HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial Council May 14 2002BUDGET1
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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
Special County Council
May 14, 2002
The meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m. by Council Chair L. Ward
Nelson in the Civic Center Annex, Second Floor Meeting Room, 322 N. Commercial,
Bellingham, Washington.
Present: Absent:
Laurie Caskey- Schreiber Sharon Roy
Sam Crawford
Seth Fleetwood
Dan McShane
Barbara Brenner
1. DISCUSSION REGARDING COUNTY EXECUTIVE PETE KREMEN'S
ACTION PLAN FOR MAINTAINING A BALANCED BUDGET (AB2002-
169)
Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, gave a staff report and stated that
some department heads will give brief presentations to the Council. Some
elements of County government would not be addressed because they are going to
focus on the general fund. In addition, they will address the non - departmental
items at another time. He submitted a packet of information regarding the
inventory of services and a copy of the County's strategic plan. The managers
would provide the Council with information regarding accomplishments and visions
for the future. There will be additional meetings on May 21 and June 18 to discuss
upcoming budgeting priorities.
Administrative Services Department
Desler stated there are four divisions in the department. Accomplishments
for the Finance Division included having no audit fines in 2000, receiving a number
of distinguished budget presentation awards, receiving government finance officers
awards, merging the budget accounting recording systems with computerized
information systems, computerizing the annual budget process, creating a jail
inmate trust account, developing a Visa purchasing card, converting the JD Edwards
financial system, rewriting establishing policies and procedures online, and
developing Whatcom County internal resource information and exchange (WIRE)
network. Key issues to address in the future will be more of the same in terms of
electronic and computerized access to information and systems.
Accomplishments for the Human Resources Division included supervisory and
leadership support and training, online performance management, job placement,
Special Whatcom County Council - BUDGET, 5/14/2002, Page 1
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 job description updates, benefit administration changes, a self- insured audit, policy
2 and procedure preparation training, and labor negotiations. Key issues for the
3 future is working with various organizations and departments on their
4 organizational goals, upgrade a positive working environment for the employees,
5 and develop leaders for the future.
6
7 Accomplishments for the Information Services Division included the wide
8 area network, the County website, upgrade of the computer lines and server,
9 archiving and microfilming, and mail processing. Key issues for the future include
10 full fiber optic communications between the courthouse and the Northwest Annex,
11 video conferencing, additional e- business, and wireless communication solutions for
12 voice and data transfers.
13
14 Accomplishments for the Facilities Management Division included cleaning
15 and maintaining all buildings. Key issues for the future include master facilities
16 planning, energy saving upgrades, and repair and restore the County jail.
17
18 Auditor
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20 Shirley Forslof, Auditor, read the first sentence of the mission statement for
21 the Auditor's Office and submitted information (on file). The Auditor's Office has
22 four divisions. Highlights of the Elections Division included number of voters, the
23 Auditor's website, posting election results online, and an online voters' guide.
24 Goals for the future include a transition from punch card voting and publishing local
25 voter pamphlets.
26
27 Highlights of the Recording /Licensing Division included document recording,
28 vehicle license paperwork, revenue generated, reduced paper use by producing
29 microfilm, provide information on compact disc, service as a member of the
30 Washington State Electronic Recording Task Force, the number of marriage
31 licenses, increased transactions due to I -695, increased mail -in transactions,
32 inventory support, and training for the seven licensing sub - agents. Future goals
33 include making recorded documents available on the internet, recording documents
34 electronically, and increasing the use of licensing sub - agents.
35
36 Highlights of the Internal Audit Division included follow -up audits of licensing
37 sub - agents in conjunction with the State Department of Licensing and a cash -
38 handling policies and procedures committee. Future goals will include risk
39 assessment of county operations and improved audit monitoring. She introduced
40 Fred Williams, CPA, the new internal auditor.
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42 Public Defender's Office
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44 Jon Komorowski, Chief Deputy, stated he spoke for Public Defender John
45 Ostlund. He gave the history and purpose of the Public Defender's Office. Key
46 accomplishments include handling a very large volume of cases in a competent and
47 cost - effective manner, the Kinney case was settled, drug court was developed, new
Special Whatcom County Council - BUDGET, 5/14/2002, Page 2
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 regular case setting meetings, and a new system of agreed orders. Their future
2 goals are to continue providing high quality representation as efficiently as possible.
3
4 Crawford suggested that councilmembers give their questions to Council
5 Clerk Dana Brown -Davis before next week's meeting. Ms. Brown -Davis will get
6 those questions to the administration in hopes of having answers for the Council
7 before the start of the meeting on May 21.
8
9 Health and Human Services Department
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11 Regina Delahunt, Health and Human Services Director, stated the
12 councilmembers are aware of the services provided by the Health and Human
13 Services Department because they serve as the Board of Health. Key
14 accomplishments included surviving the interim period without a department
15 director or several management personnel, the immunization survey in Whatcom
16 County, the Community Counts Project to provide baseline health indicators, a
17 behavioral health triage system, the Lake Whatcom mercury study, testing for
18 mercury sources in other lakes,
19
20 (Clerk's Note: End of tape one, side A.)
21
22 Delahunt continued to state that another accomplishment was a response to
23 anthrax issues. Future challenges include bio- terrorism planning and response,
24 communicable disease issues, the need to get a communicable disease study and
25 plan together by August 2003, and possible cutbacks of many services due to lack
26 of health funding from the State.
27
28 Assessor's Office
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30 Keith Willnauer, Assessor, stated that his office listens to property tax payers
31 every day. Accomplishments included handling citizens, the downward curve of
32 property taxes, and tax collection. He presented information regarding the role of
33 his office. He narrowed his comments to the task of providing taxpayer assistance.
