Search toggle
Contact toggle
Contact toggle
Search toggle
Say hello.
Focus Str. 5th Ave, 98/2 34746 Manhattan, New York
+1 222 44 55
hello@acme.com
What are you looking for?
Real Briefings

Whatcom County Council Finance and Administrative Services Committee

WHA-FAS-2025-09-09 September 09, 2025 Budget & Finance Committee Whatcom County
← Back to All Briefings
Sep
Month
09
Day
—
Min
Published
Status

The Finance and Administrative Services Committee processed a substantial agenda including 18 consent items, a quarterly financial presentation, and contentious discussions about Economic Development Investment (EDI) funding allocations. The most significant action was the committee's 2-1 vote to recommend using EDI funds for the Opportunity Council's Bellis Fair Senior Housing project, despite the EDI board's narrow rejection of the proposal. The committee approved nearly all consent items but voted 2-1 to hold the hearing examiner contract renewal pending broader budget discussions. Council Member Tyler Byrd expressed concerns about approving a 3% cost-of-living adjustment during ongoing county budget constraints. The hearing examiner contract, currently at approximately $9,000 per month with the proposed increase, would run through December 2026. Finance Director Randy Rydel presented the second quarter financial report, describing it as "unremarkable" in accountant terms. The county collected 48% of budgeted revenue and expended 45% of budgeted expenditures, both within historical patterns. Rydel highlighted increasing costs for What-Comm dispatch services (40% increase over three years) and ongoing concerns about Road Fund cash balances, though controls implemented by Public Works Director Doug Cosa have been effective. The most contentious discussion centered on EDI funding for affordable housing projects. The EDI board had narrowly rejected funding for the Bellis Fair Senior Housing project while approving Unity Street affordable housing. Committee members debated whether senior housing (62+) qualified as "workforce housing" under EDI criteria, with Council Member Byrd arguing it didn't meet the original economic development intent and Council Member Todd Donovan advocating for broader interpretation.

**Consent Agenda Items (17 of 18 approved):** The committee recommended approval of $7.8 million in various contracts and agreements with unanimous 3-0 votes, including behavioral health funding ($256,227), jail food services ($1.24 million), LEAD program expansion ($1.47 million), and multiple court support services. **Hearing Examiner Contract (AB2025-582) - HELD:** Committee voted 2-1 (Byrd/Buchanan vs. Donovan) to hold the $118,779 contract amendment until budget discussions. The contract includes a 3% COLA increase and would extend services through December 2026. **Budget Supplemental #9 (…

About 50% shown — sign up free to read the rest Sign up free →
**Budget Process and Timing:** Extended discussion about coordinating contract renewals with the biennial budget process. Deputy Executive Aly Pennucci clarified that no across-the-board 10% cuts are currently planned, but negotiations for unrepresented employee COLAs are just beginning. The budget transmission is scheduled for the third week of October. **What-Comm Cost Increases:** Significant concern raised about 40% increases in EMS dispatch costs over three years. Council members discussed the structural challenges of the What-Comm board composition, where county representatives can be outvoted on cost increases that directly impact the county budget. Chair Donovan described it as an "odd setup" and indicated desire for broader governance discussions. **Workforce…
About 50% shown — sign up free to read the rest Sign up free →
**Rajeev Majumdar (Hearing Examiner):** Advocated for tying COLA increases to county employee increases for equity and stability. Noted that Skagit County pays significantly more for comparable services. Expressed willingness to negotiate terms but supported the proposed 3% increase as reasonable. **Randy Rydel (Finance Director):** Emphasized "cautious optimism" about sales tax recovery (2.2% better than 2024) and highlighted successful Road Fund controls. Praised new Health Department financial services manager Greg Aturia from Santa Clara County. **Bennett Knox (Parks Director):** Reported improvements in community access at the East Whatcom Regio…
About 49% shown — sign up free to read the rest Sign up free →
**Randy Rydel (Finance Director), on the quarterly report:** "As accountants like to say we are not super, tend to be vibrant people. We like to say this one is unremarkable." **Tyler Byrd, on EDI workforce housing criteria:** "We have a lot of people in this community that are available for hire to fill our our entry level jobs, at base level jobs, my understanding is where we really lack workforce is with more senior jobs and jobs that require some level of expertise." **Todd Donovan, on W…
About 50% shown — sign up free to read the rest Sign up free →

**Budget Process:** County Executive budget transmission scheduled for third week of October. Unrepresented employee COLA negotiations ongoing through end of budget process. **Contract Returns:** Hearing examiner contract will return when budget information is available. What-Comm cost allocation discussions to continue in two weeks. **Property Transfer:** Public hearing for Jensen Road/Agate Bay Lane property sale to City of Bellingham scheduled for first October council meeting. **Stewart Mountain:** Owner…

