# A Crisis Exposed: Sheriff's Office Staff Demand Action After 40 Years in Jail Basement The April 15, 2025 Whatcom County Council meeting began as a routine evening of local governance — approval of voting precinct boundaries, surplus property sales, and budget amendments. It ended as a watershed moment for public safety infrastructure in Washington's northernmost county, as more than a dozen current and former sheriff's office employees took the podium to expose working conditions they described as dangerous, degrading, and decades overdue for remedy. Council Chair Kaylee Galloway called the hybrid meeting to order at 6:02 PM with all seven council members present. The evening's agenda included four public hearings, routine consent items, and various board appointments. But it was during open session that the carefully orchestrated evening took an unexpected turn, as Sheriff Donnell Tanksley rose to address what he called "a litany of legitimate concerns that have persisted in the basement of the jail for over 40 years." ## Executive Reports and Routine Business Before the dramatic public testimony, County Executive Satpal Sidhu delivered his regular report, highlighting recent activities including meetings in Olympia with Governor Bob Ferguson's policy team and discussions about Point Roberts' unique challenges as a border community. Sidhu announced that the county would publish its request for qualifications for progressive design-build services for the new Whatcom County Justice Facility and Behavioral Care Center the following day, with bids closing May 13th. The executive also provided updates on Lummi Island ferry funding efforts, working with federal representatives including Congressman Rick Larsen's office and the Maritime Administration. Due to leadership changes at the Health Department, Sidhu reported temporarily assigning resources from his office to augment Healthy Children's Fund staffing, treating the $100 million fund as a comprehensive project rather than annual allocations. Council Member Jon Scanlon raised concerns about charter compliance, noting the administration was two weeks past the required six-week quarterly budget reporting deadline. Sidhu acknowledged the delay, attributing it to difficulties with the county's financial system upgrade that occurred in late 2024, when two systems struggled to communicate effectively. He couldn't promise the next report would be on time but hoped to achieve compliance by mid-year. The c…