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Whatcom County Council as the Health Board (Joint with Public Health Advisory Board)

WHA-CON-HLT-2025-04-01 April 01, 2025 Public Health & Safety Committee Whatcom County 8 min
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The Whatcom County Council as the Health Board met jointly with the Public Health Advisory Board to address three critical agenda items that will shape the future of public health governance in the county. The most significant action was the 6-1 vote to form a new joint working group to develop recommendations for potentially expanding the Health Board structure, following months of research by a previous working group that unanimously recommended expansion under state law requirements. The meeting also featured urgent public health messaging from Health Officer Dr. Amy Harley about rising measles cases nationally, with Whatcom County's vaccination rates below the 95% threshold needed for community immunity. Deputy Executive Kayla Schott-Bresler outlined the recruitment process for a new Health and Community Services Director, emphasizing community stakeholder involvement in the hiring process. The Health Board structure discussion dominated the meeting, with extensive debate about representation, expertise, and community input. The working group's recommendation to expand the board to include tribal representatives, municipal officials, and public health professionals generated significant discussion about electoral accountability versus subject matter expertise. Council Member Ben Elenbaas cast the sole dissenting vote, expressing concerns about making substantial governmental changes without broader community input.

**Motion 1 - Form New Working Group (AB2025-274):** Passed 6-1 (Elenbaas opposed). The Health Board voted to establish a new joint working group to develop options and recommendations regarding potential Health Board expansion. This follows the previous working group's unanimous recommendation to expand the board structure under RCW 70.05.035. **Motion 2 - Working Group Membership (AB2025-274):** Passed 7-0. The Health Board appointed Todd Donovan, Jon Scanlon, and Ben Elenbaas as t…

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The central policy debate focused on whether to expand the Health Board from its current structure of seven county council members to a broader body including tribal representatives, municipal officials, and public health professionals. The previous working group, which met eight times and surveyed six other counties, found that expanded boards provide quicker access to subject matter expertise and more diverse community representation. Council Member Scanlon emphasized the benefits of including tribal sovereignty and municipal representation, noting that cities are subject to health board rules but lack representation in decision-making. The working group found that other counties reported improved policy implementation through diverse board composition. Council Member Elenbaas raised significant concerns…
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**Natalie Chavez (Public Comment):** Advocated for requiring PHAB meeting recordings for transparency and expressed concern that the community survey results were biased due to limited distribution through PHAB members. She supported Health Board expansion but opposed continuing PHAB in its current form afterward, suggesting it could transition to focus on Community Health Assessment work. **Brian Estes, National Alliance on Mental Illness Whatcom County Chapter Treasurer:** Requested county support for funding 40-hour crisis intervention training for law enforcement officers, emphasizing that people exper…
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**Health Officer Dr. Amy Harley, on measles prevention:** "Please ensure that you and your family are up to date with the MMR vaccine and encourage others to vaccinate to support community immunity." **Council Member Ben Elenbaas, on governmental accountability:** "The health officer is probably the most powerful person in your county, more powerful than a sheriff, because they're about the only person I know that can take away people's freedom of liberty just off of their decision with no du…
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**April 10, 2025:** PHAB lobby day in Olympia to advocate for Foundational Public Health Services funding. Joni Hensley and Kelly Carroll will carpool, with others invited to join. **April 15, 2025:** Planned council presentation on Community Health and Human Services division update and Healthy Children's Fund spending evaluation. **April 17, 2025:** Next PHAB meeting where members will vote on up to four representatives for the new Heal…

