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County Council Finance and Administrative Services Committee

WHA-FAS-2025-07-08 July 08, 2025 Budget & Finance Committee Whatcom County
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The Finance and Administrative Services Committee moved efficiently through a consent agenda and five ordinance discussions in just 38 minutes. The most significant item was a $4 million budget amendment for the new jail and behavioral health center project, which will fund the initial scope for the design-build contract currently out for procurement. The committee also approved funding for the Van Zandt Community Hall renovation project at $823,544 and discussed several road project budget adjustments. A notable development came during discussion of the supplemental budget, when Council Member Stremler indicated he may move to remove the Canyon Lake Community Forest funding from the ordinance during the evening council meeting. This could mark the first test of the new process where individual line items would be amended out rather than separated into standalone ordinances. The jail project continues to target a July 4, 2028 opening date, though documents now reference "late 2028" as the operational timeline. Staff expects to select a design-build contractor in August and emphasized that the next phase through 2026 will be critical for defining exactly what the facility will look like.

**Consent Agenda Items (All Passed 3-0):** - AB2025-495: Flood mitigation planning grant agreement with State Commerce Department for $1,310,000 - AB2025-497: Interlocal agreement with Department of Children, Youth and Families for juvenile programming - AB2025-500: Family and Juvenile Court Improvement Program agreement for $112,500 - AB2025-501: Forest Service contract amendment increase of $56,760 **Van Zandt Community Hall Contract (Passed 3-0):** - AB2025-516: Au…

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**Jail Project Funding and Timeline:** Staff provided extensive detail on the $4 million budget amendment for the new Public Health, Safety and Justice Facility. The majority of funding will go to the design-build contract, with the county nearing selection of a firm in August. The amendment also transfers $1 million from the justice project back to the county's capital facilities reserve fund for other county-only capital needs. Rob Ney emphasized that the period from now through the end of 2026 will be intensive, involving critical decisions about facility design, size, cell configuration, and behavioral health center components. **Road Fund Cash Flow Management:** Director Elizabeth Kosa explained ongoing efforts to address Road Fund cash flow…
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**Council Member Tyler Byrd** expressed concern about the jail project's local hiring commitments, questioning whether the design-build approach would limit opportunities for local companies. He emphasized wanting to maintain local jobs and break projects into smaller pieces where possible. **Council Member Jon Scanlon** (participating remotely) pressed for details on Canyon Lake funding and its relationship to the challenging DNR letter, suggesting it would be valuable to hear directly from DNR about their …
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**Chair Todd Donovan**, on the consent agenda length: "I think we're still potentially waiting for Ellen boss. Can't see if he is here online. We have four items on the Consent Agenda? Is there a motion for those begin discussion? Move we recommend approval. Okay. Are there items people have questions for staff or anybody on 123, or four, which is probably the shortest consent agenda we've had in recent memories, because we don't have any money." **Council Member Tyler Byrd**, on jail project …
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**Evening Council Meeting:** All five ordinance items (AB2025-490, AB2025-491, AB2025-493, AB2025-499, AB2025-503) are scheduled for introduction at the evening council meeting. Council Member Stremler may move to amend AB2025-503 to remove the Canyon Lake funding. **Jail Project Procurement:** Design-build contractor selection expected in August 2025, with initial management plan review currently underway for three finalists. **Canyon Lake Negotiations:** County will continue negotiations w…

