HomeMy WebLinkAboutres2025-004Whatcom County COUNTY COURTHOUSE
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Agenda Bill Master Report
File Number: AB2024-767
File ID: AB2024-767 Version: 1 Status: Approved
File Created: 11/06/2024 Entered by: KSmith@co.whatcom.wa.us
Department: Council Office File Type: Resolution
Assigned to: Council Committee of the Whole
Agenda Date: 01/14/2025
Related Files:
Primary Contact Email: ksmith@co.whatcom.wa.us
TITLE FOR AGENDA ITEM:
Final Action: 01/14/2025
Enactment #: RES 2025-004
Resolution to establish Council goals for full, timely awarding of Healthy Children's Fund contracts
SUMMARY STATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE:
Resolution to establish Council goals for full, timely awarding of Healthy Children's Fund contracts
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE FILE
Date:
Acting Body:
Action: Sent To:
11/19/2024
Council Committee of the Whole
WITHDRAWN
11/19/2024
Council
WITHDRAWN
12/03/2024
Council Committee of the Whole
DISCUSSED AND
MOTION(S) APPROVED
12/03/2024
Council
HELD IN COMMITTEE Council Committee of the Whole
Aye:
5 Byrd, Donovan, Elenbaas, Galloway, and Stremler
Nay:
2 Buchanan, and Scanlon
01/14/2025
Council Committee of the Whole
SUBSTITUTE
RECOMMENDED FOR
APPROVAL
Aye:
7 Buchanan, Byrd, Donovan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay:
0
01/14/2025
Council
APPROVED
Aye:
7 Donovan, Elenbaas, Stremler, Buchanan, Galloway, Byrd, and Scanlon
Nay:
0
Whatcom County
Page 1 Printed on 111612025
Agenda Bill Master Report Continued (AB2024-767)
Attachments: Proposed Resolution for 12.3.24, Memo - Byrd edits, Memo - Lautenbach edits, Proposed
Resolution as Amended in Committee 12.3.24, Substitute Resolution for 1.14.25 - Buchanan
Whatcom County Page 2 Printed on 1/1612025
PROPOSED BY: BUCHANAN
INTRODUCTION DATE: JANUARY 14, 2025
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-004
RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH COUNCIL GOALS FOR FULL, TIMELY AWARDING OF
HEALTHY CHILDREN'S FUND CONTRACTS
WHEREAS, the Whatcom County Council approved Ordinance 2022-045 to provide
for the submission of a proposition to the qualified electors of Whatcom County, authorizing
the county to lift the limit of regular property taxes under RCW 84.55 for the purpose of
funding for childcare, early learning programs, and increased support for vulnerable
children; and
WHEREAS, in November 2022, Proposition 5, the Healthy Children's Fund, was
approved by voters in Whatcom County, consistent with Ordinance 2022-045, to establish a
dedicated fund to improve the health and well-being of children and youth, as well as the
families and communities in which they live; and
WHEREAS, since the Healthy Children's Fund was officially established in January
2023, the need for more affordable, high -quality, and culturally responsive childcare and
early learning across Whatcom County has increased; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 2022-045 required the Department of Health and Community
Services to serve as the Healthy Children's Fund administrator and to develop and oversee
an implementation plan that identifies the specific strategies and projects to be funded and
the outcomes to be achieved with the use of levy proceeds; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 2022-045 outlined a fund for childcare and early childhood
programs to improve kindergarten readiness and to support homeless and otherwise
vulnerable children, and the Ordinance stipulated that all programs funded under the
measure must be designed to advance the goal that children of all backgrounds in Whatcom
County should enter kindergarten prepared and ready to learn; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 2022-45 required the initial 2-year Implementation Plan to
allocate no less than 55% and no more than 68% of levy revenue and proceeds to
improving early learning and care; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 2022-45 required the initial 2-year Implementation Plan to
allocate no less than 20% and no more than 36% of levy revenue and proceeds to
supporting vulnerable children; and
WHEREAS, Whatcom County's Healthy Children's Fund Implementation Plan for
Years 1 and 2, adopted by Whatcom County Council by Resolution 2023-127 in March 2023,
identified an estimated allocation of $12,800,000 or 64% of 2023-2024 Healthy Children's
Fund revenues to be spent on early learning and care; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 2022-45 allows for up to 9% of the Healthy Children's Fund
levied funds to be used towards administration, evaluation, and overhead, and, further,
meeting the Implementation Plan and deadlines set forth in this Resolution may require
adding administrative capacity by hiring additional employees; and
WHEREAS, the Healthy Children's Fund Implementation Plan is behind schedule,
with more than $13 million awarded for childcare capital projects using ARPA funds and
$385,722 awarded for early learning and care programs as of November 1, 2024, according
