📋 Public Health & Safety Committee
City of Bellingham Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity Committee
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Meeting Summary
The Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity Committee approved two routine contract amendments in a brief Sunday morning session. Both items involved annual adjustments to existing interlocal agreements with Whatcom County — one increasing funding for emergency medical services by 3.3%, and another reducing the city's contribution to the GRACE intervention program by $60,358 to align with actual spending patterns. The committee approved the Advanced Life Support Services amendment unanimously (3-0), which memorializes a CPI-based increase to $13,943,642 for 2026. The GRACE program amendment proved more contentious, with Council Member Daniel Hammill initially expressing concern about reducing funding for a highly effective intervention program amid rising jail costs. However, staff clarified that the reduction reflects the county's consistent underspending of the allocated funds and will not affect service levels. The amendment ultimately passed 3-0 after discussion about maintaining the program's ability to expand if needed. Both amendments reflect broader budget pressures facing the city, with staff noting the need to avoid cuts to other human services programs funded through the general fund. #
Study Guide
### Meeting Overview
The City of Bellingham's Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity Committee met on December 8, 2025, chaired by Councilmember Daniel Hammill with committee members Skip Williams and Michael Lilliquist. The committee reviewed and approved amendments to two interlocal agreements with Whatcom County: one for Advanced Life Support Services and another for the GRACE program.
### Key Terms and Concepts
**Interlocal Agreement:** A contract between two or more local governments to share services, costs, or resources. In this case, agreements between the City of Bellingham and Whatcom County for specific programs.
**Advanced Life Support Services (ALS):** Emergency medical services that include advanced procedures like IV therapy, cardiac monitoring, and medication administration. Bellingham provides these services countywide through an agreement with Whatcom County.
**GRACE Program:** Ground-Level Response and Coordinated Engagement - a program that provides intensive care coordination for individuals who frequently use emergency services, police, and hospitals to help break the cycle of crisis responses.
**CPI (Consumer Price Index):** An economic measure used to calculate inflation and cost-of-living adjustments. The ALS agreement uses CPI plus 1% to determine annual reimbursement increases.
**CDAB:** Community Development Advisory Board - makes recommendations on how to allocate certain city funding for human services and community development programs.
**Hub and Spoke Model:** A service delivery approach where GRACE acts as the central "hub" coordinating care among various service providers (the "spokes") for complex clients.
**Familiar Faces:** The term used in the GRACE program to describe individuals who frequently interact with emergency services, police, and hospitals without their underlying needs being met.
**Justice Sales Tax:** A local tax dedicated to justice-related programs, which Councilmember Hammill suggested could potentially fund programs like GRACE in the future.
### Key People at This Meeting
| Name | Role / Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Daniel Hammill | Committee Chair, City Councilmember |
| Skip Williams | City Councilmember |
| Michael Lilliquist | City Councilmember |
| Kimberley Lund | Mayor |
| Holly Hoffman | Council President (joined online) |
| Anderson | City Councilmember (present in person) |
| Bill Hewett | Fire Department Chief |
| Samya Lutz | Housing and Services Manager |
| Tara Sendin | Community and Economic Development Manager |
| Blake Longman | Deputy Administrator |
### Background Context
The City of Bellingham and Whatcom County have established several collaborative programs to address public safety, health services, and emergency response needs across the region. The Advanced Life Support agreement allows the city's fire department to provide advanced medical services throughout the county, funded by a countywide EMS levy. The GRACE program represents a newer approach to public safety - rather than just responding to crises, it attempts to intervene with intensive case management for people who repeatedly cycle through emergency rooms, jails, and police encounters.
Both agreements reflect ongoing budget pressures facing local governments. While the ALS agreement sees a routine cost-of-living increase, the GRACE amendment actually reduces the city's contribution by about $60,000. This reduction comes during a tight budget year where the city is looking to minimize cuts to other human services programs. The county has historically not billed the city for the full amount available under the GRACE contract, making this adjustment possible without reducing services.
### What Happened — The Short Version
The committee quickly approved the Advanced Life Support amendment, which increases the city's payment to the county by 3.3% for 2026 based on inflation plus 1%. This was routine business with no debate.
The GRACE program amendment sparked more discussion. The city wants to reduce its contribution from about $415,000 to $355,000 for 2026. Staff explained this reduction is possible because the county has never billed the full contract amount historically, and the change won't reduce current service levels. Councilmember Hammill expressed concerns about cutting funding for an intervention program when jail costs are rising, but ultimately supported the change after receiving assurances that service levels won't drop and funding could be restored if needed. The committee approved both amendments 3-0.
### What to Watch Next
• Both amendments go to the full City Council for final approval at their evening meeting
• City budget discussions continue, with staff monitoring whether the GRACE program needs additional funding during 2026
• Potential future conversations about using Justice Sales Tax funds to support programs like GRACE
• Ongoing development of the GRACE program's data platform (Julota) for better tracking of outcomes
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