The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutFinance Nov 18 2025Whatcom County Council Finance and Administrative Services Committee COUNTY COURTHOUSE 311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105 Bellingham, WA 98225-4038 (360)778-5010 Committee Minutes - Final Tuesday, November 18, 2025 9:50 AM Hybrid Meeting - Council Chambers HYBRID MEETING - ADJOURNS BY 10:35 A.M. (PARTICIPATE IN -PERSON, SEE REMOTE JOIN INSTRUCTIONS AT www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil, OR CALL 360.778.5010) COUNCILMEMBERS Barry Buchanan Tyler Byrd Todd Donovan CLERK OF THE COUNCIL Cathy Halka, AICP, CMC Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final November 18, 2025 Services Committee Call To Order Roll Call Committee Chair Todd Donovan called the meeting to order at 9:56 a.m. in a hybrid meeting. Present: 2 - Tyler Byrd, and Todd Donovan Absent: 1 - Barry Buchanan Also Present: Ben Elenbaas, Jon Scanlon, and Mark Stremler Announcements Council "Consent Agenda" Items Donovan moved to recommend approval of Consent Agenda items one through seven and stated Consent Agenda item #1 (AB2025-737) is a substitute. Councilmembers asked questions on some of the items. Consent AI~enda Item #6 (AB2025-817) Lauren Templeton, Planning and Development Services Department, answered what the easement is accomplishing, and stated it is protecting the property for long term forestry and protecting it from development. She answered if it is part of the Bay to Baker trail, and stated it will allow for recreation but forestry is the priority and the main use. She stated the land owner was OK with public access on this property. Consent AP enda Item #7 (AB2025-819) The following people answered questions: • Eric Chambers, Health and Community Services • Kayla Schott-Bresler, Executive's Office They discussed with councilmembers that this (Bellis Phase I) is separate from another project (Bellis Phase 11) for which the Council approved EDI funding, that funding for this part (the child care facility) was not included in the original amount approved for the affordable housing project because those too are separate, and that there is a possibility that the Administration will bring forward a contract amendment for additional funds in the next several months. The speakers answered questions. "%afcom County Page I Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final November 18, 2025 Services Committee Councilmembers voted on the Consent items (see votes on individual items below). 1. AB2025-737 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and General Code, LLC for legal code publishing services, in the amount of $16,000 Donovan moved that the SUBSTITUTE Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 2 - Byrd, and Donovan Nay: 0 Absent: 1 - Buchanan 2. AB2025-791 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment between Whatcom County and Washington State University to continue the jointly shared costs for faculty positions and program support for WSU Whatcom County Extension in the amount of $282,257 for a total amended contract amount of $3,825,050.90 Donovan moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 2 - Byrd, and Donovan Nay: 0 Absent: 1 - Buchanan 3. AB2025-800 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment between Whatcom County and K2 Towers III, LLC in the amount of $140,133 for a total amended contract amount of $266,579 Donovan moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 2 - Byrd, and Donovan Nay: 0 Absent: 1 - Buchanan 4. AB2025-802 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Gitts Autobody to provide autobody repair services to county vehicles, in the amount of $80,000 Whatcom County page 2 Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final November 18, 2025 Services Committee Donovan moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 2 - Byrd, and Donovan Nay: 0 Absent: 1 - Buchanan 5. AB2025-804 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and Washington State Health Care Authority to provide Criminal Justice Treatment Account (CJTA) funding for substance use disorder treatment and recovery support services for individuals involved in the criminal legal system, in the amount of $651,108 Donovan moved that the Interlocal be RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 2 - Byrd, and Donovan Nay: 0 Absent: 1 - Buchanan 6. AB2025-817 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a grant agreement between Whatcom County and the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office - Washington Wildlife and Recreation Forestland Preservation grant program for the acquisition of a forestry conservation easement on the Maple Falls Forest property in the amount of $454,000 Donovan moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 2 - Byrd, and Donovan Nay: 0 Absent: 1 - Buchanan 7. AB2025-819 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Opportunity Council to increase the number of childcare slots for low-income families through the funding of the interior build out of a child care facility located in Unit 2 of the Bellis Fair Family Housing Condominium, in the amount of $944,084 Donovan moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR Whatcom County Page 3 Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final November 18, 2025 Services Committee AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 2 - Byrd, and Donovan Nay: 0 Absent: 1 - Buchanan Committee Discussion AB2025-797 Discussion of an ordinance establishing the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office Leasehold Improvements Project Fund and establishing an initial budget for the Whatcom County Sheriffs Office Leasehold Improvements Fund Aly Pennucci, Executive's Office, stated this is the budget action to create the project -based budget to fund the tenant improvements at the new location for the Sheriffs office. The lease was approved at the last council meeting. She answered where the $1.5 million would come from, and stated it is in the ordinance that it comes from Real Estate Excise Tax (REET). This agenda item was DISCUSSED. 2. AB2025-799 Discussion of an ordinance establishing the Birch Bay Beach Park Project Fund and establishing an initial budget for the Birch Bay Beach Park Project Fund Bennett Knox, Parks and Recreation Department Director, briefed the councilmembers on the ordinance, the funding components, the scope of the project, and the goal of supporting road to shoreline access. He stated they will need to work through the maintenance of the park in the future and have the potential to partner with the Birch Bay Park and Recreation District on that. He spoke about the location of the project and determining elevation of the restroom facility to accommodate for sea level rise. He responded to a suggestion to talk to the Birch Bay Chamber to discuss the site being used for a similar project to what the Port of Bellingham is doing downtown with container shops. This agenda item was DISCUSSED. 3. AB2025-$ 18 Discussion of an ordinance to amend the 2025 Whatcom County Budget, request no. 12, in the amount of $3,565,060 Randy Rydel, Administrative Services Department Finance Director, briefed the councilmembers and stated it is the final request for the year. He and the following people answered questions: • Jennifer Hayden, Health and Community Services • Kayla Schott-Bresler, Executive's Office Whatcom County Page 4 Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final Services Committee November 18, 2025 They discussed with councilmembers the request to fund additional waste disposal costs for toxic waste and spoke about increases in costs, that these supplemental requests are for 2025 but may be brought over into the new year if needed, whether cost escalations will be considered for the next biennium, and that conflict attorneys will still be housed in the Clerk's Office next year, but the Public Defender has agreed to be the conduit for the outside contracts rather than those going through the Clerk's Office. This agenda item was DISCUSSED. Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council 1. AB2025-756 Ordinance establishing the Opioid Settlement Fund and establishing a budget for the Opioid Settlement Fund Byrd moved that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 2 - Byrd, and Donovan Nay: 0 Absent: 1 - Buchanan Items Added by Revision Other Business Adjournment There were no agenda items added by revision. There was no other business. The meeting adjourned at 10:29 a.m. A ."j1�.IIilr>>r� r� J �Y�Arco• U1V • Cathy [ $W C�outtcitk �HItAO ° WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL WHATCOM COUNTY, WA Todd Donovan -via email 12/16/2025 Todd Donovan, Committee Chair Meeting Minutesptepaidd by Kristi Felbinger Whatcom County Page 5