# A Meeting of Substance: Whatcom County Council Grapples with Mental Health, Growth, and Justice Infrastructure The Whatcom County Council Committee of the Whole convened on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, for what would prove to be a substantive three-and-a-half-hour session that touched the heart of some of the county's most pressing challenges: mental health services, explosive population growth, and the ever-evolving quest to build a new jail facility. With all seven council members present in the hybrid meeting format, the afternoon unfolded as a series of presentations and discussions that revealed both progress and persistent tensions in local governance. Chair Kaylee Galloway called the meeting to order at 1:11 PM, setting the stage for what would become a marathon session that wouldn't adjourn until 4:29 PM. The agenda was packed with special presentations, policy discussions, and the kind of detailed municipal work that rarely makes headlines but shapes communities for decades to come. ## Lake Whatcom Center: A Beacon of Mental Health Services The first major presentation came from Jenny Billings, executive director of Lake Whatcom Center, who has dedicated nearly four decades of her career to serving some of the county's most vulnerable residents. Billings, who first arrived at the center in 1987 as facilities director and has served as executive director for the past decade, presented a compelling portrait of an organization that has evolved and expanded to meet growing mental health needs. "We first started in a little teeny house at the very end of Lake Whatcom off of Park Road and it was kind of a rundown facility," Billings recounted, describing the humble origins of what has become a comprehensive behavioral health services network. The organization now operates multiple facilities across the county, serving clients with chronic and persistent mental illness, substance abuse disorders, and dual diagnoses. The numbers Billings shared painted a picture of both success and ongoing need. Their Baker Creek dual diagnosis facility has had 561 admissions since opening, averaging about 12 per month, with roughly five successful 60-day stays graduating in recovery each month. "That's actually a pretty good statistic when you consider all the substance abuse treatment facilities usually it's about 20 to 25%," she noted. Perhaps most impressively, the organization's HEART program—Holistic Engagement through Allied Recovery and Treatment—conducted 9,269 client contacts in 2023 and 2024. This 24/7 crisis outreach program represents a different model of emergency response, one that sends trained behavioral health professionals instead of police to help clients in crisis. "If a client is not doing well in any of our programs or any of our facilities, instead of calling EMTs or calling 911, we have a 24/7 program that goes out and stabilizes clients," Billings explained. The program has even assisted law enforcement when officers encounter individuals known to be Lake Whatcom Center clients. Council Member Jon Scanlon's question about capacity revealed the practical challenges the organization faces. The 67-bed Agate Heights facility typically operates at about 60 clients—not quite full, which Billings noted is actually beneficial. "When we're full, it's a lot. It's just like when the hospital's full. It's just kind of chaotic. So it's nice to have a little bit of a buffer." But growth and expansion come with costs. Billings was direct about their primary need: "It's funding for this Birchwood facility. Quite frankly, we've been self-supportive for as long as I've been with the agency, almost 38 years." The organization has drawn down its capital reserves through recent facility improvements, and the Birchwood facility—a former nursing home they purchased—requires significant HVAC system upgrades before it can open. The Birchwood facility represents an important strategic shift for the organization. Rather than keeping clients in the more remote Agate Heights location where bus service has been discontinued, the plan is to move clients closer to town where they can be more integrated into the community. This would then free up the Agate facility to be converted into a 32-bed long-term recovery residence, addressing another critical need in the community. When Council Member Todd Donovan asked whether their services would duplicate those at the Anne Deacon Center for Hope, Billings was clear: "No, Anne Deacon Center is the crisis triage... So they are really a permanent home for somebody while they'll need that treatment. They're getting wraparound services, meals, treatment groups, medications, medical needs." ## State Legislative Session: Navigating Olympia's Complex Landscape The second presentation shifted focus to the state level, where Jed Holmes from the County Executive's office provided updates on Whatcom County's priorities in the 2025 legislative session. The breadth of issues the county is tracking in Olympia reflects the complexity of local government in the modern era. Holmes outlined several key areas of focus, starting with the Nooksack water adjudication—a complex legal process that will determine water rights throughout the Nooksack River basin. The county is seeking state support for both technical studies and community outreach, as well as funding for new courthouse space to accommodate the expected proceedings. Transportation infrastructure remains a priority, with the county requesting approximately $11 million in the state transportation budget to support ferry construction. The crisis relief center, meanwhile, faces operational challenges that have emerged in similar facilities in other jurisdictions, creating what Holmes described as "a large funding gap." Perhaps most significant for county budgets is the ongoing discussion around public defense funding. Holmes explained that changing caseload standards could have "a very