receive a "Change of Value Notice?": The Assessor will send you a notice when the assessed value of your property changes. After determining the value, if the value is changed, the assessor mails the taxpayer a “Change of Value Notice.” The notice will show the assessed value of land and improvements, this is the value that the Treasurer will use when calculating the taxes.

9. What if I did not get a "Change of Value Notice?": If you did not receive a Notice of Change of Value at least 15 calendar days prior to the deadline for filing the petition for the current assessment year, and you can show proof that the value was actually changed, you may submit a sworn affidavit to the Clerk of the Board so stating. Keep in mind that the assessor is obligated to send the notice to the taxpayer whose name and address appears on the assessment rolls. You are responsible for notifying the assessor of any address changes and requests.

10. Should I wait until after my hearing to pay my property taxes?: Pay your property taxes when due. It is important to pay your taxes by the deadline in order to avoid interest and penalties. After your hearing and the finalization of the Board of Equalization's decision, the County Treasurer will notify you of the appropriate adjustments in your tax responsibility or refunds.

11. What types of evidence should I provide?: The issue before the Board is the market value of your property. Accordingly, you will need to furnish evidence that demonstrates that the Assessor’s valuation exceeds your property’s fair market value.

Successful forms of evidence include: comparable sales and/or sales of the subject property; contractor estimates of costs to repair building or land defects; letters or documents from government agencies and/or experts regarding development limitations; deeds describing easements that impact value; independent appraisals; photographs of features or conditions that you believe diminish your property’s market value; and maps showing proximity to high traffic areas, access limitations, etc.

When gathering evidence and formulating arguments, it is important to keep in mind that, by law, the Assessor is presumed to be correct. The burden of proof is on you to show that the Assessor’s determination is incorrect. Evidence must be “clear, cogent and convincing”. {WAC 458-14-046(4)}

12. What if there are no sales comparable to my property?: Comparable properties do not have to exactly match your property. Look for sales that are most similar, note their differences, and identify superior and inferior property features.

13. What if I don’t have time to gather all the evidence by the petition deadline?: For the purposes of filing a complete appeal, as long as your petition includes sufficient information or statements to apprise the Board and the Assessor of the reasons why you believe the Assessor’s determination is incorrect, it is not necessary to include all the evidence you intend to use at the filing time. While it is recommended that you provide the evidence you will use as early as possible, additional evidence may be submitted up to 21 business days before your hearing.

14. Should I contact the Assessor’s Office?: You can contact the County Assessor’s Office to review your valuation any time you have a question regarding your property value. You still need to preserve your appeal rights by timely filing your petition with the Board of Equalization.

Property owners can often resolve disagreements at this level without continuing the appeal process. After a petition is filed, sometimes the Assessor will process a corrected evaluation, these forms are processed through the Assessor’s Office requiring appropriate signatures and forwarded to the Board of Equalization for proper finalization.

15. When will I have a hearing?: The Board schedules hearings on a first come, first served basis. Accordingly, the scheduling of your hearing will depend on the volume of appeals and the timing of your petition filing. You will be notified by mail of your hearing date approximately 6 weeks, or more, in advance.

16. What can I expect at the hearing?: The hearing is an informal review where property owners may represent themselves. 30 minutes is allocated for the hearing, you and the Assessor’s representative will have the opportunity to give oral testimony, (approximately 10 minutes each), and review your previously submitted arguments and evidence. Each party will have the opportunity to question and rebut the other party’s arguments and evidence. Typically 3 board members preside over the hearing. Please keep in mind that the Assessor is, by law, presumed to be correct. The burden of proof is on you to show that the assessed value is not correct by presenting clear, cogent and convincing evidence to support your estimate of market value.

17. May I submit additional information at the hearing?: Documentary evidence (comparable sales, appraisals, estimates, photos, etc.) must be submitted to the Board at least 21 business days before the hearing.

18. How soon will I receive a decision from the Board of Equalization?: You will receive a written decision from the Board within 45 days of the hearing. The Board can either raise, lower, or sustain the Assessor's value. Summaries of Board actions are available on the County Council's website.

19. What if I am not satisfied with the Board of Equalization’s decision?

Either the petitioner or the Assessor may appeal the Board’s decision to the State Board of Tax Appeals. An appeal must be filed with the State Board within 30 calendar days of the mailing date of our Board’s decision.

The State Board of Tax Appeals has the authority to sustain, lower or raise the value. (RCW84-08-060)Appeals to the board of tax appeals by any taxpayer or taxing unit concerning any action of the County Board of Equalization shall not raise the valuation of the property to an amount greater than the larger of either the valuation of the property by the county assessor or the valuation of the property assigned by the County Board of Equalization.

Appeal forms are available in the Whatcom County Council Office [(360) 778-5010] or may be obtained from the Board of Tax Appeals (360-753-5446) or online. You may also pay your property taxes "under protest", (consult with the Whatcom County Treasurer’s Office for direction) and petition the Superior Court for a refund by filing a lawsuit under RCW 84.68.020

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Council - Granicus Information

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1. Why should I upload attachments as PDF instead of Word documents?: You have the capability to upload different types of documents, however, the preferred document type is PDF. When you upload a Word document, the system automatically converts it to PDF after it is published on the website. There is sometimes a delay in that conversion process, so in the mean time, someone can open your document in Word and save it as Word. Another thing to consider is that formatting such as strike, underline, color and highlight are not retained when the system converts from Word to PDF. If you have a document with any formatting you would have to convert it to PDF before uploading it as an attachment to protect that formatting.

2. What is the procedure for contracts now that we have Legistar?: See procedures for contracts in the online Staff User Guides.

3. What are some common things I can do in the Legislative Information Center?

In the MEETING INFORMATION Tab

See assigned ordinance or resolution numbers in the meeting details after a meeting has been updated

In the MEETING INFORMATION tab in the search field, type the date of the meeting you would like to see like: 2/26/2019
Check the box to the far right that says “notes”
Click Search Meeting Information button below the search field
Scroll through the meeting and you will see ordinance and resolution numbers right in the meeting details

See what actions any meeting body took

There are two ways to see action summaries for meetings:
In the MEETING INFORMATION tab, click on the Action Summary link for the meeting you would like to see
In the MEETING INFORMATION tab, click on the Meeting Details link for the meeting you would like to see
Set your “Show” button to Show: all agenda items
Scroll through the agenda to the item you are interested in
Click on the Action Details link. This will shows essentially the same information as the action summary with the added feature of how individual councilmembers voted on each item.

View Agendas and Minutes for individual meetings

Click on the MEETING INFORMATION Tab
Use the time filter and meeting body filter to find the meeting you would like to see
Click on the Agenda link or the Minutes link
The agenda links to each agenda bill file
The minutes document is a pdf of the detailed minutes for each meeting. The link will say “Draft Minutes” before they have been approved by Council

Add any meeting to your own calendar

Click on the MEETING INFORMATION Tab
Use the time filter and meeting body filter to find the meeting you would like to add
Click on the little green calendar icon between the Meeting Date and Meeting Time columns
This creates an event that you can then save to your calendar

Watch live video for a meeting

Click on the MEETING INFORMATION tab
Use the time filter and meeting body filter to find the meeting you would like to watch
When a meeting is in progress, a link appears in the Audio/Video Column that says “In Progress.”
Click on that link and listen to the meeting.
NOTE: Different screens display the video, index and agenda differently. Experiment with zooming in and out to see how it changes. To zoom in and out hold down the control button on your keyboard and “scroll” your mouse up and down. When you zoom out, you can also see the full linked agenda if you click on the Agenda button on the top of the agenda pane to the right.
The index will highlight each item as the meeting progresses so you can see where they are in the agenda at any given time

Watch video for a meeting or just a particular item after a meeting

Click on the MEETING INFORMATION Tab
Use the time filter and meeting body filter to find the meeting you would like to watch
Click on the link for Media
Click on Index below the video window and you should see a list of the agenda items. You can scroll down the agenda to the item you would like to watch. NOTE: Different screens display the video, index and agenda differently. Experiment with zooming in and out to see how it changes. To zoom in and out hold down the control button on your keyboard and “scroll” your mouse up and down. When you zoom out, you can also see the full linked agenda if you click on the Agenda button on the top of the agenda pane to the right.
An alternate way to view video on just one item is to open the Meeting Details for a meeting, scroll down to the item you would like to watch and click on the media link to the far right of that item

Share video on the whole meeting or just one item

Follow the instructions above to view the video for an item. Below the view window click on the Share button. If you can’t see the share button click on control on your keyboard and “scroll” your mouse up and down to zoom in or out.
It will ask you if you want to share the whole meeting or just that one item. After you fill in the bubble of your choice, you can either copy the link in the field or click on one of the share method icons.

In the SEARCH FILES Tab

See a list of adopted/approved ordinances/resolutions

Click on the SEARCH FILES tab
In the search box type either Ord or Res
Use the dropdown filter in the next field to filter for the time period you would like
Click the Search Files button under the search box
To order the list by enactment number, click on the word “Enactment #” at the top of the column.

Search for a file on a given topic

Click on the SEARCH FILES tab
In the search field, enter a search term. This field search titles of files and of attachments
You can filter by time period or file type
Make sure all the boxes to the right of the search field are checked
Click the Search Files button under the search field
You can also click on Advanced Search >>> and that allows you to narrow your results down by many criteria

4. How do I search for all the files I've created?: Click on the Files Module (even if you are already in it--this assures you are in Search Mode). Go to the Details tab and enter your email address in the "Entered By" field. Click Search in the green toolbar at the top. You can also fill in other fields such as agenda date to filter your created files by more specific criteria. Double click a file name to open it. Then you can use the arrows on the top right of the window to go forward and backward from one file to the next, or click on the pointing finger icon to return back to the search results list.

5. How do I spell-check text in the Title and Summary Tab in Legistar?: If you prefer to use a spell checker, create your document in Word on your computer first, spell-check it, then copy and paste it into the appropriate boxes of the Title and Summary Word Template. The Template itself does not have the ability to check spelling.

6. How can I allow someone to edit my file while it's still in draft form (before the approval process)?: If you'd like someone to be able to edit your file while it's in the formation (draft) stage, in the Files Module go to Tools>File Assignments and choose someone to assign the file to.

7. Can I delete someone in an approval sequence once the sequence is started?: You can delete people from an active sequence only if the file has not yet come to them. To do this, go to the Files module and the Approval Tracking tab. At the bottom of the window, click on the Pause button to pause the sequence. You can then delete someone who has not yet been involved in the approval process.

8. Should I delete attachments of a file from one meeting to the next?: No. The file is a record of the whole life of the file. We want to keep attachments. You can even add replacement files, but for the record, the old one should stay to show the file's history.

9. If I edit a document on my computer that I've already attached to the file in Legistar, does Legistar also update the file?: No. Legistar is just a copy of the original document on your computer. Legistar does not sync in any way to your computer's drives. If you change a document for Legistar on your computer, you would need to attach it again to copy the edited version to Legistar.

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County Council

Show All Answers

1. How do I find out what Council District I live in?: Go to the District Map. Once there, zoom in to find an area or street, then simply click on the map to see what district it is in.

2. What is the best way to contact the Council?: You can contact individual Councilmembers or all of them at the same time. Individual contact information can be found on the page Council Terms and Contact Information

3. When does the Council meeting agenda come out?: The Council meeting agenda is usually on the website by the end of the day on the Wednesday before the Council meeting. It can be found in the Legislative Information Center

4. How do I participate in Council Open Session or Public Hearing?: Meetings are held in a hybrid format unless otherwise noted on the Legislative Information Center. Hybrid meetings are available for in person or remote participation. You may provide public comment to the Council during open session or a public hearing by joining the webinar or coming to the council chambers in person. Please visit the County Council’s Participate in Hybrid Council Meetings webpage for specific instructions on how to watch or participate in a meeting. All live testimony will be broadcast, recorded, and retained for the public record.

5. How do I sign up to receive notifications for upcoming County Council, Board of Health, or Surface Water Work Session meetings?

To sign up for an notifications for Whatcom County Council and Committee agendas navigate to the Notify Me Center.

Once you are on that page type in your email address in the box and select Sign In.
If you want to receive text messages enter your phone number and select Save.
Scroll down the page to any notification category you would like to receive notification on.
To be notified when Council meetings are coming up scroll down to the Calendar category, find County Council, and click on the email icon (on the left) and/or the text icon (on the right). The calendar notification sends out a reminder the week before the upcoming council meeting date and includes a link to the Legislative Information Center where you can find each individual meeting’s agendas and other meeting information.
You can sign up for more than one type of notification category. The County Council also sends out News Flash notifications and it is in the list under the News Flash category as Whatcom County Council

6. What time do Regular Council meetings start?: Regular Council meetings generally start at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Whatcom County Courthouse at 311 Grand Avenue in Bellingham. Check the Legislative Information Center for information on each upcoming meeting.

7. If I can’t attend a Council meeting, how can I find out what the Council discussed?

You can access information about a Council meeting by visiting the : Legislative Information Center. Here you can

Access All Meeting Information
On the new site, all meeting information will be organized by tabs that present details with multiple filtering options.
- Meeting Information (a calendar list format that gives you access to agendas, packets, media, files, and action taken on agenda items)
- Search Files (a search page to look for files by date, topic, or file type)
- Meeting Bodies (filter searches for Council or a particular Committee and see the councilmembers that are on each meeting body)
Access the Code and Charter
There will be a direct link to the Whatcom County Code and Charter from the Legislative Information Center and still from the main County Council page.

Find Archived Meeting Information
Older meeting information will be easily accessed through the Archives tab.

Search Ordinances, Resolutions, and Minutes Two Ways
Ordinances and Resolutions will be found and searchable for content in two places.
- Going forward, these documents will be attached to the meeting details of the corresponding Council meeting date
- You will also be able to access all ordinances, resolutions and minutes through a "Legislation and Minutes 1979-Present" tab
Create Custom Searches and Personalized Alerts
The Legislative Information Center tabs will allow for multi-faceted filtering so you can quickly find what you are looking for. You can also create custom alerts based on search parameters such as meeting bodies, time periods, or topics.

8. How do I search the Whatcom County Code for a specific topic?

Open the Code from the Legislation and Codes page in the left side page menu of Council’s home page
On the top right of the Code page, type key words into the box with the orange magnifying glass that says “Search Whatcom County Code”
You can also click on “Advanced Search” for more search options

9. How do I save or print sections of the Whatcom County Code or Charter?

When on the Whatcom County Code page, navigate to the section of code you would like to print or save in the Contents (gray) box on the left of the page
Click the check box next to each section you would like to print
Click on the green button (“Print / Save Selections”)
Using the drop-down arrow in the field at the top of the window, choose the format in which you would like to save/print
Choose “Print this page” or “Save”

10. What records are accessible online?

Agendas, video, audio, minutes, action taken, and meeting packets
Public Notices
1979 - current Ordinances
1979 - current Resolutions
1984 - current Committee Minutes
1979 - current Council Minutes

11. How can I access Council related records that are not online?

Contact the Council Office to find out where the records are stored
Council staff will retrieve documents stored in the Council Office or the County Records Center
- You may come to the Council Office to view them, and/or the Council Office will make copies for a small copy fee
- Some documents may also be emailed to you.
If the records are stored at the State Archive, you can contact them directly to request what you need by calling (360) 650-3125 or emailing at [email protected]

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District Court

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1. What is the address and phone number for Whatcom County District Court?: Whatcom County District Court
311 Grand Avenue, Suite 401
Bellingham, WA 98225
Phone: (360)778-5400

2. Who do I make a check or money order out to?: Checks or money orders should be made payable to Whatcom County District Court, or WCDC. All payments must be in U.S. funds.

3. How can I pay a ticket or set up payment arrangements?: You may make partial or full payments with debit/credit cards online through our website, at http://whatcomcounty.us/districtcourt and select "Tickets/Payments." You may also mail in a check or money order referencing your ticket/infraction number for partial or full payment to: Whatcom County District Court 311 Grand Avenue, Suite 401 Bellingham, WA 98225 You may also come in to District Court in person between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday at the address listed above to pay with cash, check, debit or credit card.

4. Do you take payments over the phone?: We do NOT take payments over the phone. You can pay with your credit or debit card by going online to the District Court website at http://whatcomcounty.us/districtcourt and select "Tickets/Payments."

5. When is my next payment due?: Call Whatcom County District Court at (360)778-5400 and provide your ticket/citation/infraction/case number if you have it. We can also look up your case when you provide us some identifying information.

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District Court Probation

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1. Where do I go to pay my Probation fees, and what are my options for paying?: The Probation Department does not accept money, other than money orders and cashier’s checks for restitution payments. You can pay your Probation fees through the court that oversees your case (i.e. Bellingham Municipal, Whatcom County District Court, etc.). For questions regarding fees and payment plans, please contact the court’s clerk.

2. How do I sign up to attend the DUI Victim Impact Panel?

There are two local options for completing the DUI Victim Impact Panel. You can contact your local health department if you live out-of-county. The first option is through the Whatcom County Health Department. Their VIP is held on the first Monday of every month, from 6:30PM-9:00PM, in the Council Chambers room of the Whatcom County Courthouse. The second option is through Assessment & Treatment Associates. Their VIP is held on the third Saturday of every month, from 12:30PM-2:00PM, at Whatcom Community College. For more information, VIP schedules, and directions for how to sign up, please contact the provider you choose.

Whatcom County Health Department

509 Gerard Street, Bellingham, WA 98225

https://www.whatcomcounty.us/360/Health-Department

(360) 778-6002

Assessment & Treatment Associates

2219 Rimland Drive, Suite 301, Bellingham, WA 98226

https://www.assesstreat.com/

(425) 289-1600

3. Where can I go to complete court-ordered community service hours?

You can look for current volunteering opportunities on the Whatcom Volunteer Center’s website at https://www.whatcomvolunteer.org/ or by calling (360) 734-3055 for more information. Once you have found an agency you want to work with, make sure you check with your probation officer and/or the court, to make sure you are approved to complete your hours there.

Community service must be completed in Whatcom County, or the county in which you reside. Community service hours will only be accepted from 501(c)(3) designated, community-based, non-profit agencies. The hours worked must be for the benefit of the community, and not for the individual. Participation in a training program or a school setting does not qualify as community service. The person performing the community service cannot receive compensation of any type, financial or otherwise, for the work performed.

Community Service Hours Log

4. Where can I go to complete an alcohol and drug evaluation?: You can find a list of local agencies that provide alcohol and drug evaluations, under the Treatment Resources section of our site.

5. Where can I go to complete a domestic violence evaluation?: You can find a list of local agencies that provide domestic violence evaluations, under the Treatment Resources section of our site.

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Executive

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1. How can I set up a meeting with the County Executive?: Call ahead to the Executive office at (360) 778-5200, or email us and submit your meeting request, including the purpose for the meeting, to one of the staff.

2. Does the County Executive have responsibility for all county departments, including those led by elected officials?: The County Executive leads the Executive branch of government, and as such has authority over the budget and operations for all county departments. However some departments are led by elected officials, each of whom were elected by the voters of Whatcom County and who have responsibility for their respective division (Assessor, Auditor, Prosecutor, Treasurer and Sheriff).

3. Who is in charge of animal control in Whatcom County?: Whatcom County contracts with the Whatcom Humane Society (WHS) for animal control services. WHS is located at 2172 Division Street, Bellingham, WA 98226. They are open to the public Wednesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. and Sunday and Monday, 11:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. They can be reached at (360) 733-2080.

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Facilities - Courthouse Security

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1. How much time will the screening take?: We do not believe that it will take longer then 10 minutes however visitors should allows extra time when visiting the courthouse for the screening.

2. What is on those floors?: The basement houses the Division of Emergency Management and the Law Library. The 2nd floor houses courtrooms and the Prosecuting Attorney's Offices. The 3rd floor houses the Superior Court, courtrooms, and the Division of Information Technology. The 4th floor houses the District Court, courtrooms, and District Court Probation. The 5th and 6th floor houses Juvenile Court, and Juvenile Detention.

3. What is prohibited beyond screening?

While not a complete list, any weapon, such as:

Firearm, whether loaded or unloaded, including a BB gun
Knife, including a switchblade or other knife having an automatic spring release device
Stiletto
Police-type baton or nightstick
Any other martial arts weapon
Electronic defense weapon

4. What if I bring a prohibited weapon?: Any person in possession of a firearm or other dangerous weapon seeking to enter the judicial areas of the courthouse shall in advance, report to a members of the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office or other security personnel and arrange to have the firearm or other dangerous weapon secured in the lockbox provided on the 1st floor of the courthouse.

5. If I am headed to the Executives Office, Council Chambers or Office, Human Resources, Treasurer, Auditor, or Assessor's Office do I need to go through screening?: No, offices and departments located on the first floor of the courthouse are available to the public without going through screening.

6. Will I be able to use the back doors to the courthouse?: No, only the north rotunda entrance and the south 1st floor entrance will be available for public use.

7. What if I have questions that are not answered above?: You can contact Robert Ney, Projects & Operations Manager, at 360-778-5365.

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Health - Childhood Immunizations

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1. Where can I get immunizations?

Childhood immunizations are free in Washington State for everyone under age 19.

Most insurance plans cover all the costs of getting vaccines. Visit your usual healthcare provider to get your shots, or use HealthMap Vaccine Finder to find a location near you that offers vaccines.
If you don't have insurance or your insurance doesn't fully cover vaccines, you can still get them for free through the Vaccines for Children program.
Many healthcare providers in Whatcom County can provide free childhood vaccines. Some providers might charge an office visit fee.
We offer free vaccines for children who:
- Are uninsured
- Have insurance that doesn't cover vaccines
- Don't have a primary care provider
- Have a primary care provider who doesn't provide vaccines
- Otherwise can't access vaccines
Visit our Childhood Immunization Clinic on Tuesdays from 2 to 4:30 pm at 1500 N State Street, Bellingham. Call ahead to schedule an appointment with a nurse at 360-778-6100.

2. How can I check my child’s immunization records?

There are a few ways to access your family’s immunization information:

Sign up for Washington MyIR where you can view, download, and print immunization records.
Request your records from your usual health care provider. Most providers can access records through the Washington State Immunization Information System. Check with them first to make sure they have your complete records.
Request a complete immunization record from the Washington State Department of Health.

3. How can I learn more about vaccines?

You make educated choices about your family's health and well-being every day, from which car seats to use to what food you eat or how to find quality child care. The choice to immunize is no different.

Get in-depth information for parents about childhood vaccines.
Learn more about diseases and the vaccines that prevent them.
Find out how vaccines are tested for safety.
Check out Plain Talk about Childhood Immunizations, a comprehensive booklet about vaccines. Available in:

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Health - Drinking Water

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1. How can I locate drinking water records?

Many records are available online through our online search tool at https://www.whatcomcounty.us/3312/Septic-Drinking-Water-Records. If your documents are not available online, the search tool will notify you.

Well Log Viewer

2. How do I get my water source approved to obtain a building permit?: You will need to go through a process called water availability approval. Please allow up to one week for a decision to be made on your approval once your completed water availability application is submitted to our office. Sometimes applicants must conduct additional testing or submit additional paperwork because of the well location. Pursuant to Interim Ordinance 2016-066, the applicant must also provide evidence of legal availability. Forms

3. What do I need to do to have a well drilled?: The Department of Ecology is responsible for well drilling regulations and requirements. Information on drilling a well can be found online. A well site inspection must be approved by WCHD for water availability application.
Find Licensed Drillers

4. Does it matter where I drill my well on my property?: Yes, you should locate the well at least 50 feet from your septic tank, 100 feet from your drain field, 100 feet from any privy or outhouse, 50 feet from a sewer line, 100 feet from a sewage or manure lagoon, and 1,000 feet from any parcel containing a landfill (active, inactive, closed, or illegal). In addition to required setbacks, the applicant must provide evidence of legal availability.

5. How deep will I have to drill my well?: The depth to ground water varies from area to area in Whatcom County so you will not know for certain until you drill your well. You may get an idea by talking to a neighbor, contacting a well driller or looking on our depth of well map in our office. Pursuant to Interim Ordinance 2016-066, the applicant must also provide evidence of legal availability.

