Bellingham leaders haven’t had as many opportunities to hear directly from citizens during COVID-19 lockdowns, and an upcoming town-hall meeting on climate change is meant to make up for that.
The city will seek community input on how to reduce the impacts of climate change at a “Community Voices” forum, 6 p.m. Monday, March 21 via Zoom. After hearing a brief presentation, those in attendance will be given two minutes to share their ideas. All seven City Council members are expected to attend.
City officials have committed to rapid reductions in the city’s carbon output, to help meet international goals to minimize climate change’s impacts. By 2030, the city needs to reduce its carbon emissions by 40%. Emissions must be further reduced to 85% of 2000 levels by 2050.
These goals aren’t just meant for the city government’s own buildings or vehicle fleet. Virtually everyone who lives or works in Bellingham will play a part. After all, only 2% of Bellingham’s carbon output comes from its government.
The city’s climate priorities include finding renewable energy sources for its electricity supply, boosting energy efficiency in buildings and lowering vehicle emissions by reducing the number of trips and transitioning to electric vehicles.
Acknowledging that climate change is going to get worse before it ever gets better, the city also seeks ways to reduce its harmful effects, making sure to look out for those who are most vulnerable.
Details on how to make all this happen — and the cost — still need to be figured out.
“Building and rebuilding our energy economy in a cleaner way will never come cheap, and it will never come free, certainly, but investing in our future is worth it,” City Council member Michael Lilliquist said Nov. 22, 2021, at a meeting of the council’s Climate Action Committee.
Current city funds, even including potential state or federal grants, won’t be enough, city officials say. Mayor Seth Fleetwood proposes putting a property tax on the November ballot to provide a reliable funding source for the climate change fight. The mayor expressed optimism at the November committee meeting that the measure would pass.
“There’s probably a strong majority of people in Bellingham who I know take the climate threat … very seriously,” Fleetwood said, “and recognize that if we’re going to make progress … it’s going to require all governments doing more: the heavy lift. You can’t get to where we need to get without the heavy lift.”
A property tax measure would require City Council approval by Aug. 2 to make the November ballot.
Monday’s climate change town hall is remote-only, with ASL, Spanish, Punjabi and Russian interpretation available.
Bellingham plans three more “Community Voices” meetings in 2022. A forum on public safety will be May 16. As city officials begin to draw up the 2023-24 budget later this year, they will host a town hall on funding priorities Sept. 19. A community meeting on affordable housing is coming in November.
