HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Works Oct 21 2025Whatcom County
Council Public Works & Health Committee
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360) 778-5010
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Committee Minutes - Final
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
11:45 AM
Hybrid Meeting - Council Chambers
HYBRID MEETING - MAY BEGIN EARLY - ADJOURNS BY 12:00 P.M.
(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 October 21, 2025
Committee
Call To Order
Roll Call
Committee Chair Jon Scanlon called the meeting to order at 11:30 a.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
Committee Discussion
AB2025-677 Discussion of a resolution to adopt the Six -Year Water Resources Improvement
Program (WRIP) for 2026-2031
Scanlon stated they talked about this two weeks ago, then the Public Works
Department and the Executive's Office asked Council to hold it for two
weeks because there were some edits that were needed.
Elizabeth Kosa, Public Works Department Director, stated there were
discrepancies with source funding for 2026 (specifically with the Road
Fund and the use of approved real estate excise tax (REET). The substitute
resolution addresses the discrepancies and also incorporates the financial
restraints and financial climate we are currently facing. She read from the
summary of changes (on file).
She and the following additional speakers answered questions:
• Kraig Olason, Public Works Department
• Aly Pennucci, Executive's Office
They discussed with councilmembers that the first column of the Six -Year
Water Resources Improvement Program represents "Previous
Expenditures" so no changes were applied there, funds that will be used for
stormwater projects around Lake Whatcom and a concern about not
retaining the intended additional capacity of the Lake Whatcom Stormwater
Utility, who would be responsible for stormwater projects around Birch
Point if the City of Blaine expands their urban growth area (UGA) there and
if the area upstream of it gets developed, that a cost of such projects has not
yet been analyzed or taken into account in discussions around the
Comprehensive Plan, that the list of projects is longer than what the County
has money for and that it is just going to get worse, the strategy around
Whatcom County Page I
Council Public Works & Health Committee Minutes - Final October 21, 2025
Committee
changing the funding source for Lake Whatcom Projects and whether they
are trying to protect the Road Fund, and that the mix of funding for some of
these projects will change once the Administration has a better sense of
some of the other major capital facilities they are working on this year and
what REET funds will be available.
This agenda item was DISCUSSED.
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
Adjournment
There were no agenda items added by revision.
Scanlon asked whether councilmembers want to see anything on the
remaining Public Works and Health Committee agendas for the year.
Elenbaas stated he would think about it and get back to him.
The meeting adjourned at 11:43 a.m.
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Jon Scanlon -via email 10/23/2025
Jon Scanlon, Committee Chair
Meeting Minutes prepared by Kristi Felbinger
WAalcom County page 2