HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial Committee of the Whole October 23 2014WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Special Committee of the Whole
October 23, 2014
CALL TO ORDER
Council Chair Carl Weimer called the meeting to order at 9:30 a.m. in the Council
Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
ROLL CALL
(9:35:11 AM)
Present: Barbara Brenner, Ken Mann, Carl Weimer, Pete Kremen, Rud Browne
and Barry Buchanan.
Absent: Sam Crawford.
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION
1. ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE 2015 -2016 WHATCOM COUNTY BUDGET
(AB2014 -205C)
Introduction
Jack Louws, County Executive, stated staff have worked since June to present this
budget. He thanked his staff. The County's financial outlook is better than it was two years
ago. There are improvements in the construction market and sales tax revenues. The
County has been awarded State grants they haven't had during the last two years. In the
last two years, elected officials, department heads, and managers have kept an eye on the
bottom line, created efficiencies, and delivered a larger ending balance that allows the
administration to take care of capital projects and reserve money for employee raises and
improving information technology services.
They adhered to guidelines carefully. The ending balance for both years is
approximately $11 million. They anticipate new hires for the water action plan, facilities
staff to work on capital projects, the fourth superior court judge and support staff, and
various other positions for onsite sewage services and a Planning and Development Services
Department inspector. They have the revenue to do that within existing funds.
A highlight is the money to fully implement the new mental health court. They will
also ask for permission to put a significant amount of money into technology over the next
two years. They've divided the technology projects into criminal justice projects and land
use /geographic information system (GIS) projects. Department collaboration is critical to
make sure money is spent with an eye to the future, servicing the County's customers, and
increasing efficiency. The budget will include capital projects.
A challenge is paying for the emergency medical services, including the ongoing
operation of the advanced life support (ALS) system. Another challenge is hiring experts
for the assessment and legal responsibility related to the British Petroleum (BP) and Phillips
Special Committee of the Whole, 10/23/2014, Page 1
1 66 property valuation situation. That cost could get considerably more than the budgeted
2 $100,000. In fairness to all taxpayers, the County must be involved and make sure the
3 major industries are assessed fairly. Now the tax shift estimate is $5 million. For the sake
4 of the taxpayers, get the proper appraisals done, be involved, and make sure everything is
5 done fairly. It could cost up to $250,000 in the next two or three years. The Assessor put a
6 modified rate into the property tax assessment, which they've built into the budget. The
7 amount in the budget now will work for the next couple of years. If the companies
8 challenge the assessment, there is a point when penalties will be assessed. It's in their best
9 interest to get through it.
10
11 This budget will provide a stable work force, is balanced with adequate reserves in all
12 funds, has no new taxes, has a strong investment in technology for improved efficiencies
13 and customer service, and invests in existing infrastructure for future generations.
14
15 Brenner stated she would like information on the total amount of all the additional
16 budget requests for 2013 -2014 and some details on the unemployment rate of 5.3 percent.
17 She asked what that does and doesn't include, such as whether they count people who
18 aren't looking for jobs. She would like wage information, also.
19
20 Cooperative Extension
21
22 Drew Betz, Cooperative Extension, stated the main budget change is the increase
23 they requested for professional services, which brings them up to the recommended
24 contribution amount for support and faculty salaries. They haven't had a pay raise from the
25 County since 2008. Another increase is to the master composter program. It adds money
26 from solid waste for composting education. They no longer have a separate master
27 composter coordinator. They are training more people who are already in the system.
28 There are about 150 active master gardeners to educate the public on home composting.
29 There is an increase in the strengthening families program to offer ten programs annually,
30 four of which are bilingual Spanish classes. Another significant change is how they're
31 funding basic programming, which is coming from the flood fund. They have not had any
32 support for local travel for the four professional program leaders since 2008. They've added
33 $10,000 for mileage to go around the county. They've been paying it privately or from
34 other grants. It's nice to add back in the support they need.
35
36 Weimer stated he's glad to get the reimbursement rates to where they've been
37 requested. The Health Department is updating the Solid Waste Comprehensive Plan. He
38 asked if Cooperative Extension is helping with that update.
39
40 Chris Benedict, Cooperative Extension, stated they will have that discussion as the
41 program shifts to the Health Department. They are aware of the plan. This year they will
42 assess what county residents are doing in terms of composting.
43
44 Brenner asked about the master recycler program. Benedict stated they don't do
45 that program. They will use the existing volunteers for outreach and education for
46 recycling. Training will be part of the master gardener program. Staff will rely on those
47 volunteers.
48
49 Kremen stated Cooperative Extension provides an impressive amount of services
50 around the county with its limited staff. He appreciates the County's partnership with
51 Washington State University (WSU).
52
53
Special Committee of the Whole, 10/23/2014, Page 2
1 District Court and District Court Probation
2
3 Bruce Van Glubt, District Court, described what the District Court program does. The
4 staff strive to provide high quality customer service. They try to answer all phone calls
5 rather than sending them to voice mail. They process thousands of cases and coordinate all
6 jury services for the County and City. They now do a better job coordinating front desk
7 coverage and cashier services. They coordinated front desk coverage and cashier stations
8 with the courtroom activity. They have a mediation option for small claims court litigants.
9 The Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center is onsite for every small claims court hearing, to
10 allow people to decide to, resolve the problem that way. The court allows an online
11 infraction payment option.
12
13 His additional services request (ASR) is to install more seating in the hallways for the
14 many people who are waiting for their cases. The courtrooms are too full for everyone to sit
15 in. The judges are interested in resolving the seating issue. A second ASR is a bursting
16 machine that separates forms printed on a continuous paper feed. The current equipment
17 has gone beyond its life span. The machine costs $9,000. It is an essential piece of
18 equipment. They've been without one for six or seven weeks, and it is physically
19 demanding on staff.
