HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance Oct 21 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, October 21, 2025
11 AM
Hybrid Meeting - Council Chambers
HYBRID MEETING - ADJOURNS BY 11:40 A.M. (PARTICIPATE IN -PERSON,
SEE REMOTE JOIN INSTRUCTIONS AT www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil,
OR CALL 360.778.5010); AGENDA REVISED 10.20.2025
COUNCILMEMBERS
Barry Buchanan
Tyler Byrd
Todd Donovan
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Cathy Halka, AICP, CMC
Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final October 21, 2025
Services Committee
Call To Order
Committee Chair Todd Donovan called the meeting to order at 11 a.m. in a
hybrid meeting.
Roll Call
Present: 3 - Tyler Byrd, Todd Donovan, and Barry Buchanan
Also Present: Ben Elenbaas, Kaylee Galloway, Jon Scanlon, and Mark Stremler
Announcements
Council "Consent Agenda" Items
Donovan moved to recommend approval of Consent Agenda items one
through two and stated he would like to consider Consent Agenda item
number 3 separately.
Councilmembers voted on Consent item numbers 1 and 2 (see votes on
individual items below).
1. AB2025-727 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal grant
agreement between Whatcom County and the Washington State Department of
Commerce to reimburse the 5% match obligation required in the two elevation grants,
in the amount of $600,000 (Council acting as the Whatcom County Flood Control
Zone District Board of Supervisors)
Donovan moved that the Contract (FCZDBS) be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
2. AB2025-728 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment
between Whatcom County and Opportunity Council to administer the Housing and
Essential Needs (HEN) Program in the amount of $1,813,929, for a total amended
contract amount of $5,223,812
Donovan moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
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Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final October 21, 2025
Services Committee
3. AB2025-730 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a three-year contract
between Whatcom County and Correctional Healthcare Partners Inc. for the
provision of jail healthcare and juvenile detention nursing services, in the three-year
total amount of $22,896,000
This item was considered separately below.
Council "Consent Aizenda" Items Considered Separately
3. AB2025-730 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a three-year contract
between Whatcom County and Correctional Healthcare Partners Inc. for the
provision of jail healthcare and juvenile detention nursing services, in the three-year
total amount of $22,896,000
Kayla Schott-Bresler, Executive's Office, stated the Administration has
requested that this item be held. They are sorting out an operational issue
related to the timing of transitioning the medical records on New Year's
Day. They are working with the Sheriff's Office and need a couple more
weeks to sort out those details with Correctional Healthcare Partners Inc.
They expect to bring a contract to the Council on November 5th and request
a motion to hold until that time.
Donovan moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED TO HOLD IN
COMMITTEE until November 5th.
Scanlon spoke about a mention in the contract about a potential for cost
savings and asked if they are tracking that and what the tracking mechanism
is.
Schott-Bresler stated she believes that was written in reference to
extraordinary medical costs and that those will be tracked separately by the
Sheriff's Office.
Aly Pennucci, Executive's Office, stated they will also be looking at
whether this has any impact on risk liability and they will be tracking
pharmacy costs. The Sheriff's Office will have a correctional health
services manager so she thinks that position can help monitor it all. The
Administration is interested in the same thing.
Scanlon stated he would like to come back in a year to see how things are
going.
Byrd asked whether this will have any effect on the per diem rates they
charge, and the interlocal agreements and expense sharing, and
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Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final October 21, 2025
Services Committee
Schott-Bresler stated it will, and the Sheriff's Office will be working
closely with the cities on that.
Donovan's motion that the Contract be RECOMMENDED TO HOLD IN
COMMITTEE until November 5th carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
Recommended to Hold in Committee until November 5th
Committee Discussion
1. AB2025-714 Discussion of resolution declaring the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District's
intention to lease property on River Road (Council acting as the Whatcom County
Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors)
Andrew Hester, Public Works Department, briefed the councilmembers. He
stated they are looking to lease this property on River Road and it is a
property they have leased in the past (since 2008). He stated the related
resolution (AB2025-713) is scheduled for introduction tonight and a public
hearing should be held the second Council meeting in November. If it is
approved, it will go through a bid process through Finance, with a lease to
start next year. He stated it would be an agricultural lease and that it is
currently being leased, but the current lease will be expiring.
This agenda item was DISCUSSED.
2. AB2025-716 Discussion of a resolution declaring the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone
District's intention to lease property on East Main Street (Council acting as the
Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors)
Andrew Hester, Public Works Department, briefed the councilmembers on
the property and stated it will be an agricultural lease. If approved, it would
go through Finance for a bid and a lease would be awarded, hopefully in
January of next year. He answered if these are properties the County has
acquired because they are flood prone, and stated it was a mix of that and
for future flood improvement projects.
This agenda item was DISCUSSED.
Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council
AB2025-678 Ordinance amending the project budget for the New Public Health, Safety and Justice
Facility, request no. 9
Donovan stated they would be considering the substitute Ordinance.
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Services Committee
Clerk's note: This item was discussed again under Other Business below.
Buchanan moved that the SUBSTITUTE Ordinance be RECOMMENDED
FOR ADOPTION. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
2. AB2025-680 Resolution amending the 2025 Flood Control Zone District and Subzones Budget,
request no. 4, in the amount of $49,400 (Council acting as the Whatcom County
Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors)
Byrd moved that the Resolution (FCZDBS) be RECOMMENDED FOR
APPROVAL. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
3. AB2025-682 Ordinance establishing the Silver Lake Lagoon Project Fund and establishing an initial
budget for the Silver Lake Lagoon Bridge Fund
Buchanan moved that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR
ADOPTION.
Bennett Knox, Parks and Recreation Department Director, briefed the
councilmembers. He stated they have a maintenance issue with the Lagoon
Bridge at Silver Lake and this establishes the fund to analyze the situation. It
is not clear at this point what parts of the structure will need to be removed.
Buchanan's motion that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR
ADOPTION carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
4. AB2025-685 Ordinance amending the 2025 Whatcom County Budget, request no. 11, in the
amount of $517,671
Buchanan moved that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR
ADOPTION. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
Items Added by Revision
There were no agenda items added by revision.
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Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final
Services Committee
Other Business
Adiournment
October 21, 2025
Stremler asked about AB2025-678 and whether the Executive's Office could
brief them on it.
Kayla Schott-Bresler, Executive's Office, stated it is an appropriation of
revenue the County has received under the new public safety sales tax and
the funding would be used to purchase a wetlands mitigation opportunity for
the construction of the new jail.
The meeting adjourned at 11:15 a.m.
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Cathy Halka-l-&f7 ,01r .°
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Todd Donovan -via email 12/16/2025
Todd Donovan, Committee Chair
Meeting Minutes prepared by Kristi Felbinger
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