Deprecated: Function create_function() is deprecated in D:\websites\cityofferndale.org\wp-content\themes\townpress\functions.php on line 212

Deprecated: Function create_function() is deprecated in D:\websites\cityofferndale.org\wp-content\themes\townpress\functions.php on line 261

Deprecated: Function create_function() is deprecated in D:\websites\cityofferndale.org\wp-content\themes\townpress\functions.php on line 263

Water Shutoffs Happening on Tuesday, October 22

This is a final courtesy reminder that water shutoffs will be happening this month. Please make sure your payment is made by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, October 21st to avoid any interruptions in services. Water shutoffs will happen on Tuesday, October 22nd. If your balance is $100.00 or less, your service will not be interrupted. If you have any questions, please contact the City’s Utilities Department by emailing utilitybilling@cityofferndale.org or calling (360) 384-4269 or (360) 685-2355.

final courtesy reminder that water shutoffs will happen on tuesday, october 22, 2024

Utility Billing Error

With the City’s utility billing conversion still underway, our Finance Department is working through technical issues as they arise. If you have made a utility payment using the online payment portal (Invoice Cloud) or AutoPay between March 15th and April 3rd and have received a late notice of zero dollars, please know we have received payment, however it currently may not reflect onto the account. We are working diligently to correct the issue and hope to have all payments reflected on bills and through your online payment portal as soon as possible. We kindly ask that you have patience and call our Finance Department at (360) 384-4269 or email utilitybilling@cityofferndale.org if you would like to confirm payment has been made. We will post an update when the issues have been resolved.

Utility Billing Limited Services: March 1st – 6th, 2024

In an effort to streamline services, Utility Billing will have limited services available March 1st through March 6th as the City updates its software systems. The Finance Department will still be available to the public to answer questions related to payment processes, bills, or general account information.

While the City will still be able to receive payments at City Hall or by mail, we encourage customers to make payments through our online Invoice Cloud payment portal found HERE.

Customers are able to securely pay with a credit card, debit card, or with their banking information at no additional charge. We appreciate your patience as we transition to make our services more efficient.

RFP Submitted Questions & Responses

The following questions were submitted in response to the City’s Request for Proposals for a municipal financial software system. Answers are in bold and italicized.

  1. What is the total number of utility billing customers/utility connections, and how many are residential vs. commercial accounts:

Answer: We have roughly 6,000 total accounts, of that we estimate approximately 5,000 residential customers and 1,000 commercial customers.

  1. What is the preferred document format for responses, i.e. attached PDF, word doc, PPT?

Answer: PDF is preferred, but the City will accept any and all of the formats listed.

  1. There is mention of contracted IT services.  Should responders with IT service options include that in the proposal?

Answer: The City is not seeking full-service IT services through this request.  However, responders should describe the extent to which they are able to service their software as well as any additional IT support is typically associated with installing, maintaining, and updating the software packages, in addition to any physical hardware (servers, etc.) that may be required.  The ability of the responder to work closely with third party IT providers may also be included.

  1. Will there be a short list, or will the committee proceed straight to selection after proposal review?

Answer: The City reserves the right to establish a short list, or to proceed straight to selection after proposal review.  This decision will depend on the number and quality of responses. 

  1. How many monthly or quarterly bills do you provide?

Answer: We bill bi-monthly to each account, so approximately 6,000 bills every two months.

  1. Have you conducted any demonstrations of potential software solutions in advance of this RFP?

Answer:  No.

  1. What is the file size limitation for electronic submittal?

Answer: We are not aware of any file size limitations.

  1. What makes your current provider not a good fit for you?

Answer: The City’s current financial software is outdated and is no longer supported with updates. Due to its age (approximately ten years old), there are challenges in integrating the software with newer models: technology has advanced significantly in the last decade, and the existing software is no longer providing the same advantages in terms of workflow and staff time as it once did, and no longer reflects what is possible and expected of financial software systems for local government. In addition, the City believes that there are opportunities to seek updated financial software modules that will permit greater streamlining of operations, less manual entry, less reliance on paper documentation, and enhanced security features, both in regard to cybersecurity as well as internal fraud. The City also believes that there are opportunities to improve the segregation of duties and to establish and maintain software-based internal controls without relying on additional policies or procedures necessary to interact with the current modules.  

Ferndale 2023 Municipal Budget Available Online

On their December 5th, 2022 Council Meeting, the Ferndale City Council unanimously passed the 2023 Budget. You can click here to access the full detailed breakdown or you can read the Mayor’s budget message below which summarizes what the budget does for Ferndale.

