HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance March 23 20041
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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
March 23, 2004
Committee Chair Sam Crawford called the meeting to order at 12:00 p.m. in
the Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
Present:
Sharon Roy
Also Present:
Barbara Brenner
Absent:
L. Ward Nelson
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL
1. ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 2004 BUDGET, THIRD REQUEST
(AB2004 -138)
Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, stated this request is a bit more
involved than most supplemental budget requests. It includes grant funding and
support for additional analysis by the Prosecutor related to the BP co- generation
plan. There is a series of project - related funding items where the projects from last
year are not quite finished, and they need to reestablish the budget authority to
complete those programs. The administration supports the additional work crew
coordinator, meal carts, and other maintenance items.
Crawford asked about the item for exterior painting. He asked if they can
avoid the expenditure, given the long term facilities plan for the jail facility, which
is marginal. Desler stated the administration is going to propose doing additional
work on the interior portion of the jail, knowing that the jail may not be a facility
that is used for many more years. It is appropriate to operate the jail for the
remaining years in a way that is safe. The painting and repair to the exterior is for
that issue.
Mike Russell, Facilities Maintenance Division Manager, stated the material on
the outside of the building is falling off the building, which is dangerous. They don't
know how much is loose. They do know other patches are loose. Part of the
painting and sealing project is to stop any more from coming down and to seal it
from any further deterioration.
Roy stated it is going to be awhile before they give up the jail. There will be
a lot of prisoners and staff in the jail for awhile. Staff doesn't deserve to be in an
unsafe environment.
Roy moved to recommend approval to the full Council.
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 3/23/2004, Page 1
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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.
Crawford asked where they're getting the money. He asked if the requests
are in addition to what the Council budgeted. Desler stated the budget authority
for projects lapses at the end of the year, and the money goes back to the general
fund. The unfinished contracts and projects will be funded from money designated
last year. The biennial budget process will get away from that type of issue.
Motion carried unanimously.
COUNCIL "CONSENT AGENDA" ITEM
1. RESOLUTION SETTING HEARING AND NOTICE OF HEARING ON THE
SALE OF COUNTY TAX TITLE PROPERTY BY PUBLIC AUCTION,
REQUEST NUMBER 01 -04 (AB2004 -141)
Barbara Cory, Treasurer, stated this is the second part of the process of
purchasing the restrictive covenant on all the Sudden Valley lots. The County and
City paid 50 percent of the cost to place the restrictive covenant on the lots. The
contract with the Sudden Valley Community Association and Water District 10 is to
pick up the other 50 percent. Part of the contract is to offer all lots at auction as
one lot.
Roy moved to recommend approval to the full Council.
Motion carried unanimously.
2. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A
CONTRACT AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND EES
CONSULTING, INC. TO ASSIST LEAD ENTITY IN COORDINATING AND
FACILITATING LOCAL REVIEW AND RANKING PROCESS FOR ALL
SALMON HABITAT PROJECTS TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE SALMON
RECOVERY FUNDING BOARD, IN THE AMOUNT OF $47,333 (AB2004-
142)
John Thompson, Resources Planner /Endangered Species Act, submitted a full
version with Exhibit B (on file). The purpose of the contract is to use grant monies
from the State Department of Fish and Wildlife to do the administrative pieces and
facilitation support for the current round of the Salmon Recovery Funding (SRF)
Board funding process. Whatcom County is lead entity and responsible for
coordinating that process.
Brenner stated the hourly rates for clerical and administrative work is high.
Thompson stated that is the typical rate for consulting firms. The bid said the
contracts were not to exceed a certain amount. That is the amount the contractor
is spending on that service. The clerical services include meeting support services,
note taking, generation of meeting summaries, and things like that.
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 3/23/2004, Page 2
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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.
Roy stated that whether or not she agrees, there is no secretary that's
making $37 per hour. The corporation that provides the service is making the
money. The person transcribing the meeting is probably getting minimum wage.
The County hires consultants that have overhead and do advertising. That's where
the money goes.
Thompson stated the County is asking for a higher level of expertise and
knowledge of the biology of salmon, restoration techniques, and things like that to
perform the facilitation and development of the list. They will evaluation projects to
make sure they fit the strategy. Staff is looking for a higher level of expertise
rather than something like an intern.
Crawford stated the reality is the County is looking for a product, which is a
service in this case. It's up to the contractor to divide up the categories of
payment. Every company treats these formulas differently. These are highly
competitive positions. It's a real cost of doing business. It has little to do with
what the person gets paid compared to the output of the service or product. The
per hour cost will only come into question if the contractor comes back later and
asks to increase the contract amount. Then the Council would probably do a
careful analysis of why they didn't bid enough.
Roy moved to recommend approval to the full Council.
Motion carried unanimously,
3. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A
CONTRACT AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND VP
CONSULTING, INC., TO IMPLEMENT A COUNTY -WIDE DOCUMENT
IMAGING SYSTEM, IN THE AMOUNT OF $257,000 (AB2004 -143)
Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, stated the County Executive
recommended converting many of the County's records to an imaging format. This
is a longer term goal related to providing a more solid, safe, and lower cost method
of capturing storage of many documents and records to secure. The Council
approved the implementation of the project during the budget process. The
administration put out a request for proposals (RFP) and received proposals. The
Records Management Committee has made a recommendation to use this
consultant to acquire software and hardware for implementation of the system.
There is information in the Council packet on the benefits of the system to the
County. The system will replace an expensive microfilming process that has been
in effect for more than 25 years and also paper documents.
Crawford asked if this will include public records. Desler stated it will. The
objective is to gain maximum use of the system.
Crawford stated he can see in the long run that having web access will cut
down tremendously on staff overhead.
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 3/23/2004, Page 3
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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.
Ann Bjertness, Records Services Supervisor, stated it will. They are buying a
module that will put the Auditor's documents on the County's website.
Desler stated other departments will use the system for posting documents
to the website.
Crawford asked if this item is in the budget for 2004. Desler stated it is.
Crawford asked if this sets up the system or puts documents into the
system. Bjertness stated this does not include any backfilling. They would only
add documents from this time forward. Backfilling conversion is very expensive.
Desler stated the storage of records is important to the business of the
community.
Crawford asked about 18 x 24 mapping. Bjertness stated 11 X 17 is the
maximum size. The State Archives can digitize the bigger maps. The cost for that
has come down. The County departments have scanners that can input those
documents into the system.
Roy moved to recommend approval to the full Council.
Motion carried unanimously.
4. RESOLUTION SUPPORTING FAIR HOUSING IN WHATCOM COUNTY
(AB2004 -144)
Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, stated the administration has been
more aggressive about going after funding for housing programs for the
community. The County has to adopt a fair housing resolution. It is a requirement
under federal law.
Roy moved to recommend approval to the full Council.
Motion carried unanimously.
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 12:25 p.m.
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 3/23/2004, Page 4
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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.
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
ATTEST:
Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Sam Crawford, Committee Chair
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 3/23/2004, Page 5