20
21 Regarding the budget, revenue and case filings are down about eight percent from
22 last year for various reasons. Expenses are doing well. They are up slightly from last year
23 due to a high number of interpreter cases, which is a mandated service, and the two extra
24 pay periods per year.
25
26 Goals for next year include a transition to a new credit card vendor; finishing review
27 of all policies and procedures, and posting them to the new website; engaging the State
28 Office of the Courts to review their procedures for efficiency; and researching electronic
29 document management options for the court.
30
31 Weimer stated both ASRs mentioned were approved.
32
33 Brenner asked if the electronic document project can integrate with upgrades of the
34 Assessor and Sheriff systems. Van Glubt stated it's possible. They can also use the system
35 used by the Superior Court. There may be good in -house options already he will look at.
36 He doesn't need to create an entirely new program if they already have something they can
37 use.
38
39 (10 :11 :19 AM)
40
41 Brenner asked how long a bursting machine lasts. Van Glubt stated the machine
42 they have is about 30 years old, and it used to be used by many departments. They can no
43 longer get parts for it. It would cost about $1,000 just to attempt a repair, with no
44 guarantee.
45
46 Browne asked if they have considered reorganizing the flow of work to get rid of the
47 multiple copies they need through electronic record management or other means. He's
48 heard that the chemicals used in the paper shouldn't be handled. He asks the Executive
49 also about using multiple forms throughout the County. Van Glubt stated they have
50 reorganized as much as possible. They've reduced the number of forms as much as
51 possible. The forms they use the bursting machine for are required by the state. They've
52 tried to format some of the forms so they can be printed on regular paper, but the State
53 can't get the forms to format on regular paper. Other forms are warrants that need copies
Special Committee of the Whole, 10/23/2014, Page 3
1 that go to multiple destinations. They hope in the future to go to a plain paper warrant for
2 arrest. He can look again before they purchase the machine and check with the State again
3 on form formatting. They would also like to avoid multiple forms.
4
5 Van Glubt described the Probation program. Most cases involve alcohol, which
6 requires specialized supervision. Specialized case loads require more attention, including
7 domestic violence and behavioral health cases. There are two ASRs regarding the
8 acquisition and maintenance of a case management system. The current system is 20
9 years old and failing. It's difficult finding a program to meet their needs that doesn't include
10 extra features they won't use at this time. They are researching the software that other
11 courts use.
12
13 Expenses are on track this year. Revenue is strong. In the next six to 12 months,
14 they will implement the new case management system. They may implement an intake unit
15 to provide an efficient system for clients.
16
17 Weimer stated both of these ASRs were also approved.
18
19 Mann asked the typical caseloads. Van Glubt stated the typical caseload for the
20 domestic violence officer is 100 cases. The standard caseload, not including domestic
21 violence or behavioral health, is 230 to 250 cases per officer.
22
23 Buchanan referenced page 78, volume II, and asked about the increase in revenue
24 between 2011 and 2012. Van Glubt stated collected fees come through District Court. In
25 that year, the revenue started to be recorded in the Probation budget, not the District Court
26 budget.
27
28 Brenner asked if the behavioral health program will be part of the mental health
29 court. Van Glubt stated it will.
30
31 Brenner asked who is going to implement the mental health court. Van Glubt stated
32 that to avoid duplicating services, there will be a common mental health court case
33 manager between the City of Bellingham and the County. They will use existing resources
34 to supervise both courts. Many different courts, including the City or County, can feed into
35 the mental health court, which can handle cases from both of those jurisdictions.
36
37 Louws stated the County will hire the mental health court manager through the
38 Health Department. Within the existing courts there will be an emphasis on mental health
39 and behavioral health issues. If someone fits the criteria for mental health services, the
40 County will be able to direct services with the District Court, Probation, and Health
41 Department screenings to provide more intense management of the case. The Health
42 Department can provide details on the team structure between the City and County.
43
44 Juvenile Court
45
46 (10:34:18 AM)
47
48 Dave Reynolds, Juvenile Court Administrator, described the Juvenile Court program.
49 The County continues to see a dramatic decrease in the number of juvenile arrests, but
50 dependency and truancy cases remain steady. They are at capacity with 30 court - appointed
51 special advocate (CASA) volunteers. They will need another coordinator position in the next
52 few years. They will soon have approximately 42 CASA volunteers. There are two
53 guardians ad litem.
Special Committee of the Whole, 10/23/2014, Page 4
Brenner stated she appreciates the growing CASA program. She asked who hires
the guardians ad litem (GAL). Reynolds stated there is a rotating assignment. He hired the
two direct staff and contracts with four guardians ad litem through a contract with a GAL
agency. They use CASA volunteers whenever possible.
Brenner asked if they are involved in the mental health court. Reynolds stated he's
not sure juvenile court will be involved. They have a behavioral health specialist on contract
to work with youth. They do see a number of mental health concerns in the system.
Browne stated he would like to hear more information in a presentation on what the
community is doing to keep the number of arrests down.
Kremen stated the court system and judicial branch in Whatcom County is very
efficient and effective.
Superior Court
Reynolds continued his presentation and described the Superior Court program. He
described the changes and work being done to implement the fourth Superior Court judge
and associated staff. Since last July, the State took over the cost of parent representation
in dependency cases, which had cost the County quite a bit of money in the past. They can
now apply that money toward the new Superior Court positions being created. There won't
be a significant increase in cost to Whatcom County for the additional judge.
They continue to make significant changes in the County Clerk's Office, emphasizing
public service. He cross - trains staff and is shifting to a new and more efficient document
management system, which includes an electronic filing system. He hired a new, very
experienced Chief Deputy in the Clerk's Office and other high quality staff.
