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Whatcom County Council as the Board of Health (joint meeting with the Public Health Advisory Board)

WHA-CON-HLT-2026-08-04 August 04, 2026 Public Health & Safety Committee Whatcom County
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The Whatcom County Council, sitting as the Board of Health in a joint session with the Public Health Advisory Board (PHAB), convened on the morning of August 4, 2026 — the same day as the county primary election — for a meeting focused almost entirely on public health operations and food safety education rather than legislative action. No votes were taken. The session featured four presentations and one committee discussion. The most substantive item was an extended presentation by Tom Kunisch, the county's Food Safety Supervisor, who is retiring September 30 after nearly 37 years of service. Kunisch delivered a detailed review of the food safety program's operations, data trends, challenges, and future outlook. His presentation revealed a persistent and troubling compliance gap between English-fluent and non-English-fluent food establishment operators — approximately 20 percentage points — which the department is actively working to close through interpreter services, courtesy inspections, and a graduate student practicum project. The program oversees approximately 1,240 permitted permanent establishments and 400 temporary establishments annually with a team of 6.5 FTE. Health Director Champ Thomas-Cuddy reported that the department submitted its biennial budget with an overriding goal of reducing reliance on the county general fund while absorbing approximately $1.7 million in additional funding losses from local, state, and federal sources. To do so, the department deleted vacant positions and is restructuring duties among existing staff. The department is also pursuing new revenue by leveraging its epidemiology and analytics capacity to provide services to other North Sound counties through FPHS funding. Health Officer Dr. Amy Harley delivered a public health education presentation tying the everyday work of the food safety team to the current national Cyclospora outbreak — the largest on record in the United States. At the time of the meeting, national case

No formal votes were taken at this meeting. All items were informational presentations or committee discussions. The following actions were noted: **AB 2026-578 — Health Director Update:** Presented by Director Champ Thomas-Cuddy. No vote required. Covered biennial budget submission, program updates across immunization, communicable disease, housing, developmental disabilities, and environmental health. Tom Kunisch's retirement (effective September 30, 2026) was announced; Josh Leinbach will serve as interim supervisor pending backfill of the position after the mandatory 30-day posting gap. **AB 2026-577 — PHAB Chair Update:** Presented by Joni H…

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**Food Safety Program Operations and Equity Gap** The food safety program, led for nearly four decades by Tom Kunisch, oversees 1,240 permanent and 400 temporary food establishments annually with 6.5 FTE (eight staff, four of whom are shared with other programs). The program's primary funding sources are FPHS allocations and permit fees; general fund contributions are minimal. Kunisch reported that for the upcoming budget cycle, FPHS funding has been removed from the food safety program line specifically because fees cover direct and some indirect costs — a financially precarious but functional arrangement. The most significant policy-relevant finding Kunisch presented was a persistent compliance gap tied to English language fluency. Between 2022 and 2026, both English-fluent and non-English-fluent food establishment operators have shown improving compliance rates, but the gap between the two groups remains at approximately 20 percentage points — a disparity Kunisch described as unacceptable. The department has taken steps including increased use of telephone interpreters (a practice in place since 2015), courtesy inspections (informal, non-regulatory visits with no enforcement consequences), and office visits to close the gap. A current master's-level graduate student is conducting a practicum project surveying food establishment operators — particularly those who are not English-fluent — to gather feedback on health department interactions and identify improvement opportunities. A secondary operational concern is the time from permit application submission to initial plan review, currently running three to five weeks against a goal of one to two weeks. The department has implemented a partial remedy by conducting rudimentary pre-review of incoming applications and contacting applicants proactively about missing information. Thomas-Cuddy noted that if staff capacity falls further, permitting delays could stretch to months, which would materially slow business and housing development. Health Board Chair Scanlon asked about Council's role in addressing this gap; Kunisch pointed to additional staffing as the primary lever, while acknowledging the constraint falls within the executive's resource allocation authority. The program also faces an increase in unpermitted food vendors, including pop-up taco stands and ice cream vendors, which consume staff time that would otherwise go toward routine inspections, education, and plan review. Kunisch noted that chasing unpermitted vendors is a significant operational burden. The food safety program's funding structure — WAC 246-217 — is slated for state-level revision. Kunisch noted the $10 food worker permit fee (of which $6.50 returns to local jurisdictions) has not been increased in approximately 20 years and recommended the Health Board be attentive to that revision process and advocate for a fee increase, as the revenue — between $70,000 and $100,000 annually — directly supports local food safety operations. **Biennial Budget Constraints and Staffing Reductions** Health Director Thomas-Cuddy reported that the department submitted its biennial budget to the County Executive's office with the goal of reducing general fund reliance while absorbing approximately $1.7 million in additional funding losses for fiscal years 2027–2028, beyond the cuts already sustained in fiscal year 2026. The reductions stem from losses across local, state, and federal sources. The department's response include…
