### Meeting Overview Whatcom County Council held a special Committee of the Whole meeting on June 3, 2025, focusing on three key topics: council office budget adjustments for the mid-biennium review, options for independent legal representation for the council, and the process for reviewing comprehensive plan chapters. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Mid-Biennium Review:** A budget adjustment process that occurs halfway through a two-year budget cycle to address cost increases and make necessary cuts to stay within balanced budget requirements. **Board of Equalization (BOE):** A county body that hears property tax assessment appeals from property owners who disagree with their assessed values. Requires specialized staff and temporary help during petition seasons. **Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force (IPRTF):** A county advisory body focused on developing strategies to reduce jail population and improve criminal justice outcomes, with significant staff support requirements. **Justice Project Oversight and Planning (JPOP):** A committee that provides oversight of jail facility planning and operations, requiring professional facilitation services according to county ordinance. **Attorney-Client Privilege:** A legal protection that keeps communications between lawyers and their clients confidential, which varies depending on how legal counsel is structured for government bodies. **Comprehensive Plan:** A long-range planning document that guides county growth and development policies, updated every 8-10 years with extensive public input and review processes. **UGA (Urban Growth Area):** Designated areas around cities where urban development is encouraged to occur, helping manage sprawl and protect rural areas from development. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Kaylee Galloway | Council Chair | | Cathy Halka | Clerk of the Council | | Ali Panucci | Deputy Executive | | Kimberly Thulin | Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney | | Mark Personius | Planning & Development Services Director | | Kiana Oos | Council Staff | | Barry Buchanan | Council Member | | Tyler Byrd | Council Member | | Todd Donovan | Council Member | | Ben Elenbaas | Council Member (absent for portions) | | Jon Scanlon | Council Member | | Mark Stremler | Council Member | ### Background Context The county is facing budget pressures that require all departments to identify cost reductions for 2026, with the council office asked to cut between $76,000-$133,000. This comes as labor contracts are being renegotiated and other costs are rising. The council also continues to grapple with questions about legal representation - whether their current arrangement with the prosecuting attorney's office adequately serves their needs as a separate branch of government, particularly when potential conflicts arise. Meanwhile, the comprehensive plan update process is moving forward, requiring careful coordination between the planning commission, council, and various cities to manage growth and development decisions that will shape the county for the next decade. ### What Happened — The Short Version The council approved budget cuts totaling about $136,000 by eliminating a vacant temporary legislative coordinator position ($106,000), reducing internships from two to one ($15,000), and cutting IPRTF advertising ($15,000). They also approved a list of anticipated cost increases and requested that the executive present initial budget recommendations in September. For legal representation, they formed a three-member subcommittee (Scanlon, Galloway, and Byrd) to study options for independent counsel. They also discussed and generally approved a process for reviewing comprehensive plan chapters that would give the council earlier input opportunities rather than waiting until the very end of the planning commission's work. ### What to Watch Next • June 9 deadline for submitting budget reduction proposals to the executive office • July presentation on comprehensive plan preferred alternatives and maps • September target date for executive's initial budget recommendations • Ongoing work by the legal representation subcommittee to develop proposals ---

**Q:** What was the council's target range for budget cuts requested by the executive office? **A:** Between $76,000 and $133,000 for 2026, with departments asked to provide low and high reduction scenarios. **Q:** Which vacant position did the council agree to eliminate to meet budget targets? **A:** The temporary two-year Legislative Coordinator position for the Board of Equalization, worth $106,000. **Q:** What is JPOP and why does it need facilitation funding? **A:** Justice Project Oversight and Planning Committee - provides oversight of jail facility planning and requires professional facilitation per county ordinance, estimated at $20,000 annually. **Q:** How many petitions did the Board of Equalization handle last year versus this year? **A:** Last year: 1,800 petitions; this year: approximately 620 petitions, showing significantly reduced workload. **Q:** What percentage of the council office's total budget would a $133,000 cut represent? **A:** Approximately 4.7% of the council office's $2.8 million budget. **Q:** Which two counties have different models for council legal representation than Whatcom County? **A:** King County (with attorneys who have attorney-client privilege) and Pierce County (staff attorney without privilege who also does code revision and parliamentary work). **Q:** Who was appointed to the subcommittee studying independent legal representation options? **A:** Council Members Jon Scanlon, Kaylee Galloway, and Tyler Byrd. **Q:** When does the county hope to present maps showing UGA expansions and preferred alternatives? **A:** July 22, 2025, during a joint council and planning commission meeting. **Q:** What is the current status of the IPRTF advertising budget? **A:** $15,000 was budgeted for 2025 and 2026, but none has been spent yet in 2025. **Q:** What does the 5% lapse assumption in the budget mean? **A:** The county assumes it will not spend about 5% of its budget due to vacant positions and other factors, helping balance the overall budget. **Q:** When is the countywide industrial land study expected to be completed? **A:** By the end of June 2025, with review availability hoped for in July. **Q:** What is the deadline for submitting budget reduction scenarios to the executive? **A:** June 9, 2025. **Q:** How much time does legislative coordinator Jill Nixon spend on IPRTF work? **A:** A significant percentage of time, with detailed breakdown provided in staff activity analysis. **Q:** What happens if the council and planning commission disagree on comprehensive plan amendments? **A:** The council retains final decision-making authority and can approve amendments even if the planning commission doesn't recommend them. **Q:** When will all departments' budget reduction proposals be shared with the council? **A:** In July 2025, when the executive office presents its recommendations based on all department submissions. ---