About 49% shown — sign up free to read the rest Sign up free →
**EDI Funding Precedent:** Committee established willingness to override EDI board recommendations, potentially changing the board's advisory role dynamics for future funding decisions. **Contract Review Process:** New precedent set for holding contract renewals pending comprehensive budget review, rather than automatic approval based on existing terms. **Fund Balance Philosophy:** Formal acknowledgment of maintaining above-policy fund bala…
About 49% shown — sign up free to read the rest Sign up free →
## Meeting Overview On the morning of September 9, 2025, Whatcom County's Finance and Administrative Services Committee convened for what Finance Director Randy Rydel would describe as an "unremarkable" quarterly financial report — though the 94-minute meeting proved anything but routine. Committee members Todd Donovan (chair), Tyler Byrd, and Barry Buchanan worked through an 18-item consent agenda that sparked substantive discussions about budget pressures, governance structures, and the county's financial priorities during a time of constrained resources. The meeting began at 10:17 a.m. with all three committee members present, along with several other council members observing. While the consent agenda appeared routine on its surface, several items prompted deeper examination of the county's fiscal health and operational challenges. From hearing examiner contracts to jail food services, emergency dispatch costs to workforce housing definitions, the committee's work revealed the complex web of financial decisions facing local government in 2025. ## The LEAD Program Funding Clarification The committee's first substantive discussion centered on behavioral health funding for the LEAD (Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion) program. Council Member Byrd questioned whether a $256,227.50 contract with North Sound Behavioral Health Administrative Services Organization represented new, unbudgeted spending during a time when the behavioral health fund was already showing strain. Malora Christensen, Health and Community Services response systems manager, clarified that this was actually continuation funding for the Recovery Navigator Program that has been received for multiple years. "This is a continuation of state funding for recovery navigator program, and in Whatcom County we use that for our LEAD program," she explained. The confusion arose from language in the memo suggesting these were additional funds. Christensen acknowledged this was likely a typo and emphasized that "this is revenue coming into the behavioral health fund to be used for the LEAD program. It does not draw on the local sales tax 1/10 of 1%." This distinction proved important given council members' heightened awareness of behavioral health funding pressures. ## Hearing Examiner Contract Held for Budget Review A more contentious discussion emerged around the hearing examiner services contract with Rajeev Majumdar, which proposed a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for 2026.…
About 15% shown — sign up free to read the rest Sign up free →
### Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Finance and Administrative Services Committee met on September 9, 2025, for 1 hour and 34 minutes to review 18 consent agenda items, receive a quarterly financial report, and discuss several budget amendments and housing funding decisions. The meeting featured significant debate about a hearing examiner contract renewal and Economic Development Investment (EDI) funding for senior housing. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Consent Agenda:** A group of routine items voted on together to save time, though individual items can be pulled for separate discussion. **Behavioral Health Administrative Services Organization (BHASO):** State-level organization that manages behavioral health funding and contracts. **LEAD Program:** Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program that diverts people from jail to treatment and services. **Economic Development Investment (EDI) Fund:** County fund using sales tax revenue to support economic development, infrastructure, and workforce housing projects. **Workforce Housing:** Housing intended to serve working families, though the committee noted this term needs better definition. **Budget Supplemental:** Mid-year budget adjustments to add spending authority or revenue beyond what was originally approved. **What-Comm:** Regional emergency dispatch center serving Whatcom County jurisdictions. **Conservation Futures Fund:** Fund dedicated to purchasing and protecting environmentally sensitive land. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Todd Donovan | Committee Chair | | Tyler Byrd | Committee Member | | Barry Buchanan | Committee Member | | Aly Pennucci | Deputy County Executive | | Rajeev Majumdar | County Hearing Examiner | | Randy Rydel | County Finance Director | | Caleb Erickson | Sheriff's Office Chief Corrections Deputy | | Jill Boudreau | Executive's Office Senior Policy Manager | ### Background Context Whatcom County is facing budget pressures requiring careful evaluation of all expenditures. T…
About 49% shown — premium members only Upgrade to premium →

Share This Briefing

Tags & Connections

Budget & Finance Housing Economic Development Government Operations AB 2025 580 AB 2025 582 AB 2025 609 AB 2025 612 AB 2025 622 AB 2025 629 Edi Board Finance Department Health Department Opportunity Council Sheriff Office What Comm Whatcom Land Trust Aly Pennucci Barry Buchanan Bennett Knox Caleb Erickson Jill Boudreau Rachel Vasak Rajeev Majumdar Randy Rydel Raylene King Todd Donovan Tyler Byrd Affordable Housing Behavioral Health Budget Supplemental Cola Increases Edi Funding General Fund Balance Hearing Examiner Jail Services Stewart Mountain What Comm Workforce Housing