to a Health and Community Services Department written report to the Council; and
WHEREAS, the current Healthy Children's Fund balance as of November 4, 2024 is
$19,508,305 (fund balance plus cash), and, according to Whatcom County's 2025-2026
biennial budget, expected revenues into the Healthy Children's Fund are estimated to be
$20,218,429; and
WHEREAS, the Council acting as the Whatcom County Health Board adopted
Whatcom Working Toward Well-being: An Action Plan for County Government, also known
as the Child and Family Action Plan, on February 4, 2020; and
WHEREAS, the Child and Family Action Plan's first recommendation was to
"establish new structures and processes to elevate the well-being of all children and families
as a priority," including "[pursuing] new funding mechanisms to significantly increase
resources for well-being promotion and crisis prevention;" and
WHEREAS, the Child and Family Action Plan recommended that the county
participate in a fiscal analysis and to "generate new and sustainable revenue for evidence -
based and innovative child and family programs and services based on recommendations
from the fiscal analysis," which led to establishing the Healthy Children's Fund as a locally
controlled and dedicated resource addressing the needs established in Ordinance 2022-045
Section 3; and
WHEREAS, in addition to the Child and Family Action Plan, the Council as the Health
Board approved four of the plan's specific actions, including the establishment of a task
force focused on "tracking and furthering progress of community efforts to achieve the
desired results for children and families;" and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 2022-045 calls for an independent performance audit of the
Healthy Children's Fund every other year by a qualified independent auditor, which shall
serve "to ensure that taxpayer money is well spent achieving the goals adopted by county
council in this ordinance and endorsed by voters through the passage of the levy;" and
WHEREAS, taxpayer money is spent on both the administrative budget and the
funds allocated towards programs and services; and
WHEREAS, successful implementation of the fund and attainment of its goals
requires both successful administration of the funds and successful implementation of
programs and services; and
WHEREAS, up to 3% of the levy proceeds can be used for evaluating performance
of the Healthy Children's Fund; and
WHEREAS, the Healthy Children's Fund Implementation Plan was adopted
unanimously by council through Resolution 2023-127 to identify goals for the fund, eligible
expenditures, allocation guidelines, and distribution guidance; and
WHEREAS, the 2023-2024 Healthy Children's Fund Implementation Plan includes
feedback solicited from multiple advisory groups and content experts to ensure that the
implementation plan reflects the priorities of Whatcom County residents and supports the
achievement of the Healthy Children's Fund vision; and
WHEREAS, of the 289 community member comments, 137 comments (47%) were
related to evaluation/metrics, and of those, 43 called for an evaluation of the fund
administration; and
WHEREAS, the Healthy Children's Fund Implementation Plan as adopted by council
includes a framework to measure the performance of the levy strategies in achieving their
outcomes, including annual reporting on levy expenditures, fund administration, services
and outcomes, and program evaluations and process audits, in accordance with Section 5 of
Ordinance 2022-045; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the Whatcom County Child and Family Well -Being Task
Force is to review the impact of county policies on children and families and make specific
recommendations for improvements for all departments (Ordinance 2020-079, Exhibit A);
and
WHEREAS, the Child and Family Well -Being Task Force, in a December 31, 2024
memo to council titled "External, Comprehensive Evaluation of the Healthy Children's Fund,"
recommended a biannual comprehensive external evaluation to measure performance of the
Healthy Children's Fund and identified core tenets for responsible stewardship, including:
transparency and accountability, continuous improvement, fairness, risk management,
alignment with goals and community expectations, and data -driven decision -making; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 2022-045 directs the auditor to develop the audit process in
consultation with the Child and Family Well -Being Task Force; and
WHEREAS, Whatcom County Code 2.106.090 Reporting requires the Child and
Family Well -Being Task Force to provide a report and recommendations to the county
council and county executive at least biannually and no later than March 30 and September
30 of each year (Ordinance 2020-079 — Exhibit A); and
WHEREAS, the role of the county council was identified in Ordinance 2022-045 and
Ordinance 2020-079 and includes the following:
1. Adopt goals of the Healthy Children's Fund through the passage of the
originating ordinance (2022-045).
