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May 13, 2025 ·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 5.9.2025

Hybrid Meeting - Council Chambers

Agenda PDF 📹 Watch video Official record ↗

Agenda — 45 items

  1. 1 COUNTY COUNCIL ▶ jump to 0:04
  2. 2 CALL TO ORDER ▶ jump to 0:13
  3. 3 ROLL CALL ▶ jump to 0:24
  4. 4 FLAG SALUTE ▶ jump to 0:41
  5. 5 ANNOUNCEMENTS ▶ jump to 1:03
  6. 6 COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S REPORT ▶ jump to 1:07
  7. 7 MINUTES CONSENT ▶ jump to 1:10
  8. 1. Committee of the Whole for April 29, 2025 MIN2025-027 APPROVED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 1:10
  9. 2. Regular County Council for April 29, 2025 MIN2025-028 APPROVED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 1:10
  10. 3. Committee of the Whole Executive Session for April 29, 2025 MIN2025-029 APPROVED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 1:10
  11. 4. Special Committee of the Whole for April 22, 2025 MIN2025-030 APPROVED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 1:10
  12. 12 OPEN SESSION ▶ jump to 1:41
  13. 13 CONSENT AGENDA ▶ jump to 54:21
  14. 14 (From Council Finance and Administrative Services Committee) ▶ jump to 54:22
  15. 1. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into Amendment No. 1 of the Interagency Agreement between Whatcom County and the Washington State Department of Health to provide additional funding for the Whatcom County Pollution Identification and Correction (PIC) Program, in the amount of $1,536,380 for a total amendment amount of $3,015,374 (Council acting as the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors) AB2025-347 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 54:22
  16. 2. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment between Whatcom County and Mobile Mama Strategies, Inc to administer a mental health internship pilot project in the amount of $133,100, for a total amended contract amount of $297,335 AB2025-354 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 54:22
  17. 3. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service for reimbursement of overtime patrols, in the amount of $21,900 AB2025-360 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 54:22
  18. 4. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Siemens Industry, Inc. to provide the 2025 - 2027 Service Agreement for HVAC Service, in the amount of $120,096 plus applicable Washington State Sales Tax AB2025-363 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 54:22
  19. 5. Request approval for the County Executive to authorize the purchase of radios, related installation parts, and programming, using the Washington State Contract #00318, in an amount not to exceed $100,000 per calendar year for 2025 and 2026 AB2025-364 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 54:22
  20. 6. Request approval for the County Executive to authorize the purchase of a RapidHIT™ ID Sytem, using the Washington State Contract #20722. The vendor is Thermo Fisher Scientific/Life Technologies Corporation, and the total cost for this purchase will not exceed $210,784.83 AB2025-369 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 54:22
  21. 7. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Bode Technology for DNA training, analaysis, and result storage, in the amount of $70,000 AB2025-370 AUTHORIZED BY CONSENT Pass ▶ jump to 54:22
  22. 22 OTHER ITEMS ▶ jump to 56:04
  23. 23 (From Council Public Works and Health Committee) ▶ jump to 56:13
  24. 1. Resolution adopting an amendment to the Whatcom County Comprehensive Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Plan AB2025-328 APPROVED Pass ▶ jump to 56:30
  25. 25 CONFIRMATION OF EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES ▶ jump to 57:18
  26. 1. Request confirmation of the County Executive’s appointment of Tim Schermetzler to the Whatcom County Development Standards Technical Advisory Committee AB2025-350 CONFIRMED Pass ▶ jump to 58:04
  27. 27 ITEMS ADDED BY REVISION ▶ jump to 58:57
  28. 1. Request council review and approval of the Economic Development Investment Board’s recommendation for funding of the Port of Bellingham’s property acquisition for the development of a Washington Agricultural Research Station AB2025-373 APPROVED REQUEST Pass ▶ jump to 59:40
  29. 29 INTRODUCTION ITEMS ▶ jump to 62:03
  30. 1. Ordinance to amend Whatcom County Code Section 3.08.100, Council approval required, to increase the threshold for contracts that require council approval AB2025-264 ▶ jump to 62:03
  31. 2. Ordinance amending the 2025 Whatcom County Budget, request no. 5, in the amount of $1,053,510 AB2025-337 INTRODUCED Pass ▶ jump to 62:03
  32. 31 THIS ITEM WAS CONSIDERED SEPARATELY BELOW
  33. 3. Ordinance authorizing interfund loans to finance cash flow for county road fund up to $4 million for a term not to exceed two years AB2025-355 ▶ jump to 62:03
  34. 4. Receipt of a report from the 2025 Whatcom County Salary Commission AB2025-365 RECEIVED Pass ▶ jump to 62:03
  35. 34 COMMITTEE REPORTS, OTHER ITEMS, AND COUNCILMEMBER UPDATES ▶ jump to 76:25
  36. 34 THIS ITEM WAS CONSIDERED SEPARATELY BELOW
  37. 35 ADJOURN ▶ jump to 134:38
  38. 36 INTRODUCTION ITEMS CONSIDERED SEPARATELY ▶ jump to 62:03
  39. 1. Ordinance to amend Whatcom County Code Section 3.08.100, Council approval required, to increase the threshold for contracts that require council approval AB2025-264 SUBSTITUTE INTRODUCED Pass ▶ jump to 73:27
  40. 38 A substitute ordinance was introduced that would set the threshold at $75,000
  41. 3. Ordinance authorizing interfund loans to finance cash flow for county road fund up to $4 million for a term not to exceed two years AB2025-355 SUBSTITUTE INTRODUCED Pass ▶ jump to 75:05
  42. 41 MOTION SUMMARY
  43. 42 (From Public Works and Health Committee (AB2025-352)) Motion approved 7-0 that the council affirms the need to increase ferry fares to address solvency issues and ensure that fare box revenues are meeting the required 55% fare box recovery rate per WCC 10.34.03 and pursue other revenue options for the Ferry Fund. Further, the Council encourages the County Executive to increase ferry fares immediately to ensure solvency of the Ferry system annual operations, provided the rate increase is ample enough to meet the goals set forth in the code for fare box recovery and reserve fund contributions.
  44. 43 Motion approved 5-0, with Donovan and Byrd abstaining, to request that the Whatcom County Ferry Advisory Committee make recommendations to County Council and the County Executive to address the annual gap in funding ferry operations.
  45. 44 Motion approved 6-0, with Donovan out of the meeting, that Councilmembers Elenbaas and Galloway be appointed to represent the Council on the EMS search and interview, etc., process.