Parks and Recreation Department
Mike McFarlane, Parks and Recreation Department Director, stated the budget is a
maintenance budget. They have over one million annual visitations. The number of staff is
23 full -time equivalent (FTE) positions. Having extra help is crucial. They have numerous
community partners and volunteers.
(10:45:41 AM)
The emphasis this year and over the next few years is catching up on infrastructure
improvements at a number of facilities. They have leveraged funds to win grants used to
upgrade and build capacity. They will look at facility standards and staff training in 2015-
2016. There will be high turnover due to retirements in the next few years.
Trails are a priority of the community. There are now 60 miles of trails, and another
50 miles are planned in the next few years. They are upgrading trail standards, making
improvements, and accommodating accessibility. Federal requirements will become State
requirements. The County must comply to get grant funding. They are participating in
online upgrades, including a campsite reservation system. A lot of staff time is used taking
reservations. As the website improves, more people use online transactions. They will rely
on Information Technology staff to streamline that service.
Special Committee of the Whole, 10/23/2014, Page 5
1 They will inventory park infrastructure and assets and put the information into a
2 geographic information system (GIS) database. They need to gather and document staff's
3 institutional knowledge. Capital improvements are included in the budget. They will
4 continue planning efforts for funding and future improvements. In 2015, they will position
5 projects so they qualify for the 2016 grant cycle. This budget includes expenses for the
6 Lake Whatcom reconveyance lands. Those funds come from the conservation futures fund
7 and parks special revenue fund.
8
9 They increased campsite reservation fees to offset the cost of the online reservation
10 system. Other rates and fees have been adjusted to capture costs. They encourage people
11 to carry -in and carry -out to reduce cleanup costs. They propose a $20 fee for large groups
12 who don't want to remove their own garbage, which is an increasing staff cost.
13
14 They are asking for additional funding for extra help. They are falling behind in
15 terms of the hourly rate. Most extra help staff are students. The County must stay
16 competitive. They are asking for a one dollar per hour increase for extra help and for the
17 special projects staff who are putting information on the GIS database. They are also
18 asking for additional extra help hours to deal with day -to -day manual labor in the summer,
19 including at the South Fork Park, which should be open next year. The caretaker out there
20 is paid for already by the Nesset Foundation. The Council still needs to decide about the
21 Birch Bay community park, but it already requires some work. He asks for 200 hours for
22 special event scheduling. The regular parks staff is having to keep an eye on the special
23 events. That comes from hours that should be used for maintaining the parks. Pass that
24 cost on to the special events. Another position is for a volunteer coordinator. Last year
25 they logged about 55,000 hours of volunteer help within County facilities. An additional
26 11,000 hours were directly involved in special projects for which the County provided
27 individual supervision and training. This doesn't count all the Scout groups and other
28 organizations that help the department. They all require screening, background checks,
29 placement, Labor and Industries insurance, training and orientation, and tracking the
30 volunteers and their work. He described where volunteers work. They will no longer work
31 at Hovander Park.
32
33 (10:55:57 AM)
34
35 Additional costs include a rate increase for the Bellingham Senior Activity Center and
36 parking lot; two position upgrades; Birch Bay mowing, oversight, and demolition; and park
37 restrooms. Because of the County's fiscal situation, they have held down their spending.
38 They would like to return to a normal level of spending. He described the Nesset house and
39 park development; Lake Whatcom trail planning and development; multi -year funding and
40 infrastructure improvement plans for Silver Lake Park; roof replacements at the Hovander
41 House and Ferndale Senior Activity Center; the Lighthouse Marine Park boardwalk repairs;
42 two playground replacements and work to bring all playgrounds up to code; and the
43 Plantation Rifle Range heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC).
44
45 Kremen stated coordinating 55,000 volunteer hours is half a million dollars of service
46 at $9 per hour. The cost of a volunteer coordinator is justified. McFarlane stated it is a
47 volunteer position that will spend about 20 hours a week working with the staff to manage
48 the volunteer program and do background checks. The person will maintain the paperwork
49 and be a contact between the volunteers and park rangers.
50
51 Kremen stated the County won't pay for health benefits for that position. He asked
52 why they will contract out the services to run the senior activity centers. McFarlane stated
53 they went to a contracted model with the four larger centers four years ago. A contracted
Special Committee of the Whole, 10/23/2014, Page 6
1 model allows more flexibility for the senior centers, which have their own coordinators and
2 can adjust their programs, hours, and services as they need them. It has been working
3 well. This budget does not increase those contracted amounts.
4
5 Brenner asked if the Hovander docents will no longer working. McFarlane stated the
6 Whatcom Volunteer Center will no longer be managing the program because they felt it's
7 not in their mission. They place volunteers in the community as opposed to actually
8 operating the program. He has been aware this would happen. The County will need to
9 advertise and provide the training to a volunteer who will run the program.
10
11 Brenner stated they don't supply enough funding for the senior centers now. Reward
12 Lynden for taking over the program and doing the work. All the centers should get more
13 funding. Also, consider a different cost reduction for public schools who use the park
14 facilities. She asked the total visitation to all senior centers. McFarlane stated there were
15 187,752 for all centers in 2013.
16
17 Brenner asked if Birch Bay community members would do the work in the Birch Bay
18 park. McFarlane stated there will be some costs to the County. At the very least, the
19 County will have to cut the lawn. It would be great to get the park district to be a partner.
20
21 Brenner stated the Birch Bay community should agree to do this work and
22 maintenance, especially mowing the lawn, before the County agrees to buy it. Have that
23 discussion first. McFarlane stated the community can also agree to provide funding for the
24 County to do the work.
25
26 Brenner stated the community members must have lawn mowers. They can commit
27 to doing the work. Get their commitment first, before agreeing to buy the property.
