There will be a regular meeting of the Ferndale City Council tonight at 6pm in Council Chambers in the Ferndale City Hall Annex building, 5694 2nd Avenue. Here are some of the items on tonight’s meeting agenda.
- There will be a public hearing regarding the 6-month emergency moratorium on land use applications for storage facilities adopted in early November. Following the public hearing, the council will decide whether to cancel, continue or extend the moratorium.
- Consider approving City of Ferndale’s participation in a 10-year interlocal agreement with the City of Bellingham and Whatcom County regarding maintenance of Slater Road and planning and enforcement issues regarding the road and adjacent properties east of I-5 to a point approximately half-way to Northwest Drive. This area is the line dividing the designated Urban Growth Areas (UGA) of the City of Ferndale to the north and the City of Bellingham to the south. According to the draft version of the agreement, the County, Ferndale and Bellingham would be required to all come to agreement regarding proposed changes within the identified area before, during and after it has been annexed.
- The appointment of a mayor pro tempore is on the agenda. According to RCW Section 35A.13.035, “Biennially at the first meeting of a new council, or periodically, the members thereof, by majority vote, may designate one of their number as mayor pro tempore or deputy mayor for such period as the council may specify, to serve in the absence or temporary disability of the mayor.” The Ferndale City Council’s Rules of Procedure and Ethics Handbook goes on to explain, “A Mayor Pro Tempore shall be elected by a majority vote of the Council from its own membership at the first meeting or a meeting soon thereafter after each general election and thereafter at such time as a vacancy occurs. The Mayor Pro Tempore shall hold office at the pleasure of the Council.” Councilmember Keith Olson has served as mayor pro tempore since being approved by the Council after Mayor Jon Mutchler was sworn in as Mayor.
Story updated: This story was updated to refer to the correct RCW regarding mayor pro tempore that applies to code cities within Washington State, which Ferndale is one.