### Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee met on June 24, 2025, to review a jail capacity analysis for the new Public Health, Safety and Justice facility and discuss draft stakeholder group charters. The committee received preliminary projections showing a need for 684 rated beds by 2050, though actual construction plans for opening around 2030 will be smaller with infrastructure designed for future expansion. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Rated Beds:** The official capacity of jail beds, calculated with a 20% buffer to ensure safe operations and proper inmate classification. **Direct Supervision Model:** A jail management approach where corrections officers work directly among inmates in housing units rather than monitoring from control rooms. **48-Hour Beds:** Transitional housing where newly booked inmates are evaluated and oriented before placement in general population or specialized housing. **Booking Restrictions:** When jails cannot accept new inmates due to overcrowding, forcing law enforcement to seek alternatives or release arrestees. **Specialized Housing:** Beds designated for inmates with specific needs including mental health, medical care, high-profile cases, or behavioral management. **Wetland Mitigation:** Environmental requirements to offset wetland impacts from construction, involving restoration or creation of wetlands elsewhere. **Design-Build Process:** A project delivery method where one entity handles both design and construction, currently in the proposal phase with three finalist firms. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Barry Buchanan | Committee Chair | | Tyler Byrd | Committee Member | | Jon Scanlon | Committee Member | | Adam Johnson | STV Project Manager | | Ashley McLaren | STV Communications Lead | | Kayla Schott-Bresler | Deputy County Executive | | Sheriff Donnell Tanksley | Whatcom County Sheriff | | Rob Ney | Facilities Department | ### Background Context This jail capacity analysis represents a critical milestone for Whatcom County's new justice facility project, which voters approved after two previous rejections. The current downtown jail has significant capacity limitations and safety concerns, forcing booking restrictions when full. The new facility aims to address these issues while incorporating modern corrections practices, mental health treatment capabilities, and rehabilitation programming. The 2050 projection of 684 beds reflects expected population growth from 226,000 in 2020 to over 300,000 by 2050, but the county plans to build for immediate needs while preparing infrastructure for potential expansion. ### What Happened — The Short Version STV consultants presented preliminary jail capacity projections showing a need for 684 rated beds by 2050 (570 minimum plus 20% buffer). This includes 504 general population beds, 36 48-hour transition beds, and 144 specialized housing beds. The analysis considered population growth, admissions data, and various factors affecting jail usage. However, the county plans to build only what's needed for approximately 2030 operations while designing infrastructure to support future expansion if required. A separate agenda item on stakeholder group charters was held for the next meeting after council members raised concerns about decision-making authority and communication protocols. ### What to Watch Next - Final jail capacity analysis report due in July 2025 - Design-build contractor selection in August 2025 - Revised stakeholder group charters with clearer council authority - Wetland mitigation resolution progress - 2030 and 2040 capacity projections to determine actual construction scope ---