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January 13, 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 REVISED 1.12.2026; SECOND AGENDA REVISION 1.12.2026

Hybrid Meeting - Council Chambers

Agenda PDF 📹 Watch video Official record ↗

Agenda — 72 items

  1. 1 COUNTY COUNCIL ▶ jump to 0:44
  2. 2 CALL TO ORDER ▶ jump to 0:46
  3. 3 ROLL CALL ▶ jump to 1:00
  4. 4 FLAG SALUTE ▶ jump to 1:17
  5. 5 ANNOUNCEMENTS ▶ jump to 1:46
  6. 6 COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S REPORT ▶ jump to 1:47
  7. 7 MINUTES CONSENT ▶ jump to 7:45
  8. 1. Special Council for December 1, 2025 MIN2026-001 APPROVED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 7:44
  9. 2. Special Council for December 2, 2025 MIN2026-002 APPROVED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 7:44
  10. 3. Committee of the Whole for December 9, 2025 MIN2026-003 APPROVED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 7:44
  11. 4. Regular County Council for December 9, 2025 MIN2026-004 APPROVED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 7:44
  12. 5. Special Committee of the Whole for December 2, 2025 MIN2026-005 APPROVED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 7:44
  13. 6. Health Board and Public Health Advisory Board for December 2, 2025 MIN2026-006 APPROVED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 7:44
  14. 14 PUBLIC HEARINGS ▶ jump to 8:41
  15. 1. Ordinance adopting amendments to Whatcom County Code Title 20, Zoning and Title 22, Land Use and Development AB2025-810 SUBSTITUTE ADOPTED Pass ▶ jump to 16:07
  16. 2. Resolution authorizing the sale of personal property, pursuant to Whatcom County Code 1.10, Procedures for Management and Disposition of County-owned Personal and Real Property AB2025-814 APPROVED Pass ▶ jump to 18:54
  17. 17 OPEN SESSION ▶ jump to 19:18
  18. 18 CONSENT AGENDA ▶ jump to 182:46
  19. 19 (From Council Finance and Administrative Services Committee) ▶ jump to 182:47
  20. 1. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and Washington State Health Care Authority to provide Medicaid-related outreach and linkage activities to Whatcom County residents as a fee for service agreement, without a not-to-exceed amount AB2026-001 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 182:46
  21. 2. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment between Whatcom County and Cascadia Law Group PLLC to provide legal advice and services regarding SEPA procedures in relation to permit applications submitted by Petrogas in the amount of $50,000 for a total amended contract amount of $150,000 AB2026-009 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 182:46
  22. 3. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a Collective Bargaining Agreement between Whatcom County and General Teamsters Union Local No. 231 for the period of January 1, 2026 - December 31, 2028 AB2026-012 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 182:46
  23. 4. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a Collective Bargaining Agreement between Whatcom County and the Deputy Sheriff’s Guild for the period January 1, 2026 - December 31, 2028 AB2026-020 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 182:46
  24. 5. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment between Whatcom County and Axon Enterprises to add 36 months to Axon’s proprietary cloud-based storage, software, and professional services, and to replace 90 cameras and 12 docking stations, in the amount of $236,734 [Scrivener’s error: corrected amount $236,764] AB2026-018 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 182:46
  25. 6. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission to reimburse salary and related benefit costs for an instructor at the Arlington Regional Law Enforcement Academy, in the estimated amount of $200,000 for 2026 AB2026-024 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 182:46
  26. 7. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Ferndale Youth Sports for Northwest Fields Renovations Project capital improvements funded by the Lodging Tax, in the amount of $109,140 AB2026-013 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 182:46
  27. 8. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and the Washington State Military Department for What-COMM Equipment (Prime contract in pass-through mechanism to City of Bellingham), in the amount of $94,107 AB2026-019 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 182:46
  28. 9. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment between Whatcom County and Stryker Corporation to increase EMS equipment assigned to the EMS Captain at Whatcom County Fire District 7 in the amount of $23,414 per year for the last five years of the 10-year contract, for a total amended contract amount of $668,595 AB2026-022 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 182:46
  29. 29 OTHER ITEMS ▶ jump to 184:44
  30. 30 (From Council Finance and Administrative Services Committee) ▶ jump to 184:46
  31. 1. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment between Whatcom County and the City of Bellingham to eliminate funding for three lateral paramedic positions, decreasing the contracted amount by $224,823 for a total amended contract amount of $783,619 AB2025-854 SUBSTITUTE AUTHORIZED Pass ▶ jump to 185:38
  32. 32 (From Council Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee) ▶ jump to 185:57
  33. 2. Request for motion to establish full term lengths for Justice Project Oversight and Planning (JPOP) Committee members AB2026-015 DISCUSSED AND MOTION(S) APPROVED ▶ jump to 187:35
  34. 34 COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS TO ADVISORY GROUPS ▶ jump to 187:41
  35. 34 Motion approved 7-0 to have the JPOP be on staggered four-year terms.
