HomeMy WebLinkAboutCriminal Justice Jan 13 2026Whatcom 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 13, 2026
1PM
Hybrid Meeting - Council Chambers
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COUNCILMEMBERS
Elizabeth Boyle
Barry Buchanan
Ben Elenbaas
Kaylee Galloway
Jessica Rienstra
Jon Scanlon
Mark Stremler
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Cathy Halka, AICP, CMC
Council Criminal Justice and Public Committee Minutes - Final January 13, 2026
Safety Committee
Call To Order
Roll Call
Committee member Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 1:01
p.m. in a hybrid meeting.
Present: 7 - Elizabeth Boyle, Barry Buchanan, Ben Elenbaas, Kaylee Galloway, Jessica
Rienstra, Jon Scanlon, and Mark Stremler
Announcements
Special Order of Business
1. AB2026-005 Nomination and appointment of Committee Chair
Galloway moved and Scanlon seconded to appoint Buchanan as chair of the
committee.
Elenbaas nominated Councilmember Stremler.
Buchanan was appointed by the following vote:
Buchanan: 5 - Boyle, Buchanan, Galloway, Rienstra, and Scanlon
Stremler: 2 - Elenbaas and Stremler
Stremler stated he would be interested in being vice chair and Scanlon
withdrew himself for consideration.
Galloway moved and Scanlon seconded to appoint Boyle and Stremler as
vice chairs.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 7 - Boyle, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Rienstra, Scanlon, and
Stremler
Nay: 0
This agenda item was APPOINTED.
Appointed Buchanan as Chair and Boyle and Stremler as Vice Chairs.
Committee Discussion
1. AB2025-873 Discussion on Behavioral Care Center model
Kayla Schott-Bresler, Executive's Office, read from a presentation (on file)
regarding the following location options for a behavioral care center and
estimated cost considerations of each:
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Council Criminal Justice and Public Committee Minutes - Final January 13, 2026
Safety Committee
• Division Street campus (remodel of work release center)
• Division Street (new construction)
• La Bounty (new construction)
Decision points are:
• Services to occur co -located at the behavioral care center
• Whether it should be an in- or out -of -custody facility
• Location
She spoke about next steps and work that is ongoing. She and
Councilmembers discussed that all the options they are presenting now are
out -of -custody models, that the agreements with the cities have flexibility
regarding in- or out -of -custody but do talk about co -location with the jail so
they would propose an amendment if the Finance and Facility Advisory
Board and Council affirm the Division Street location, feedback from the
cities about the possibility of an out -of -custody model, whether operating
costs are documented for having both an out -of -custody facility while also
providing good care in -custody and that the two would be separate, that
there would be behavioral health care within the jail itself even if they did
not have a behavioral care center because there are people who will not
qualify to go off -site, and that the unanimous recommendation for a
location is a new build at Division Street.
Hannah Fisk, Health and Community Services, answered whether operating
costs are different for the different location options, and stated there is not
a difference unless they are sized differently.
Scanlon spoke about the Division Street new -build option, that it would be
helpful for the community to be able to open a center sooner rather than
later, that transportation will be an issue no matter what, and that it would be
good to hear from the Prosecuting Attorney's Office on how they would
treat this facility.
Rienstra stated a new build on Division Street seems to align with the data
around investment in behavioral health as a preventative measure for
incarceration, and that being able to open sooner would allow them to start
that work sooner.
Adam Johnson, STV, spoke about the schedule difference (time for
construction and cost) between La Bounty and Division and that it is
because there is more site work that would need to happen at the La Bounty
site.
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Council Criminal Justice and Public Committee Minutes - Final January 13, 2026
Safety Committee
Satpal Sidhu, County Executive, spoke about the work center and other uses
for it in the meantime, and it possibly being a part (in the long run) of
creating Division Street as a mental/behavioral health campus. He answered
questions about the use of the building and stated no decisions have been
made and it depends on the need.
This agenda item was DISCUSSED.
Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council
AB2026-015 Request for motion to establish full term lengths for Justice Project Oversight and
Planning (JPOP) Committee members
Jill Nixon, Council Office staff, stated the Council has not established term
lengths for appointed members of the Justice Project Oversight and
Planning (JPOP) other than the initial two- and three-year staggered terms.
Buchanan moved that they follow the guidelines they have set for the
Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force (which are four-year
terms) and have the JPOP be on staggered four-year terms.
The motion was seconded by Scanlon.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 7 - Boyle, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Rienstra, Scanlon, and
Stremler
Nay: 0
This agenda item was DISCUSSED AND MOTION(S) APPROVED.
Motion approved to have the JPOP be on staggered four-year terms.
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
Adjournment
There were no agenda items added by revision.
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 1:36 p.m.
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Council Criminal Justice and Public Committee Minutes - Final
Safety Committee
ATTEST:
CC11JNT'r �
Cathy Halka, Council Clerk
January 13, 2026
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Barry Buchanan -via email 1/26/2026
Meeting Minutes prepared by Kristi Felbinger
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Barry Buchanan, Committee Chair