City of Bellingham

What City of Bellingham does

The City of Bellingham is a municipal government incorporated in 1905 under Washington State law, operating under a strong-mayor, weak-council charter form of government that provides full-service municipal operations to residents and businesses within its city limits and certain countywide functions (notably emergency medical services via Whatcom Medic One). Mayor Kim Lund serves as chief executive alongside a seven-member City Council, with operational departments covering Police, Fire, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, Planning and Community Development, Finance, Information Technology, Human Resources, City Attorney, Hearing Examiner, Municipal Court, and the Whatcom Museum. The city maintains nearly 100 parks, 84+ pieces of public art, a public library system, the Mount Baker Theatre partnership, and water/wastewater/stormwater utilities.

The city's underlying technology is conventional municipal IT centered on a cob.org web portal, an electronic permitting platform (permits.cob.org/etrakit), the Questica-hosted OpenBook budget dashboard, the CityIQ interactive GIS mapping application, SeeClickFix non-emergency reporting, an online Municipal Court case-management system, and a city-operated educational television channel (BTV). Service delivery occurs through online self-service, in-person counters at City Hall and departmental offices, parks and recreation facilities, library branches, and community engagement platforms including Engage Bellingham.

Revenue is generated through diversified mandatory tax and fee streams: property tax (19 cents of every $1 collected flows to the city, split across the General Fund, Greenways Levy, Affordable Housing Fund, and a public safety pension fund), sales tax (~13 cents per $1), Business and Occupation tax (0.44% on services, 0.17% on retail/manufacturing/wholesale), utility business tax, lodging tax (over $2M annually from accommodations), and a layered set of impact fees, system development charges, fines, grants, and investment income. The budget is structured across 50+ dedicated funds with strict spending rules, and approximately 60% of General Fund expenditures go to police, fire, and emergency medical staffing, training, and equipment. The city also deploys targeted economic development incentives including Urban Village B&O tax reductions, multi-family housing exemptions, and historic preservation valuations to shape development outcomes.

Name

City of Bellingham

Legal name

City of Bellingham

Website

https://cob.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The City of Bellingham is a Washington State municipal government providing public safety, utilities, permitting, parks, cultural, and administrative services to residents, businesses, and visitors within city limits and Whatcom Countywide EMS via Whatcom Medic One.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Police Protection (922120), Fire Protection (922160), Other General Government Support (92119), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950), Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Mayor/City Manager & General Administration (BPAIACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF), Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI), Community Safety Administration (Fire/EMS, Emergency Management) (BPAIACAL), Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ), Public Works / In-House Municipal Collection Operations (EUAIAAAF)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Public safety services
• Utility services
• Parks and recreation
• Permits and licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

Bellingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Property Tax: Primary revenue source; for every $1 in property tax, 19 cents goes to the City of Bellingham (10 cents to General Fund, 5+ cents to Greenways Levy, ~2 cents to Affordable Housing Fund, ~1.5 cents to public safety pension fund)
2. Sales Tax: City receives approximately 13 cents of every dollar in sales tax (72 cents goes to Washington State, 13 cents to City, small portion for transportation and housing)
3. Business and Occupation (B&O) Tax: B&O tax rate is 0.44% for services and 0.17% for wholesaling, retailing, manufacturing, and extracting activities, collected on gross receipts
4. Utility Business Tax: Similar to gross receipts B&O tax imposed on utility businesses
5. Lodging/Tourism Tax: Tax collected from visitors staying in accommodations (hotels, motels) generating more than $2 million annually; strategically invested in tourism programs
6. Fees, Fines, Grants, and Investments: Smaller portion of budget from fees, fines, grants, and investments; parking meter payments and fines support Parking Services Fund
7. Special Revenue Funds: Over 50 dedicated funds with specific purposes including Greenways & Affordable Housing levies (voter-approved), Utilities funds for water/sewer/stormwater, and Parking Services Fund

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The City of Bellingham delivers municipal government services to residents and businesses within its city limits and select countywide operations. Core services encompass public safety through the Police and Fire departments, water/wastewater/stormwater utilities, parks and recreation across nearly 100 parks, permitting and inspection services, municipal court operations, and cultural programming through Whatcom Museum, Mount Baker Theatre, and the public library system.

