HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance February 9 20101
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Finance and Administrative Services Committee
February 9, 2010
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
Present: Kathy Kershner, Ken Mann and Carl Weimer.
Absent: None.
Also Present: Sam Crawford, Barbara Brenner, Bill Knutzen and L. Ward Nelson
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL
1. ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 2010 WHATCOM COUNTY BUDGET, SIXTH
REQUEST, IN THE MOUNT OF $25,000 (AB2010 -077)
Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, gave a staff report.
Weimer moved to recommend approval to the full Council.
Discussion included a provision for change orders in the contract.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Kershner, Mann and Weimer (3)
Nays: None (0)
COUNCIL "CONSENT AGENDA" ITEMS
1. REQUEST APPROVAL FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND
PACIFIC SURVEYING & ENGINEERING, INC. TO PROVIDE ALTERNATIVE
ANALYSIS AND DESIGN OF LEVEE IMPROVEMENTS TO REDUCE THE RISK
ASSOCIATED WITH SWIFT CREEK DUE TO FLOODING, IN THE AMOUNT OF
$160,000 (AB2010 -086)
(Clerk's Note: Council acting as the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District
Board of Supervisors)
Weimer moved to recommend approval to the full Council.
Jon Hutchings, Public Works Department, gave a staff report.
Discussion included how long the interim design will last and a misunderstanding
about the purpose of this money.
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 2/9/2010, Page 1
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The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Kershner, Mann and Weimer (3)
Nays: None (0)
2. REQUEST APPROVAL FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A
CONTRACT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND NORTHWEST REGIONAL
COUNCIL TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE LONELINESS AND ISOLATION
PROGRAM, IN THE AMOUNT OF $20,000 (AB2010 -087)
Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, gave a staff report.
The following people spoke:
• Janie Pemble, Northwest Regional Council Program Coordinator, described the
history, purpose, and benefits of the program.
• Elizabeth Kilanowski, Bellingham, stated she is a citizen who strongly
supports this program. If the Council can pay hundreds of thousands of
dollars on a water resources inventory area (WRIA) model that doesn't work,
it can spend money on this program that does work. Find a creative way to
fund this program.
Kershner moved to recommend approval to the full Council.
Discussion included the number of people served; other sources of funding; how
much time the volunteers spend with each client, and; the positive effects to the community
of this program.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Kershner, Mann and Weimer (3)
Nays: None (0)
3. REQUEST APPROVAL FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A
CONTRACT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND NORTHWEST REGIONAL
COUNCIL TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE BOUNDARY REVIEW BOARD, IN
THE AMOUNT OF $18,000 (AB2010 -088)
Kershner moved to recommend approval to the full Council.
Discussion included having a presentation on this group's function and
accomplishments.
Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, gave a staff report.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Kershner, Mann and Weimer (3)
Nays: None (0)
4. REQUEST APPROVAL FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A
CONTRACT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND WHATCOM COUNSELING AND
PSYCHIATRIC CLINIC FOR MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT SERVICES, IN AN
AMOUNT THAT IS VARIABLE DEPENDING ON NUMBER OF SERVICES
PROVIDED AND AUTHORIZATION BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT (AB2010-
089)
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 2/9/2010, Page 2
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Weimer moved to recommend approval to the full Council.
Ann Deacon, Health Department, gave a staff report and answered questions.
Discussion included the variable amount of funding and funding from the mental
health tax.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Kershner, Mann and Weimer (3)
Nays: None (0)
S. REQUEST APPROVAL FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A GRANT
AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND WASHINGTON STATE
DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR SOLID WASTE
COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT AND LITTERING AND ILLEGAL DUMPING
ENFORCEMENT SERVICES, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $75,994 PER
YEAR FOR A TWO YEAR TERM (AB2010 -090)
Weimer moved to recommend approval to the full Council.
The following people answered questions.
• Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator
• Jeff Hegedus, Health Department
Discussion included interlocal costs used as a match, and whether they can use costs
from Swift Creek; the classification of the waste at Swift Creek, and; the source of the local
funding amount.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Kershner, Mann and Weimer (3)
Nays: None (0)
6. REQUEST APPROVAL FOR THE WHATCOM COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION
DEPARTMENT TO DEMOLISH A DERELICT BARN AT DITTRICH PARK
(AB2010 -091)
Weimer moved to recommend approval to the full Council.