6. What do I have to do to develop my own public water system?: View the information and application packet on how to develop your own public water system online. Public Water System Packet (PDF)

7. How do I find out who takes care of the public water system that serves water to my house?: You will need to the Whatcom County Health and Community Services' Environmental Health Division.

8. My water is making me sick, what should I do?: Stop drinking the water. If the severity of your illness concerns you, contact your health care provider and they can help you with any necessary treatment to help get you well. Contact our office for help in determining why the water you drank may have made you sick.

9. Where can I find information on water treatment systems?: Information on water treatment systems can be found on the National Sanitation Foundation’s website.
National Sanitation Foundation

10. Where do I find out who I get my water from if it is not from a private well?: Contact our office and we will tell you who to call.

11. Planning & Development Services - Exempt well/water FAQs.: Please view the Planning & Development Services - Exempt well/water FAQs.
Planning & Development Services Exempt well/water

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Health - Food Establishments & Food/Event Vendors

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1. Do I need a permit to operate a restaurant, grocery store, tavern or similar facility?: Yes, you do need a permit. You will need to apply for a permit, submit a floor plan and menu information, and pay an annual permit fee. After receiving a permit, Whatcom County Health and Community Services staff will inspect the facility to ensure safe food handling practices.

2. I just bought a food establishment business, what permits do I need from Whatcom County Health and Community Services?: You will need to complete a Change of Ownership Packet and obtain a food establishment permit through our office. You may return completed paperwork to our office and pay the associated fees. Contact our office to determine the cost. Next, you may schedule an inspection with a Whatcom County Health and Community Services Inspector.

3. I am planning to open a restaurant or other food establishment in Whatcom County, what should I do first?: You will need to provide detailed construction plans and information on your proposed menu and method of food preparation. This information is included in the Plan Review Packet.

4. What is a temporary food establishment?: A temporary food establishment is a food establishment that operates at a fixed location, with a fixed menu, for no more than 21 consecutive days in conjunction with a single event or celebration, such as a fair or festival.

5. What events require a temporary food establishment permit?: Individuals or groups planning to hold events that are open to the public must obtain a permit. Whatcom County Health and Community Services requires that each food booth or vendor operating during an event obtains a temporary permit.

6. What permits do I need to sell food at a fair, festival or community event?: You need to purchase a Temporary Food Establishment Permit from our office. Please contact our office at least two (2) weeks before your event, so we can process the application and issue a permit before purchasing or preparing food. For more information, please visit our Food Permits webpage.

7. What is a public event?: A public event is any organized event advertised in any way to the public such as flyers, newspaper articles or ads, radio, or social media. A public event is open to the public and offers food during the event. The requirements do not change if the food sold is for profit or provided at no charge.

8. What forms of payment do you accept?: At this time we accept cash, debit or credit cards. There is a convenience fee on debit and credit card transactions. Payment must accompany the application. Do not email the completed application to our office.

9. How do I receive my permit?: Once we review and approve your permit, we will email you a PDF unless you request otherwise. You will need to print a copy of the permit to post at the event.

10. Do I still need a permit if I am not charging for the food?: Yes, you still need a permit. Permit fee waivers are possible for meals served to people in need. Contact our office at 360-778-6000 for more information.

11. Where do I obtain a food worker card?: To get a food worker card, you must take the online food worker course. You can obtain a food worker card online for $10. You may also purchase (cash, debit or credit card) and pick up the food worker card at our office during business hours.
Food Worker Card

12. I have a current food worker card, do I still need a temporary food establishment permit?: You need to complete the coordinator’s checklist. Submit this paperwork at least one month before your event. You may add food vendors after you submit the application; contact our office with the information you need to add to your application.

13. I am organizing an event and I want to invite multiple food vendors. What do I need to do?: You need to complete the coordinator’s checklist. We ask that you submit this paperwork at least one month before your event. You may add food vendors once the application is submitted; just contact our office with the information.

14. I am a permitted caterer in Whatcom County, do I need a permit to offer food at an event?: Caterers are not exempt from temporary food establishment permits even though they may currently have a permit. Caterers who choose to operate at a temporary event must apply for a temporary food establishment permit.

15. What type of equipment do I need to operate a temporary food establishment event?

In addition to a hand washing sink, you need to have enough functioning equipment to keep potentially hazardous food at the proper temperature. The outdoor booths must have an overhead cover over storage areas, food preparation, cooking and serving areas. You need walls when it is necessary to protect food and food equipment from the elements.

If you use ice chests ensure you have enough ice to completely submerge food so that it can hold food at 41°F or less. Keep ice chests and refrigerators out of direct sunlight. Equipment must hold food at 135°F or hotter. Sterno chafers are not allowed at events unless the event is indoors and less than four hours. You must have a thermometer to ensure foods are holding properly and are cooked to the proper temperatures.

For more information on setting up and operating temporary food establishments, please see the Checklist for Temporary Food Establishment Operation.

Checklist for Temporary Food (PDF)

16. I’m an out of county food vendor: what type of permit do I need to offer food at an event and can I make food at my restaurant and serve it at a Whatcom County event?: Out of county vendors need a temporary food establishment permit. The type of permit depends on menu and duration of event. In addition, complex food preparation may need to occur in a Whatcom County commissary kitchen. Visit our Food Permits webpage for more information.

17. I have a current permit for operating a mobile unit in Whatcom County: do I need an additional permit to operate at a temporary event?

Permitted mobile units may operate anytime, anywhere in Whatcom County including events (with the coordinators permission). As long as you bring the mobile unit to the event and are offering the same menu items as listed in your approved plan of operation, you need no additional permits from our office. Mobile units must have a local commissary kitchen to service the mobile unit.

If you have a mobile unit, but want to operate out of a booth for an event, you must apply for and obtain a temporary food establishment permit, even if the menu is the same. If you are interested in operating a mobile unit please read the Mobile Food Plan Review Packet for more information.

Mobile Food Plan Review Packet (PDF)

18. What permit do I need to operate at the Northwest Washington Fair (NWWF)?: If you plan to operate at the NWWF, you will need a NW Washington Fair Permit. These permits are valid for the length of the fair only.
If you have a current temporary food establishment permit (multiple event or a multiple location farmers market permit) you may operate at the NWWF without additional permitting if you offer the same menu items.

19. What type of produce am I allowed to offer at a temporary food establishment event?: You must purchase pre-washed produce or you must wash your produce at a commercial kitchen or permitted food establishment. You cannot wash produce at the event site unless the venue has a dedicated produce preparation sink. You cannot wash produce in a residential kitchen.

20. Where do I clean utensils?

For one day events, bring enough extra utensils for the following: to change out utensils every four hours, to replace dropped utensils and to replace other contaminated utensils. You must change utensils that come in contact with potentially hazardous foods every four hours if utensil cleaning facilities are not available on site.

If your event is more than one day and you are applying for a temporary food establishment permit, you need to have a plumbed three compartment sink or commercial dishwasher to wash and sanitize utensils. If the event venue does not have a plumbed three compartment sink or commercial dishwasher, you must have a commissary agreement with a local commercial kitchen. If you have a food establishment permit in Whatcom County, you may use your dishwashing facilities for utensil cleaning.

Some menu items, like smoothies made with dairy, soy or protein products, require frequent cleaning and vendors will need access to a plumbed three compartment sink at the event site. Whatcom County does not allow the three tub method for utensil washing and sanitizing at temporary events.

21. My proposed menu requires advanced preparation of food, can I make and prepare food at home?: You may not make food at home for sale to the public unless it is for a bake sale. You may not prepare any foods on site that require multiple steps or extensive assembly. You must make any advanced menu preparation in a commercial kitchen with equipment to support your menu.

22. Can I cook food, cool it down and reheat it later for service?: No, hot food must be made the day of the event, held hot and served. Discard any leftover hot food; do not save and re-serve it to the public.

23. I would like to have a petting zoo at my event: what are the requirements?: Operators of petting zoos, county fairs, pony rides, or any similar settings that encourage contact with animals must post a warning sign for visitors about the potential risk of disease. They are to provide easy access to hand washing stations, or as an alternative, an approved method using hand sanitizers. Operators must also post signs at each exit of an animal exhibit reminding visitors to wash their hands.
Animal Venue Operator Requirements

24. Do I need any additional permits to have a temporary food establishment event?: The local municipality may require a permit for gathering in a public area or to vend food on a public right of way. Contact the city or county in which you are operating for more information.

25. How do I find out more information?: If you have additional questions, please call our office to leave a message or schedule an appointment.

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Health - Food Safety

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1. If I have a complaint about a food establishment, who can I call?: If the complaint involves a retail food establishment or a food you purchased for your own use contact our office. If you purchased the food for resale, you can contact our office and we can help determine which other agency you need to contact.

2. Who inspects restaurants, taverns, and grocery stores and how often are they inspected?: Staff from the Whatcom County Health and Community Services Food Safety Program inspect all retail food establishments. State law requires the Health and Community Services Food Safety Program to inspect each food establishment at least once per year.

3. Who inspects processing plants and places that sell foods wholesale?: The Washington State Department of Agriculture, The United States Department of Agriculture or the Food and Drug Administration inspect facilities that sell foods at the wholesale level.

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Health - Food Worker Training

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1. Who needs to get a food worker card?: Any person who works in a grocery store, restaurant, school cafeteria, camp kitchen, deli, tavern, or other retail food establishment and anyone who handles unwrapped food products will need to obtain a food worker card.

2. How can I get a card that is valid for three years?: If you have an unexpired Washington State Food Worker Card, bring your old card and the card you received online into your local Health Department within 5 days of passing the test and we will issue you a three year card. If your old card has expired, you will only be able to receive a two-year card. You can receive a five-year card if you have completed an approved advanced training course such as ServeSafe Food Managers Course within 2 years prior to taking the Food Worker test.

3. Who do I contact if I have a problem with the online class?: If you are having a problem, please email [email protected] or call 1-800-204-4418. When sending an email, please include your full name, phone number and a brief description of the problem you are having.
WA DOH Foodworker page

4. Can I stop the training and complete it later on?: Yes, your training session is good for 30 days from the date you start the training. You can log back in and click on the "Complete" button to finish the training at any time during this 30 day period. After 30 days, your training session will expire and you will need to start over. If you stop during the test, you will need to retake the entire test.

5. My session has timed out. Now what do I do?: The online training will time out after about 30 minutes of inactivity. Simply sign out and log back in to complete the training.

6. I live outside of Washington state, but will be working as a food worker in Washington state, how do I get my food worker card?: You can click the "Out of State" button when it displays the Washington state map for residence. You can then choose the county in which you will be working.

7. How do I replace or reprint my food worker card?: You can reprint your card for free from the online course. Go back to the beginning of the online course, select the "Login" button and sign back in. Be sure to use the exact same registration information you originally signed in with (information is case sensitive). If you wish to come into our office, there is a $5.00 charge for reprinting.

8. When will my card expire?: Your first Food Worker card is valid for two years. You may take the test and renew your card up to 60 days before the card expires and receive a renewal card that will be valid for three years.

9. Why does my new card cost $10?: The $10 fee is set in state regulation, Washington Administrative Code 246-217-025. Local health jurisdictions use the fee to cover the costs of food worker training and education, administration of the program, and testing of applicants.

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Health - Foodborne Illness

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1. What should I do if I think a meal I ate made me sick?: If the severity of your illness concerns you, contact your healthcare provider. They can help you with any necessary treatment. In addition, please contact our office to report the illness. Depending on what we learn from talking to you, we may help prevent other people from becoming ill.

2. What is the best thing I can do to prevent food-borne illness at home?

Do not prepare food for others when you are sick. Wash your hands thoroughly before you begin to prepare foods or eat foods. To properly wash hands, use plenty of soap and lather for at least 20 seconds (e.g., singing the Happy Birthday song twice) before rinsing and drying.

Avoid bare hand contact on ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. Keep food at a safe temperature.

3. I have heard the last meal I ate is what caused my foodborne illness (food poisoning), is this true?: Except for some toxins and viruses, most harmful microorganisms take longer than a few hours to make you sick. Symptoms of foodborne illness can start anywhere from a few hours to several weeks after eating contaminated food. So don't be so quick to blame your illness on the restaurant you ate at today for lunch - you may have gotten sick from something you ate a few days ago. Contact your local health department if you suspect you have a foodborne illness or want to file a complaint about unsafe food handling practices at a restaurant.

4. Should I prepare food for others when I am ill?: Ill food workers frequently make others sick by preparing food. If at all possible, avoid preparing food for other people when you do not feel well.

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Health - Mental Health

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1. I’m worried about a friend whom I think may have a mental illness. How can I help?: If your friend is experiencing a crisis or their condition is getting worse, please call the Volunteers of American Crisis line at 1-800-584-3578 for free support. More information can be found at https://www.voaww.org/behavioralhealth.

2. My child is suffering from anxiety/depression. What resources are available?

There are many therapists offering services in Whatcom County. An updated list can be found at this website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists, and you can choose to narrow down the field by focus issues (from the sidebar on the left).

If your child is a student attending public school you can reach out to the school counselor who may provide you with advice regarding your son or daughter and offer recommendations.

3. What is Whatcom County Health and Community Services doing to support mental health in the community?: Whatcom County Health and Community Services works very closely with North Sound Behavioral Health Organization to ensure high quality mental health services, as well as with many partners in other departments of Whatcom County government, the City of Bellingham, and numerous non-profit agency partners.

4. I have health insurance, but none of the providers seem to be taking new clients. How can I find a provider?: There is currently a shortage of providers, but there are several things you can do. First, have a look at the list maintained by Psychology Today. Be persistent and get yourself on some waiting lists to be called. The openings often come and go quickly. You can also make an appointment with the Western Washington University Counseling Center; they can be reached at 360-650-3164.

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Health - Nurse-Family Partnership

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1. Does Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) cost anything?: No, this is a free program for all eligible women.

2. How often does my nurse come to visit?: Your nurse will visit you every one to two weeks during your pregnancy and until your child turns two years old. Nurses are flexible and can work with your busy schedule to find a convenient time to meet.

3. What does my nurse support me with?

Having a healthy pregnancy
Becoming a prepared and confident parent
Building a network of support for you and your baby
Connecting to resources that can assist your family
Completing schooling and/or finding work
Assist you in your journey towards a happy future

4. What if I prefer not to meet in my home or I don’t have housing?: You and your nurse can work together to decide on a place to meet that feels comfortable to you and gives some privacy for your visit.

5. Can I include my partner, friends or family in my visits?: Yes! You choose who you would like to take part in visits with you and your nurse.

6. What do other moms say about NFP?: NFP provides so much to babies and their families-from postpartum support to mental health screenings to help with understanding how your baby is developing to just having someone to talk to besides a baby! New moms, and dads, need all the help and socializing they can get, and NFP provides that, as well as someone your baby can grow to know and have a relationship with. Your nurse also becomes a very easily accessible resource for all of the millions of random questions that end up floating around in your brain when you have a new baby!
Whatcom County NFP participant
Many moms say the support of their nurse made a big difference for them. Find more NFP mom stories on the NFP website.

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Health - On-Site Sewage System Program (OSS)

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1. Can I use my septic system during or after a flood?

Whenever the water table is high or your sewage system is threatened by flooding, there is a risk that sewage will back up into your home. The only way to prevent this backup is to relieve pressure on the system by using it less.

Once floodwaters have receded, there are several things homeowners should remember:

Do not drink well water until it is tested.
Do not use the sewage system until water in the soil absorption field is lower than the water level around the house.
If possible, don't use the system if the soil is saturated and flooded. The wastewater will not be treated and will become a source of pollution. Conserve water as much as possible while the system restores itself and the water table falls.
Flooding of the septic tank will have lifted the floating crust of fats and grease in the septic tank. Some of this scum may have floated and/or partially plugged the outlet tee. If the septic system backs up into the house, check the tank first for outlet blockage. Clean up any floodwater in the house without dumping it into the sink or toilet and allow enough time for the water to recede. Floodwaters from the house that are passed through or pumped through the septic tank will cause higher flows through the system. This may cause solids to transfer from the septic tank to the drainfield and will cause clogging.
If sewage has backed up into the house, clean the area and disinfect the floor. Use a chlorine solution of a half cup of chlorine bleach to each gallon of water to disinfect the area thoroughly.

2. How do I know if my septic system was damaged by flooding, and how can I get it fixed?

Signs of damage include settling or an inability to accept water. Most septic tanks are not damaged by flooding since they are below ground and completely covered. However, septic tanks and pump chambers can fill with silt and debris, and must be professionally cleaned. If the soil absorption field is clogged with silt, a new system may have to be installed.
Have your septic tank professionally inspected and serviced if you suspect damage.
Only trained OSS specialists should clean or repair septic tanks because tanks may contain dangerous gases.
Do not pump the tank during flooded or saturated drainfield conditions. At best, pumping the tank is only a temporary solution. Mud and silt may enter the tank and end up in the drainfield. Under worst conditions, pumping out a tank that is in saturated soil may cause it to "pop out" of the ground may damage the inlet and outlet pipes. (Likewise, recently installed systems may "pop out" of the ground more readily than older systems because the soil has not had enough time to settle and compact.) Only trained OSS professionals should pump the tank.
Pump the septic system as soon as possible after the flood. Be sure to pump both the tank and lift station. This will remove silt and debris that may have washed into the system.
Do not compact the soil over the soil absorption field by driving or operating equipment in the area. Do not dig into the tank or drainfield area while the soil is still wet or flooded. Saturated soil is especially susceptible to compaction, which can reduce the soil absorption field's ability to treat wastewater and lead to system failure.
Examine any electrical connections for damage before restoring electricity.
Be sure the septic tank's cover is secure and that inspection ports have not been blocked or damaged.
Check the vegetation over your septic tank and soil absorption field. Repair erosion damage and sod or reseed areas as necessary to provide turf grass cover.

3. Should I use an additive in my septic tank?: Most additives do not have any positive effect on your septic tank. Nothing you add to your tank will improve normal bacterial action.

4. When is an OSS permit needed?

You need an OSS permit (septic system permit) any time you construct, repair, replace, modify, connect to, or expand your septic system. You do not need an OSS permit when you:

Replace a baffle in a septic tank.
Fix a broken house sewer pipe.
Replace a pump control float.
Fix or replace septic risers, lids or inspection ports.
Replace a septic pump.

Your OSS permit does not mean that you have met any other legal requirements like building codes or zoning ordinances. You must also comply with relevant permit requirements from other agencies before you begin work on your system. For example, you may need to get a land disturbance permit from Whatcom County Planning and Development Services.

On-Site Sewage

5. Can I design my own OSS?: State and county sewage control regulations require that either a licensed OSS designer or Registered Professional Engineer design your OSS. The state issues Licenses for Designers and Engineers.
Washington State Department of Licensing

6. Can I install my own OSS after I obtain an OSS permit?

Whatcom County code requires that all OSS be installed by a licensed OSS installer; however, if you are the property owner and you will live in the home the OSS will serve, you can request an exemption from certification requirements. The request will be reviewed and if approved, you can install the OSS. We recommend that you hire a Licensed OSS Installer for complex systems, e.g. pressure systems or alternative systems.

Developers must hire a Licensed OSS Installer or obtain an OSS Installer's License through Whatcom County Health and Community Services to install OSS on properties they plan to develop and then sell.

Exemption From Certification Requirements (PDF)

7. Do you have a copy of my OSS permit?: Health and Community Services documents related to OSS and Drinking Water in Whatcom County can now be found online.
Related Documents

8. How do I clean up sewage that has backed up into my house?: Please see the following guidelines from the Washington State Department of Health in regards to sewage cleanup.
Cleaning Up a Sewage Spill

9. What are some signs that my OSS is failing?: Some warning signs of a failure are odors, surfacing sewage, soggy spots with lush green grass growth in the drain field or septic tank area, plumbing or septic tank backups, slow draining fixtures, or gurgling sounds in the plumbing system. If you suspect that your OSS is failing, contact us for assistance.

10. How can I find my septic tank?: If you have an as-built tank, locating the septic tank will be easy. If 1 is not available you or your pumper will need to use some investigative skills. If a crawl space is available you may determine where the plumbing leaves the foundation wall and then use a probe bar to find the tank. Use caution as fiberglass or polyethylene tanks can be ruptured with a probe bar. Probing works best if the tank is not more than 1-2 feet under the surface.

If a crawl space is not available, you can sometimes use the plumbing vents located in the roof. A plumbing vent may align with the exit point of the sewer line leading to the septic tank. If these options don't work it may be necessary to use an electronic detection device with a transmitter that can be flushed down the toilet.

11. What is the reserve area?: The reserve area is designated on your OSS Permit and is another area approved for the installation of a new drain field in case the main drain field fails. The reserve are must be kept clear of impermeable surfaces, e.g. buildings and pavement. If your OSS permit was issued more than 5 years ago, you may need to have your reserve area redesigned to meet current code requirements.

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Health - OSS Annual Fee

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1. Why was my property assessed a fee?: The fee was assessed on all on-site sewage systems (OSS) in the County. Using our database, which includes on-site sewage system permits, Reports of System Status (operation and maintenance records) and septage pumping records, we generated a list of parcels that have one or more OSS and submitted the list to the Treasurer’s Office for inclusion on the tax statements.

2. How much is the fee?: The annual fee is $19 for every OSS. Half of the fee ($9.50) will be assessed with the first half taxes due in April, and the remaining half ($9.50) will be included with the second half taxes due in October.

3. I was assessed a fee and I don’t have an OSS, how do I get this corrected?: Your property was assessed a fee based on information in our database that indicates there is an OSS on your property. We understand that some information in our database may be incorrect, and will review the fee if you believe it was incorrectly assessed. We have generated a form to process these requests to ensure that our database is accurately and efficiently updated, and the updated information forwarded to the Treasurer’s Office. Please complete the On-Site Sewage System Request for Fee Review form, and submit it to our office.

4. If I believe the fee was assessed in error and I have submitted a request for fee review, will it be processed by the time my taxes are due?: We cannot guarantee that the fee will be reviewed by the tax payment deadline. It is recommended that you make the payment so you are not subject to penalties and interest. After our review, if it is determined that the assessment was incorrect we will update our database and provide that information to the Treasurer’s Office who will modify your tax bill and issue a refund if all taxes have been paid.

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Health - Parent & Community Resources

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1. How do I talk to my kids about alcohol?: For information on how to talk to youth about alcohol, check out Start Talking Now.

2. What community resources are available for individuals that may need substance use disorder treatment?: Please refer to our Parent & Community Resources webpage and the directory of treatment and recovery resources (PDF).

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Health - Point Roberts Garbage Collection Issues & Answers

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1. Are there other communities in Whatcom County that self-haul?: All communities within the county’s collection district presently have curbside service.

2. What makes Point Roberts different from the rest of Whatcom County?: Providing a high level of solid waste services at the Point is difficult during the best of times. Especially challenging is the community’s small customer base and remote location. These challenges are increased by the downturn in recyclable prices and by the recent dispute over provision of curbside recycling pickup. In order to dispose of garbage and recycling, collection companies must drive through British Columbia, a Province of Canada. Commercial garbage vehicles traveling through Canada to reach Point Roberts and back again are required to go through Customs at 2 borders each way and follow special rules.

3. Who oversees solid waste collection at the Point?: It is important for citizens to know that solid waste collection is a highly regulated service that is overseen by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC). Commercial garbage collectors / haulers must be certified by that agency. Whatcom County does not certify collection companies or provide collection services.

4. What services do state certified collection companies provide?

See the Whatcom County Code, Chapter 8.10, which covers this in detail. It can be found on the County’s website. In this section of the Code, the County Council has established service levels and rate structure principles. 8.10.040 of the Code states:

A. Certified haulers shall perform collection and hauling of garbage from single-family residences that request collection service in unincorporated portions of Whatcom County.

While the County Council has established the level of service as listed in Chapter 8.10, it states under Chapter 8.10.080 that “The Whatcom County council, pursuant to RCW 36.58.040, hereby notifies and requests the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission to carry out and implement the policies and programs specified in this chapter and in the plan in coordination with certificated haulers and common carriers through the Commission’s rate setting and oversight authority.”

