HomeMy WebLinkAboutCriminal Justice Sep 26 2023Whatcom County
Council Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360) 778-5010
Committee Minutes - Final
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
9:45 AM
Hybrid Meeting
HYBRID MEETING - ADJOURNS BY 10:10 A.M. (PARTICIPATE IN -PERSON,
SEE REMOTE JOIN INSTRUCTIONS AT www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil,
OR CALL 360.778.5010)
COUNCILMEMBERS
Barry Buchanan
Tyler Byrd
Carol Frazey
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C.
Council Criminal Justice and Public Committee Minutes - Final September 26, 2023
Safety Committee
Call To Order
Roll Call
Committee Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 9:51 a.m.
in a hybrid meeting.
Present: 3 - Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, and Carol Frazey
Also Present: Todd Donovan, Ben Elenbaas, Kaylee Galloway, and Kathy Kershner
Announcements
Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council
1. AB2023-561 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement
between Whatcom County and the City of Bellingham to consolidate previous
amendments and extend the term date for the WHAT-COMM Communications
Center
Tyler Schroeder, Director of Administrative Services, briefed the
Councilmembers on the Administrative Board. He stated if the Council has
an interest in furthering the conversation of the Administrative Board
composition, it should probably be a Council vote or motion that then goes
to the What -Comm board itself for that board to consider.
He and Councilmembers discussed what the current makeup of the
Administrative Board is, why the County Council's representative is from
the County's Finance and Administrative Services Committee and the City's
representative is from their Public Safety Committee, whether the
ex-officio non -voting member should be made a voting member or whether
the City's Police Chief and the Fire Chief chosen from the Whatcom
County Fire Chief's Association should also be non -voting members,
whether there is merit to bringing on someone with a mental health crisis
lens, whether the membership is a carryover from the Ambulance Advisory
Committee membership, whether the purpose of the agreement is to
combine the Prospect Communications Center and What -Comm, and
whether the purpose statement in the agreement has changed.
Byrd moved to recommend that the Bellingham Police Chief and the Fire
Chief chosen from the Whatcom County Fire Chief s Association are made
ex-officio positions (along with the Bellingham Fire Chief).
Tyler Schroeder, Director of Administrative Services, clarified whether this
motion is a recommendation that will then go back to What -Comm for their
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Council Criminal Justice and Public Committee Minutes - Final September 26, 2023
Safety Committee
consideration. He stated it could be that the Council does not approve this
version of the interlocal and requests the parties to amend the board prior to
approving it.
Byrd's motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Frazey, Byrd, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
Frazey moved to recommend that we add an alternative response member
to the makeup of the board in a non -voting position.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
Schroeder discussed with Councilmembers whether the request from
Council is to take this conversation to the What -Comm board on September
28th and then bring it back for consideration of the interlocal and whatever
decision they choose in two weeks.
Dana Brown -Davis, Clerk of the Council, confirmed that they would bring
the recommended motions to the Council this evening for a vote.
Byrd moved that the recommendations go to the other signers of the
interlocal agreement for review first as opposed to the What -Comm board.
Councilmembers and staff concurred that they could start with the other
parties and they did not vote on Byrd's motion.
Alysn Everbeck, What -Comm Deputy Director, stated the interlocal is
between the City (of Bellingham) and the County and establishes the
marching orders for the Administrative Board and the makeup of the board
for the other cities to sign on to as contracted user agencies.
This agenda item was FORWARDED TO COUNCIL WITH
RECOMMENDED MOTION(S).
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
There were no agenda items added by revision.
There was no other business.
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Council Criminal Justice and Public Committee Minutes - Final September 26, 2023
Safety Committee
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 10:13 a.m.
ATTEST:
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
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WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
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Barry Buchanan -via email 10/2/2023
Dana Brown-Ida>vj Clerk,
Barry Buchanan, Committee Chair
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Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Transcription
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