28
29 Browne stated yield management software balances the rates charged for the facility
30 versus demand to work out fixed and variable costs, which can balance the demand with
31 cost recovery. He'd like to encourage software that does that balancing. McFarlane stated
32 they will look at it. The challenge is setting rates that aren't so high that people are
33 discouraged from renting the facilities. He considers market rates and similar costs in other
34 areas.
35
36 Weimer stated most ASRs were approved. McFarlane stated they all were.
37
38 Kremen stated the Parks Department gets just over three percent of the general
39 fund. The County gets a lot for a small cost. This park system is stellar compared to other
40 park systems nationwide.
41
42 Administrative Services Department
43
44 Karen Goens, Administrative Services Department — Human Resources (HR) Division,
45 stated they propose status quo staff and programs. She described the division. Her focus
46 is developing internal expertise, succession planning, and staff cross - training. They've
47 streamlined office staff interaction and countywide recruitment. Human Resources will get
48 more functionality with the new website. The County has a very stable workforce.
49 Turnover averages seven and a half percent. During the downturn, they reduced the
50 workforce by about 15 percent, largely through attrition. Departments were very prudent
51 about staying within budget allocations. This year, they will do some more regular hiring.
52 Internal movement went from 33 percent to 44 percent. They offer certification for their
53 public officials and support for performance management. The risk management program
Special Committee of the Whole, 10/23/2014, Page 7
1 works well. Efforts to monitor and prevent claims has lowered their rate. She recommends
2 an ASR to put forward the same level of support for the tort fund and to augment the cost
3 of background checks and training. All employee agreements expire at the end of this year.
4 They have begun bargaining efforts to solve problems as early as possible.
5
6 Mann asked about the internal movement measure. Goens stated many jobs are
7 posted internally first. It is the number of positions filled internally.
8
9 Weimer asked about comparing turnover rates with other counties. Goens stated the
10 rate is consistent.
11
12 Kremen stated that during good economic times, the private sector pays two to three
13 times more, especially in the skilled positions, which are the most critical. The benefits at
14 the County are great, and in most cases better than the private sector. However the
15 County lost a lot of good people to private companies.
16
17 Brenner stated work at the County is steady and dependable. The benefits are
18 great. There isn't much turnover. Her concern is that many people working at the County
19 are underemployed, because they take what job they could get, despite the good
20 unemployment rate, which isn't realistic.
21
22 Browne stated he's very impressed with the County employees. However, it's
23 difficult to compare private and public sector benefit packages. Public sector benefits
24 include better pension plans, for example. Many private sector businesses are small
25 businesses. Make sure any comparisons between the two are true comprehensive
26 comparisons, including the attrition rate.
27
28 Kremen stated that during the good economic times, the County was losing about
29 eight employees per month to the private sector. They lost none during the bad economy.
30 The County was losing its skilled employees to the major companies with large financial
31 resources, not the small businesses.
32
33 Brad Bennett, Administration Services Division - Finance Division, described the
34 Finance Division duties, retirement of the purchasing coordinator and busy budget years.
35 Next year they hope to do a lot of process improvement. The biggest change is charging
36 the junior taxing districts for payroll services. The payroll is a dynamic, changing
37 environment with healthcare reform. They propose a $10 fee per check for providing
38 payroll services to special districts. The County isn't required to do payroll, but it is required
39 to do accounts payable. Some districts will opt to do their own payroll to limit their costs.
40 Software maintenance costs keep going up. There is an allowance for three key people to
41 have a cell phone allowance to keep them working all the time.
42
43 Weimer asked how many junior districts the County does payroll for. Bennett stated
44 there are 25 or 30.
45
46 Brenner asked if the junior districts have other options. Bennett stated they do.
47
48 Mike Russell, Administrative Service Department - Facilities Management Division,
49 described the division's responsibilities and staff. This year they will complete the
50 courthouse fourth Superior Court courtroom on time and on budget. They will also
51 complete the courthouse building envelope project and the jail control project this year.
52
Special Committee of the Whole, 10/23/2014, Page 8
1 In the next couple of years, they have projects at the Central shop, parking lot
2 asphalt repair, auxiliary heating, roof replacements, fire alarm replacements, sidewalk
3 repairs, security camera upgrades, preventative maintenance to chillers and boilers, court
4 hallway bench installation, and carpet replacement. Larger projects include the Sun House
5 building cleaning, design changes to the triage center, the second and fourth floor
6 improvements to the Civic Center, and improvements to the Girard Street and State Street
7 facilities. The courthouse building envelope investigation will be done this year, and they
8 can plan repairs for the next few years.
9
10 Perry Rice, Administrative Services Department — Information Technology Division,
11 described the division's staff and responsibilities.
12
13 (Clerk's Note: Chair Weimer stepped out of the meeting at 11:53 a.m., and Vice -
14 Chair Mann assumed the duties of the chair.)
15
16 Rice continued to describe how many computers, network printers, and other
17 equipment the County owns and the number of annual service requests the staff receive.
18 Highlights from the last two years include the new email system, the Sheriff's Office records
19 management system, and work station replacements. Current active projects include the
20 network upgrade to run the new phone system, the new phone system, and the new
21 website. New upcoming projects will include key critical infrastructure replacement of the
22 firewall, pictometry, and the Prosecutor Office's legacy system. Courts also need to replace
23 their case management system. Another project is integrating and modernizing the GIS
24 system and getting the national pollution discharge elimination system ( NPDES) permit
25 software. They are getting a web -GIS portal to publish the information for the citizens.
