Whatcom County task force weighs jail scenarios as budget ceilings shrink Whatcom County’s Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force reviewed four jail‑planning scenarios Feb. 23, 2026, with staff saying scenario 2 will be used as a baseline while officials rush to refine capacity, costs and behavioral‑health programming before an April decision. Members debated bed counts, affordability and long‑term operating costs.

Whatcom County's task force is at a critical crossroads, grappling with budget constraints while debating essential jail planning scenarios before an April decision.

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