docketcity.com
Home › Whatcom County › Meetings

Council

August 6, 2025 ·6:00 PM Final ·HYBRID MEETING (PARTICIPATE IN-PERSON, SEE REMOTE JOIN INSTRUCTIONS AT www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil, OR CALL 360.778.5010)

Hybrid Meeting - Council Chambers

Agenda PDF 📹 Watch video Official record ↗

Agenda — 61 items

  1. 1 COUNTY COUNCIL ▶ jump to 0:01
  2. 2 CALL TO ORDER ▶ jump to 0:08
  3. 3 ROLL CALL ▶ jump to 0:19
  4. 4 FLAG SALUTE ▶ jump to 0:42
  5. 5 ANNOUNCEMENTS ▶ jump to 1:02
  6. 6 COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S REPORT ▶ jump to 1:07
  7. 7 MINUTES CONSENT ▶ jump to 1:10
  8. 1. Committee of the Whole Executive Session for July 8, 2025 MIN2025-042 APPROVED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 1:10
  9. 2. Regular County Council for July 8, 2025 MIN2025-043 APPROVED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 1:10
  10. 3. Committee of the Whole for July 8, 2025 MIN2025-044 APPROVED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 1:10
  11. 11 INTRODUCTION ITEMS ▶ jump to 1:39
  12. 1. Review final project performance on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Public Services Program AB2025-546 INTRODUCED FOR PUBLIC HEARING Pass ▶ jump to 1:39
  13. 2. Appointment to a vacancy on the Child and Family Well-Being Task Force, applicant(s): Alycia Francis, Heather Carson, and Angela Marie Shapow AB2025-549 INTRODUCED Pass ▶ jump to 1:39
  14. 3. Ordinance amending the 2025 Whatcom County Budget, request no. 9, in the amount of $956,986 AB2025-558 INTRODUCED Pass ▶ jump to 1:39
  15. 4. Appointment to a vacancy on the Board of Equalization, Applicant(s): Wes Van De Mark AB2025-570 INTRODUCED Pass ▶ jump to 1:39
  16. 16 PUBLIC HEARINGS ▶ jump to 3:22
  17. 1. Ordinance granting Percie Road Water Association a franchise and the right, privilege, and authority thereunder to locate, set, erect, lay, construct, extend, support, attach, connect, maintain, repair, replace, enlarge, operate and use facilities in, upon, over, under, along, across and through the franchise area to allow for the provision of water services AB2025-485 ADOPTED Pass ▶ jump to 5:03
  18. 2. Ordinance granting Point Roberts Water District #4 a franchise and the right, privilege, and authority thereunder to locate, set, erect, lay, construct, extend, support, attach, connect, maintain, repair, replace, enlarge, operate and use facilities in, upon, over, under, along, across and through the franchise area to allow for the provision of water services AB2025-487 ADOPTED Pass ▶ jump to 6:36
  19. 3. Public Hearing for 2025 Coordinated Water System Plan Update AB2025-548 PUBLIC HEARING HELD (file final) ▶ jump to 7:09
  20. 20 OPEN SESSION ▶ jump to 12:35
  21. 21 CONSENT AGENDA ▶ jump to 32:53
  22. 22 (From Council Finance and Administrative Services Committee) ▶ jump to 32:54
  23. 1. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and Washington State Department of Ecology to provide technical assistance and education outreach to small businesses, in the amount of $308,750 AB2025-543 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 32:54
  24. 2. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment between Whatcom County and Cowden Brothers Trucking, LLC, vactor waste facility for the disposal of waste produced by Whatcom County Public Works vactor trucks while providing service to multiple functions within our Maintenance and Operations group in the amount of $288,000 for a total amended contract amount of $576,000 AB2025-544 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 32:54
  25. 3. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and Washington State Department of Ecology to remove litter and illegally discarded materials from public lands, in the amount of $71,400 AB2025-550 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 32:54
  26. 4. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a cost reimbursement agreement between Whatcom County and the City of Ferndale for participation in the Floodplain Integrated Planning (FLIP) process, including participation on the FLIP Steering Committee, FLIP Team, and FLIP Reach Teams, in the amount of $30,000 (Council acting as the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors) AB2025-555 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 32:54
  27. 5. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Columbia Policy Advisors to assist Whatcom County in developing and implementing a legislative advocacy program in the amount of $86,040 AB2025-556 ▶ jump to 32:54
  28. 6. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a cost reimbursement agreement amendment between Whatcom County and the City of Everson to increase the budget for participation in the Floodplain Integrated Planning (FLIP) process, including participation on the FLIP Steering Committee, FLIP Team, and FLIP Reach Teams, in the amount of $30,000 for a total amended amount of $103,000 (Council acting as the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors) AB2025-557 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 32:54
  29. 28 THIS ITEM WAS CONSIDERED SEPARATELY BELOW.
  30. 7. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a grant agreement between Whatcom County and the Washington State Department of Ecology to acquire Phase 2 of the Stewart Mountain Community Forest, in the amount of $5,517,000 AB2025-561 ▶ jump to 32:54
  31. 8. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Associated Earth Sciences, Inc. to conduct additional monitoring and data collection for a groundwater-surface water interaction study and an investigation into the impacts of agricultural tile drains on stream flows, in the amount of $77,420 (Council acting as the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors) AB2025-562 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 32:54
