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Whatcom County Council Public Works & Health Committee

WHA-CON-PWH-2026-02-10 February 10, 2026 Public Works Committee Whatcom County
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The Whatcom County Council Public Works & Health Committee met for a brief but substantive 25-minute session focused entirely on flood recovery efforts from the recent Nooksack River flooding. The meeting demonstrated the county's multi-pronged approach to disaster response, addressing both immediate family assistance and long-term infrastructure planning. The committee received updates on three critical flood-related initiatives. Health and Community Services reported progress on deploying $750,000 in Healthy Children's Fund dollars for vulnerable families, with two organizations already selected for funding through an expedited application process designed to bypass typical bureaucratic delays. Public Works provided a comprehensive briefing on the February 2nd Floodplain Integrated Planning (FLIP) meeting involving 65 partners, which reviewed the Nooksack River Integrated Floodplain Action Plan combining early action projects with long-term construction needs across all river reaches. The committee unanimously approved a resolution calling on Washington State officials and the congressional delegation to pressure federal agencies to release hazard mitigation grant funds that have been stalled at the Department of Homeland Security for six months. The resolution addresses approximately $100,000 in approved but unobligated funds for home elevations and property acquisitions, with Council Member Scanlon noting the "ridiculous" nature of requiring cabinet-level approval for such amounts. The meeting highlighted significant challenges facing the county's flood response efforts. The five-year early action infrastructure plan carries an estimated $182 million price tag, while the county has requested only $15 million from the state legislature, creating a massive funding gap that will require coordinated federal and state advocacy. Technical modeling has revealed that historic levees and sediment accumulation have reduced the Nooksack River's capacity, lowering the th

**AB 2026-129** - Resolution requesting federal hazard mitigation grant release: **APPROVED 7-0** - Calls on Washington State officials and congressional delegation to pressure DHS to release approved HMGP funds - Addresses funds stalled at cabinet level for six months - Council Member Scanlon will coordinate with congressional delegation and governor's office **AB 2026-150** - Healthy Children's Fund disaster assistance update: **REPORTED** - $750…

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**Healthy Children's Fund Emergency Response** Sarah Simpson detailed the county's intentionally expedited process for distributing disaster assistance, replacing the typical multi-page RFP process with a simple online application and rolling weekly deadlines. The committee of three—Simpson, Amy Rydell, and Deputy Emergency Management Director Matt Klein—reviews applications every Friday to maintain momentum. Two organizations have been selected: one to serve a wide swath of families and another with trained social workers and therapists for higher-need families requiring intensive supportive services. Ann Beck noted this represents the first time Healthy Children's Fund money has been used for emergency response, requiring careful navigation of contracting protocols while maintaining speed. **Nooksack River Flood Infrastructure Planning** Public Works Director Elizabeth Kosa provided extensive context on the integrated action plan emerging from the February 2nd FLIP meeting. The plan combines early action projects with long-term construction across all river reaches, incorporating basin-wide strategies including land use policies, acquisitions, and home elevations. Technical modeling confirms that historic levees and sediment accumulation ha…
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**Council Member Jon Scanlon** emphasized the critical connection between flood infrastructure planning and comprehensive plan updates, noting potential conflicts between proposed ring dikes and cities' Urban Growth Area plans. He advocated for ensuring alignment before proceeding and has engaged congressional and state officials to pressure federal agencies on grant releases. **Council Member Jessica Rienstra** expressed urgency about implementation timelines while acknowledging the need for thorough planning to avoid unintended downstream impacts. She emphasized the human cost of delays, noting that families are "very antsy to get the work started." **Council Member Jessica Rienstra** highlighted the compounding trauma for families who didn't receive 2021 flood recovery fundin…
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**Council Member Jon Scanlon**, on federal grant delays: "I think it's ridiculous that $100,000 in spending is on that desk. To me, that's micromanagement that is not needed." **Public Works Director Elizabeth Kosa**, on decision-making for flood projects: "Public Works is not going to make that decision. Policy should be making that decision, and so we're going to be bringing what that looks like, and if it's not palatable, then we need to have those answers of what mechanism would you like …
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**February 24th Council Meeting:** Public Works will return with a full flood update including information on prioritization, pre-construction, design, fundraising, and permit needs for early action projects. **Healthy Children's Fund Applications:** Rolling weekly deadlines continue through February, with the review committee meeting every Friday to process new applications and advance approved organizations to contracting. **Congressional and State Engagement:** Council Member Scanlon will follow up with…

