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April 28, 2026 ·6:00 PM Final ·HYBRID MEETING (PARTICIPATE IN-PERSON, SEE REMOTE JOIN INSTRUCTIONS AT www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil, OR CALL 360.778.5010); AGENDA REVISION 4.24.2026

Hybrid Meeting - Council Chambers

Agenda PDF Minutes PDF Official record ↗

Agenda — 67 items

  1. 1 COUNTY COUNCIL
  2. 2 CALL TO ORDER
  3. 3 ROLL CALL
  4. 4 FLAG SALUTE
  5. 5 ANNOUNCEMENTS
  6. 6 COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S REPORT
  7. 7 MINUTES CONSENT
  8. 1. Committee of the Whole Executive Session for April 14, 2026 MIN2026-036 APPROVED BY CONSENT Pass
  9. 2. Committee of the Whole for April 14, 2026 MIN2026-037 APPROVED BY CONSENT Pass
  10. 3. Regular County Council for April 14, 2026 MIN2026-038 APPROVED BY CONSENT Pass
  11. 11 PUBLIC HEARINGS
  12. 1. Ordinance adopting Whatcom County Code Chapter 16.38, Source Control of Existing Development, to require the use of best management practices for stormwater pollution prevention within the Whatcom County, Washington Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit Area AB2026-281 SUBSTITUTE ADOPTED Pass
  13. 13 OPEN SESSION
  14. 14 CONSENT AGENDA
  15. 15 (From Council Finance and Administrative Services Committee)
  16. 1. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a grant agreement between Whatcom County and the Washington State Department of Ecology to support the Nooksack Riparian Resilience Project for restoration planning, partner coordination, and restoration implementation, in the amount of $2,244,875 AB2026-055 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass
  17. 2. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment between Whatcom County & Washington State University (WSU) to continue the jointly shared costs for faculty positions and program support for WSU Whatcom Extension in the amount of $60,000 for a total amended contract amount of $3,885,050.90 AB2026-264 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass
  18. 3. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and Washington State Military Department to assist Whatcom County in preparing for all hazards, in the amount of $65,507 AB2026-290 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass
  19. 4. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment between Whatcom County and Pacific Security to continue security services for the Whatcom County Courthouse, in the amount of $165,000 for a total amended contract amount of $477,416.14 AB2026-301 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass
  20. 5. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Kulshan Community Land Trust for the development of eight energy-efficient, permanently affordable townhomes, in the amount of $436,902.48 AB2026-312 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass
  21. 6. Request authorization for the County Executive to relinquish a foot trail easement held by the Whatcom Land Trust, located within South Fork Park AB2026-313 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass
  22. 7. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a grant agreement between Whatcom County and Washington State Department of Transportation to complete a multimodal path connecting the communities of Kendall and Glacier, in the amount of $425,000 AB2026-317 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass
  23. 8. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment between Whatcom County and Whatcom Long Term Recovery Group to correct the effective date of a recently approved rate increase to December 1, 2025, with no change to the contract amount (Council acting as the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors) AB2026-324 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass
  24. 9. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment between Whatcom County and Peace Centers to maintain a coordinated system of licensed drop-in childcare within Whatcom County in the amount of $290,676.84, for a total amended contract amount of $790,597.84 AB2026-329 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass
  25. 10. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Opportunity Council to provide funding for capital and operational expenses for the Cedar Commons Early Learning Center, in the amount of $291,676 AB2026-331 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass
  26. 11. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Seattle Foundation to provide funding for projects that further the goals and objectives of the Trueblood Settlement Agreement, in the amount of $3,603,879 AB2026-334 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass
  27. 12. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Opportunity Council to provide funding for the second phase of the low-income Bellis Fair Housing development, in the amount of $1,386,485 AB2026-335
  28. 28 OTHER ITEMS
  29. 28 THIS ITEM WAS CONSIDERED SEPARATELY BELOW
  30. 29 (From Council Finance and Administrative Services Committee)
  31. 29 CONSENT AGENDA CONSIDERED SEPARATELY
  32. 1. Ordinance amending the 2026 Whatcom County Budget, request no. 7, in the amount of $23,290,457 AB2026-209 ADOPTED Pass
  33. 12. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Opportunity Council to provide funding for the second phase of the low-income Bellis Fair Housing development, in the amount of $1,386,485 AB2026-335 AUTHORIZED Pass
  34. 2. Resolution ordering the cancellation of unredeemed checks (warrants) more than one year old AB2026-212 APPROVED Pass
  35. 3. Resolution amending the 2026 Flood Control Zone District and Subzones Budget, request no. 1, in the amount of $23,406 (Council acting as the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors) AB2026-292 APPROVED Pass
  36. 4. Resolution authorizing the submission of three independent grant applications to the Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board to restore fish passage at the Black Slough and Homesteader culverts and to complete the final design and permitting of the Tinling Creek culvert project (Council acting as the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors) AB2026-295 APPROVED Pass
  37. 34 (From Council Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee)
  38. 5. Ordinance amending Whatcom County Code Section 5.04.080, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Oversight Board, and Section 5.04.085, EMS Technical Advisory Board, to change the membership of the EMS Oversight Board and the EMS Technical Advisory Board AB2026-291 SUBSTITUTE ADOPTED Pass
  39. 6. Resolution establishing a preliminary planning budget cap, affirming governing commitments, and providing recommendations to the administration from the Whatcom County Council on the capital construction of the Whatcom County Jail and Behavioral Care Center AB2026-340 DISCUSSED AND MOTION(S) APPROVED
  40. 37 (From Council Planning and Development Committee)
  41. 7. Resolution approving recommendations on Open Space applications AB2026-330 SUBSTITUTE APPROVED Pass
  42. 39 (No Committee Assignment)
  43. 39 Adopted the Revised Substitute Ordinance as Amended in Committee 4.28.2026.
  44. 8. Request for motion to appoint a councilmember as an alternate representative to the Northwest Clean Air Agency AB2026-318 APPOINTED
  45. 9. Request for motion to approve a letter in support of the Whatcom Land Trust’s grant application to the state Recreation and Conservation Office’s Community Forest Program to acquire property to expand the Stewart Mountain Community Forest AB2026-319 APPROVED REQUEST Pass
  46. 41 MOTION 1 Motion approved 4-3, with Elenbaas, Stremler, and Buchanan opposed, to hold this item for one week.
  47. 10. Request for motion regarding council meeting procedures for discussion of agenda bill items on the day of introduction AB2026-272 REFERRED TO COMMITTEE Pass
  48. 42 MOTION 2 Motion approved 4-3, with Rienstra, Scanlon, Boyle opposed, that the Whatcom County Council preliminarily expresses support for a preliminary planning budget ceiling of $205 million for the jail and $34 million for the Behavioral Care Center ($20 million from the sales tax and $14 million from grants and state sources) as a framework for completing the programing exercise and not authorizing debt, with the understanding that the forthcoming Buchanan resolution will clarify planning principles parameters and Council priorities.
  49. 43 COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS TO ADVISORY GROUPS
  50. 1. Appointments to vacancies on the Whatcom County Ferry Advisory Committee, various positions, Applicant(s) Markis Dee Stidham, Corey Williams, Virgil Thompson, Jonathan King, Susan Hutton AB2026-275 APPOINTED
  51. 2. Appointment to a vacancy on the Public Health Advisory Board, Applicant(s): Michelle Gillig AB2026-297 APPOINTED Pass
  52. 3. Appointment to a vacancy on the Business and Commerce Advisory Committee, Marine Trades position, Applicant(s): Rex Rhoades AB2026-300 APPOINTED Pass
  53. 47 CONFIRMATION OF EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS TO ADVISORY GROUPS
  54. 47 Motion approved 5-1, with Elenbaas opposed and Buchanan out of the meeting, that Council appoint councilmember Scanlon as the alternate representative to the Northwest Clean Air Agency.
  55. 1. Request confirmation of the County Executive’s appointment of Barry Buchanan to the Veterans Advisory Board AB2026-337 CONFIRMED Pass
  56. 49 ITEMS ADDED BY REVISION
  57. 50 INTRODUCTION ITEMS
  58. 50 Motion approved 7-0 to hold this item for a future committee meeting.
  59. 1. Appointment to vacancies on the Lynden/Everson Flood Subzone Advisory Committee, Applicants: Ladd Shumway, Jackie Abercrombie, Luke Wolfisberg (Council acting as the Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors) AB2026-325 INTRODUCED Pass
  60. 2. Ordinance establishing a Ferry District to fund and manage the Lummi Island ferry system AB2026-339 INTRODUCED FOR PUBLIC HEARING Pass
  61. 53 COMMITTEE REPORTS, OTHER ITEMS, AND COUNCILMEMBER UPDATES
  62. 53 Motion approved 7-0 to appoint Jonathan King to the resident of Whatcom County who does not live or own property on Lummi Island. Partial term ending January 31st, 2028.
  63. 54 ADJOURN
  64. 54 Appointed Markis Dee Stidham with 6 votes to the vacancy for an applicant who lives or owns property on Lummi Island.
  65. 64 MOTION FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE EXECUTIVE SESSION
  66. 65 Discussion with Civil Deputy Prosecutor, Jesse Corkern regarding potential litigation and approval of settlement, and separation agreement. [Discussion of this item may take place in executive session (closed to the public) pursuant to RCW 42.30.110 (1)(i)] AB2026-342 DISCUSSED AND MOTION(S) APPROVED
  67. 66 Motion approved 7-0 for approval to authorize the appropriation of funds to facilitate the settlement of a personnel matter as discussed in executive session on April 28, 2026 based on the findings that this proposed settlement action is both reasonable and in Whatcom County’s best interests.

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