Whatcom COVID report praises health response; officials’ secrecy and leaks criticized

Whatcom County’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic earned good marks for swift action to save lives, according to a preliminary version of a report commissioned to examine how local officials performed in a major crisis, the first global health threat in a century.

But Whatcom Unified Command, the multi-governmental agency that handled the emergency response, was criticized for logistical inefficiencies and a lack of transparency and responsiveness to the public. Part of that friction was linked to a lack of training in emergency management among some county employees, differences in organizational structure and an internal power struggle between the Health Department and Whatcom Unified Command early in the pandemic, according to the 56-page report prepared by Berk Consulting in collaboration with Eric Holdeman and Associates.

The County Council budgeted $100,000 for the report in September 2021. Nevertheless, the report cites successes such as a COVID-19 mortality rate that was among the lowest in Washington state; a collaborative effort on U.S.-Canada trade; addressing homelessness; helping local businesses affected by closures and stay-home orders; and a program to collect and distribute donations from the public.