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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Works Oct 7 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, October 7, 2025 11 AM Hybrid Meeting - Council Chambers HYBRID MEETING - MAY BEGIN EARLY - ADJOURNS BY 11:50 A.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 7, 2025 Committee Call To Order Roll Call Committee Chair Jon Scanlon called the meeting to order at 11:05 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 Special Presentation 1. AB2025-646 Presentation from Child and Family Well Being Task Force on its Annual Report The following people read from the Annual Report (on file): • Tilda Doughty, Child and Family Well -Being Task Force Co -Chair • Colton Kaltenfeldt, Child and Family Well -Being Task Force Co -Chair Scanlon thanked the task force for also providing recommendations for the Comprehensive Plan update. Ann Beck, Health and Community Services, spoke about Healthy Children's Fund work. She stated Council will be updated in more detail at the next Public Health Advisory Board meeting, but there is a request for proposal' (RFP) open, and the capital RFP is close. They received about $6 million in capital requests in the RFP that they are now reviewing. She answered whether the Child and Family Well -Being Task Force was involved in the implementation of the $24 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars obligated to childcare and housing, and stated those funds came during the COVID-19 era and so were not necessarily brought to the task force which was formed around 2021. She spoke about collaboration (since both live within the same division) in figuring out how to best support both housing and Healthy Children's Fund programs. This agenda item was PRESENTED. Committee Discussion 1. AB2025-645 Discussion of resolutions approving the Public Works Six -Year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for the years 2026-2031 and the 2026 Annual Road Program "afcom County page Council Public Works & Health Committee Minutes - Final October 7, 2025 Committee The following people spoke: • Elizabeth Kosa, Public Works Department Director • Doug Ranney, Public Works Department • Kayla Schott-Bresler, Executive's Office • Aly Pennucci, Executive's Office Kosa reminded the councilmembers about the conversation they had two weeks ago about the health of the Road Fund and stated the six -year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) has been modified since then. What they saw before has been reduced or moved out to the outer years because of the goal of no -deficit spending. Ranney briefed the councilmembers on both of the resolutions and the strategy involved in creating them. Ranney, Kosa, and Pennucci answered how realistic the estimates are for the expenditures for the ferry vessel replacement and the facilities as noted on Table 2 of Exhibit B of the "Resolution - Transportation Improvement Program" (showing the Lummi Island Ferry 14-Year Capital Program), and what it means to have amounts that are unfunded. Schott-Bresler answered whether the Executive's Office and Public Works are scheduled to come back to Council this year regarding updates to the financing plan for the new ferry and the terminal modifications once Federal funds are secured. She stated staff is working to submit both financing plans to the Federal agencies and the next step is to ensure that State law provides adequate flexibility to implement a countywide ferry district before they request Council action on a local funding strategy. Galloway spoke about the decision last November to use the banked capacity in the Road Fund, thinking that would buy back some infrastructure projects that would otherwise be removed, and the more recent discussion about the structural imbalance of the fund and maybe not being able to buy those projects back. She asked if we are taking projects off the Annual Construction Plan and the TIP or just shifting them down the road. Kosa spoke about the use of banked capacity and that it did not solve the whole problem, but did allow them to keep operating. The capital program is far smaller than what they did this year or in previous years and there will be a reduction in the capital program moving forward for the foreseeable future until they can see any kind of change with revenue or in entire lines Wha[com County page 2 Council Public Works & Health Committee Minutes - Final October 7, 2025 Committee of business. She stated the projects that were in previous TIPS have been shifted and moved forward to years four, five, and six. This agenda item was DISCUSSED. 2. AB2025-677 Discussion of a resolution to adopt the Six -Year Water Resources Improvement Program (WRIP) for 2026-2031 The following people presented on the Six -Year Water Resources Improvement Program (WRIP) and answered questions: • Cody Swan, Public Works Department • Elizabeth Kosa, Public Works Department Director • Julie Anderson, Public Works Department They discussed with councilmembers the projects and whether they will accommodate future development, and what opportunities there will be to add projects to the WRIP after a conclusion is reached on the Point Roberts drainage study, that they do the WRIP every year, and that the future shorelines project work is taken into account when designing river and flood projects. 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 11:56 a.m. ATTEST: C' WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL \��` • • .. °�`'.� WHATCOM COUNTY, WA �N •• Jon Scanlon -via email 10/23/2025 Cathy 11alka, Ry�l(pe� ' O• O o � � • O Meeting -Minutes prepared by Kristi Felbingei Wharcom County page 3 Jon Scanlon, Committee Chair