HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance October 12 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
October 12, 2004
Committee Chair Sam Crawford called the meeting to order at 11:00 a.m. in
the Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
Present: Absent:
Dan McShane None
Sharon Roy
Also Present:
Laurie Caskey- Schreiber
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION ONLY
1. RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE WHATCOM COUNTY 2005 ANNUAL
ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM (AB2004 -335)
Joe Rutan, County Road Engineer, stated this has been before the Natural
Resources Committee to discuss Cable Street and the Public Works Committee to
discuss the individual projects. This discussion today is on the financial implications
of the projects. He submitted a handout of a financial sheet (on file). The
expenditure rate shown as projected for 2005 is 100 percent expenditure. Their
annual goal is to expend 75 percent of the funds. The projects listed for
preliminary engineering or right -of -way acquisitions may not have funds dedicated.
Caskey- Schreiber stated a constituent stated he has been denied access
because of the Yew Street connector. She asked about that project. Rutan stated
that is project 57 on the six -year plan. It is the Whatcom connector. There is
$2,000 budgeted for preliminary engineering in years four through six of the six -
year plan. That project has come and gone throughout the years. This project is a
placeholder. It is listed in the Comprehensive Plan and the Lake Whatcom Subarea
Plan, in which it is the number one project as policy 1.02 in the subarea plan. The
subarea plan was last updated in 2000. They are accounting for access to
properties as development occurs in that location. The connector will be an arterial
road. He doesn't like a lot of driveways on arterial roads. He has denied access
directly on the arterial to two of three short - plats. Instead, he approved a collector
road. For another short -plat, they have combined accesses. He is requiring a
combined driveway for this constituent's development. The property is an existing
1983 plat that has the ingress /egress combined. The developer requested
modification. Under modification, he followed 2004 rules to keep points of conflict
on the arterial as low as possible. He is also accounting for right -of -way needs.
Because of the status of this project, he only requires a right -of -way reservation so
facilities aren't built in a potential right -of -way.
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 10/12/2004, 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 stated that project keeps being pushed back each year.
Jeff Monsen, Public Works Director, stated the Lake Whatcom connector has
been scheduled in years four through six of each six -year plan for the last 20 years.
Crawford stated it's prudent to have the placeholder. There will not be the
political will to proceed in the next ten or 20 years. It will be inevitable that they
will eventually allow local traffic only on Lake Whatcom Boulevard. They will need a
route for people to access the freeway. They need a placeholder to keep their
options open. Another option may be to encumber the properties with a no- protest
agreement for future use for a connector if it ever happens. He asked if this is
costing the constituent right now. Rutan stated he doesn't know right now. Staff
wants the developer to continue using an existing driveway to the lot.
Crawford stated the County should remain open to alternatives. This is a
project that has been pending for a very long time to allow flexibility in the future.
Rutan stated he is allowed some flexibility as County Engineer. There are two lots
directly across the proposed road right -of -way. There is an option of lining up the
four driveways so two are right across from each other, creating only two points of
conflict. The developer has not yet been able to do that. He tried to find a solution
that would work for everyone. They're following the Comprehensive Plan direction
to control access on that road.
Crawford stated there is also an impervious surface issue by combining
access. Rutan stated if and when the connector goes through, people pulling in and
out of that road should be safe.
Caskey- Schreiber stated she doesn't want the connector to go through. It
will open up a large area of land for massive development. It's possible that in ten
or 20 years, people won't be so dependent upon their cars.
Rutan submitted a memo (on file) on a Mosquito Lake Road emergency
repair, which is listed on the annual program as project number 12.
Crawford asked how this emergency project fits in with the program for next
year. Rutan stated they are essentially working on a project scheduled for 2005 in
2004. It should not affect the projected program expenditures.
Crawford asked if Council should include this information in the annual road
program. Rutan stated it's already there. This discussion is for information only.
He hopes to be done with the road by November 8.
