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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance August 10 20041 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they are not the final approved minutes. WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL Finance and Administrative Services Committee August 10, 2004 Committee Member Sharon Roy called the meeting to order at 11:03 a.m. in the Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington. Present: Dan McShane Also Present: Barbara Brenner Seth Fleetwood Laurie Caskey- Schreiber Absent: Sam Crawford COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL 1. ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 2004 WHATCOM COUNTY BUDGET, 11TH REQUEST (AB2004 -286) Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, stated there are five items on this supplemental request. He read the list of items. McShane moved to recommend approval to the full Council. Roy stated she was surprised to see the small increase in the Planning and Development staff. She thought the department found a way, with increasing fees, to cover all of these contingencies. Desler stated the cost comes from increased fee revenue received. Council packet page ten shows revenue of $4,409. Motion carried unanimously. COUNCIL "CONSENT AGENDA" ITEM 1. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND DUPONT FLOORING SYSTEMS DBA: THE INVIRONMENTALISTS FOR JUVENILE DETENTION AND JUVENILE PROBATION CARPET REPLACEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $191,506.19 (AB2004 -290) McShane moved to recommend approval to the full Council. They've talked about this before. Motion carried unanimously. Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 8/10/2004, Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they are not the final approved minutes. 2. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND SEA MAR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER FOR OUTPATIENT SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES (AB2004 -291) McShane moved to recommend approval to the full Council. Jackie Mitchell, Substance Abuse Program Specialist, stated this is a contract for continuing services. Motion carried unanimously. 3. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND FOSS MARITIME FOR THE ANNUAL DRYDOCKING, REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF THE WHATCOM CHIEF FERRY IN THE AMOUNT OF $147,197 (AB2004 -292) McShane moved to recommend approval to the full Council. Motion carried unanimously. 4. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT AMENDMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND BOSMAN, INC. FOR TRUCK AND TANKER VEHICLE PETROLEUM FUEL SERVICE, EXTENDING THE CONTRACT FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 2004 THROUGH AUGUST 31, 2005 IN THE AMOUNT OF $348,122.80, FOR A TOTAL AMENDED CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF $589,154.10 (AB2004- 293) McShane moved to recommend approval to the full Council. Motion carried unanimously. S. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A RESIDENTIAL LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND TOM TRAILBUSH AND NAOMI SUNDBERG TO LEASE THE HOUSE LOCATED AT 2723 BROADWAY, BELLINGHAM, WA FOR A TOTAL OF $895.00 PER MONTH (AB2004 -294) McShane moved to recommend approval to the full Council. Motion carried unanimously. 6. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND SNOHOMISH Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 8/10/2004, Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they are not the final approved minutes. COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR WHATCOM COUNTY HOMELAND SECURITY PLANNING TRAINING, EXERCISE AND EQUIPMENT PROGRAM TO BE REIMBURSED BY AN INDIRECT FEDERAL GRANT FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IN THE AMOUNT OF $530,454 (AB2004 -295) McShane asked what they will be doing with this grant. Neil Clement, Deputy Director, stated the State is divided into nine regions. Whatcom County is in region one, and includes Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Snohomish counties. Snohomish County is the fiduciary agent for the region. This is the contract that is related to the item on the supplemental budget request. Planning and administration includes a conference, strategic planning for homeland security, a full -time equivalent (FTE) employee to work on all this, and equipment. Equipment includes a decontamination trailer and radios. Training is also included. Now, there is no track record on how to do this. They will use overtime and backfill positions. It is a program the Department of Homeland Security is developing as they go along. Roy asked if Whatcom County will work on its own once trained. Clement stated the counties in the region will work together. The Office of Homeland Security has a training program. There are 2,500 first responders in Whatcom County that need to go through basic training for weapons of mass destruction. They want to stay within budget while providing this training. Roy asked if the Whatcom County had adequate input in determining these priorities. Clement stated it did. They determined the County priorities and included all the disciplines including fire, hospital, law enforcement, Health Department, bomb squad, and haz -mat. A lot of input went into it. There was less input regarding training. There is specific training authorized only by the Office of Domestic Preparedness. The exercise program is just now being developed. McShane moved to recommend approval to the full Council. Motion carried unanimously. 7. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZATING THE PURCHASE OF A CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON THE HOLZ DAIRY PROPERTY (AB2004 -296) McShane moved to recommend approval to the full Council. Kraig Olason, Senior Planner, stated this is the first purchase. The easement is fine. They've ironed out all the details. This is a 39 -acre active dairy farm. This may be the only purchase they do in round one. The Horzinger property went into round two and got funded. He just found out they got another $135,000 last week, which puts them above a million dollars. He has also worked on dealing with an Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 8/10/2004, Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they are not the final approved minutes. exploration company and contracts they have for the land. Everyone is ready to move forward. He discovered that 50,000 acres are under contract with Jordan Exploration, a gas exploration company. All three applicants in round two have exploration contracts. The majority is in the central area of the county. Whatcom County must work out an arrangement with the exploration company to further limit their contract by limiting their footprint and impact on the farmland. McShane suggested Mr. Olason work with Jeff Hegedus from the Health Department, who has worked with that company recently. There have been some problems with other issues. Because of the problems, the State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is reviewing its gas exploration regulations. There are significant concerns about cross - contamination and water quality. Olason stated the company already has the contract. He has to work with the company to voluntarily work with the County to modify the contracts. He will bring the draft contract amendment to the Council to look at. They're trying to limit where they put these things. Through the existing contract, the company has the ability to put in collection lines and tanks right now. The ice that had been in this area produced cracking in coal beds from which they're harvesting. He's tried to address the water issue. They're not moving forward with appraisals or anything else until he gets this resolved. Brenner asked why the purchase and sale agreement wasn't approved as to form by the prosecuting attorney. Olason stated the purchase and sale agreement is signed by the Executive after the Council approves it. He didn't have the Holz's sign it yet. The prosecuting attorney hasn't signed it yet because the Council hasn't approved it yet. They have a 60 -day timeframe on the purchase and sale agreement to move forward. Motion carried unanimously. S. RESOLUTION AMENDING THE 2002 WHATCOM COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY (CEDS) APPENDIX (PROJECT LIST) (AB2004 -297) Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, stated the Council approved the CEDS in 2002. It listed a series of potential projects, some of which were capital projects. This proposal will update that list. He would like to have it updated every two years. Once adopted, this document will allow many of the projects to qualify for grant funds and local funds available for these purposes. The list includes all the municipal organizations including the cities, the Port, and the Public Utility District (PUD). They integrate these projects in the context of the capital facilities plan in the Comprehensive Plan. McShane moved to recommend approval to the full Council. Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 8/10/2004, Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they are not the final approved minutes. Caskey- Schreiber asked if the list is in order of priority. Desler stated it is not. Caskey- Schreiber referenced the Coast Millennium Trail. She asked if real estate excise tax (REET) 2 funds could be used. Desler stated they could be. Caskey- Schreiber referenced Council packet page 228. There is a description about hiring a consultant to relocate the equestrian park. Someone who wanted her land to be used specifically for equestrian activities donated that land. Sylvia Goodwin, Planning Division Manager, stated that is in Birch Bay Plan. This is to do land swaps with adjacent property. They won't eliminate the park. The location could be modified to improve access. The land has a covenant that it has to remain an equestrian park. McShane stated he's nervous about committing local money to some of these projects, even though this approval does not commit the County. Roy stated the Council hasn't had a chance to go through these projects. Approve the list conceptually. The Council will have a chance to discuss each project as they come before the Council. If this helps to get money from other sources, then approve it. The Council will have an opportunity to discuss the projects individually. Desler stated all the projects will come before the Council for approval. Caskey- Schreiber asked if the items on this list come before the County Council if it's a project for another jurisdiction or agency. There should be coordination. Desler stated that in a year or year and a half, items ought to be listed. This item is the first step for gaining approval for certain projects and funding sources. Caskey- Schreiber asked if they do outreach to cities to put forward their priorities. Goodwin stated she contacted all County organizations, city planners, city managers, the Council of Governments (COG), Port of Bellingham, and the PUD. Roy asked if the Council could add something through an amendment today. Desler stated the Council could do that. Caskey- Schreiber stated they need a non - profit animal shelter in this county. She should talk to the City of Bellingham before adding that item. Roy asked if the Council could bring forward an amendment later. Desler stated it could. The administration doesn't normally do that work for non - profit groups for projects that aren't fully formed. This process can be amended annually as projects become fully formed. Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 8/10/2004, Page 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 DISCLAIMER: This document contains the Whatcom County Council or Committee minutes, as approved. However, unless an attested signature page is attached, they are not the final approved minutes. Caskey- Schreiber stated she will talk to her contacts about developing this venture. The need for a non - profit shelter is out there. Goodwin referenced Council packet page 240 and the Whatcom County Ag Preservation Committee. That committee has a value added dairy project, which is number three on Washington Community Economic Revitalization Team (WA -CERT) priority list. That project should be on this list. She will get the wording from WA- CERT so the Council can add it to this list with these other projects. McShane moved to amend his motion to approve with the addition of WA- CERT ranking item three, the Ag Preservation Committee's value added dairy program. Motion to approve as amended carried unanimously. OTHER BUSINESS There was no other business. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 11:40 a.m. Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription /X—E&i71 Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON Sharon Roy, Committee Member Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 8/10/2004, Page 6