WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Plans for the new Whatcom County jail could clear a critical hurdle at Tuesday night’s county council meeting.
The council will have a chance to accept programming for the new jail that would allow the design team to move forward with blueprints, permits and site preparation.
After much debate over the jail’s size, it’s currently planned at about 150,000 square feet with between 450 and 460 beds.
The recommendation is down from the original projection of 227,000 square feet due to cost constraints. The current jail is roughly 90,000 square feet.
The programming can still be adjusted ahead of construction and is not seen as a final design document, but will create the framework for the project. Much of the discussion for the new jail programming will take pace during the council’s criminal justice and public safety committee meeting at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11 ahead of a potential final vote during the council’s regular meeting at 6 p.m.
Construction of the new jail is slated to begin in 2027 with still no specific date announced.
The council is also scheduled to vote on an ordinance that would set the initial budget for the county’s criminal justice sales tax fund at about $3.6 million.
My Bellingham Now previously reported the council approved the one-tenth of one percent sales tax in April and it began collecting in July. The tax is expected to generate about $7 million each year and the initial budget reflects about half of that projection, since the revenue will only be collected for half of this year.
The funds will go towards health and food services at the jail, lease payments for the new sheriff’s office and labor costs to maintain the county’s criminal justice services.
