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1. When and where are the council meetings held?

Regularly scheduled council meetings are held at 7 pm on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month excluding Monday holidays. When there is a holiday, the meeting is held on the following Tuesday evening at the City Hall Annex, 205 4th Street, Lynden. Notice of council meetings are posted to the website's council calendar and the website's main calendar. 

The 2023 Council meeting dates.

2. Can I attend the council meetings?

City Council meetings, special meetings, work sessions and committee meetings are open to the public. The Lynden City Council regular meeting begins at 7 p.m. on the first and third Monday of the month with the exception of holidays. If there is a holiday the Council meeting is held on the next scheduled business day. Council meetings are held at the City Hall Annex located at 205 4th Street at 7:00 PM.  During a regular council meeting, you may:

• Listen and watch.
• Present a new issue or raise a concern under the “Citizen Comment" section of the agenda.
• Speak on a specific item during the "Public Hearing" section of the agenda. 

You may find that council moves swiftly in taking action on council agenda items. This happens when they have previously reviewed the topic in the council committee meetings.  

3. How can I participate if I can't attend the council meeting?

Council welcomes participation in all public meetings. When you feel strongly about a public issue or a local concern, the Council encourages you to share your information and thoughts with them. If you are unable to attend a meeting or would rather not give testimony at the meeting, you are encouraged to submit comments by letter or email which becomes a part of the official record. 

4. What is the council agenda?

The council agenda lists the business items that will be considered at the council meeting and the order in which they will be discussed.  The consent section of the agenda contains items that may be streamlined because they are routine and non-controversial items. The consent agenda items are passed with a single motion and vote. Commonly, debate is not allowed on the consent agenda items, other than the option to remove an item from the consent section for separate consideration.

5. What kind of actions may Council take?

During regular sessions, the Lynden City Council may take action in several ways.

Business is brought before the Council by motions, which constitute a formal procedure for taking actions. To make a motion, a member must first be recognized by the presiding officer. After the member has made a motion (and after the motion is seconded) the chair will call for discussion and then a vote.  

Another type of Council action is the adoption of ordinances and resolutions.  Ordinances (a local law of a municipal corporation, prescribing general rules of conduct). may be used for a variety of purposes, including administrative actions such as establishing offices and setting salaries, or they may be used for actions that control the conduct of the public. An ordinance is a legislative enactment, within its-sphere, as much as an act of the state legislature. Ordinances usually become valid 5 days after publication in the City's official newspaper, the Lynden Tribune.

Not all ordinances are codified as a part of the Lynden Municipal Code (LMC). Codification does not include an ordinance unless it is of a general or permanent nature.  The Council may amend or repeal an ordinance by adopting another ordinance.  

Council may also pass resolutions which is typically an act that is more of an expression of an opinion of the official body. Resolutions are not codified into the LMC. 

6. How do I participate in the citizen comment portion of the meeting?

To speak during the citizen comment portion of the meeting sign up with your name and address.  You may speak to any item or concern that is not scheduled for a public hearing. Your time is limited to 4 minutes. When you address council step up to the podium and speak into the microphone. Identify yourself by stating your name and the city where you reside.  If previous speakers have already made the comments you wish to make, feel free simply to identify yourself and indicate your agreement with what has already been said. If you want to address a topic scheduled for public hearing, you may speak during that portion of the meeting. 

7. What is the process for providing comment at a public hearing?

A public hearing offers you a formal opportunity to give your views to the Council on the subject of the hearing. 

To give testimony, step up to the microphone and identify yourself by stating your name and the city where you reside for the record. You are not required to give this information, but it is helpful for the Council to know who you are. When you talk to the Council during a public hearing, Council members, staff and the audience will remain silent. After the last person has spoken, the hearing will be closed. The City Council will then discuss and make a decision on the issue. The audience may not comment during Council’s deliberations unless a Council member requests more information from a citizen.

Council welcomes participation in all public meetings and encourages you to share information and thoughts at public hearings.   If you are unable to attend a public hearing or would rather not give testimony at the meeting, you are encouraged to submit your comments by letter or email which then becomes a part of the official record. 