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The Health Board committed to further study of structural changes rather than acting immediately on the working group's expansion recommendation. A new joint working group was established with specific council representation (Donovan, Scanlon, Elenbaas) and PHAB representation to be determined April 17. The county now has a formal recruitment process underway for a new Health and Community Services Director, with community stakeholder involvement built into the hiring…
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# When Science Meets Politics: A Health Board Grapples with Expertise and Governance The joint meeting of Whatcom County's health board and public health advisory board on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, unfolded with the methodical precision of a scientific review and the careful tension of political deliberation. In the chambers where elected officials typically debate budgets and land use ordinances, a different kind of governance question took center stage: Who should have a voice in public health decisions, and how should expertise intersect with democratic accountability? Chair Jon Scanlon called the meeting to order at 10:03 a.m., with all seven county council members present in their dual role as the health board, alongside twenty members of the public health advisory board gathered both in-person and online. The morning's agenda carried the weight of transition — a new interim health director finding her footing, a recruitment process for permanent leadership, and a fundamental question about whether to restructure the health board itself. ## The Measles Warning: Science as Call to Action Dr. Amy Harley, serving as health officer, delivered what amounted to a public health alarm bell disguised as a routine update. Speaking with the measured urgency of someone who has seen the consequences of vaccine-preventable diseases, she painted a stark picture of measles resurgence across the United States. "Since January 29th, there's a major measles outbreak centered in Western Texas with spread to neighboring states," Harley reported, noting that the U.S. had reached 483 confirmed cases by late March — a number that puts 2025 on track to exceed the highest case count since measles was declared eliminated in 2000. "97% of the cases in the current outbreak are unvaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status." The statistics carried personal weight as Harley detailed the human cost: two deaths, including a school-age child, and hospitalizations for one in five cases. But her concern extended beyond the immediate outbreak to Whatcom County's own vulnerability. Local kindergarten vaccination rates average 87 percent — below both the state average and the 95 percent threshold needed for herd immunity. "Although health and community services is committed and prepared to respond quickly, a large outbreak could easily overwhelm our public health and health care resources locally," she warned. Her prescription was direct: ensure vaccination, share accurate informa…
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### Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Council, acting as the Health Board, met jointly with the Public Health Advisory Board (PHAB) on April 1, 2025, to discuss measles outbreak concerns, the health director recruitment process, and a major recommendation to expand the Health Board's membership structure based on nine months of working group research. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Public Health Advisory Board (PHAB):** A 21-member advisory body that provides community input to the County Council when it acts as the health board, currently required by state law because Whatcom County's health board consists only of elected officials. **Health Board:** The governing body with authority over public health matters, currently consisting of all seven Whatcom County Council members, with broad powers including the ability to impose health regulations and quarantines. **MMR Vaccine:** The measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine that is 97% effective when both doses are completed, required for school entry in Washington State. **RCW 70.05.035:** State law passed in 2021 requiring local health boards to include diverse membership (health professionals, tribal representatives, community members) unless they have an existing community health advisory board like PHAB. **Health Officer:** The medical professional who serves as the chief public health official for the county, currently Dr. Amy Harley in a job-sharing arrangement with Dr. Megan Laylana starting April 14th. **Grandfathering:** The legal provision that allowed Whatcom County to keep its current all-council health board structure because PHAB already existed, but if changed now, there would be no going back to the current structure. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Jon Scanlon | Health Board Chair, County Council Member | | Amy Harley | Health Officer | | Charlene Ramont | Interim Health Director | | Kayla Schott-Bresler | Deputy County Executive | | Kelli Carroll | PHAB Chair | | Dr. Christine Espina | PHAB Member, working group participant | | Ben Elenbaas | Council Member, vocal skeptic of expansion | | Todd Donovan | Council Member, working group participant | ### Background Context Whatcom County is one of only six remaining Washington counties where the county council serves as the entire health board, a structure that's become increasingly rare since 2021 state law…
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Government Operations Public Safety AB 2025 271 AB 2025 274 AB 2025 278 American Indian Health Commission County Council Health Board Nami Phab Wchcs Wsalpho Amy Harley Ben Elenbaas Brian Estes Charlene Ramont Christine Espina Emily Oconnor Jon Scanlon Joni Hensley Kayla Schott Bresler Kelli Carroll Leah Wainman Natalie Chavez Todd Donovan Community Forums Crisis Intervention Training Director Recruitment Electoral Accountability Fentanyl Response Health Board Expansion Measles Prevention Municipal Representation Phab Duties Public Health Expertise Tribal Representation Vaccination Rates Working Group