HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommittee of the Whole March 17 20091
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Committee Of The Whole
March 17, 2009
Council Chair Seth Fleetwood called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. in the Council
Conference Room, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
Present: Absent:
Barbara Brenner None
Bob Kelly
Sam Crawford
Carl Weimer
Laurie Caskey - Schreiber
L. Ward Nelson
1. STRATEGY PLANNING DISCUSSION AND POSITIONS TO BE TAKEN
REGARDING DEPUTY SHERIFF'S GUILD COLLECTIVE BARGAINING (AB2009-
055)
This item was withdrawn.
2. CONSIDERATION OF APPEAL OF HEARING EXAMINER DECISION
REGARDING REQUEST FOR BOUNDARY LINE ADJUSTMENT, APL2007- 00015,
FILED BY EMIL HECHT (AB2008 -453)
Brenner moved to go into executive session to discuss this agenda item.
Motion carried 7 -0.
OTHER BUSINESS
UPDATE AND DISCUSSION ON COUNCIL TRAVEL AND REGISTRATION ACCOUNTS
Caskey- Schreiber asked if it's a bad trend to set when the Executive is more likely to
fund a trip for a councilmember who is cozier with the Executive. It goes against the checks
and balance relationship. They ought to establish some kind of policy or procedure when a
councilmember goes above a travel allotment.
Crawford stated Councilmember Fleetwood asked him several times to go on the trip.
The Council Chair told him no less than six times that he needed to go to Washington D.C.
His relationship with the Executive has nothing to do with it.
Fleetwood stated this has nothing to do with any cozy relationship with the
Executive.
Committee of the Whole, 3/17/2009, Page 1
1 Brenner stated that at budget time, they all agreed that each councilmember would
2 get $500.
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4 Dana Brown - Davis, Clerk of the Council, stated there was also $2,000 in the main
5 travel fund.
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7 Nelson stated the policy was established separate from the budget. In the budget,
8 they established a certain amount for each councilmember. Many times, they go for a
9 supplemental if there is a need. All policies were followed. Councilmember Fleetwood went
10 to the administration requesting a supplemental from their department to help
11 Councilmember Crawford go to Washington D.C.
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13 Fleetwood stated that's not what happened. The Council cut back travel funds to
14 $500 each. The $2,000 general amount was for sending one person to Washington D.C. He
15 then attempted to buy the airfare and registration with 2008 money, but it was too late. He
16 spent about $1,900 for everything. -Councilmember Crawford's and his travel . budgets
17 totaled $1,000, and $400 was from last year. The total came to $3,800, so they needed an
18 extra few hundred dollars. He mentioned it to Executive Kremen.during a meeting on other
19 issues. Executive Kremen agreed to take care of the remaining cost. He also urged
20 Councilmember Caskey- Schreiber and other councilmembers to go.
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22 Crawford stated they need to adjust the Council budget accordingly. With these
23 cutbacks, they were also very concerned about staff's ability to keep their licensing and
24 accreditation. He wants to have a discussion with Executive Kremen about also covering
25 that cost.
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27 Brenner stated it's fine if they get money from the Executive. The councilmembers
28 all agreed to cut back their own money. She has kept her costs very low, more than usual.
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30 Crawford stated he and Councilmember Fleetwood will figure out how much they are
31 over their $500 allotment. If the Council thinks its more appropriate for staff to use funds
32 from the pool for their accreditation, they'll still have that. The Executive is amenable to
33 that.
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35 Caskey- Schreiber stated she purposely didn't go to Washington D.C. last year in
36 hopes she could have gone this year. It was frustrating to hear that the Executive found
37 money for Councilmember Crawford, without offering anything to other councilmembers.
38 She couldn't afford to go if she had to pay her costs, but would have gone if she had been
39 assured her expenses would be reimbursed. Some councilmembers have not gone to
40 Washington D.C., and others have gone every year. It would be fair to have a balance.
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42 Brenner stated she wants to make sure that staff has the money to go to their
43 training. The Council is an entire branch of government, but it isn't treated equally. This is
44 important. Brown -Davis stated they will figure out how to fund accreditation. She asked if
45 the Council wants to create a policy for using the general travel fund in the future.
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47 Caskey- Schreiber stated the councilmembers should decide, via a majority vote, who
48 will go.
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50 Crawford stated that a new policy isn't probably necessary. In the absence of a
51 policy, a vote Councilmember Caskey- Schreiber suggested is appropriate.
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Committee of the Whole, 3/17/2009, Page 2
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ADJOURN
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The meeting adjourned at 6:50 p.m.
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Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
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The �i4����� approved these minutes on
April 1414 , 2009.
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Committee of the Whole, 3/17/2009, Page 3
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