Impacts & Successes

  • Coalition Building

    Board, Bylaws (reviewed annually), & Budget formed, quarterly Board Meetings, and Annual Meeting


    Seven maritime sectors represented with 140+ maritime company members


    501 c-6 federal tax-exempt status


    Active Committees (Exec Cmte, Government Relations, Membership, Development) with wide representation


    Positive working relationship with Port of Bellingham


    Liaisons in City and County Councils

  • Publicizing

    Studies in cooperation with Port, Whatcom Commercial Fishermen’s Association, and WWU's Center for Business & Economic Development


    Attending County, City and Port public meetings to advocate for economic vitality and diversity.


    Working with community members, leaders, businesses and individuals to remain up to date on issues.


    Quarterly newsletter, “On the Waterfront”, and bi-weekly ‘Waterfront Wednesdays’ produced and distributed

  • Organizing

    Helped organize stakeholder and Port meetings for Blaine Industrial area clean up and repairs.


    Facilitate member concerns getting to Port, City and County commission and council members.


    Organize events, learning sessions and other opportunities for community to network.

  • Advocating

    Advocated to, and work with Port in enacting a 10% lease reduction for qualifying maritime companies on Port-owned land.


    Advocated for Port to purchase 'C' street site and land to preserve marine trades from non-water-reliant development.


    Advocated for Port to develop the ASB site plans for future marine trades businesses.



  • Additional Projects

    Produced a Voter's Guide informing Whatcom voters of the Port of Bellingham Commissioner Candidate responses to questions critical to the future of Whatcom's Working Waterfronts


    Working with Port, installed 7 Interpretive Signs along Squalicum Harbor


    Established 3 scholarships at Bellingham Technical College in Marine Trades career programs


    Helped to establish Dockside Market - a direct-to-consumer seafood selling market connecting local fishing families to our community


    Worked to develop a Marine Service Technician Apprenticeship Program with several stakeholders to address member needs for skilled workforce development.

IMPACT STATEMENT

Have an issue, intitiave or project for our waterfronts?

Our working waterfronts work for all when all are working for the waterfronts. If you've got an idea for a project, a current issue happening along our shores, or an initiative that will aid our maritime trades and businesses - Let us know!

Our waterfronts and all who work, live, play and visit them have an important role in helping to share the ideas, events and issues that we can all work on, to keep us all working.

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