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Real Briefings

Whatcom County Council

WHA-CON-SPC-2025-12-30 December 30, 2025 Committee of the Whole Whatcom County
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Whatcom County Council convened an emergency special meeting to authorize the use of up to $750,000 from the Healthy Children's Fund to provide flood relief assistance to families with vulnerable children affected by the December 2025 storms. The resolution, sponsored by Council Members Mark Stremler and Barry Buchanan, passed unanimously 7-0 after amendments addressing legal requirements for potential reimbursement. The meeting was driven by urgent need following devastating floods in Everson, Sumas, and Nooksack that displaced numerous families. Council Member Stremler recounted his personal experience volunteering in flood cleanup, describing the emotional impact of watching young children carry their destroyed Christmas tree to debris piles outside their flooded home. With federal and state disaster relief uncertain, council members felt compelled to act immediately using local resources. The resolution expresses Council's intent to support flood recovery but does not directly authorize expenditure — that authority remains with the County Executive under emergency declaration procedures. Human Services staff reported connecting with 575 people seeking flood assistance, including 37 families with children ages 0-5 who would qualify under the Healthy Children's Fund parameters. Legal counsel clarified that while the fund generates over $1.5 million annually in interest, any expenditures must comply with the fund's legal restrictions focusing on vulnerable children zero to five years old. Two amendments passed 6-1 to ensure proper handling of potential state or federal reimbursement if disaster relief funding materializes later. The North Sound Accountable Community of Health and Community Foundation are currently funding temporary housing with their own resources, hoping for eventual reimbursement but prepared to absorb costs if federal relief doesn't arrive. Council members emphasized urgency, noting that families need help now rather than waiting months or y

- **AB2025-872 Resolution** — Passed 7-0 (Enactment No: RES 2025-050) - Authorizes intent to use up to $750,000 from Healthy Children's Fund for flood relief - Staff recommendation: Not specified (Executive branch item) - Applies only to families with vulnerable children ages 0-5 - Does not directly authorize expenditure — Executive retains spending authority under emergency procedures - **…

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**Flood Recovery Emergency Response** Staff presented the scope of disaster impact, with Amy Rydel from Human Services reporting 575 people have sought assistance, including 37 families with children ages 0-5 qualifying for Healthy Children's Fund support. The North Sound ACH has been providing bridge funding for temporary housing, potentially for up to nine months based on 2021 flood experience, but without guaranteed reimbursement. Council Member Stremler provided vivid testimony about volunteering in Nooksack homes where families were hauling destroyed belongings to curb debris piles, including the traumatic image of a young boy throwing his Christmas tree onto the pile. Sheriff Tanksley reinforced the widespread devastation, describing homes filled with mud requiring complete gutting of floors, cabinets, and fixtures. **Healthy Children's Fund Legal Framework** Prosecuting Attorney Kimberly Thulin clarified that the fund contains specific legal parameters limiting use to vulnerable children ages 0-5, with additional federal and state restrictions on services versus direct cash assistance. The resolution expresses intent but doesn't…
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**Council Member Stremler (Co-sponsor):** Provided emotional testimony from flood cleanup volunteering. Argued the fund's $1.5 million annual interest makes the $750,000 expenditure manageable. Emphasized families need help immediately, not months from now. **Council Member Buchanan (Co-sponsor):** Coordinated with Whatcom Long Term Recovery Group to develop spending plan. Focused on getting resources to established organizations already doing recovery work. **Council Member Elenbaas:** Strongly supported immediate action, stating he doesn't care about long-term program impacts because displaced children need basic shelter and food now. Opposed additional legal language as unnecessarily restrictive. **Council Member Scanlon:** Supported the concept while seeking detailed information about current needs assessment and funding gaps. Interested in broader policy discussion about gift of public funds doctrine. *…
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**Council Member Stremler, on volunteering in flood cleanup:** "To watch people open their doors, open their garage doors, and see destruction was it was pretty impactful for myself. Probably the most incredible scene was seeing one of them carry their Christmas tree out of the house and just throwing it on the pile." **Sheriff Tanksley, on the scope of devastation:** "When I walked into their living room and they wanted to move the floor tiles, only thing I saw was mud. Once we shoveled the …
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**Immediate Implementation:** County Executive will determine whether to proceed with contracts under emergency declaration authority. Any contracts must flow through Emergency Management and Human Services teams with legal review. **Federal Relief Tracking:** Emergency Management will continue pursuing all available state and federal reimbursement opportunities for flood response costs. Updates will be provided to Council as information becomes available. **Implementation Plan Review:** If funds are ultimately not reimbursed, Health Department wi…

