Update of county economic strategy needs greater public transparency and review

The Bellingham Waterfront in May 2026. Whatcom County, the Port of Bellingham and others are updating an economic development plan to support living-wage jobs. But the update process is happening without public participation and without substantive review of the current plan, writes a participant in the process in a CDN guest commentary. (Photo courtesy of Lyle Jansma) Whatcom County, its seven…