Caskey- Schreiber asked about a Comprehensive Plan section 3 -21 alteration
to infrastructure standard, which says that if infrastructure meets all safety
requirements, they can put in minimal infrastructure. Rutan stated he has
flexibility to use common sense and judgment. When safety and environmental
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 10/12/2004, 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.
concerns are met, he will make good decisions. The change in the Comprehensive
Plan is not different than the philosophy he works under daily.
Rutan stated the Council will have a public hearing and introduce this item at
the Council meeting.
Roy moved to recommend approval to the full Council.
Monsen stated the committee doesn't need to make a recommendation right
now. This item will be introduced to the Council and the Council will have a public
hearing.
Roy withdrew her motion.
Crawford asked if there has been any progress on the potential to move
Sudden Valley mailboxes. Rutan stated will look forward to working on that option.
He is busy with the construction season right now.
COUNCIL "CONSENT AGENDA" ITEM
1. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A
CONTRACT AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND EXIGENT
COMPUTER GROUP FOR IMAGE AND DATA EXPORT PROCESSING TO
ENABLE PRODUCTION OF AUDITOR'S OFFICE IMAGES TO THE
INTERNET VIA LASERFICHE, IN THE AMOUNT OF $21,000 (AB2004-
350)
Shirley Forslof, County Auditor, stated the Council gave funding authority for
production of images in the Auditor's Office. The images have to be converted from
Exigent to laserfiche.
Crawford asked the documents that would be converted. Forslof stated that
is to be determined. Land records, deeds, and real estate contracts would be
included.
Crawford asked if the change is retroactive or from this point forward.
Forslof stated she will eventually go back ten years to take it from microfilm to
images. They need some more disk space on the AS400. Some counties have
gone all the way back to the early 1900's. She'd have to evaluate how cost -
effective that would be. It is a convenient way of locating documents.
Crawford asked about survey maps. Forslof stated they would also be
imaged.
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 10/12/2004, 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.
Crawford stated most scanner resolutions are not the best. He asked if
anyone has brought that concern up. Forslof stated she asked for a new scanner to
improve quality.
Crawford stated State law says all fonts have to be at least 8 point.
However, there is still a lot of bleeding of the lettering and numbers, to the point
it's hard to read. They may need to scan at a higher resolution, even though the
file sizes would be larger. He's having a problem with maps, not deeds. Forslof
stated they started doing the maps in- house, and has been working to improve
resolution. She'd like to know which documents are a problem. She purchased a
scanner for maps. They are scanning maps in -house so plats are available sooner.
They don't send them to the State anymore. Plats are sent to the State
electronically, instead.
Crawford stated the State's resolution is worse. Technology is improving.
The State may have a limit on document size. Forslof stated the images are sent to
the State instead of the actual maps.
Roy moved to recommend approval to the full Council.
Motion carried 2-0 with McShane absent.
ADDENDUM:
2. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY
AND THE WHATCOM COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF'S GUILD FOR THE
PERIOD OF JANUARY 1, 2003 THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2005
(AB2004 -358)
Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, stated this is the agreement resulting
from the Council's discussion two weeks ago. He is pleased about the agreement.
The Guild provided cooperation and leadership that resulted in an agreement that is
fair to both the deputies and the community. There is a consistent pattern for pay
increases. The deputies accepted a contribution they will make to the medical plan,
which is consistent with other employees of the organization. The administration
will pay for cellular phone expenses. The salary matrix increases one and a half
percent effective January 1, 2003, one and a half percent effective July 1, 2003,
two percent effective January 1, 2004, and two percent effective July 1, 2005.
Roy moved to recommend approval to the full Council. She complimented
the administration and the Guild for working this through.
Motion carried unanimously.
OTHER BUSINESS
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 10/12/2004, 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.
Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, stated the administration continues to
work on emergency medical services (EMS). They are working with fire chiefs and
commissioners to create a proposal for the County Council.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 11:31 a.m.
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, 10/12/2004, Page 5