26 They are looking at replacing the Auditor's recording system.
27
28 (12 :04:06 PM)
29
30 Another new project includes the Council's meeting video on the internet. The
31 Executive's budget supports staffing changes that will get a lot of work done. He's asking to
32 increase a position from .75 FTE to one FTE, a new position to focus on the Sheriff's Office,
33 which is complex and needs to be available 24 hours per day, seven days per week. He's
34 also asking for a new GIS position.
35
36 Mann stated a big concern and priority is electronic protection. He asked about GIS
37 capacity. He asked if Information Technology (IT) staff are working with Planning
38 Department staff for GIS upgrades. Rice stated he's been in contact with the City of
39 Bellingham and other regional entities. Land records are the foundation layer. Other things
40 build from that. He used to be a GIS consultant. These GIS positions will reach out more to
41 the other jurisdictions and citizens.
42
43 Kremen asked about cloud security for email storage and if the cloud is more or less
44 secure. Rice stated it depends on the vendor corporation that has developed the cloud.
45 Microsoft pays attention to a lot of legal requirements for security. These large vendors that
46 provide services in the cloud are doing pretty well. He's not so sure about the smaller
47 vendors. Make sure third parties audit these cloud entities.
48
49 Brenner asked if the NPDES system won't take a lot of time to enter information.
50 Rice stated it depends on the software.
51
Special Committee of the Whole, 10/23/2014, Page 9
1 Louws stated the first step is to put together a good base map. Until the parcel
2 articulation correctly overlays the visuals, there will be problems. It will take time, but they
3 must start at this base level and build from there.
4
5 Browne stated he agrees with Councilmember Mann's comments on GIS. Regarding
6 cloud storage, the people running the cloud have much more staff to run cyber defense.
7 However, the cloud is a much bigger target, so it's attacked more. No one knows how to
8 answer that question. Every organization is struggling with answering it. He's concerned
9 about the maintenance costs of the new telecomm system being more than the old system.
10 Rice stated the cost may be maintenance neutral.
11
12 Browne stated he has two concerns about IT planning. One is what they are doing
13 for communication redundancy for outbound voice or data and for disaster recovery.
14 They've had problems in the past. Duplicate server locations to the north and south. Also,
15 the public is expecting GIS. They also expect publication of data sets and comparisons.
16 Rice stated they are working on the redundancy of communication infrastructure. There is
17 regional redundancy and local redundancy. They have been spending a lot of time looking
18 at the fiberoptic network in the buildings, which is a spoke system. They are trying to
19 figure out how to develop a fiberoptic ring, where to put development servers, and an
20 integrated Sheriff's Office records management system in another location, such as in
21 Skagit County or another county. The telecommunications architecture will improve the
22 network so they can do more redundancy.
23
24 Louws stated the new website and web portal will allow staff to generate data set
25 information and make that information available to the public.
26
27 (Clerk's Note: The Committee took a lunch break from 12:26 to 1 :30 p.m. Chair
28 Weimer returned and resumed the duties of the chair.)
29
30 Executive's Office
31
32 Louws described the Executive's Office staff level. The main goal is to facilitate all
33 the different department projects, including the emergency medical services, the
34 department of emergency management, jail financing and permitting, What -Comm joint
35 operations, interdepartmental coordination for capital projects, the water action plan, lean
36 initiatives, major development permits, and various other smaller projects and tasks.
37 Dewey Desler will concentrate on jail financing next year. There are about $125 million of
38 capital projects over the next four to five years.
39
40 Mann asked the FTE division between Dewey Desler and Tyler Schroeder. Louws
41 stated Dewey Desler is partly funded from the Administrative Services Department. The
42 FTE division is .2 FTE for Mr. Desler and one FTE for Mr. Schroeder in the Executive's Office,
43 plus .3 FTE for Mr. Desler in the Administrative Services Department. Ms. Helms is also
44 funded through the Administrative Services Department.
45
46 Kremen stated the Council Office has seven councilmembers and no staff that does
47 scheduling or takes personal calls. It's difficult to adequately do the job with the limited
48 staff. Louws stated 100 percent of the Council's requests were approved this year. If there
49 is a challenge to accomplishing this work, he's willing to have that discussion.
50
51 Kremen stated he's come to find that staff is allocated to the County Council Office,
52 not the other divisions. The budget is misleading because it looks like they have 9.5 FTEs.
53 Three and a half of that is the councilmembers. Travel expenses are an issue. Cooperative
Special Committee of the Whole, 10/23/2014, Page 10
1 Extension asked for $10,000 for four people to drive around Whatcom County, and seven
2 councilmembers have to go to Washington D.C. and Olympia. He's concerned about the
3 legislative branch of government, which has operated on a shoestring for years. There is a
4 mindset to keep costs down as much as possible. The magnitude of issues coming before
5 the Council is monumentally different. When he sees the Executive's budget spread out
6 among different departments, the comparison is different. A reason the Council has been
7 disengaged in working with the state and national organizations and with neighboring
8 counties is because they are reluctant to spend any money to engage in those travel
9 expenses. There is a shortage of money to do the job properly.
10
11 Brenner stated the Executive has people in the office with other duties, but they're
12 available to the Executive if needed. This is the way the Charter works. She doesn't have
13 sympathy if people have full -time jobs while serving on the Council. They chose to run for
14 office. She had a job when she was first elected, but gave it up to adequately do her job on
15 the Council. She did it because it was important to her. People shouldn't be on the Council
16 if they don't have time to devote to it. The Executive upgraded Mr. Schroeder's position last
17 yea r.
18
19 _Auditor's Office
20
21 Debbie Adelstein, Auditor, stated the number of recorded documents is at an all -time
22 low. The revenue is down, and the budget is adjusted accordingly. Licensing is steady.
