Whatcom County appoints first members of Birch Bay Advisory Committee

Whatcom County Council confirmed four appointees to the newly formed Birch Bay Community Advisory Committee on January 28, marking another step in the process of unincorporated Birch Bay achieving representation in county government.

Doralee Booth, Daniel Mead Smith, Stephen Nelson and Sheila Wood were appointed by county executive Satpal Sidhu, and confirmed by a unanimous council vote. They will serve three-year terms.

“This is a conversation that started in spring and we worked on it over the course of last year, so I’m glad we’re here,” councilmember Jon Scanlon said of the committee.

Jed Holmes, spokesperson for the county executive’s office, said the four appointees were filling at-large positions, and more appointees will be made to represent the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce, Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 and North Whatcom Fire and Rescue.

“I believe this new official partnership with Whatcom County will ensure a better public participation and communication with the Birch Bay Urban Growth Area,” Doralee Booth wrote in her application. “This advisory [group] will hopefully give Birch Bay a voice in county planning by encouraging public participation and input.”

Booth has been an active volunteer in the Birch Bay community for 25 years and holds positions as director of Friends of the Birch Bay Library, director of Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce, and president of Friends of Birch Bay State Park.

Mead Smith is a member of the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce, is president of the Mead Smith Group, a political think tank, and has had a home in Birch Bay for 16 years, according to his application.

Stephen Nelson has been a resident of Birch Bay for over 50 years, and runs a CPA business in Birch Bay.

Sheila Wood moved to Birch Bay in 2020 with her husband and works at the Lynden Chamber of Commerce. From 2021 to 2023, Wood served as executive director for the Blaine Chamber of Commerce.

A county ordinance established the committee on December 3, 2024 as a way for Birch Bay residents to bring input to the county, similar to the longstanding Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee.