HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance Mar 24 2026Whatcom 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, March 24, 2026
9:25 AM
Hybrid Meeting - Council Chambers
HYBRID MEETING - MAY BEGIN LATE - ADJOURNS BY 10:35 A.M.
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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 Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final March 24, 2026
Services Committee
Call To Order
Roll Call
Committee Chair Jon Scanlon called the meeting to order at 9:27 a.m. in a
hybrid meeting.
Present: 7 - Elizabeth Boyle, Barry Buchanan, Ben Elenbaas, Kaylee Galloway, Jessica
Rienstra, Jon Scanlon, and Mark Stremler
Announcements
Council "Consent Agenda" Items
Galloway moved to recommend approval of Consent Agenda items one
through eleven. The motion was seconded by Boyle.
Stremler stated he had questions on item numbers, 5, 6, 8, and 10.
Elenbaas stated he had questions on item number 2.
Consent Agenda item number 2 (AB2026-220) - Part I
Jennifer Hayden, Health and Community Services, answered why this
money is coming from Puget Sound Partnership, and stated they applied for
a grant with them in order to get where they need to be with the County's
program for inspecting businesses within the permit area for use of best
management practices.
Elenbaas asked what kind of stipulations the Puget Sound Partnership gets
to put on the program then, and Hayden stated she does not believe they
have any.
Kayla Schott-Bresler, Executive's Office, stated all the terms and
conditions are listed in the "Proposed Interlocal Agreement."
Champ Thomaskutty, Health and Community Services Director, confirmed
that they are Federal pass -through dollars, and stated the Puget Sound
Partnership has already approved what they were proposing through the
grant process.
Elenbaas stated they are stipulating a bunch of things (after looking at the
interlocal) about the program and he will come back to it.
Clerk's note: Councilmembers came back to this item after the other
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questions. See below.
Consent Agenda item number 5 (AB2026-226), Consent Agenda item
number 6 (AB2026-227), and Consent Agenda item number 8
(AB2026-229)
Sarah Simpson, Health and Community Services, answered whether there
are any childcare slots coming out of these three items. She read from a
presentation (on file) and walked them through the contracts which are all
renewals of contracts they already had in place and serve many families but
do not create slots. She answered if there is any progress with expansion of
daycare in East County, and stated she believes five of the seven capital
contracts they just closed on in the last request for proposal (RFP) cycle
were outside the city of Bellingham. She said they are continuing to work
on plans for how to expand out into those county spaces.
Consent Agenda item number 10 (AB2026-236)
Chris D'Onofrio, Health and Community Services, spoke about the contract
and stated this is a lease extension for the facility where they had their
severe winter shelter this winter but they are extending the lease with
slightly different terms. They will have a smaller monthly rate and then a
day -use fee if they do activate over the summer. They do not yet, however,
have a firm plan for how and when they would operate a summer shelter.
Ann Beck, Health and Community Services, stated this is not a commitment
to operate a shelter at this point, because that would be a much larger
commitment from the community. This is just for them to have a place to
store their operations from the winter, as well as an option to use the space
as needed in coordination with the City of Bellingham and Department of
Emergency Management.
D'Onofrio answered if the City of Bellingham does not have any facilities
for potential heat and smoke, and stated he is not aware of any concrete
plans they have for healthy air operations over the coming summer.
Consent Agenda item number 2 (AB2026-220) - Part 2
Elenbaas stated he wants to make sure the stipulations from Puget Sound
Partnership are ones the council can live with. One of the things that
concerned him was that they say that public comment is not required, and he
wants to made sure they let people know what is coming and give them time
to engage with the development of the program.
Scanlon stated this might be something to bring to the Business and
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Commerce Advisory Committee.
Elenbaas requested that they consider this item separately.
Councilmembers voted on the Consent items (numbers 1 and 3-11) and
then considered item number 2 separately (see votes on individual items
below).
1. AB2026-214 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an amended interlocal
between Whatcom County and Washington State Department of Transportation to
increase the grant in the amount of $34,250
Galloway moved and Boyle seconded that the Interlocal be
RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion
carried by the following vote:
Aye: 7 - Boyle, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Rienstra, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
2. AB2026-220 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement
between Whatcom County and Puget Sound Partnership to provide grant funding for
the development of a source control business inpection program that complies with
the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), in the amount of
$100,817
THIS ITEM WAS CONSIDERED SEPARATELY BELOW.
3. AB2026-222 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement
between Whatcom County and the City of Bellingham for the County to provide
administrative oversight to the City concerning Domestic Violence Perpetrator
Opportunity for Treatment Services (DVPOTS) for a total amount of $150,000
Galloway moved and Boyle seconded that the Interlocal be
RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion
carried by the following vote:
Aye: 7 - Boyle, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Rienstra, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
4. AB2026-225 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment
between Whatcom County and the Washington State Military Department to relocate
an All Hazards Alert Broadcast siren in the amount of $45,000 for a total amended
contract amount of $45,000
Galloway moved and Boyle seconded that the Interlocal be
RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion
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carried by the following vote:
Aye: 7 - Boyle, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Rienstra, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
5. AB2026-226 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment
between Whatcom County and Opportunity Council to purchase and distribute basic
needs items to low-income families with children ages 0-5 in the amount of $17,250
for a total amended contract amount of $111,061
Galloway moved and Boyle seconded that the Contract be
RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion
carried by the following vote:
Aye: 7 - Boyle, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Rienstra, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
6. AB2026-227 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment
between Whatcom County and Whatcom Center for Early Learning to expand mental
health support services to low-income children in the amount of $289,854 for a total
amended contract amount of $688,563
Galloway moved and Boyle seconded that the Contract be
RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion
carried by the following vote:
Aye: 7 - Boyle, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Rienstra, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
7. AB2026-228 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment
between Whatcom County and Bellingham Food Bank to support operations for
procuring/purchasing, warehousing and distributing food and other essentials to low
and very low income families in the amount of $500,000 for a total amended contract
amount of $1,945,000
Galloway moved and Boyle seconded that the Contract be
RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion
carried by the following vote:
Aye: 7 - Boyle, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Rienstra, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
8. AB2026-229 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment
between Whatcom County and Opportunity Council to expand services to eligible
families through a Case Manager Position in the Single Entry Access to Services
Program in the amount of $46,000 for a total amended contract amount of $86,000
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Galloway moved and Boyle seconded that the Contract be
RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion
carried by the following vote:
Aye: 7 - Boyle, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Rienstra, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
9. AB2026-230 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement
between Whatcom County and the Washington State Department of Transportation
to execute a Federal Aid Project Prospectus for the design phase of the Birch
Bay-Lynden Road and Kickerville Road Intersection Improvements project in the
amount of $260,000
Galloway moved and Boyle seconded that the Interlocal be
RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion
carried by the following vote:
Aye: 7 - Boyle, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Rienstra, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
10. AB2026-236 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment
between Whatcom County and Lutheran Community Services Northwest to lease a
facility intended for use as a severe weather shelter in the amount of $32,000 for a
total amended contract amount of $98,455
Galloway moved and Boyle seconded that the Contract be
RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion
carried by the following vote:
Aye: 7 - Boyle, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Rienstra, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
11. AB2026-241 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement
between Whatcom County and Skagit County to Skagit County's servers, in the
amount of $5,000
Galloway moved and Boyle seconded that the Interlocal be
RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion
carried by the following vote:
Aye: 7 - Boyle, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Rienstra, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
Council "Consent Ayenda" Items Considered Separately
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Services Committee
2. AB2026-220 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement
between Whatcom County and Puget Sound Partnership to provide grant funding for
the development of a source control business inpection program that complies with
the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), in the amount of
$100,817
Galloway moved and Rienstra seconded that the Interlocal be
RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION. The motion carried by the
following vote:
Aye: 5 - Boyle, Buchanan, Galloway, Rienstra, and Scanlon
Nay: 2 - Elenbaas, and Stremler
Committee Discussion
AB2026-213 Ordinance authorizing a sales and use tax of one -tenth of one percent for criminal
justice purposes as authorized by RCW 82.14.345 and adding a new Chapter 3.27
Sales and Use Tax for Criminal Justice Purposes to the Whatcom County Code
Scanlon stated this is just up for discussion because there is a public
hearing tonight. He briefed the councilmembers on the documents attached
to the file.
This file is the proposed ordinance from the executive. There is also an
alternate ordinance for introduction, if they so choose, on the Council's
agenda as AB2026-255 (under Items Added by Revision) and attached here
for reference. That version has added language that gives direction on the
use of these funds for the first (2027-2028) biennium. There is also a draft
resolution attached which says the same thing as the alternate but is just
using a different mechanism to do so, and it does not require a public
hearing. If they were to introduce the alternate ordinance, they would have a
second public hearing at a later date. The idea behind the resolution is that
they would most likely adopt the executive's proposal and then add the
resolution, giving direction on where they would like to see the funds go.
Clerk's note: Exhibit A was initially inadvertently not included with the
alternate ordinance but the document on file was later updated to include it.
It is the same Exhibit A as in the executive's proposal.
Elenbaas stated he sees what they are spending the money on in the alternate
ordinance and likes what has been proposed, but asked if it gets to the spirit
of the law which was absolutely to increase the number of law enforcement
per capita.
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Scanlon stated his thought was to put the direction for use in the first
biennium in the whereas clauses as opposed to locking that in for time in
the code. He stated the executive's proposal is broader. If the sales tax is
adopted, there is not direction in that proposal (other than what is noted in
State law).
Kayla Schott-Bresler, Executive's Office, stated the intent with the
executive's proposal was to leave it broad to allow for future Council
discretion and decision making as part of each budget process. They did
write a memo alongside the executive's proposal that spoke to some of the
same priorities for this next biennium as are in Scanlon's alternate version.
Scanlon answered why he sees the need to direct the funds since it appears
to limit the councils' ability in the future. He stated the language only sets a
priority for the first biennium use of these funds, and it is to tell the people
what we are doing. This does not even add a whole lot; it is about
maintaining the level of service that we currently have.
Stremler stated he has heard from constituents that this is a public safety tax
but he has only seen that it is a criminal justice use tax. He would rather
have the voters decide if the County is going to take $7 million dollars out
of their pockets, instead of the Council deciding.
Galloway spoke in support of the sales and use tax and of the executive's
ordinance with a sister resolution.
Councilmembers and Schott-Bresler discussed the options before them,
that there is a Special Council meeting on March 31 st to discuss the
resolution if that is the route that Council wants to go, that proposed uses of
the fund from the executive's office would come out of the General Fund,
that in the absence of new revenue the County should expect to absorb more
than $7 million of cuts in the 2027-2028 budget process across the
departments, whether there are any new cost estimates for the priorities
listed in the executive's memo that the Council should be aware of, and that
even with this they may still need to find other cuts or forego something to
be able to pay for those things.
This agenda item was DISCUSSED.
Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council
1. AB2026-114 Ordinance establishing the project budget for the Strawberry Point/Lake Whatcom
Boulevard stormwater improvements, request no. 1
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Kayla Schott-Bresler, Executive's Office, answered if this was tied into the
financial reporting requirement and stated their recommendation is that
Director Rydel distributes the fourth quarter financial report prior to the
rest of the committee meeting.
Randy Rydel, Administrative Services Department Finance Director, handed
councilmembers copies of the 2025 fourth quarter financial report and
stated it will be posted online later today.
Loni Patterson, Public Works Department, stated she was available for
questions on this agenda item but there were none.
Galloway moved and Boyle seconded that the Ordinance be
RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 7 - Boyle, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Rienstra, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
2. AB2026-134 Ordinance amending the project budget for the Courthouse Building Envelope Fund,
request no. 7
Galloway moved and Buchanan seconded that the Ordinance be
RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 7 - Boyle, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Rienstra, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
3. AB2026-143 Ordinance establishing the Ferndale Senior Activity Center Improvements Fund and
establishing an initial budget for the Ferndale Senior Activity Center Improvements
Fund
Galloway moved and Rienstra seconded that the Ordinance be
RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 7 - Boyle, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Rienstra, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
4. AB2026-181 Ordinance amending the project budget for the Eagleridge Stormwater Improvements
Project Fund, request no. 1
Galloway moved and Buchanan seconded that the Ordinance be
RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION. The motion carried by the following
vote:
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Aye: 7 - Boyle, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Rienstra, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
5. AB2026-183 Ordinance amending the project based budget for the Swift Creek Capital Projects
Fund, request no. 3
Galloway moved and Boyle seconded that the SUBSTITUTE Ordinance be
RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION.
Cathy Halka, Clerk of the Council, clarified that the motion was for the
substitute.
Jed Holmes, Executive's Office, answered if they had any appropriation
requests this year in the state legislature for Swift Creek and what the
funding gap is for that project. He stated typically, these types of projects
are not revisited in the mid -biennium so there were no requests, but they did
discuss the ongoing need with the legislature. The county has received
approximately half of the $10-12 million (every biennium) commitment
from the State for the last two bienniums so they are behind schedule on
that project. It will certainly be part of the county's ask going into the next
(long) session.
Galloway's motion that the SUBSTITUTE Ordinance be RECOMMENDED
FOR ADOPTION carried by the following vote:
Aye: 7 - Boyle, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Rienstra, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
6. AB2026-200 Ordinance closing the Bellingham Senior Center HVAC Replacement Fund
Galloway moved and Boyle seconded that the Ordinance be
RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 7 - Boyle, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Rienstra, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
7. AB2026-204 Ordinance amending the 2026 Whatcom County Budget, request no. 5, in the amount
of $741,113
Galloway moved and Boyle seconded that the Ordinance be
RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION.
Scanlon stated this is an item they discussed previously and has a memo
from the executive stating that it would have complied with the Charter
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8.
9.
March 24, 2026
prior to receiving the report and still does after the Council receiving the
fourth quarter financial report.
Galloway's motion that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR
ADOPTION carried by the following vote:
Aye: 5 - Boyle, Buchanan, Galloway, Rienstra, and Scanlon
Nay: 2 - Elenbaas, and Stremler
AB2026-206 Ordinance amending the 2026 Whatcom County Budget, request no. 6, in the amount
of $3,920,278
Galloway moved and Boyle seconded that the Ordinance be
RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION.
Scanlon stated this is the item where they separated out some of the items
that they previously held off on (due to Charter requirements), and those are
back in here, as well as some other newer items that have come in, and they
align with some of the ordinances councilmembers just voted on.
The following people gave brief highlights of the fourth quarter financial
report and answered questions:
• Randy Rydel, Administrative Services Department Finance Director
• Kayla Schott-Bresler, Executive's Office
They stated they hope to formally brief the councilmembers on the report at
the second meeting in April, concurrent with an update on the budget
process.
Galloway's motion that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR
ADOPTION carried by the following vote:
Aye: 7 - Boyle, Buchanan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Rienstra, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
AB2026-238 Resolution updating the appendix of the 2022 Comprehensive Economic
Development Strategy (CEDS) project list
Galloway moved and Boyle seconded that the Resolution be
RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL.
The following people discussed the resolution with councilmembers and
answered questions:
• Tyler Schroeder, Port of Bellingham Economic Development
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• Jake Logan, Executive's Office
• Kayla Schott-Bresler, Executive's Office
• Doug Ranney, Public Works Department
They discussed the revised change log (on file), that the Point Roberts boat
launch would be located within the Point Roberts Marina, that the first four
pages are Whatcom County projects and the rest are other municipalities,
that items in purple text represent additions and changes are gold on the
change log, that they added clarification to the plantation range to recognize
HVAC and added the Behavioral Care Center to the new jail build in the
revised log, that some changes (including the two aforementioned and
outfitting for the Planning and Development Services building) did not get
incorporated into the proposed resolution and can be added to a substitute
version for tonight's meeting, that the Birch Bay-Lynden / California Creek
fish passage culvert replacement is on the Six -Year Capital Improvement
Program though it is not specifically named on this list and that it is
difficult to have 100 percent consistency between all the lists, and how
much they work with the cities to update the list for projects that have been
completed.
Scanlon asked if the committee would still like to give a recommendation
to Council since they will likely see changes made before the evening
meeting.
Galloway withdrew her motion to recommend the resolution for approval
and it was forwarded to Council without a recommendation.
This agenda item was FORWARDED TO COUNCIL WITHOUT A
RECOMMENDATION.
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
Adiournment
There were no agenda items added by revision.
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 10:35 a.m.
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Jon Scanlon -via email 4/3/2026
Jon Scanlon, Committee Chair
Meeting Minutes prepared by Kristi Felbinger
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