--- ### Meeting Overview The Bellingham City Council's Committee of the Whole convened on the afternoon of May 18, 2026, beginning at approximately 3:02 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall. The session was brief and procedural: no old or new business items were raised by council members, and the body moved immediately into a closed executive session to discuss a single litigation matter — *Scopali v. City of Bellingham et al.* — before planning to reconvene in open session at 7:00 p.m. that evening. --- ### Key Terms and Concepts **Committee of the Whole (CTW):** A standing committee of the Bellingham City Council in which all council members participate. CTW meetings are held to receive reports, ask questions, and vote on recommended actions for consideration at the full Council's regular meeting. There is no public comment period during committee sessions. **Executive Session:** A closed, non-public portion of a government meeting permitted under Washington State's Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) for specific limited purposes, including discussing pending or threatened litigation, personnel matters, and real estate negotiations. No final action may be taken in executive session; results are "reported out" in open session. **Litigation Matter:** A legal dispute in which the city is a party — either as plaintiff or defendant. When litigation is pending or reasonably anticipated, the city attorney may brief elected officials in executive session to protect attorney-client privilege and litigation strategy. **"At al." (et al.):** Latin abbreviation for *et alii*, meaning "and others." When a lawsuit caption reads "*Scopali v. City of Bellingham et al.*," it means Scopali is suing the City of Bellingham and at least one other named defendant. **Old and New Business:** A standing agenda item at committee meetings where council members may raise topics for follow-up from prior meetings (old business) or introduce items for future consideration (new business). At this meeting, no items were raised. **Reported Out:** The procedural step after an executive session in which the presiding officer publicly announces what, if any, action was taken or directed as a result of the closed session. Executive session results from this afternoon were to be reported out at the 7:00 p.m. evening council session. **Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA):** Washington State law (RCW 42.30) requiring that meetings of governing bodies be open to the public, with narrowly defined exceptions such as executive session. It governs how Bellingham's council meetings must be conducted and noticed. --- ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Hannah Stone | Council Member; Chair, Committee of the Whole | | Hollie Huthman | Council Member; CTW member (listed on agenda) | | Daniel Hammill | Council Member; CTW member | | Edwin H. "Skip" Williams | Council Member; CTW member | | Lisa Anderson | Council Member; CTW member | | Michael Lilliquist | Council Member; CTW member | | Jace Cotton…