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**Budget Authority Granted:** The committee recommended authorization of $823,544 for Van Zandt Community Hall improvements, advancing this community project to final approval. **Jail Project Funding Path Cleared:** The $4 million budget amendment received committee discussion without opposition, positioning it for introduction and likely approval, ensuring project momentum through Q1 2026. **Amendment Process Clarified:** Staff and legal counsel clearly explained the new process for removing line items from omnibus…
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# County Committee Tackles Road Projects, Jail Planning, and Canyon Lake Access in Brief Morning Session ## Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Council Finance and Administrative Services Committee convened for a brisk 38-minute meeting on July 8, 2025, in the County Courthouse chambers. Committee Chair Todd Donovan presided over the hybrid session, with members Barry Buchanan and Tyler Byrd present both in-person and virtually. Several other council members attended as observers, including Ben Elenbaas, Kaylee Galloway, Jon Scanlon, and Mark Stremler. The agenda was notably streamlined — "probably the shortest consent agenda we've had in recent memories, because we don't have any money," Donovan quipped at the opening. Despite the light agenda, the committee addressed significant infrastructure investments, including road improvements, ferry modernization, and ongoing planning for the county's new jail and behavioral health facility. The meeting also highlighted ongoing challenges with Canyon Lake access negotiations and demonstrated the complex procedural machinery of local government budget amendments. ## Swift Consent Agenda Approval The committee quickly dispatched four consent agenda items totaling over $1.4 million in agreements and contract amendments. Buchanan moved to recommend approval of all four items en bloc, though Byrd flagged one item for follow-up discussion at the evening council meeting. The approved items included a substantial $1.3 million flood mitigation planning agreement with the state Department of Commerce for work in Sumas, Nooksack, and Everson — communities that have faced repeated flooding challenges. The county also authorized agreements for juvenile offender programming services and court improvement programs, as well as a $56,760 contract amendment with the U.S. Forest Service. Byrd's concern centered on agenda item four, an agreement amendment that requires the county to provide a full-time officer for Forest Service work while covering what appeared to be less than half the actual wage costs. "I was wondering about number four, because the contract says that it is they require us to have a full time officer in that area, and yet, we're covering what I'm guessing is less than half of the fully loaded wage cost," Byrd explained. He planned to seek clarification from the sheriff's of…
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### Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Finance and Administrative Services Committee met on July 8, 2025, in a hybrid session to review consent agenda items and discuss several ordinances related to project budget amendments. The committee quickly approved four consent items totaling over $1.4 million and discussed five major budget amendment proposals, including significant funding for the new jail and behavioral care center project. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Project-Based Budget:** A specific funding allocation set aside for a particular capital project, separate from general departmental budgets. **Right-of-Way Acquisition:** The process of purchasing private property needed for public infrastructure projects like road intersections. **CRAB Grant:** County Road Administration Board funding provided by the state to support local transportation infrastructure projects. **Design-Build Contract:** A project delivery method where one contractor handles both design and construction phases, streamlining the process. **Supplemental Budget Request:** Mid-year budget amendments that adjust spending authority or move funds between accounts. **Capital Facilities Reserve Fund:** A county fund set aside for major capital improvements and infrastructure projects. **Justice Sales Tax:** A voter-approved tax dedicated to funding criminal justice facilities and programs. **HSIP Funding:** Highway Safety Improvement Program federal grants for transportation safety projects. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Todd Donovan | Committee Chair | | Tyler Byrd | Committee Member | | Barry Buchanan | Committee Member | | Elizabeth Kosa | Public Works Director | | Josh Cihak | Public Works Engineer | | Kayla Schott-Bresler | Deputy Executive | | Rob Ney | Facilit…
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Budget & Finance Government Operations Transportation & Infrastructure AB 2025 490 AB 2025 491 AB 2025 493 AB 2025 495 AB 2025 497 AB 2025 499 AB 2025 500 AB 2025 501 AB 2025 503 AB 2025 516 Department Natural Resources Public Works Department Sierra Pacific Industries Summit Construction Group Whatcom County Aly Pennucci Barry Buchanan Bennett Knox Elizabeth Kosa James Lee Jon Scanlon Josh Cihak Kayla Schott Bresler Mark Stremler Rob Ney Todd Donovan Tyler Byrd Budget Finance Canyon Lake Capital Projects Community Facilities Jail Capacity Road Fund Transportation Infrastructure