Bellingham Finance Committee Approves $22,500 Emergency Asbestos Cleanup at School Building

BELLINGHAM -- March 9, 2026, Bellingham Finance Committee unanimously approves $22,500 emergency asbestos remediation at a school building, with a state-mandated April 30 deadline. The four-member committee, meeting with a quorum on March 9, drew the funds from a $50,000 reserve account approved by voters at the May 2025 annual town meeting under Article 1, Account 132; under state law the Finance Committee holds direct approval authority over reserve fund transfers rather than a mere advisory role. Doug Houston of the school department said regulators discovered friable asbestos roughly six months ago and the building faces closure or ongoing fines without remediation. The committee also set March 23 and March 30 public hearing dates, both at 5:30 p.m. to begin FY2027 budget review, with police and fire presentations expected first; officials flagged a health insurance trust fund projected to reach zero by fiscal year-end and a snow and ice deficit already running approximately $365,000 over budget.