In other words, Whatcom County establishes certain service levels within unincorporated areas of the County, while the WUTC ensures that those services are rendered and the costs properly passed on to the rate payers.

Whatcom County Code, Chapter 8.10

5. What and where is the Solid Waste Collection District?: The Whatcom County solid waste recycling and collection district was created (WCC 8.11) to make solid waste and recycling collection mandatory in Whatcom County. The recycling and collection district includes all unincorporated areas except the Diablo/Newhalem area of Whatcom County.
WCC 8.11

6. Don’t we have a “Universal Service” requirement?: Whatcom County Code 8.11 establishes Universal (compulsory) collection within the Collection District. Exemptions to mandatory collection remain in the law for those who wish to self-haul and for part-time residents of Point Roberts. Whatcom County Code 8.11

7. How many exemptions are there at the Point and how many potential customers?: There are currently 590 exemptions on file with Whatcom County for Point Roberts. Actual curbside customers average around 350 per month. There are 2151 billable water services and more than 1200 units that have neither exemptions nor curbside service (2151 - 590, - 350 = 1211).

8. What is a G-Certificate and how does a hauler acquire 1 to be “certified”?: A G-Certificate is a certificate or license to legally haul garbage (the “G”) on a commercial basis. It is issued by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. The WUTC has a specific application process which includes the submittal of documents, including financials, which are then verified and evaluated before granting a certificate, providing there is a franchise area available. The applicant must prove they are “fit, willing and able” to provide the service of hauling garbage. This process may take up to several months upon receipt of a complete application packet. For more information see the WUTC’s website.
WUTC’s website

9. Who decides the rates or tariff for curbside collection?: A tariff is a scale of rates or charges. The collection company files a tariff with the WUTC. The WUTC reviews and evaluates the tariff to determine whether rates are realistic, based on actual costs of service and a reasonable return on investment. A comparison of curbside pickup rates is available online. Curbside Pickup Rates (PDF)

10. When does neighborhood self-haul of garbage and recycling become regulated collection?: Private carriers of garbage and recycling are not regulated under state law. A person falls under the jurisdiction of the Utilities and Transportation Commission when he or she transports solid waste from residential sources in a vehicle designed or used primarily for the transport of solid waste (i.e., a garbage truck or recycling truck) or transports solid waste from a business beyond when the transport is "...an incidental adjunct to some other established private business." State statute uses compensation for services as a principal criteria for determining when a carrier of solid waste is regulated.These definitions are found in RCW 81.77.010.

11. Is assistance available for self-hauling garbage and recycling?: Yes. The Point Roberts "Neighbors Helping Neighbors" program, a function of Point Roberts Emergency Preparedness, is organizing assistance for those physically unable to haul their garbage to the Johnson Road transfer station. Please call 945-PREP for more information.

12. Who operates the Johnson Road Transfer Station?: The transfer station at Johnson Road in Point Roberts is County-owned. The station is leased to a private company to provide a place for residents to self-haul their solid waste and to prepare bulk waste for shipping to disposal sites near Bellingham. All rates at the station are set by the County Council and are listed in the Unified Fee Schedule. Point Roberts Transfer Station Information (PDF)

13. What are the Canadian rules required to haul garbage out of Point Roberts?: Commercial haulers must obtain a customs bond, as well as a commercial carrier bond, obtained from the Canada Border Services Agency. This entails many documents such as dispatch logs, bills of lading, proof of customs reports, invoices, etc.

14. Is it possible for a Canadian refuse hauler to provide the service, taking the garbage to a Canadian landfill?: Canadian haulers may become certificated, however the CDN government will not allow the Point’s garbage to be disposed of in Canada. Treaties within the Province of British Columbia prevent importation of any foreign solid waste. Whatcom County is continuing to work with the Canadian government to find an equitable solution to the garbage situation in Point Roberts.

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Health - Rabies Prevention

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1. What should I do if I am bitten by a dog, a cat or a pet ferret?: Contact your health care provider for care of the wound. Contact animal control and report the incident to them. They can help you to assure that the animal owner quarantines the animal that bit you for at least 10 days to make certain the animal does not have rabies.

2. What should I do if a bat bites or scratches me or if I see one of my children handling a bat?: Contact your health care provider for care of the wound. Contact Whatcom County Health and Community Services at 360-778-6000 during working hours, or at 360-715-2588 during after hours to report the incident. One of our staff will interview you and help to determine what to do next.

3. What should I do if I find a bat in my house?: Try to close the door to the room and keep the bat contained without touching the bat and contact our office. We may need to send the bat to the lab to test for rabies. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) recommends that we consider this an exposure to rabies unless you saw the bat fly through the door and back out. For example if a bat was in your house at night while you and others in the house slept, we cannot rule out that the bat did not expose someone in the home, especially a small child. Contact Whatcom County Health and Community Services at 360-778-6000 or evening or weekends at 360-715-2588 to report the incident. One of our staff will interview you and help to determine what to do next.

4. Can I bring a bat or other animal to your office and have you test it?: No, we cannot accept live specimens. The State Department of Health Laboratory in Shoreline, Washington tests the animals. The lab has very specific rules we must follow before they can test the animals. Our office works through the local veterinary community and animal control officials to prepare animals for shipment to the lab. Contact our office, a veterinarian, or animal control official before you touch the animal of concern. This will help to assure that additional people are not exposed.

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Health - Salmonella

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1. I have symptoms that sound like food poisoning. Is that what Salmonella is?: The term "food poisoning" can be very misleading. Many different types of bacteria and viruses can cause similar symptoms (just vomiting, vomiting and diarrhea, diarrhea only, abdominal pain only, etc.). These germs can be spread from contaminated food, as well as person-to-person, from animals to people, or from contaminated water. The term "food poisoning" can be confusing because these infections do not always come from food.

2. I’m a vegetarian; I can’t get Salmonella, right?: While undercooked meats are one of the main causes of Salmonella infection, many other non-meat and non-animal products can spread the infection as well. Salmonella can be found in sprouts and other vegetables, eggs, fruits, and even processed foods (like nut butters). The best way to prevent Salmonella is to cook your vegetables and fruits. Since raw fruits and vegetables have health benefits, the next best way to avoid Salmonella is to thoroughly wash your produce before eating it. Avoid unwashed, raw fruits and vegetables.

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Health - Solid Waste

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1. Do I have to have garbage service?: Whatcom County requires the transportation and disposal of solid waste by qualified providers. An exemption is allowed. Please contact Environmental Health online for more information.

2. Can’t I just burn my garbage?: Burning garbage is illegal and can be dangerous. Breathing smoke from burning garbage can cause or worsen asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema and damage children’s lungs. Burning plastic releases many cancer causing agents into the air that you or your neighbors may breathe.

3. Can I burn my yard waste?: Burning yard waste is now illegal if you live in a city with more than 5,000 people. Breathing smoke from any fire can worsen serious lung conditions. Other opportunities such as reducing the quantity of waste, shredding, composting, and chipping are options. Transfer stations and the City of Bellingham Clean Green site will also take your yard waste.

4. What are the requirements for storing garbage?: Garbage must be stored in a rigid, durable container with a tight fitting lid. This type of container prevents rodents and insects from getting into the garbage and potentially spreading diseases to your neighbors.

5. Where can I dispose of household hazardous wastes like paints, solvents, cleaners, and gasoline?: The Disposal of Toxics Facility is located at 3505 Airport Drive in Bellingham. The phone number is 360-380-4640. They can also provide information regarding other recycling opportunities.

6. Where can I dispose of used oil and antifreeze?: These items should be separated and stored in a sealed plastic container with tight fitting lid and taken to:
The Disposal of Toxics Facility
3505 Airport Drive
Bellingham, WA 98225

Birch Bay Lynden Drop Box
4294 Birch Bay Lynden Road
Blaine, WA 98230

Nooksack Valley Disposal Drop Box
250 Birch Bay Lynden Road
Lynden, WA 98264

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Health - Substance Abuse Program

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1. What should I do if someone in my family appears to have a substance problem?: If your loved one is willing to go for an evaluation, you can contact a treatment provider and set up a time for an evaluation. The evaluation will take approximately two hours.

2. What do I do if my loved one won't go to treatment?: You can talk to a counselor at a treatment agency to get ideas about how to approach your loved one with your concerns. You can also contact Pioneer Human Services at 360-676-2205, ext. 1015 and talk to a County Designated Chemical Dependency Specialist to see if the person you are concerned about qualifies for an involuntary commitment. Please note that this is not a crisis response system.

3. What should I do if my family member returns home intoxicated and out of control?: Contact the police immediately for assistance.

4. What if I cannot afford treatment?: Contact any of the providers on the list who provide services to individuals with low income or medical coupons and see if you are eligible for a sliding fee scale. You will need to tell the agency what your monthly income is and how many people are in your household. They will be able to give you an estimate of what your cost will be, but you will need to bring your most recent monthly pay stub in at the time of your evaluation.

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Health - Vaping and E-Cigarettes

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1. Are e-cigarettes safer than cigarettes or other tobacco products?

At this time, we do not know if e-cigarettes are safer than cigarettes. Before the current outbreak of vaping-linked lung injuries, scientific studies suggested that people who completely switched from smoking to using electronic cigarettes would be exposed to fewer harmful chemicals. But the outbreak highlights that there is still a lot we do not know about e-cigarettes and vapor products. We also do not know the long-term effects of vaping, because these products have not been around long enough to study what they might do to long-term health.

E-cigarettes have not been proven to be effective tobacco cessation aids. Adults who use e-cigarettes, vapor products or other tobacco products and are attempting to quit should use evidence-based treatments, including counseling and FDA-approved medications.

2. What are the health consequences of nicotine addiction?

Even without the smoke and tar of cigarettes, nicotine itself can damage your heart, arteries, and lungs, increasing your risk for heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease.

Nicotine is worse for young people, whose bodies are still developing. The use of nicotine during adolescence and young adulthood has been associated with lasting cognitive and behavioral impairments, including effects on working memory and attention. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nicotine can cause lasting harm to brain development, promote addiction, and lead to sustained tobacco use.

3. What kind of vapor product should I be most worried about?: Unfortunately, we just do not know. The investigation of the vaping illness outbreak has not clearly identified a common product or substance as the cause, so it could be many different products. The CDC and Washington State Department of Health are investigating all e-cigarettes and vapor products.

4. Is it safe to use vape products I bought in the store?: Vaping, like smoking cigarettes, has never been safe. From a public health perspective, there's still more we need to learn about vaping products and their short- and long-term effects. More regulation of vaping products and greater reporting requirements will help us to better identify public health risks.

5. Do the same rules apply to tribal retailers?: Tribes are sovereign nations and enact their own laws. Some tribes in Washington are enacting their own policies that align with the emergency rules passed by the Washington State Board of Health.

6. How is the vaping industry regulated in Washington state?

In Washington, the Liquor and Cannabis Board has regulatory authority over the cannabis industry and vapor product retailers. They have authority over the production and sale of cannabis products. They have less authority over vapor product retailers but do enforce some regulations such as conducting compliance checks to ensure compliance with no-sales-to-minors.

The bigger challenge is around regulating e-cigarettes and nicotine vapor products. Currently, there are few federal or state regulations for e-cigarettes and nicotine vapor products.

Starting in 2020, e-cigarette and vapor product manufacturers will need to submit premarket tobacco product applications to the FDA for approval. This should bring more clarity around the ingredients in these products.
Until stronger federal regulations are in place, Washington State has taken action to fill in some of the regulatory gaps in state law. Governor Inslee has directed the Department of Health to draft Governor-request legislation for 2020 that would:
- Ban all flavored vapor products.
- Require disclosure of vapor product ingredients.
- Increase regulatory oversight.
- Limit bulk sales.
- Expand the educational campaign about vaping.
- Clarify the Department of Health’s authority in situations like this where there is harm or risk to the public but the specific cause of that harm is unknown.

7. How do I report a complaint about a business selling flavored vapor products?: The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board is responsible to make sure retailers comply with the ban on flavored vape products. You can report violations of the rule on their website.

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Health - Veteran's Program

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1. What forms do I need to have in order to qualify for veteran’s benefits?

Veterans need their DD214 to access all veteran benefits.

A Veteran can apply for a lost DD214 by submitting an SF180. The form and instructions are below:

https://www.archives.gov/files/research/order/standard-form-180.pdf

2. Are there medical benefits I am eligible for as a veteran?

Some veterans may qualify for VA Healthcare. Click the link below for more information.

https://www.va.gov/HEALTH/

3. My spouse, who was a veteran, just passed away. How can I get burial assistance?: Some low income veterans may qualify for burial assistance through the Whatcom County Veterans Assistance Program, please call the office at (360)778-6050 to inquire.

4. I’m a veteran looking for a job in Whatcom County – is there a place where I should look?: The Worksource Whatcom Veteran Employment Representative is a great place to start. Their number is (360)676-3203.

5. Are there housing programs set up to help Veterans find places to live?

The Whatcom Homeless Service Center offers several programs to help low income veterans with housing.

https://www.whatcomhsc.org/

6. Where can I meet up with other local veterans?

Please check out the Whatcom County Veterans Calendar to see a comprehensive list of veteran event in the area.

https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=whatcomcountyveterans%40gmail.com&ctz=America/Los_Angeles

7. Is there someone who can help me understand my benefits better?: Veteran Service Officers can help veterans both understand and apply for their earned VA benefits. Please call (360) 778-6050 to set up an appointment.

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Health - Water Recreation

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1. I was swimming in a pool and a day later I noticed I had a rash. What should I do?: Contact your health care provider first and tell them that you developed a rash after swimming in a pool. They can evaluate the need for treatment to make you well. Contact our office and let us know the name of the pool. We will investigate the incident and attempt to determine the cause of the rash.

2. I was swimming in a lake and developed what my neighbor called swimmer's itch. What should I do?: Contact your health care provider for treatment. Contact our department to report when and where you went swimming.

3. What is swimmer's itch?: Swimmers itch usually refers to a rash caused by a little parasite that burrows under your skin and dies. To avoid the rash, you should shower immediately after leaving the water and towel dry and put on some dry clothes. Try to remove little water droplets before they dry on your skin. The little parasite lives in the water and can survive in a water droplet long enough to burrow under your skin.

4. Why do hotels always have a big fence and gate around their pool?: Unintentional drowning remains a leading cause of death for small children. The fence and gate keep the unattended small children away from the pool.

5. I went swimming and the water was so cloudy I could not see the bottom of the pool. Is this a problem?: Yes, not being able to detect distressed or drowning bathers is always a cause for alarm. Additionally, poor water clarity is often a result of poor filtration, poor disinfection, poor water balance, slow turnover rates, and over-saturation of chemical stabilizer. Report this immediately to the pool facility's person in charge, and then call our office. Washington state law requires pool closure in such situations until correction of this issue.

6. What is the age limit for bathers to swim alone in a limited use pool?: Only adults (18+) can swim alone in a limited use pool facility. If a child 12 years of age or less is using the pool, a responsible adult 18 years or older must accompany the child, and be at the pool deck at all times the child uses the facility. If an individual between 13 years-old and 17 years-old is using the pool, at least one other person (13-17 year old) must be at the pool facility.

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Human Resources - Family & Medical Leave Act

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1. What is FMLA?: FMLA is a federal law that allows employees to balance their work and family life by taking reasonable unpaid leave for certain family and medical reasons. Eligible employees may take up to 12 work weeks of leave in a 12-month period.

2. When can I take FMLA leave?

When you're unable to work due to your own serious health condition (PDF)
To care for a spouse, son, daughter, or parent with a serious health condition (PDF)
For the birth of a child or placement of a child through adoption or foster care
For certain events related to a family member's military service.

3. Are all employee eligible for FMLA?: No. You must have worked for Whatcom County a total of 12 months (need not be consecutive) and at least 1,250 hours in the 12 consecutive months.

4. How do I request an FMLA leave?: Complete an FMLA Leave Request (PDF) and forward to your HR Representative. Also, be sure to inform your supervisor about your need for leave.

5. Do I need to provide a Medical Certification to support my FMLA leave request?: Yes, in most cases. When your HR Representative returns your FMLA Leave Request form (PDF), it will tell you if an FMLA Medical Certification is required. If required, failure to provide the certification by the deadline may result in your leave being denied.

6. Do I need to provide medical recertifications?: We will let you know when recertifications are required. For lengthy, intermittent leave due to your own serious health condition, we may also ask your doctor to review your attendance record periodically and verify your attendance is consistent with the medical needs of your condition.

7. Who should I inform about changes during my leave and my plan to return to work?: You must report to your supervisor periodically so he or she can make arrangements to cover your work during your leave. Your HR Representative will handle the health care information and recertifications to preserve medical privacy to the extent possible and will assure your leave is coordinated consistent with county policy and federal law.

8. Am I responsible for completing timesheets during my FMLA leave?: Yes. You need to arrange a plan with your supervisor for submitting weekly time sheets to reflect your choices about use of accruals and/or unpaid leave.

9. Do I need to use a different timesheet when I'm on FMLA leave?

Yes. Use FMLA timesheets (see HR for these):

FMLA Timesheet for FLSA Exempt Employee
FMLA Timesheet for FLSA Non-Exempt Employee

10. Must I use accruals during my FMLA leave?: You can take unpaid time or choose to use accrued leave as allowed by your collective bargaining agreement, unrepresented resolution, or county policy. You will continue to accrue sick and vacation leave if you meet minimum compensated hours per month. When your HR Representative returns your FMLA Leave Request form (PDF), it will provide information about which type of accruals you can use.

11. How will my benefits be affected during my FMLA leave?: All health and welfare benefits continue during FMLA leave under the same conditions as if you continued to work. If you normally have a payroll deduction for voluntary benefits (voluntary life, personal accident insurance, etc.), these payments will be deducted from your paychecks while on leave. If your paycheck does not cover these self-pay premiums, Finance will send you a bill. If self-pay premium payments are not made in a timely fashion, those benefits may be cancelled. If you decide to discontinue these benefit enhancements, you must notify your HR Representative in writing.

12. If I am out on time loss for a workers' compensation claim, how does that work with FMLA?: Leave for a workers’ compensation injury or illness runs concurrently with FMLA, if the reason for the absence is due to a qualifying FMLA serious health condition. The first 3 days following an on-the-job injury or illness is a waiting period for which you may use leave accruals. Time loss payments start after the waiting period and do not quite provide the same income as regular pay. Work with your HR Representative if you wish to supplement time loss payments with accruals. If you qualify for holidays, and a holiday falls during the time you are off work on time loss payments, you will receive holiday pay.

13. Is my retirement affected by FMLA leave?: Usually not, however, for any month you are not paid the minimum number of hours required to earn service credits for your retirement plan, you lose retirement service credit for that month. Contact Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) directly at 800-547-6657 for information about how to recover lost service credit.

14. Will I qualify for any short-term disability benefits?: It depends. If you are covered by the Master Collective Bargaining Agreement and your condition qualifies, you may be eligible for short-term disability benefits. To apply, you and your health care provider must complete the Teamsters Disability Application (PDF) and forward to your HR Representative to complete the employer section and mail to the WA Teamsters Welfare Trust. Workers’ compensation leaves do not qualify.

15. Do I need to provide a fitness-for-duty certification before I can return to work?: Yes, if your leave is for your own serious health condition. Please return a completed Fitness-for-Duty Certification form (PDF) to your HR Representative before your date of return. Any work restrictions must be approved by your supervisor in advance of your return.

16. What assistance is available to me and/or my family during a health crisis affecting me or a loved one?: Free, professional and confidential counseling is available through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) via APS Healthcare (Company Code: Whatcom). Call 800-607-1522 to schedule an appointment. EAP services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In addition to counseling, additional services such as; Child and Adult Care Services and Financial and Legal Services are also available.

17. Do I need to provide an FMLA Medical Certification to qualify my maternity-leave FMLA leave request?: Only if your medical condition requires you to stop work prior to delivery or if your maternity disability will exceed 6 weeks following birth. If this is the case, have your doctor complete an FMLA Medical Certification form (PDF). Please communicate any changes to your leave with your supervisor and your HR Representative.

18. How do I add my newborn baby to my benefit plans?: Download all necessary forms to add your baby to benefits online. You need to complete and return the benefit enrollment forms to your HR Representative within 60 days of birth.
Employee Status Changes

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Human Resources - Jobs

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1. How often are job listings updated?

We update job listings when positions come open. You can be automatically notified if you fill out a job interest card.

There are now two different ways to be notified when job openings at Whatcom County become available.

To be notified when a job opens in a particular job category, visit the Job Categories page, select which category(ies) you are interested in, click the green Subscribe button, and complete the job interest card.

To be notified when a job opens in a particular job title, visit the Job Descriptions page, click the title of the job you want, click the green "Subscribe" button in the upper right corner, and complete the job interest card.

*For current County employees only: internal postings will continue to be posted on the existing Internal Jobs page, and if you have subscribed, you will continue to receive notifications of internal postings. If you haven't already subscribed to be notified of new internal postings, follow the directions at the top of the Internal Notify Me page to subscribe to the Human Resources - Internal Jobs News Flash.

2. Can I apply for positions not listed?: No. We only accept applications for positions that are open for recruitment. We do not accept unsolicited resumes. See open positions here:
Current Job Openings

3. Should I include a resume and a cover letter?: Review the job announcement and follow those instructions. A completed County job application is most important. If you do attach a resume to your online application, do not type "see resume" in sections of your application because this may render your application incomplete.

4. Do you keep previous applications on file or do I turn in a new application each time?: No, we don't keep applications in a general file. Please submit a Whatcom County application and any supplemental materials for each position to which you wish to apply. You can use a photocopy of a previous application if you update the position title, date, and original signature.

5. If a position is posted a long time, are you still accepting applications?: Yes. We accept applications through the closing date for listed jobs. If a listing says "on-going recruitment," we will accept applications until the position is closed. See open positions here:
Current Job Openings

6. What happens after I submit in my application?: You will get a confirmation message and email that your application has been submitted. Human Resources screens and forwards applications to the hiring department. The hiring department will contact you directly if you are selected to test and interview.

7. Do I need to be a U.S. Citizen to work for Whatcom County?: Yes, for Law Enforcement positions (also must be at least 21 years of age). For other positions, Whatcom County hires individuals legally authorized to work in the United States. All new employees must show authorization to work in the United States and verify identity. Whatcom County participates in E-Verify.

8. If I applied for a position, will I receive an interview?: Not necessarily. We receive many applications for positions and extend interviews to a narrowed field of candidates based on qualifications in the context of other applications received.

9. What benefits do you offer to your employees?: Whatcom County offers excellent benefits for regular employees including medical, dental and vision coverage for employees and their family, plus life insurance for employees. Other benefits include generous paid leave and an average of 12 paid holidays per year. County employees participate in the Washington State Retirement System (DRS) with contributions from the County and the employee. An Employee Assistance Program for employees and household members is also available.

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Human Resources - Military Leaves

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1. How do I initiate Military Leave?: First, you need to provide the County with as much advance notice of military leave as possible. When you hear you are being activated or have annual training coming up, don’t delay – let your supervisor know, and contact your Human Resources Representative to get the process started and find out the details of the military leave process.

2. If I am called to active military duty for a significant length of time, what types of paid leave are available to me?

Every employee is entitled to twenty-one paid work days of military leave in each federal fiscal year (October 1 through September 30). For longer military leaves, employees may choose to:

1) use accrued vacation leave, personal holiday, compensatory time, and/or PTO, as applicable;

2) go on an unpaid leave of absence without first using paid leaves; or

3) request contributions of vacation leave from other employees through the County’s leave sharing program (you must use your accrued vacation, PTO, and compensatory time before qualifying for shared leave).

3. What do I need to do about weekly timesheets during military leave?: Employees on leave still need to submit weekly timesheets. Work with your supervisor and your department’s payroll preparer before leaving, to make sure this detail is taken care of ahead of time.

4. What happens to my medical benefits while I am on military leave?

For any months in which you are in paid status for the sufficient number of hours, as specified in your collective bargaining agreement or the Unrepresented Resolution, the County will continue its regular medical plan contributions.

