# Whatcom County Council Faces Budget Pressures as Community Voices Concerns On a spring evening in Bellingham, the Whatcom County Council gathered for what would prove to be a marathon session addressing everything from municipal finances to healthcare labor disputes to forest conservation. The April 29th meeting, called to order at 6:03 PM by Chair Kaylee Galloway, brought together all seven council members for a packed agenda that illuminated both the routine machinery of local government and the pressing challenges facing the community. ## Budget Realities Cast Long Shadow County Executive Satpal Sidhu opened the meeting with sobering fiscal news that would echo throughout the evening. Despite ending 2024 with largely stable fund balances, the county faces a fundamental arithmetic problem: the cost of providing services is growing faster than revenue. "Our costs to provide services are outpacing county's annual revenue growth," Sidhu explained to the council and the sparse audience in the chambers. "This means we must take action to stabilize our budget and preserve our ability to serve the community." The executive's response has been measured but decisive. Last year, when early warning signs emerged, he implemented a temporary hiring freeze and directed departments to spend cautiously. "Those steps allowed us to slow down spending in a manner that was not disruptive to our services and staff," he noted. But more dramatic measures may lie ahead. Sidhu revealed that he had recently sent budget instructions to department heads requiring them to contemplate spending reductions and absorb certain unavoidable cost increases. The message was clear: every department would need to examine what services are truly mandatory and what policies drive their expenditures. "Long-term imbalances remain," Sidhu stated, his words carrying the weight of difficult decisions to come. The county cannot rely on state and federal funding to plug gaps, he emphasized, making the upcoming budget prioritization work all the more critical. This financial reality provided crucial context for several agenda items that followed, including a $6.2 million budget supplemental that would later draw the evening's only dissenting vote from Council Member Mark Stremler. ## Healthcare Workers Press for Fair Contract The meeting's most emotionally charged moments came during public comment, when healthcare workers from PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center made impassioned pleas for council support in their ongoing labor disputes. Laura Danskin, an orthopedic physician assistant with nearly nine years at PeaceHealth, stood at the microphone with the weariness of someone who has fought the same fight too many times. Her union, representing physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurse midwives, has been locked in negotiations for over a year with little progress. "A strike is likely imminent," Danskin told the council, her voice steady but strained. "A strike vote has been passed overwhelmingly by both my union and the tech union, and I fear the other two are not far behind." Her words carried particular weight given that she and her colleagues entered healthcare to help, not to walk off the job. "No one goes into healthcare because they want to walk off the job and leave their patients behind," she explained. "But after over a year of negotiations, we feel as though we have been left with little choice." Ryan Whaley, a cardiac monitor tech and elected member of the SEIU 1199 Northwest bargaining team, painted an even starker picture. His union represents approximately 950 technical, service, and laboratory employees, and they too have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. "We have members living out of their cars currently," Whaley revealed, highlighting the disconnect between the cost of living in Bellingham and the wages PeaceHealth offers. "We lose untold medical professionals to hospitals as nearby as Skagit County." The workers' frustration extends beyond wages to what they see as fundamental questions of dignity and patient safety. They're asking for fair compensation that reflects Bellingham's cost of living, safe staffing levels, and respect for their work. Without these basics, they argue, both workers and patients suffer. Danskin specifically called out the hospitalists—the group of doctors who see every patient in the hospital—who have won a lawsuit establishing their right to form a union but still cannot get PeaceHealth to acknowledge them or begin negotiations. "If they strike, there is no one left to care for the members of our community who are currently admitted to St. Joe's," she warned. Both speakers asked the council to use their platform to issue public statements of support, believing that when elected officials speak up, it sends a powerful message to the community about valuing healthcare workers. Council Member Galloway later mentioned she had joined nurses on the picket line that morning, noting the "incredible energy and sense of community and solidarity" she witnessed. ## Fire at 22 North Highlights Ongoing Concerns The troubled 22 North facility—a low-barrier housing project that has generated significant controversy—returned to the spotlight following a fire that displaced 13 residents the previous week. Adam Bellinger, a frequent critic of the facility's management, used the incident to renew his calls for significant changes. "Accidents do happen," he acknowledged. "But this bothers me because over a year ago, I interviewed a man who has worked inside 22 North" who had warned about fire hazards from open flames and debris in units. Bellinger had shared those concerns with the council over a year ago and expressed frustration that his warnings seemed to have gone unheeded. Despite funding allocated for improvements and treatment services at the facility, he argued that "catastrophic problems" continue to occur. "How much failure are we going to take before we change something significant?" Bellinger asked, suggesting the incident provided an opportunity to reassess how the property is managed and potentially change the