Whatcom County consultants project up to 600 beds by 2050; design‑builder selection moves toward contract

A consultant for the county’s jail project told the Whatcom County Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force on July 28 that a time‑series forecast used in a preliminary rated‑bed capacity analysis projects roughly 600 beds by 2050 and about 560 beds under a commonly used 80% operating guideline.