If your unpaid military leave is thirty days or less, your medical coverage will remain in place.

If your unpaid military leave is longer than thirty days:

For employees covered by the County’s self-insured medical plan (HMA), the County will continue to provide coverage for you, your spouse, and your dependents for up to 18 months of unpaid military leave. This coverage will be provided under the terms of your collective bargaining agreement or the Unrepresented Resolution, whichever applies to you. The County’s medical plan excludes coverage for treatment while serving in the armed forces or treatment made necessary as a result of war, but for all other covered medical needs, and for your family, your coverage will be intact.

If military leave is longer than 18 months, you may elect to self-pay COBRA premiums to extend your HMA coverage. If you choose to discontinue County coverage during military leave, your coverage will be reinstated the month you return to active employment, with no waiting period.

For employees covered by the Teamsters medical plan, the terms of this plan do not permit employer-paid coverage while the employee is on unpaid military leave. You may elect to self-pay COBRA premiums, and, as with HMA, if you choose to discontinue County coverage, you will have coverage reinstated the month you return to active employment, with no waiting period.

5. What about my other benefits (dental, vision, life insurance, long-term disability)?

The County will continue its regular contributions to your coverage for any months in which you are in paid status for the sufficient number of hours, as specified in your collective bargaining agreement or the Unrepresented Resolution, and for employees on an unpaid military leave of thirty days or less.

If you are in unpaid status, you may continue coverage as follows:

1) dental and vision insurance through COBRA;

2) life insurance coverage by converting to an individual policy;

3) long-term disability insurance coverage, if applicable, via billing from the County’s Finance division.

6. Are there any provisions for leave for family service members?

Yes, there are three different leave entitlements for the family of service members:

Employees may take leave leading up to a spouse’s deployment or during a spouse’s leave from deployment:
The Washington State Military Family Leave Law provides that spouses of military personnel can take up to 15 days unpaid leave per deployment before and up to deployment, or while their spouse is on leave from deployment, during times of military conflict declared by the President or Congress. You may use vacation, PTO, sick leave, personal holiday, or compensatory time if available; otherwise, the time is taken as leave without pay. To take leave under this provision, you must work an average of 20 or more hours per workweek, and must notify your supervisor within five business days of receiving the official notice of a spouse’s leave or impending call to active duty.

Family members may take “qualifying exigency” leave, related to deployment or active duty:
The federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) contains provisions for “Qualifying Exigency Leave.” This allows an eligible employee to take unpaid time off to handle urgent matters arising out of the fact that the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent is on active duty, or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty, in support of a contingency operation.

“Qualifying exigencies” include: issues arising from a covered military member’s short notice deployment; military events and related activities; certain childcare and related activities; making or updating financial and legal arrangements to address a covered military member’s absence; attending counseling related to the call to active duty; spending time with a covered military member during short-term R & R leave during deployment; and attending to certain post-deployment activities.

An eligible employee is entitled to take up to 12 workweeks of leave during a “single 12-month period” to handle qualifying exigencies. You are an “eligible employee” under the FMLA if you have worked for Whatcom County for at least 12 months, and if you have at least 1,250 work hours in the past 12 months. See the County’s FMLA Policy for additional information about the FMLA.

Family members may take “military caregiver leave” leave to care for an ill or injured military member:
The federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) contains provisions for Military Caregiver Leave. This allows an eligible employee who is the spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin of a covered servicemember with a serious injury or illness to take job-protected FMLA leave to provide care to the servicemember.

You are an “eligible employee” under the FMLA if you have worked for Whatcom County for at least 12 months, and if you have at least 1,250 work hours in the past 12 months. See the County’s FMLA Policy for additional information about the FMLA.

A “covered servicemember” is a current member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy, is otherwise in outpatient status, or is otherwise on the temporary disability retired list, for a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty on active duty.

An eligible employee is entitled to take up to 26 workweeks of leave during a “single 12-month period” to care for a seriously injured or ill covered servicemember. The “single 12-month period” begins on the first day the eligible employee takes military caregiver leave, and ends 12 months after that date.

Employees taking military caregiver leave are entitled to a combined total of 26 weeks of all types of FMLA leave in the single 12-month period.

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Human Resources - Severe Weather

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1. When the weather is bad, what should I do?: Every employee is an important part of county operations. Our citizens rely on county government for critical services to the community during storms and emergencies. We need you at work as soon as you can reasonably arrive. If you need to report later than normal to allow safe travel to work, notify your supervisor and discuss how you wish to charge unworked time.

2. Will business hours be the same for all county operations?

No. Public Works staff clear and sand roads around the clock during poor weather conditions.

Deputy Sheriff’s continue to patrol and Corrections and Detention staff keep offenders secure on a 24 hours / 7 days a week basis.

Facilities staff arrive early to take care of buildings and walkways.

The courts remain open whenever possible. Other Courthouse and county offices open their doors as soon as enough staff is available to provide public service.

3. How do I fill out my timesheet?: If you came to work and worked during all declared open hours, put down hours for the full workday. In most instances, you will be able to work with your supervisor to "flex your time." Record absences for late arrivals, missed days, and early departures in this order: 1. Accrued comp time 2. Accrued vacation 3. Personal holiday 4. Leave without pay (if Payroll is notified before cutoff date). If you were pre-scheduled for vacation, comp time, or personal holiday, or were sick, put down earned accruals for the full workday.

4. Who can answer my other questions?: Your supervisor is your direct point of contact for work hour and attendance. You can also call
Human Resources at (360) 778-5300 if you have a policy question.

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Information Technology - GIS Parcel Viewer Help

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1. How can I search for a property by address?

Click in the text field at the bottom of your parcel viewer window where it says "Property ID or Address". Type the FULL address in this text field and hit "Enter". An address point will appear on the map with a dialog box with details about the property.
A pop up window will appear showing the details about the property.

2. How can I navigate on the map more easily / quickly?

At the very top right of the browser window in the parcel viewer there is an arrow pointing SW. Click on that and you will get an inset map that will let you hover and drag the map extent (gray box). You can toggle the inset map on or off using the arrow. When clicking on the arrow (below), an inset map will appear at the top right (bottom), enabling the viewer to navigate in the inset map.

Map Inset Map View - click on arrow

Inset Map View

3. How can I zoom to my current location?: Use the My Location button on the toolbar – this will take you back to a view where your current location is centered in the map. You will be prompted to allow the browser to use your location, select Yes.

4. How can I get back to the map of Whatcom County?

If you have zoomed out too far, or lost your place in the map, you can easily et back t the default extent (amount of zoom in or out) by selecting the Home button. This will snap you back to a map that is centered on Whatcom County.

Select Home in the Parcel Viewer Task Bar
This should snap you back to this view:

5. How do I print a map?

Use the Zoom Tool to zoom to the area of interest
Use the Draw toolset to create arrows or highlights if desired
Click on the print icon
In the print options window, create a Title for your Map or use the default name in the Map Title field
Select common layout sizes using the pulldown option
Select the Format “Image” type you want to use (example - PDF, JPG, etc)
Click print. The map will appear in as a clickable file you can save to your computer or device
The map will appear in the browser with title, scale etc. To see the option to save the map, you might have to hover over the top of the browser window until you see the download button.

Advanced Options:
Select Advanced options and put in a mapping scale and other options you can check on/off. You can also specify units you want to use for your map.

6. How do I change the scale range for the property ID label visibility?

Click the Layers icon at bottom of screen and ensure that the “Tax Property Labels (Zoom In)” is toggled on. (The text will be shaded when zoomed-out).
Make sure the Property ID labels are set to appear when the map has been zoomed in.
Simply click the + icon in the very lower-left corner or use the scroll wheel on the mouse to zoom in farther as needed.
When the map is appropriately scaled the labels will appear and the layer item will no longer be shaded

7. How do I adjust layers visibility and drawing order?

All layer adjustment will be done through the Layer tool located on the toolbar.

Select the Layer tool
Click the triangle to the left of the layer name to view the symbols for that item
Toggle the check box to turn on and off
Additional options are presented to the right, when the (...) icon to the right of the layer name is selected:
- Set transparency
- Set visibility scale range (this setting determines how far you must be zoomed in or out before a layer appears)
- Move layer up or down on the list which also changes the display order on the map

8. How do I measure distance or area?

Click the Measure icon (ruler) on the tool bar to open the Measure window
Click the shape symbol to the left for area, the adjacent line symbol for length or the XY point for location
Once chosen a dropdown to the right will provide units-of-measurement options, see arrow below. Click on the pull down option to the right of the units of measurement to change units.
The measurement options to the right of the tool change depending on the tool you’ve chosen, with area for the shape tool, linear units of measurement for the ruler and Longitude and Latitude measurements for the Point tool.
By holding down control while drawing or measuring, you can snap to parcel lines.

9. How do I access the Whatcom County Zoning Regulations from the Map?

To access the zoning regulations for an area, make the “Unincorporated Whatcom Zoning” layer visible by clicking on the checkbox. Note: The layer is grayed out at full view.
Zoom into an area you want and click on the map to bring up the popup. Note: You might need to arrow over to the popup if multiple layers are turned on
Look for the Blue highlighted text under Zoning Code Link: Zoning Description

10. How accurate is the parcel data?: GIS data is pulled together from a variety of sources with varying degrees of accuracy and precision, so horizontal positional accuracy can vary greatly. For many of the subdivisions, Coordinate Geometry or COGO calculations were performed using recorded plat documents. While recorded documents are used to inform our mapping, online mapping data is for assistance in property location and not guaranteed for accurate measurements.

11. When I search a parcel, how do I move the popup from obscuring the map underneath?: At this time there is no way to move the pop-up around, however, you can reset the popup by click on the outer Edge of the map feature so that it is no longer obscured by the pop-up.

12. How do I brighten the Assessor Map parcel lines and labels?

The only adjustment available for layer symbology is transparency, which is located in the Layer window.

Select the layers tool.
In the properties window that appears, select the "..." to the right of the layer you want to change.
In the properties select Transparency. In the transparency adjustment area, adjust the transparency. Dragging the transparency slider to the left will increase the opacity of the layer, thus increasing the visibility of the layer, to the right will increase the transparency.

13. How can I add my own text and markup to a map?

Both text and markup are available in the Draw window. Simply open and select what color/shape you’d like to draw with, and scroll down for advanced options.

Select the Draw tool
In the popup window, select shapes, text or lines.
Once you select a shape or line, additional choices will appear which enable you to change the color, width and transparency of the lines of the shape (etc).

14. How do I use the Public Notification Tool?

Click on the Public Notification Tool
There are multiple methods to select parcels for notification:
Enter the Prop ID or the Geo ID and select Search (magnifying glass icon).

To Select by Shape

Manually select a parcel or group of parcels, choose a point, line or polygon shape.
You can buffer the selected parcels by selecting "Apply a search distance" (hint: the search distance and unit of measurement can be changed).
Select the format using the drop down menu. The results can be delivered as comma-separated (CSV) or PDF Labels
Select "Download" to have the chose format downloaded

15. Why is the map responding slowly?

We are always monitoring for performance as more and more users discover the Parcel Viewer. The app may occasionally experience slowness for a variety of reasons. Here are a few:

You are zoomed out in an area where there is a lot of map features (i.e. parcels) and you use the pan tool to pan to a new area.
You are zoomed out when using the popup tool, which is delayed by having to draw the map features first.

To improve performance, you can:

Turn off property labels. Go to the layer list and uncheck the tax property labels (top).
Use search by address or parcel identifier to get to your desired location.
Make sure you are zoomed in before using the popup feature to identify a property.
Use the navigation tool in the upper right to navigate the map view more efficiently.
Confirm that you do not have more than one application session open at a time.
Refresh the browser page if you encounter consistent slowness.

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Information Technology - GIS Watershed Viewer Help

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1. How can I search for a property by address?

Click in the text field at the top left of your watershed viewer window where it says "Find address or place". Type the FULL address in this text field and hit "Enter". An address point will appear on the map with a dialog box.

Search Bar

2. How can I zoom to my current location?

Use the My Location button at the upper left of your watershed viewer window– this will take you back to a view where your current location is centered in the map. You will be prompted to allow the browser to use your location, select Yes.

My Location Button

3. How can I get back to the map of Whatcom County?

If you have zoomed out too far, or lost your place in the map, you can easily get back to the default extent (amount of zoom in or out) by selecting the Home button. This will snap you back to a map that is centered on Whatcom County.

Home Button

4. How do I adjust layers visibility and drawing order?

All layer adjustment will be done through the Layer tool located on the toolbar.

Select one of the Layer Lists
Click the triangle to the left of the layer name to view the symbols for that item
Toggle the check box to turn on and off
Additional options are presented to the right, when the (...) icon to the right of the layer name is selected:
- Set transparency
- Show labels
- Move layer up or down on the list, which also changes the display order on the map
- Show item details

5. How do I measure distance or area?

Click the Measure icon (ruler) in the upper left to open the Measure window
Click the shape symbol to the left for area, the opposing arrows symbol in the middle for distance, or the square symbol to the right for location
Once chosen, a dropdown to the right will provide units-of-measurement options. Click on the pull down option to the right of the units of measurement to change units.
Click on your starting point, then click for additional points. Double click to select end point. By holding down control while drawing or measuring, you can snap to parcel lines or other layers.

6. How can I add my own text and markup to a map?

Both text and markup are available in the Draw window. Simply open and select what color/shape you’d like to draw with, and scroll down for advanced options.

Select the Draw tool
In the popup window, select shapes, text or lines.
Once you select a shape or line, additional choices will appear which enable you to change the color, width and transparency of the lines of the shape (etc).

7. How do I print a map?

Use the Zoom Tool to zoom to the area of interestNote: The map will clip to the center of what is visible in the web browser, see image below for example.
Select the layers you wish to include from the Layer Lists. Use the Draw toolset to create arrows or highlights if desired.
Click on the print icon
In the print options window, create a Title for your Map or use the default name in the Map Title field
Select common layout sizes using the pulldown option
Select the Format “Image” type you want to use (example - PDF, JPG, etc)
Click print. The map will appear in as a clickable file you can save to your computer or device.
The map will appear in the browser with title, scale etc. To save the map, click the download button in the top right corner of the browser

Advanced Options: Select Advanced options and put in a mapping scale and other options you can check on/off. You can also specify units you want to use for your map.

Advanced Button

8. Why is the map responding slowly?

We are always monitoring for performance as more and more users discover the Watershed Viewer. The app may occasionally experience slowness for a variety of reasons. Here are a few:

You are zoomed out in an area where there is a lot of map features (i.e. parcels) and you use the pan tool to pan to a new area.
You are zoomed out when using the popup tool, which is delayed by having to draw the map features first.

To improve performance, you can:

Reduce the number of layers turned on.
Use search by address to get to your desired location.
Confirm that you do not have more than one application session open at a time.
Refresh the browser page if you encounter consistent slowness.

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Information Technology - Records Requests

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1. Who do I contact for Public Records Requests?: Inquiries about public records should be directed to the Public Records Officer. For more information, see the Public Records Information page.

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Jail Planning Task Force

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1. What is the Definition of Jail Overcrowding and What are the Impacts?

Jail overcrowding is defined as housing more inmates than the building was designed to hold. In 1984, Whatcom County opened the current downtown jail, originally designed to hold 148 people. As jail population has grown, some limited remodeling helped to increase the operational capacity of the main jail to 212. However, the infrastructure (kitchen, laundry, visiting booths, medical clinic areas, etc.) was not able to grow along with the additional beds. With jail population outgrowing the expanded capacity the County, with taxpayer support, constructed a temporary work center in 2006 with an additional 150 beds and an operational capacity of about 127. Today, the combined operational capacity is 339. The maximum reported occupancy of the existing jail over the last two years occurred on May 11th, 2015. On that date, it was reported that a total of 389 offenders were under supervision.

In addition to design capacity, overcrowding is caused by several factors. Population increases, legislative changes related to mandated arrests, and the Sentencing Reform Act which pushed sentences that were once served in prisons to county jails, have all contributed to overcrowding. Overcrowding accelerates erosion to the building, has detrimental effects on the jail population, and escalates staffing needs.

2. How was the Size of the Proposed New Jail Determined?

National best practice recommends that jails should operate at 85% capacity to allow for separating incompatible groups of offenders that don't get along. Currently the jail consistently operates either at absolute capacity or over capacity. The existing jail was originally built to hold 148 offenders. With some limited remodeling, the operational capacity of the main jail should be 212. The absolute capacity of the Work Center is 150 beds and the operational capacity is about 127, depending on the offender mix. The combined operational capacity is 339. The maximum reported occupancy of the existing jail over the last two years occurred on May 11th, 2015. It was reported that a total of 389 offenders were under supervision. Of the total number of offenders 253 were in the main jail, 94 were housed at the work center and 29 were monitored on Electronic Home Detention.

A facility with 440 regular beds and 36 health facility beds is intended to house about 404 inmates (374 regular inmates and 30 inmates with medical issues). This means that if the 476 bed facility is operated at 85% it will have a design capacity that is 19% (404/339) larger than our current facilities.

Working in coordination with all Cities, the County crafted a Jail Facility Financing and Use Agreement (JFFUA) which was approved by all of the city and county councils in June and July of 2017.

The JFFUA sets the housing size at 440 regular beds, +/- 3%, with 36 medical/behavioral health beds.

3. Where Will the Proposed New Jail be Located?

The County has spent millions, and provided an open and transparent process (EIS, public meetings, Council decisions) in evaluating, deciding and purchasing the Labounty Road property over the last 5-7 years.

Slater Road is the northern boundary of Bellingham. From many locations in Bellingham the actual drive time to the Labounty site is equal to or less than driving to the downtown jail. For other county cities, and other law enforcement agencies such as the Washington State Patrol, it is easier and faster to get to the Labounty road site than working their way through downtown Bellingham. As an added benefit, the design and configuration of the New Jail, with appropriate booking and holding cells, will likely reduce the actual time that officers will need to be at the facility when booking inmates.

As part of the JFFUA, "The County agrees to provide jail services to facilitate the needs of inmates for Courts appearances at the Courthouse sally port and holding space for all parties during the hours that the facility is staffed and operational for the Courts, unless otherwise agreed upon."

4. What is the Cost of the Proposed Facility?

In 2015, DLR architects projected the total project cost and construction cost of a new jail to be $91 Million, with a construction cost of $70 Million.

In comparison, the Skagit County jail costs for the total project and construction cost is $62 Million, with the construction cost at $48 Million. Skagit County built a 400 bed facility with 4 medical beds.

The 2017 projection of $110 Millions includes construction cost for a new jail, project costs, land acquisition costs, a 15-20% inflation increase from original projection, a sally port and holding facility in the courthouse, removal of the old jail, and about $3 Million in immediate repairs to the existing jail.

5. How will the Public Safety Tax Revenue be Used?

The County and all cities agreed to pay an equitable contribution for the construction costs, 78% of the construction costs are to be paid by the County and the remaining 22% are to be paid from the combined cities. The breakdown of the 22% paid by the cities is as follows:

Bellingham, 71.6%
Ferndale, 12.9%
Lynden 8.1%
Blaine 3.6%
Everson (on behalf of Nooksack and itself) 2.6%
Sumas 1.2%

The Public Safety Tax is projected to collect $7.97 Million in 2019, to pay the annual bond payment projected at $6.75 Million.

Starting in 2019, the cities are projected to have additional public safety tax revenue above their portion of the capital payment.

Bellingham, $1.1 Million revenue in excess of jail capital payment
Ferndale, $145K revenue in excess of jail capital payment
Lynden, $229K revenue in excess of jail capital payment

The excess sales tax can be used for public safety issues (police), including facilities and programs for medical and behavioral health services and incarceration prevention programs.

6. What Financial Commitments Were Made for Alternatives?

The JFFUA allocates a percentage of revenue back to the cities after the capital payment to the County. Any revenue the city keeps from the public safety tax can be used for public safety, behavioral health, and jail alternative purposes.

The JFFUA specifically indicates that "all parties agree to implement the recommendations of the Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force (IPRTF) upon their final recommendation, where possible. This includes increasing the availability of alternative jail programs, including Electronic Home Detention, Work Release and Work Crew programs, and the establishment of a County pretrial supervision program."

The JFFUA indicates "to ensure the continued commitment to reducing incarceration and recidivism, the IPRTF will have a task force member on the ....Advisory Board."

In coordination with the approval of the JFFUA, Whatcom County and the City of Bellingham crafted and entered into a Memorandum of Agreement to ensure the continued support of incarceration prevention and reduction programs. The Parties agreed to recognize and fully support the goals of the IPRTF and commit over $30 Million dollars over 30 years to incarceration prevention and reduction programs.

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Justice Project

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1. What's in the Justice Project Implementation Plan?

Building from the recommendations of the Justice Project Needs Assessment, the Implementation Plan lists five (5) key strategies and fifteen (15) projects, including:

Ensuring oversight, accountability, and transparency
Increasing access to behavioral health services
Building the array of facilities needed to promote public safety and health
Expanding the capacity of programs to reduce incarceration/reincarceration
Making systems changes with local, regional, and state partners

Read the full Implementation Plan.

2. Who is guiding the work of the Justice Project?

The Justice Project began with a Council-appointed Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) tasked with guiding the development of a Needs Assessment report. The SAC had 38 voting members including individuals with lived experience in the criminal legal system, mental health and substance use disorder providers, housing specialists, criminal justice advocates, as well as key city and county leaders.

The next step, which was to create an Implementation Plan, was led by the Executive’s Office with guidance from the Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force (IPRTF) acting as the Law and Justice Council (LJC) for Whatcom County. The IPRTF has been working since 2015 to provide resources to address the underlying causes of incarceration in order to lead people out of the criminal legal system and into supportive services, reducing the chances of reincarceration. The Justice Project – including the Needs Assessment and the subsequent Implementation Plan – has also been guided by input gathered through community focus groups, workshops, surveys, and listening sessions.

On June 12, 2023, the IPRTF endorsed the Draft Implementation Plan as ultimately approved by the County Executive and County Council. The Draft Implementation Plan then moved under the direction of the Executive and County Council. Councilmembers discussed the draft Implementation Plan during a reoccurring series of Committee of the Whole Justice Project Workshops. Workshop materials and information are available here. During a special meeting on June 26, 2023, County Council approved the Implementation Plan as amended.

3. What is the timeframe for proposed projects in the draft Implementation Plan?

The Implementation Plan identifies key projects and actions that can be taken in the next 1-3 years. Some projects are already underway, but others will take longer to accomplish and may not be completed within the 1-3 year timeframe.

View the Implementation Plan, including a list of projects that can be started in year one.

4. How is the work of the current Justice Project different than previous efforts and ballot measures?

In the past, there was an assessment of the jail facility but not all the complex components that determine who is in the jail, whether enough is being done to keep people out of jail, and how large the jail should be. This time, an in-depth needs assessment was completed under the guidance of a diverse stakeholder group with a large amount of public engagement and feedback, including feedback from priority audiences such as people with lived experience in the criminal legal system. This effort focuses on all the elements that help prevent people from going to jail and keep them from reincarceration. The Implementation Plan was developed in coordination with the Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force, which is made up of service providers, community members, and other key stakeholders who are working to refocus Whatcom County’s approach to public safety around equity, public health, and community safety.

5. How will the public be informed about progress toward implementation plan projects and goals? How will the county be transparent in tracking progress?

The Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force (IPRTF) will establish the Justice Project Oversight and Planning Committee (JPOP) to ensure transparency and facilitate communication with the public.

You can also stay updated on IPRTF news by:

Signing up for email notifications
Following the IPRTF on Facebook
Attending upcoming IPRTF meetings or viewing video/summary of previous meetings

6. How can community members provide feedback, ask questions, and offer input on the Justice Project and Implementation Plan?

Public comment on the Justice Project and Implementation Plan has concluded. Thank you to all who shared input and contributed to the development of the plan!

Past comments on the Justice Project are posted and available for viewing.

