Council Member Barry Buchanan

Profile

Represents: 3rd Ward
Term: Jan 2008 - Dec 2011

Bellingham City Council Member Barry Buchanan is newly elected in 2007. He served as Chairman of the Lettered Streets Neighborhood Association from 2002-2006, served as a Mayor’s Neighborhood Advisory Commission Representative, and served as the Chairman of the Whatcom County Democrats from 2001-2007.

Council Member Buchanan is a native of Bellingham with a passion about this community and its future. Barry brings experience and a skill set in leadership and communication; working with, and bringing together, diverse groups and opinions; and developing and implementing visions and goals.

During his time as Chair of the Lettered Streets Neighborhood Association, Council member Buchanan formed a Planning and Growth Management committee. This committee focused on polling residents in the Lettered Streets Neighborhood to prioritize where we should focus infill (i.e. Old Town Urban Village) and where we should protect the established single family areas.

Barry's professional career has focused on management, leadership, and communication. He currently serves as Vice President of Bianchi-Group Industrial Training, and General Manager for Doyle Training Co.

Additionally, he has had a long musical career. He has recorded 3 albums, co-founded the Bellingham High School Alumni Band, and is a choir and Instrumental Ensemble director for Trinity Lutheran Church in Bellingham.

Barry grew up in the Columbia Neighborhood and married his Bellingham High School sweetheart Judy in 1973. They have three grown children. Barry is a veteran of the United States Navy.

Barry's Priorities for Bellingham

Lake Whatcom

Providing a high quality drinking water source for Bellingham is his top priority. He believes that to make that happen it is critical that the City joins the County to share a vision and take specific steps toward protecting and restoring Lake Whatcom.

He has stated we need to collaborate on a focused and long-term initiative to:

Preserve much of the remaining watershed property through the purchase of land and development rights
Work to find additional funding sources for land acquisition
Work with local residents on a program control storm water runoff
Improving storm water processing by providing more effective treatment and abatement options at key locations

Neighborhoods

Our neighborhoods are the backbone of our city. Barry believes that the vision of the people of Bellingham should determine the future of our community.

Local government has much to accomplish and the resources are limited. Engaging and empowering our citizens through Neighborhood Associations, Boards and Commissions is the best way to pool our resources to get things done.

Barry intends to focus effort on bringing together diverse interests to collaborate on strategies that will lead us to:

Preserve the unique character, strengths and sense of place of our neighborhoods
Respond to issues affecting quality of life in Bellingham’s Neighborhoods
Manage growth responsibly

Waterfront Redevelopment

Council member Buchanan believes we need a strong team from the City Council to help develop a responsible plan for the redevelopment of Bellingham’s Waterfront.

Thorough cleanup, public access, open space and mixed commercial, marine related industrial and residential uses are his vision for the Waterfront District.

Contact Information

2317 D Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
Phone: (360) 734-6639