 

Recently, I stood at the Thornton Overpass construction site, watching in awe as massive cranes carefully lifted girders the size of a city block and placed them on pillars above the railroad tracks. These girders will form the bones of the Overpass, supporting cars, trucks, bikes, and pedestrians for generations to come as they travel to and from our city. As the 130,000-pound components were locked into place, I was struck by the size and scope of the moment we find ourselves in.

Here, on the cusp of 2023, Ferndale is making big changes. We are putting in place the structures, roads and organizations we need to grow as a community. This document reflects and supports those changes and capitalizes on new opportunities to come. Therefore, it is my pleasure to present to our honorable City Councilmembers and the greater Ferndale community, the 2023 budget for the City of Ferndale.

In 2023, the cityscape in which we live will change. We will see the demolition of our beloved Old Main building and the full opening of our new Ferndale High School. We expect to see the Catalyst Project break ground on Main Street. We will see the opening of a brand-new skate park for Ferndale that pays tribute to our industrial history while providing recreation for the future generations. We will see brand new housing developments that reflect the diversity of our community – single family neighborhoods, multi-family near our downtown and low-income housing for those who need it.

In our downtown, we have seen several new businesses open including restaurants, grocery, and retail. Beyond our city core, new manufacturers are bringing fresh jobs, new ideas, and more commerce to our community.

As our city grows and changes, our local government rises to meet the needs of our community. The 2023 budget includes a new police officer – a necessary addition to our dedicated police department that will help keep us safe. It also includes a new planner to keep the permit desk moving swiftly, expanded hours for our park workers, and a new public works crew member to plow our streets and repair our infrastructure.

Like those large girders, we are laying the groundwork for the future. We are designing a new civic campus that will include a new court, council chambers and city hall. We are designing a new stage at Pioneer Park to host more and even better events at the heart of our community. And for the first time, we have hired both a federal and state advocate, to help bring our tax dollars back home from Olympia and Washington, DC for the projects we need done in our city.

During the pandemic, we activated Ferndale Community Services and the Ferndale Downtown Association, expanding their reach and abilities and you will see the impact of those decisions in 2023. Already, Ferndale Community Services is operating a severe weather shelter throughout the cold season and the Downtown Association has distributed thousands of dollars in grants to our downtown community to expand and support our local businesses.

We have done all of this and more through prudent financial management, a willingness to try new things, and good old-fashioned legwork. The actions that we are poised to take in 2023 and beyond are built on solid plans and careful consideration.  Ferndale is a community of doers and innovators, much more than dreamers.  This means that we must be realistic:  we are in an unusual economy, with extremely low unemployment, extreme demand and limited supply of housing, and significant inflation. This budget anticipates that our costs will increase more rapidly than our revenues, and while the budget allows the City to move forward with its plans, we must look carefully at the economics of 2024 and beyond.

Ferndale is becoming known as a collaborative City, and through this teamwork we have been able to do things that larger cities could only dream of.  Rather than pounding the table or making partisan speeches, here in Ferndale, we are focused on doing the work and finding the solutions. As President Truman once said, “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.”

This budget, like the girders at Thornton, is a key component in that bridge to the future. A future full of change, promise and opportunities for our city.

 

Thank you,

Mayor Greg Hansen

Ferndale Uses COVID Relief Funds to Jump Start Downtown

Mayor Greg Hansen with Ferndale’s Downtown

Ferndale Uses COVID Relief Funds to Jump Start Downtown

Thanks to an infusion of COVID relief funds, the City is launching a number of initiatives aimed at improving Ferndale’s downtown. Of the approximately $4.2 million the City is set to receive from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), here are some of the ways the City is using that money to support our downtown:

Main Street Program: The City has allocated $400,000 to establish a Main Street Program, complete with events, programing and a paid executive director, to pursue economic development for our downtown core. These seed funds would help the program get established however it is intended to be self-sustaining in the following years. Rather than relying on the previous volunteer efforts of the Ferndale Downtown Association, this program can promote redevelopment efforts, beautification and bring fresh economic activity to Ferndale’s downtown core.

In addition to this seed funding for the Main Street Program, the City has provided an additional $450,000 to the program, including $200,000 for grants or loans to incoming businesses that will support Downtown revitalization, $200,000 for grants or loans to existing businesses which seek to grow or change in a manner that supports revitalization or who undertake improvements to respond to COVID-19, and $50,000 for Downtown beautification efforts and/or matching funds for beautification efforts that the Program may wish to pursue.