To stay informed on issues relating to the criminal legal system and behavioral health, follow the Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force (IPRTF):

7. What funding is available for proposed projects in the Implementation Plan?

The various services, facilities, and oversight projects outlined in the Implementation Plan will need to be matched to applicable funding types. Some of the funding is in progress or likely while other sources still need to be identified in order to fill gaps.

Funding Source	How It Can Be Spent
Proposed new sales tax	1/3 must go to Criminal Justice, 2/3 for anything, including the proposed Implementation Plan
State funds	Behavioral Health and Housing facility capital costs (crisis relief and stabilization centers)
County Behavioral Health Fund	Any behavioral health purpose, including Therapeutic Courts, school prevention, community behavioral health services, psychiatric services in the jail, GRACE program.
Medicaid	Healthcare, including behavioral health services, outside the jail (reimbursement rates are limited)
North Sound Behavioral Health ASO	State and Federal funding for regional behavioral health facilities and services, crisis services, involuntary commitment, co-responder program
Local housing funds	Affordable Housing, rental assistance, shelter and related services
General Fund and existing sales tax	Supports operating costs for existing jail and Work Center

Read about funding possibilities in the Implementation Plan.

8. What efforts have already been made to increase and enhance services for substance use disorder, mental health, and emergency response in Whatcom County?

Whatcom County Response Systems division of Health and Community Services has a number of programs to support community members facing substance use disorders, mental health challenges, and other emergency situations, including:

Anne Deacon Center for Hope: The Anne Deacon Center for Hope is an overnight, short-term facility for people having a mental health crisis or needing help with withdrawal from alcohol or other drugs.
ART: The Alternative Response Team is a behavioral health specialist and a public health nurse that respond to specific non-violent behavioral health 911 calls in Bellingham.
Co-Responder Program: The Sheriff Co-Responder Team works in close coordination with the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office and provides a behavioral health specialist to ride along with law enforcement calls when appropriate. The co-responder can also follow up individually with clients to make sure someone in need is connected to services and long-term support.
GRACE: Ground-Level Response and Coordinated Engagement connects people with complex behavioral health and medical needs who frequently interact with emergency systems to intensive case management.
LEAD: Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion offers people who have behavioral health needs a path out of the criminal justice system and into intensive case management.
Mental Health Court: Mental Health Court provides wraparound support to promote engagement in mental health care, recovery, and wellness for individuals with pending charges in the court. A Public Defender may refer them to Mental Health Court as an alternative to incarceration, with a goal of preventing future involvement in the criminal legal system.
Way Station: In partnership with Unity Care Northwest, PeaceHealth, and Opportunity Council, the Way Station (slated to open in 2024) will serve homeless individuals in need of hygiene, medical and behavioral health services, and/or recuperative respite.

9. What incarceration prevention and reduction strategies are being implemented?

The Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force (IPRTF) has introduced and helped facilitate a number of strategies to lead people out of the criminal legal system including incarceration alternatives, prevention and diversion programs, and process improvements.

Some alternatives to incarceration already in use are electronic home detention, work/school release, and work crews.
Several programs have also been implemented to reduce incarceration including the County’s GRACE and LEAD programs.
Whatcom County has also developed several specialized courts that offer alternatives to incarceration such as Recovery Court, Family Recovery Court, and Mental Health Court.
Court and prosecutor systems have also undergone changes with the Superior Court adopting use of the Public Safety Assessment, a pretrial risk assessment tool that helps judges make decisions about releasing or detaining individuals who are waiting for a court date.

Learn more about efforts to reduce the size of the jail population.

10. How are people with lived experience and BIPOC communities involved in this process?

The Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) included members with lived experience in the criminal legal system as well as representatives of local Tribal Nations. For development of the Needs Assessment report, Justice Project planners sought out the feedback of individuals with lived experience and BIPOC communities through surveys, focus groups, and listening sessions. Learn more about this community engagement process.

To develop the Implementation Plan, seven focus groups and a survey provided feedback from a total of 76 individuals with lived experience in the criminal legal system and/or who are part of BIPOC communities. View a presentation on the findings from the focus groups and survey.

11. Who will provide oversight for Implementation projects?

The Implementation Plan identifies the following recommended structures for oversight:

The Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force (IPRTF) will create a Justice Project Oversight and Planning Committee (JPOP) to help track progress, prepare updates, and provide public communication and engagement. Participants of this committee will include members of BIPOC communities, people with lived experience in the criminal legal system, and service providers.

The Whatcom County Executive will establish a Justice Project Finance Advisory Board made up of representatives from local jurisdictions, police departments, tribes, communities with lived experience in the criminal legal system, the behavioral health system, and IPRTF co-chairs. This board will provide oversight of the funds collected for the construction and operations of the jail and behavioral care center and associated services. The Advisory Board will also ensure fair cost sharing and public transparency.

12. What is the plan for replacing the jail?

Previous studies, such as a 2016 report, concluded the best solution is to build a new jail due to significant building deficiencies, projected costs, and limited space in the current facility. The Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) evaluated current conditions and costs to maintain the main jail facility in consideration with their belief in a healthy and humane jail and determined that the existing facility lacks the capacity to meet the needs of incarcerated people and should be replaced.

There was also common agreement, from the SAC, through IPRTF workshops, and through focus groups with BIPOC communities and people with lived experience, that a new facility needs to reflect a different approach.

The replacement facility will be designed and built to enable secure detention with integrated services for people who pose a significant threat to public safety. It also will include an array of rehabilitation services and diversion options including facilities and alternatives for lower-risk offenders (e.g., work release). Behavioral care treatment beds and services would be connected with these facilities as an alternative to incarceration.

Learn more about facilities recommendations.

13. Will funding a new jail and behavioral health center limit or reduce funding for substance use disorder, mental health, and other wraparound services?

No, there are different funding sources for the various proposed projects, and all of these funding sources will be critical to advancing the projects in the Implementation Plan.

Funding Source	How It Can Be Spent
Ballot measure for new sales tax/bond	1/3 must go to Criminal Justice, 2/3 for anything, including the proposed Implementation Plan
State funds	Behavioral Health and Housing facility capital costs (crisis relief and stabilization centers)
County Behavioral Health Fund	Any behavioral health purpose, including Therapeutic Courts, school prevention, community behavioral health services, psychiatric services in the jail, GRACE program.
Medicaid	Healthcare, including behavioral health services, outside the jail (reimbursement rates and limited)
North Sound Behavioral Health ASO	State and Federal funding for Regional behavioral health facilities and services, crisis services, involuntary commitment, co-responder program
Local housing funds	Affordable Housing, Rental Assistance, Shelter and related services
General Fund and existing sales tax	Supports operating costs for existing jail and Work Center

14. Who is in the Whatcom County Jail, and why are they in jail?

The average combined daily population in the current jail and work center facilities is 325. Approximately 50 percent of the jail population experiences some form of mental illness while roughly 80 percent of the jail population experiences a substance use disorder. Approximately 90 percent of those booked and held in custody have been charged with at least one felony offense.

Snapshot of Charges from April 24 – May 1, 2023

Classification	Description of Crime	# of People	% of Total Population
A Felony	Murder; bank robbery, robbery, assault, or burglary with deadly weapon	90	28%
B Felony	Robbery; attempted murder; assault (severe bodily harm); assault with car (usually DUI); burglary of home; manufacture/intent to distribute drugs; auto theft; possessing a stolen gun	131	41%
C Felony	Assault First Responder; domestic violence; DUI; attempt to elude police; felony harassment	61	19%
Gross Misdemeanor	Assault (usually in domestic violence); DUI; violate no-contact order; probation violation	39	12%

View the “Who’s in Jail” presentation for a more detailed breakdown of jail population statistics.

15. Why are people in the jail pretrial?

Most individuals in the jail are awaiting trial after judicial review. More serious crimes usually take longer to process, and if someone has multiple charges in multiple jurisdictions, the time spent in jail can increase. Most people booked and held in custody have been charged with at least one felony offense.

Some individuals may have failed to appear for court in the past, resulting in a higher bail amount, which they cannot pay. The Superior Court currently uses an evidence-based, statistically valid pretrial risk assessment in making pretrial release decisions.

A small percentage of individuals being held in the jail pre-trial are awaiting competency restoration, which typically requires a wait for a bed at Western State Hospital.

Learn more about factors affecting the size of the jail population and their length of stay.

16. Can the County eliminate bail?

The county does not have the power to make determinations about bail. Changes to the bail system would have to occur at the state or federal level.

Judges in Superior Court currently use a risk assessment tool called the Public Safety Assessment to help make pretrial release decisions. The purpose of this tool is to assess defendants’ risks of failing to appear at future court hearings and determine whether they can be safely released in the community until trial. The Pretrial Processes Work Group, a subcommittee of the Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force (IPRTF) has been investigating the possibility of enabling this tool for use by judges in all Whatcom County Courts.

17. What criteria are used to determine jail size, and how many beds are being proposed?

The current jail facility was originally built in 1984 for 148 people, though it experienced extreme overcrowding in the 1990s with populations over 260. The Interim Work Center, which opened in 2006, has capacity for 150 low-risk individuals, bringing the total number of available beds to 359. The average daily population across the two facilities hit highs of over 400 between 2007 and 2014 prior to many diversion programs being implemented. In May 2023, with booking restrictions in place, the average daily population of the combined facilities was 325.

A new jail and behavioral care center would absorb the population from the current jail and the Interim Work Center, which would then be replaced or repurposed. It would also incorporate a behavioral care center with additional beds.

In calculating the size for detention facilities, the National Institute of Corrections recommends approximately 20 percent of additional capacity to allow for days with above average needs and accommodation of individuals with different security classifications. Adding 20 percent to the 359 current available beds results in a total of 430 beds. This estimate assumes very little change in the average daily population of people detained (with booking restrictions).

The Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) recommended the jail be right-sized without the use of booking restrictions. Ultimately, requirements about who has to be booked into the jail are established by state code. There are opportunities to release people prior to trial, but that’s at the discretion of the judge. Risk assessment tools can be helpful in determining who can safely await trial outside the jail, and who can participate in diversion programs, thereby reducing the population that is incarcerated.

For the purposes of cost estimation only, a conceptual bed count was defined. Preliminary concepts for the new jail facility account for minimum to high security housing for 400-440 individuals, not including behavioral care center beds, which are estimated to serve 60-75 individuals. A final size (bed count) still needs to be determined.

At the Council’s June 13^th Special Committee of the Whole meeting, Council approved a motion to amend the Implementation Plan to clearly define the equation for calculating the number of beds that will be proposed initially and what triggers expansion. (AB2023-304).

18. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each proposed location for a new jail and behavioral health and treatment facility?

The Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) and Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force (IPRTF) are considering the advantages and disadvantages of three county properties as well as horizontal versus vertical designs for the construction of a new facility. The Civic Center site was eliminated from consideration by the IPRTF because of limited space and high costs. These conceptual costs are only starting places of what would house the people currently incarcerated. These numbers do not account for population growth, the removal of booking restrictions, or the addition of behavioral care beds and treatment facilities.

At the Council’s June 13^th Special Committee of the Whole meeting, Council approved a motion to select Labounty as the location for a new correctional facility (AB2023-304).

Jail and Behavioral Care Center Location	Civic Center (near Courthouse, located in parking lot across from current jail)	Irongate (Division St.)	Labounty (off Slater Rd. & I-5)
Size	1.3 acres developable	10.6+ acres, 5 acres developable	39+ acres, 16+ acres developable
Design	Vertical (~7 stories)	Vertical (~5 stories)	Horizontal (1-2 stories)
Distance from Courthouse	Adjacent	9-12 minutes	12-15 minutes
Preliminary Cost Estimate	$207 million	$170 million	$137 million
Advantages	N/A	Co-location with Anne Deacon Center for Hope (Crisis Stabilization Center)	Lower operating costs because of horizontal design; adaptable to changing needs over time; able to co-locate other facilities to create a campus (e.g., behavioral health services, housing services, etc.)

19. What are the cost estimates for all the proposed facilities?

Facility	Expense	Amount	Sources of Funding	Status of Funding
23-hour Crisis Relief Center	Capital funding	$12M	State - $9M already received; Proposed new sales tax - remaining $3M	Very likely In process
	Estimated local share of operational costs	$500,000 - $1M/year	Behavioral Health Fund; New sales tax	Very likely
Jail and Behavioral Health Treatment Center	Capital expenses – detention for low-high risk + space for services	$8 - $10M/year	Proposed new sales tax	Funding needed
	Capital expenses – Behavioral Care Center	$8M	Proposed new sales tax	Funding needed
	Operational costs – behavioral health treatment center	TBD	Proposed new sales tax	Funding needed
Recovery/Supportive Housing	Capital expenses – small recovery/supportive housing	$2M	ARPA Behavioral Health Fund Local housing funds Federal HOME funds (to match state funds when possible)	Likely
	Operational costs – small recovery/supportive housing	$500,000/year	Behavioral Health Fund Local housing funds LEAD grant State funds	Likely
	Capital expenses – large re-entry supportive housing	$2M	Behavioral Health fund Local housing funds (to match $20M+ in state & federal funds)	Likely
	Operational costs – large re-entry supportive housing	$1M/year	State funds Federal funds	Likely

20. How was money from the 2004 tax (ballot measure) spent?

The 0.1% sales tax was approved by voters in November 2004 and implemented in 2005. Funding was directed to “costs associated with financing, design, acquisition, construction, equipping, operating, maintaining, remodeling, repairing, re-equipping, and improvement of jail facilities that house inmates being held, charged, or convicted of misdemeanor or felony acts,” as per RCW 82.14.350. The funding was used to construct a minimum-security work center, which was intended to be a temporary facility while the County planned for a new jail. Although sales tax revenues provided some funding for a new jail, operational costs and jail repairs authorized by the ballot measure resulted in insufficient remaining funds to pay for the costs of designing and constructing a new jail.

2004 Sales Tax Spending Chart

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Juvenile Court

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1. What are the visiting hours for Juvenile Detention?: The Juvenile Detention visiting hours can be found on our Detention Visiting Hours page. Detention Visiting Hours

2. What are your office hours?: Office hours are Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. We are closed for lunch from noon to 1 p.m.

3. Is the Public Defender in your office?: The Public Defender is not located in the same office. The Public Defender's Office is located at 215 N Commercial. Their phone number is 360-778-5640.

4. Where is Juvenile Court located?: We are located in the Courthouse at:
311 Grand Avenue
Suite 501
Bellingham, WA 98225

5. How do I seal my juvenile record?: Fill out a records request at our office.

6. Where is the Juvenile Courtroom located?: The Juvenile Offender Courtroom is on the 5th floor of the Courthouse, across the hall from the Juvenile Court Administration office. Juvenile Dependency, At-Risk, Truancy and CHINS hearings are held on the 4th floor in Courtroom 4.

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Juvenile Court - Volunteer Guardian ad Litem (VGAL) Program

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1. What is a Volunteer Guardian ad Litem (VGAL)?

In 1977, Judge David Soukup, presiding judge of King Co. Superior Court in Seattle, started a volunteer Guardian ad Litem program to make sure he would know all he could about the long-term welfare needs of each child that came through his court room. During that first year, the King County program provided 110 trained volunteers for 498 children in 376 dependency cases. Following the success of this model, programs across the state and across the nation began to crop up.

In 1988, a Washington State program was formed joining local county programs and stakeholders to carry out statewide training, legislative advocacy, data collection, and awareness statewide about the issues affecting abused and neglected children in Washington State. The Whatcom County program was established in 2008 and continues to grow each year, both by number of volunteers and by number of children it successfully advocates for. Today over 85,000 Volunteer GAL's give over 260,000 children a chance to have their voice heard in courts across the United States.

2. What does a Volunteer Guardian ad Litem (VGAL) do?

Volunteer Guardian ad Litems are assigned to a case when it enters the juvenile court system. The Volunteer GAL’s role includes conducting an independent investigation, making reports and recommendations to the court at scheduled hearings, monitoring the progress of the child and the parties’ compliance with court orders, and continually advocating for the best interests of the child. Ideally, the assigned Volunteer GAL will follow the case from the beginning to the end and will continually visit and monitor the progress of the child and report on these observations to the court.

Volunteer GALs are crucial to meeting the goals of the court in providing for the best interest, safety, and well-being of the child. Volunteer GALs are able to assist the court in reaching the goal of swift and appropriate permanency planning to establish stability for dependent children.

3. How do you become a Volunteer Guardian ad Litem (VGAL)?: The first step to becoming a Volunteer GAL is to contact a program Coordinator via phone at 360-778-5531 and request an application. Once you return your completed application you will be contacted to begin the interview process. Those candidates selected will attend a 33 hour volunteer training in Bellingham as well as a program orientation.

After successful completion of these steps you will be ready to take your first case. The only prerequisites for applying are that you are 21 years of age and able to make an 18 month commitment to advocating for abused and neglected children.

4. What is the time commitment?: After completing the core Volunteer GAL Training, VGALs will spend a varying amount of time each month in their new role. Depending on the needs and interests of each Volunteer GAL and their cases, they may spend 5-10 hours each month working with children, families, and attending hearings.

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Parks & Recreation - FAQs

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1. Can I decorate the facility I have reserved?: Decorations may not be attached to the walls or wood work and should not make holes or cause damage to any surface. Smoke machines, fog machines, hazers, and candles are not allowed. Rice, birdseed, and confetti of any kid are prohibited. All decorations must be removed and cleaned up completely prior to leaving the site.

2. Can I bring my dog?

Pet must be leashed (maximum 8 feet) at all times, including in campgrounds and reserved picnic areas. Whatcom County Parks has one designated and marked off-leash area at Hovander Homestead Park.

Pets are prohibited in the following parks and locations:

Stimpson Family Nature Reserve
Point Whitehorn Marine Reserve
Canyon Lake Community Forest
Ostrom Conservation Site
Birch Bay Conservancy Area
Tennant Lake Boardwalk
Designated Shellfish Beds
Designated Swim Beaches
All Park Buildings

Click here for all regulations on pets.

3. Can I bring my own BBQ grill?: If you have reserved a picnic area or shelter, you can bring your own grill but you are responsible for the safe operation of your grill. Grills are prohibited on decks, walkways, or within 25 feet of any structure.

4. Can we have a bounce house at our event?: Bounce Houses and other inflatables are not allowed at any Whatcom County Parks

5. Can I play music at my event?: Noise from sound systems, speakers, bands, microphones or any other amplified sound must be at a volume such that it cannot be heard outside the area you have reserved.

6. Can I have a food truck at my event?

Food Trucks
Food Trucks for private functions are only allowed in the following circumstances:

Reservation is at the Hovander Group Picnic Shelter
The Food Truck is for catering purposes only. Food Truck shall not sell to the public while in the park
Prior approval is obtained by Operations Manager
Food Truck UBI is provided along with proof of insurance that meets County approval at least 30 days prior to event
Food truck is self-contained and does not connect to park utilities

Click here for the required insurance limits and documentation. Please email [email protected] with additional questions.

7. What is the cleaning policy for a rental facility?: Customers are required to leave the facility in the same condition as when they arrived. Cleaning supplies are provided for indoor facilities. Garbage and recycling must be removed from the premises (must be taken from the park) unless the customer has paid the optional waste disposal fee.

8. Do I still need a liquor license if we paid the $60 Alcohol Use Fee to Whatcom County Parks?: The Alcohol Use Fee charged by Whatcom County Parks is not a liquor license. To find out if you need a State of Washington Banquet Permit please check here. It is your responsibility to research and follow all laws pertaining to alcohol use at your event.

9. I need to cancel my reservation. Can I get a refund?: Facility Rental Cancellation Policy.
Cabin & Campground Cancellation Policy.

10. How do I get the Whatcom County Resident rate when booking a reservation?

The billing address of the reservation holder must be in Whatcom County in order to receive in-county rates. If the credit card address is outside Whatcom County, but the customer is a County resident, they can:

Provide a utility bill that displays both name and address
Provide property tax info that can be verified on the Assessors Property Information System

Click here for all reservation policies.

11. I want to reserve space to teach a class. What do I need to do?

You would need to apply for a Special Event Permit. Special Event Permits are required for any of the following situations:

Organized activities or events open to the public
Requires services or facilities not normally available for reservation
May disrupt or interfere with the public's regular use of the park or facility
Any activities where an admission fee is charged, products or services are sold, donations or funds are solicited
Commercial activities, including individuals, groups, or businesses, who:
- Charge a monetary admission or class fee
- Sell tickets, food, or other items
- Solicit funds or donations
- Offer other for-profit activities
- Promote a commercial business.

For information on Special Event Permits and the application process please see our Special Events page.

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Planning & Development Services - Code Enforcement

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1. If I think that a property owner is violating Whatcom County code, what should I do?: You can get more information regarding on Code Enforcement Division from our website. You may submit a Code Violation report using our online submission form.
submit a Code Violation Report

2. What should I do if I am having a dispute with a neighbor over a property line or their vegetation is encroaching onto my property?: This is a civil matter. You may need to contact an attorney if you are unable to reach an agreement with your neighbor.

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Planning & Development Services - Fire Marshal

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1. Is a burn ban in effect?: Call the burn information line at 360-778-5903 or visit the Outdoor Burning Regulation page on our website.
Open Burning page

2. How do I obtain a burn permit?: Learn about residential and commercial burn permit information and requirements on Burn Permit Rules page.
Burn Permit Rules page

3. How do I obtain fire-related permits such as for sprinkler and alarm systems?: Learn about fire-related permits on our Fire System Permits page.
Fire System Permits page

4. How do I obtain permits for commercial and consumer fireworks displays and fireworks stands?: Learn about firework permits and usage on our website Fireworks page

5. I am building a structure how do I find fire code information that may apply to my project?: Learn about residential fire code information on our website
Open Burning page

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Planning & Development Services - Green Building

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1. Doesn’t green building just add more costs?: Yes, often the initial construction costs of building green are more expensive but long-term costs are typically reduced. Building Green Costs

2. I want to start building green, where can I start?: To get started building green, visit our Getting Started page. Getting Started

3. If I paint my building green, does that qualify as green building?: Actually it can be that simple! If the paint itself is a nontoxic or low-toxic paint of which there are 3 types - natural paints, zero volatile organic compound (VOC), and low VOC.

Paints, stains, and other architectural coatings are the 2nd-largest source of VOC emissions after automobiles. Therefore simply by using a “green” paint you’re improving the air quality for the painter, the owner, and the Earth.

Note: Even zero-VOC formulations contain some amounts of toxins.

4. What are volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and why should I avoid such products?: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are carbon compounds that evaporate at room temperature and react in sunlight to help form ground-level ozone, an integral component of photochemical smog.

VOCs can cause respiratory, skin and eye irritation; headaches; nausea; muscle weakness; and more serious ailments and diseases, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Formaldehyde, a VOC commonly found in paint, is a probable carcinogen.

The EPA has found that indoor concentrations of VOCs are regularly up to 10 times as high as outdoor concentrations, and can climb up to a 1,000 times as high as outdoor concentrations when you are applying paint.

5. What is an Energy Star?: Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.

Those appliances with the Energy Star rating meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the EPA and DOE. When shopping for new household products or a new home, look for ones that have earned the Energy Star.

If you are looking to make improvements to your home, the Energy Star website offers tools and resources to help you plan and undertake projects to reduce your energy bills and improve home comfort. Energy Star Website

6. What is the United States Green Building Council?: The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) is a nonprofit community of leaders working to make green buildings available to everyone within a generation. They developed the green building certification system known as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
USGBC Website

7. What is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)?: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is the internationally recognized green building certification system developed by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

8. What are some other green building certification programs?: To view a list of certification programs, visit the Certification Programs page. Certification Programs

9. What’s the rest of the world doing when it comes to green building?: Many countries have developed their own standards for green building. Programs include Green Star in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa; AQUA in Brazil; PromisE in Finland; DGNB in Germany; GRIHA in India; Protocollo Itaca in Italy; Green Mark in Singapore; and VERDE in Spain. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is also found in Canada, India, and Mexico.