significant budget impact," with bills in both the House and Senate proposing a 50-50 cost match between counties and the state. The fiscal note accompanying these proposals showed a potential price tag of about $1 billion over six years—money that would have to come from somewhere if the state Supreme Court mandates new caseload standards. Council Member Donovan's questions about specific bills revealed the challenge of tracking hundreds of pieces of legislation. When he asked about HB 1054 concerning ferry funding, Holmes explained it deals with contracting mechanisms that would make multi-year, longer-term contracting easier, though it doesn't address capital versus operating expenses. Chair Galloway used the opportunity to highlight the county's active engagement in state affairs, noting her regular attendance at Washington State Association of Counties (WASAC) meetings and the importance of coordinating with other counties on shared priorities. "I feel that presence with having Josh there because I just feel it's so important for us to also be tracking what the full body is working on and how that may support and overlap with our individual county priority," she said, referring to the county's lobbyist. The discussion touched on child care subsidies, with Council Member Ben Elenbaas raising concerns about potential state delays in increasing subsidies that could impact the county's own child care programs. This exemplifies the interconnected nature of local and state policy, where decisions made in Olympia can have immediate impacts on county programs and budgets. ## Justice Project Funding: Complex Mathematics of Public Safety The afternoon's most technical—and perhaps most consequential—presentation came from Duncan Brown of PFM Financial Advisors, the county's independent municipal advisor, who walked council members through the evolving funding model for the new jail facility. What emerged was a story of changing costs, shifting economic conditions, and the complex mathematics of public finance. Brown began with sobering news: three key factors had changed since the original funding plan was developed. The estimated project cost had increased from $150 million to $170 million—a $15 million jump that reflects ongoing cost escalation. More significantly, actual 2024 sales tax collections had contracted by about 2.5% instead of growing by the projected 5%, creating a lower baseline for future projections. This prompted an immediate exchange that revealed underlying tensions about the project's scope and timeline. Council Member Donovan pressed on the evolving cost estimates, pointing out that voters had been told one thing, but costs kept increasing. "We told the voters [we're] going to build this facility with a specific number of beds and people per bed. 440 beds. One person per cell. That was the way we sold it to the voters," Donovan said. Deputy Executive Kayla Schott-Bresler responded that the current $170 million figure was a working number for modeling purposes, not a final cost estimate. She explained that STV, the county's project management consultant, would be working with the executive branch and council over the summer to develop a preliminary budget, with refinements to follow. The fundamental tension became clear when County Executive Satpal Sidhu addressed the council directly. He acknowledged that costs and circumstances can change, but defended the approach: "I think that what we are taking a balanced view of such a large project, large commitment of borrowing money and want to give the best value to our community. Yes, we always happen, things do change. They change for a reason and we will follow the direction from the council." This philosophical divide—between adhering to specific voter promises versus adapting to changing circumstances—would thread through the entire discussion. Brown presented three funding scenarios, each illustrating different trade-offs between competing goals. The first scenario prioritized keeping city contributions as short as possible, but this pushed the 50% behavioral health funding goal out to 2033—four years later than the 2030 target in the interlocal agreement. The second scenario focused on meeting the 2030 behavioral health funding goal, but required city contributions to extend for a much longer period. The third scenario explored what would happen if the county increased its own annual debt service responsibility slightly, which could shorten city contributions by about four years while still meeting the 2030 goal. Council Member Jon Scanlon questioned why there would be more behavioral health funding available in the first scenario despite the later timeline. Brown explained this was due to the timing of when different funding streams ended, though he cautioned that these were nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation. The discussion revealed a broader philosophical question about the relationship between behavioral health spending and incarceration. Council Member Scanlon noted that the county has an incarceration prevention and reduction task force, and wondered whether accelerating behavioral health funding ahead of building the jail might actually reduce the size of facility needed. "The studies have shown it's not a one to one relationship that you put $1 on the behavioral health, you gain $1 on the capacity," Executive Sidhu responded, suggesting the relationship between behavioral health investment and reduced incarceration is complex and not directly proportional. Council Member Tyler Byrd expressed frustration with what he perceived as slow progress on the project. "It does feel like it's taking a long time and the longer it takes the more frustration that our community is going to have," he said. He called for the project to be prioritized and asked pointed questions about what could be done to accelerate progress, including potentially borrowing from other county funds or repurposing