# Justice Center Project Team Selected, Design Work Begins The Whatcom County Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee convened at 11:55 AM on September 9, 2025, for a brief but significant update on the county's ambitious Justice Center project. Committee Chair Barry Buchanan presided over the hybrid meeting in council chambers, with members Tyler Byrd and Jon Scanlon participating. Several other council members also attended, demonstrating the wide interest in this major capital undertaking. The meeting centered on a single agenda item: an update from the Executive's Office, Facilities Management Division, and the Justice Center's owner's representative on the project's current status. What emerged was news of a major milestone — the selection of a design-build team — along with detailed insights into the collaborative approach the county has chosen to pursue for this complex facility. ## Design-Build Team Selection: A Partnership of National Expertise and Local Knowledge Rob Ney, representing the Administrative Services Department's Facilities division, delivered the primary briefing with evident satisfaction about the procurement process results. The county had issued a request for qualifications for design-build teams, marking the first time Whatcom County had employed this collaborative methodology for a major construction project. "We had six great proposals. We shortlisted three," Ney explained, noting that a couple of council members had participated directly in the evaluation process. From those three finalists, a preferred team emerged — one that perfectly embodied the county's goals of combining sophisticated expertise with local engagement. The winning team represents a joint venture between Clark Construction Company, a national firm operating through its Seattle office, and RAM Construction, a local Whatcom County contractor. For the design work, the team pairs Nelson Architecture with RMC, another local firm. This partnership structure drew praise from committee members who had long advocated for meaningful local workforce participation. "So there is some very good national expertise on this team, but also some good local knowledge," Ney emphasized. "And through this process, it was believed that that partnership would prove very well for the county." The timing was particularly significant, as Ney reported they were "very close to contract" and hoping "to begin under contract this week." In fact, the collaborative work had already begun in good faith, with a visioning session held the previous week that Ney described as "very, very detail oriented" and "the beginning of some very beginning work on this." ## Local Workforce Advocacy Bears Fruit The team selection brought particular satisfaction to Councilmember Jon Scanlon, who took a moment to acknowledge how the outcome validated earlier council efforts around local workforce requirements. Scanlon referenced previous work he had undertaken with council members Galloway and Buchanan — work that had generated "some contention" but was aimed at ensuring local workforce participation. "One of the goals of that was to get to a local workforce for this project, and it looks like you're going to achieve that," Scanlon told Ney. "So thank you. Because you've got local firms, we've got a local construction firm and we've got a local architecture firm, RMC, working on this." Ney was quick to clarify that the local composition wasn't the deciding factor in the team's selection. "I would like to state, and I think I stated this in the FFAB meeting, it was this team, you know how cream rises to the top. It was this team that collectively won that bid, not the local incentive point. So it was like a huge cherry on top that that happened." The facilities manager explained that part of what made the team attractive was having "a national but you have a local person that says, hey, here's the local people that we can call to help us on this project. And so that just was very attractive, but their expertise is what really sold us." ## Union and Non-Union Participation Council Member Tyler Byrd raised detailed questions about labor requirements for subcontractors, seeking assurance that the project would remain open to both union and non-union firms. His inquiry reflected ongoing community discussions about ensuring broad participation opportunities while maintaining project quality. "Is there a limit, or any language in there that makes it open so that it's not just union shops, that it can fly... I want to make sure that it's open to everyone in our community to bid on and it's regardless of whether they're union or not," Byrd asked. Ney clarified that the current contract covers only design services, with construction contracting to come later in 2026. "As of right now, there's no conditions on any of these sub-trades. And so I think that the theory, at least initially, was that we know there's going to be some union participation... probably your big subs, like your mechanical and your electrical, but there may be some other specialty trades that aren't typically union." The facilities manager noted that future construction contracts might include incentive structures for achieving certain percentages of local participation, but emphasized that current language keeps options "wide open, so we can find the absolute best candidate that's going to fill that part of the contract." Byrd pressed for clarity about the design-build relationship, confirming that by awarding the design portion, the county was essentially committing to move forward with the same team for construction. Ney confirmed this understanding while reiterating that no additional requirements would be placed on non-union contractors to participate. ## Collaborative Governance Structure Taking Shape Ashley McClaran from STV, the owner's representative firm, presented detailed