10. What is a net-zero building?: A net-zero building or zero-energy building (ZEB) is one that produces as much energy on-site as it uses. In theory such a building would not be connected to any outside utilities such as electric or natural gas. All energy needs for heating, cooling, and lighting would be generated from within. However, a net-zero building could be connected to the electrical grid and use power from the grid at peak energy times but return an equal amount during off-peak hours.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is sponsoring the Net-Zero Energy Commercial Building Initiative. The goal is to achieve marketable net-zero energy commercial buildings by 2025. Refer to their website to learn more about this exciting challenge. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

11. What is embedded energy?: Embedded energy refers to the energy that is used in the process of extracting, refining, manufacturing, and transporting your building materials. The lower the embedded energy of your building, the better.

For example, wood reused from a structure (rather than simply disposing of it) has a low embedded energy.

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Planning & Development Services - Zoning

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1. How do I find out the zoning of my property?: Use the Whatcom County GIS Tax Parcel Viewer to find your property and the zoning designation.
Zoning Page

2. What does that zone designation mean?

Once you have determined the zone designation of your property, you can search the applicable code by clicking Whatcom County Zoning Ordinance (Title 20). For example, the zoning requirements for a property zoned R5A or Rural 1 unit / 5 acres can be located by going to Title 20 and selecting Chapter 20.36 Rural (R) District.

Dependent on the zone, each district will describe the allowable uses and development standards (building height, setbacks / buffers, lot coverage, density requirements, etc.).

Whatcom County Zoning Ordinance (Title 20)

3. How can I find the building setbacks for my property?

Building setbacks are found in Chapter 20.80.210 – supplementary requirements of the Whatcom County Zoning Ordinance. Please note that each property may have more restrictive setbacks than those that are stated within the Whatcom County Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 20.80.210). More restrictive setbacks may include fire protection setbacks (which may be stated on the plat that created the lot), landscape buffers (for commercial developments), on-site sewage systems, well protection zones and/or critical areas (i.e. setbacks from shorelines, wetlands and/or geological hazards).

Please contact a Natural Resource Planner at 360-778-5900 to discuss setbacks from critical areas and/or the Whatcom County Health Department at 360-778-6000 to discuss setbacks from septic systems and wells.

Title 20.80.210

4. What is the difference between a legal lot of record and a taxable lot?

A legal lot of record means a lot which is described by final plat, short plat, or metes and bounds, and is established pursuant to applicable local and state regulations at the date a legal instrument creating the lot is recorded at the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office. Whatcom County code states that only legal lots of record are allowed to be built on with permitted, accessory, administrative and/or conditional uses.

A determination of legal lot of record status is made by staff from Whatcom County Planning and Development Services. If in question, you can contact a Current Planner at 360-778-5900 to discuss if your parcel is a legal lot of record. A Lot of Record Application and associated fees will need to be submitted if staff is unable to quickly determine how your described parcel was created. Please note that a determination of how your parcel was created is required prior to the submittal of any building permit application.

A taxable lot is a parcel which appears on the Whatcom County Assessor's map and has been assigned a tax parcel (geographic) number by the Assessor. Tax parcel (geographic) numbers are typically assigned for billing purposes. These parcels are not necessarily an indication that the lot was legally created and/or able to be developed on.

Lot of Record Application (PDF)

5. Can my property be subdivided?

By knowing the zoning of the property, its size, wastewater type (septic / public sewer), water (public / private well), and how it was created (legal lot of record) you can determine if your property is eligible to be subdivided. To determine the allowable density (the number of dwelling units / lots allowed per acre or acreage) please refer to the maximum density and minimum lot size section of the applicable zone district. If shown, the number associated with the zone designation is also an indicator to determine the allowable density.

For example, a property that is zoned R5A is rural and has a base density of 1 dwelling unit per 5 acres. This can be verified by reviewing the maximum density and minimum lot size table for the rural district, which is found in section 20.36.253 of the Whatcom County Zoning Ordinance. Please be aware that each zone district is different and it is always best to refer to that specific zone district’s maximum density and minimum lot size section.

Other factors can affect the ability to subdivide such as the availability of water, the ability to obtain an on-site septic system or public sewer hookup, the property’s access to public roads, the presence of critical areas and the type of soils (i.e. agricultural protection overlay). In some cases it may be best to consult with a Whatcom County Current Planner at 360-778-5900 or at our office to discuss the possibility of subdividing a particular property. A pre-application meeting is required prior to the submittal of all subdivision applications.

6. Can I have a second home on my property?

Most residential zone districts, through an administrative use permit, allow for either permanent or temporary (i.e. for medical purposes) secondary dwelling units. In order to qualify, the proposed development and property must meet a list of criteria which is specific to that zone district.

For example, the criteria stated for an accessory dwelling unit within the rural zone can be located under Whatcom County 20.36.132 (1) – (13). Please be aware that the minimum lot size for permanent detached units is different in each zone district.

7. What is an administrative use permit?

An administrative use permit is a land use permit that authorizes an applicant to establish or conduct a specific activity or use on a property. The proposed use, as stated within the administrative approval uses section of that zone district, is reviewed by staff for conformance to all applicable development regulations, standards, adopted plans, programs and policies of Whatcom County.

If the proposed use conforms to the approval criteria then administrative approval for that specific use may be granted by staff subject to conditions. Some common uses that require an Administrative Approval Permit may include secondary dwellings (temporary medical and permanent), cottage industries, wireless communication facilities and wind energy systems.

Administrative Approval Permit (PDF)

8. What is a zoning conditional use permit?: A zoning Conditional Use Permit is a land use permit that is approved by the Whatcom County Hearing Examiner and authorizes an applicant to establish or conduct a specific use on a property. The application is reviewed by staff and the Whatcom County Hearing Examiner for conformance to all applicable development regulations, standards, adopted plans, programs and policies of Whatcom County. If the proposed use conforms to the applicable regulations then approval of that specific use may be granted by the Whatcom County Hearing Examiner, subject to conditions. Conditional Use Permit (PDF)

9. Can I schedule a zoning pre-application meeting?

You may schedule a pre-application meeting by contacting a Current Planner at 360-778-5900 and/or by submitting a pre-application meeting (application) to [email protected].

Pre-application meetings are held between the applicant and staff members from various county departments and agencies that may be involved in the review of your proposed project. Our goal in a pre-application meeting is to help identify any areas of concern, to inform you of the applicable code requirements, to answer any questions you may have, and to help you avoid costly delays during the permit process.

Preapplication Meeting Application (PDF)

10. How do I rezone my property?: Rezoning property is different than getting a permit. Rezoning is changing the law applicable to your property, while getting a permit involves applying the existing law to your property. Visit the Rezoning page for more information. Rezoning Page

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Prosecutor - Questions Asked by the Public

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1. Can the Prosecuting Attorney's Office provide me legal advice?: Employees of the Prosecuting Attorney's Office are prohibited by law from answering legal questions or offering legal advice.

2. Does the Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office provide copies of police reports?: Most of our documents are public record. There are statutory exemptions that may apply to certain cases or certain documents in a case. Request forms are available at our on our website at http://www.co.whatcom.wa.us/1027/Public-Records-Disclosure-Information. You can also contact the police agency that created the report.

3. I have an outstanding bench warrant for my arrest, what do I do?: Turn yourself in to jail. And show up for court.

4. I need child support. Can the Prosecuting Attorney's Office help me?: Our Support Services Division may be able to help. Please contact them at (360) 778-5210.

5. Someone claiming to be from the Prosecuting Attorney's Office wants to ask me some questions. How do I know they really are from your office?: Every employee in this office is issued official identification. Ask to see it.

6. What is the difference between a felony and a misdemeanor?: How much punishment a criminal gets depends on how bad their crime was.

To help determine how bad a crime was, the crime is called either a 'felony' or a 'misdemeanor'. Felonies are more serious crimes, and misdemeanors are less serious crimes. Both can result in a jail sentence but only a felony can result in a prison sentence.

The maximum sentence a person can receive on a misdemeanor is 365 days or less. Sentences on felonies can be less than or more than a year, and can be up to life in prison. If the sentence is less than a year, the sentence is generally served in a local jail. If the sentence is more than a year the time is generally served in prison.

7. What is the Prosecuting Attorney's jurisdiction?: The Prosecuting Attorney's Office is responsible for prosecuting all adult and juvenile felony cases referred by county law enforcement agencies, and all misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor cases referred by the county sheriff, the State Patrol, all state agencies, and some cities who have contracted with the county for misdemeanor prosecution services.

8. Who decides what charges to file, and how do they make that decision?: A deputy prosecuting attorney reviews cases brought to the Prosecuting Attorney's Office by local law enforcement agencies. The reports are reviewed in light of current law and whether the case presented by the agency can be proven in court beyond a reasonable doubt.

9. Will the Prosecuting Attorney's Office help me clear up an outstanding warrant?: The Prosecuting Attorney's Office is prohibited by law from providing legal assistance or advice to a defendant. For help, you may contact a private attorney or the Whatcom County Public Defender's Office at (360) 778-5640. The Public Defender represents defendants who cannot afford an attorney.

10. Will the Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney's Office enforce a parenting plan that my ex is violating since it was entered in your County Superior Court?: Enforcement of court orders is a private matter between you and the other person and must be handled by a private attorney. Government attorneys do not settle custodial disputes or enforce court orders between individuals. If a private attorney helped you obtain the order, a private attorney (not a government attorney) must help you enforce the order.

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Prosecutor - Questions Asked by Victims

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1. How do I get a restraining order?

There are several types of restraining orders available to residents of Washington State. Depending on the circumstances will dictate which order is most appropriate.

Order of Protection: This order is obtained by a victim of domestic violence. The victim may petition the court asking for protection. If the victim has children with the offender, then the order may be in place for up to 1 year. If no children are in common, then the order can be for lifetime. The victim has the option to have this order lifted at any time. If the offender violates this order, the sanction can be a criminal offense. There is no charge for Protection Orders and they may be obtained at any of the district courts, municipal courts or superior courts.
No Contact Orders: These orders arise out of a criminal conviction and provide protection to the victims of certain crimes. A judge places these orders in effect and only the judge can lift these orders. The victim does not, necessarily, have to agree with the order being put into place. Victims can file a motion in front of the sentencing judge to have the order lifted if they believe they are not in danger, however, the final decision is made by the judge.
Anti-Harassment Order: This order is for victims of crime who do not fall under the statute for domestic violence. Similar to the protection order, the victim may petition the court to ask for protection. The order may be in effect for up to 1 year. Violation of this order can be a criminal sanction. There is a charge for this order and it varies depending if you obtain the order from a district court, municipal court, or superior court. The victim should contact the court clerk to find out the cost.

2. I am a victim in a criminal case and I want to drop the charges. Can I do that?: The decision to drop charges in any criminal prosecution can only be made by a prosecutor with the approval of a judge. The victim's wishes alone will not dictate whether or not a case will be filed or dismissed. One reason for this is that some criminal charges affect more than one victim, and the other victims may wish to proceed. Another reason is that sometimes the victim has been intimidated or pressured to drop the charges, or believes that such a request will stop any retaliation. If our office did not proceed in such cases, victims would continue to be intimidated and hurt. If you would like to discuss your case, you should speak with the prosecutor handling the case.

3. I feel that a crime has been committed. How do I press charges? Can I report a crime directly to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office?: The Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney's Office is a non-investigative agency. In most cases, crimes must be reported to the Sheriff’s Department, a Police Department, or other law enforcement agency which has jurisdiction over the city or county where the crime occurred. For example, if the crime occurred in Bellingham it should be reported to the Bellingham Police Department. If the crime was committed in any unincorporated area of Whatcom County, the crime should be reported to the sheriff.

The crime may be reported to the local law enforcement agency by calling 911 immediately. There are two levels of crimes, misdemeanors and felonies. Misdemeanor offenders can never get more than 365 days in jail. Felony offenders could be sent to prison, depending on the crime. If the offender has committed a felony crime, and have been arrested, they will have a First Appearance Hearing the next judicial day after their arrest. If over the weekend, the hearing will be the following Monday.

On misdemeanor cases, when an arrest has been made, the arresting office will provide the offender with a citation. At the time of their first appearance, the court will provide them with additional court dates. These hearings occur every weekday morning. If the offender was not located by the police and an arrest has not been made, the police will forward the reports to the appropriate prosecutor’s office and the file will be reviewed to determine if charges can be filed. The victim should contact the responding police agency to find out which prosecuting attorneys office the reports have been forwarded to, if they have not heard from the prosecutor’s office directly.

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Prosecutor - Questions Asked by Witnesses

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1. Why am I a witness? I didn't see the crime occur.: Witnesses are not only "eye witnesses." You may have seen the crime happen or may know something about it. You may also know something about a piece of evidence, or may know something that contradicts another witness's testimony. If you wonder why you are testifying in a particular case, ask the prosecutor handling it; there is probably a common-sense reason.

2. Who will be with me in court?: You may bring friends or relatives with you to court, and they can probably sit in the courtroom while you testify, unless they are also witnesses. Witnesses testify one at a time and generally wait outside the courtroom for their turn. In some cases, a Victim / Witness Coordinator from our office may also be with you, if you request. Talk with the prosecutor about that.

3. How long will I be at court as a witness?: Your time at court varies greatly from case to case. Some witnesses will be at the courthouse for more than a day.

4. As a witness, do I have to talk in front of the defendant in court?: Yes. The defendant has a constitutional right to be present in court to hear what all the witnesses say.

5. What do I do if I can't attend court as a witness on the date stated in the subpoena?: We try to accommodate witnesses’ schedules as much as possible, however, it is the court that determines when a case goes to trial. Contact the deputy prosecutor on the case or his/her legal assistant with your scheduling conflict. You should receive a letter with your subpoena with this contact information.

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Public Defender

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1. Are public defenders “real lawyers”?: Yes! Public defenders are just as “real” as private criminal defense lawyers and civil lawyers. All the attorneys of the Whatcom County Public Defender’s Office have graduated from college and law school and have met the same Washington State Bar Association requirements to practice law in the courts of this state.

2. Since you’re paid by the government the same as prosecutors, aren’t you just working together?: Absolutely not. Although the Whatcom County Public Defender is funded by county government, the office is an independent agency separate and apart from the prosecutor’s office and the court. Our lawyers are loyal to their clients first and are bound by codes of professional conduct requiring that they provide zealous advocacy and protection to each client, the same as private lawyers.

3. Can I call or drop by the Whatcom County Public Defender Office for some quick legal advice?: Unfortunately, no. Our office is only authorized to give legal advice to clients whom the courts have assigned to us to represent. Unless you are a client we cannot give legal advice or answer legal questions.

4. What is an arraignment?: If formal charges are filed against you, an arraignment will be scheduled. The arraignment is not a trial and not a time when evidence can be presented. At most arraignments, a copy of the charges you will be provided to you, if you do not have a lawyer, the judge can determine if you are eligible for a public defender. Expect to have a plea of “not guilty” entered at your arraignment. Your case normally will be scheduled for a status hearing, omnibus hearing, and trial. YOU MUST ATTEND YOUR ARRAIGNMENT HEARING.

5. What is a status or omnibus hearing?: A status or omnibus hearing is the court proceeding where you and your lawyer will indicate whether you will either go to trial, settle the case with a plea of guilty, or ask for extra time. You may find that the courtroom is crowded when you arrive, and that you have to wait before you can meet with your court-appointed lawyer. However, no action will be taken on your case before you and your lawyer have talked.

Your lawyer might have one or more legal forms for you to read and sign. YOU MUST ATTEND YOUR STATUS HEARING.

6. What happens in a trial?: A trial is the court proceeding where the prosecutor will present evidence and try to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you are guilty of a crime. This is the hearing when witnesses testify. Through you lawyer, you will be able to question the witnesses against you and present witnesses on your own behalf. Most trials are decided by a jury, but some are decided by a judge alone. You have a right to a jury trial.

7. What happens in a sentencing hearing?: A sentencing hearing will take place only if you are found guilty at a trial or if you agree to plead guilty. The court proceeding is handled by the judge, who will use the recommendations of the prosecutor and your lawyer and use the sentencing guidelines to decide what your punishment will be. You always have the right to speak at your sentencing hearing.

8. What is a bench warrant, and what can I do if I have one?: If you have a bench warrant, you need to contact your attorney as soon as possible.
A bench warrant is issued by a judge when a person with a pending criminal case violates the rules of the court. Sometimes a warrant is issued for violating pre-trial release conditions. Most often, people with bench warrants simply have failed to show up for a scheduled court appearance. Once a bench warrant is issued, the police can treat it like any other warrant and use it to arrest people and keep them in jail, until the appear back in front of a judge.

9. Why hasn’t my public defender gotten my case dropped?: Only a prosecuting attorney or a judge can drop or dismiss a case. Your case has been filed in the name of the State of Washington, not the name of the complaining witnesses. Even if complaining witnesses say that they do not want to see you prosecuted, they don’t have the power to get your case dismissed.

10. If I have a problem with my court-appointed lawyer, how do I complain?: If you can’t work out your differences with your court-appointed lawyer first, your next contact would be the Director, Starck Follis or the Chief Deputy, Maia Vanyo. You will find it most helpful to address your concerns in the form of a letter.

11. What can I do to help out my case?

• You should never discuss the facts of your case with anyone but a lawyer or staff of the Whatcom County Public Defender’s Office.

• Make sure that your lawyer has an accurate address and phone number for you. Immediately notify the office if this information changes. Contact your lawyer as soon as you get a letter from the office advising you to do so and show up for your scheduled appointments.

• When you are in jail, avoid discussing the facts of your case with others, visitors, and people you call on the phone (other than Whatcom County Public Defender employees). Remember: All non-law-office calls from the Whatcom County Jail are recorded and may be used against you in trial or as the basis for additional criminal charges against you.

• When you are in jail, do not send letters discussing your case to anyone, as letters may be intercepted by law enforcement and used against you at trial. Avoid discussing the facts of your case in postal mail and emails.

• Provide your lawyer with a list of potential witnesses as soon as possible, with accurate telephone numbers where they may be reached at least and addresses where they can receive mail if possible.

• Come to all your court dates. Unless your lawyer has told you personally that you are excused, you must come to court when the court order says. If you miss court, even if you might have a good excuse, there can be serious consequences, including being arrested and charged with a new crime. You may be inconvenienced by missing work or changing a medical appointment, but your boss or your doctor can’t have you arrested if you don’t show up. A judge can, and will put you in jail and possibly keep you there, if you don’t appear in court as ordered.

• Be on time for court.

• Dress for court as seriously as you would for a job interview or for any other appointment that could affect your future.

12. How do I get my record vacated/sealed?: The Washington Courts provides information on how to clear your record. Click on link - vacating and sealing forms.

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Public Works - Moving Permits

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1. When do I need a moving permit?: Any individual, firm or corporation planning to move, transport or haul any mobile home or other structure over 10 feet in width or 40 feet in length through Whatcom County on any route which consists solely of county roads and highways shall, prior to said movement or transport, obtain a permit (PDF) from the Whatcom County Engineer.

2. What are overweight loads?: Whatcom County's definition of overweight loads is the same as for the Washington State Department of Transportation.

3. Who issues the oversize or overweight permits?: The Whatcom County Road Engineer is charged with the responsibility of issuing permits for oversize or overweight, non-reducible loads for travel over Whatcom County rights-of-way. Call the Engineering Office at 360-778-6220 and speak to the Engineer's designated staff person to obtain a permit.

4. When is a bond required?: A bond is posted if the County Road Engineer determines that the size and/or weight of the load on the proposed route could result in damage to the road and/or signs in the county rights-of-way. The bond amount is determined by the County Road Engineer.

5. Can the permit be issued over the phone or by email?: In some instances the County Road Engineer, or designee, will issue a moving permit by phone. If we have your email address, we can email the permit to you. The numbered, signed permit can be faxed, issued by email or printed over the counter to the mover and is to be carried in the vehicle during the move. The County Road Engineer can require all operators to have a copy of the permit in the vehicle at all times. See WCC 10.32.050 - Contents and Display of Permit.

6. What are the fines for moving oversized loads or homes without a permit?: See RCW 46.44 - Size, Weight, Load Enforcement Procedures.

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Public Works - Property & Records FAQs

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1. Where is the Engineering Office located?: The Engineering Office is located at the Northwest Annex:
5280 Northwest Drive
Suite C
Bellingham, WA 98225

For directions, please see the map to the Northwest Annex. For additional information, please contact our office.

2. How do I obtain publications and copies from your office?

In person at:
5280 Northwest Drive
Suite C
Bellingham, WA 98225

Monday - Friday
8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., except holidays

Via mail. Payment must be received before copies can be mailed. Simply call our office at 360-778-6220 with your order. The cost of postage will be added to mail-in orders. Please allow 7 to 10 days for delivery upon receipt of payment in our office. Orders of 5 copies or more may take longer.

3. Is there a survey of my property?: The Engineering Division is the repository for all recorded surveys starting in 1972. Long plats, short plats, and binding site plans are also available and may provide useful survey information. Some historical mapping and surveying information is also available for inspection.

4. How can I find my property line?

Some parcels are already surveyed. Most are not. Property is bought and sold by deeds referencing a legal description. The legal description is sometimes shown on a subdivision map or a record of survey, if it has been surveyed. A new survey is provided by private land surveyors and costs from several hundred to several thousand dollars depending on the size and difficulty of the parcel.

Obtain a copy of the deed
Visit the County Engineer and research existing maps and surveys at the office on Northwest Drive
Try and find or recover any existing corners
Contact a Professional Land Surveyor for a survey

5. How do I obtain a parcel number?: For new parcel numbers, please contact the Whatcom County Assessor at 360-778-5050. Maps of existing parcel numbers can be obtained from the County Assessor or our office. However, you must provide either the owner’s full name or a site address in order for us to research.

6. How do I get access to my property?: Access from a county road or county right-of-way is by permit from the Engineering office. Construction, use, or maintenance of private easements are regulated by Whatcom County Planning and Development Services at 360-778-5900.

7. What can you tell me about an easement?: Unless easements are granted to the public, such as utilities, drainage, and other roadway facilities, and are declared or shown on a recorded subdivision, the Engineering Office cannot help with easements. Easements are a private issue of title that require the original deeds and documents available from the recording section of the Auditor’s Office or a title company.

8. What constitutes a legal ingress / egress of record?: It is an easement and/or a deed that has been created specifically for ingress/egress (access and any other uses specified). It has been acknowledged (notarized) and recorded with the County Auditor’s Office.

9. Is there water / sewer service to my property?: Whatcom County does not provide or administer water or sewer service. Please seek assistance from the County Health Department, at 360-778-6000, for information from the appropriate water association, district or municipality.

10. How do I obtain an address for my property?: The Engineering Division is the only agency that may assign addresses in unincorporated Whatcom County. To have an address assigned to your property, you must complete an application form and return it, along with the $35 fee, to the Engineering office. The application form (PDF) is available online or by contacting the Engineering Office.

11. What are the rules for having a road named?: Private easements that are used to access at least 3 homes may be eligible to be named, if all property owners agree to the change. Whatcom County requires that a private easement be named if it is used to access 5 homes, or if it is used to access 3 homes and is more than 1,000 feet long. The name of the private road must be approved by Emergency Services. A Road Name Proposal application (PDF) is available online or by contacting the Engineering Office.

12. How do I find out the width of a county road?: Research is required to determine the width of the right-of-way in front of your individual property. Please provide your parcel number and any other pertinent property information.

13. How are county rights-of-way established?: County rights-of-way can be deeded, dedicated or established by prescriptive rights and condemnation.

14. Do you have any job vacancies?: Please contact Whatcom County Human Resources at 360-778-5300.

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Public Works - Septic Rebate Program

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1. How do I know if I am eligible for the rebate?

There are three criteria that must be met to be eligible for the septic system rebate.

