Flower baskets along Main Street
Lummi Island a short jaunt from mainland
Baseball, fast-pitch seasons end
Several volunteers hang locally grown flowers.
Annual staycation guide shows fun places to go not far from home.
FHS hardball, softball teams show promise
NEWS, A2
PLAY WHATCOM, Insert
SPORTS, B4
MAY 22, 2024
SINCE 1885
red ‘Art will be o ered at both middle schools next year,’ district says By Luke Seymour Staff Reporter
FERNDALE — On April 30, the Ferndale
rel ef School Board gave an update on their 202425 budget cycle. The update included a summary of the Ferndale school district’s 2021-23 audit report, which Holly Graham, the district’s director of accounting said included no errors or misstatements in the school’s financial operations, which Graham referred to in the meeting as a clean audit.
Graham then detailed the school district’s strategic realignments that have been taking place over the past few months and will continue to take place as the board works toward having their budget launched by July. Graham said no matter what cuts the board might make to staffing and school resources, ultimately those decisions were
FERNDALE, WASHINGTON • $1.50
oney s one reason for sta n cuts made purely to benefit the school’s bottom line. “We’re intentionally linking our expenditures to our results,” Graham said. “Data is driving our decisions and we’ve updated our allocation models for certificated and classified staff. Staffing is based on our enrollment projections.” Recently, the Ferndale School Board has been faced with grow-
ing concern over the security of teacher positions throughout the school district as some educators have been advised they will not be returning for the 2024-25 school year. Speculation has also accumulated over whether certain classes will be cut from the curriculum, particularly classes that focus on the arts. Graham explained that staffing is a school
district’s biggest cost and also that some of the most expensive items in the materials and supplies budget are utilities and insurance. In support of Graham’s statements, Assistant Superintendent Mark Deebach said staff reductions are a difficult but natural byproduct of a rapidly changing school district. “One of the unfortu-
nate realities in the way we work is that there is a lot of non-personnel money available for reductions,” Deebach said. “We’re reducing supplies, we’re reducing the non-staff cost the best we can. It’s an unfortunate reality, but there’s not a whole lot of wiggle room in material reduction.” Earlier, Ferndale residents and teachers See Staffing on A6
Ferndale, other Whatcom cities plan Memorial Day remembrances
Mayor Greg Hansen gave his state of the city on May 15 to the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce. (Luke Seymour/
Ferndale Record)
State of the city, but with a twist Ferndale mayor shares city expansion plans during monthly Chamber luncheon By Luke Seymour Staff Reporter
FERNDALE — Population growth and major projects. Essentially, that boils down Mayor Greg Hansen’s state of the city address at the Ferndale Chamber’s May 15 luncheon. After a few technical difficulties at the front end of his presentation, Hansen presented Ferndale in 10 graphs that would demonstrate the city’s past, present and future growth and infrastructure, as well as lay out some basic summaries of future projects that the city is working on. The mayor called his presentation, “State of the City, but with a twist.” In 1968, Ferndale had just short of 2,000 residents. Today, more than 16,000 people call the city their home. Hansen then explained that the increase in population, paired with infrastructure that has yet to adapt to meet the needs of this increase in residents, has led to housing affordability issues in the Ferndale area, even if the toll of those issues is not as apparent as it is elsewhere in Whatcom County. “A comment that we often say is that homelessness looks different in Ferndale, but it’s still there,” Hansen said. “There are still people who are sleeping in their cars at night, you just don’t see them because you’re in your comfy home.” One of the ways in which Hansen said Ferndale will look to alleviate this crisis is by planning to build homes that meet the needs of all Ferndale residents, no matter where they fall on the housing spectrum. “We’re going to look to build housing for people who are at the area median income and higher,” Hansen said. “But we’re also required to plan for housing for people who are at 70% of the median income or 50% or below that.” Hansen said that although the city has worked hard to meet the needs of all its residents, Ferndale can further alleviate housing troubles by looking to overestimate growth models in the years ahead and to continue to expand city limits in order to develop more affordable housing. This also means building more of what Hansen refers to as “missing middle housing,” which are structures that are meant to support multiple occupants at once in a communal living space. Examples of said missing middle housing inSee Hansen on A6
Avenue of Flags 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. Monday, May 27 at Greenacres Memorial Park By Bill Helm Editor
WHATCOM — Each year, cities all across Whatcom County recognize Memorial Day with their ceremonies and remembrances. Ferndale’s annual Avenue of Flags is from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. May 27 at Greenacres Memorial Park, 5700 Northwest Drive. Col. Wes Weston is master of ceremonies. This is a display of Veterans flags, with approximately 2,000 veterans flags lining the pathways. Parking is off the Northwest Drive entrance, north side of Greenacres. Handicap parking as space allows, with permit. At noon, the remembrance ceremony will begin, with speakers who will represent Disabled American Veterans, Daughters of the American Revolution, Sons of the American Revolution, and Descendent of Patrick Henry. There also will be a dove release. Starting at 11:30 a.m., refreshments will be served by American Legion Post 7 Legion Riders and Ferndale Haggen’s bakery. This event is organized each year by the Whatcom Allied Veterans Council. Guests are invited to bring their own chairs for seating. Whatcom Memorial Parade From noon-3 p.m. Saturday, May 25, the Whatcom Memorial Parade will be held in Bellingham. The parade starts at noon at the intersection of Alabama and Cornwall streets and will continue south on Cornwall. A non-political family event, the Whatcom Memorial Day Parade is a favorite community tradition in downtown Bellingham. Its mission is to remember and honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the United States Armed Forces. For more information, visit whatcommemorialdayparade.com or email info@whatcommemorialdayparade.com. Also call 360-230-8226.
On Monday, May 27, Greenacres Memorial Park will be the site of Ferndale’s annual Avenue of Flags Memorial Day event. Pictured, 2023 remembrance.
-- Contact Bill Helm at bill@lyndentribune.com.
(Elisa Claassen for the Record)
Weather
42 pages • Volume LIII • Number 13
Thursday 49°/63° Friday 46°/60° Saturday 47°/60° Sunday 48°/61°
Calendar • A5 Classifieds • B5 Forum • A4
Legal Notices • B5 News • A2 Obituaries • A3
Puzzles •B6 Sports • B1
Early Memorial Day deadline: Noon Friday, May 24 for editorial, advertising, obituaries.