Council Public Works and Health Committee

### Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Public Works and Health Committee met on October 21, 2025, to discuss revisions to the Six-Year Water Resources Improvement Program (WRIP) for 2026-2031. The committee reviewed funding changes made to address discrepancies and financial constraints, with particular focus on stormwater projects around Lake Whatcom. ### Key Terms and Concepts **WRIP (Water Resources Improvement Program):** A six-year capital improvement plan that identifies and schedules water resource infrastructure projects, including stormwater management systems throughout Whatcom County. **REET (Real Estate Excise Tax):** A county tax on real estate transactions that provides funding for capital projects, particularly infrastructure improvements. **LWSU (Lake Whatcom Stormwater Utility):** A funding mechanism established to generate revenue specifically for stormwater management projects around Lake Whatcom through utility fees. **BB Warm System:** A stormwater drainage system serving the Birch Bay and surrounding areas, which includes multiple projects totaling tens of millions of dollars in needed improvements. **UGA (Urban Growth Area):** Designated areas around cities where future urban development is planned, which can affect infrastructure responsibilities between counties and municipalities. **Road Fund:** County funding source primarily for road maintenance and improvements, which the county is trying to preserve by using alternative funding sources for some projects. **Flood Control Zone Fund:** A funding source that can be used for stormwater projects under state law, though not utilized in this particular plan revision. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Jon Scanlon | Committee Chair | | Mark Stremler | Committee Member | | Ben Elenbaas | Committee Member | | Todd Donovan | Council Member | | Elizabeth Kosa | Public Works Department Director | | Kraig Olason | Public Works Department Staff | | Aly Pennucci | Executive's Office | ### Background Context The county is managing significant stormwater infrastructure needs while facing financial constraints. The Lake Whatcom Stormwater Utility was established to provide additional funding capacity for critical water quality projects, but concerns exist about whether this is truly adding capacity or simply replacing existing funding sources. Meanwhile, potential development in areas like Birch Point could create additional downstream infrastructure burdens that may fall to the county if not properly coordinated with municipal annexation plans. The county faces a substantial backlog of unfunded stormwater projects, with estimates of $40-50 million in needed work beyond what's currently programmed. This challenge is compounded by recent severe storm events that exceeded 100-year design standards, highlighting the inadequacy of existing infrastructure. ### What Happened — The Short Version Public Works Director Elizabeth Kosa presented revisions to the WRIP that addressed funding discrepancies from two weeks prior. Key changes included switching several Lake Whatcom stormwater projects from REET to utility funding, spreading some projects across multiple years, and deferring others to 2027. The committee discussed concerns about funding strategy, particularly whether the utility is providing additional capacity or just replacing existing funding sources. They also addressed potential future challenges from development in areas like Birch Point, where upstream development could worsen downstream flooding problems that the county would have to address. ### What to Watch Next - The resolution will be introduced at the October 21 evening council meeting - Next biennium planning will include reviewing the mix of funding sources, including potential use of flood control zone funds - Development of interlocal agreements with cities regarding shared stormwater infrastructure responsibilities - Ongoing discussions about capital project prioritization processes ---