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**Champ Thomas-Cuddy, Health and Community Services Director:** Reported budget pressures, defended the department's approach of reducing general fund reliance while maintaining services, noted the encampment situation is being handled carefully to avoid disrupting existing programs, and praised Tom Kunisch's community relationships as a model for regulatory partnership. **Tom Kunisch, Food Safety Supervisor (retiring):** Presented the food safety program's history, current operations, and future challenges. Identified the English-language compliance gap as the most pressing equity concern, advocated for additional staffing and resources, and noted that the food worker permit fee under WAC 246-217 is overdue for an increase. **Dr. Amy Harley, Health Officer:** Delivered a public health education presentation on foodborne illness and the national Cyclospora outbreak. Emphasized the importance of maintaining public health infrastructure at all levels. Closed with an explicit plea not to avoid fresh produce — the lesson is investment in food safety systems, not dietary avoidance. **Sue Sullivan, Environmental Health Manager:** Introduced Tom Kunisch and noted the institutional knowledge risk associated with his retirement. Described the department's internal QI process for contract streamlining. **Joni Hensley, PHAB Chair:** Reported on board governance progress (bylaws, Robert's Rules adoption), and community health assessment Phase 1 launch. Invited community members…
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**Champ Thomas-Cuddy, on the department's budget strategy:** "The overriding goal was to reduce reliance on the county general fund while absorbing cuts from multiple sources." **Champ Thomas-Cuddy, on the encampment clearance:** "We don't have sufficient resources to absorb them into community programs. So we've been very circumspect in our approach from the county's perspective because we don't want to disrupt existing successful programs." **Tom Kunisch, on the core mission of public heal…
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- **September 10, 2026:** Next PHAB meeting; vote on proposed bylaws; bylaws to be distributed to members prior to that meeting. - **August 11, 2026:** Healthy Children's Fund subsidy management contract to go before the full County Council. - **August 4–5, 2026 (imminent at time of meeting):** DEA expected to issue final scheduling rule for synthetic kratom (7-OH) — Health Board Chair Scanlon indicated it could happen the day of or day after the meeting. - **September 30, 2026:** Tom Kunisch's retirement effective date. Josh Leinbach to serve as interim food safety program supervisor; position to be posted after mandatory 30-day waiting period. - **Shortly after meeting:** Public announcements on housing grant awards (RFP closed end of June; approximately $14 million available against approximately $28 million in requests). - **Ongoing:** MAP 2.0 Phase 1 community outreach and steering committee formation underway; Phase 1 community intervie…

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This meeting was primarily informational with no binding votes. However, the following represents the meaningful delta from this session: 1. **Tom Kunisch's retirement publicly announced and succession plan stated.** The 37-year Food Safety Supervisor's retirement date (September 30, 2026) was formally presented to the Health Board. Josh Leinbach named as interim; backfill position to be posted after mandatory 30-day waiting period. This is a significant institutional knowledge transition for the department. 2. **Biennial budget submission confirmed with $1.7 million in additional reductions.** The department has formally submitted a budget to the County Executive that absorbs roughly $1.7 million in additional losses for FY27–28, with position deletions and duty restructuring as the primary mechanisms. This was the first public presentation of that budget strategy to the Health Board. 3. **Healthy Children's Fund contract progression confirmed.** The contract for the Children's Healthy Fund subsidy management system will go before the full Council on August 11 — a previously anticipated but now confirmed next step. 4. **Developmental Disabilities rental assistance program launched.** A new $50,000 rental assistance program specifically for households with individuals eligible for DD services has been launched — not previously reported to the Board. 5. **FPHS funding removed from food safety budget …
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--- ## Meeting Overview On the morning of Tuesday, August 4, 2026 — primary election day in Washington State — the Whatcom County Council convened as the Board of Health in a joint session with the Public Health Advisory Board (PHAB). Health Board Chair Jon Scanlon called the meeting to order at approximately 10:32 a.m. in the hybrid format from council chambers at 311 Grand Avenue in Bellingham, with members participating both in person and via Zoom. Six of the seven council members were present — Elizabeth Boyle, Barry Buchanan, Ben Elenbaas, Kaylee Galloway, Jon Scanlon, and Mark Stremler — with Jessica Rienstra excused. PHAB members joining included Joni Hensley, Mike Cohen, Kendra Cristelli, Shu-Ling Zhao, Carl Isom-McDaniel, Michelle Gillig, Sterling Chick, Deb Shawver, Robyn Phillips-Madson, Rachel McGarrity, Amelia Vader, Ashley Thomasson, Guy Occhiogrosso, and Amy Harley attending as the health officer ex officio, along with Jon Scanlon as health board ex