Whatcom County  
Council Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee  
COUNTY COURTHOUSE  
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105  
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038  
(360) 778-5010  
Committee Minutes - Draft Minutes  
Tuesday, May 12, 2026  
11:15 AM  
Hybrid Meeting - Council Chambers  
HYBRID MEETING - MAY BEGIN EARLY/LATE - ADJOURNS BY 12:30 P.M.  
(PARTICIPATE IN-PERSON, SEE REMOTE JOIN INSTRUCTIONS AT  
www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil, OR CALL 360.778.5010)  
COUNCILMEMBERS  
Elizabeth Boyle  
Barry Buchanan  
Ben Elenbaas  
Kaylee Galloway  
Jessica Rienstra  
Jon Scanlon  
Mark Stremler  
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL  
Cathy Halka, AICP, CMC  
Call To Order  
Roll Call  
Committee Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 11:12 a.m.  
in a hybrid meeting.  
7 -  
Present:  
Elizabeth Boyle, Barry Buchanan, Ben Elenbaas, Kaylee Galloway, Jessica  
Rienstra, Jon Scanlon, and Mark Stremler  
Announcements  
Special Presentation  
AB2026-254  
Report from District Court  
1.  
Jake Wiebusch, District Court Administrator, read from a presentation (on  
file) on department organization, an increase in filings from 2024 to 2025,  
District Court processes and trials and how those compare to  
pre-COVID-19 years, District Court accomplishments, judicial capacity and  
that very soon they are going to need help for processing cases, safety and  
security concerns in the courts, and a desire to see a greater presence of  
law enforcement in the courthouse.  
Judge Angela Anderson stated they are not here to ask for anything today  
but she pointed out a comparison between the County and the City of  
Bellingham. The County has a civil department which the City does not  
have, and yet it is doing its work with the same number of judicial officers  
as the City. County judges carry very full caseloads and really pride  
themselves on giving everybody the time they need in court. They realize  
the financial circumstances are really tight with the County, but they want to  
put it out there that District Court is bursting at the seams. She also spoke  
about security concerns and stated most courthouses have bailiffs and we do  
not.  
Judge Jonathan Rands spoke about the security considerations, and that the  
fourth floor is the best floor to work at because it has maintained  
institutional knowledge and tremendous leadership.  
Councilmembers and the speakers discussed the process if they were to  
potentially add a second court commissioner and how that would be  
different than adding a judge when it comes to criminal justice reform, that  
a commissioner can do everything a judge can do except for a jury trial  
(unless the parties agree) and would be more cost-efficient for the County,  
what could be done to help with average length of stay in the jail and  
processing times so that they do not have to fill the new jail on day one or a  
few years down the road, that District Court numbers for length of stay are  
not significant compared to Superior Court right now, what District Court  
programs they would like to expand, and that having another judicial officer  
could free up judges’ court time for creativity to have more therapeutic  
calendars.  
This agenda item was REPORTED.  
Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council  
AB2026-340  
1.  
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  
Buchanan and Scanlon introduced the discussion and the newest proposed  
amendments as represented in the "Revised Substitute Resolution for  
5.12.26," and the comments on the resolution from the cities which are  
shown in the “Cities' Comments 5.7.2026.”  
The following city mayors spoke:  
·
·
City of Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund  
City of Lynden Mayor Scott Korthuis  
Mayor Lund spoke about an email she sent this morning and investments in  
services that are currently in the City of Bellingham’s budget and already  
underway. She stated they believe that the City is directing resources  
towards alternatives in incarceration and behavioral health programs, from  
the sales tax and other city funds, and that over the next five years, the city  
will invest at least $10.5 million on programs for jail diversion and  
behavioral health services that directly align with the Justice Project  
implementation plan projects. She spoke about specific investments from  
the City and summarized that they are balancing building the facilities and  
the commitment to the facilities that meet people where they are today, and  
that is a jail that minimizes booking restrictions and an out-of-custody care  
center. And, alongside in parallel, they are making the investments in the  
services that are going to change trajectories over time. Bellingham is  
deeply committed to both of those things.  
Mayor Korthuis thanked the councilmembers for listening and for  
reviewing and accepting most of the comments that the mayors put forth in  
the document. He stated as far as he can tell, the only major change that  
they did not accept was about the LaBounty property money going towards  
Behavioral health. He stated that site was bought for a jail and he assumed  
that the money should go to the next jail site. He stated he wants to  
emphasize that the mayors still want a right sized jail that does not have  
booking restrictions in the not-too-distant future. He does think they have  
made major moves ahead here. He spoke about continuing to collaborate on  
behavioral health services and that hopefully they can get the best of both,  
with the finances available, if they work together.  
Elenbaas moved to table the resolution. The motion was seconded by  
Stremler.  
Tom Seguine, Prosecuting Attorney's Office, answered if Elenbaas could  
withdraw the motion.  
Elenbaas withdrew his motion and spoke about why he would like to table  
the resolution. He stated his concern is that they are going to do more harm  
than good than if they just set it aside and let their actions and votes do the  
talking moving forward.  
Scanlon moved to recommend to the full council the "Revised Substitute  
Resolution for 5.12.26."  
The motion was seconded by Rienstra.  
Councilmembers discussed the motion and the amendment regarding  
requesting recommendations for the use of potential proceeds from a sale  
of the LaBounty property as a means to fund the Justice Project  
Implementation Plan services,  
Kayla Schott-Bresler, Executive's Office, answered if the proceeds from a  
sale of surplus property, in the absence of a jail project, would to go the  
General Fund, and stated it depends on the source of the original money.  
Satpal Sidhu, County Executive, stated as a principle, the money goes back  
to whatever funded it, but that does not mean the Council cannot change that  
principle. In principle, one property should fill back the cost of the new  
property, but it is up to the Council.  
Councilmembers discussed that the resolution seems to read that if they  
sell LaBounty they would try to prioritize reimbursing the fund, what  
happens if they do not sell the LaBounty property, a feeling that the  
resolution should be tabled as it might create confusion in the future, that  
the inclusion of the LaBounty option further solidifies their commitment to  
the services, that they are just asking the IPRTF and all of us to look for  
opportunities that can provide funding for the much-needed services, and a  
desire that the resolution acknowledge the therapeutic effect of building a  
new and improved jail and that it be counted in the behavioral health  
category as well.  
Councilmembers voted on the motion to recommend approval and then  
continued discussion (see vote below).  
Elenbaas asked about potentially proposing amendments tonight regarding  
the therapeutic effect of a new jail, and Rienstra spoke about the  
differentiation of the other investments being upstream and preventing  
increased rates of crime, thus preventing people from entering into jail.  
Scanlon's motion that the Revised Substitute Resolution for 5.12.26 be  
RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL carried by the following vote:  
5 - Boyle, Buchanan, Galloway, Rienstra, and Scanlon  
2 - Elenbaas, and Stremler  
Aye:  
Nay:  
Recommended the "Revised Substitute Resolution for 5.12.26."  
Items Added by Revision  
There were no agenda items added by revision.  
Other Business  
Adjournment  
There was no other business.  
The meeting adjourned at 12:08 p.m.  
ATTEST:  
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL  
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA  
______________________________  
Cathy Halka, Council Clerk  
___________________________  
Barry Buchanan, Committee Chair  
Meeting Minutes prepared by Kristi Felbinger