staff to focus exclusively on the jail project. "At the end of the day, to me, this comes back to the executive and the executive's team," Byrd said. "I think really what we need to hear from you is why is it taking so long and how are you going to speed it up?" The technical presentation concluded with Brown emphasizing that none of the scenarios represented final funding plans, and that future bond market conditions, project costs, and sales tax growth would all affect the ultimate financial structure. ## Cities Present Growth Visions: A County in Transition The second half of the meeting featured presentations from six cities outlining their population and employment growth projections for the next 20 years—a process that will significantly influence urban growth area boundaries, infrastructure planning, and the overall pattern of development in Whatcom County. ### Blaine: Balanced Growth with Flood Resilience Alex Wenger, Community Development Services Director for the City of Blaine, presented a measured approach to growth, requesting 3,500 new residents and 1,092 jobs over 20 years. The request represented a middle-ground approach—726 people over the medium projection but still well within existing urban growth area capacity. "Our UGA still has a surplus of over 7,000 people. We have enough land to accommodate over 7,000 people, even after 20 years of growth," Wenger explained, noting similar capacity for employment growth. Blaine's presentation emphasized climate resilience, with Wenger noting that the city doesn't face major flooding issues and isn't displacing agricultural lands with development. The city is also considering strategic urban growth area adjustments, potentially removing areas with vulnerable aquifer recharge zones while adding others better suited for development. One area of concern emerged during questioning when Council Member Donovan challenged a letter from Blaine that had criticized county delays in the process. While Wenger diplomatically noted he hadn't written the letter, the exchange highlighted tensions some cities feel about the pace of the comprehensive planning process. ### Everson: Moving Away from Floodplains Alex Putnam, city planner for Everson, presented a community grappling with significant flood risk while experiencing substantial growth pressure. The city is requesting 1,408 new residents—matching the technical report's high allocation—and 602 jobs over the planning period. "A majority of Everson is surrounded by primarily agricultural zoning, but the city is looking to move more to the southwest, just to get out of those flood plains," Putnam explained. The strategy reflects hard-learned lessons from recent flooding events that have repeatedly inundated parts of the city. Everson's presentation included a sobering map showing current development proposals that would add approximately 505 housing units in the next decade—more than the city's entire growth allocation for 20 years. This disconnect between planned growth and actual development pressure illustrates the challenge of managing growth in smaller communities experiencing rapid change. The city is proposing strategic urban growth area swaps, removing flood-prone areas while adding more suitable land outside the floodplain. Rollin Harper, a planning consultant working with Everson, introduced an innovative concept for mitigating agricultural land conversion: establishing a system where developers could contribute funds to help retire development rights on other agricultural and rural resource lands. "If we time the system correctly, then those that we'd be bringing in land, those property owners or developers should reasonably be able to contribute funds that help retire development rights in rural and resource lands and we're on board with that type of approach," Harper explained. ### Ferndale: Industrial Powerhouse Planning for Growth Michael Cerbone, Community Development Director for Ferndale, presented the most ambitious growth vision, reflecting the city's position as the county's fastest-growing community from 2013 to 2023. Ferndale is requesting 10,961 additional residents and 3,337 new jobs—figures that reflect the city's strong industrial base and strategic location. "We have close proximity to major employment areas. We're right next to Cherry Point, city of Bellingham and Lummi Nation [with the] county's largest employer," Cerbone noted, highlighting Ferndale's advantages including four highway interchanges on Interstate 5, rail access, and proximity to Bellingham International Airport. Ferndale has been proactive in preparing for growth, with no urban growth area expansions over the past 13 years despite being the county's second-largest city. The city has implemented missing middle housing types, upgraded infrastructure, and updated transportation and housing elements ahead of schedule. The presentation included several policy recommendations for the county, including establishing a formal urban growth area reserve program, examining ways to remove barriers to annexation, and creating new zoning tools to better manage growth areas. These suggestions reflect the practical challenges cities face in managing rapid growth within existing governance structures. ### Lynden: Managing Growth Pressures Dave Timmer, city planner for Lynden, presented a community that has nearly tripled its population since the Growth Management Act was first implemented, growing from around 5,000 residents in 1990 to nearly 17,000 in 2023. The city is requesting 6,600 new residents over the planning period—a more modest growth rate than recent trends. "The last 15 years or so, we're averaging about 2.5% annual growth rate of around 300 new residents every year," Timmer explained. The proposed allocation would slow this to about 1.5% annually, reflecting what Timmer described as community concerns about growth pains affecting transportation and schools. Lynden's challenge lies in