You must own a private residence with a septic system. The property must be located within Whatcom County. If you have questions about the eligibility of your property contact the PIC program at [email protected]. We will help you determine if your system is in the current eligible area.
You must complete a free Whatcom County Health Department Septic System Homeowner Training.
- If you have already taken the training at an in-person workshop and
  - It was within the last 3 years you may submit your rebate application with a copy of your invoice.
  - It has been more than three years, you must to complete the refresher quiz before submitting your application.
- If you cannot completed an in-person homeowner training you may take the online training.
  - You must complete and submit the refresher quiz with you application materials.
You must complete and pay for one of the eligible activities.
- Evaluation completed by a certified professional.
- Septic tank pumped by a certified professional.
- Equipment purchased and installed (risers and lids, baffles, or effluent filters).
If this is not your first rebate:
- You must complete the refresher quiz unless you have attend another in-person workshop. The refresher quiz can found on the septic rebate program webpage.

2. How do I know if I am eligible for the Low- and Fixed-income Septic Assistance Program?: You are a senior citizen or a person with disabilities with your residence in Washington State and qualify for a property tax deduction under the property tax exemption for senior citizens and people with disabilities program.

3. Where do I turn in my rebate application?: At Whatcom County Public Works- Natural Resources, 322 N. Commercial, 2^nd, Bellingham, WA 98225. The office is located in the tall gray and blue building across the street from the Bellingham Public Library.

4. What do I need to submit for the rebate?

If this is your first rebate for your property and you have completed a Health Department workshop in the past three years, you may submit your rebate application with a copy of your invoice. If it has been longer than three years, remember to complete the refresher quiz and attach to your application materials.

If you have not completed a Health Department workshop, you may complete the Health Department’s online training and submit your application with the attached quiz and invoice.

You will need to submit:

Rebate application form.
Copy of the receipt or paid invoice for the work completed.
Copy of your completed refresher quiz (if you took the training online or it has been longer than 3 years since in-person workshop).

If this in an additional rebate for this property, you may attend another workshop or complete a refresher quiz to receive the rebate.

You will need to submit:

Rebate application form.
Copy of the receipt or paid invoice for the work completed.
Copy of your completed refresher quiz

5. How do I apply for the Septic Assistance Rebate?

You must complete a FREE Whatcom County Health Department Septic System Homeowner Training
- These trainings are available online or as an in-person workshop
- Sign Up information for this training can be found here
  - Homeowners that complete the online training must submit completed refresher quiz with application materials

You must complete and pay for one of the eligible activities
- Evaluation completed by a certified professional AND/OR Septic tank pumped by a certified professional
Submit your Rebate Application, Invoice for Services, and Copy of Refresher Quiz if training was completed online*
- When completing the rebate application be sure to check the box stating that you “qualify for Whatcom County’s property tax exemption for senior citizens and people with disabilities program”

*If in-person workshop was completed, no Refresher Quiz is necessary

6. How do I sign up for a class?: In-person training workshops are hosted by Whatcom County Health Department. You can find training dates and locations on their website. Homeowners can also complete the Health Department’s online training in lieu of the in person workshops. Homeowners who complete the online training must complete and submit the refresher quiz with their rebate application.

7. How large of a rebate can I receive?

Your rebate amount will depend on the activity you complete.

Standard Septic Rebate

Septic system evaluations by a certified professional- Up to $150
Equipment installation- Up to $150
Septic tank pumping by certified professional- Up to $250

*This rebate category is eligible for one rebate activity per property

Septic Assistance Rebate

Septic system evaluations by a certified professional- Up to $200
Septic tank pumping by certified professional- Up to $300

*This rebate category is eligible for multiple rebates per application- Up to $500 total for the completion of both services

8. I am a senior citizen or person with disabilities with property tax exemption status. What am I eligible for?

You may be eligible to receive multiple rebates per application- Rebates for evaluation AND pumping

Increased Rebate Amounts- $200 for Evaluation/$300 for Pumping/$500 overall

9. How long does it take to receive the rebate?: Rebate applications are typically processed within 4-6 weeks. You will receive a check at the mailing address you indicated on your rebate application.

10. When is the last date for me to submit my rebate materials? If something comes up, can I still submit them late?

Rebate applications can be received for 12 months after the work on your septic system has been completed. Funding is limited, so participants are encouraged to submit materials as early as possible.

11. I followed the instructions I received after completing my training and have submitted all of my rebate application materials. Is there anything more I need to do?: Nope! You should be all set. We will contact you if we need any additional information.

12. Can I submit applications for all three rebate options?

No, you may complete all three activities. However, each parcel* is eligible for one rebate. Your rebate will be processed for the highest rebate level from your mix of activities. For example, if you completed both an evaluation and septic system pumping, your rebate will be processed for the septic system pumping.

* If there are multiple septic systems on one parcel, you may be eligible for multiple rebates. Contact Molly Burke at [email protected] to determine if you have more than one eligible system.

13. I completed an evaluation, septic tank pumping, or installed equipment before I received a letter from the Whatcom County Health Department. Am I still eligible for the rebate?: Yes, as long as the work was completed in the last year, you complete a septic system training, and you can obtain a copy of your receipt or paid invoice.

14. I attended a homeowner workshop a few years ago; can you verify that I attended a class? Can I still submit a rebate now?

Yes, the Whatcom County Health Department keeps records of landowners that have completed septic system classes. Upon submittal of your rebate application materials, we will verify your eligibility. If it has been 3 years or longer since your completed workshop, a refresher quiz will need to be submitted with your application.

Please Note: Rebate applications can be received for 12 months after the work on your septic system has been completed.

15. I sent my rebate materials in a few months ago and still have not had any response. Did you receive my information?: Processing time ranges anywhere from 4-6 weeks; if you have not received a rebate within two months of submitting your materials, please contact us at [email protected] or (360) 778-6230.

16. If I have a certified professional complete my septic system evaluation, why do I need to complete a homeowner training?: This is a grant funded program with a goal of increasing homeowners’ knowledge of septic systems, how they work, and how to identify potential problems before a system fails. Thus, the training is a requirement to be eligible for the rebate program.

17. I have already received a rebate for this property. Can I receive another rebate?

You can apply for an additional rebate for your property if:

You have not received a septic maintenance rebate in the past three years.
You have completed the refresher quiz.
You have hired a licensed professional to complete an evaluation, septic tank pumping, or equipment installation in the past year.

18. Where do I access the refresher quiz and rebate application?: You will find links to the refresher quiz and rebate application on the Public Works website or contact us at [email protected].

19. Where do I find materials to help me with the refresher quiz?: To review information before completing your refresher quiz or your septic system inspection, visit the Whatcom County Health Department's homeowner training webpage to complete the homeowner training and access the homeowner training materials.

20. I am a senior citizen or person with disabilities but do not receive property tax exemption. Am I still eligible for the Low- and Fixed-income Septic Assistance Program?

Senior citizen or person with disabilities with property tax exemption status is determined by the Whatcom County Assessor’s office. https://www.whatcomcounty.us/3406/Exemptions-Tax-Relief

We unfortunately cannot offer the septic assistance rebate amounts to those not currently receiving property tax exemptions for senior citizens and people with disabilities at this time.
To qualify for enhanced access for septic assistance rebates under the Low- & Fixed-income Assistance Program the applicant must have been on the Property Tax Exemption for Senior Citizens and People with Disabilities list at the time the work was done on their OSS or at the time of rebate application.

21. What if there is a problem with my septic system upon evaluation?

There are resources available to assist with the repair and replacement of a failing septic system if you are concerned about how to pay for your septic system.
- The Craft 3 Loan is a low interest rate loan program to assist lower-income borrowers with residential properties.
- Visit www.craft3.org/homeowner-loans/clean-water/washington for more information

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Public Works - Small Farm Improvement Rebates

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1. How do I know if I am eligible for the rebate?

A farm planner at the Whatcom Conservation District will help review your eligibility for the rebate program. Call 360.526.2381 for more information.

There are four criteria that must be met to be eligible for the small farm improvements rebate.

You must have farm animals on a parcel in the current eligible area. Landowners or operators with landowner’s permission are eligible for the rebate. Parcels that are in a coastal watershed in Whatcom County are eligible for the rebate program. Contact a farm planner at the Whatcom Conservation District at 360.526.2381 to determine if your parcel is in the current eligible area.
You must complete a free Whatcom Conservation District small farm workshop or a free site visit. Find the listing of upcoming workshops at: http://www.whatcomcd.org/speaker-series. Contact a farm planner at the Whatcom Conservation District at 360.526.2381 to schedule your site visit.
You must purchase supplies for and install one of the eligible Best Management Practices (BMPs).
- Roof gutters and/or outlet for your barn.
- Footing materials for your heavy use area.
- Fencing materials to protect sensitive areas.
You must take before and after photos of your installed BMP to document your work.

2. Where do I turn in my rebate application?: Submit application materials by mail or in-person at Whatcom County Public Works- Natural Resources, Attn: Small Farm Rebate Program, 322 N. Commercial, 2nd Floor, Bellingham, WA 98225 or email to [email protected]. The office is located in the tall gray and blue building across the street from the Bellingham Public Library.

3. What do I need to submit for the rebate?

You will receive the rebate application at your workshop or site visit. You will need to submit:

Rebate application form.
Copy of the receipt/paid invoice for materials purchased.
Before and after pictures of your installed BMP.

4. How large of a rebate can I receive?

Rebates are available to reimburse up to a total of $300 of eligible costs, based upon actual expenses.

Barn gutters and/or outlets- Up to $300
Footing materials for heavy use area- Up to $300
Fencing materials to protect sensitive areas- Up to $300

5. If I complete a workshop, why do I need to contact a WCD farm planner to be eligible for the rebate?: Management practices are not one size fits all for farms. This is a grant funded program with a goal of connecting you with farm planners that can discuss siting and materials so your new BMP works the best it can to reduce mud and protect water quality.

6. What do I need to do to receive the rebate if I am leasing the land?: People that are leasing land for farm animals can be eligible for the rebate with the landowner’s permission. You will need to have a letter from the landowner approving the installation of the BMP or have the landowner sign the rebate application with you.

7. How long does it take to receive the rebate?: Rebate applications are typically processed within 4-6 weeks. You will receive a check at the mailing address you indicated on your rebate application. If you have not received a rebate within two months of submitting your application, please contact the PIC Program at [email protected].

8. When is the last date for me to submit my rebate materials? If something comes up, can I still submit them late?: Funding is limited, so participants are encouraged to submit materials as early as possible. Rebates will be rewarded in the order they were received until funding is exhausted.

9. I followed the instructions I received after completing my workshop and have submitted all of my rebate application materials. Is there anything more I need to do?: Nope! You should be all set. We will contact you if we need any additional information.

10. Can I submit applications for both rebate options?

No, each “farm area” * is eligible for one rebate (one BMP).

*“Farm areas” are defined for this program as adjoining parcels with farm animals under the same land ownership. Each “farm area” is eligible for one rebate (one BMP). If a landowner has more than one separate “farm areas”, each “farm area” is eligible for a rebate. Separate rebate applications must be submitted for each “farm area”.

11. I sent my rebate materials in a few months ago and still have not had any response. Did you receive my information?: Processing time ranges anywhere from 4-6 weeks; if you have not received a rebate within two months of submitting your materials, please contact contact the PIC Program at [email protected].

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Public Works - Traffic Inquiries

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1. Who handles dead animals on the roadway/roadkill?: The Whatcom Human Society removes dead animals from Whatcom County roadways. You can reach them at 360-733-2080.

2. Why doesn’t Whatcom County install "Children at Play" signs?: An often-heard neighborhood request concerns the posting of generalized warning signs with "Slow Children at Play" or other similar messages. Parental concern for the safety of children in the street near home, and a misplaced but widespread public faith in traffic signs to provide protection often prompt these requests.

Although some other jurisdictions have posted such signs widely in residential areas, studies have shown that many types of signs attempting to warn of normal conditions in residential areas have failed to achieve the desired safety benefits. If signs encourage parents and children to believe they have an added degree of protection, which the signs do not and cannot provide, a great disservice results.

Because of these serious considerations, Whatcom County does not install "Children At Play" signs on county roads. This type of sign may give children a false impression that it is safe to play in the road. It is never safe for children to play in or near the edge of the road.

3. Why aren't speed bumps put in place to slow down the traffic?: The control of speeding in residential neighborhoods, while maintaining acceptably safe street and roadway conditions, is a wide spread concern, which requires persistent law enforcement effort. The inability of posted speed limit signs to curb the intentional violator, leads to frequent requests for installation of "speed bumps" on public roads. However, actual tests of experimental designs have demonstrated the physical inability of a speed bump to control all types of lightweight and heavyweight vehicles successfully, In fact, a soft sprung sedan is encouraged to increase speed for a better ride, while some vehicles may lose control.

Courts have held public agencies liable for personal injuries resulting from faulty designs. Increased hazard to the unwary; challenges to the daredevils; disruption of the movement of both emergency and service vehicles; and undesirable increase in noise, have led Whatcom County to not consider speed bumps as a standard traffic control device on public roads.

4. How are crosswalks defined and used?: Washington State law states that crosswalks exist at all intersections except where prohibited by posted signs. At any crosswalk (marked or unmarked) drivers must yield the right of way to pedestrians.

Crosswalks are marked to encourage pedestrians to use a particular crossing. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) states: "Crosswalk markings should not be used indiscriminately." Studies conducted on the relative safety of crosswalks support minimal installation of marked crosswalks.

The City of San Diego studied intersections at which there were both marked and unmarked crosswalks. The results were surprising. Although 2-1/2 times as many people used the marked crosswalks, 6 times as many accidents occurred in the marked crosswalks. Such research suggests that a marked crosswalk can give pedestrians a false sense of security. At all crosswalks, both unmarked and marked, it is the pedestrian’s responsibility to be cautious and alert while crossing.

5. What is the proper use of a stop sign?: A stop sign is one of our most valuable and effective control devices when used at the right place and under the right conditions. It is intended to help drivers and pedestrians at an intersection decide who has the right-of-way.

One common misuse of stop signs is to arbitrarily interrupt through traffic, either by causing it to stop, or by causing such an inconvenience as to force the traffic to use other routes. Where stop signs are installed as "nuisances" or "speed breakers," there is high incidence of intentional violation. In those locations where vehicles do stop, the speed reduction is effective only in the immediate vicinity of the stop sign and, frequently, speeds are actually higher between intersections. For these reasons, it should not be used as a speed control device.

Well-developed, nationally recognized guidelines help to indicate when such controls become necessary. "Because the stop sign causes a substantial inconvenience to motorists, it should be used only when warranted" - Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).

6. What is the Federal Functional Classification of this road?: The Federal Functional Classification of any road can be found in this guide (PDF).

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Public Works - Water Quality

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1. How does fecal bacteria pollution get into water?: The sources of fecal bacteria pollution are varied, widespread and dependent upon surrounding land use. In rural residential and agricultural areas, sources of fecal pollution may include human waste (poop) from improperly functioning septic systems and animal waste from farms, pets, and wildlife. In more urbanized areas, human waste sources can include leaking sewer pipes, sanitary sewer pipes cross-connected with storm sewer pipes, and homeless encampments without available sanitary services. In urban settings, animal waste pollution sources include dog poop left on trails, sidewalks and lawns, and un-naturally high concentrations of urban wildlife (e.g. raccoons, rats, etc.) attracted by human-sourced food. As rainfall or snowmelt moves over the ground, the runoff picks up and carries with it human-made and natural pollutants. Fecal bacteria washes from the land into storm drains or into ditches and creeks that flow through our communities. The pollution flows to larger creeks and rivers, and eventually empties into our bays and harbors where people work, play and harvest shellfish.

2. Why do we test for indicator bacteria instead of pathogens to determine if water is healthy?: Testing for pathogens is difficult. Water carries many kinds of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses and protozoa. Each type of bacterium, virus or protozoan requires a different test. Many of these tests are expensive because they require special materials, equipment and/or are time-consuming. It is difficult to monitor water for every pathogen on a routine basis. We measure fecal coliform bacteria to estimate and understand the level of fecal contamination in the water. E. coli and enterococcus bacteria are also indicator bacteria that can be used to determine the health of the water.

3. Are wastewater treatment plants polluting the Nooksack River?

No. In the Nooksack River, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are not a likely source contributing to increased fecal bacteria levels.

WWTPs at Everson, Lynden and Ferndale have Individual National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits to discharge to the Nooksack River. Permits require that WWTPs regularly monitor effluent for several parameters, including fecal coliform and specify a monthly geometric mean limit (28 CFU/100mL) for the treated water that empties to the Nooksack River. The WWTPs all comply with their permits. Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) accredits the WWTP labs that analyze samples. An Ecology permit manager monitors required monthly reporting, annually inspects facilities, and verifies sampling results through duplicate samples analyzed elsewhere.

4. Is pollution from the Lummi Reservation causing high fecal coliform bacteria levels in Portage Bay?: No. Several factors support that pollution sources originating in the Nooksack River watershed are the primary cause of high fecal coliform bacteria levels in Portage Bay. About 5.26 square miles of Lummi Reservation land area drains to Portage Bay. The Nooksack River watershed is about 786 square miles and produces substantially more storm water. The prevailing wind direction from the east southeast and low salinity levels often measured in the marine water of Portage Bay indicate that Portage Bay is heavily influenced by the freshwater flowing from the Nooksack River. Studies summarizing data include https://www.lummi-nsn.gov/userfiles/1_2000_to_2001_Final_DWIF.pdf and the Nooksack River Bacteria Total Maximum Daily Load submittal report accessed from https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/publications/documents/0010036.pdf. Approximately 400 residences are located on the Lummi Nation land area that drains to Portage Bay. The Lummi Tribal Water and Sewer District provides sewer services to 380 homes; 20 homes have on-site sewage systems (OSS). The Northwest Indian Health Board regulates the 20 OSS. The Lummi Gooseberry Point WWTP discharges effluent to an outfall located in Hale Passage. Washington Department of Health studies have confirmed that Gooseberry Point WWTP discharges do not reach Portage Bay.

5. Can wildlife contribute to high fecal bacteria levels in water?

Yes, wildlife may contribute fecal bacteria to water.

Wildlife, including birds, can contribute fecal bacteria to our waterways. Examples may include waterfowl that seasonally visit agricultural fields in Whatcom County and potentially contribute fecal bacteria pollution to water that drains from the fields. Wildlife such as raccoons or rats can be a pollution problem when animals become concentrated in unnaturally high numbers in an area due to food sources made readily available by people (e.g. pet food outdoors or unsecured garbage).

6. Do agencies use DNA testing to identify sources of fecal bacteria?: Sometimes, but not on a routine basis. Several misconceptions exist about using DNA testing, or Microbial Source Tracking (MST), to find the source of fecal pollution. One mistaken belief is that a single water sample can point out which specific person or animal is causing the pollution. Current science is not capable of identifying all sources of fecal bacteria in a water sample. Analysis looks for genetic markers for certain species, but we do not have markers for all species. Even if a lab develops a marker for a certain species, not all individuals of that species may carry the marker. MST strategies rely on establishing patterns based on multiple samples taken over time from specific sampling locations. A limited number of labs are qualified to conduct MST analysis and costs are high. Past MST studies in Whatcom County’s Drayton Harbor watershed and in Skagit County’s Samish watershed confirmed already suspected fecal pollution from humans and from ruminants (cows, horses, and sheep) among other unidentified sources. Fecal pollution to water from human, livestock, and pet sources is preventable. Finding and fixing those sources provide the opportunity for improving water quality to healthy conditions.

7. What can I do about fecal bacteria pollution?

Find out how your property may be contributing fecal pollution to the water in your neighborhood and make corrections. If you have neighbors who may be contributing fecal bacteria to our community’s waterways, encourage them to fix the problem.

Keep animals and manure out of waterways and away from saturated ground. Whatcom Conservation District (WCD) can help you manage farm animals and manure in ways that will protect water quality. Contact WCD at 360-526-2381.
If you apply manure on your property, follow the 4Rs of manure nutrient stewardship – use the Right fertilizer source at the Right rate, at the Right time and in the Right place. Contact WCD at 360-526-2381 for help or click here to learn more.
Be responsible for proper operation and maintenance of your septic system. If you have questions about your septic system (where it is located, how to maintain it, what legal requirements are), contact Whatcom County Health Department at 360-778-6000 or email [email protected].
Pick up after pets. Dog waste can be a source of fecal contamination to water. Scoop dog poop, bag it, and put the bag in the garbage to prevent fecal bacteria from washing into water.
Plant or preserve trees and native vegetation along creeks, ditches, streams and marine shorelines. Native vegetation enhances or maintains a natural system’s ability to filter fecal bacteria before it pollutes the water.
Get involved. Join an advisory committee or attend public meetings held in your area to discuss issues and work on solutions.

8. Who can help me prevent manure-related pollution?: Whatcom Conservation District (WCD) offers free help to residents who ask for assistance in making their rural properties and farms more productive, while reducing the risk of polluting water. A WCD planner can evaluate whether your property may be contributing manure-related fecal bacteria pollution to waterways. If together you identify a problem, the planner can suggest ways to fix the pollution source and may be able to offer financial assistance. Conservation districts are non-regulatory and do not have authority to enforce regulations; help from a conservation district is free and confidential. Contact WCD at 360-526-2381 or see www.whatcomcd.org/ for more information.

9. Who can help me prevent pollution from my septic system?: Whatcom County residents can contact the Whatcom County Health Department (360-778-6000) with questions about septic systems and for technical assistance. For more information, visit www.whatcomcounty.us/septic.

10. Has the state’s surface water quality standard for bacteria changed recently?

The Department of Ecology establishes and regulates water quality standards in Washington State. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approves the standards. The National Shellfish Sanitation Program establishes separate standards for marine water quality in areas where shellfish are grown.

In January 2019, Washington Department of Ecology adopted updated fresh and marine water quality standards for the protection of water contact recreational uses in state waters. Updates became effective in February 2019. Among other changes, updates include:

Protecting primary contact recreation in fresh water

established criteria for E. coli as the bacterial indicator to protect water contact recreation
set a December 31, 2020 expiration date for use of fecal coliform levels to determine compliance

Protecting primary contact recreation in marine water

established criteria for enterococci as the bacterial indicator to protect water contact recreation
set a December 31, 2020 expiration date for use of fecal coliform levels to determine compliance

Protecting shellfish harvest use: Fecal coliform continues to be the bacterial indicator for protecting shellfish harvesting uses in marine water. Bacteria criteria to protect shellfish harvest use did not change when Ecology updated standards to protect water contact recreational uses. Because fresh water flows to and affects the quality of marine water in shellfish growing areas, we will continue to monitor for fecal coliform in fresh water. New fresh water data will be compared to historic data and to fecal coliform benchmarks to track status toward protecting the shellfish harvest use.

11. How does Whatcom County decide when to sample water?: Whatcom County Public Works samples water at a fixed network of sites on a regular basis. For routine sampling, Public Works and other agencies pre-schedule sampling dates. Public Works uses results of routine sampling to characterize long-term conditions at each location and to prioritize pollution reduction efforts. Public Works and other agencies typically conduct non-routine, pollution source identification sampling when a water quality hot spot has been identified or rain contributes to conditions that produce runoff that can be sampled entering waterways.

12. Can wood waste (decomposing wood or vegetation) contribute to bacteria pollution?: Maybe. Klebsiella are one of many bacteria categorized as fecal coliform bacteria. Water, soil, and plants, including wood products like mulch or wood chips, can naturally contain Klebsiella. However, about 30 to 40 percent of all people and animals have Klebsiella in their intestinal tract, which are shed in feces. When fecal coliform bacteria counts are too high, it is important to assess what is happening around and upstream of the high sampling result to determine potential sources.

13. Can Klebsiella be harmful to people?: Yes. Klebsiella can make people sick, and even cause death, when ingested in large numbers or by people who have a health condition that makes them vulnerable (i.e. immunocompromised). Studies have shown that, in general, strains of this bacterium from plants, soil, or water are as likely to cause illness as those from animals or people (Struve, 2004). Estimates are that ingesting 100 ml (about 3 oz.) of drinking water containing 35 Klebsiella per ml could be a risk to susceptible people (American Water Works Association, 1999). Klebsiella has been linked to illness outbreaks from contaminated iced tea (Tauxe, 1996) and turkey (Rennie, 1990).

