Bellingham Mayor Seth Fleetwood completes his term of office on December 31, 2023, after serving as Mayor during one of the most tumultuous and challenging times in Bellingham history. He brought commitment and collaboration to the position, assembled a strong, dedicated leadership team, and together they share a long list of accomplishments in addition to leading the City through the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Serving as Mayor has been the honor of a lifetime and I’m grateful to have had this opportunity,” Mayor Fleetwood said. He said he was guided in his work as Mayor by his vision and deep sense of purpose for a future in which we all work together to do the important, inspiring work of building a sustainable, equitable and thriving city.
The Bellingham City Council passed a resolution in Mayor Fleetwood’s honor on December 11, 2023.
- Video of Bellingham City Council honoring Mayor Seth Fleetwood (recognition begins at 4 minutes, 30 into the video)
Mayor Fleetwood is known as a Mayor who favors thoughtful, collaborative approaches to problem solving, carefully listening to all sides of issues, and for “walking toward the fire” when confronted with difficult circumstances.
Prior to serving as Mayor, he served two terms on the Bellingham City Council (2010-2013), and two terms on the Whatcom County Council (2002-2009). He also has a long history of public service and commitment to leadership on issues of significance at all levels of government.
Mayor Fleetwood took office in January 2020 at the onset of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most difficult challenges of modern times, requiring him to take emergency actions affecting government services, business operations, and community life. During the pandemic, he served as an incident commander and regional leader, taking actions that centered health and safety and directed resources toward helping people, particularly assisting vulnerable populations, and supporting local businesses.
In addition to addressing the local challenges of the pandemic, Mayor Fleetwood assembled a strong, capable and collaborative leadership team that served as a driving force in maintaining Bellingham’s vision and resilience in the face of the many challenges of the past four years. Together with his team, Mayor Seth prioritized action and made progress on myriad issues that are priorities for the Bellingham community.
As a lifelong Bellingham resident and long-time public servant, we hope that, after a well-deserved rest from public life, Mayor Fleetwood will continue to contribute in significant and meaningful ways to his beloved hometown.
