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Public Health, Safety, Justice and Equity Committee

BEL-PHJ-2025-12-08 December 08, 2025 Public Health & Safety Committee City of Bellingham
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The Public Health, Safety, Justice and Equity Committee met Monday morning to consider two interlocal agreements with Whatcom County. Both items passed with minimal debate, though one sparked significant philosophical discussion about intervention services. The first item, an amendment to the advanced life support services agreement, passed unanimously as a routine annual adjustment. The agreement increases reimbursement rates by 3.3% based on CPI plus an additional percentage point, reflecting the ongoing partnership where Bellingham provides emergency medical services countywide. The second item proved more contentious despite ultimately passing. The GRACE program agreement was amended to reduce Bellingham's contribution by approximately $60,000 to align with actual billing history rather than contract maximums. Council Member Hammill initially opposed the reduction, arguing it sent the wrong message about intervention services while jail costs are increasing. However, he switched his position after discussion, acknowledging the reduction wouldn't impact service levels and could be reversed if needed. The debate revealed broader tensions about budget priorities during tight fiscal times, with staff explaining the reduction would help avoid cuts to other human services programs. Committee members expressed strong philosophical support for intervention programs while accepting the practical need to right-size contracts to actual usage.

**Advanced Life Support Services Agreement Amendment** - **Action:** Approved unanimously - **Motion:** Council Member Lilliquist - **Details:** 3.3% reimbursement rate increase for 2026 (2.3% CPI plus 1%) - **Staff Recommendation:** Approve (Chief Huitt) - **Practical Impact:** Memorializes annual funding adjustment for city's countywide EMS services **GRACE Program Agreement Amendment** - **Action:*…

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**GRACE Program Funding Philosophy** The committee grappled with whether reducing funding for an effective intervention program contradicts the city's broader justice and public safety goals. Council Member Hammill argued the reduction seemed "counterintuitive" given upcoming jail cost increases and GRACE's documented success rates (over 80% success, with the LEAD program achieving rates in the 90s). Staff provided context that the city has never been billed for the full contract amount since GRACE's inception, making the reduction a "right-sizing" rather than a service cut. The GRACE program budget actually shows a small increase overall (from $1.009 million to $1.04 million), with the city providing up to 40% after grants are factored in. Budget pressures emerged as a key factor, with staff explaining that keeping unused contract amounts tied up makes gener…
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**Council Member Michael Lilliquist:** Supported both items as routine contractual adjustments reflecting actual service levels and costs. **Council Member Skip Williams:** Initially sought clarification on service level impacts, ultimately supported the GRACE reduction as temporary and reversible while maintaining current staffing and services. **Council Member Lisa Anderson:** Expressed concern about maintaining intervention programs but supported the amendment with assurance that funding could be restored if utilization increases. **Council Member Hammill (Committee Chair):** Initially opposed the GRACE reduction, citing the program's effectiveness and upcomin…
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**Council Member Hammill, on intervention services:** "Given the fact that the county will be increasing the cost to the city for jail services, this seems sort of counterintuitive to as a prevention and intervention program, which is a nominal, you know, $60,000 is what my colleague often refers to as budget dust." **Council Member Hammill, on program outcomes:** "Grace is regularly over 80% for success. Lead is in the 90s. So to pull money from this knowing that we'll have future needs, it …
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Both interlocal agreement amendments advance to full City Council consideration Monday evening. The GRACE program discussion suggests ongoing monitoring of service utilization and potential future expansion discussions with Whatcom County. Committee members indicated interest …

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After this meeting, both interlocal agreements move forward with committee recommendation for full Council approval. The GRACE program funding was formally reduced by approximately $60,000 for 2026, freeing up general fund money while maintaining current service levels. Advanced life support services reimbursement rate increases 3.3% for 202…
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## Meeting Overview On the morning of December 8, 2025, the Bellingham City Council's Public Health, Safety, Justice and Equity Committee convened for what would prove to be a brief but substantive session addressing two critical interlocal agreements with Whatcom County. Committee Chair Dan Hammill was joined by Council Members Skip Williams and Michael Lilliquist in person, with Council Member Lisa Anderson present and Council President Holly Huffman participating online. The meeting's agenda contained two amendments to existing county partnerships—one a routine annual adjustment for emergency medical services, the other a more contentious reduction in funding for a successful intervention program. What emerged was a revealing window into the city's budget pressures and the delicate balance between fiscal pragmatism and maintaining essential human services that keep vulnerable residents out of jail and emergency rooms. ## Advanced Life Support Services: A Routine Renewal Fire Chief Bill Hwitt opened the substantive portion of the meeting with characteristic good humor, catching himself as he greeted the committee with "Good afternoon, council" before correcting, "or good morning. It's not afternoon. It's been a long day already." The laughter that followed seemed to acknowledge the grinding nature of budget season, when officials move from meeting to meeting adjusting the financial machinery that keeps public services running. The first item—an amendment to the interlocal agreement for Advanced Life Support (ALS) services—represented the more straightforward side of municipal finance. Under this six-year agreement, Bellingham provides emergency medical services throughout Whatcom County, with annual rate adjustments built into the contract. "We have a six-year ALS contract that runs with the life of the countywide EMS levy," Hwitt explained. "Every year though, we get together with county to agree on reimbursement rates for the next year." For 2026, the adjustment was based on a Consumer Price Index increase of 2.3% plus an additional 1%, resulting in a 3.3% increase in county reimbursement to the city. "This amendment is just to memorialize that agreement," Hwitt said, emphasizing the routine nature of the adjustment. Council Member Lilliquist's re…
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### Meeting Overview The Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity Committee met on December 8, 2025, with committee members present to review two interlocal agreements with Whatcom County. The meeting focused on routine contract amendments for emergency services and a more contentious discussion about reducing funding for the Grace program. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Interlocal Agreement:** A contract between two or more government entities (like city and county) to share services or costs for programs that benefit multiple jurisdictions. **Advanced Life Support (ALS):** Emergency medical services that include advanced procedures like IV medications and cardiac monitoring, provided by paramedics with specialized training. **Grace Program:** Ground Level Response and Coordinated Engagement - a program that provides intensive case management for people who frequently use emergency services like police, fire, and medical response. **CPI:** Consumer Price Index - a measure of inflation used to calculate cost-of-living adjustments in contracts, which was 2.3% for this agreement. **CADB:** Community Development Advisory Board - a citizen board that makes recommendations on how to allocate certain city grant funds for human services. **General Fund:** The city's primary operating budget that funds basic services, often under budget pressure requiring difficult choices about program funding. **JPO Committee:** Jail Planning Oversight committee - a group that monitors jail costs and usage, relevant because Grace program aims to reduce jail bookings. **Justice Sales Tax:** A voter-approved tax with restricted uses for justice-related programs, though current restrictions limit how flexibly these funds can be used. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Council Member (Chair) | Committee Chair, Public Health Safety Justice Equity | | Council Member Skip Williams | Committee Member | | Council Member Michael Lilliquist | Committee Member | | Council Member Lisa Anderson | Attending in person | | Council President Holly Huffman | Attending online | | Chief Bill Huitt | Fire Department Chief | | Samuel Lutz | Housing and Services Manager, Planning Dep…
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Public Safety Budget & Finance Government Operations Bellingham Police Department Cadb Grace Program Lead Program Whatcom County Bill Huitt Forest Longman Lisa Anderson Michael Lilliquist Samuel Lutz Skip Williams Teara Dean Behavioral Health Budget Finance Criminal Justice Governance Administration Public Safety