Product overview

City of Bellingham operates a comprehensive digital services platform comprising the main city website portal (cob.org), online permitting system, interactive GIS mapping tools (CityIQ), budget transparency dashboard (OpenBook), municipal court online services, and citizen reporting systems. These interconnected services enable residents to access government services, pay bills, obtain permits, view maps, participate in public engagement, and interact with various city departments through digital channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• City Website Portal (cob.org) Official city government website providing residents access to city services, departments, news, events, permits, payments, maps, and public engagement tools.
• Online Permitting System Electronic permitting platform for submitting and processing building permits, inspections, rental registrations, and construction code compliance.
• CityIQ Online Maps Interactive GIS mapping application providing access to aerial photos, land parcel reports, zoning boundaries, and city infrastructure data.
• OpenBook Budget Dashboard Interactive online dashboard for exploring the city's current budget, expenditures, and financial management information.
• BTV Bellingham City-owned educational television channel providing programming about city government, meetings, and community content.
• Municipal Court Online Services Online system for managing court cases including paying tickets, requesting mitigation hearings, contested hearings, and finding court dates.
• SeeClickFix Reporting Non-emergency issue reporting system for citizens to report and track problems such as potholes, damaged signs, code violations, and encampment activity.
• Email Newsletter Subscriptions Subscription service for Inside Bellingham newsletter and various city department updates delivered via email.
• Fire and Emergency Medical Services Fire Department services including fire suppression, emergency medical response (including countywide Whatcom Medic One), fire safety education, and emergency management.
• Police Department Services Police department providing law enforcement, patrol, investigations, and community policing services within city limits.
• Utility Services (Water, Wastewater, Stormwater) City-operated utility services including water supply, wastewater/sewer collection and treatment, and storm and surface water management with billing and customer service.
• Parks and Recreation Services Comprehensive parks and recreation services including aquatic center, classes and activities, facility rentals, parks trails (nearly 100 parks), and parks volunteer program.
• Whatcom Museum Services City-operated museum services providing art and historical collections, family gallery, and exhibitions at 121 Prospect Street.
• Bellingham Public Library Services Public library system with Central and Fairhaven branch locations providing community access to library services and information.
• Municipal Court Services Municipal Court providing judicial services for parking tickets, infractions, criminal misdemeanors, contested hearings, and jury coordination.
• Public Works Services Public Works Department services including street maintenance, surface and storm water, solid waste and recycling, and infrastructure management.
• City Purchasing and Contracting City purchasing and contracting services for vendors and suppliers seeking to do business with the City.
• Business Incentives and Tax Exemption Programs Business incentive offerings including Urban Village B&O Tax Reduction, Multi-Family Tax Exemption Program, Historic Preservation Special Valuation, Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit, and affordable housing developer fee reductions.
• Tourism Program Tourism program marketing Bellingham as a premier destination with grant programs for events and activities; funded by lodging taxes generating over $2 million annually.
• Planning and Community Development Services Planning and Community Development Department services including comprehensive plan, neighborhoods, urban villages, development codes and incentives, and permit center.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $2 million in annual lodging taxes generated from tourism
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Western Washington UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBDC provides free one-on-one guidance and mentorship to businesses. They help create business plans, develop financial forecasts, and obtain financing. Contact: [email protected] or (360) 778-1762.
• SCOREcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCORE connects businesses with retired business professionals who provide mentorship and guidance on running a small business. Contact: (360) 685-4259.
• Whatcom CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgreement to operate Whatcom Medic One for countywide emergency medical services; joint initiatives on Lake Whatcom watershed management and other regional issues
• Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary public transit provider throughout Bellingham and Whatcom County; referenced in multimodal transportation planning
• Mount Baker TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity-supported cultural facility showcasing performing arts on both professional and community levels
• Whatcom MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity-operated museum (Arne Hanna Aquatic Center and Bayview Cemetery) providing art and historical collections, family gallery, and exhibitions
• Western Washington UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor institutional partner; City references WWU Institutional Master Plan; collaborative on economic development and community planning
• HomesNOW!coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization that will operate the third tiny home village in the Irongate neighborhood to address homelessness
• Bellingham Public Library (Friends of BPL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer organization supporting the Bellingham Public Library system
• Whatcom Volunteer CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity volunteer coordination and matching organization

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• City of Wenatchee, Washington: Central Washington municipality (~35k residents) providing police, fire, utilities, parks, and permitting under a council-manager form of government. Comparable in service breadth and dependence on Washington State tax allocations.
• City of Bremerton, Washington: Washington State municipality of similar size (~45k) providing police, fire, utilities, parks, and permitting under a strong-mayor government. Direct comparable on governance form and on the mix of utility operations versus general fund services.
• City of Mount Vernon, Washington: Skagit-region Washington municipality (~35k residents) operating water, sewer, stormwater utilities and full general government services. Useful peer for adjacent small-city utility economics and Skagit/Whatcom regional comparability.
• City of Everett, Washington: Comparable Washington State municipal corporation of similar population scale (~115k) providing police, fire, utilities, transit, parks, and permitting services under a mayor-council charter. Most structurally analogous peer given overlapping service portfolio and governance form.
• City of Olympia, Washington: Washington State capital municipality (~55k residents) offering full municipal services including utilities, public safety, parks, and permitting. Highly comparable in council-mayor governance structure and revenue model reliance on property/sales tax allocations from the State.
• City of Lacey, Washington: Thurston County Washington municipality (~50k residents) with full municipal services including police, parks, and utilities. Comparable on council-mayor structure and on reliance on retail sales tax base.
• City of Kirkland, Washington: Pacific Northwest city on the Eastside (~95k residents) with full-service municipal operations including police, fire, utilities, parks, and a digital permitting/engagement platform. Comparable in scale, digital maturity, and revenue diversification.
• City of Redmond, Washington: Eastside Washington municipality (~75k residents) operating under council-mayor government with comparable departments (police, fire, planning, public works, parks). Useful peer for benchmarking technology investments and permitting throughput.

Others

• Whatcom County: Regional government that operates in partnership with the City of Bellingham on Whatcom Medic One EMS, Lake Whatcom watershed, and transportation. Not a direct competitor; included as a regional partner/joint-service entity for benchmarking shared-service economics.
• Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA): Public transit authority serving Bellingham and Whatcom County, identified as a core municipal partner in multimodal transportation planning. Adjacent ecosystem peer illustrating the City's regional coordination model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cityofbhamwa
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/cityofbhamwa
• Facebookfacebook.com/cityofbellingham
• Instagraminstagram.com/cityofbellingham
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cityofbellingham

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City of Bellingham