Whatcom County Council October roundup ...

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The latest news from October Whatcom County Council meetings 

Whatcom Conservation District rates and charges

Whatcom County Council approved, in a 4-3 vote, a system of rates and charges applied to all properties located in incorporated and unincorporated Whatcom County for 10 years to fund Whatcom Conservation District. Councilmembers Tyler Byrd, Ben Elenbaas and Kathy Kershner were opposed.

Whatcom Conservation District assists land managers with maintaining sustainable, profitable and productive agriculture, fisheries and other natural resource-based industries, according to its website. It has an operating budget of about $2.3 million and is currently funded through state and federal grants as well as local and regional inter-local agreement contracts. 

Starting January 2023 through 2032, landowners will be charged about $5 per parcel and $2.99 for designated forest land. The district estimates the charge will generate $510,529 per year in revenue.

“While I appreciate the work that the conservation district does, and I like to see their budgets full and robust, I do not believe in this way of funding them,” Elenbaas said. “I think the state should be funding them, as they have in the past.”

Blaine Senior Center

Council unanimously authorized an interlocal agreement with the city of Blaine to fund staffing and operation at the Blaine Senior Center for two years in the amount of $127,460. This agreement includes a 3 percent increase in funding from the last two-year agreement.

Child care stabilization at Opportunity Council

Council authorized a contract with Opportunity Council to provide nearly $1.5 million in funding to support child care stabilization. 

Opportunity Council supports child care providers through coaching, technical assistance, behavioral consultation and professional development opportunities. It also provides information and referrals to licensed child care facilities.

The agreement started October 26 and will terminate December 31, 2024, if no action is taken before then.

Whatcom Racial Equity Commission

Council added in a 4-3 vote, with Byrd, Elenbaas and Kershner opposed, a new chapter to Whatcom County Code to create a Whatcom Racial Equity Commission. 

Whatcom County and the city of Bellingham contracted Chuckanut Health Foundation to conduct outreach and consult a group of community stakeholders to form the commission. The group will address the county’s racial equity commitments and priorities. Whatcom County and Bellingham are jointly funding $600,000 to the committee.

Drug enforcement overtime pay

Council passed multiple ordinances for the reimbursement of overtime pay for Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) detectives and deputies. 

Nearly $40,000 total was reimbursed to two detectives as part of an interlocal agreement with the Drug Enforcement Administration. As part of two separate agreements with the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, two WCSO deputies received $2,500 in overtime for contributing to two different operations called “Hardeyes” and “Operation Puffy Shirt.”

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