23 They continue to supervise six subagents in the county. Elections are stable and solid. She
24 described the number of staff and duties. They have reduced the number of positions,
25 streamlined the Elections Division, and have been able to reduce that staff by one position.
26 They are implementing a new recording system.
27
28 Weimer asked if there are any unapproved additional service requests. Adelstein
29 stated there are not.
30
31 Brenner asked about hiring an internal auditor. Adelstein stated they talked about it
32 last year. The State is now doing everything that the internal auditor used to do when the
33 position was eliminated.
34
35 Brenner stated she's not impressed with the State auditor. She hoped an internal
36 auditor could be more in -depth and thorough.
37
38 Mann stated he talked with the Auditor about such a position, but he refocused on
39 creating a Council budget analyst. He asked why recording fees have dropped. Adelstein
40 stated it's partly that the market hasn't yet picked up enough. She expects it to pick up
41 again.
42
43 Diana Bradrick, Auditor's Office, stated recordings are volatile and hard to project.
44 Refinances have dropped. New sales can pick up a lot, but not have a big impact on the
45 total recording fees collected. Refinances stopped the minute the interest rates started to
46 rise.
47
48 Browne asked if the $20,000 request to scan images is low. Adelstein stated they
49 are gradually converting older documents. They choose a specific project each year. They
50 also use images from the title companies.
51
52 Bradrick stated the amount is low is because they are paying a vendor to clean up
53 and crop the images, index the images, and tie them to the Auditor number.
Special Committee of the Whole, 10/23/2014, Page 11
Adelstein stated that if they choose to scan all the images they have, they would be
talking about much more money.
Browne asked if images from the title companies meet the threshold of authenticity.
Bradrick stated they do. The Auditor's Office engages in quality control, and the companies
are careful to scan at the correct resolution.
Weimer stated there were concerns about privacy issues when documents were first
put online. He asked if that is still a concern. Adelstein stated it is not.
Browne stated several ASRs are for equipment replacement. He asks what they do
to secure used specialized equipment, such as buying equipment from eBay or specialized
equipment dealers, or to extend the life of equipment the County has. Louws stated the jail
control project is an example of extending equipment life. The County bought every spare
part it could from Ebay and other sources. They put a hold on a lot of these replacements
during the recession. Technology has improved the last few years, so they will be a lot
more efficient when they replace the equipment. He described instances in which the
administration has purchased parts and equipment from eBay.
Assessor's Office
Keith Willnauer, County Assessor, described his two ASRs, one for replacing a large
format copy machine. Cost efficiencies of keeping old equipment should consider that even
if there are parts to be found, they can't find the technicians to work on them. It becomes
more cost - efficient to replace the equipment.
Browne asked if a reserve account will be necessary in the event the refinery
companies will win their valuation appeals. Willnauer stated he looks at all the variables.
Generally, there will be a compromise on the valuation based on analyses. There is a lot of
discussion about very volatile accounting and judgment factors. They are prepared for the
technical valuation, but not for litigation, which will require other people and other
professionals. He's begun discussing this with the Prosecuting Attorney's Office, County
Executive, Council, and the taxing districts. He's preparing to use specialized professionals
and present a valuation appeal posture that has merit. It's not just a political battle, it's a
technical battle. His goal is simply to get the right value on the refinery, not to engage in
other political battles. If they aren't paying their fair share, someone else is paying more
than they should, and vice versa. He began looking at costs associated with an appeal,
including travel and staff expenses, employing a professional consultant to review the
county's position and appraisal, reviewing the appellant's position, and reviewing the
technical information. The Prosecutor recommended looking at the potential of using
outside legal assistance, such as a prosecutor with experience with these types of valuation
appeal cases. The need for a specialized prosecutor depends on how aggressive and long
the case will be. Their new value is mostly associated with their new rail facilities, which are
not incorporated yet into their previous value. Aggressive discussions are happening and
are positive.
Browne asked if the outcome won't affect the Executive's revenue forecast, and
would just shift the taxpayer burden. Willnauer stated that's primarily correct, but that
could change for other taxing districts.
Weimer asked if the revenue numbers in the budget reflect that the shift has already
occurred to other taxpayers and if the County will get a windfall if it wins. Willnauer stated
Special Committee of the Whole, 10/23/2014, Page 12
1 the County will get the levy capacity back to use, but the option is to be conservative about
2 the use of it. That translates to the return of those savings back to taxpayers.
3
4 Mann asked if the tax burden shift could happen retroactively, which can get
5 expensive. Willnauer stated there is a statutory adjustment in the tax base. They've
6 already received the reduction to what they said they think they're worth. That's to protect
7 administrative tax stability. It's a concept called valuation in controversy, which has a
8 threshold. If the companies lose, they would pay the County back with interest.
9
10 Mann asked when the first tax bills went out with that shift. Willnauer stated they
11 went out last February.
12
13 Browne stated Phillips 66 sold a small portion of property for $250 million right after
14 this appeal was filed. He asked how that affects this valuation. It looked like an arm's
15 length, comparable sale. Willnauer stated it was a neighboring property that sold at an
16 unbelievable valuable price. That doesn't go unnoticed. That sale was an LP gas storage
17 facility that benefitted from delivery of shipments, and it was a distribution center with an
18 outgoing pipeline. There was not $250 million in value in those two items. The property
19 had a small agreement to use the Intalco pier to support the offloading of LP gas, plus
20 permitting and other things to transport out of the facility. That demonstrates the value of
21 deep water piers at Cherry Point.
22
23 In Washington state, taxes are not tied to valuation. The valuation mechanism in
24 Washington state is distributional. He's always looking at how to find the best way to get
25 the right relationship of assessed value when they're talking about market value.