  32. 9. Request authorization for the County Executive to amend Whatcom County Contract No. 202005011 between Whatcom County and Runback Election Services, increasing the original contract amount by $111,428 AB2025-564 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 32:54
  33. 31 THIS ITEM WAS CONSIDERED SEPARATELY BELOW.
  34. 10. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment between Whatcom County and Matrix Consulting Group, Ltd. to evaluate human resources policies and procedures in an amount of $0 for a total amended contract amount of $76,500 AB2025-566 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 32:54
  35. 11. Request authorization for County Executive to enter into a contract amendment between Whatcom County and Mission Critical Partners, LLC to complete a countywide fire and EMS study, in an amount of $0 for a total amended contract amount of $223,056 AB2025-567 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 32:54
  36. 12. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission to continue building an officer wellness program, in the amount of $50,000 AB2025-568 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 32:54
  37. 13. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and the Executive Office of the President’s Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to implement the strategy of the Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), in the amount $193,147 AB2025-569 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 32:54
  38. 14. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and the Washington State Department of Commerce to help cover a portion of the Victim/Witness Coordinator position salary and benefits in an amount not to exceed $52,029 AB2025-571 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 32:54
  39. 15. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an agreement between Whatcom County and Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families for reimbursement for daily bed rate for detention services for juveniles committed to Juvenile Rehabilitation, in the amount of $250 per day AB2025-572 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 32:54
  40. 16. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an agreement between Whatcom County and the Administrative Office of the Courts for reimbursements of costs related to water adjudication, in the amount of $1,721,200 AB2025-573 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 32:54
  41. 17. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and the Washington State Military Department to receive pass through funding in support of WhatComm 911 in the amount of $74,045 AB2025-574 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 32:54
  42. 40 OTHER ITEMS ▶ jump to 55:56
  43. 41 (From Council Climate Action and Natural Resources Committee) ▶ jump to 55:57
  44. 1. Resolution authorizing the Whatcom County Conservation Easement Program staff and Whatcom County Executive to proceed with the acquisition of conservation easements on four properties AB2025-565 APPROVED Pass ▶ jump to 56:21
  45. 42 CONSENT AGENDA CONSIDERED SEPARATELY
  46. 43 (From Council Planning and Development Committee) ▶ jump to 65:32
  47. 5. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Columbia Policy Advisors to assist Whatcom County in developing and implementing a legislative advocacy program in the amount of $86,040 AB2025-556 AUTHORIZED Pass ▶ jump to 43:15
  48. 2. Resolution approving recommendation on application for open space current use assessment AB2025-533 APPROVED Pass ▶ jump to 66:01
  49. 7. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a grant agreement between Whatcom County and the Washington State Department of Ecology to acquire Phase 2 of the Stewart Mountain Community Forest, in the amount of $5,517,000 AB2025-561 AUTHORIZED Pass ▶ jump to 49:43
  50. 45 (No Committee Assignment) ▶ jump to 70:07
  51. 3. Request for motion to vote for a county representative for the Washington State Association of Counties (WSAC) Board of Natural Resources AB2025-576 DISCUSSED AND MOTION(S) APPROVED ▶ jump to 70:09
  52. 47 COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES ▶ jump to 74:27
  53. 1. Appointment to a vacancy on the Forest Advisory Committee, position for a forest product manufacturer representing a sawmill that receives wood from Whatcom County, Applicant(s): Adam Ellsworth AB2025-518 APPOINTED Pass ▶ jump to 74:29
  54. 49 CONFIRMATION OF EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES ▶ jump to 80:47
  55. 1. Request confirmation of the County Executive’s appointment of Henry Fisher to the Whatcom County Food Systems Committee AB2025-547 CONFIRMED Pass ▶ jump to 81:05
  56. 51 ITEMS ADDED BY REVISION ▶ jump to 81:56
  57. 52 COMMITTEE REPORTS, OTHER ITEMS, AND COUNCILMEMBER UPDATES ▶ jump to 82:04
  58. 52 Motion approved 5-0, with Byrd abstaining and Donovan out of the meeting, to have Whatcom County place their vote in support of Clallam Commissioner Randy Johnson to represent counties on the (Washington State Association of Counties) Board of Natural Resources.
  59. 53 ADJOURN ▶ jump to 141:05
  60. 55 Motion approved 6-0, with Donovan out of the meeting, to waive the residency requirement (WCC 2.03.090 and WCC 2.123.040 [F]) for representatives of the commercial forest landowner and manufacturer positions for this committee.
  61. 60 MOTION SUMMARY: From Finance and Administrative Services Committee: Motion failed 3-2, with Byrd abstaining, Donovan out of the meeting, and Elenbaas and Stremler opposed, that they endorse the co-management model that was presented (an ownership model with a non-profit entity with County participation).