HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial Council Jun 25 2024Whatcom
Council(Special)
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360)778-5010
Minutes Final
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
10 AM
HYBRID MEETING (PARTICIPATE IN -PERSON, SEE REMOTE JOIN
INSTRUCTIONS AT www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil, OR CALL
COUNCILMEMBERS
Barry Buchanan
Tyler Byrd
Todd Donovan
Ben Elenbaas
Kaylee Galloway
Jon Scanlon
Mark Stremler
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C.
Council (special) Minutes o Final June 25, 2024
Council Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 10:01 a.m. in a
hybrid meeting.
Present: 6 - Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, Ben Elenbaas, Kaylee Galloway, Jon Scanlon, and
Mark Stremler
Absent: 1 - Todd Donovan
A.B2024- ? 8, Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between
Whatcom County and the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) to expand
the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) Program, in the amount of
$420,000
Erika Lautenbach, Health and Community Services Director, briefed the
Councilmembers. She stated this action will allow them to accept the
funding and then Council will see a supplemental request later in the
summer to approve two additional Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion
(LEAD) program staff using the funding.
Malora Christensen, Health and Community Services, read a letter from a
client that was helped by the LEAD program.
Galloway moved and Scanlon seconded that the Contract be
AUTHORIZED.
Christensen answered how many staff they have right now in the program,
and stated they currently have five intensive case managers, three outreach
coordinators, and a supervisor, and they plan to expand the caseload with the
two additional positions as well as just the administrative load.
Vanessa Martin, Prosecuting Attorney's Office, answered what the
longer t-er,,, commitment is III the State for funding for the two
positions.
Lautenbach spoke about why they needed a special meeting today and stated
the Health Care Authority (HCA) would like to further fund the LEAD
program so it can expand, and indicated to the County that they were going
to provide additional funding. However, the HCA did not have the contract
language in time for the June meetings. It was scheduled to go before the
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Council (Special) Minutes - Final June 25,2024
Adjournment
Council in July, but the contract had to be executed and signed by the
Executive by June 30 or the County would relinquish $110,000 of the
$420,000. This special meeting allows the Executive to sign the contract
before June 30.
Galloway and Buchanan spoke about their support for the LEAD program.
Galloway's motion that the Contract be AUTHORIZED carried by the
following vote:
Aye: 6 - Buchanan, Byrd, Elenbaas, Galloway, Scanlon, and Stremler
Absent: I - Donovan
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 10: 11 a.m.
The Co,in\\ C 14/60, hese minutes on July 9, 2024.
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Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Transcription
ffloatconi County Page 2 Printed on 717012024