HomeMy WebLinkAboutCriminal Justice Jan 28 2025Whatcom 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, January 28, 2025
1:05 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
Bang Buchanan
Tyler Byrd
Jon Scanlon
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Cathy Halka, AICP, CMC
Council Criminal Justice and Public Committee Minutes - Final January 28, 2025
Safety Committee
Call To Order
Roll Call
Committee Chair Buchanan called the meeting to order at 1:05 p.m. in a
hybrid meeting.
Present: 3 - Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, and Jon Scanlon
Todd Donovan, Ben Elenbaas, Kaylee Galloway, and Mark Stremler
Announcements
Committee Discussion
AB2025-103 Discussion from Executive's Office, Facilities Management and Justice Center
Owners' Representative to discuss scope of work and contract for Justice Center
Kayla Schott-Bresler, Executive's Office, introduced the presentation.
Rob Ney, Administrative Services Department Facilities, read from a
presentation (on file) on the process for selecting an owner's
representative, and why the County selected STV.
Schott-Bresler answered questions about budget and financing. She stated
they will be talking to the Council over the next several months about the
development of final cost estimates. She answered questions about the
commitments governing the use of sales tax in the interlocal agreement
between the County and cities (see footnote on page five of the memo on
file from Executive Sidhu), when the 54-month period starts, and whether
they will be able to meet what was promised. She stated the clock started on
the 54 months in July of 2024 when sales tax collections began. They do
not know yet how much the project is going to cost, and how much they
spend on the project is a Council decision. They will kick off the
conversation about what is fiscally prudent with the advisors on the bonding
(PFM) in two weeks. She answered questions about financing with the cities
and whether the plan is for one or two buildings. She stated the Justice
Project Implementation Plan outlines a jail with a co -located behavioral
care center, which is essentially a prosecutorial diversion facility, but there
is remaining work to do around what that operational model looks like.
Ney answered whether they are looking to source this project as one entire
project or whether they are planning to break it up into smaller pieces. He
stated he thinks they intend to design the project first and then figure out
how and if it makes sense for them to break it into smaller bites.
9%alcom County Page ]
Council Criminal Justice and Public Committee Minutes - Final
Safety Committee
January 28, 2025
The following representatives from STV read from a presentation (on file)
regarding their organization and the scope of work, and they answered
questions:
• Ashley McClaran, Principal -In -Charge / Engagement Lead
• Adam Johnson, Project Manager / Main point of contact
They answered how they worked with the community on the Mt. Vernon
Library Commons building and spoke about how different projects require
different levels of communication.
This agenda item was DISCUSSED.
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
Adiournment
There were no agenda items added by revision.
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 1:37 p.m.
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Cathy HaIka, Council Clerk
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Barry Buchanan -via email 2/4/2025
Meeting Minutes prepared by Kristi Felbinger
Whalcom County Page 2
Barry Buchanan, Committee Chair