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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance February 8 20111 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL Finance and Administrative Services Committee February 8, 2011 CALL TO ORDER Committee Chair Ken Mann called the meeting to order at 11:00 a.m. in the Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington. ROLL CALL (10:59:21 AM) Present: Kathy Kershner, Ken Mann and Tony Larson. Absent: None. Also Present: Barbara Brenner, Sam Crawford and Bill Knutzen. COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL 1. REQUEST APPROVAL OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENT BOARD'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EDI FUNDING - CITY OF FERNDALE PROJECT: HOUSING AFFORDABLE FOR THE WORK FORCE (AB2011 -052A) (11: 00:19 AM) Kershner moved to recommend approval to the full Council. The following people spoke or answered questions: • Paul Schissler, project proponent, answered questions • Dewey Desler, Whatcom County Deputy Administrator, answered questions • Doug Campbell, Whatcom County Building Industry Association (BIA), stated the loan funds source is from tax money, which is supposed to go into infrastructure. Make the program a repayment loan, so it's sustainable. Administration should be done by the City of Ferndale, not the City of Bellingham. Discussion included any changes from the original proposal; whether this is really a loan and whether the money will be paid back; whether this concept is available for home ownership or rental properties; when homes developed through home ownership programs come out of the program; funding sources for affordable home loan programs; using these funds to leverage State and federal dollars; when the Economic Development Investment (EDI) money comes out of the fund; who will manage the program; contract language; the date for recovering the EDI money; paying the City of Bellingham to administer the program; the proposed interest rate; the home affordability status; the $25,000 project administration cost; the County's dissatisfaction with the current partnerships with City of Bellingham; making the City of Ferndale the administrator instead of the City of Bellingham; alternatives to the one percent fixed interest loan rate; how the investment funds would be recovered; alternatives to this loan program; future administrative requirements; whether or not the BIA participates in the affordable housing industry; the possibility and impacts of including a repayment schedule to the mortgage; actual versus estimated administrative costs; the number of homes that could be built and their associated impact fees; whether the government has a role in subsidizing someone's purchase of a home, and; the structure of how the funds would be leveraged and used. Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 2/8/2011, Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 Kershner amended her motion and moved to recommend approval of the request, and to begin creating a contract with the City of Ferndale. The motion carried by the following vote: Ayes: Kershner and Mann (2) Nays: Larson (1) Crawford asked to keep this item in committee until the new contract is written. Desler stated vote on the request tonight, and the administration will prepare the documents, which will come back before the Council. COUNCIL "CONSENT AGENDA" ITEMS 1. REQUEST APPROVAL FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND PIONEER HUMAN SERVICES FOR MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT SERVICES IN AN AMOUNT THAT IS VARIABLE DEPENDING ON NUMBER OF SERVICES PROVIDED AND AUTHORIZATION BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT (AB2011 -080) (11:58:47 AM) Larson moved to recommend approval to the full Council. The motion carried by the following vote: Ayes: Kershner, Mann and Larson (3) Nays: None (0) 2. REQUEST APPROVAL FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND KAREN E. JACKSON, MA, LMFT FOR MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT SERVICES IN AN AMOUNT THAT IS VARIABLE DEPENDING ON NUMBER OF SERVICES PROVIDED AND AUTHORIZATION BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT (AB2011 -081) (11 :59 :06 AM) Kershner moved to recommend approval to the full Council. The motion carried by the following vote: Ayes: Kershner, Mann and Larson (3) Nays: None (0) 3. REQUEST APPROVAL FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ACCEPT ALL BIDS FOR ANNUAL SUPPLY OF QUARRY ROCK, GRAVEL AND OTHER MATERIALS FOR USE AS NEEDED FOR VARIOUS COUNTY MAINTENANCE PROJECTS, AND SELECT THE APPROPRIATE VENDOR AS DICTATED BY THE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF EACH PARTICULAR JOB IN AN AMOUNT TO EXCEED $35,000 (AB2011 -082) (11:59 :30 AM) Kershner moved to recommend approval to the full Council. The motion carried by the following vote: Ayes: Kershner, Mann and Larson (3) Nays: None (0) Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 2/8/2011, Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 4. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF GPS SURVEY EQUIPMENT USING WASHINGTON STATE CONTRACT, VENDOR PPI GROUP IN THE AMOUNT OF $39,987.40 (AB2011- 083) (12 :00:02 PM) Kershner moved to recommend approval to the full Council. The motion carried by the following vote: Ayes: Kershner, Mann and Larson (3) Nays: None (0) S. RESOLUTION TO SET HEARING AND NOTICE OF HEARING FOR THE SALE OF SURPLUS COUNTY PROPERTY BY PUBLIC AUCTION (AB2011 -084) (12 :01 :13 PM) Kershner moved to recommend approval to the full Council. The following person answered questions: Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator Discussion included why they are surplussing a huge shredder; whether councilmembers are able to bid for items at auction; how often departments surplus equipment; how the County handles surplus computer equipment, and; donating old County computers to charity. The motion carried by the following vote: Ayes: Mann and Larson (2) Nays: None (0) Absent: Kershner (1) 6. RESOLUTION CANCELING UNCOLLECTIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES (AB2011 -085) (12 :07 :11 PM) Larson moved to recommend approval to the full Council. Steve Oliver, Treasurer, gave a staff report. The motion carried by the following vote: Ayes: Mann and Larson (2) Nays: None (0) Absent: Kershner (1) 7. RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE LIST OF PETITIONS FOR PROPERTY TAX REFUNDS (AB2011 -086) (12 :08 :42 PM) Larson moved to recommend approval to the full Council. The following person answered questions: • Steve Oliver, County Treasurer Discussion included whether the senior exemptions apply to people who aren't low income; the exemption being on the home instead of the land, and; the codes. Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 2/8/2011, Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 The motion carried by the following vote: Ayes: Mann and Larson (2) Nays: None (0) Absent: Kershner (1) OTHER BUSINESS There was no other business. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 12:11 p.m. Please contact the Council Office to obtain an official, signed copy: 360- 676 -6690 or council@-.o.whatcorn.wa.us Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk Ken Mann, Committee Chair Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 2/8/2011, Page 4