  36. 1. Appointments to vacancies on the Acme/VanZandt Flood Control Subzone Advisory Committee, applicant(s): William Dominic Moceri (Council acting as the Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors) AB2026-026 APPOINTED Pass ▶ jump to 189:29
  37. 2. Appointments to vacancies on the Flood Control Zone District Advisory Committee, various positions, applicant(s): Michael Bozzo, Bruce Bosch, Jeff DeJong, Loren Hoekema, John Perry, Ron Bronsema (Council acting as the Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors) AB2026-027 APPOINTED Pass ▶ jump to 196:49
  38. 3. Appointments to vacancies on the Board of Equalization, applicant(s): W. Thomas Follis AB2026-028 APPOINTED Pass ▶ jump to 197:31
  39. 4. Appointments to vacancies on the Climate Impact Advisory Committee, applicant(s): Charles Brown, Derek Gremban, Stevan Harell, Randall Hays, Jonathan King, Theodor Scott, Joshua Williams AB2026-029 APPOINTED ▶ jump to 202:05
  40. 38 Appointed all the applicants.
  41. 5. Appointments to vacancies on the Whatcom County Ferry Advisory Committee, various positions, applicant(s): Steven Thomas, Virgil Thompson, Janice Catrell, Terence Diffley, Corey Williams AB2026-030 APPOINTED ▶ jump to 214:16
  42. 6. Appointments to vacancies on the Forest Advisory Committee, various positions, applicant(s): David New, Malloree Weinheimer AB2026-031 APPOINTED Pass ▶ jump to 221:53
  43. 7. Appointments to vacancies on the Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force, various positions, applicant(s): Heather Flaherty, Alexis Hahs, Robert Sullivan AB2026-032 APPOINTED Pass ▶ jump to 226:08
  44. 41 Appointed Charles Brown (7 votes), Derek Gremban (7 votes), Stevan Harell (7 votes), Jonathan King (7 votes), Theodor Scott (6 votes), and Joshua Williams (6 votes).
  45. 8. Appointments to vacancies on the Justice Project Oversight and Planning Committee, various positions, applicant(s): Tawsha Thompson, Pamela Kahn, Cori Reece AB2026-033 APPOINTED Pass ▶ jump to 227:36
  46. 42 Appointed King 7-0 to the partial term ending 1/31/2027.
  47. 9. Appointments to vacancies on the Public Health Advisory Board, applicant(s): Mike Cohen, Christine Espina, Alison Fontaine, Carl Isom-McDaniel, Rachel McGarrity, Nathaline Nivens, Robyn Phillips-Madson, Deb Shawver, Markis Dee Stidham, Ashley Thomasson, Ben Twigg, Amelia Vader, Shu-Ling Zhao (Council acting as the Health Board) AB2026-034 HELD IN COUNCIL Pass ▶ jump to 229:02
  48. 10. Appointments to vacancies on the Planning Commission, applicant(s): Alvin Scott Van Dalen AB2026-035 APPOINTED Pass ▶ jump to 237:09
  49. 44 Appointed Janice Catrell 7-0 for the position that lives in Whatcom County and does not live or own property on Lummi Island.
  50. 11. Appointments to vacancies on the Solid Waste Advisory Committee, various positions, applicant(s): Ted Carlson, Pinky Vargas AB2026-036 APPOINTED Pass ▶ jump to 239:20
  51. 45 Appointed Terence Diffley (7 votes) and Steven Thomas (6 votes) for the positions that live or own property on Lummi Island.
  52. 46 ITEMS ADDED BY REVISION ▶ jump to 239:55
  53. 46 Appointed Diffley 7-0 to the partial term ending 1/31/2027.
  54. 1. Resolution affirming the dignity and civil and human rights of all Whatcom County residents, regardless of immigration or citizenship status AB2026-049 APPROVED AS AMENDED Pass ▶ jump to 239:57
  55. 48 INTRODUCTION ITEMS (considered in opposite order and separately) ▶ jump to 306:26
  56. 48 Appointed David New for the position of community member with forestry, forest ecology, or forest management expertise.