organization running it. David Foreman, CFO of Opportunity Council which operates the facility, provided a more measured response later in the evening. He confirmed that two units remain out of service—the one where the fire occurred and one underneath that suffered water damage—but noted that all other displaced residents had been able to return safely. Foreman praised the Bellingham Fire Department's quick response and his staff's work through the night, emphasizing that "everything really went textbook" and expressing gratitude that no one was injured. He characterized the response as professional and effective, from turning off water in only the affected segment to managing the cleanup and recovery process. ## Environmental Conservation Debate Emerges Daniel Harm brought good news about forest conservation, announcing that the NCS Proviso had been included in the legislative budget with $23 million total—$10 million specifically for protecting roughly 500 acres of structurally complex forest on state land. The funding includes what Harm called "a new clause of cash for counties," meaning counties now have the option to receive cash upfront in addition to replacement lands while simultaneously conserving rare old-growth forest. Harm identified Upper Rutsatz as a prime candidate for Whatcom County—89 acres directly on the Nooksack's Middle Fork with "135 trees or more that are 50 dbh or greater" (a circumference of 13 feet). The average diameter from 300 measured trees is also 50 inches, indicating an exceptionally mature forest. "This forest is exploding with biodiversity and water sponge epiphytes," Harm explained, drawing on his background as a fifth-generation firefighter to argue that clear-cutting such forests puts communities at risk. These older forests remain moist even in drought season, serving as fire mitigation assets. Harm placed the local decision in broader context, arguing that the state's policy requiring 10-15 percent structurally complex forest in each planning unit could be met now with existing mature forests rather than waiting 71 years for new growth. He also delivered a pointed critique of "Big Timber," arguing they have historically opposed environmental advancements that ultimately benefit the industry itself, citing their 1946 Supreme Court appeal against requirements that logging companies replant harvested areas. ## Point Roberts Festival Gets Approval In a lighter moment that showcased the council's ability to solve problems quickly, the Strings and Things Music Festival received permit approval for July 12th in Point Roberts. Elliot Smith, representing both the Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce and speaking as a private citizen, had requested support for what he described as a "family-based enterprise" that has grown over recent years into "a great way for us to pull our Canadian neighbors back across the border and generate some local business." The permit approval process, which might normally take weeks or months, was expedited through collaborative effort. Council Member Ben Elenbaas expressed particular gratitude for the team effort: "I would like to think that I had something to do with being like, no, let's do it. Let's see if we can get it fixed for them so they can plan anything and get their marketing out." Legal requirements complicated the approval—the applicant needed to provide a $5,000 surety bond and demonstrate substantial compliance with notification requirements for residents within 500 yards. But the council found ways to work within the rules rather than let them become barriers. The final motion approved the permit "subject to the condition that the applicant provide a surety of $5,000 bond or cash pursuant to RCW 70.108.070" while finding the applicant in "substantial compliance with RCW 70.108.100, which was issuing notice to residential households within 500 yards of the event location." Smith's invitation to council members—"July 12th tickets are on sale now. You will have so much fun. Bring your families. Bring the dogs."—captured the community spirit the event represents. ## Construction Industry Pushes Back on Labor Requirements Rick Strissel, a Ferndale construction superintendent, brought concerns about new requirements for county construction projects over $15 million to include pre-hire agreements with unions—effectively a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) by another name. Strissel expressed frustration that language requiring PLAs had supposedly been removed from proposed policies following a March 19th meeting, only to reappear in different words that accomplish the same result. "They took the PLA wording out and they rewrote it to mean the exact same thing," he said. The policy restricts 87% of local contractors and workforce from working on county projects, Strissel argued, asking council members to consider the impact on local workers and contractors. His comments reflected broader tensions between organized labor's push for higher wage standards and the construction industry's concerns about competitiveness and access to work. ## Flood Mitigation Work Continues Several consent agenda items highlighted ongoing flood mitigation efforts in the Nooksack River watershed, prompting Council Member Stremler to request a progress presentation for June. Reading through contract descriptions—"to continue supporting," "to develop and assess," "to assess morphodynamic response," "to establish the responsibilities"—Stremler noted his concern that the public hears about studies and assessments but less about completed projects actually reducing flood risk. "I think it's time the community hears what's happening from all these studies and assessments that go on, which are needed," Stremler said. "But more importantly, it's what we do with those." He specifically requested a presentation from the Public Works Department focused not on repairs or fish habitat work, but on "what's been done physically to that river to help reduce flooding." The 1999 Nooksack River Comprehensive Flood Management Plan established the framework, but Stremler wants the community to understand tangible