34 Major goals for the future include providing customer and taxpayer assistance and
35 expanding their capabilities to research, review, retrieve, and retain public
36 information. Other accomplishments include work done into the intranet and
37 internet, increased capabilities of searching for information on the website. He
38 gave a presentation on how and what information can be accessed.
39
40 Juvenile Court Services
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42 Steve Paus, Juvenile Court Administrator, submitted information (on file).
43 Accomplishments included use of a risk assessment tool developed by the State,
44 department reorganization, increased efficiencies in the court process, better
45 services to clients and community, changed case management and risk
46 management processes, development of better relationships with schools, transition
47 from an offender - focused punishment model to a community justice model, better
Special Whatcom County Council - BUDGET, 5/14/2002, 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 measurement tools for programs and employees productivity, development of the
2 Juvenile Community Justice Center, and a service learning youth work crew. Future
3 goals include fully developing the community justice model, a juvenile drug court, a
4 juvenile mentoring program, and a juvenile tracking system.
5
6 (Clerk's Note: The Council took a ten - minute break at 10:25 a.m.)
7
8 Parks and Recreation Department
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10 Roger DeSpain, Parks and Recreation Department Director, stated he would
11 discuss accomplishments and future goals. He introduced Recreation and Senior
12 Services Manager Rob Bunnett. One of their goals was to survey program
13 participants.
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15 Rob Bunnett, Recreation and Senior Services Manager, provided information
16 (on file) on the recent Senior Center Satisfaction Survey and on the attendance and
17 volunteer totals. He invited everyone to a special "Service to Seniors" award
18 ceremony on Thursday, May 16 from 3:30 - 5:30 p.m. at the Bellingham Senior
19 Activity Center.
20
21 DeSpain presented information on accomplishments including the cabin
22 renovations and a toilet installation at Silver Lake, the Tennant Lake restroom
23 remodel, a new picnic shelter at Hovander Park, the mobile mowing program,
24 completion of a trailhead at Pine and Cedar Lakes, parks usage, Ski to Sea and
25 Highland Games impacts on the parks, hiring summer help. He discussed the
26 services that the department provides, revenue and expenses, cost per capita.
27 Future needs are for trails and transportation, soccer and baseball fields, indoor
28 facilities, and better ways to fund parks and recreation services. Another issue they
29 will have to deal with is encroachment on areas like rifle ranges.
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31 (Clerk's Note: End of tape one, side B.)
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33 Planning and Development Services Department
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35 Hal Hart, Planning and Development Services Director, stated it is important
36 to plan for the future and to foresee problems that might come up in the future.
37 His primary mission is to deliver planning, building, and land use code services.
38 The ideas outlined in the Comprehensive Plan have to be implemented and
39 monitored. Accomplishments include dealing with a huge workload and delivery of
40 services, many Comprehensive Plan and zoning amendments, subarea planning,
41 and other issues tied to the county's comprehensive plan. Challenges in the future
42 for the department include dealing with water resources. They are currently
43 working on economic development planning, many standing committees, open
44 space applications, annexations, burn permits, single family homes permits,
45 inspections, commercial growth, code compliance, staff training and organization,
46 and an increased number of site inspections. Future goals and challenges include
47 partnering with the cities and the tribes, performance monitoring, and the need for
Special Whatcom County Council - BUDGET, 5/14/2002, 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.
the County to pick two or three programs for the Planning Department to focus on
this year.
Prosecuting Attorney's Office
Dave McEachran, Prosecuting Attorney, provided general information about
the responsibilities of the Prosecuting Attorney's Office. Three - quarters of the work
he does is criminal prosecution, and the remaining is civil responsibilities. There
are five divisions in his office, which he listed and described: District Court, Juvenile
Court, Superior Court, non - support, and Civil. Topics discussed for the various
departments included caseloads, staff levels, different types of cases, probation
violations, paying fines, and drug cases. One accomplishment was the formation of
a critical incident team.
Superior Court
N.F. Jackson, Superior Court Clerk, cited the statistics for his department on
caseloads, amount of paperwork, document inventory, trial and hearing scheduling,
criminal versus civil cases, jurors, the costs of big cases. Works in progress include
drug court, juvenile drug court, pro se civil cases that are clogging up the system, a
courthouse administrator, domestic relations mediation, dispute resolution, a better
process for dealing with conflicting orders, distributing protection orders in a timely
manner. A future problem is the public's expectation to have free access to
information 24 hours per day, seven days per week.
Treasurer's Office
Barbara Cory, Treasurer, discussed the basic function, responsibilities, and
goal of the Treasurer's Office.
(Clerk's Note: Beginning of tape two, side B.)
Cory stated their responsibilities include collecting taxes, fees, and
assessments, auto pay, lock box payments, credit card payment, electronic
payments, internet payments, duplication of statements, bar - coding of duplicate
statements, investment pool, investment revenue, cash handling training, internal
controls, and sales tax auditing. Future needs include planning for a new or
updated tax assessment and collection system, the possibility of charging junior
taxing districts a fee for services, and prioritized budget reductions as opposed to
across - the -board budget cuts.
Desler discussed non - departmental services, which includes the medical
examiner, 911 central dispatch, emergency medical services, intergovernmental
operations, animal control, and other programs.
Caskey- Schreiber stated they should discuss possible additional revenue
sources.
Special Whatcom County Council - BUDGET, 5/14/2002, Page 5
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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.
Brenner asked for information on the items on which the Administration
spends money and that do not come before the Council.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at noon.
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
These minutes were approved by Council on June 18 , 2002.
ATTEST:
Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
L. Ward Nelson, Council Chair
Special Whatcom County Council - BUDGET, 5/14/2002, Page 6