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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance April 14 20091 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL 2 Finance and Administrative Services Committee 3 4 April 14, 2009 5 6 Committee Chair Sam Crawford called the meeting to order at 11:00 a.m. in the 7 Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington. 8 9 Present: Absent: 10 L. Ward Nelson None 11 Bob Kelly 12 13 Also Present: 14 Laurie Caskey- Schreiber 15 Barbara Brenner 16 Carl Weimer 17 Seth Fleetwood 18 19 20 SPECIAL PRESENTATION /COMMITTEE DISCUSSION 21 22 1. PRESENTATION BY THE GLACIER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE REGARDING 23 ACTIVITIES AND PURPOSE, AND A POSSIBLE DISCUSSION OF THE CURRENT 24 LODGING TAX ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERSHIP AND DECISION - MAKING 25 PROCESS (AB2009 -188) 26 27 The following people spoke: 28 29 . Jan Eskola, Glacier Chamber of Commerce, submitted information (on file). 30 0 Ellen Baker, 9945 Mt. Baker Highway, submitted information (on file). 31 . Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, explained the process for submitting an 32 application to receive lodging tax funds. 33 34 Discussion included the history, background, and membership of the Chamber; 35 Chamber events; involvement in community meetings; Chamber benefits; an application for 36 use of funds from the lodging tax fund; the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee; combining 37 efforts with the Foothills Chamber of Commerce; including businesses outside the Glacier 38 community; using private resources instead of government resources to sustain Chamber 39 activities; existing revenue and expenditures in the lodging tax fund; finding event sponsors 40 and developing a business plan; considering the future of revenues given a pending 41 annexation; funds being spent on tourism - related activities, and; using money for staff 42 positions. 43 44 Crawford asked the Executive's Office to provide more information on how the 45 Lodging Tax Advisory Committee meets and makes decisions. He would like the minutes of 46 their meetings, member information, and the requirements so the committee can have 47 another brief discussion in two weeks. They may need to make decisions on thresholds of 48 community involvement, matching funds, and geographic area. None of that is defined. 49 50 Caskey- Schreiber stated the Foothills Chamber of Commerce has promoted the area. 51 She wants to figure out the redundancy issue. She is willing to support local organizations 52 for communities, but she needs to figure out the redundancy issue. 53 54 Crawford stated the Council will probably not provide funds to the Glacier Chamber 55 this year, but the Chamber should be persistent with the Council. The Glacier should keep Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 4/14/2009, Page 1 1 the Council updated on its activities, get corporate sponsorships, and begin to build a record 2 of credibility. Someone from the Chamber should be appointed to the Lodging Tax 3 Committee. 4 5 6 OTHER BUSINESS 7 8 (Clerk's Note: End of tape one, side A.) 9 10 DISCUSSION ON FUNDING REQUEST FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 11 COUNCIL (EDC) (AB2009 -153) 12 13 • Nancy Jordan, Northwest Economic Council, submitted and read from a 14 presentation (on file). The Economic Development Council (NEC) has changed 15 its name to the Northwest Economic Council. She described examples of the 16 companies that the EDC has helped. 17 • Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, spoke about the history of County 18 funding to the NEC and the supplemental budget request. 19 0 Bruce McCormick, Northwest Economic Council Chair, submitted information 20 (on file) and spoke about his background and the future of the Economic 21 Council 22 23 Discussion included the name change; the organizations restructure; a recent 24 community survey; convening industry meetings; working with existing industries; retaining 25 family -wage jobs in the community; educating and counseling companies; requests to the 26 NEC from businesses and companies that want to either start up or expand; a recent 27 funding request from the County; developing a regional strategy, and; the strength of the 28 new current NEC management. 29 30 Caskey- Schreiber stated the Council should consider whether it's worthwhile to 31 continue funding the NEC to manage the Economic Development Investment (EDI) funds. 32 They are not getting as many applications as they once did. More of the funds should go 33 into the community. She wants accountability to the taxpayers. She will support the new 34 NEC if they commit to bringing forward results. The Council should approve a one -year 35 agreement instead of a two -year agreement so it can review their progress again in a year. 36 37 Nelson stated the Northwest Economic Council should reach out to local businesses 38 that have succeeded and would be willing to help the NEC set up business plans to attract 39 new businesses and retain existing businesses. Use existing community resources to 40 identify problems and barriers to business. 41 42 Fleetwood stated new management can't guarantee success in attracting new 43 businesses. The NEC should acknowledge that the approach needs to be fundamentally 44 different from what it has been. 45 46 Desler stated the administration will bring forward a new supplemental budget 47 request for this item. 48 49 50 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL 51 52 1. REQUEST APPROVAL FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO AN INTERLOCAL 53 AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND THE WHATCOM 54 CONSERVATION 'DISTRICT TO IMPLEMENT A PILOT SMALL FARM COST- Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 4/14/2009, Page 2 1 SHARE PROJECT IN THE DRAYTON HARBOR SHELLFISH PROTECTION 2 DISTRICT IN THE AMOUNT OF $50,000 (AB2009 -190) 3 4 Crawford moved to recommend approval to the full Council. 