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Home My WebLink AboutFinance May 20 2008WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL Finance and Administrative Services Committee May 20, 2008 Committee Chair L. Ward Nelson called the meeting to order at 11:00 a.m. in the Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington. Present: Absent: Sam Crawford Bob Kelly Also Present: Laurie Caskey- Schreiber COMMITTEE DISCUSSION 1. UPDATE ON VIDEO RECORDING OPTIONS FOR THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS (AB2008 -017) Joe Bates, Administrative Services Department, submitted information (on file) and stated the original proposal was to purchase an automated camera system. He would like committee direction today. The capital improvement to tie into channel ten would cost about $160,000 to broadcast live Council meetings. The agreement with the City of Bellingham would be about $28,800 plus other associated costs. Under the current budget conditions, that proposal would not be in the best interest of the County. He came up with an idea for a studio in a box. There are lots of social media, such as YouTube.com. On demand media is increasing. Social media is now called new media. The demand for those is increasing. Crawford moved to recommend that the administration pursue this method within the $35,000 budget. The administration believes it can make this work. It is a potential solution to this very expensive alternative they looked at earlier. Bates stated on demand is the new deal. The County would develop its website for more on demand content delivery, including podcasts. They already have a Whatcom County site on YouTube.com. They are fine - tuning policies. It is the future. Let their server host the bandwidth. Nelson stated someone has to film the video. Filming would go through this studio in a box. Then the video is posted on the County website or another website for the public to watch. Bates stated the video would still be broadcast on channel ten. Nelson asked if the County would still contract with its videographer. Bates stated they probably would not. The County would buy two cameras and possibly hire three Western Washington University students. Caskey- Schreiber asked when the new system would be implemented. Bates stated this would be the quickest method. It could probably be done in a month or two. They need to spend the money by the end of the year. The Clerk of the Council has agreed to be the administrator. The Council may still pursue the automated system. They will also explore the option of creating DVD's on the spot. Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 5/20/2008, Page 1 1 Crawford restated the motion to approve the administration move forward with the 2 already- approved $35,000 on studio in a box. 3 4 Motion carried unanimously. 5 6 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL 7 8 1. ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 2008 WHATCOM COUNTY BUDGET, SIXTH 9 REQUEST, IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,040,180 (AB2008 -195) 10 11 Crawford moved to recommend approval to the full Council. 12 13 Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, read the list of items in the appropriation. 14 15 Nelson stated he's opposed to funding the attorney, but he's not willing to pull that 16 item since the Council has voted on it. 17 18 Crawford stated he agrees with Councilmember Nelson. He asked why they need a 19 $250,000 ferry transfer. 20 21 Brad Bennett, Administrative Services Department, stated this is a reaction to the 22 ferry fuel costs. It increases the rental rate to cover additional fuel costs. 23 24 Nelson asked if the fuel rates are for the entire year or the quarter. Bennett stated it 25 anticipates the increase for the entire year. 26 27 Nelson asked what the Public Works Department budgeting process will be to 28 approach this increase. 29 30 Frank Abart, Public Works Department Director, stated that for this particular piece 31 of the budget, they settled on a price of about $3.60 to $3.90 per gallon, and calculated the 32 average to estimate future fuel costs. That cost comes out of the equipment rental and 33 revolve (ER &R) fund. 34 35 Nelson stated he didn't know that ER &R pays for the fuel costs in the County. 36 Bennett stated ER &R includes fuel, maintenance, and other vehicle costs. It funds 37 appreciation and provides a three percent cost escalator for replacement. 38 39 Nelson stated he anticipates seeing escalated costs for the 2009 -2010 Budget. 