BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Bellingham Mayor Seth Fleetwood says about 97.5% of the city’s 924 employees had complied with his order requiring full COVID-19 vaccination by last Friday, December 3rd.
He calls that a good number.
“Most of the city departments had 100 percent compliance,” said Fleetwood. “But there were several departments where some employees chose to resign or be terminated.”
The mayor’s office reports six workers resigned over the mandate including two firefighters.
Seventeen were terminated for refusing the mayor’s order, including eight police officers.
And four workers including two firefighters were let go under the governor’s mandate.
Fleetwood says it was difficult to lose some good workers but many were in favor of the mandate.
“For those people, knowing that their fellow colleagues at the city were vaccinated instilled a great amount of confidence and it reduced anxiety,” said Fleetwood. “So, there was no win-win in this one.”
He says those who chose to leave did so on good terms and paths are open for their possible return.