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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance February 26 20021 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 February 26, 2002 The meeting was called to order at 12:00 p.m. by Committee Chair Sam Crawford in the Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington. Present: Absent: Dan McShane None Sharon Roy Also Present: Laurie Caskey- Schreiber Barbara Brenner COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL 1. ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 2002 WHATCOM COUNTY BUDGET, REQUEST #2 (AB2002 -110) McShane moved to recommend approval. Motion carried unanimously. COUNCIL "CONSENT AGENDA" ITEM 1. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO AWARD BID NUMBER 02 -12 FOR THE ANNUAL SUPPLY OF BRIDGE MATERIALS TO THE LOWEST QUALIFIED BIDDER, PSR, IN THE AMOUNT OF $47,858.95 (AB2002 -118) Roy moved to recommend approval. Motion carried unanimously. 2. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO AWARD BID NUMBER 02 -14 FOR THE ANNUAL SUPPLY OF LARGE SIZE ALUMINIZED AND GALVANIZED CULVERT TO THE SOLE BIDDER, WASHINGTON CULVERT, IN THE AMOUNT OF $154,607.55 (AB2002- 119) Mary Green, Equipment Rent & Revolve (ER &R) Manager, stated the bid was sent to three bidders; Hardware Sales, Washington Culvert, and Familian. They all buy them from Washington Culvert, which was the sole source last year also. Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 2/26/2002, 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. McShane moved to recommend approval. Motion carried unanimously. 3. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND NAHKEETA NORTHWEST WILDLIFE SERVICES TO PROVIDE ON -CALL SERVICES FOR BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT WORK FOR COUNTY ROAD PROJECTS FOR THE 2002 -2003 BIENNIUM, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $70,000 (AB2002 -120) Bruce Mills, Assistant Director of Engineering, stated they are proposing to select Nakeeta again. Since the Endangered Species Act (ESA) came out, the County has to do a biological assessment on all projects. This outfit is familiar with this type of work. Last year, the company was on call in the amount of $15,000. This contract is for two years, paid on the basis of work performed. He estimated the amount they will use for the contract. The actual amount spent could be less. Brenner asked how they were chosen. Mills stated the County annually puts out a request for qualifications for professional consultants. He goes through the list and invites several to present a proposal to the County. Crawford asked if the administration was cognizant at budget time that they could spend as much as $20,000 more per year. Mills stated this amount was anticipated. The associated costs go into each of the individual projects on the annual road construction program. The professional engineering amounts for each road project have gone up slightly to cover this expense. The federal government will cover some of these costs if funding of the project includes federal money. Roy moved to recommend approval to the full Council. Motion carried unanimously. 4. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND LAKE WHATCOM RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CENTER TO PROVIDE PARTIALLY SUBSIDIZED LIVING RESIDENCES FOR MENTALLY ILL CONSUMERS IN WHATCOM COUNTY, IN THE AMENDED AMOUNT OF $71,070 FOR A TOTAL AMENDED CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $141,105 (AB2002 -121) Andy Byrne, Human Service Manager, stated the service was originally ordered by a request for proposals (RFP) a year ago. The service is going well. The contract allows an extension. Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 2/26/2002, 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 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 if the County historically funded this service. Byrne stated that within the expenditure authority the Health and Human Services Department has in the area of mental health contractual services, they do their own community - wide needs assessment and work with Mental Health Advisory Board and others to determine what services in the community aren't being funded anywhere else and for what services they can use their limited mental health funds to leverage as best they can. Housing for people with mental illness is a big issue. When people have a mental illness and are not housed, they tend to not manage their lives so well and end up in the hospital. The Mental Health Advisory Board has prioritized housing for people with mental health illnesses. Crawford asked if there is a way to evaluate performance on the contract. Byrne stated they do annual audits and visit the facility. He also gets monthly reports, and they meet more often than monthly. They can track who they're servicing, how much service they are delivering, and how adequate the services are. He combines that with other information sources about crises or complaints. Roy asked if part of the data collection is based on client success. Byrne stated they look at how many consumers lived in those residences. He doesn't want to see a different consumer in there every month. He looks for stability. He also doesn't want to hear a lot of complaints from consumers. Crawford asked how the administration will continue to look at this related to other County priorities. The County is at a point where it must consider costs of personnel, facilities, and how this falls in to the budget. Desler stated this is a discretionary service that contributes to the quality of life of these people. To that extent, it is positive in the community. However, the County is faced with serious financial issues. This and every other expenditure will be considered for some adjustment or change in the future. Roy asked if a logical next step is to make sure they have really good data for all these programs. Byrne stated he wants to make sure they put the funds towards the needs they've identified as a community. He relies on the Mental Health Advisory Board and others to prioritize the dollars for the needs. This need for housing is very high on the Mental Health Advisory Board priority list. McShane moved to recommend approval to the full Council. Motion carried unanimously. S. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO APPROVE A CONTRACT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND NORTHWEST REGIONAL COUNCIL FOR LAW AND JUSTICE COUNCIL SUPPORT SERVICES IN THE BUDGETED AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $92,720 (AB2002 -122) Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 2/26/2002, Page 3 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. 1 Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, stated there are a number of activities 2 that are not mandated by a court, arbitrator, or agency. The County is carefully 3 looking at all of those mandates to make sure the core things can be addressed in 4 the future and that they relate to public safety, which is a high priority issue. Public 5 health is part of that. 6 7 This is a program that continues to support the Law and Justice Council. The 8 City of Bellingham contributes about $39,720. This year's budget includes $50,000. 9 The County contracts with the Northwest Regional Council to provide staff support 10 to the Law and Justice Council. 11 12 Brenner stated she is concerned about providing a lot of basic secretarial 13 skills for meeting assistance. When the County has trouble finding $80,000 to 14 continue a program that works well, they should not consider funding secretarial 15 skills for the Law and Justice Council. She just received the Law and Justice Council 16 summary. Members who are listed as citizen members are really providers. The 17 membership is not weighed the way it looks like it is. One of the members is not 18 thrilled about what it is going on. The State is setting up a task force. The group 19 he represents would like to put their energy toward what the State is doing with its 20 efforts. The County can't afford to spend its money on this. Desler stated a 21 statement of outcomes is being developed. He will provide a draft. He shares the 22 concern about making sure they get good outcomes and productions from their 23 contracts. 24 25 Brenner stated the administration decided to stop the program after it was 26 already started. Now, there is a new task force to evaluate something that the 27 Council already recommended. The task force operates without a paid secretarial 28 staff. If they are going to set up a task force about something that was already 29 recommended, then they should just have task forces instead of the Law and 30 Justice Council, and work with the State on the State task force. This Law and 31 Justice Council has already cost a lot of money. It will cost more in the future. She 32 believed the purpose of the Law and Justice Council was to come up with a product 33 and then move on. She doesn't like the fact that it is ongoing. It will require a lot 34 of services to keep that council going. They are spending a lot of money on this 35 council and not on projects. 36 37 McShane asked the number of people on the Council. Desler stated there are 38 45 members. Most are elected officials, managers in the criminal justice agencies, 39 or staff of treatment organizations. There are less than half a dozen people who 40 are citizen members. Law and justice is a big and expensive part of what the 41 County does. An objective is to get those elements of the law and justice system 42 working together through coordination and communication. They continually find 43 that those elements of the system don't communicate well with each other. It is 44 not a system, but a group of independent people with different objectives. 45 46 McShane asked if participating in the Law and Justice Council is a priority for 47 the County staff who participate, or if they are forced to participate. Desler stated Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 2/26/2002, Page 4 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. 1 they are not being forced to participate. They have been looking at new ways to 2 implement the Law and Justice plan. The administration has an interest in seeing a 3 group of citizens or people work on those larger, broader, more comprehensive 4 issues. Also, this is a relatively new group. The Council set up the committee and 5 the members about a year ago. 6 7 McShane stated that if the Council supports this, it should have an 8 opportunity to get some feedback from the members and should receive the 9 minutes from the meetings. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 Roy asked what the money would be spent on. Desler stated the Law and Justice Coordinator works 80 percent of a full time position. The coordinator is under contract. That is where the bulk of the resources go. Supporting committees takes time and money. Caskey- Schreiber stated the scope of work listed for this amount of money is not balanced. She does everything that is listed in the scope of work in her job for less money, and she works full time. Crawford stated that if anyone is affected by the outcome of this group, it is Lieutenant Jones. The councilmembers need to clarify the County Council's intent for the Law and Justice Council. At the time, many different organizations were all feeding into the same system, and not a lot of communication was going on. The County puts a lot of money into these particular areas each year. Without coordination, the County is just throwing money at the problems to fight the fire. The councilmembers wanted to start pulling the departments together to communicate, develop strategic plans to make system work better, and give the County Council input on how the law and justice money should be used. He attends the Law and Justice Committee meetings. At those meetings, he's expressed his concern that the outcome should be a clearly presented plan to the administration and the Council about what to do about jail overpopulation and 33 other issues. In almost two years, the Council has not had much feedback from the 34 Law and Justice Council. He has not sensed that the Law and Justice Council has 35 accomplished anything. The Northwest Regional Council is a good group for 36 facilitation. He was concerned this fall when much of the staff's discussion at the 37 meetings was about the design of the logo for this group, which would go on the 38 stationary. That bothered him a lot. He went to an executive committee meeting 39 of the group and waited for 45 minutes for the discussion to occur about who could 40 go to Olympia and lobby for more dollars. He told the Law and Justice Council then 41 that the County Council did not intend for them to form a lobbying group. He is 42 concerned about the Law and Justice Council keeping its eye on the ball. He has a 43 feeling that the overcrowding situation in the jail is not coming close to being 44 resolved as a result of this group. That situation continues to worsen. The County 45 continues to release felons onto the streets. When the County Council discusses 46 the essence of public health and safety, it needs to discuss solutions so it can 47 respond to the citizens of Whatcom County about what they are doing. He hasn't Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 2/26/2002, 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 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. sensed that the Law and Justice Council has prioritized the health and safety issues. The message he got from the executive committee when he brought this up was that the Law and Justice Council was still premature, and it's too early to make those decisions. He shares Councilmember Brenner's concerns. Regarding this item, he questions whether they need that level of facilitation. The members of the Law and Justice Council are all very involved, mature professionals that know what they need to do. Desler stated it's useful to have the County councilmembers share their concerns. He suggested that the Council put this contract off until the next meeting when they can have a more direct view of the work plan and meet with the leadership of the Law and Justice plan, then decide to what extent they move forward with this program. There is a series of projects underway that the County Council approved last March. Now they are being evaluated. The County Council deserves good solid information on the result of those projects. Brenner stated the juvenile detention program was in place and recommended by the Law and Justice Council. The people who wrote the program said it would be a two -year program. Within a couple of months, it was removed. The County Council said they wanted it to be kept in there. The administrator still removed the program. She feels that she is always fighting to keep a program in place that the County Council recommends. If someone in the administration doesn't like what the Council recommends, it's not fair to redirect efforts into a task force. There was supposed to be a beginning, middle, and end to this Law and Justice Council. It's developed into a self - fulfilling bureaucracy. The County is not so unique that it has to reinvent the wheel. McShane stated he is willing to support the request now, but he is hearing concerns. The program that the Council supported last year came out of this group. Attacking the administrative support of this group is not where the problem lays. During the budget process last year, the recommendations of the Law and Justice Council were useful. The support is expensive, but it's not inordinately expensive. Without that support, he can't imagine those 45 people coming together. He would be willing to listen to a report. Councilmembers should look carefully at the competitive per -hour rates. Crawford stated he is less concerned about the $92,000 at this point than he is concerned about the outcomes. There have also been many hours of positive discussion by the Law and Justice Council. Roy asked for written information an addition to a presentation. She has an interest in some of the things that the Law and Justice Council recommended, and that haven't happened because of the administrators in those departments. She has concerns about that. It's critical to get the diverse departments together that are fighting over the same dollars. She supports the concept of getting the parties together, but she wants to see more information. Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 2/26/2002, Page 6 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. Crawford asked about the triage program. Desler stated a number of exciting programs are occurring. Andy Byrne, Human Services Manager, stated he is excited about the triage project. The full Law and Justice Council had recommendations on how the County should spend $1.8 million. He proposed a study of how the behavioral health world and the law and justice world could coordinate better. Many people who end up in county jails have mental illness and /or substance abuse problems, commit nonviolent misdemeanors, and can't get into treatment fast enough. (Clerk's Note: End of tape one, side A.) Byrne continued to state that they need to free up the jail beds from this population so more serious offenders could be in those beds. He proposed, and the Law and Justice Council recommended, funding 20 percent with County funds. He got the other 80 percent from other agencies, for a total of $30,000. He contracted two consultants to do a study and then facilitate a project executive committee made up of representatives from these financial stakeholders. The project executive committee would recommend to the County a way for this County to solve this problem. The final report is complete and available. He will provide copies to the County Council. Roy moved to hold in committee for two weeks. Motion carried 2 -1 with McShane opposed. 6. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO AN AMENDED CONTRACT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND WHATCOM COUNSELING JAIL PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR INMATES IN THE JAIL, IN THE AMOUNT OF $20,460 FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMENDED AMOUNT OF $40,920 (AB2002 -123) Wendy Jones, Corrections Lieutenant, stated this is an amendment to an existing contract to provide psychiatrist services for three hours per week to do medical triage. It is the same level of service at the same hourly rate they've had for a number of years. From 17 to 23 percent of the jail population is seriously mentally ill and on medication that needs supervision. Brenner asked if this has anything to do with someone who has a mental breakdown or reaction to the medication. Jones stated that if an individual is placed on medication for the first time while in jail, they are followed closely by nursing staff and checked weekly by the psychiatrist. The psychiatrist also follows up with folks who have been diagnosed in the community. There is a program for a psychiatric caseworker to hook up people in the jail with community caseworkers and the mental health system. Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 2/26/2002, Page 7 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. well. Brenner asked if the follow up is working well. Jones stated it is working McShane moved to recommend approval to the full Council. Motion carried unanimously. 7. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO AN AMENDMENT TO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND ST. JOSEPH HOSPITAL — RECOVERY CENTER TO PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO LOCAL RESIDENTS WITH CHRONIC CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY PROBLEMS, IN THE AMENDED AMOUNT OF $19,694 FOR A TOTAL MAXIMUM CONSIDERATION NOT TO EXCEED $32,823 (AB2002 -124) Andy Byrne, Human Services Manager, stated he would discuss this item and the next three items on the agenda. Items seven, eight, and nine have a common funding source. According to the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), every municipality needs to put a minimum of two percent of their liquor taxes and profits towards substance abuse treatment. At the last meeting, the County Council approved a contract to receive revenue from the City of Bellingham for the alcohol protective custody program. Those sources add up to approximately $103,000 that these three projects operate on. Regarding this item, detoxification patients may need inpatient treatment. It takes a long time to get into treatment. This contract provides case management services for people who come through social detoxification. Item eight on the agenda is for the hospital social detoxification program. Social detoxification is for someone who is very inebriated and is seen as in a substance abuse crisis. The program provides a social detoxification bed for that person. If a person needs medical detoxification, medical insurance and other sources pay for it. The County doesn't get involved in that. The vast majority of people need to get into a social detoxification program. It is a 24 -hour program that the hospital operates. If the person is inebriated and violent, he or she needs to be in a locked facility. Therefore, half of this item relates to the alcohol protective custody program that the County Council just approved funding for during its previous meeting. The last item is a substance abuse treatment and case management service for people who are in the jail alternative program. Many of those people are assessed as needing substance abuse treatment. Since the County has them in custody, it is a good idea to get them started on treatment and case management. It is a high risk population for which the County likes to leverage its local dollars to help. Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 2/26/2002, Page 8 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. McShane moved to recommend approval of items seven, eight, and nine. Motion carried unanimously. 8. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO AN AMENDED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND ST. JOSEPH HOSPITAL — RECOVERY CENTER, TO PROVIDE SUBSTANCE ABUSE CRISIS INTERVENTION SERVICES, IN THE AMENDED AMOUNT OF $82,656, FOR A TOTAL MAXIMUM CONSIDERATION NOT TO EXCEED $165,312 (AB2002 -125) See item seven. 9. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND ST. JOSEPH HOSPITAL — RECOVERY CENTER, TO PROVIDE SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES TO COUNTY RESIDENTS IN THE WHATCOM COUNTY JAIL AND /OR ALTERNATIVE CORRECTIONS CENTER, IN THE AMENDED AMOUNT OF $20,000 FOR A TOTAL MAXIMUM CONSIDERATION NOT TO EXCEED $33,330 (AB2002 -126) See item seven. 10. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND SUN COMMUNITY SERVICES TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH TRANSITIONAL HOUSING SERVICES IN AN AMENDED AMOUNT OF $96,302 FOR A TOTAL MAXIMUM CONSIDERATION NOT TO EXCEED $178,004 (AB2002 -127) Andy Byrne, Human Services Manager, stated the funds come out of the general fund to provide mental health transitional housing for people who don't have a place to live. In the process of trying to get someone a place to live, this provides interim transitional housing. The program reduces the hospitalization rate for these folks. This is a big need in the county. People who go through this program tend to not use hospitalization. Within his expenditure authority, he looks at the assessed needs to figure out how to spend those monies. If the expenditure authority changes, he would go back to reassess the needs. This is a high priority. Crawford questioned why they are spending $15,000 more in 2002 than in 2001. Byrne stated that in 2001, there were unallocated dollars. They amended the contract. In the second half of 2001, they amended the rate for mental health services up three percent, to be the same amount as this year. The first half of Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 2/26/2002, Page 9 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 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. 2001 is a smaller dollar amount than the second half. This year's costs are the same as the second half of last year. There have been increased costs. For the same amount of services, the fees had not been increased in three years. They increased it by three percent at the second half of last year. McShane moved to recommend approval to the full Council. Motion carried unanimously. OTHER BUSINESS Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, stated the County adopted a budget that reflected the Council's budget guidelines. After September 11, the County found itself in a situation of having decreasing revenues. The kinds of contracts that come forward to the County Council are an extension of things that the County has done in past, and reflect previous County Council policy. The administration's intention is to recommend how to address the challenges the County faces in the future. There is an item on the Council's agenda about the public facilities district. He was available for questions on that issue. Crawford stated the committee discussed it two weeks ago. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 1:15 p.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, 2/26/2002, Page 10