progress. "We know that another flood is coming sometime," he reminded his colleagues, referencing the 2021 flood that killed one person and caused approximately $50 million in property damage. ## State Legislative Session Brings Mixed Results Executive Sidhu's legislative report revealed both wins and disappointments from Olympia. Major victories included $14 million for flood mitigation work in the Nooksack Watershed and $1.15 million for the Alternate Response Team. But the county fell short on courthouse needs. While they received $1.25 million for adjudication facility needs, Sidhu noted they "were expecting a lot more because we didn't get money for our courtrooms and other employees needed for adjudication." The funding gap has created tension with the judiciary. "Judge Freeman is really upset about it," Sidhu revealed, adding that they continue working "behind the scenes with the governor's office to see if we can get something." These mixed results reinforce Sidhu's broader message about fiscal self-reliance. "One of the main takeaways of recent developments is that we cannot rely on state and federal government to plug our funding gaps," he emphasized. ## Rural Sales Tax Fund Allocations Set In committee reports, Council Member Todd Donovan outlined new target allocations for the Rural Sales Tax Fund that will guide future grant applications. The council set aside 15% for reserves while allocating the remaining funds: 30% for housing infrastructure projects, 30% for Whatcom County projects, and 40% for government infrastructure projects. Executive Sidhu emphasized that these targets serve an important planning function, encouraging cities and organizations to apply a year in advance rather than waiting until the last minute. "This way everyone knows how much money is available," he explained. "The applications come all at one time so they can sort and prioritize ones that are more deserving." The allocations provide guidance to potential applicants while maintaining council discretion. As staff noted, the county doesn't have to spend all allocated money if quality applications don't materialize. ## Sheriff's Office Conditions Draw Sharp Criticism Lyle Sorensen delivered perhaps the evening's sharpest critique, focusing on conditions at the sheriff's office that he characterized as symptomatic of misplaced priorities. Referencing previous testimony about sewage leaks in the basement of the jail, Sorensen painted a vivid picture: "I can't imagine that there would be recurring sewage leaks anywhere in the ceiling of this building that would be allowed to go on for years, to the point that staff in the council offices would need to have visqueen to put over their desks." The irony wasn't lost on him that "the source of that sewage is actually the inmates upstairs in the jail." More troubling, smoke tests conducted at the jail revealed that in a fire emergency, "everyone, staff, corrections staff, and inmates all perish." When Sorensen had previously raised this issue with the county executive, he reported the response was simply: "That's what insurance is for." "Don't look us in the eye and say that you support public safety," Sorensen challenged the council. "Because it's obvious that they don't. If it was the executive's office, it'd be fixed tomorrow." ## Substance Abuse Crisis Touches All Ages John Tenta, speaking by video, brought a more personal perspective to public comment, sharing concerns about substance misuse affecting young people in the community. His nephew, attending an alternative school in the county, receives Snapchat messages showing classmates using substances outside of school. Rather than judgment, Tenta offered prayers and hope. "I'm not judging anyone when I speak about this," he said. "I just want to draw awareness to it." Drawing on his own experience achieving sobriety, Tenta emphasized that recovery is "a personal journey" where "everybody arrives there at a different time." His message carried both urgency and compassion: "There's people outside of the courthouse building downtown that are misusing substances, and I'm just praying for them." ## Routine Business and Future Planning Beyond the major issues, the council handled substantial routine business, approving over $1 million in various contracts and budget adjustments. These included everything from voter pamphlet printing contracts to bridge replacement projects to forest management planning in the Lake Whatcom watershed. The meeting concluded with council members confirming executive appointments to various boards and scheduling additional work sessions for the coming months, including a three-hour session on June 3rd and one-hour extensions before health board meetings. Council members also shared updates on their various committee work, from ferry finances to emergency management training to airport operations. Council Member Jon Scanlon made a plea for cross-country skiers to join his Ski to Sea team, while others reported on Earth Day events and worker memorial ceremonies. ## A Community at a Crossroads As the meeting adjourned at 7:43 PM, the breadth of issues discussed—from immediate budget pressures to long-term forest conservation, from healthcare worker disputes to music festival permits—illustrated a community grappling with both opportunities and challenges. The fiscal constraints described by Executive Sidhu will likely force difficult choices in the coming budget cycle. Healthcare workers' threats of strikes could disrupt essential services. Environmental and development tensions continue over how to balance economic needs with conservation goals. Yet the evening also demonstrated government's capacity to respond, from expedited permit approvals to thoughtful planning for future flood mitigation. Council Chair Galloway's closing note—wishing Council Member Donovan a happy birthday—reminded everyone that behind the formal proceedings are people trying to solve problems for their neighbors. The next regular council meeting would bring new challenges, but this session established the contours of debates that will likely define Whatcom County's path through 2025 and beyond.