the difficulty of developing remaining vacant land, much of which has high water tables, critical areas, and significant infrastructure needs. The city recently annexed about 280 acres for primarily industrial uses, but most residential growth will need to occur through infill and redevelopment in existing areas. The presentation highlighted a common theme among smaller cities: while they're experiencing rapid population growth, much of their remaining developable land is expensive and complicated to build on, requiring creative approaches to accommodate new residents. ### Nooksack: Small Community, Big Changes Holly Hamilton, consultant for the City of Nooksack, presented the most dramatic growth story relative to community size. With a population of about 1,600, Nooksack is requesting 995 new residents over the forecast period—a substantial increase for such a small community. "The significant growth that occurred from 2020 to 2024 and the anticipated growth through 2028... population growth from 2020 to 2024 was 18.84%," Hamilton reported. Much of this growth reflects completed and approved developments, not projections, meaning it's essentially guaranteed to occur. Hamilton and consultant Rollin Harper made an important point about the role of smaller cities in regional growth management. "Everson and Nooksack have been location destinations for affordable housing," Harper explained. "By allowing growth in the small cities, in part, you help them from spilling out into the rural and resource land." This observation highlights how housing affordability drives settlement patterns, with residents seeking options in smaller communities when urban centers become too expensive. ### Sumas: Boxed In by Geography and Risk Carson Cortez, city planner for Sumas, presented perhaps the most challenging growth scenario. The city is requesting 1,000 new residents over 20 years, but currently has capacity for only 269 people within existing urban growth areas. Making matters more complex, most of Sumas sits within the 100-year floodplain, as dramatically illustrated in the presentation's maps. "You can see that a majority of Sumas is in the 100 year floodplain. Obviously, this is a major issue for Sumas that everybody's aware of," Cortez explained. The 2021 floods hit Sumas particularly hard, making flood resilience a central planning consideration. Sumas has proposed an ambitious "flood resilient UGA expansion plan" that would add substantial land area to the west of the current city, most of which sits outside the floodplain due to higher elevation. However, this expansion would require crossing through some floodplain areas and converting agricultural land—creating both regulatory and policy challenges. "In order to get there, we kind of have to [go through floodplain areas] because there's nowhere else to go that isn't in the floodplain," Cortez acknowledged, highlighting the geographic constraints the city faces. Council Member Donovan asked a fundamental question about whether state law requires cities like Sumas to plan for growth when they face such severe constraints. Harper responded that his understanding is that the Growth Management Act doesn't require every jurisdiction to expand, noting that "certain places are more challenging than others." ## Policy Questions and Regional Coordination The presentations collectively revealed several overarching challenges facing Whatcom County's growth management: **Flood resilience has become central to land use planning.** Multiple cities are looking to move development away from flood-prone areas, requiring urban growth area adjustments and potentially agricultural land conversions. This represents a significant shift from past planning practices and reflects the reality of climate change impacts. **Small cities are experiencing disproportionate growth pressure.** Communities like Nooksack and Everson are seeing growth rates that far exceed county averages, driven partly by residents seeking more affordable housing options. This creates infrastructure and service delivery challenges for communities with limited capacity. **Agricultural land conversion remains contentious.** While cities need land for growth, the county has goals to maintain 100,000 acres of agricultural and natural resource lands. The proposed mitigation approaches—including developer fees to retire development rights elsewhere—represent creative attempts to balance these competing needs. **Infrastructure capacity varies dramatically.** Some cities like Ferndale have invested heavily in infrastructure upgrades and can accommodate substantial growth, while others face significant capacity constraints that would require major capital investments. Council members raised several policy questions that will need resolution as the planning process continues. Council Member Donovan expressed particular concern that many growth projections far exceed state Office of Financial Management medium projections, asking staff to explain why local estimates are "so drastically above OFM medium" when those projections have historically been accurate. Chair Galloway noted the need for additional discussions about flood mapping, pointing out that "the 100 year flood map is no longer necessarily the 100 year flood map" due to climate change. She suggested bringing in county staff working on climate vulnerability assessments to inform land use decisions. The presentations also highlighted coordination challenges between the county and cities around annexation policies, infrastructure financing, and growth management tools. Several cities requested policy changes to streamline annexation processes and provide better tools for managing growth areas. ## Forest Advisory Committee: Expanding Scope and Representation The meeting's final major discussion focused on proposed changes to the Whatcom County Forest Advisory Committee, an 11-member body that advises the council on forestry issues. Chair