  57. 1. Ordinance establishing Whatcom County Code Section 2.02.195 Performance Audits AB2026-040 ▶ jump to 306:25
  58. 49 Appointed Malloree Weinheimer to the harvester or silviculturist position .
  59. 2. Ordinance amending Whatcom County Code Chapter 20.34 Rural Residential Island (RRI) to allow food preparation for off-site consumption when accessory to and located within an approved community center AB2026-016 ▶ jump to 306:25
  60. 51 COMMITTEE REPORTS, OTHER ITEMS, AND COUNCILMEMBER UPDATES ▶ jump to 310:30
  61. 52 ADJOURN ▶ jump to 311:28
  62. 57 MOTION 1: Motion approved 7-0 to amend the second to last Whereas statement on page one of the substitute resolution to strike “are foreign” and add “were born outside of the United States” so that it reads: WHEREAS, according to a 2023 American Community Survey, approximately 22,000 of Whatcom County’s more than 230,000 residents were born outside of the United States; and
  63. 58 MOTION 2: Motion approved 7-0 to amend the 6th whereas clause on page two of the substitute resolution to add the word "all" so that is reads: WHEREAS, the KWW Act prevents all local law enforcement from:
  64. 59 MOTION 3: Motion approved 7-0 to amend to add the whereas clause as presented (on page 2 of the substitute resolution in yellow highlight), and with scrivener's error corrections, so that it reads: WHEREAS, Washington State passed the Courts Open to All (COTA) Act in 2020, which protects individuals’ access to justice by: Prohibiting warrantless civil immigration arrests at courts, Prohibiting court staff and prosecutors from using state and local justice resources to report people for federal immigration enforcement, unless required by law, necessary for an active criminal investigation, or done pursuant to valid court order or warrant, and Requiring courts to collect data on the surveillance by immigration agents of courthouses in Washington; and
  65. 60 MOTION 4: Motion approved 5-1, with Elenbaas abstaining and Stremler opposed, to amend the second to last BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED statement on page 3 of the substitute resolution to change the word “bilingual” to “multilingual” so that it reads: BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Whatcom County Council urges the Executive branch to prominently post multilingual Immigrant Rights and legal resources posters and make multilingual Know Your Rights and legal resources pamphlets readily available at County public facilities; and
  66. 61 MOTION 5: Motion approved 5-2, with Stremler and Elenbaas opposed, to amend the final BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED statement on page 3 of the substitute resolution so that it reads (clerk’s note: this was further amended in motion 7): BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Whatcom County Council that Whatcom County remains committed to ongoing compliance with the Keep Washington Working Act and the Courts Open to All Act and reminds the County Sheriff, Prosecutor, and their staff to refrain from coordinating or assisting Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or other relevant federal agencies on immigration or adjacent related law enforcement activities; and
  67. 62 MOTION 6: Motion approved 5-2, Stremler and Elenbaas opposed, to amend the final BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED on page 4 of the substitute resolution so that it reads: BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED by the Whatcom County Council that Whatcom County strives to cultivate a community where all individuals are free, have equal protection and are provided due process under the law, and are safe to live their lives and pursue their personal, familial, educational, and economic goals without fear of surveillance, harassment, intimidation, injury, abduction, or death.
  68. 63 MOTION 7: Motion approved 6-1, with Elenbaas opposed, to amend the earlier-amended final BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED statement on page 3 of the substitute resolution to strike the word “reminds” and retain the original word, “encourages” so that it reads: BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Whatcom County Council that Whatcom County remains committed to ongoing compliance with the Keep Washington Working Act and the Courts Open to All Act and encourages the County Sheriff, Prosecutor, and their staff to refrain from coordinating or assisting Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or other relevant federal agencies on immigration or adjacent related law enforcement activities; and
  69. 2. Ordinance amending Whatcom County Code Chapter 20.34 Rural Residential Island (RRI) to allow food preparation for off-site consumption when accessory to and located within an approved community center AB2026-016 INTRODUCED FOR PUBLIC HEARING Pass ▶ jump to 307:58
  70. 1. Ordinance establishing Whatcom County Code Section 2.02.195 Performance Audits AB2026-040 REFERRED TO COMMITTEE Pass ▶ jump to 308:22
  71. 67 Motion approved 7-0 to request that the chair work with the clerk and vice chair to schedule a work session for this item (time unspecified).
  72. 69 Motion approved 6-1, with Elenbaas opposed, to adjourn (and not do committee reports).