8. What is an executive session?

When necessary, the City Council may recess to an Executive Session. Executive sessions are portions of regular or special meetings that may be closed to the public, designed for consideration of specific issues, where public disclosure would harm individual interests or legitimate interests of the governing body. During these closed sessions, the Council by law, may only discuss certain items of business such as personnel matters, property acquisition and disposition, and advice from legal counsel on litigation concerns.

Council generally may not take final action at an executive session. It may convene an executive session to discuss/consider/evaluate certain specified issues, however it should not be making any final decisions on behalf of the city in the executive session.

9. What is Lynden's form of government?

The City of Lynden functions as a Code City and has a Mayor-Council form of government.  Most Washington cities are classified as code cities under the Optional Municipal Code established in 1967, as an alternative to the basic statutory classification system of municipal government.  It was designed to provide broad statutory home rule authority in matters of local concern. 

Voters elect the nonpartisan, part-time, Council of seven person to serve 4-year terms.  Elections are conducted every two years which allows for staggered terms of office.   Council members are eligible to hold office if they are e a citizen of the United States and the State of Washington as well as an “elector” of the local jurisdiction for at least one year preceding the election.  

The principal job of a Council member is to make policy for the governance of the City and its populace.  A policy is a course of action for a community. Policy making often takes the form of passing ordinances or resolutions at City Council meetings. The Council does not administer or become involved in the day-to-day administration of city affairs.  

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1. When is Lynden court in session? What is the schedule?

Lynden court sessions are held every other Wednesday of each month.

2. Where is Lynden court located?

Municipal court is held in the City Hall Annex, located at 205 4th Street, Lynden. 

3. When is the court window in city hall open?

Lynden court offices are open Monday through Friday from 8 AM-5 PM with the exception of the two Wednesdays of the month when court is in session. 

The court office is located in city hall at 300 4th Street.

4. When is my court date?

Find your court date.

5. Can I pay a ticket from another jurisdiction in Lynden?

No. Please pay your ticket to the city/county court office where the ticket was issued.

6. What happens if I don't pay my court fine?

Your account will be forwarded to collections for payment or a bench warrant may be ordered and possible license suspension.

7. Can I make payments on my fine? Does Lynden court accept credit cards?

Yes.  Court staff with work with you to set up a payment plan.

Lynden Court cannot accept credit or debit cards at the office window, but does offer the option of paying online or over the telephone with a credit or debit card. 
Online payments are made through a 3rd party (N-Court) 1-800-701-8560.

8. What is the difference between mitigation and contested?

Mitigation is admitting you committed the offense and are requesting a reduction.
Contested is stating that you did not commit the offense. 

9. Can I receive legal advice from the City's Attorney's Office?

The attorneys in the City Attorney's Office serve as attorneys for city government and city officials, rather than individual citizens. Individuals must retain their own attorney for legal advice and representation.

10. Where can I get legal help if I can't afford an attorney?

Northwest Justice Project provides legal assistance to eligible low-income families and individuals needing help with civil (non-criminal) legal programs in Washington state. Contact toll-free at 1-888-201-1012 or online.

11. Who should I call to find out about my traffic infraction?

You may contact Lynden Municipal Court at 360.354.4270 or in-person at 300 4th Street, Lynden, WA 98264.

12. Who should I contact to find out about my police report?

You may contact the Lynden Police department at 360-354-2828 or in-person at 203 19th Street, Lynden, WA 98264.

13. Who should I call to find out what will happen as a result of my arrest?

The Prosecution Division can provide information once the police report has been received and reviewed, at 360.647.1500 or in-person at 1700 D Street, Bellingham, WA 98225.

14. Who do I contact about domestic violence issues and Protections and No Contact Orders?

Caryl Dunavan, Domestic Violence Advocate can be reached by telephone at 360.815.2928.

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1. Does it cost anything to sign up for online payments?

No. It's free to sign up for online payments and to use the service.

2. What is Xpress Bill Pay?

Xpress Bill Pay is the company we have partnered with to handle our online payments. You can access your account from their website.

3. What payment choices do I have?

You can pay with a credit or debit card, or you can transfer funds directly from your checking account (eCheck).

