# County Committee Tackles Road Projects, Jail Planning, and Canyon Lake Access in Brief Morning Session ## Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Council Finance and Administrative Services Committee convened for a brisk 38-minute meeting on July 8, 2025, in the County Courthouse chambers. Committee Chair Todd Donovan presided over the hybrid session, with members Barry Buchanan and Tyler Byrd present both in-person and virtually. Several other council members attended as observers, including Ben Elenbaas, Kaylee Galloway, Jon Scanlon, and Mark Stremler. The agenda was notably streamlined — "probably the shortest consent agenda we've had in recent memories, because we don't have any money," Donovan quipped at the opening. Despite the light agenda, the committee addressed significant infrastructure investments, including road improvements, ferry modernization, and ongoing planning for the county's new jail and behavioral health facility. The meeting also highlighted ongoing challenges with Canyon Lake access negotiations and demonstrated the complex procedural machinery of local government budget amendments. ## Swift Consent Agenda Approval The committee quickly dispatched four consent agenda items totaling over $1.4 million in agreements and contract amendments. Buchanan moved to recommend approval of all four items en bloc, though Byrd flagged one item for follow-up discussion at the evening council meeting. The approved items included a substantial $1.3 million flood mitigation planning agreement with the state Department of Commerce for work in Sumas, Nooksack, and Everson — communities that have faced repeated flooding challenges. The county also authorized agreements for juvenile offender programming services and court improvement programs, as well as a $56,760 contract amendment with the U.S. Forest Service. Byrd's concern centered on agenda item four, an agreement amendment that requires the county to provide a full-time officer for Forest Service work while covering what appeared to be less than half the actual wage costs. "I was wondering about number four, because the contract says that it is they require us to have a full time officer in that area, and yet, we're covering what I'm guessing is less than half of the fully loaded wage cost," Byrd explained. He planned to seek clarification from the sheriff's office before the evening meeting. ## Birch Bay Road Intersection Gets Federal Funding Boost The committee's first discussion item focused on a $150,000 budget increase for the Birch Bay-Lynden Road and Blaine Road intersection improvement project. Josh Cihak from Public Works explained the funding was specifically needed for right-of-way acquisitions to complete property purchases before construction begins in summer 2026. Public Works Director Elizabeth Kosa addressed questions about state funding, noting that while the Washington State Department of Transportation isn't contributing to this project, the county has secured substantial federal grants. "This project has construction funding from two sources, from safety fund, HSIP, as well as carbon reduction funds," Cihak explained, adding that the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funding represents the majority of construction funding at 90% federal support. Council member Stremler found it "kind of interesting personally that the state was not contributing at all to an intersection that involves one of their highways." Despite the lack of state support, he expressed satisfaction that "the county [is] moving forward with it." The project represents a significant safety improvement for one of the county's busiest intersections, though it also illustrates the complex funding challenges facing local infrastructure projects when state priorities don't align with local needs. ## Money Returns from Completed Hannigan Road Project In a welcome reversal of typical budget requests, the committee discussed returning $300,000 from the completed East Smith/Hannigan Road intersection improvement project back to the general Road Fund. The project, which featured a roundabout designed with a grass center for easier maintenance, came in under budget and represents one of several measures to address cash flow issues in the county's transportation funding. "This is one of the measures that we talked about when I talked about cash flow issues with the Road Fund, and that we would be coming to council for ordinances to bring some of that funding back where we didn't need to have it tied up," Kosa explained. The return of unused project funds provides some relief for the perpetually strained Road Fund, which faces ongoing challenges maintaining the county's extensive transportation network. Donovan recalled touring the completed roundabout at its opening, remembering that "the interior of the roundabout is basically just pavement to save money on maintenance for plants and all that annoying stuff." Kosa corrected him that this particular roundabout actually features grass, though the county does prioritize low-maintenance designs for cost efficiency in future projects. ## Ferry Funds Get Protected Status The committee also discussed establishing a dedicated fund for the $10 million in County