The Lake Whatcom Management Program will host its annual Lake Whatcom Joint Councils and Commission meeting on Wednesday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m. in the Bellingham City Council Chambers, 210 Lottie St. Members of the Bellingham City Council, Whatcom County Council, and the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District Board of Commissioners will be in attendance. The meeting will be open to the public and aired on BTV at a later date.
“The County and City have been accelerating efforts to clean up and protect Lake Whatcom. There is still lots to be done, and this is a great opportunity for the public to hear about it,” said County Councilmember Todd Donovan, Chair of the County’s Natural Resources Committee. Gene Knutson, Public Works and Natural Resources chair for the Bellingham City Council, noted that “this meeting of the joint councils and water district reps is a great way for the general public to see and hear what we have done for all these years with our water supply. I am optimistic that our work will meet the state’s Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) deadline a lot sooner than expected.”
An open house will be held immediately before the meeting from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. featuring posters, maps, and literature about Lake Whatcom programs and planning. The open house provides an opportunity for members of the public to talk with program staff about specific lake issues or initiatives.
The following topics are scheduled to be discussed at the meeting:
• Review of recent water quality trends affecting the lake
• Report on findings of a survey of watershed residents, and planned homeowner engagement projects
• Update on a new stormwater district to fund county water quality improvement projects
• Update on purchases or easements of watershed lands
Public comment is scheduled for the end of the meeting. The 2018 Lake Whatcom Progress Report and other information can be found on the Lake Whatcom Management Program website at www.lakewhatcom.whatcomcounty.org/resources. The meeting agenda and packet can be found at meetings.cob.org.