14. Who enforces codes and laws related to protecting water quality?: Several agencies at local, state and federal level have authority to enforce water quality and public health protection laws.
•The US Environmental Protection Agency and Washington Department of Ecology (ECY) have authority to enforce rules related to water quality protection through the federal Clean Water Act. ECY enforces Washington’s Water Pollution Control Act.
•The Washington State Department of Agriculture has authority related to water quality protection for licensed cow dairies.
•Washington Department of Health (DOH) and Whatcom County Health Department have authority to enforce health and safety regulations related to on-site sewage systems and drinking water. DOH administers the National Shellfish Sanitation Program and regulates shellfish harvest in Washington.
•Whatcom County Planning & Development Services regulates land use, such as enforcing the Critical Areas Ordinance and approving farm plan applications submitted for compliance.

15. What does “non-regulatory technical assistance” mean?: Free help from an agency without authority to enforce regulations.
Agencies such as Whatcom County Public Works Department (Public Works), Whatcom Conservation District (WCD), and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) do not have authority to enforce regulations. Public Works gathers and analyzes data to prioritize pollution reduction efforts and coordinates landowner contact in the County’s Pollution Identification and Correction (PIC) program focus areas. Related to reducing bacteria pollution from livestock and manure, WCD and NRCS serve important roles in providing no-cost, expert advice and planning services for residents who want to benefit from the free help.

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Public Works Engineering - Development Inquiries

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1. What is one-call utility locate service?: It is a service, which will locate underground utilities in order to prevent damage or injury. Before digging, you must call the Utilities Underground Location Center at 800-424-5555, or 811. Call Before You Dig

2. There are paint marks / flags on, or near, my property. What do they mean?: These marks may indicate a utility locate, a pending road project or survey in your area. This may be a private project such as new construction, or a city, county or state construction or mapping project. More Information

3. Why is the county surveying at this location?

Survey work is conducted by the county for a variety of reasons:

To locate existing county right-of-way boundaries
To locate lost or covered survey monumentation
To perform topographic surveys of a project site in order to design improvements
To layout proposed right-of-way acquisitions
To establish elevations on existing or proposed county structures or facilities
To establish pit inventory quantities

4. What are the standards (i.e., width, slope, surfacing) for my driveway / private road?

The Engineering Division administers the Whatcom County Development Standards. Please refer to Chapter 5 - Road Standards.

Private residential driveways (1 and 2 residential units) outside of county rights-of-way are typically reviewed by the Fire Marshal in Planning and Development Services at 360-778-5900.

5. What size of easement is needed for a new development?: Detailed information can be found on our website. Easement Size Information

6. What is a “paved apron”?: It’s a paved approach to an intersecting county road extending from the property line or a driveway approach abutting a paved public road. For details see Drawing 508.D-4, 505.E-3, 505.E-4 of the Road Standards - Chapter 5.

7. Do I need a culvert?: That will be determined by the Right-of-way Inspector after you have applied for a Revocable Encroachment Permit.

8. What size of culvert do I need?: 12-inch minimum diameter, larger if drainage requires, as directed by the County Engineer - County Road Standards, Drawing 508.D-1.

9. What type of road do I have to construct?: It depends on what type of project you are working on, the land use zoning (urban or rural, acreage tracts or not), whether the roadway being accessed is private or public, how many homes are currently accessing the roadway, and the condition of the roadway you will be accessing (gravel, paved, required width). Other considerations are necessary such as the classification of the roadway, drainage, and the width of the ingress / egress (access) easement and/or right-of-way. The requirements of right-of-way, width of pavement and width of shoulders, etc. for urban and rural private and public roads are outlined within the Whatcom County Road Standards - Chapter 5.

10. What type of permit / approval do I need?: The permit required depends on your development intent. You may need several permits for 1 type of development activity. The list of Engineering development permits is online.

Other federal, state and local permits may be needed. Check with the local jurisdictions/districts for water and sanitary sewer hookup information. A good resource for checking what federal or state permits you may need for your development is a handbook titled “Commonly Required Environmental Permits for Washington State.”

11. What information is needed when the Engineering Division reviews my application?: At a minimum you will need to complete a Preliminary Traffic Concurrency Information form and Preliminary Stormwater Proposal form and submit them with your permit application. These forms are available online.

12. Why do I need to complete a Preliminary Stormwater Proposal?: Development Standards - Chapter 2 - Stormwater Management requires, as a minimum, that a Preliminary Stormwater Proposal be submitted. The Proposal is intended to provide the county with a general overview as related to a proposed project. The information will be used to determine which regulations apply and whether to require a more detailed Stormwater Design Report.

13. What is percent grade?: It is a percentage that represents the slope of the ground on your site. It is the increase or decrease in height of the ground (uphill or downhill) divided by the length of your site multiplied by 100 [(number of vertical feet (up or down)/ horizontal length of hill or site) x 100]. The linked guide (PDF) may also help you to determine the percent grade / slope of your site.

14. What is sight distance?: There are 3 types of sight distance: minimum stopping, minimum passing, and minimum at intersections. Sight Distance Definitions

15. Can I bond for the improvements?: Under some circumstances you may be able to request to post a security for certain required improvements. More Information

16. How are county road projects funded?: County road projects are principally funded by local funds generated via road taxes. However, the use of local county funds can be diminished by supplemental funds from a variety of sources. These supplemental funds are received by applying and completing a Whatcom County project with other counties’ and cities’ projects. A few of the various funding sources are federal bridge replacement funds, federal road project funds, state transportation improvement board funds, state rural arterial preservation funds and federal hazard elimination funds.

17. How can I make comments on the 1 year and 6 year road programs?: Both the Annual Road Program and the 6 Year Transportation Improvement Program are approved by the County Council and have a mandatory public hearing process associated with them. By watching for the announcement in the Bellingham Herald on the Council's agenda, or calling the Public Works Office, you can be informed of when the hearings will be held. Generally, the 6 Year Transportation Improvement Program is adopted in July, and the Annual Road Program is adopted in October.

18. How can I request that a roadway be improved?: The 6 Year Transportation Improvement Program, with its mandatory public hearing is the best way to get a project in front of the County Council and give your justification for improvement. Also, you may send a letter addressed to the County Road Engineer. Remember that a proposed project will be competing with other county projects based on traffic volumes, condition of the roadway, accident history, and proposed developments in addition to other factors.

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Superior Court - Recovery Court

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1. What is Recovery Court?

Recovery Courts are a recent phenomena within our criminal justice system. The emergence of these new courts reflect growing recognition on the part of judges, prosecutors and defense counsel that traditional criminal justice methods of incarceration, probation or supervised parole have not stemmed the tide of criminal activity by drug addicted individuals.

Recovery Court is a special court charged with the responsibility of handling cases involving drug-addicted offenders. This is accomplished through an extensive supervision and treatment program. Recovery Court has the power to offer an individual an alternative to traditional court if they successfully complete a Recovery Court supervised treatment. For "graduates" of the program, the court may dismiss the original charge, lessen the sentence, or offer a lesser penalty.

2. Who is Recovery Court for?: Recovery Court is for individuals who are taken into custody for non-violent drug offenses. Persons with prior crimes of violence or sex offenses will not be admitted. It is up to the individual to apply to enter Recovery Court. If they decide to apply, the prosecuting attorney's office, the defense counsel, and the case manager decide if the individual meets the criteria to be enrolled in Recovery Court.

3. What is difference between Recovery Court and traditional court?

Recovery Court sets forth clear goals and incentives to aid in drug addiction recovery. These goals and incentives must be met by the individual every step of the way to ensure graduation from the program. Strict penalties are put into place if the person does not meet the intended goals. This includes failures to appear at weekly court hearings, failure to show for a treatment session or failing of a drug test. Sanctions are implemented swiftly and in increasing severity. Repeated or escalating violations of policy will result in termination. Commission of any new felony offense requires termination.

Recovery Courts are based on negative reinforcement; the withdrawal of negative or unwanted factors to reward positive behavior. In these cases this is the removal of incarceration and/or fines for positive performance in treatment programs.

Sadly, people who are in need of treatment programs are not identified in the traditional court system. With the continuing increase in incarceration costs and the need for room in overcrowded jails, only 10% of persons who need treatment receive it in the traditional court system.

Studies regarding the use of drugs also suggest that some drug offenders utilize drugs in an attempt to self-medicate themselves for a psychiatric disorder. Individuals with mental illnesses are 2.7 times more likely to have substance abuse problems than individuals in the general populace. Individuals with substance abuse problems, particularly problems involving drugs other then alcohol, demonstrate almost a five–fold greater incidence of mental illness then the rest of the population.

4. What are the purposes and goals of Recovery Court?

One of the purposes of the Recovery Court system is to deal with all drug-using offenders while they are in the community, utilizing the programs that are currently in place. The goal is to place drug-using offenders in appropriate Recovery Court tracks that tailor the level of intervention and resource commitment to the needs of the offender, and more importantly the needs of the community. Recovery Courts provide more comprehensive and closer supervision of the drug-using offender than other forms of community supervision. While most community based treatment programs are based on volunteering enrollment, Recovery Court remands individuals into programs, documents participation, and provides rewards for positive progress.

The U.S. Department of Justice reported that incarceration alone does little to break the cycle of drugs and crime. One study, completed in 1993, found that a full 60% of police chiefs believe that police and other law enforcement agencies have been unsuccessful in reducing the drug problem in the United States.

5. What are the components of Recovery Court?: The National Association of Drug Court Professionals has set forth 8 key elements to provide a guideline and structure format for Drug Courts in the nation.
Key Component of Drug Court

6. What are the procedures of Recovery Court?: If a person is currently charged with a felony offense, a request for admission to Recovery Court may be made.
Drug Court Procedures

7. What is the effectiveness of Recovery Court?: In 1997, the Government Accounting Office reported that 71% of all offenders entering Drug Court/Recovery Court have either successfully completed their Drug Court/Recovery Court program or are at the present time actively participating in the program. The retention rate is very important to the program.
Learn more about Drug Court effectiveness.

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Treasurer

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1. What are the Treasurer's Office hours?: Please contact the Treasurer’s office during COVID to see if the office is open. Normally, we are open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm, including the lunch hour. Passport services are suspended during COVID. Please see our current observed holiday schedule for days that we are closed.
Observed Holidays Schedule

2. Where is the Treasurer's Office located?: We are located on the first floor of the Whatcom County Courthouse at 311 Grand Avenue, Suite 104 in Bellingham. For directions, please see the map to the courthouse. For additional information, please contact our office. Treasurer's Page

3. Is there a drop box?: A drive-up drop box is located near the north rotunda entrance to the Courthouse on Grand Avenue. A second drop slot is located outside the south entrance to the Courthouse. The slot is located on the brick wall adjacent to the door and is labeled "Envelope Depository." A third a drop box is also available just outside the lobby of the Treasurer’s Office.
Map of County Facilities (PDF)

4. What are the primary duties of the County Treasurer?: The County Treasurer plays a major role in the financial infrastructure of local government. The Treasurer is the custodian of all funds for the county and governmental subdivisions. The Treasurer's Office operates much like a bank. Learn more about the Treasurer's responsibilities.
Learn more about the Treasurer's responsibilities.

5. How is the County Treasurer's office structured?: The Whatcom County Treasurer's Office has four departments:
Finance – Accounting, cash management, banking services, financial reporting, and debt management.
Tax Service – Taxpayer services, remittance processing, and cashiering.
System Management – Program assistance, coordination of data processing, public assistance and tax statement production.
Collections – Special Assessments, personal property, real property and foreclosure processes.

6. Does every Washington State county have a county treasurer?: Every county has an elected county treasurer (38) except King County (Seattle), which, through its home rule charter, has an appointed position. (RCW 36.16.030) Washington State Constitution Article 11, Section 5.

7. How does a person become County Treasurer?: Article 11, Section 5 of the Washington State Constitution provides for a county treasurer who shall be elected by the qualified voters of each county. (RCW 36.16.030)

8. Why is the County Treasurer an elected position?: The County Treasurer position was deliberately established in the Washington State Constitution to provide independence in managing public monies. The position provides a check and balance between the clerk, assessor, auditor and commissioners. The Treasurer also serves other local government entities, e.g. schools, ports, fire districts, etc. besides the county. The Treasurer is accountable directly to the citizens on how the public's money is managed.

9. How long is the term of an elected County Treasurer?: County Treasurers hold office for a term of 4 years. If a vacancy occurs during a term, an election is held at the next succeeding general election. (RCW 36.16.010)

10. Who may serve as County Treasurer?: State law does not prescribe any formal qualifications other than being a qualified voter. Every person elected to the County Treasurer's office takes an oath to faithfully and impartially discharge the duties of the office to the best of his/her ability and furnishes a bond that he or she will faithfully perform the duties of his/her office and account for and distribute all money which the treasurer receives. The requirement of being bonded implies that the person is a qualifying adult and is of sufficiently trustworthy character to secure and provide the required surety bond.

11. Who makes deposits to the County Treasury?: Property taxpayers, junior taxing districts and county departments comprise the majority of the depositors. All monies collected by the treasurer are deposited in a qualified financial institution. All junior taxing districts and county departments are required to deposit monies within 24 hours.

12. How does the County Treasurer add value to the taxing districts and other governmental agencies?: • Efficiency and expertise in providing countywide treasury services.
• Centralized collection (receipting of taxes, fees, etc.).
• Reduces local government financial service costs to county taxpayers.
• Investment pooling to increase interest earning, especially to smaller entities.
• Helps with cash flow funding by investing in registered warrants as appropriate.
• Reduces banking service costs through volume discounts.
• Eliminates the need to hire staff at the district level to perform treasury management services (staff plus overhead costs).
• Provides additional internal controls.
• Provides financial analysis on projects at the district's request.
• Provides budget assistance in such areas as revenue projections and debt service payments.

13. How does the County Treasurer assure the safekeeping of public funds as required by law?: The County Treasurer, through a competitive bid process, selects a primary depository as set forth by the Public Deposit Protection Commission. The treasurer maintains records of all the deposits and withdrawals and reconciles all bank statements, thereby assuring the accuracy and safety of public funds. The County Finance Committee, comprised of the county treasurer, county auditor, and chair of the county legislative authority, oversees banking services.

14. How does the Treasurer handle unappropriated funds and/or funds not needed immediately to meet the obligations of the County?: Upon written direction of the governing body of any municipal corporation, the County Treasurer may invest funds not required for immediate expenditure in legally authorized investments such as certificates of deposit, repurchase agreements, bankers acceptances, treasury bills, bonds, notes, commercial paper, and federal agency issues.

15. Is an investment policy required?: Yes. By Washington State law, the County Finance Committee is responsible for establishing an investment policy. The investment policy provides the framework in which the County Treasurer invests the public's money. Whatcom County's Investment Policy is certified by the Washington Municipal Treasurer's Association. Whatcom County's Investment Policy

16. What percentage of regional versus county services does the County Treasurer provide?: It is estimated that 60% of the workload in the Whatcom County Treasurer's Office is directed toward providing services to the taxing districts and cities and 40% to the county.

17. What confidence can the public have in the fiscal structure of County government?: Washington State County government is structured so that county financial undertakings are open to the public and within the actual office knowledge of more than one elected official. The County Treasurer is an integral part of this system of internal controls designed to prevent excessive concentration of power in one official. Dispersing public fiscal duties among several officials assures an orderly and honorable administration of public finance.

18. Can anyone see my tax account records?: Yes, property tax records are public records.

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Treasurer - Property Transfers

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1. Selling real or personal property. What do I need to know?: All transfers of property require a Real Estate Excise Tax Affidavit be completed and filed with the Treasurer's Office, along with payment of excise tax, prior to being recorded in the County Auditor's Office. Personal property or mobile homes, may require advance property taxes be paid at this time as well. We will not accept incomplete affidavit forms, nor can we provide legal advice as to how to complete them.

You may use the single copy PDF version, rather than the Excel version, of the Real Estate Excise Tax Affidavit (REETA), and all other REET forms, including Mobile Home, and Supplemental Statements. Please be careful that you don't reduce the print and/or form size when printing these documents from the Department of Revenue website. We will only accept one original legal size (8.5" x 14") signed document, if not submitting the 4-part legal size carbonized form. Once reviewed and receipted, we will make the necessary photo copies. Please provide 1 copy of all attachments, on standard letter size paper (8.5" x 11"). Including, but not limited to, legal description, and any attachments required by the WAC rules. Washington State Department of Revenue Forms

2. Gifting property. What do I need to know?: There is a Real Estate Gift Supplemental form that must be signed by both parties, and must accompany a completed Real Estate Excise Tax Affidavit. These documents are filed in the Treasurer's Office and are subject to a minimum filing fee if there are no taxes due. Follow the link below, then look for Real estate excise tax supplemental statement.
REET Supplemental Statement (PDF)

3. How long do I have to process my property transfer and pay excise tax?: You have 30 days from the date of sale to avoid interest and penalty on the excise taxes due.

4. Buying and/or moving a used mobile home. What do I need to know?

If the mobile home is going to be moved, as a condition of sale, obtain a tax certificate (moving permit) from the Assessor's Office. There is no charge for the tax certificate. Take the tax certificate to the Treasurer's Office to be certified that any property taxes due on the mobile home have been paid, and receive an orange decal which must be displayed on the mobile home while it is being moved. It is a violation of Washington state law to move a mobile home without a validated tax certificate and orange decal. When all property taxes have been paid, the Treasurer's Office will issue a tax verification form (half sheet). The tax verification form, and the current mobile home title, can be taken to the Licensing Department in the Auditor's Office to pay sales tax and transfer the title into the new owner's name.

If the mobile home is not going to be moved, go to the Treasurer's Office to complete a Mobile Home Excise Tax Affidavit and pay any excise tax that may be due. This affidavit must be signed by the buyer and the seller, and is required along with the current title, to transfer title in the Licensing Department of the Auditor's Office. Please be careful that you don't reduce the print and/or form size when printing these documents from the Department of Revenue website.

Follow the link below, then look for Real estate excise tax mobile home affidavit.

REET Mobile Home Affidavit (PDF)

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Treasurer - Tax Payments

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1. When are taxes due?: First-half taxes are due April 30. Second-half taxes are due October 31. If the due date falls on a weekend, then payments will be accepted the next business day. For additional information about your tax statement, please see Tax Statement Information.

2. Is a postmark acceptable, or do I have to pay in person on the due date?: An official Post Office postmark or cancellation (not a postage machine date) determines the payment date for all mailed payments. Be advised that if you mail your payment on the due date, you might not receive that day's postmark. You may want to have it hand canceled at your local Post Office to assure that you receive that day's postmark. If you send a tax payment by commercial courier service, the Treasurer's Office will verify a sent date with the carrier in the event that it is necessary.

3. Can I pay my taxes with a credit card?: Yes. Property taxes may be paid online, or by phone, with several different credit cards. For additional information on this payment option, please see our Payment Center.

4. How do I sign up for Auto-Pay of taxes from my bank account?: Information and Forms are available on our Auto-Pay web page.

5. Can my delinquent taxes have the interest and penalty waived?: There are only 2 exceptions allowed under state law. For more information, please see Tax Information.

6. My taxes are delinquent. Can I pay the delinquent taxes and not pay the current year?: Yes, you may pay any delinquent year in full, with interest and penalty, without paying the current year.

7. Does having delinquent taxes affect my credit?: The Treasurer's Office does not provide information directly to credit reporting agencies; however, credit reporting agencies may acquire information from secondary sources with whom you have relationships (banks, mortgage companies, etc.).

8. My taxes are delinquent. How long before the County will foreclose on my property?: Real property foreclosure will occur when the tax becomes 3 years delinquent. The foreclosure process will begin the first of the year following the third year. Personal property has different foreclosure laws and becomes subject to distraint and sale after 30 days of delinquency.

9. When is the Tax Foreclosure Auction?: The Treasurer holds a tax foreclosure auction each year in November. For additional information, please contact the Foreclosure Deputy in the Treasurer's Office or go to our Auctions Page.

10. Is there an exemption available for senior citizens or disabled persons?: Yes. This program is administered by the Whatcom County Assessor’s Office. All questions or requests for information should be directed to their office at (360) 778-5050 or go to their Property Tax Exemptions Page.

11. Where do my tax dollars go?: The Assessor's Tax Book provides a multitude of graphs and charts showing where the tax dollars go. Please select the Tax Book for the year in question from the Annual Tax Book Page.

12. How are my taxes calculated?

Taxes are calculated every January when the levy rates are set and the tax roll is certified by the Whatcom County Assessor’s Office and then turned over to the Treasurer’s Office. The levy rate varies for each taxing district depending upon the budget for each district, and any voter-approved special levies and bonds. This levy rate is multiplied per thousand dollars of assessed value.

Example: If assessed value is $100,000 and the levy rate is 10.5432 per thousand dollars of value, your tax will be $100,000/1,000 x 10.5432 = $1,054.32 tax liability

13. Why did my taxes go up so much this year?: Your assessed value may be higher this year due to a revaluation by the Assessor. The tax rate in your taxing district could be higher this year due to school levies, etc.

14. If I don't pay my first-half taxes by April 30, do I have to pay my taxes in full?: No, you may pay your first-half taxes, with interest and penalty calculated on the full year´s taxes, through October 31. However, at least half of any personal property taxes must be paid by April 30, or the entire amount becomes delinquent and payable.

15. I don't have enough to even pay half of my taxes. Can I make a partial tax payment?: No. Washington state law (RCW 84.56.020) does not allow the Treasurer to accept partial payments. We suggest you put the money into a savings account until you have accumulated enough to make a full payment.

16. Where should I mail tax payments?: Mail tax payments only to:
Whatcom County Treasurer
PO Box 34873
Seattle, WA 98124-1873

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Treasurer - Tax Statements

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1. Why haven't I received my statement yet?: The Treasurer's Office may have an incorrect mailing address, or we may be holding the statement for an adjustment that needs to be made prior to mailing (i.e. senior or disabled exemptions).

2. I sold this property. What should I do with the statement?: The tax statement may either be forwarded to the purchaser or returned to the Treasurer's Office. If you choose to return the statement, please note the purchaser's name and address if you have that information. Any statement returned will be researched for a correct address and/or taxpayer and re-mailed accordingly.

3. I lost my tax statement. Can I get a new one?: Contact the Treasurer's Office at 360-778-5160, and a duplicate statement can be mailed to you. You can also View Tax Statement Information Online.

4. How do I change my address or name?: An address change can be taken over the phone, by email, by snail-mail, or in person. You may only request a taxpayer change through the Treasurer's Office. Any request for a name change must be done through the Assessor's Office and accompanied by a legal document such as, a deed, real estate contract, divorce decree, death certificate, or a court document. Please include all your property ID number(s) for any of these requests.

5. What do I need to do if the "situs or location address" for my property is stated incorrectly on my tax statement?: We obtain that address from the Assessor's records as a courtesy to the taxpayers. To request a correction of this address please contact the Assessor's Office.

6. Does filing a Satisfaction of Mortgage with the County Auditor change the name and address on my tax statement?: No, the Treasurer's Office must be notified.

7. What is the special assessment on my tax statement?

There are several different special assessments possibly showing on your tax statement.

Birch Bay Watershed & Aquatic Resources Management (Birch Bay WARM) - contact Public Works/Stormwater at 360-778-6230.

Foreclosure Warning Notice - contact the Treasurer's office at 360-778-5173.

On-Site Sewage Fee - contact the Health Department at 360-778-6000.

Various Watershed Districts - contact Henry Bierlink at 360-354-1337.

All others are managed by Public Works River & Flood Division at 360-778-6230.

8. Should I have a personal property statement?: Personal property pertains to commercial, industrial or agricultural enterprises, such as businesses, apartments, leaseholds, and farms. Personal property's primary characteristic is its mobility, and includes, but is not limited to, machinery, furniture, fixtures and equipment. Every business must complete a personal property inventory affidavit by April 30 each year and file it with the Whatcom County Assessor's office for taxes due the following year. Personal property tax rates are the same as for real property.

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WSU Extension

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1. What are the office hours of WSU Whatcom County Extension?: We are open Monday through Fridays, 8:30 am - Noon and 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm.

2. Where is WSU Whatcom County Extension located?: 600 Dupont Street, Suite A, Bellingham, WA 98225

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