Road Administration Board (CRAB) grants awarded for Lummi Island Ferry replacement over 20 years. James Lee from Public Works explained that the ordinance would formally move existing grant funds from the general Road Fund into the dedicated ferry replacement fund, with all future disbursements going directly into the project fund. "Those funds go directly into the Road Fund, but they are restricted, if you want to call it, they're a colored money so we can only use them for the capital replacement," Kosa explained. The move addresses CRAB's requirement that the county demonstrate how it ensures the grant money is spent only on ferry capital replacement, not other transportation needs. This administrative step protects the long-term ferry funding while preventing the grants from getting "lost in the shuffle with the overall Road Fund cash flow." ## Jail Project Advances with $4 Million Budget Addition The committee's most substantial discussion centered on adding $4 million to the Public Health, Safety and Justice Facility project — the county's new jail and behavioral health center. Deputy Executive Kayla Schott-Bresler explained that the funding should carry the project through the first quarter of 2026, supporting permitting, geotechnical services, and pre-construction planning. The bulk of the funding — $3.4 million — will support the initial scope for the design-build contract currently in procurement. "We are nearing selection of a firm," Schott-Bresler reported, with three finalists under consideration. The selection process has proceeded with management plan reviews, and the next step involves receiving cost proposals before making the final choice. Council member Scanlon probed the spending details, noting that a staff memo broke down the $4 million allocation. The budget includes contingency funding for unexpected consultant needs, such as specialists in coordinating between behavioral health and criminal justice systems. "If we wanted to hire a specialist in, I don't know, working between the behavioral health system and the criminal legal system on helping further plan the behavioral Care Center and needed to execute a $70,000 contract, or something like that, this contingency for consultants can be used for that," Schott-Bresler explained. The budget amendment also included moving $1 million from the justice project back to the county's capital reserve fund. This represented county-only money that had been used to seed the project but could now be redirected to other capital needs like a new morgue or sheriff's office improvements under the local funding agreement with participating cities. ## Timeline Pressures and Local Business Concerns Facilities Director Rob Ney addressed timeline questions, acknowledging that they're still targeting July 4, 2028, for facility completion — though he noted that date will need verification from the selected design-build contractor. "Between now and the end of 26 we will be defining exactly what this jail looks like," Ney explained, describing the upcoming period as "one of the most critical phases for both the county and our partners." Council member Byrd raised concerns about local business participation, recalling earlier discussions about breaking the project into smaller components to allow more local companies to bid. "I thought we were going to break it up into smaller projects, instead of one large project, to the nature of how many companies could bid on it," Byrd noted, expressing concern about how the current approach "really kind of alienated local companies more." Ney responded that the current procurement process includes substantial scoring for disadvantaged and local business participation — 30 out of 130 total points. He also anticipated breaking construction into phases that could create opportunities for smaller local contractors. "I do anticipate that we'll maybe do a civil set or a foundation set to expedite that, which would allow, you know, smaller bits and pieces of that to be subcontracted out," he explained. The pressure to move quickly creates tension with desires for local participation, as waiting for all permits and plans could delay construction by "a year or plus." The solution involves carefully choreographed phasing that maintains momentum while creating opportunities for local businesses to participate in manageable portions of the massive project. ## Canyon Lake Access Remains Complex The committee's discussion of a $3.5 million supplemental budget request included funding for Canyon Lake Community Forest access improvements, prompting questions from Council member Scanlon about how the county's plans align with a challenging letter received from the Department of Natural Resources in late June. Parks Director Bennett Knox explained that the county is pursuing two parallel tracks. The supplemental budget fulfills existing obligations under an agreement with Sierra Pacific Industries for road improvements, gates, and signage before Canyon Lake. Separately, the county is negotiating with DNR for a permanent access easement across state land. "We have an existing agreement with SPI and that's what the supplemental is for," Knox explained. "So that's a stretch of road that's just prior to