4. What will my bill look like online?

We try to make the online bill display similar to your paper statement so you’ll find it easy to read your bill on a screen.

5. What other information is available?

You can view up to two years' history of your account online, so you can compare your current bill to a previous bill.

6. Do I need to pay my bills from my computer?

Not at all. You can pay your bill from just about anywhere via computer or mobile device. All you need is access to the internet through a web browser. You then log in to your account using your email address and password, or you can sign in using our app. No need to worry about late payments if you're out of town when your bill is due.

7. How do I know the payment went through?

After you complete the transaction, you can receive an email receipt to confirm that your payment went through.

8. Is my information safe?

Absolutely. All the transactions are handled on secure servers. As long as you don't give out your password, only you will be able to access your account. Plus, your personal information or email address will not be sold or rented to third parties for marketing purposes without your permission.

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1. How can I obtain City of Lynden business license?

The City of Lynden is a licensing partner with the State of Washington Business License Service's (BLS) combined licensing program. This city-state partnership saves you time by combining renewals and applications into one easy process. With BLS, you can apply for or renew your Lynden license along with hundreds of other state and city licenses online through the Washington State Department of Revenue.

2. Can I obtain a marriage license from the City of Lynden?

The Whatcom County Auditor’s Office can assist you with applying for a marriage license or obtaining a copy of your marriage license. The contact telephone number is 360-778-5100.

3. How do I obtain a birth or death certificate?

The Whatcom County Health Department issues birth and death certificates for Washington State. The contact telephone number is 360-778-6003.

4. How do I obtain information regarding divorce or probate?

You may obtain court records via the Whatcom County Superior Court Clerk.  Please contact the Whatcom County Court Clerk’s Office via phone at 360-778-5560. 

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1. What is the Public Records Act (PRA)?

The Public Records Act (PRA) requires that all public records maintained by state and local agencies be made available to all members of the public, with very narrow statutory exemptions. Chapter 42.56 RCW provides the statutory framework for disclosure of public records, while the Washington State Attorney General’s Model Rules on Public Disclosure (chapter 44-14 WAC) provide practical, non-binding, advisory guidance on many issues that may not be clear in the language of the PRA itself.

2. What records are considered public records?

A public record is defined in RCW 42.56.010(3) as any writing that is prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local government agency, and which contains information that relates to the conduct of government, or the performance of any governmental or proprietary function. The term “writing” is broadly defined to include not only traditional written records, but also photos, maps, videos, voicemails, webpage and social media content, emails, text messages and tweets (RCW 42.56.010(4)).

3. Which public records are exempt?

Public Records Act exemptions are found in RCW 42.56.230-.470. Numerous other exemptions and disclosure prohibitions are sprinkled throughout other state and federal statutes.

For a comprehensive list of exemptions, see Appendix C of MRSC's Public Records Act publication. The Code Reviser’s Office also annually publishes a list of exemptions contained in the RCW, which can be accessed on the Attorney General’s Sunshine Committee webpage.

Statutory exemptions must be narrowly applied and (in addition to prohibitions) provide the only basis for withholding public records. Agencies cannot withhold records based on an assertion that release of the records will cause embarrassment to an agency official or employee, and, as a general matter, cannot withhold records based solely upon the identity of the requester (RCW 42.56.080 and RCW 42.56.550(3)).

For further guidance on exemptions and a quick summary of the exemptions most frequently encountered by local government agencies, see MRSC's page on Exemptions and Prohibitions for Local Government Records.

4. Who is the public records officer for Lynden?

The city of Lynden's public records officer is the City Clerk which can be reached at 360-255-7085 or cityhall@lyndenwa.org.

5. Is there a cost for public records?

Public Records Fee Schedule: 

Paper copies	15 cents per page
Scanned copies	10 cents per page
Records uploaded to email, cloud-based storage, CD/DVD or flash drive	5 cents each per every 4 electronic files or attachments
Records transmitted in electronic format	10 cents per gigabyte (GB)
Digital Storage Media Device (CD/DVD, flash drive)	Actual Cost
Envelopes & Postage or Delivery	Actual Cost
Nonstandard copies (over-sized copies, photographs, plans, etc.)	Actual Cost
Any other record not described above	Actual Cost