Council History
Whatcom County was established on March 9, 1854 by the Washington territorial government. Until the late 1970s, Whatcom County was governed by a three-member board of commissioners, who served as the county's legislative and administrative body. On November 7, 1978, Whatcom County voters adopted a home rule charter, which transformed the structure of government from the traditional commission form. Under the charter, the legislative and administrative functions of government are divided between two separate branches. The seven-member county council is responsible for legislative functions, and the county executive is responsible for administrative functions.
Commissioner Proceedings
The Whatcom County Commissioner Proceedings are a collection of meeting records from 1854 to 1987. The documents include a mixture of meeting minutes, orders, resolutions, reports, contracts, and more. The first 14 volumes are completely handwritten, while later volumes are typed.
Historical County Council Photos
View photos of the full Whatcom County Council from 1979 to today.
Past Councilmembers and Commissioners
See a list of all past Whatcom County Councilmembers and Commissioners from 1854 to today.