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Smith Road Closed Aug. 16th-19th for Road Maintenance

The section of Smith Road between Hovander Road and LaBounty Drive will be closed from August 16th to August 19th. The Public Works crew will be onsite conducting essential road maintenance to help restore the road surface. This closure will ensure residents do not damage their vehicles on the exposed road surface, provides for the safety of our public works crew and allows the asphalt time to set after paving is complete.

A detour utilizing Hovander Road and LaBounty Drive will be in place, please follow all traffic directions and utilize alternative routes if possible. For more information, please call Ferndale Public Works at 360-384-4006

Fire Truck Spray Event Aug. 12th, 6:15PM

Whatcom Fire District 7 and the City of Ferndale are here to help you fight the heat. Join us Thursday, Aug. 12th at Pioneer Park Field (2004 Cherry St.) to get hosed down by a fire truck. The City will be on hand to pass out ice cold water bottles.

Ferndale Becomes the Second Largest City in Whatcom County

According to the latest estimates from Washington State, the City of Ferndale is now the second largest city in Whatcom County with 15,270 residents. This represents a 33.77% increase from 2010 and makes Ferndale the fastest growing city in Skagit and Whatcom County. This is also the first time in the history of Ferndale where the City has had more residents than any other City in Whatcom besides Bellingham.

“This is great news for Ferndale,” said Mayor Greg Hansen. “It is no mystery why people chose Ferndale as their home. We have great schools, great parks and an incredible growing business community,” said Hansen.

“While this growth may feel sudden, it is planned. The City is ready to welcome our new neighbors,” said Hansen. In the last three years, Ferndale has started over $50 million dollars’ worth of local infrastructure projects including the construction of the Thornton Overpass, the drilling of a new well and the expansion of the water and wastewater treatment plants.   

“For those of you who are concerned about losing our small-town feel, I have a challenge,” said Hansen. “Go out and meet one of your new neighbors. Share your favorite things about our city and in doing so, we will continue our proud tradition of kindness, support and decency that make Ferndale the great place we know and love.”

The full population estimates from the Office of Financial Management can be found on their website here.

Request for Qualifications for Design Engineering Services for Metalworks Skate Park

CITY OF FERNDALE

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

 FOR

Design Engineering Services

The City of Ferndale is seeking qualification statements from professional engineering firms with experience providing design services for the Metalworks Skate Park Project.

This Project will construct a new 10,000 square foot skate park off Second Avenue and adjacent to Phillips 66 Sports Complex, Pioneer Park, and Star Park.  Improvements will include a lighted skate park that also contains some bike park elements.  The intent is to incorporate design and artistic features to emphasize Ferndale’s industrial heritage.  The Project shall meet current ADA accessibility requirements, plus safety and standards for skatepark design principles so that skateboarders, BMX, and scooter riders can develop their skills.  The Project shall be naturally integrated with the surrounding environment and feature a mix of street and transitional-style terrain with elements designed for all age groups and ability levels, beginner to advanced.  Project elements shall include an 800 square foot shade structure, a minimum of 40 linear feet of retaining wall/wall seating, irrigation, benches, recycling and trash receptacles, site preparation for a precast bathroom structure, landscaping, and associated utility improvements. 

The City is seeking an Engineering firm to head a team skilled in providing design and engineering services which may include, but is not limited to, community outreach, surveying, utility and skate park design, landscape architecture, cultural resource analysis, and permitting, as well as the creation of plans, specifications and estimates for the eventual public bid for construction of the project.

Scope of Work

The general scope of work includes tasks required to complete the Project in its entirety to meet the goals of:

  • Participating in a community outreach and design input process.
  • Identifying features to mimic natural street-skating and skatepark environments (including ledges, pads, banks, rails, stair-sets, and other natural transitions) as guided by the City and the community.
  • Completing a design focused upon skateboarding while also allowing for elements of a mixed-use public bike park with a sense of community and quality street-skating environment in an engaging and aesthetically pleasing design.
  • Addressing cultural resources, preparing appropriate environmental documentation, and providing permitting assistance.
  • Providing a complete set of plans, specifications and engineering, engineering surveying and design services needed for construction of the Project, including preliminary design, engineering cost estimates, final design, plans and specifications, complete contract documents, construction cost estimate for bidding, and other work as necessary to provide a complete Project.
  • Providing bid assistance as needed.
  • Providing construction engineering and inspection services if requested.

Schedule

  • Design, including community outreach and permitting activities, shall get underway summer/fall 2021.
  • A complete set of construction plans, specifications and estimate to be provided in early 2022.
  • Bidding and construction to occur spring of 2022, with project completion in fall 2022.

All design work and documents shall meet/follow applicable City of Ferndale Standards, WSDOT Design Manuals, WSDOT/APWA Standard Specifications for Road Bridge and Municipal Construction, Washington State Department of Ecology Stormwater Management Manual for Western Washington or equivalent, and all other applicable local, state, and federal regulations.

Interested parties are responsible for monitoring this website for information concerning the RFQ and any addenda issued. 

Interested firms shall submit a Statement of Qualification that contains the following:

  1. Cover Letter. 
  2. Qualifications:  Outline the qualifications of the firm to perform this work. 
  3. Project support:  Provide an organizational chart of the proposed design team and a short resume of all key people listed on the chart. 
  4. Describe the firm’s knowledge and experience in the permitting, design, and construction management of similar projects. 
  5. References:  Provide a list of projects that were similar in scope.  Project list should include year completed, budget, scope, and reference contact. 

