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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance October 7 20081 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL 2 Finance and Administrative Services Committee 3 4 October 7, 2008 5 6 Committee Chair L. Ward Nelson called the meeting to order at 11:15 a.m. in the 7 Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington. 8 9 Present: Absent: 10 Sam Crawford None 11 Bob Kelly 12 13 Also Present: 14 Barbara Brenner 15 Seth Fleetwood 16 Carl Weimer 17 18 19 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION 20 21 1. DISCUSSION REGARDING SETTING A SCHEDULE FOR REVIEW OF THE 2009- 22 2010 WHATCOM COUNTY BUDGET (AB2008 -227D) 23 24 Nelson stated there has been discussion that the budget review session should be 25 conducted as a Committee of the Whole instead of the Finance Committee. 26 27 Brenner stated hold the . meetings as Committee of the Whole so more 28 councilmembers actively participate. 29 30 Weimer stated he prefers to have the Finance Committee Chair serve as the chair of 31 the Committee of the Whole meeting. 32 33 Nelson stated he will chair the Committee of the Whole meeting, and the 34 recommendations will be from the Committee of the Whole, but the full Council will vote on 35 amendments and the final budget. 36 37 Nelson stated schedule more time for non - departmental budgets. 38 39 Crawford moved to schedule the budget sessions all day on October 23; a half -day 40 in the morning if possible, or longer if necessary, on October 28, and; a work session on 41 November 4, preferably just in the morning. 42 43 Weimer stated he wants to have a meeting in the evening so advisory committee 44 volunteers can testify. 45 46 Nelson stated send advisory committee members a letter inviting them to send a 47 committee member to attend or pass a resolution to forward to the Council that states their 48 concerns. It's not necessary to have all board and commission members attend. The 49 Council will still have the budget hearing during a regular evening Council meeting, during 50 which they can come and talk to the Council. 51 52 Brenner stated have one evening budget work session. Maybe the committee 53 members can't get someone to the budget sessions during the day. Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 10/7/2008, Page 1 Crawford stated he is not in favor of holding a special meeting. The committee members can notify the Council via writing or pass their own resolutions. He is not in favor of holding a special evening meeting for more than 300 board and commission members to come in and have a meeting with the Council on the budget. Kelly stated he is in favor of it. People have regular jobs that conflict with this schedule. They've made sacrifices to serve on the. boards. He's in favor of giving them an evening. Brenner stated it's important to have back - and -forth dialog. Nelson stated he will work with the Clerk to send a letter to the Boards and Commissions, unless they specifically schedule an evening meeting. It isn't necessary to schedule an evening meeting until they know how many people want to participate. Weimer stated that by the time they send the letter out to the committees, they'll be done with the budget. Nelson suggested a friendly amendment to schedule the October 28 meeting in the afternoon and evening. Crawford did not accept that friendly amendment and withdrew his motion. He doesn't comprehend what they want to accomplish by sending out an invitation to 300 people to comment on the budget or why they would hold a special evening meeting to specifically discuss those things. This is a transparent process in which every citizen can participate, including all committee and board members as individuals or as a group. If there is a compelling budget issue of which they would like the Council to be aware, they can pass a resolution and notify the Council. He's not being dismissive of that at all. That is within their purview. Nelson asked if all the boards and commissions have staff and some designated budget since they are part of the County. Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, stated there are many boards and commissions. If they are going to do this, one approach is to send out a letter and structure a meeting for all. Nelson stated there are many agencies and groups that have County representation. There are many groups in the community who ask for funding. The County has representation on many agency boards and commissions, such as the Northwest Regional Council or North Sound Mental Health Agency. Those agencies may not reflect the same concerns and interests that the County may have. Many groups ask for funding and money. He asked for clarification on what Councilmember Weimer wants to do. Crawford stated he would like clarification on why they are doing this. Brenner stated the purpose is to give special time to those people at a time when they can attend. All they have to do is send email notification to all the board members. She is talking specifically of advisory committees, not the agencies themselves. Have a staff presentation about this, and then have anyone who attends talk to the council. The reason for all these budget meetings is to get through the nuances of budgeted items, including those committee members. Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 10/7/2008, Page 2 Fleetwood stated this came about because Councilmember Weimer heard from some folks who were dissatisfied about not being included. He asked if all board and commission members were dissatisfied because a few were. They have an opportunity to express themselves to the Council whenever they want. There are numerous ways in which they can express themselves. They can call Councilmembers personally, send letters, and come to meetings. The Council will be aware of their opinions. That is the most important thing. He asked what motivated this request. Weimer stated he heard from three different advisory committees, including the Parks Commission, the Developmental Disabilities Board, and the Solid Waste Advisory Committee, who said they weren't sure the Council ever heard their concerns. The point is to give those people, who the Council has chosen to serve, a chance to comment on budget and priorities. They never get to comment on those budgets because they don't see the budget. This would give the Council a chance to talk to these experts in these areas about whether the budget reflects the priorities they've seen. Nelson stated having a discussion with a board about a budget issue is one thing. Having a public hearing is another. The Council will schedule a public hearing in the evening on the budget. That's a separate process. Weimer stated give a specific voice in this process to those experts the Council has chosen to serve. Set aside three hours in the evening for people who are on advisory committees and commissions. The way the process is set up now, these people don't have a voice on the budget. Nelson moved to schedule the budget sessions all day on October 23; from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on October 28, and; a work session from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 pm. on November 4. Motion carried unanimously. Crawford stated they will need to schedule a dinner break during the evening meeting. COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL 1. REQUEST APPROVAL FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND FIRE DISTRICT 7 FOR THE PROVISION OF PARAMEDIC TRAINING IN THE AMOUNT OF $331,300 (AB2008 -344) Crawford moved to recommend approval to the full Council. Motion carried unanimously. COUNCIL "CONSENT AGENDA" I'T'EMS 1. REQUEST APPROVAL FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT FOR SERVICES BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND NORTHWEST Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 10/7/2008, Page 3 HYDRAULIC CONSULTANTS FOR FEMA FLOODPLAIN MAPPING IN THE AMOUNT OF $616,000 (AB2008 -345) Crawford moved to recommend approval to the full Council, with the substitute information. He asked if it is in the budget. Paula Cooper, Public Works Department, stated the contract is being budgeted for in 2009 -2010. She described the location. Brenner asked if it is really necessary. She asked why the County has to spend this kind of money. Cooper stated the County has to spend this money if it wants to get on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) map. FEMA is contributing $700,000 to this project. The effort is a map modernization process that requires money to go through the FEMA processes. There is a mapping information protocol. It's an electronic interface that FEMA contractors must review. It's a much bigger deal than what it used to be, when the County did Birch Bay. It's expensive. Crawford stated there are many immense benefits to this. It is for all the development activity that occurs in these zones along the river into the future. These maps will indicate down to the foot precisely what is in and what is out of the flood plain. There is a benefit to a very huge sector of the county. Brenner asked how long this map will be current. Cooper stated the current maps have been in effect since the 1960's and 1970's. Crawford stated it is good until someone changes it because there is a more accurate way of mapping the area. Motion carried unanimously. 2. RESOLUTION TO SET HEARING AND NOTICE OF HEARING TO SELL TAX TITLE PROPERTY BY PUBLIC AUCTION (AB2008 -346) Kelly moved to recommend approval to the full Council. Brenner asked for a better description in the future, not just a legal description. Motion carried unanimously. OTHER BUSINESS Nelson asked if reconveyance costs regarding the proposed memorandum of agreement with the State Department of Natural Resources for the purpose of preparing an inter -grant exchange and subsequent re- conveyance proposal for a transfer of lands within and adjoining the Lake Whatcom. Watershed Reservoir for park purposes pursuant to RCW 79.22.300 (AB2008 -074A) have gone through the water resource integration process. Mike McFarland, Parks and Recreation Department Director, stated they have not yet, but are meeting to do that on Thursday. Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 10/7/2008, Page 4 1 ADJOURN 2 3 The meeting adjourned at 11:49 a.m. r' 6 , 7 :till Nixon, Minutes Transcr tion 8 9 io ATTF!�T%111iiiC,O��'''''' 12 ,. J�1• . • ..... �/ ,, 13 `NHAT • . 14 ' 16 D$na B own -Davis GCougcil Clerk . *;STATE OF .• 91 N WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON l L. Ward Nel , Committee Chair Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 10/7/2008, Page 5