2. Submit to the qualified electors of the county a proposition authorizing a
regular property tax levy.
3. Approve a bi-annual implementation plan that adjusts the percentages
allocated towards supporting vulnerable children and early learning and care
based on the information reflected in the independent audit recommendations
by the Child and Family Well -Being Task Force, the emergent needs of the
community, and changes in state and federal funding availability.
4. Establish and work with the Child and Family Well -Being Taskforce and to
consider recommendations made through annual report cards and as
otherwise requested; and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that, to support the prompt and effective
disbursement of funds from the Healthy Children's Fund, the Whatcom County Council
requests the following:
Section I: Funding awards and contracts
A. Timeline for execution of contracts: Notification of funding awards should be
made within forty-five (45) days of application closing date, and contracts should
be finalized within ninety (90) days after the issuance of a contract award letter. If
it is anticipated that a contract will not be completed within 90 days, staff should
submit a report to council prior to the 90-day deadline that includes the following:
1. Name and copy of the award letter, if applicable. If not applicable,
include agreement date and a brief summary of scope.
2. Reason for delay and estimated time of completion.
3. Proposed solution to ensure completion by agreed timeframe.
4. Confirmation from the contractee acknowledging the extension,
estimated timeframe, agreement with the proposed solution, and any
additional information.
B. Distribution timeline for early learning spending: unless decided otherwise by
council resolution, the council requests that the county meet the following deadline
for executing contracts to expand early learning and care under the Healthy
Children's Fund:
1. By June 30, 2025, execute all contracts for the spending set forth in
Ordinance 2022-45 for early learning and care projects, for a total of 55% to
68% of 2023-2024 levy revenue and proceeds.
2. By June 30, 2025, execute all contracts for the spending set forth in
Ordinance 2022-45 for supporting vulnerable children, for a total of 20% to
36% of 2023-2024 levy revenue and proceeds.
C. Reporting on contracting progress: Whatcom County Health and Community
Services is asked to provide the county council and the Child and Family Wellbeing
Task Force with a monthly progress report, including the following information: the
funding recipient, budgeted amount of HCF funding, RFP close date, award letter
sent date, date first contract sent to lead staff, date when contract development
was finished and sent for final approvals, and date contract was approved by the
Council.
Section II. Program Audit
A. By the end of 2025, the County Executive's office is contracted with an
independent, outside auditor and has completed an independent audit of the
County's ability to timely disburse funds pursuant to the implementation plan and
to carry out the intent of this Resolution; and
B. By the end of 2025, Health and Community Services is contracted with an
independent, outside evaluator and has completed an evaluation of the progress
towards goals of the Healthy Children's Fund pursuant to the implementation plan
and to carry out the intent of this Resolution; and
C. A comprehensive external evaluation will be delivered to Council and to the Child
and Family Well -Being Task Force by January 1, 2026, allowing for the following
schedule:
1. By March 31, 2026, the Child and Family Well -Being Task Force will draft
and submit a report card with recommendations to improve administration,
implementation, and evaluation of the Healthy Children's Fund, according to
the originating ordinance 2022-045 and the Implementation Plan.
2. By September 30, 2026, a comprehensive external evaluation inclusive of
both process and program outcomes, along with Task Force.
recommendations, will be used to update the 2027-2028 Implementation
Plan according to the originating ordinance 2022-045.
3. The 2027-2028 biennium budget will include anticipated expenditures
according to the 2027-2028 Implementation Plan.
D. Subsequent bi-annual reviews of program administration and outcomes will follow
every two years.
E. Reporting and audits: programs, contracts, results, or metrics related to programs
not directly funded with HCF funds (for example ARPA funds) are excluded from
reporting and audit requirements.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Sections I and II above are intended to carry out
the Council's budgetary authority, and, should any portion be deemed invalid and/or
unenforceable, it shall not impact the validity of the remainder of the Council's requests
herein.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that Whatcom County Council supports collaborating
with the County Administration in effort to achieve these desired outcomes including by
providing sufficient rq�purces and considering relevant policy changes.
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Cathy Halka,, Clerk -of the"Council
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APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Civil Deputy Prosecutor
2025.
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Kaylee (9�Iloway, Council Chair I