26
27 Treasurer's Office
28
29 Steve Oliver, County Treasurer, stated this is a status quo budget with no ASRs.
30 They are within the budget guidelines.
31
32 Browne asked the debt the County is carrying at the moment. Oliver stated it is
33 $3.3 million. They refinanced the Civic Center and borrowed money for the jail control
34 project. The County is almost debt -free, which is uncommon among counties.
35
36 Browne asked what cash the County has. If the County has surplus cash, it should
37 retire the debt. Oliver stated that's an option. Until recently, it wasn't a viable option given
38 the County's cash flow requirements. The cash situation has improved slightly over the last
39 few years. There's a process to pay off the bond issue early.
40
41 Browne stated another question is whether they should convert cash into equity
42 ownership in buildings and save money on rents.
43
44 Louws stated it's better to use the County's cash than to go to the bond market for
45 smaller items. If they don't have the money in a fund to do a project, they bring money
46 from other funds. They are using the existing cash to accomplish these projects. They will
47 use a substantial amount of the existing reserves to accomplish these projects. A few years
48 ago, the mentality was to protect cash, which is why the County used bonds.
49
50
Special Committee of the Whole, 10/23/2014, Page 13
1 County Council Office
2
3 Dana Brown - Davis, Clerk of the Council, stated they talked about all the ASRs in
4 June. She described the ASRs. There is an addition to the budget of $990 for broadcasting
5 Council meetings on BTV10.
6
7 Brenner stated the economic outlook isn't as good as everyone portrays. The Public
8 Defender's Office isn't able to provide the services that it must provide. There are more
9 expenditures than revenue without all the additional budget requests that come through
10 each year, which is in the millions. Even if they think hiring a policy analyst is a good thing,
11 it's a bad time to do it.
12
13 Weimer asked if the amount for webcasting is in addition to the current videotaping
14 cost, and if they can have the same person do both. Brown -Davis stated the current budget
15 is $12,000. She asked for an additional $10,000 to live stream meetings through a
16 YouTube stream on the internet. They would still air meetings on BTV10.
17
18 Mann asked who would manage the YouTube channel. Brown -Davis stated that if
19 the request is approved, they would have to go out for a request for proposals (RFP).
20
21 Browne asked about installing fixed cameras instead of continuing to hire the
22 videographer. There should be a one -time capital purchase of about $25,000 to install
23 cameras.
24
25 Buchanan stated the City has upgraded its cameras and surplus cameras may be
26 available.
27
28 Brenner stated she's fine with contracting a vendor to broadcast, but doesn't want to
29 go any further.
30
31 Browne stated the best quality, cheapest solution is installing fixed mount
32 controllable cameras. A little money spent up front will save money in the long run.
33
34 Brenner stated it won't cost less. It will cost more for operating and upkeep of the
35 equipment.
36
37 Kremen stated Bellingham has two staff who run their TV operation and hundreds of
38 thousands of dollars invested in their own equipment. They have programming that
39 includes other than just their City Council meetings. It's not that prudent to invest in a full
40 recording studio or broadcast system with many camera angles and other features when the
41 County doesn't have a television channel.
42
43 Weimer stated people seem pleased with what the Port of Bellingham has done, and
44 this ASR is based on that system. He's not sure he wants to vote on fixed cameras. They
45 need a study to tell them what the public wants.
46
47 Kremen stated not one person has communicated with him about a desire for seeing
48 more County Council meetings on television.
49
50 Weimer stated they've heard it from Point Roberts.
51
52 Kremen stated that streaming will solve that problem.
53
Special Committee of the Whole, 10/23/2014, Page 14
Browne stated the current camera technology being used is very old.
Kremen stated no one is complaining about the image quality.
Browne stated he's not suggesting they go high definition, but that is the technology
standard right now.
Weimer stated they are behind the times in making the meetings easily available.
The current ASR is the first step forward. He asked if the ASR includes a new camera.
Brown -Davis stated it includes money for the vendor to buy equipment.
Browne stated make sure the proposals include installing equipment to allow the
Council staff to operate the equipment. There is a cheaper way to deal with annual costs of
running the program.
Weimer stated he doesn't know enough to make that decision. Neither the City nor
the Port do it with their own staff. He asked about the Hearing Examiner budget and if they
need to consider adding money to this budget for anticipated large proposals.
Brown -Davis stated she is working on amending the unified fee schedule to include a
flat fee plus an hourly rate before the budget is adopted this year. Regarding additional
Hearing Examiner services, they decided to wait and request a supplemental budget request
because they don't know how much extra it will cost.
Brenner stated the proponent will have to pay that cost.
Tyler Schroeder, Executive's Office, stated the unified fee schedule can be created to
ensure that Council will get that payment. For now, look at the unified fee schedule for
major development permit, Hearing Examiner - related fees only. That leaves the unified fee
schedule Hearing Examiner fees for all other projects the same. In that way, the Council
will be able to move forward and make decisions on how best to handle hearings associated
with large major development projects.
Brown -Davis stated it will be a permanent change, not just for one project.
Browne asked if the Council wants to provide video of the Planning Commission
hearings and Hearing Examiner Georgia Pacific Terminal (GPT) hearings.
Brenner stated that gets out of hand. Any extra money should be used for video
recording committee meetings. Brown -Davis stated this current proposal is a good place to
start. They can build from there as they go along.
Miscellaneous Non - Departmental and Advisory Boarrc15, Commissions, and Committees
Tawni Helms, Administrative Services Department, described the non - departmental
budget. The first section has to do with operational items and contracts, such as animal
control services. They've added two ASRs, one for the lean effort and one for the Salary
Commission. The second section has to do with fund transfers.
