Justice Project Finance and Facility Advisory Board

Purpose

The purpose of the Finance and Facility Advisory Board (FFAB) is to provide financial oversight of the funds collected from the public safety sales and use tax and make recommendations on the finance and operations of the jail, behavioral health, and supportive housing facilities and services, aligned with a population health report on public health and safety. FFAB was initially conceived in Ordinance No. 2023-039 adopted in July 2023 and later adopted into County Code through Ordinance No. 2024-042.

Meetings

FFAB meets no less than four time a year. For up-to-date meeting and agenda information, visit the FFAB Calendar. Meetings are open to the public. Community members who attend may provide public comment on issues related to the board’s efforts in Whatcom County.

Meetings are held in a hybrid format. Members of the public may attend via Zoom webinar using the join link on the meeting agenda, or in person at the location indicated in the agenda.

Agendas are available prior to meeting. Minutes are available following approval.

View Agendas and Minutes

Members

The Finance and Facility Advisory Board consists of 13 members, including 11 permanent and 2 appointed. The permanent members as designated by their representative agency are the Whatcom County executive, one Whatcom County councilmember, the Whatcom County sheriff, the mayor of Bellingham, one Bellingham city councilmember, one elected representative from the remaining cities within Whatcom County, two elected representatives from federally recognized tribes within Whatcom County, the Bellingham police chief, and the co-chairs of the incarceration prevention and reduction task force/law and justice council. Permanent members may appoint a designee to attend any specific meeting of the board.

The appointed members are two positions jointly recommended by the county executive and city of Bellingham mayor and confirmed by the county council and Bellingham city council: one individual with lived experience in the criminal justice system, and one representative of the behavioral health system who either lives in Whatcom County or represents an agency or group that serves Whatcom County.

Current Membership:

  • Jack Hovenier, lived-experience representative (appointed)
  • JanRose Ottoway Martin, behavioral health representative (appointed)
  • Scott Korthuis, Mayor of Lynden, Small Cities Representative
  • Peter Frasier, IPRTF Co-Chair
  • Heather Flaherty, IPRTF Co-Chair
  • Rebecca Mertzig, City of Bellingham Police Chief
  • Kim Lund, Mayor of Bellingham
  • Satpal Sidhu, Whatcom County Executive
  • Donnell Tanksley, Whatcom County Sheriff
  • Michael Lilliquist, Bellingham City Councilmember
  • Barry Buchanan, Whatcom County Council Member
  • Elected representative of Lummi Indian Business Council (vacant)
  • Elected representative of Nooksack Indian Tribe (vacant)