Galloway, who sponsored the proposed ordinance amendments, explained that the changes grew out of concerns about member terms expiring simultaneously and broader questions about the committee's role as the Forest Resilience Task Force concludes its work. John Gold, immediate past chair of the forest advisory committee, explained the practical problem: "10 of the 11 members [are] all terming out the same month, which is next January." This would create significant disruption and loss of institutional knowledge. The proposed solution involves two main changes: restructuring terms so they're tied to designated positions rather than individual appointments, and expanding the committee's membership to include additional types of forest land managers. Currently, the committee represents small forest landowners, commercial forest landowners, forest product manufacturers, and includes an ex-officio member from the Department of Natural Resources. The expansion would add ex-officio representatives from federal forest lands, tribal governments, the Whatcom Land Trust, and the Whatcom Conservation District. Holly Koon, an individual committee member speaking in her personal capacity, strongly supported the expansion. "There are literally hundreds of thousands of acres of forest lands in Whatcom County that we spent almost zero time talking about," she said, noting that small family forest lands actually comprise more acreage than state DNR lands in the county. "The future of Whatcom County sustainable forestry, farming and other land-based enterprises is going to be extremely challenging," Koon continued. "Climate, weather, wildfire, urban growth—these are issues that will need all hands on deck for information sharing, partnerships, collaboration and outside the box thinking." However, the expansion also raised concerns. Council Member Mark Stremler worried about the committee growing from 11 to 17 members, noting that even Fortune 500 companies average only 11 board members. "I wonder if we expand this, what are the lessons we can learn from some of the other advisory committees to make sure that this is a manageable group," he said. The discussion revealed different philosophies about the committee's role. Gold noted that "the committee has split opinions" about the proposed changes, with some members preferring the current focus on forest products industry issues. Tracy Petroske, another committee member, clarified that the term staggering would allow everyone to serve their full terms, with some receiving partial extensions to create the staggered schedule. She also noted that the committee had discussed concerns about the larger size. The conversation touched on broader questions about advisory committee structure and function, including quorum requirements and the balance between representing different interests versus maintaining manageable group dynamics. ## Project Review Ordinance: Implementing State Requirements In the meeting's final action item, the council unanimously recommended introduction of an ordinance implementing state Senate Bill 5290, which requires changes to local project review processes. Mark Personius, Planning and Development Services Director, briefly explained that the county had prepared a revised ordinance for introduction. Council Member Scanlon moved to recommend the revised ordinance to the full council for introduction, with the motion seconded by Council Member Donovan. The 7-0 vote reflected the mandatory nature of implementing state requirements, though some members expressed concerns about stakeholder engagement processes. ## Looking Forward: Challenges and Opportunities As the committee of the whole meeting drew to a close at 4:29 PM, several themes emerged that will likely shape Whatcom County's governance in the months and years ahead. The tension between promises made to voters and evolving circumstances runs through multiple issues, from the jail project's scope and timeline to growth projections that may exceed historical patterns. Council members are grappling with how to maintain public trust while adapting to changing conditions they cannot fully control. Climate resilience has moved from a peripheral concern to a central planning consideration, influencing everything from urban growth area boundaries to flood mapping and infrastructure investments. The county and its cities are being forced to make difficult decisions about where and how to accommodate growth in an era of increasing climate uncertainty. Regional coordination remains both essential and challenging, as evidenced by the complex negotiations around jail funding, growth projections, and annexation policies. The county's relationship with its cities involves ongoing balancing of local autonomy with regional coordination needs. The meeting demonstrated both the complexity of modern local government and the dedication of public servants working to address challenges that often lack clear solutions. From Jenny Billings' four decades serving mental health clients to city planners wrestling with flood-prone growth areas, the afternoon revealed the human dimension of public policy. As Chair Galloway noted in closing, much work remains ahead. The council will need additional time to discuss growth projections, review flood mapping assumptions, and coordinate with cities on comprehensive plan updates. The jail project funding model requires further refinement, and the Forest Advisory Committee changes need full council consideration. The February 11, 2025 committee meeting represented democracy in action—sometimes messy, often technical, always consequential. The decisions emerging from these discussions will shape how Whatcom County grows, how it serves its most vulnerable residents, and how it prepares for an uncertain future. In a time of rapid change and complex challenges, the afternoon's work demonstrated both the difficulty and the necessity of collaborative governance.