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**Federal Advocacy Intensified:** The county moved from waiting passively for federal grant approval to active political engagement, with formal resolution passed and Council Member Scanlon committed to direct outreach to multiple levels of government. **Flood Planning Reached Decision Point:** The committee established that by February 24th, Council will need to make policy decisions about acceptable downstream trade-offs from flood mitigation projects, potentially determining whether to proceed with current scope, modify plans, or pursue acquisition strategies. **Emergency Response Protocols Evolved:** Health and Community Services successfully deployed the first-ever …
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# Whatcom County Council Public Works & Health Committee — A Morning of Recovery Planning and Federal Frustrations ## Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Council Public Works & Health Committee convened at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 10th, 2026, in the county courthouse's hybrid chamber. Committee Chair Elizabeth Boyle led six of seven council members present (Mark Stremler stepped away briefly at the start), focusing on three critical items: disaster assistance funding for flood-impacted families, an update on comprehensive flood response planning, and a resolution to pressure federal officials to release long-stalled hazard mitigation funds. The 25-minute meeting reflected a county still grappling with the cascading effects of repeated flooding, particularly the devastating impacts on the Nooksack River corridor communities of Sumas, Everson, and Nooksack. What emerged was both progress and frustration — rapid mobilization of children's fund resources contrasted sharply with federal bureaucracy that has left approved disaster grants sitting untouched for months. ## The Rapid Response: $750,000 Children's Fund Mobilization Sarah Simpson, supervisor for Children and Family Programs within Whatcom County Health and Community Services, opened with what she called her "first visit with you all of the new year" — though it felt like much longer given the emergency response work underway. Her update revealed a department working to break its own bureaucratic patterns in service of flood recovery. "We have intentionally designed a faster and more flexible process than our typical multi-page RFP process for the Healthy Children's Fund storm recovery dollars," Simpson explained. Rather than the usual three-to-six-week timeline, they created a simple online application with rolling weekly deadlines, aiming "to get proposals in within the first week, not weeks later, so we could move more re…
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A structured study guide helping readers understand the meeting's content and context. Written for a general civic audience — assume no prior knowledge of the issues. ### Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Council Public Works and Health Committee met on February 10, 2026, to receive updates on flood recovery assistance for families and discuss federal grant funding delays. The committee focused on disaster response activities following recent flooding in the Nooksack River area. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Healthy Children's Fund:** A county program that provides grants to organizations serving children and families, which was redirected to provide $750,000 in emergency disaster assistance after recent flooding. **Request for Proposal (RFP):** The normal lengthy process organizations must complete to apply for county funding, which was streamlined for flood recovery to speed up assistance. **Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP):** Federal grants through FEMA that help communities reduce future disaster risks through projects like home elevations and property acquisitions. **Nooksack River Integrated Floodplain Action Plan (FLIP):** A comprehensive plan combining early action and long-term construction projects for all areas of the Nooksack River system. **Flow Split:** A critical area of the Nooksack River system connecting three reaches from Deming to Everson, Everson to Guide Meridian, and Everson to Sumas. **Department of Homeland Security (DHS):** The federal agency where approved HMGP grants have been stalled for six months awaiting the secretary's signature. **UGA/UGA Reserves:** Urban Growth Areas and reserves - designated areas where cities plan future development, which may conflict with flood mitigation infrastructure needs. **Ring Dikes:** Protective levees built around communities to prevent flood damage, mentioned as potential infrastructure for Everson and Nooksack. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Elizabeth Boyle | Committee Chair, County Council | | Sarah Simpson | Supervisor, Children and Family Programs, Health and Community Services | | Anne Beck | Community Health and Human Services Manager | | Elizabeth Kosa | Public Works Department Director | | Julie Anderson | Public Works Department (participated remotely) | | Barry…
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Budget & Finance Environmental Government Operations AB 2026 129 AB 2026 149 AB 2026 150 Dhs Fema Health Community Services North Sound Ach Public Works Whatcom County Whatcom Long Term Recovery Group Ann Beck Barry Buchanan Ben Elenbaas Elizabeth Boyle Elizabeth Kosa Elliot Sweeney Jessica Rienstra Jon Scanlon Julie Anderson Kaylee Galloway Mark Stremler Sarah Simpson Congressional Advocacy Disaster Assistance Emergency Contracting Emergency Management Flip Team Flood Infrastructure Flood Response Hazard Mitigation Grants Healthy Childrens Fund Infrastructure Nooksack River