There are changes to the medical examiner and morgue contracts. The County no
longer pays the morgue lease, but pays a building maintenance expense. Other changes
include the emergency medical services (EMS) contracts and ambulance fees. Regarding
the issue of the volunteer center, she is working with the new Executive Director who has a
Special Committee of the Whole, 10/23/2014, Page 15
1 new focus and mission. They are developing a new scope that is less focused on volunteer
2 hours and more focused on other tangible deliverables.
3
4 Brenner asked if the Salary Commission has to meet every other year. Helms stated
5 it does.
6
7 Browne asked about the leave payout from the reserve fund. Helms stated the
8 increase is due to a reserve amount for the labor contracts.
9
10 Browne asked why these funds are not part of the departmental budgets. Louws
11 stated it will go back to the departments once they have agreed upon labor contracts. It's
12 easier to keep in the administrative services budget and move it to the departments when
13 approved. They are parking the money here until the labor contracts are settled.
14
15 Mann stated the food banks are seeking extra funding. Given the increased
16 demands on the food banks, he's interested in supporting the requests. Helms stated the
17 recipients of these dollars were invited to ask for funding, but Mike Cohen did not ask for
18 additional funding.
19
20 Mann stated the money the food bank gets now is specifically for food distribution.
21 He wants to provide money for the food bank to strategically buy food in bulk. He asked
22 how to provide that type of funding.
23
24 Dewey Desler, Special Projects Manager, stated the constitution allows governments
25 to make gifts to the poor and infirm. Because the food bank doesn't test who is poor and
26 infirm, the County isn't allowed to give money to the food bank. Instead, the County pays
27 for things related to services. Food delivered to older people with disabilities is done as a
28 service. In the past, they've helped the food bank in ways the County is constitutionally
29 allowed. The Council has always wanted to help the food bank, but must do so in a
30 constitutionally allowable way. They must talk with Mr. Cohen and understand what he
31 needs to use the money for. If funding can match with the legal requirements, they can
32 develop ideas.
33
34 Brenner asked if they can get data on poverty in each community, and deliver food
35 that would equal the level of poverty in the communities. Desler stated the County must go
36 through certain tests of the State Auditor and Attorney General. If someone fills out a form
37 declaring they are below a certain income, the County can gift food. However, the food
38 bank has chosen not to require that form.
39
40 Kremen stated he understands why the food bank chooses not to require that form,
41 but it does tie the County's hands. Giving away food without that verification is a gift of
42 public funds. He's confident Mike Cohen and Mr. Desler can come up with a legal
43 mechanism to provide food or other services as needed. The number of people who really
44 don't have enough money to buy food to exist is very pervasive in Whatcom County.
45
46 Brenner asked if they can fund food bank employee salaries and what is the
47 Alternatives to Hunger Program.
48
49 (3:23 :56 PM)
50
51 Louws stated it is a community development block grant (CDBG) pass- through grant
52 for the food bank. He is willing to work with the food bank to find ways to legally augment
53 their programs. The budget requests did go out, and he approved the food bank's full
Special Committee of the Whole, 10/23/2014, Page 16
1 request. He doesn't know yet how that would happen. They are combining funding for
2 several programs into one contribution that the food bank can use however they need.
3
4 Kremen asked if the County is pursuing the CDBG grants. Louws stated it is.
5
6 Weimer stated the Council used to hear from these different program
7 representatives. He asked if they had a chance to submit an ASR. Helms stated they filled
8 out applications to request funding.
9
10 Brenner stated the Sean Humphrey House was told that funds are no longer
11 available.
12
13 Weimer stated that's a different process. Helms stated the County has been cautious
14 during the last few budget cycles.
15
16 Weimer stated the County didn't have any extra money, so people weren't asking.
17
18 Brenner stated extra money should go to the senior centers, including the Lynden
19 Senior Center. More people are going to the senior centers as the baby boomers age.
20
21 Mann stated he was also approached by the Whatcom County Historical Society
22 about paying for a handicap lift at the original Whatcom County territorial courthouse in the
23 amount of $15,000.
24
25 Kremen stated the Parks Department may be able to access historical preservation
26 funding. Check with Mr. McFarlane to see if they should put it in the budget or try to secure
27 a grant from the State preservation agency. He will contact Mr. McFarlane and work with
28 the Executive.
29
30 Brenner stated she would like the budget to include an extra $10,000 for each of the
31 senior centers.
32
33 Weimer stated there needs to be a process for all of these requests.
34
35 Brenner stated no one told the Sean Humphrey House that funding was available.
36 Louws stated he will talk to the director of the Sean Humphrey House.
37
38 Browne asked if the Rotary Club work on Sun House is duplicative of what the
39 County is proposing. Desler described the Sun House, the County's involvement with the
40 foundation, and a project to improve the building and services. The County will contribute a
41 matching funding amount.
42
43 Browne asked about funding the Northwest Annex cooling tower if they are going to
44 move staff out of the building. Louws stated they won't move forward with the project
45 because the Council approved his proposal to move staff.
46
47 Brenner stated the longer they wait to fix the Northwest Annex, the less likely it will
48 get fixed at all, especially if they don't heat it. Keep the Planning and Development
49 Department in the Northwest Annex. It has good access for people in the county. Don't let
50 the building deteriorate by default.
51
Special Committee of the Whole, 10/23/2014, Page 17
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Mann stated he likes the building. It might be feasible to put a smaller department,
such as the Parks Department, in the Northwest Annex. Then the County could sell the
Parks Department building.
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 3:46 p.m.
The Council approved these minutes on March 3, 2015.
A_n -EST.; `� �+
Z iM1
Dana to"', --Davis Council - -Clerk
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
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Carl Weimer, Council Chair
Special Committee of the Whole, 10/23/2014, Page 18