Business Interruption Grants: The City has allocated $200,000 to the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce to distribute as business interruption grants for Ferndale businesses impacted by COVID-related closures. The city anticipates that a majority of the grants will be targeted at businesses with 20 or less employees.

Supporting the Community Resource Center: The City has allocated $400,000 to the Ferndale Community Service Cooperative to hire a full-time executive director and expand services to the city’s most vulnerable who have been hit hardest by the pandemic. This is also a seed money investment with the goal of the Cooperative becoming self-sustaining at the conclusion of this grant.

The Cooperative is currently working with our state legislators to secure additional funding for a community navigator position that would help those experiencing hardship navigate local resources and services.

All of these initiatives are supported by COVID relief funds and do not impact the City’s general fund.

“While all of these efforts are worthwhile on their own merits, taken together, they are an unprecedented investment in Ferndale’s future,” said Mayor Greg Hansen. “While the impacts of the pandemic are still being felt, the decisions we make today put us on the path to come roaring back.”

 

Video Message from Mayor Hansen

Ferndale Mayor Greg Hansen provides an update on the City’s actions and preparedness planning for the upcoming severe weather, comments on work and efforts the last couple of weeks after the recent flood, and provides suggestions for how you can best prepare yourselves and help your neighbors.

CLICK FOR VIDEO

2021 Flood Event – Support and Resources

FOOD ASSISTANCE AND DONATIONS

MIRACLE FOOD NETWORK

http://www.miraclefoodnetwork.org/

https://www.facebook.com/MiracleFoodNetwork

info@miraclefoodnetwork.org

The Miracle Food Network is located at 5611 Third Avenue, Ferndale (in Pioneer Center) and will accept food donations, either fresh or shelf stable items, between 10am and 1pm Monday through Friday.

CLEANUP ASSISTANCE AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

FERNDALE COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER

(360) 380-2200

https://www.facebook.com/FerndaleCommunityResourceCenter

coordinator@ferndalecsc.org

http://ferndalecsc.org/resource-center

The Ferndale Community Resource Center is coordinating volunteer efforts and donations right here in Ferndale. If you need help or can provide help, please visit their facebook page or call (360) 380-2200 and leave a message so they can connect you to the correct resource.  They will also be coordinating efforts with Samaratins Purse, a non-profit organization that may be able to assist in the cleanup of structures.

WHATCOM COUNTY DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

(360) 788-5311

https://www.whatcomcounty.us/3827/Flood-Response-Information

The Whatcom County Division of Emergency Management is collecting contact information from those who need assistance and is also collecting information and reports of storm and flood damage. Please call (360) 788-5311 to report storm damage and be sure to leave your name, address and contact information, including phone number.  This information will be used to seek federal disaster relief funds and assistance.

FOR VOLUNTEERS: The Whatcom County Division of Emergency Management is accepting calls from volunteers who wish to aid in cleanup efforts. Please call them at (360) 676-6681 to offer your help. Callers should provide their names, contact information and capability for volunteer efforts (i.e. cleanup, carpenter, electrician, general all-around, etc.).

RECONSTRUCTION AND REBUILDING

CITY OF FERNDALE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

(360) 384-4006

www.cityofferndale.org

If your structure has suffered damage and you are located within Ferndale City limits, please contact the City Community Development.  Director Michael Cerbone can assist you in determining permitting requirements can also assist in determining which permits be fast-tracked.  That telephone number is (360) 384-4006 or email him directly at MichaelCerbone@cityofferndale.org

UNSURE WHO TO CALL?

CITY OF FERNDALE

(360) 384-4006

www.cityofferndale.org

https://www.facebook.com/cityofferndale/

Unsure who to turn to? Please feel free to call City Hall during normal business hours at (360) 384-4006, and we will do our best to assist you.

FERNDALE COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER

(360) 380-2200

https://www.facebook.com/FerndaleCommunityResourceCenter

coordinator@ferndalecsc.org

http://ferndalecsc.org/resource-center

The Ferndale Community Resource Center is coordinating volunteer efforts and donations right here in Ferndale. If you need help or can provide help, please visit their facebook page or call (360) 380-2200 and leave a message so they can connect you to the correct resource. 

WHATCOM COUNTY DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

(360) 788-5311

https://www.whatcomcounty.us/3827/Flood-Response-Information

The Whatcom County Division of Emergency Management is collecting contact information from those who need assistance and is also collecting information and reports of storm and flood damage. Please call (360) 788-5311 to report storm damage and be sure to leave your name, address and contact information, including phone number.  This information will be used to seek federal disaster relief funds and assistance.