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**Flood Relief Authorization:** Council provided policy direction for using Healthy Children's Fund resources for disaster relief, establishing precedent for emergency use of dedicated levy funds. **Legal Framework Clarified:** Amendments established Council's expectation of pursuing reimbursement while maintaining flexibility if federal relief doesn't materialize. **Emergency Response Expansion:** County's disaster response now includes ded…
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# The Human Face of Emergency Response: Whatcom County Council Authorizes Flood Relief for Vulnerable Children ## Meeting Overview On December 30, 2025, Whatcom County Council convened a special meeting that would prove to be more than just another government session—it was a gathering that captured the human cost of natural disaster and the urgent need for local government to step up when state and federal help remains uncertain. Called to order at 4:34 PM by Chair Kaylee Galloway, the hybrid meeting brought together all seven council members for one singular purpose: to consider Resolution AB2025-872, which would authorize the use of up to $750,000 from the Healthy Children's Fund to provide flood relief assistance for families with vulnerable children. The resolution was sponsored by Councilmembers Mark Stremler and Barry Buchanan, both of whom had witnessed firsthand the devastation left behind by the recent storm events that struck Whatcom County. The meeting would unfold over 57 minutes, revealing not just the mechanics of emergency funding, but the deeply personal experiences that drive public servants to action when their community faces crisis. ## A Christmas Tree on the Pile: The Genesis of Emergency Action The resolution's origins lay not in policy papers or budget discussions, but in a profound moment of human witness. Councilmember Mark Stremler began his presentation with a story that would resonate throughout the chamber: "Well, for me, it really started about eight o'clock one morning when myself and three others were assigned to help out at a couple homes in Nooksack. And this was the morning after the Waters had gone down. So we get there at eight o'clock and there's nobody around. Everybody had left their homes for higher ground, let's say." Stremler painted a picture of devastation that was both specific and universal—the scene that greets disaster volunteers and victims alike when the waters recede and the work of recovery begins. But it was one particular image that crystallized his resolve: "So the one house that we started on, it was a single mom, two young boys. I would call them very strong young men, because they started to haul their own belongings that were completely ruined, bringing them out of the house, bringing them out to the curb and dumping them there. And probably the most incredible scene was seeing one of them carry their Christmas tree out of the house and just throwing it on the pile." This moment—a child…
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A structured study guide helping readers understand the meeting's content and context. ### Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Council held a special meeting on December 30, 2025, to consider a resolution authorizing up to $750,000 from the Healthy Children's Fund for flood relief assistance to families with vulnerable children. All seven council members were present for this 57-minute meeting focused entirely on disaster recovery from recent flooding that devastated communities like Nooksack, Everson, and Sumas. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Healthy Children's Fund:** A county fund established by voter-approved levy to support programs for vulnerable children ages 0-5. The fund has specific legal parameters governing how money can be spent and generates over $1.5 million annually in interest that goes back into the fund. **Long Term Recovery Group:** A nonprofit organization that coordinates disaster recovery efforts in Whatcom County, particularly focused on helping families rebuild and recover from flood damage. They previously helped after the 2021 flood and have experience managing disaster relief funds. **Emergency Operations Center (EOC):** The county's disaster response command center operated by the Division of Emergency Management, where all disaster response and recovery contracts are coordinated through Incident Command structure. **North Sound ACH:** North Sound Accountable Community of Health, an organization that has been providing emergency funding for temporary housing for flood victims, with the understanding they may not be reimbursed by state or federal sources. **Gift of Public Funds:** A legal concept that restricts how government can spend taxpayer money. There's a two-part test that includes whether the expenditure serves a fundamental governmental purpose like disaster response. **Resolution:** A formal statement of legislative intent that doesn't have the force of law but expresses the council's position. Unlike an ordinance, it doesn't actually authorize spending but shows support for the executive to take action. **Double Dipping:** The legal requirement that disaster relief funds from different sources (local, state, federal) cannot be used for the same expenses. If federal money later reimburses local spending, the local funds should be returned to avoid duplication. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Kaylee Galloway | Council Chair | | Mark Stremler | Council member, resolution co-sponsor | | Barry Buchanan | Council member, resolution co-sponsor | | Ben Elenbaas | Council member | | Tyler Byrd | Council member | | Todd Donovan | Council member | | Jon Scanlon | Council member | | Kayla Schott-Bresler | Deputy Executive | | Donnell Tanksley | Whatcom County Sheriff | | Matt Klein | Deputy Director, Division of Emergency Management | | Amy Rydel | Whatcom C…
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Social Services Government Operations AB2025 872 Community Foundation Division Emergency Management Human Services North Sound Ach Whatcom County Health Community Services Whatcom Long Term Recovery Group Amy Rydel Barry Buchanan Ben Elenbaas Donnell Tanksley John Scanlon Kayla Schott Bresler Kaylee Galloway Kimberly Thulin Mark Stremler Matt Klein Sarah Simpson Todd Donovan Tyler Byrd Place Everson Place Nooksack Place Sumas Disaster Recovery Emergency Management Emergency Response Federal Reimbursement Flood Relief Gift Of Public Funds Healthy Childrens Fund Housing Assistance Legal Compliance Temporary Housing Vulnerable Children