The Statement of Qualification submittal shall be a maximum of ten (10) single-sided pages.  One original and four copies shall be submitted, as well as an electronic copy (in pdf format) shall be uploaded to the City’s online upload folder located at: https://cityofferndalewa.sharefile.com/i/i8a659dea8b343308

RFQ SUBMITTAL DEADLINE AND DELIVERY LOCATION

Responses will be received by the Public Works Department of the City of Ferndale, Washington up to the hour of 4:30 PM on Friday, August 13, 2021.  Responses delivered after this date and time will not be accepted. The City of Ferndale is not responsible for delays in delivery. 

All responses to this request that are mailed through the United States Postal Service shall be addressed to Katy Radder, Public Works Project Manager, City of Ferndale, P.O. Box 936, Ferndale, WA 98248.  Hand-delivered responses, or responses not set through the USPS, shall be delivered to the Public Works Department, second floor front counter, City of Ferndale, 2095 Main Street, Ferndale, Washington.  The United States Postal Service will NOTdeliver to the street address.  All responses shall be placed in a sealed envelope, which is clearly marked “METALWORKS SKATE PARK SOQ.”  Responses by FAX will not be accepted. 

The selection process for this project will involve the following steps:

  1. Request for Qualifications.
  2. After the City reviews the Statement of Qualifications received, qualified firms may be invited to present a Request for Proposal (RFP) through an interview process. 

The City of Ferndale reserves the sole right to terminate this process, to not award a contract, and to cancel or modify this solicitation process at any time.  In no event will the City or any of their respective agents, representatives, consultants, directors, officers, or employees be liable for, or otherwise obligated to reimburse, the costs incurred in preparation of this RFQ, or any related costs.  The prospective consultant teams shall absorb all costs incurred in the preparation and presentation of the submittals. The RFQ Submittals will become the property of the City of Ferndale. 

Questions regarding this Request for Qualifications should be directed to Katy Radder, Project Manager, at (360) 685-2377 or via email at KatyRadder@cityofferndale.org.

The recipient, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 78 Stat. 525, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office of the Secretary Part 21, Nondiscrimination in Federally-assisted programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises as defined at 49 CFR Part 26 will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, national origin, or sex in consideration for an award.

2021 Summer Unclaimed Property Auction

Start off the Summer by shopping local! You will find items for auction at www.Govdeals.com. These are items that have been unclaimed or found property and left at the Police Department.

Make sure to pre-register in order to participate in the auction. Auction starts on Friday, August 6th! You will find hand tools, Apple products, Compressor, Jewelry, New Sketchers, Star Wars Memorabilia, Luggage, Musical Instruments and Digital cameras.

Click here to access a flyer with complete item descriptions and pictures.

Ferndale Police Seek Missing Person

On 7/17/21, Ferndale Police responded to a report regarding Mr. Bleil being a missing person.  According to family members, Mr. Bleil was last seen on 7/16/21 at about 8:00 am as he left his residence.  He suffers with mental health issues, left without his medication and has been behaving abnormally recently. 

He was last seen wearing a dark colored T-shirt, shorts and was carrying a backpack.  Any information regarding Mr. Bleil’s whereabouts can be reported to the Ferndale Police Department at 360-384-3390 or the Washington State Patrol’s Missing Persons Unit at 1-800-543-5678. 

Ferndale Terrace Closed Morning of Thursday July 22, 2021 for Paving

Ferndale Terrace Closed Morning of Thursday July 22, 2021 for Paving

Drivers should seek alternate routes as Ferndale Terrace will be closed to through traffic between Legoe Avenue and Vista Drive, on Thursday, July 22, 2021, from 7am to noon. Local traffic to/from homes within closure area will be permitted.

The closure is necessary for City of Ferndale Public Works crew to complete paving work associated with a recent utility repair.

Please see the above map of traffic impact area.

For more information about this closure, please contact Ferndale Public Works at (360) 384-4006.

The Wild Pioneer Life of William “Blanket Bill” Jarman

One of Ferndale’s more colorful settlers, Blanket Bill Jarman is credited as the first permanent white settler in the area when he first put down roots in Whatcom County in 1852. Jarman caused quite a stir earlier when he was kidnapped by tribal members from Vancouver Island and had to be ransomed with a pile of blankets as tall as he stood, earning him his nickname.

In the 1850s, he officially delivered mail by canoe for Fort Bellingham by canoe, and unofficially served as a smuggler. In the 1860s, he staked out a homestead in the county and worked as a bartender for a saloon in Bellingham. In 1871, a saloon patron insulted Jarman’s sister. A fight broke out and Jarman shot and killed the surly patron. Jarman was jailed for a short time before returning to England for a decade.

He returned to Whatcom and moved to Ferndale to stay with his niece and her husband, William Manning on their farm.  In 1904, the Old Settlers Association recognized Jarman as the oldest living settler and described him as, “Sailor, deserter, trader, hunter and fisherman, fur dealer, Indian slave, tribesman, squawman, homesteader, ship master, telegraph linesman, army courier and mail carrier, interpreter, bar tender, accused murderer, gold digger; there was little he did not find interesting and zestful”. You can find out more about Blanket Bill from the Ferndale Heritage Society at Pioneer Park.