Whatcom County Council approves revised jail budget resolution

WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. — The Whatcom County Council Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee voted 5-2 on May 12, 2026, to recommend approval of a revised substitute resolution regarding the Whatcom County Jail and Behavioral Care Center. The resolution establishes a preliminary planning budget cap and provides updated recommendations to the administration.

The resolution includes the following modifications from previous versions.

• Councilmembers added a list of specific items required for review prior to any future debt authorization.
• A new requirement requests the Executive to coordinate state and federal lobbying efforts with city governments to supplement local funding.
• The resolution clarifies that construction of the Behavioral Care Center is classified as a behavioral health investment, counting toward the 50% funding floor for community services.
• It includes a request for the Law and Justice Council to explore funding recommendations through grants, reimbursements, and the potential sale of the LaBounty Road property.

During a May 5, 2026, meeting, Whatcom County Executive Satpal Sidhu stated the resolution was not grounded in reality and cited concerns regarding council interference. Mayors from Bellingham, Ferndale, Everson, Blaine, and Lynden expressed concerns that the planning process was de-prioritizing public safety and a right-sized facility.

Whatcom County Sheriff Donnell Tanksley stated he was not consulted about a reduced jail footprint and noted the difficulty of providing operational cost projections without finalized facility dimensions. Following feedback from city officials and the Executive’s office, the council voted to strike a specific bullet point that requested modeling for a reduced jail footprint if service funding targets were not met.

The committee recommendation passed with councilmembers Elizabeth Boyle, Barry Buchanan, Kaylee Galloway, Jessica Rienstra, and Jon Scanlon in favor, and Ben Elenbaas and Mark Stremler opposed. Debt issuance for the project is expected in spring 2027.