40 Bennett stated some vehicles will be okay, but other vehicles will have to be adjusted up. 41 42 Abart stated the ferry operating budget pays a monthly fee to ER &R for fuel and 43 other expenses. It was about $26,000, and is now $40,000 every month. 44 45 Caskey- Schreiber asked if the County can contract for fuel. Bennett stated the 46 County does bid and contract for fuel. The companies will not fix the fuel cost, only 47 delivery. They basically pay the oil industry rack rate, which is a lot better than the public 48 rate. 49 50 Motion carried unanimously. 51 52 2. ORDINANCE DEFINING "INDIGENCE" FOR THE VETERANS' RELIEF FUND 53 (AB2008 -196) 54 55 Crawford moved to recommend approval to the full Council. Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 5/20/2008, Page 2 Motion carried unanimously. 3. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE TO MAKE APPLICATION FOR AN AQUATIC LANDS ENHANCEMENT ACCOUNT PROGRAM PROJECT TO THE RECREATION AND CONSERVATION OFFICE FOR LILY POINT ACQUISITION, PHASE II (AB2008 -203) Crawford moved to recommend approval to the full Council. Motion carried unanimously. 4. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE TO MAKE APPLICATION FOR FUNDING ASSISTANCE FOR A WASHINGTON WILDLIFE AND RECREATION PROGRAM PROJECT TO THE RECREATION AND CONSERVATION OFFICE FOR ACQUISITION OF HABITAT CONSERVATION AND OUTDOOR RECREATION LANDS - LILY POINT ACQUISITION, PHASE II (AB2008 -204) Crawford moved to recommend approval to the full Council. Motion carried unanimously. COUNCIL "CONSENT AGENDA" ITEM 1. REQUEST RATIFICATION OF THE 2008 - 2012 INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL ENGINEERS, LOCAL 17 COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT (AB2008 -121C) Nelson moved to recommend approval to the full Council. Motion carried unanimously. 2. REQUEST APPROVAL TO FUND AND AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH THE OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL TO PROVIDE HOUSE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WHATCOM COUNTY HOMELESS SERVICE CENTER IN THE AMOUNT OF $60,535 (AB2008 -205) Crawford moved to recommend approval to the full Council. The County used to indicate the funding source. Include that in the paperwork from now on. IVelson stated he liked seeing the audit reports. Motion carried unanimously. 3. REQUEST APPROVAL TO FUND AND AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES TO PROVIDE HOUSE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WHATCOM COUNTY HOMELESS SERVICE CENTER IN THE AMOUNT OF $54,923 (AB2008 -206) Crawford moved to recommend approval of Consent Agenda items three through five to the full Council. Motion to approve Consent Agenda item three carried unanimously. Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 5/20/2008, Page 3 4. REQUEST APPROVAL TO FUND AND AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH LYDIA PLACE TO PROVIDE HOUSE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WHATCOM COUNTY HOMELESS SERVICE CENTER IN THE AMOUNT OF $52,675 (AB2008 -207) See Consent Agenda item three for the motion. Motion carried unanimously. 5. REQUEST APPROVAL TO FUND AND AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH NW YOUTH SERVICES TO PROVIDE HOUSE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WHATCOM COUNTY HOMELESS SERVICE CENTER IN THE AMOUNT OF $32,373 (AB2008 -208) See Consent Agenda item three for the motion. Motion carried unanimously. 6. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO AWARD BID #08 -34 TO LOW BIDDER WILLIAMSON CONSTRUCTION FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A CONCRETE PAD IN THE AMOUNT OF $39,891.00 (AB2008 -209) Crawford moved to recommend approval to the full Council. Nelson asked why they have to have an additional amount. Carol Rofkar, Administrative Services Department, stated this is the lowest bid that came in. This was done last year also. Motion carried unanimously. OTHER BUSINESS Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, stated there is a budget meeting scheduled on June 10. He hopes to put preliminary material before the Finance Committee in two weeks. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m. Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription ` ,,`,�1 {111111111 /lll�� i ATTESt��•G�uNc; ��,�� WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL 00 WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON • Z • Dana JirowF D s, OTI Clq'k L. Ward Nelson, Committee Chair •. ASH .• ��. "1 4ypance -1 ministrative Services Committee, 5/20/2008, Page 4 'l11111111 +``� ,