Whatcom County  
Council Finance and Administrative Services Committee  
COUNTY COURTHOUSE  
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105  
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038  
(360) 778-5010  
Meeting Agenda  
Tuesday, May 26, 2026  
11 AM  
Hybrid Meeting - Council Chambers  
HYBRID MEETING - ADJOURNS BY 12:30 P.M. (PARTICIPATE IN-PERSON, SEE  
CALL 360.778.5010); AGENDA REVISED 5.22.2026  
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  
Announcements  
If you require special assistance to participate, please contact the Council Office at 360-778-5010 at  
least 96 hours in advance. Assistive listening devices are available in Council Chambers, and live  
captions are available through Zoom for those participating remotely. This committee meeting is also  
noticed as a meeting of the Whatcom County Council, with the agenda limited to committee business.  
Council "Consent Agenda" Items  
1.  
2.  
3.  
Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between  
Whatcom County and EKS Evaluation Consulting to develop a comprehensive  
evaluation plan for the five key Response Systems Division programs within Whatcom  
County Health and Community Services, in the amount of $83,150  
Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement  
between Whatcom County and Bellingham Police Department for a commitment of  
funding from the Bellingham Police Department to maintain operations of the  
Alternative Response Team Program, in the amount of $688,760  
Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement  
amendment between Whatcom County and Washington State Department of  
Commerce to increase funding for the Consolidated Homeless Grant, which supports  
the priorities outlined in the Whatcom County Plan to End Homelessness, in the  
amount of $1,546,981 for a total amended agreement amount of $20,366,072  
4.  
5.  
6.  
7.  
Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment  
between Whatcom County and Washington State Department of Health to provide  
funding for various public health programs, in the amount of $57,008 for a total  
amended contract amount of $11,286,805  
Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between  
Whatcom County and Kulshan Community Land Trust to provide eighteen units of  
permanently affordable homeownership units for households earning less than 80%  
Area Median Income, in the amount of $394,012.06  
Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between  
Whatcom County and Shea, Carr & Jewell, Inc. dba SCJ Alliance to provide flood  
mitigation planning for the City of Sumas, in the amount of $274,981.33 (Council  
acting as the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors)  
Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a grant agreement  
between Whatcom County and the Washington State Military Department for the  
elevation of sixteen structures in flood-prone areas, in the amount of $4,156,725  
(Council acting as the Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors)  
8.  
9.  
Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment  
between Whatcom County and Herrera Environmental Consultants to support the  
next phase of Lower Nooksack River Floodplain Integrated Planning, in the amount  
of $1,250,229 for a total contract amount of $4,248,598 (Council acting as the  
Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors)  
Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between  
Whatcom County and Lake Whatcom Residential Treatment Center to support the  
development of 37 units of affordable rentals for adults with behavioral health needs,  
including 11 units dedicated to Trueblood Class Members, in the amount of  
$3,087,940  
10.  
11.  
12.  
13.  
Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an amended agreement  
between Whatcom County and the Administrative Office of the Courts for  
reimbursement of costs related to water adjudication, in the amended amount of  
$2,538,200  
Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement  
between Whatcom County and the Washington State Military Department to enhance  
security and preparedness for the 2026 International Federation of Association  
Football (FIFA) World Cup events, in the amount of $62,963  
Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between  
Whatcom County and the SeattleFWC26 to enhance security and preparedness for  
the 2026 International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) World Cup events,  
in the amount of $97,556  
Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment  
between Whatcom County and the City of Bellingham to clarify eligible construction  
reimbursement methods for the Bear Creek Corridor Mitigation Bank Project in the  
amount of $0, for a total amended contract amount of $1,000,000  
Special Presentation  
1.  
Presentation from the Western Washington University Small Business Development  
Center regarding its services and economic impacts in Whatcom County  
2.  
Presentation by the Executive Office on the Economic Development Investment Fund  
and Program  
Committee Discussion  
Discussion regarding Council Office budget items for the 2027-2028 Biennial Budget  
1.  
Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council  
1.  
Ordinance increasing the Petty Cash Revolving Fund for the Parks and Recreation  
Department, in the amount of $500  
2.  
3.  
4.  
5.  
6.  
Ordinance amending the project budget for the Austin Court Stormwater  
Improvement Project Fund, request no. 1  
Ordinance amending the project budget for the North Commercial Street Acquisition,  
request no. 1  
Ordinance amending the project budget for the New Public Health, Safety and Justice  
Facility, request no. 11  
Ordinance amending the 2026 Whatcom County Budget, request no. 8, in the amount  
of $8,914,924  
Resolution amending the 2026 Flood Control Zone District and Subzones Budget,  
request no. 3, in the amount of $34,964 (Council acting as the Whatcom County  
Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors)  
7.  
8.  
Ordinance amending the project based budget for the Lummi Nation Ferry Lease  
Fund-3901, request no. 1  
Ordinance amending the project budget for the Central Shop National Pollutant  
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Improvements Project Fund,  
request no. 2  
9.  
Resolution appointing the County Treasurer and Finance Director as the county  
representatives authorized to designate certain expenditures for reimbursement from  
future tax-exempt obligations  
Items Added by Revision  
1.  
Request for motion to support modifying the Flood District Fund reserve policy to  
allow for levee repairs  
ITEM ADDED 5.22.2026  
Other Business  
Adjournment