Canyon Lake." The county expects to install gates by October and has secured a temporary road use permit through 2026 for administrative access while continuing easement negotiations. The DNR situation remains challenging, with the state agency requiring written concurrence from tribes before approving any permanent access easement. "We're looking to have negotiations conversations with the land trust and WWT to try to jointly achieve that, that concurrence," Knox said, referring to ongoing discussions with tribal entities. Stremler suggested the committee would benefit from hearing directly from DNR representatives: "I think it would be advantageous for all of us to potentially hear from, you know, DNR and their perspective, because they are a big part of this picture." The suggestion highlighted the complexity of multi-agency negotiations affecting public access to popular recreation areas. ## Van Zandt Community Hall Project Gets Final Approval The committee's final action item, added by revision the previous day, authorized awarding an $823,544 construction contract to Summit Construction Group for renovations and additions to the Van Zandt Community Hall. Parks Director Knox described the project as adding capacity and storage space while supporting the radio station housed in the building. Buchanan expressed enthusiasm for the long-awaited project: "I'm so happy we're moving forward with this project. It's been in the making for quite a while, and it's just awesome to see it's being realized." The project will increase rental capacity to generate more revenue for the community association responsible for facility maintenance. Byrd highlighted the emergency communications value of the project, noting that the Van Zandt radio station provides crucial coverage to East County areas where other stations don't reach effectively. "During certain times of the day or evening, they have to dial down their power, which means that they don't want to reach all the way out there. And when that happens, there's it becomes really difficult for our teams and emergency operations to get communications and information all the way out to East County," he explained. The project also includes accessibility improvements with grant funding from Washington State Department of Transportation for better connection between the building and local bus service. Byrd recalled community volunteer efforts to prepare the building for renovation: "There was a ton of people out there helping clean the building out and everything, I mean, light fixtures, the cabinets, the doors people were taking to recycle the whole nine yards." He humorously noted "the only negative that day was the fact that I fell off a ladder and tried to rip my shoulder out," while rubbing his shoulder during the discussion. ## Budget Amendment Process Clarified Near the meeting's end, Stremler inquired about procedures for separating individual items from the supplemental budget ordinance for separate votes. His interest centered on the Canyon Lake funding item, which prompted Deputy Executive Aly Pennucci and County Attorney Kimberly Thulin to explain the amendment process. "The way to vote on something the bill will get voted on is one vote," Pennucci clarified. "If you want to vote no on it, on a specific line item, that's not really an option, you can move to amend it." The explanation highlighted that council members can propose amendments to remove specific line items, but the ordinance ultimately receives a single up-or-down vote. Thulin confirmed that amendments could be made either before introduction (the "cleanest and most straightforward" approach) or after introduction for non-material changes like striking a line item. However, the executive's office emphasized they would not separate supplemental budget requests into multiple ordinances due to administrative complexity. "What we aren't planning to do moving forward is to pull things out into separate ordinances, because you will make me crazy and the rest of my staff," Pennucci noted with humor that underscored a serious efficiency concern. ## Closing and What's Ahead The committee adjourned at 10:33 a.m., with most agenda items heading to the full council meeting that evening for introduction and eventual action. The brief but substantive session demonstrated the committee's role in examining significant financial commitments before they reach the full council. The meeting revealed the ongoing balancing act facing county government — maintaining infrastructure, advancing major capital projects like the jail facility, and managing complex multi-agency negotiations while working within tight budget constraints. Donovan's opening comment about the short agenda reflecting limited funding captured a reality that shaped every discussion, even as the county moved forward with essential investments in public safety, transportation, and community facilities. Looking ahead, the jail project timeline, Canyon Lake access negotiations, and various road improvements will continue requiring council attention and community engagement. The evening council meeting would take up these items for formal introduction, beginning the process toward final adoption and implementation.

### Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Finance and Administrative Services Committee met on July 8, 2025, in a hybrid session to review consent agenda items and discuss several ordinances related to project budget amendments. The committee quickly approved four consent items totaling over $1.4 million and discussed five major budget amendment proposals, including significant funding for the new jail and behavioral care center project. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Project-Based Budget:** A specific funding allocation set aside for a particular capital project, separate from general departmental budgets. **Right-of-Way Acquisition:** The process of purchasing private property needed for public infrastructure projects like road intersections. **CRAB Grant:** County Road Administration Board funding provided by the state to support local transportation infrastructure projects. **Design-Build Contract:** A project delivery method where one contractor handles both design and construction phases, streamlining the process. **Supplemental Budget Request:** Mid-year budget amendments that adjust spending authority or move funds between accounts. **Capital Facilities Reserve Fund:** A county fund set aside for major capital improvements and infrastructure projects. **Justice Sales Tax:** A voter-approved tax dedicated to funding criminal justice facilities and programs. **HSIP Funding:** Highway Safety Improvement Program federal grants for transportation safety projects. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Todd Donovan | Committee Chair | | Tyler Byrd | Committee Member | | Barry Buchanan | Committee Member | | Elizabeth Kosa | Public Works Director | | Josh Cihak | Public Works Engineer | | Kayla Schott-Bresler | Deputy Executive | | Rob Ney | Facilities Director | | Bennett Knox | Parks Director | | James Lee | Public Works Engineering | ### Background Context This meeting occurred during a period of significant capital project activity for Whatcom County. The county is managing multiple major infrastructure projects simultaneously, including a new jail and behavioral health facility, road intersection improvements, and ferry system modernization. Financial management is particularly challenging as the county works with restricted grant funds that must be properly segregated and tracked according to grant requirements. The discussion of Canyon Lake access reflects ongoing negotiations with state agencies and tribal entities over public access to recreational areas. ### What Happened — The Short Version The committee unanimously approved four consent agenda items worth $1.4 million for flood mitigation planning and various interlocal agreements. They then discussed five budget amendments totaling $8.4 million. The largest item was $4 million for the jail project to fund design-build contracts and maintain project momentum through early 2026. Other discussions covered returning surplus funds from completed road projects, properly segregating ferry replacement grant funds, and funding Canyon Lake access improvements despite ongoing negotiations with the Department of Natural Resources. The committee also approved $823,544 for Van Zandt Community Hall renovations. ### What to Watch Next • The full County Council will vote on these budget amendments at their evening meeting • Design-build contractor selection for the jail project should be finalized in August 2025 • Canyon Lake access negotiations with DNR and tribal representatives continue • Committee member Stremler may propose separating the Canyon Lake funding item for individual consideration ---

**Q:** How much additional funding was approved for the Birch Bay-Lynden Road intersection project? **A:** $150,000 specifically for right-of-way acquisitions to complete property purchases needed for construction. **Q:** What is the target completion date for the new jail and behavioral care center? **A:** Late 2028, with July 4, 2028 being used as the working timeline for planning purposes. **Q:** Which federal grant programs are funding the Birch Bay intersection construction? **A:** Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) and Carbon Reduction Program funds, totaling 90% federal funding. **Q:** How much money is being transferred back into the Road Fund from the completed Smith/Hannegan project? **A:** The specific amount wasn't mentioned, but surplus funds are being returned to make them available for other road projects. **Q:** What is the total value of the CRAB grant for Lummi Island Ferry replacement? **A:** $10 million distributed over a 20-year period for ferry capital replacement needs. **Q:** Who is the contractor selected for Van Zandt Community Hall renovations? **A:** Summit Construction Group, Inc., with a contract value of $823,544. **Q:** What percentage of the jail project's $4 million allocation goes to the design-build contract? **A:** $3.4 million of the $4 million, with the remainder for contingencies and other project needs. **Q:** Which committee member expressed concerns about separating the Canyon Lake funding item? **A:** Council member Mark Stremler wanted it potentially voted on separately due to ongoing DNR negotiations. **Q:** What role does the Van Zandt Community Hall's radio station play in emergency communications? **A:** It's one of the few communication channels available to reach East County residents during emergencies. **Q:** How are the ferry replacement grant funds being protected from general Road Fund cash flow issues? **A:** By moving them into a dedicated Ferry Replacement Fund to ensure they're only used for capital replacement. **Q:** What is the current status of Canyon Lake public access? **A:** The county has an existing agreement with Sierra Pacific Industries but still needs an easement from DNR. **Q:** How many design-build firms are being considered for the jail project? **A:** Three finalists are under evaluation, with selection expected in August 2025. **Q:** What happens if Council member Stremler successfully amends the supplemental budget? **A:** The Canyon Lake item would be removed from the current ordinance but could return in a future supplemental request. **Q:** Why doesn't Washington State contribute to the Birch Bay intersection project? **A:** While it involves a state highway, WSDOT determined it doesn't rise to the level of state priority. **Q:** What is the total amount of the supplemental budget request discussed as item AB2025-503? **A:** $3,548,146 covering multiple projects and fund transfers. ---