officio. No members of the public signed up to testify — neither in person nor remotely — and Scanlon closed the public comment period quickly, noting the irony of citing RCW 42.17A.555's prohibition on using public facilities for campaign activity "on primary election day." The morning's business consisted of three presentations and one extended committee discussion, all centered on the work of the Whatcom County Health and Community Services department. The agenda was briefly reordered at Dr. Amy Harley's request, with her health officer update moved to follow the food safety program discussion. What made the meeting notable was not drama but depth. The extended presentation by Tom Kunisch — the department's food safety supervisor of nearly 37 years, preparing to retire on September 30th — offered both a comprehensive look at the program's work and a quietly moving farewell from a public servant whose name, it turned out, was known and spoken warmly at bakeries and restaurants across Bellingham. The session also touched on the national Cyclospora outbreak (then approaching 17,000 confirmed and presumed cases, with no Whatcom County cases identified), a large encampment above Walmart estimated to hold 150 to 200 people facing imminent dispersal, and a budget environment in which the department is absorbing roughly $1.7 million in additional funding losses heading into fiscal years 2027 and 2028. --- ## Update From the Health Director Health Director Champ Thomas-Cuddy opened the substanti…
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--- ### Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Council, sitting as the Board of Health, held a joint meeting with the Public Health Advisory Board (PHAB) on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, beginning at approximately 10:32 AM in a hybrid format at the County Courthouse in Bellingham. The meeting focused on public health operations, including a department budget update, a deep-dive presentation on the county's food safety program marking the retirement of a 37-year employee, and a health officer briefing on foodborne illness and the 2026 national Cyclospora outbreak. --- ### Key Terms and Concepts **Cyclospora (Cyclospora cayetanensis):** A microscopic human-only parasite that contaminates food or water through human fecal matter. It causes cyclosporiasis, characterized by prolonged, watery diarrhea. Its incubation period of approximately one week makes it difficult to trace back to a food source. It is not killed by standard chlorination and requires a specific antibiotic (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) for treatment. **FPHS (Foundational Public Health Services):** A Washington State funding framework that provides local health jurisdictions with baseline funding for core public health functions. Whatcom County Health and Community Services relies on FPHS as a primary funding source for programs including environmental health. **MAP 2.0 (Mobilizing Action Through Planning and Partnership):** The framework Whatcom County uses for its Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan (CHA/CHIP) cycle. The department began Phase 1 of its MAP 2.0 cycle in March 2026, which involves broad community engagement and identification of health priorities. **CHIP/CHAP (Community Health Improvement Plan / Community Health Assessment Process):** The structured process by which a local health department assesses the health needs of its community and develops a plan to address priority issues. Whatcom County is in the early "starting point" phase of its current cycle. **FINS (Foodborne Illness Notification System):** A Washington State Department of Health platform that allows residents to self-report suspected foodborne illness. It collects data on where and what a person ate, symptoms, timing, and other potential exposures, feeding information to local health jurisdictions for investigation. **Multi-Drug Resistant Organism (MDRO):** A pathogen that has developed resistance to multiple antibiotics, making infections harder to treat. The health department was actively investigating an MDRO at a local assisted living facility in partnership with the Washington State Department of Health. **Food Worker Permit / WAC 246-217:** A Washington State requirement for individuals who handle food commercially to obtain a permit after completing a food safety course. A portion of the $10 fee is returned to local health jurisdictions (currently $6.50 per permit) to support food safety programs. This administrative code is slated for revision. **Source Control:** A new program being added to Environmental Health, referenced as one of the department's larger new service areas being absorbed despite budget cuts. (Specific programmatic details were not elaborated in the meeting.) --- ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Jon Scanlon | Health Board Chair; Whatcom County Council Member | | Elizabeth Boyle | Whatcom County Council Member; Health Board Member | | Barry Buchanan | Whatcom County Council Member; Health B…
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Public Safety Social Services Government Operations WAC 246 217 Cdc Dea East Whatcom County Regional Resource Center Fda Foothills Food Bank Fphs Miracle Food Network Northwest Clean Air Agency Northwest Fruit Rescue Public Health Advisory Board Washington State Department Of Health Whatcom County Health And Community Services Wsu Cooperative Extension Amy Harley Barry Buchanan Ben Elenbaas Carl Isom Mcdaniel Champ Thomas Cuddy Elizabeth Boyle Jessica Rienstra Jon Scanlon Joni Hensley Josh Leinbach Kaylee Galloway Mark Stremler Rachel Mcgarrity Shu Ling Zhao Steve Gaber Sue Sullivan Tom Kunisch Affordable Housing Behavioral Health Budget Finance Community Health Assessment Comprehensive Plan Cyclospora Outbreak Developmental Disabilities Environmental Food Safety Foodborne Illness Homelessness Immunization Language Access Permitting Fees Public Health Funding Social Services Synthetic Kratom Wildfire Smoke