The following person answered questions.
• Lynn Givler, Parks and Recreation Department
Discussion included whether or not they should tear down the barn; the location of
Dittrich Park; the possibility of restoring the barn; other needs for the real estate excise tax
(REET) II money; the cost of disposing of or saving the barn, and; potential liability
concerns.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Kershner, Mann and Weimer (3)
Nays: None (0)
7. RESOLUTION ORDERING THE CANCELLATION OF CHECKS MORE THAN TWO
YEARS OLD (AB2010 -092)
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 2/9/2010, Page 3
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Weimer moved to recommend approval to the full Council.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Kershner, Mann and Weimer (3)
Nays: None (0)
8. REQUEST RATIFICATION OF A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING TO
ADDRESS THE 2011 QUICK SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT — EXTENSION AND
AMENDMENT OF THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT FOR THE
SHERIFF'S CORRECTIONS DEPUTIES (AB2010 -093)
Weimer moved to recommend approval to the full Council.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Kershner, Mann and Weimer (3)
Nays: None (0)
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION
1. CONTINUED DISCUSSION RELATED TO EMS PARAMEDIC TRAINING COSTS
PROPOSED FOR 2010 (AB2010 -100)
The following people spoke:
• Randy VanderHeiden, City of Bellingham Fire Department Medical Services
Officer, described the history of the paramedic training program.
• Frank Chmelik, Fire District 7 attorney, answered questions.
• Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, answered questions.
• Dr. Marvin Wayne, City of Bellingham Fire Department Medical Director,
described his background and his responsibilities as medical program director
and supervising physician. He will provide authorization for certification once
the Fire District 7 paramedics -in- training complete their training in
Wenatchee.
• Patty McKeown, Bellingham Technical College (BTC) Vice - President of
Instruction, described the reasons for the cost increase of the program at
BTC.
• Gary Russell, Fire District 7 Chief, answered questions and stated they don't
know how long it will take for the paramedics -in- training to complete their
training in Wenatchee, due to the low call volume.
Discussion included why they need to train more staff when there are nearly- trained
paramedics in Fire District 7; why the training was moved from Bellingham Technical
College (BTC) to Western Washington University (WWU) and became a closed program;
how the program was moved from BTC to WWU to lower cost; how the program closed
because the students must be affiliated with a working unit to train; everyone agreeing to
the EMS Plan; someone in Medic One preventing the certification of the Fire District 7
paramedics because of a labor dispute; whether the Bellingham Fire Department staff have
given anything up due to the recession; how much additional money the County taxpayers
spent to send the five paramedics to Seattle and Wenatchee to get their evaluation rides;
State training requirements and designated supervising physicians for the training program
and medical units; Whatcom County's protocols for becoming a paramedic; why the
paramedics can't get their evaluation rides in Skagit County; whether Dr. Wayne will certify
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 2/9/2010, Page 4
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the five paramedics after their evaluation rides in Wenatchee; whether the County can
request from the State of Washington another person to authorize certification; how the Fire
Department achieved cost savings in moving the training from BTC to WWU; how
individuals trained in other counties become authorized to work in Whatcom County;
whether Dr. Wayne could have informed the County that there may be issues with between
the Union and Fire District 7 when everyone agreed to the EMS plan; authorizing volunteers
at Mt. Baker Ski Area to perform paramedic functions; how the fire districts have reduced
the Medic One workload by taking the basic life support (BLS) calls, as was planned for in
the EMS plan; whether or not they need a fifth medic unit right now; whether there is a
pending solution to the labor issue; policies and procedures for attrition; whether paramedic
training is necessary at this time; forcing the issue through a resolution with five conditions;
the County being held hostage by one union group; how the union can refuse to work with
the Fire District 7 staff; whether the situation creates a hostile work environment, and;
whether the City has repaid the County for the money taken to provide salaries for Mayor
and City Council staff.
Mann stated there isn't interest on the Council to approve this item any time soon.
Crawford stated he would like to talk to the various parties about formalizing
something in a resolution. He doesn't know how long that will take.
Mann stated this will not go forward to the next meeting.
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 12:54 p.m.
Please contact the Council Office to obtain an
official, signed copy:
360- 676 -6690 or council &o.w hatcom .wa.us
Dana Brown- Davis, Council Clerk
Ken Mann, Committee Chair
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 2/9/2010, Page 5