[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6166762,"mediaKeyId","5414877-9ec85859798a722b28a349111fdddf3e","parentId",5414877,"title","Justice Project oversight group seeks broader stakeholder input; steering committee flagged interpreter capacity","audioSeconds",309,"startMs",2954000,"endMs",3263000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5414877-9ec85859798a722b28a349111fdddf3e&start=2954&end=3263","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5414877-9ec85859798a722b28a349111fdddf3e/thumbnail_2954000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6166762/Whatcom-County/Washington/Justice-Project-oversight-group-seeks-broader-stakeholder-input-steering-committee-flagged-interpreter-capacity","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6166762-e843a3b3870f7b82bf9ed985fbe428ca/orig.mp4?Expires=1770510849&Signature=jj4Tv2Cfg2Hx6~48AestsjnhtajmurfpYWg4lx6TjrM2fH3TQiAApsFYvIDxD56dNArfcYLNeSXJEzkCAMV~pF0ofPwZzDNty3yXCTeRMetDv5fJpKLTUDSuLgzgDKhBWIo4BOeeJAY0zwB4lmVBGccJprmCJtXB2RM0nOzZGP3Xf8YWzO02yDq~QtHE9Ayu5gbvDRZB6ntN3zNRG~yy1YklbcME4bV4GtCFBhbkaAP1nax~ao4F~7ib3RJrcU2FkPg-bSYdHbU0liBUq4as8Sb-LcTdXN4RjPAUBMRCQAozgwMiyQWOz8hPy3qwN2dU~XPyTUAx1~N7AvU0sbe9nA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Whatcom County, WA","date","2025-07-17T21:55:13Z","article","Members of the Justice Project Oversight and Planning (JPOP) Committee asked steering on July 17, 2025, for direction on stakeholder outreach and suggested inviting a broad set of community representatives to future JPOP meetings.

The JPOP committee said it plans to continue tracking implementation and to invite people with lived experience, Black, Indigenous and other people of color, service providers, crime victims, law enforcement, and business community representatives to provide input. The committee asked steering members to recommend additional stakeholder groups and priority questions for invited guests.

Marty and Hannah, representing JPOP, asked steering to suggest stakeholders and topics. Raylene recommended adding certified interpreters to the list because interpreter availability and quality affect court scheduling and can delay hearings; she specifically named Greta Balma, a certified Spanish interpreter who works across district and superior courts, as a potential contributor.

Members endorsed outreach to community organizations such as Community to Community and encouraged JPOP to gather diverse perspectives to inform implementation priorities. Steering asked staff to share contact paths and an invitation process, and to ensure invited stakeholders receive agenda questions in advance.

No formal invitations were finalized at the July 17 meeting; staff were asked to circulate a subscription link on the IPRTF website and to follow up with individual invitations for recommended stakeholders.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","IPRTF - Steering Committee - July 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Justice Project Oversight and Planning Committee proposed inviting people with lived experience, BIPOC representatives, service providers, victims, law enforcement and business leaders to meetings; steering members suggested including certified interpreters and community organizations to inform court backlog and facility planning.","taxTitle","Whatcom County, Washington","taxId",2976,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6166767,"Task force discusses jail-capacity study and policy levers to reduce backlog and average daily population",481,1868000,2349000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5414877-9ec85859798a722b28a349111fdddf3e&start=1868&end=2349","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5414877-9ec85859798a722b28a349111fdddf3e/thumbnail_1868000.jpg","/articles/6166767/Whatcom-County/Washington/Task-force-discusses-jail-capacity-study-and-policy-levers-to-reduce-backlog-and-average-daily-population","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6166767-5ad8441e8141e4a68ae7486f6c6edc8b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770510849&Signature=O5JNqEFD6BTL5y~jY2pYmuvzBeT9oZTDdvD2-SSbLfB-UYtE~UHh3e801xWYg4C0HtsFQPPEFTSNza0LoXszRqTkg3DDZM0dmd6ozGwM9U3HuyLE9fNrG4ejnM9QJsAjTJGdKqJrkR1Kkubd4UmLVtt-cju4kH66eSVozUG39y2jvHnVaSUFcBIW9KktmxPrSkDBUWUU-~1mTIC1kSbedWXNG9oS4dVKP0YGbUaO9RKOgPRozV6dufhyCT~2SFpC3d~ixRpU2-LFGtHjTSa2TUo4~5HXbz5kSbPz0YQ24CkMpnjf1NsP3rL3k3zfHf8d7EO0M1RY8QdIqTLeOo2G5A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Steering committee members discussed the county’s jail‑capacity projections on July 17, 2025, and urged the task force to treat the capacity study as a starting point for policy work to reduce average daily population and length of stay.

Members emphasized that the number of beds will reflect policy choices and operational details—court backlog, warrants, attorney continuity, and interpreter availability—and urged immediate, focused conversations about what policy changes could move the dial.

Heather, a task force member who previously participated in a facilities advisory body, said the study’s projection model was largely linear and could be influenced by policy decisions. She noted elements in the study that feed projections—county population growth, average daily population in the jail, average length of stay, and related factors—and urged the task force to explore targeted interventions. Heather suggested options including bringing in temporary judicial resources to work down backlogs and organizing warrant‑quash events as one lever to reduce bookings.

Raylene, who speaks from court experience, cautioned that warrant‑quash events alone do not resolve cases or address systemic causes. “When you're just having people come in and quash a warrant, it doesn't mean the case is resolved,” she said, and noted that some case types (for example, domestic violence matters) are not suitable for administrative quash events. She also warned that bringing in an additional judge requires supporting personnel, courtroom resources, security, and potential juror pools; without those, temporary judges may not clear backlogs.

Raylene also said attorney turnover increases case restart and backlog pressure because new counsel must become familiar with cases. She described a recent example in which an attorney’s departure left 47 cases to be reassigned and reworked.

Members raised operational issues tied to the capacity conversation. Raylene and others highlighted interpreter availability as a limiting factor for prompt hearings; Raylene recommended involving experienced certified interpreters in planning for any new facility or expanded court scheduling. Peter asked for regular data updates on the Anne Deacon Center for Hope (a crisis stabilization center) and for the task force to schedule data‑and-backlog discussions sooner rather than later.

The steering committee agreed to include the jail capacity study and related policy‑lever discussion on upcoming agendas and asked staff to collect specific questions for presenters so IPRTF staff and consultants can prepare focused responses.","Members reviewed the county’s jail-capacity projections and urged discussion of policy levers—warrant quashes, backlog-focused judge time, attorney retention and court processes—that could lower average daily population and shorten stays; they also flagged interpreter shortages and operational limits.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6166771,"Task force considers sunsetting pretrial processes work group; requests formal report and vote",1464,1435000,2899000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5414877-9ec85859798a722b28a349111fdddf3e&start=1435&end=2899","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5414877-9ec85859798a722b28a349111fdddf3e/thumbnail_1435000.jpg","/articles/6166771/Whatcom-County/Washington/Task-force-considers-sunsetting-pretrial-processes-work-group-requests-formal-report-and-vote","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6166771-e7bb17fd42484af647c720ad947e0083/orig.mp4?Expires=1770510849&Signature=KMzGStr3LTmcqMNgHlpmW6QRKwMt1Wy354MLfUBGRivazWBjfECfdAq4pqH7OccLVagrAnfDwn0Qu-~M0GzfiBVdItqHrxc1U7~M0bJsf0-Ff6BryIJCJ1oaYUQ~kePOORzPlnf4i~lDLY~Lg6zjm0Np6MvCqJBvPJL27QMlm7SiZKwMkLhmbw-eXWaQ-h7XWggBywbR6hrlqRkFbf-f9njJGGXhkafbWvwJz57LQtaSqeGZhCEIskCtjTCo7lvxof7jRbvu6eYM~mBs4eGXw7lLX1~EcJbvL1Kku2RkOpRfWXjY3c~4H2HggC6pn43jtyqqxalHWu29nFf1AGNmuw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Steering committee members said on July 17, 2025, that the pretrial processes work group is being considered for sunsetting and urged a formal wrap‑up, an explicit handoff plan, and a recorded vote if the group is to end.

Members said the group’s work is important and should not disappear without a full report on accomplishments and recommended next steps, and some suggested the report should come from a senior judicial official when possible.

Jill, the task force staff member, reported that some stakeholders — including superior court — have discussed no longer having a pretrial processes work group and instead receiving regular reports. She said she believes the pretrial group “was formally formed possibly by a vote,” and that formally ending it would likewise require a vote for transparency.

Raylene urged a comprehensive handoff rather than a quiet sunset. She said past warrant‑quash efforts and courtroom dynamics illustrate why simple administrative steps can be insufficient without sustained follow-up: “When you're just having people come in and quash a warrant, it doesn't mean the case is resolved,” she said, adding that follow-up services and attorney continuity matter to prevent repeat warrants and reopenings.

Steering asked staff to invite Judge Evans or a designee for a wrap‑up discussion at the next task force meeting so the group can present accomplishments and carry forward monitoring recommendations. Peter requested that if a judicial briefing is scheduled it come from a higher-level judge able to speak to policy; he specifically requested Judge Jones if available.

Staff said they will send formal invitations to Judge Evans and to pretrial services representatives, and they noted that, because the work group may have been formed by a committee vote, ending it should follow the same transparent process in committee or at the full task force.

No vote to sunset the pretrial processes work group occurred at the July 17 meeting; members set the task as a future agenda item with a tentative invitation to judicial leadership to present a wrap‑up.","Members said the pretrial processes work group may be ended and recommended a formal presentation of accomplishments and a vote to sunset the group; they requested a handoff plan and invited Judge Evans or another representative to brief the task force.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6166777,"Data work group urges dedicated position and cross-system integration to operationalize Village Reach plan",197,1517000,1714000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5414877-9ec85859798a722b28a349111fdddf3e&start=1517&end=1714","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5414877-9ec85859798a722b28a349111fdddf3e/thumbnail_1517000.jpg","/articles/6166777/Whatcom-County/Washington/Data-work-group-urges-dedicated-position-and-cross-system-integration-to-operationalize-Village-Reach-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6166777-4b2b660c154a4df95dc71fe1cba6f636/orig.mp4?Expires=1770510849&Signature=n0SH16TZZfqpyRwwkry4vd5n157m60GJjQ~3d8ybNq2kaxrLCUKHI5QbAqvaI4Cu-69Ch8~RBmCJYXk6fb7b3eQcNP8QjqaQTiaUmW-Cxjlc6wncfjsAvqSa2K9PrY6ivHHnIE89aPcisnIkgStz5jOl9RzWGX4u~osCM0HO7Nk9z20ERI-87ZfCjdpOmzI4LpgJ7eoedpBnJlYiYY8~UkVTd4qutoVM-LFyN6cn6TSYIosij5jEZUCetkTN6FZNQQ3WROHnPxieoX-DQdz2fhFgFt0ID75tDc4q0hkmTsfC3nFUoid7N0BZaiV9uh52JDSL6yvjw7Ua1mBZuBNlcQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the Whatcom County Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force said on July 17, 2025, that the data work group has produced recommendations to operationalize the Village Reach data plan and asked the full task force to review them promptly.

The data work group proposed three near-term priorities: create a dedicated position to operate the plan, invest in cross‑system data integration infrastructure, and initiate near‑term reporting by reprioritizing existing staff work.

The context: the task force has a pending Village Reach report and a small data work group formed by legal, justice, and behavioral-health committees. Members said the group wants the full task force to consider its three recommendations before the next meeting cycle so reporting and dashboards can support policy and implementation decisions.

Peter, a task force member, summarized the work group's output and urged scheduling: “Their 3 recommendations have also been taken to behavioral health and legal injustice. No. Not very many people have had the time to read all of Julia's report. They have some recommendations that, they still really wanted to make,” he said, and asked that the recommendations be on the next agenda so the report “doesn’t start getting old.”

Peter outlined the three recommendations the work group forwarded: 1) establish a dedicated position to operate and coordinate the plan; 2) invest in cross‑system data‑integration infrastructure; and 3) start near‑term reporting by reprioritizing staff work to produce usable dashboards and outputs quickly.

Jill confirmed the data work group presentation is already on the full task force agenda for a forthcoming meeting packet and will be scheduled for discussion. Members said timely action is important because data dashboards and reporting will inform options for reducing jail use and tracking implementation progress.