5 6 Scarlett Tang, Public Works Department, gave a staff report. 7 8 Discussion included funds for staffing and keeping flexible in how much money is 9 given to farmers. 10 11 Motion carried 3 -0. 12 13 14 COUNCIL "CONSENT AGENDA" ITEMS 15 16 1. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A LEASE 17 AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND JIM SNYDAR FOR A FARM 18 LEASE OF 80 ACRES AT HOVANDER HOMESTEAD PARK, IN THE AMOUNT OF 19 $3,000 (AB2009 -191) 20 21 Kelly moved to recommend approval to the full Council 22 23 Mike McFarland, Parks Department Director, gave a staff report 24 25 Discussion included whether this goes out to bid and the specific use for the 26 property. 27 28 Nelson stated next year, make it more enhancing for farmers to get hay. 29 30 Motion carried 3 -0. 31 32 2. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A LEASE 33 AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND JEFF RAINEY, COLDSTREAM 34 FARM, LLC FOR APPROXIMATELY 64 ACRES OF LAND KNOWN AS "EAST 35 ACME FARM" IN THE AMOUNT OF $6,400 (AB2009 -192) 36 37 Nelson moved to recommend approval to the full Council. 38 39 Motion carried 3 -0. 40 41 3. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO THE 42 RENEWAL AND EXTENSION OF THE USE OF PREMISES AGREEMENT 43 BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND THE LUMMI COMMERCIAL COMPANY FOR 44 A FERRY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC PARKING AREA, IN THE AMOUNT OF 45 $50,975.09 (AB2009 -193) 46 47 Crawford moved to recommend approval to the full Council. 48 49 Motion carried 3 -0. 50 51 4. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A 52 RENEWAL OF THE CONTRACT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND DFM 53 ASSOCIATES FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ANNUAL MAINTENANCE FEE 54 FOR THE ELECTION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, IN THE AMOUNT OF $48,000 55 (AB2009 -194) Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 4/14/2009, Page 3 1 2 Kelly moved to recommend approval to the full Council. 3 4 Motion carried 3 -0. 5 6 5. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A 7 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND 8 NORTHWEST HYDRAULIC CONSULTANTS, INC. FOR SCOUR EVALUATION AT 9 VARIOUS COUNTY BRIDGES, IN THE AMOUNT OF $18,862 (AB2009 -195) 10 11 Nelson moved to recommend approval to the full Council. 12 13 Joe Rutan, Public Works Department, gave a staff report. 14 15 Discussion included the reason for hiring a consultant when the County has 16 equipment. 17 18 Motion carried 3 -0. 19 20 6. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FROM THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE 21 WHATCOM COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL ZONE DISTRICT BOARD OF 22 SUPERVISORS FOR PUBLIC WORKS RIVER & FLOOD DIVISION TO AWARD 23 BID #09 -28 FOR ON -CALL CONTRACTOR/ EQUIPMENT FOR PUBLIC WORKS 24 PROJECTS, IN AN AMOUNT THAT MAY EXCEED $35,000 (AB2009 -196) 25 26 27 Kelly moved to recommend approval to the full Council acting as the Whatcom 28 County Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors. 29 30 Paula Cooper, Public Works Department, gave a staff report. 31 32 Discussion included the amount per hour and preference given to low bidders. 33 34 (Clerk's Note: Kelly left the meeting at 12 :25 p.m.) 35 36 Motion carried 2 -0 with Kelly absent. 37 38 7. REQUEST APPROVAL FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO AWARD BID #09 -29 FOR ON- 39 CALL RENTAL EQUIPMENT FOR PROJECTS FOR PUBLIC WORKS AND OTHER 40 DEPARTMENTS, IN AN AMOUNT THAT MAY EXCEED $35,000 (AB2009 -197) 41 42 Nelson moved to recommend approval to the full Council. 43 44 Motion carried 2 -0 with Kelly absent. 45 46 S. REQUESTS AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO AN 47 AMENDED CONTRACT WITH WILSON ENGINEERING FOR THE ACME EARLY 48 CHINOOK RESTORATION PROJECT, IN THE AMENDED AMOUNT OF $33,000, 49 FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT OF $159,000 (AB2009 -198) 50 51 Crawford moved to recommend approval to the full Council acting as the Whatcom 52 County Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors. 53 54 Motion carried 2 -0 with Kelly absent. 55 Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 4/14/2009, Page 4 1 9. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO AN 2 AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND 3 SUSTAINABLE CONNECTIONS TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL WORK ON THE 4 ZERO WASTE INITIATIVE EFFORT, IN THE AMENDED AMOUNT OF $30,000, 5 FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT OF $50,000 (AB2009 -199) 6 7 Crawford moved to recommend approval to the full Council. 8 9 Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, gave a staff report. 10 11 Discussion included a recommendation from the Solid Waste Advisory Committee. 12 13 Motion carried 2 -0 with Kelly absent. 14 15 10. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO APPLY FOR A 16 DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY COASTAL PROTECTION — WATER QUALITY 17 GRANT ON BEHALF OF THE WHATCOM LAND TRUST FOR THE ACQUISITION 18 OF FIVE ACRES OF WETLANDS ON THE SAMISH RIVER IN THE AMOUNT OF 19 $21,000 (AB2009 -200) 20 21 Nelson moved to recommend approval to the full Council 22 23 Mike McFarland, Parks Department Director, gave a staff report. 24 25 Discussion included the location of the property. 26 27 Motion carried 2 -0 with Kelly absent. 28 29 30 ADJOURN 31 32 The meeting adjourned at 12:30 p.m. 33 3 35 36 Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription 37 38 39 ATrfi�� . •HAT • • '�• 40 O : — Co 41 ; O COUNTY C ) 42 43 _ • 44 45 DA4 Brj% $ Acil �$erk WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 4/14/2009, Page 5 �°�«` did\ }`2?` � /,�)� ®©� ° � 2 �\ � ' � }� < � « \ J | � ƒ � 1 ~ . \ � ]0 ]� T2 & \ %2�,� a� 2 s U R!3 \ J � e » � ^ ~, ® ©Gn»