County Council Climate Action and Natural Resources Committee

**Budget Strategy and Service Reductions:** Knox detailed the department's approach to the mid-biennium review, emphasizing collaboration with the executive's office to minimize service impacts. The strategy involves using Park Special Revenue funds to maintain full-time positions while reducing extra help by $34,000 across three areas: $30,000 from administrative staff, and $4,000 from facilities and plantation range operations. **External Resource Leveraging:** The director presented a comprehensive strategy for securing grant funding and partnerships to expand services without relying solely on county general funds. This includes the successful $424,000 WSDOT grant for Bay to Baker trail planning, partnership with the N…

**Bennett Knox, Parks and Recreation Director:** Emphasized the balance between maintaining existing facilities and developing new opportunities. Advocated for the external resource leveraging strategy as essential for department sustainability. Supported community engagement as the key to unlocking future funding and political support. **Council Member Mark Stremler:** Questioned the utilization of Silver Lake Park's day lodge, suggesting the need for better operational plan…

**Bennett Knox, on department strategy:** "What's more important, maintaining what you have or doing new things. And my answer was, well, you know, it is a balance, and I'm committed to that." **Knox, on budget collaboration:** "We are and have really appreciated working with the executive's office on, you know, kind of what's going to make sense for our department in terms of trying to minimize service reductions, certainly not looking to lose full time staff." **Knox, on external resources…

**Organizational Structure:** The department has filled the Senior Planner for Multimodal Trails position with Stacy Pratchett, completing a key staffing goal from the 2023-24 biennium. A Land Management Supervisor position has been added to systematize trail management across the 80-mile trail system. **Budget Approach:** The department shifted from potential significant service cuts to using Park Special Revenue funds to maintain operations, though with $34,000 in extra help reductions that will impact services at Scappoose Park and other locations. **External Funding Success:** Secured $424,000 from WSDOT for Bay to Baker trail planning, representing the largest single grant success mentioned in the presentation. Established partnership funding…

### Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Climate Action and Natural Resources Committee met on November 18, 2025, for a brief 25-minute session focused on a semi-annual update from Parks and Recreation Director Bennett Knox. The presentation covered department operations, budget impacts, and strategic planning for leveraging external resources. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Mid-Biennium Review:** A mid-cycle budget adjustment process where departments can request changes to their two-year budget allocations based on changing needs or circumstances. **Park Special Revenue:** A dedicated funding source for parks operations, separate from general county funds, that comes from park fees, grants, and other park-specific revenue sources. **C-PROS Plan:** Comprehensive Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan - a strategic planning document that guides future park development and identifies community recreation needs. **Human-Powered Campsites:** Camping facilities accessible only by non-motorized transportation like kayaking, hiking, or biking, typically found in more remote or environmentally sensitive locations. **Multimodal Trails:** Pathways designed to accommodate multiple types of users including pedestrians, cyclists, and sometimes equestrians or other non-motorized transportation. **Bay to Baker Trail:** A proposed recreational trail connecting Bellingham Bay to Mount Baker, specifically the segment between Kendall and Glacier that the county is now planning with grant funding. **External Resources:** Grants, partnerships, volunteer labor, and other funding or support sources outside of county general fund revenue. **DNR Easement:** A legal agreement with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources allowing public access across state-owned land. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Bennett Knox | Parks and Recreation Department Director | | Todd Donovan | Committee Member (chairing meeting) | | Mark Stremler | Committee Member | | Kaylee Galloway | Committee Chair (excused, away on county business) | | Chris | Parks Operations Manager | ### Background Context Whatcom County Parks manages an extensive system of 73 properties across the county, including campgrounds, trails, senior centers, and recreational facilities. With 80 miles of trails, 54 public restrooms, and facilities ranging from Point Roberts to the Lake Whatcom watershed, the department faces significant operatio…