information about the project's upcoming phases and governance structure. Her presentation, delivered remotely, outlined plans for what she termed a "Joint Advisory Working Group" — a new mechanism designed to keep the complex project moving efficiently through its decision points. "The suggestion here was to assemble a joint advisory working group made up of members of FAB Council, iprtf, small cities, city of Bellingham," McClaran explained, referring to various stakeholder groups including the Finance and Facility Advisory Board, the Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force, and municipal partners. The working group concept addresses a practical challenge: ensuring thorough stakeholder input without slowing project momentum during the critical design and scenario development phases ahead. Rather than waiting for regularly scheduled meetings, this group would "join in design meetings. So that way, when we come to council, some of that information has already been socialized." McClaran emphasized that "the project team would be running these meetings" — including the design builder and operations teams from various interested parties. The goal was to "just help vet questions maybe earlier. So that way we're just trying to stay on schedule." ## The Path to Final Design: Scenarios and Decision Points Perhaps the most substantial portion of McClaran's presentation focused on the detailed timeline extending through the second quarter of 2026. The process begins with what she called "reviewing assumptions" — a thorough examination of previous cost estimates, programming decisions, and budget projections, updated to current pricing. The timeline showed three distinct phases. Through October and November 2025, the county and its partners will define approximately three scenarios for detailed analysis. These scenarios will examine different configurations of jail beds, behavioral health care facilities, and various program elements like urgent care, crisis services, and pharmacy operations. "We don't want to look at infinite possibilities. We want to look at realistic possibilities," McClaran explained. Each scenario will receive comprehensive analysis covering both construction and operational costs, recognizing that "we don't want to design something that we can't afford to run." The November-December period will be devoted to developing detailed deliverables for each scenario. Following the holiday break, January through March 2026 will be the decision-making phase, with the final scenario selection emerging by February or March. April will bring program approval and budget finalization, setting the stage for detailed design work throughout 2026. ## Community Engagement and Public Input While much of the discussion focused on technical and procedural matters, the meeting also touched on forthcoming public engagement efforts. McClaran's slides referenced community engagement activities, and Ney mentioned that other STV team members were attending a "meet the primes engagement" with local contractors that same day. Chair Buchanan added that planning was underway for town hall meetings as part of the broader public engagement strategy. "There's some planning going around. We're trying to set up a meeting real soon to start talking about what kind of town halls might look like," he explained, promising more information within a couple of weeks. The commitment to regular public input reflects the project's significance as the largest capital undertaking in recent county history, with implications for criminal justice operations, behavioral health services, and community safety for decades to come. ## Upcoming Presentations and Next Steps The meeting concluded with information about upcoming presentations to other stakeholder groups. Kayla Schott-Bresler from the Executive's Office noted that the team would present to the Finance and Facility Advisory Board on Thursday, including a proposed model for the Behavioral Care Center component. That behavioral care presentation will also go to the Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force in two weeks, followed by a council presentation. The pattern reflects the collaborative approach the county has embraced, ensuring that all stakeholder groups receive detailed information as the project evolves. ## A Project Gaining Momentum As the brief meeting concluded at 12:14 PM, the overall tone was one of satisfaction with progress and anticipation for the work ahead. After months of procurement and planning, the Justice Center project has moved from abstract planning into active collaboration with experienced partners. Ney's commitment to return every two weeks "if there's something of substantial substance to bring to you" signals the project team's recognition that this undertaking will require sustained attention from elected officials. The design-build methodology, while new to Whatcom County, appears to be functioning as intended — creating early collaboration between designers, builders, and the county rather than the traditional sequential approach. With a respected design-build team now in place and detailed scenario development beginning immediately, the Justice Center project has entered a new phase. The careful balance of national expertise and local knowledge, combined with the structured approach to stakeholder engagement, suggests the county has positioned this critical infrastructure investment for success. The next two weeks promise additional detail as the team prepares for its Finance and Facility Advisory Board presentation, and the broader community will soon have opportunities for input through the planned town hall process. For a project of this magnitude and complexity, the methodical approach to both technical development and public engagement reflects lessons learned from other major capital undertakings across the region.

### Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Council's Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee met on September 9, 2025, to receive an update on the Justice Center Project. The meeting focused on the selection of a design-build team and the upcoming planning process for the new facility that will replace the current jail and include a behavioral health component. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Design-Build:** A project delivery method where a single contract team handles both the design and construction of a facility, allowing for collaborative input throughout the process rather than sequential phases. **Owner's Representative:** A professional consultant (STV in this case) hired to represent the county's interests and manage the project on behalf of the owner during complex construction projects. **Justice Center:** The proposed new facility that will replace Whatcom County's current jail and include additional components like behavioral health services and other justice-related functions. **Scenario Development:** The process of evaluating different building options with varying sizes, features, and costs to help decision-makers choose the best approach for the project. **Joint Venture:** A business arrangement where two companies (Clark Construction and RAM Construction) partner together to work on a project, combining their respective expertise and resources. **FFAB:** Finance and Facility Advisory Board - a county advisory body that reviews major facility and financial decisions. **IPRTF:** Whatcom County's Involuntary Treatment Act Planning and Review Task Force, involved in behavioral health facility planning. **Total Cost of Ownership:** An approach that considers both construction costs and long-term operational costs when evaluating different facility options. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Barry Buchanan | Committee Chair, County Council | | Tyler Byrd | Council Member District 1 | | Jon Scanlon | Council Member District 3 | | Rob Ney | Administrative Services Department Facilities | | Ashley McClaran | STV (Owner's Representative) | | Kayla Schott-Bresler | Executive's Office | ### Background Context Whatcom County has been planning to replace its aging jail facility for several years. The Justice Center Project represents a significant investment in both traditional corrections and innovative approaches to criminal justice, including behavioral health services. This is the county's first time using the design-build methodology for a major project, which is intended to create more collaboration between designers, builders, and the county throughout the process. The project has involved extensive community input and multiple stakeholder groups, reflecting the complexity of balancing public safety needs with evolving approaches to justice and mental health services. The selection process for the design-build team has been completed after evaluating six proposals and shortlisting three finalists. ### What Happened — The Short Version Rob Ney announced that the county has selected a design-build team for the Justice Center Project: a joint venture between Clark Construction (a national firm) and RAM Construction (local), with Nelson Architecture and RMC as the design team. Contract negotiations are nearly complete, with execution expected within the week. The team has already begun visioning sessions in anticipation of the contract. Ashley McClaran from STV presented the timeline for scenario development, explaining that between now and early 2026, the team will develop three different facility scenarios with varying costs and features. A Joint Advisory Working Group will be formed to facilitate ongoing input between formal meetings. The process aims to reach a final scenario selection by February-March 2026, with program and budget approval by March-April 2026. Council members asked about union requirements for subcontractors, with Ney confirming that the current contract structure is "wide open" to find the best candidates regardless of union status. Plans for public engagement including town halls are being developed. ### What to Watch Next - Contract execution with the design-build team (expected within the week) - Finance and Facility Advisory Board presentation on Thursday, September 11 - IPRTF presentation on the Behavioral Care Center model in two weeks - Formation and composition of the Joint Advisory Working Group - Public engagement planning including potential town halls ---

**Q:** Who is the selected design-build team for the Justice Center Project? **A:** Clark Construction Company (national firm) and RAM Construction (local) as builders, with Nelson Architecture partnered with RMC as the design team. **Q:** What methodology is Whatcom County using for this project? **A:** Design-build, which is the first time the county has ever used this collaborative approach that combines designers, builders, and the county working together from the start. **Q:** Who chairs the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee? **A:** Barry Buchanan serves as the committee chair. **Q:** What does STV represent in this project? **A:** STV is the Justice Center Owner's Representative, hired to manage the project on behalf of Whatcom County. **Q:** When is the design-build contract expected to be executed? **A:** Rob Ney said they hope to begin under contract "this week" (the week of September 9, 2025). **Q:** How often does the project team plan to update the committee? **A:** Every two weeks if there's something of substantial substance to report. **Q:** What are the three main phases of scenario development? **A:** Reviewing assumptions (August-September), defining scenarios (October-November), and decision-making (December-February). **Q:** What is the target timeline for final scenario selection? **A:** February or March 2026, with program/budget approval by March-April 2026. **Q:** Are there union requirements for subcontractors? **A:** Currently no - Rob Ney said the contract structure is "wide open" to find the best candidates regardless of union status. **Q:** What does FFAB stand for? **A:** Finance and Facility Advisory Board, a county advisory body that reviews major facility and financial decisions. **Q:** What is included in "total cost" evaluation? **A:** Both construction costs (building the facility) and operational costs (running the facility long-term). **Q:** What does FF&E mean? **A:** Fixtures, furnishings, and equipment - the moveable items like tables, desks, and chairs. **Q:** Which council member thanked Rob for achieving local workforce participation? **A:** Jon Scanlon thanked Rob for getting local firms involved in the project. **Q:** What type of public engagement is being planned? **A:** Town halls are being discussed as a form of public engagement, with more details expected in a couple of weeks. **Q:** When will the IPRTF receive the Behavioral Care Center presentation? **A:** In two weeks from the September 9 meeting, which would be around September 23. **Q:** How many scenarios will be evaluated? **A:** About three realistic scenarios, rather than looking at infinite possibilities. **Q:** What happens after scenario selection? **A:** The design-build team will develop a detailed program around the selected scenario between March and April 2026. **Q:** Who attended the meeting besides the three committee members? **A:** Todd Donovan, Ben Elenbaas, Kaylee Galloway, and Mark Stremler were also present. ---