The steering committee asked staff to ensure the Village Reach report and the work group's recommendations are available for review in advance of the next task force meeting and to prioritize time on the agenda for discussion.","Members said the data work group recommended three steps—establish a dedicated position to run the plan, invest in cross‑system data integration infrastructure, and begin near‑term reporting by reprioritizing staff work—and urged the full task force to schedule discussion before the findings become stale.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6166781,"Whatcom County task force weighs shrinking public committees into smaller work groups to ease staff burden",929,99000,1028000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5414877-9ec85859798a722b28a349111fdddf3e&start=99&end=1028","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5414877-9ec85859798a722b28a349111fdddf3e/thumbnail_99000.jpg","/articles/6166781/Whatcom-County/Washington/Whatcom-County-task-force-weighs-shrinking-public-committees-into-smaller-work-groups-to-ease-staff-burden","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6166781-b605ff2b167bdc3b00df021b4ea71a86/orig.mp4?Expires=1770510849&Signature=bUL0QANww-FEJ9rc~xZUfzKbvkMeWKU5-HhLSR2Yp3DvbSxGGFRODuhj0t1UmXqXHcQX7dxTD6aMQTTdvBdfSar3DSihzVtidn0hAA9XX3g0qZCfsO0pqhoWUB4WC2UfsFqwCJwzb3wh-IZWqjqRbo8TlYr5A3QgFEAVEN6zt8ijqJ5omdxs7Sq1XqQMbQKce~Ovw4pjqPZxzo8ebgMqD60Kz~-PwIBkRi6LhThuZj3oSKLxPrd1Zim-Zdf80IoxxahlLeSkHwywjRaGvyOSOwhMzaZ1qtidJuj0bQSQlSIhX7wsvgEnQGpc7QFQnPjXOK0~PZ48aurZGRaP539E5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Steering committee members of the Whatcom County Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force discussed on July 17, 2025, whether to move some standing committees into smaller, topic-specific work groups to reduce the administrative burden on staff.

Members said the change could free up staff time now devoted to running frequent open public meetings, but legal constraints and public-transparency goals would shape any redesign of committee structures.

The discussion matters because staff time is part of the task force budget conversation with the county executive and county council; members said trimming meeting frequency or creating smaller work groups could reduce staff hours without eliminating public access to planning and reporting.

At the start of the meeting, a task force staff member identified the problem: budget prioritization talks have highlighted staff costs, and “one of the things that we had proposed potentially was not hiring a legislative analyst… and I think we have now decided that that's not gonna be realistic. But, what it does do is put us in a little bit more burden on our existing staff,” the staff member said. The staff member proposed exploring whether some committees could be reconstituted as smaller work groups beginning in early 2026 to free up staff time for other county work.

Joe, identified in the meeting as the steering chair, said the committee has discussed small work groups that can operate offline but flagged an important legal constraint: “One of the concerns from legal counsel is simply taking away the, open public meetings aspect of those groups,” he said. Barry, a steering committee participant, said that any change would likely require formally ending current work groups and creating new ones rather than quietly moving meetings offline.

Members debated options by committee type. Several participants said broad committees such as behavioral health would not be a good fit for removal from the open-meeting format, but could reduce frequency while delegating detailed work to subcommittees. Brian proposed that the behavioral health committee meet quarterly and empower three work groups to meet in intervening months; Dan, who identified himself as city staff, recommended meeting once every two months instead of monthly to keep momentum and allow regular report-outs.

Legal and transparency issues were raised repeatedly. Barry summarized the legal limit as he understood it: “it can't take public comment… It can't make decisions, but I think it can make recommendations to the higher committee.” He and others said work groups could not replace the public meeting role of the full committee and that any new arrangements would have to preserve public access to planning and reporting.

Members also discussed practical steps to reduce administrative burdens without losing transparency. Suggestions included a two-month cycle of alternating full committee meetings with work-group reporting months, clearer written definitions for work-group roles and expectations (agenda, record keeping, public reporting), and using automated meeting summaries and AI-assisted note-taking to reduce staff time on minutes. A staff member agreed to draft written definitions for work groups to present to steering for consideration.

The steering committee decided to cancel its August meeting; members voiced consensus support by raised hands and planned to resume in September. A staff member said she would do further fact-finding and circulate proposed definitions of work groups for feedback.

The conversation will continue; members instructed staff to draft proposed cycles and definitions and to consult the county attorney about Public Meetings Act implications before any structural changes are implemented.","Steering committee members discussed shifting some standing committees to smaller, topic-specific work groups to reduce staff time spent on meeting administration, while legal counsel flagged limits under the state Public Meetings Act and members stressed transparency and maintaining momentum.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Justice Project oversight group seeks broader stakeholder input; steering committee flagged interpreter capacity

Task force discusses jail-capacity study and policy levers to reduce backlog and average daily population

Task force considers sunsetting pretrial processes work group; requests formal report and vote

Data work group urges dedicated position and cross-system integration to operationalize Village Reach plan

Whatcom County task force weighs shrinking public committees into smaller work groups to ease staff burden