HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Works Jan 14 2025Whatcom County
Council Public Works & Health Committee
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360)778-5010
Committee Minutes - Final
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
12:55 PM
Hybrid Meeting - Council Chambers
HYBRID MEETING (PARTICIPATE IN -PERSON, SEE REMOTE JOIN
INSTRUCTIONS. AT www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil, OR CALL
360.778.5010)
COUNCILMEMBERS
Ben Elenbaas
Jon Scanlon
Mark Stremler
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Cathy Halka, AICP, CMC
Council Public Works & Health Committee Minutes - Final January 14, 2025
Committee
Call To Order
Roll Call
Committee member Jon Scanlon called the meeting to order at 12:55 p.m.
in a hybrid meeting.
Present: 3 - Jon Scanlon, Mark Stremler, and Ben Elenbaas
Also Present: Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, Todd Donovan, and Kaylee Galloway
Announcements
Special Order of Business
AB2025-008 Nomination and appointment of Committee Chair
Scanlon moved to nominate himself as chair.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Scanlon, Stremler, and Elenbaas
Nay: 0
Scanlon was APPOINTED.
Appointed Scanlon as Chair
Special Presentation
AB2025-034 Presentation from Whatcom County Health and Community Services on the
operations plan for the Fentanyl Executive Order
Kari Holley, Health and Community Services, read from a presentation (on
file) and answered questions about the overdose data presented, resources
the County has for translating existing materials into other languages and
how they determine which languages, the Fentanyl Operations Plan
Evaluation, and whether there are limitations or a written policy on how
they can use the opioid settlement funds. She stated there is a big document
that talks about what is allowed or not for the use of the funds, but it is very
complicated. She spoke about one of the larger settlements which is on
hold due to an appeal and stated other funds may trickle in over time.
Scanlon spoke about third spaces for youth and a meeting taking place about
that tomorrow.
Holley answered what trend they are seeing for overdose deaths, and stated
there are fewer deaths so far in 2024 than in 2023. There is a lag in the data
Whatcom County Page
Council Public Works & Health Committee Minutes - Final January 14, 2025
Committee
for 2024 likely due to the change in the Medical Examiner's Office.
Elenbaas spoke about the number of overdose deaths and asked whether
there has been any change in how deaths are classified since some overdose
deaths do not seem to have that listed as the main cause.
Kayla Schott-Bresler, Executive's Office, stated the Administration can
follow up with Councilmembers on concerns about the death data.
Scanlon asked if the data only indicates the primary cause of death and
Schott-Bresler stated they would need to follow up with the Medical
Examiner.
This agenda item was PRESENTED.
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
Adjournment
There were no agenda items added by revision.
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 1:25 p.m.
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Jon Scanlon -via email 1/24/2025
Jon Scanlon, Committee Chair
Meeting Minutes prepared by Kristi Felbinger
Whatcom County page 2