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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Committee Of The Whole
July 27, 1999
The meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m. by Council Chair Marlene
Dawson in the Council Committee Room, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham,
Washington.
Also Present: Absent:
Kathy Sutter None
L. Ward Nelson
Connie Hoag
Barbara Brenner
Tom Brown
Robert Imhof
1. UPDATE FROM WHATCOM COUNTY WATER RESOURCE PLANNER SUE
BLAKE ON LAKE WHATCOM MANAGEMENT AND DISCUSSION OF THE
RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE 1999 LAKE WHATCOM MANAGEMENT
PROGRAM (AB99 -056A)
Sue Blake, Water Resource Planner, stated there was no discussion regarding
the resolution of the 1999 Lake Whatcom Management Program. That is an old title
heading.
Blake introduced Erika Stroebel, the new planner that would be working on
the Lake Whatcom programs.
Regarding stormwater, there are a lot of items on the list as potential early
action projects. Many came from the stakeholder interviews. There is an extensive
list of projects, which they have sorted into projects for the consultant. There are
four projects. They agreed to immediately look at the project related to ditch -
cleaning and road - cleaning practices. There may be some simple things the County
can do to modify the way they clean ditches. They will look at both the City and
County procedures and will advise on any changes. They are also looking at what
they might be able to do for the stormwater facility on Cable Street. They could do
water quality improvements in conjunction with next year's safety improvements.
Sutter questioned whether they will be looking at putting in more impervious
surfaces. Blake stated this opens the door for all those things to be discussed.
They will also take a look at water quality benefits to be had from voluntary re-
routing. They are trying to encourage people to use Lake Louise Road instead of
the road right along the edge of the lake.
Brenner asked what kind of incentives they would provide to people to take
Lake Louise Road. Blake stated she had no idea.
Committee of the Whole, 7/27/99, Page 1
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Nelson suggested a stop sign on Lakeway, and make Lake Louise the
thoroughfare.
Blake stated there are a lot more suggestions. Some of them don't need the
help of a consultant. As part of the program planning that they are doing now, they
are looking at all of the suggestions. The Council will receive detailed information
on the suggestions once they are listed. There have been three people that have
been tentatively identified as members for the Stormwater Peer Review Committee.
Those three people are Tom Schuyler, Gene Welch, and Harry Gibbons. This is just
for stormwater. The first project in the stormwater program, which looks at the
state of the lake, affects a lot of the programs. A report is being generated that
looks at all the different opinions on that issue. It goes beyond stormwater.
Hoag questioned whether Robin Matthews would be included on a peer
review committee. Blake stated Matthews was involved in the controversy. Other
names were suggested. There would be a conflict of interest. They did recommend
others for the committee, and almost all suggested Gene Welch.
Blake continued to state that modeling work in Lake Whatcom is of interest
for a lot of the programs, including the on- reservation programs. Modeling will be
used for the 303(d) listing and the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study that
will be done.
Sutter asked if there are going to be many different models or whether
everyone can use one model. Blake stated the U.S. Geological Service will not do
the same type of modeling. They will not repeat modeling on Lake Whatcom. That
is part of the reason to get everyone together. It is starting to look like there are
too many efforts and a process needs to be developed to insure they don't end up
with duplicative efforts. They got everyone in the same room and on the phone
and sorted out the potential overlap and created a process.
Blake stated everyone should have received the information regarding the
stakeholder interviews. The stormwater inventory is part of the stormwater
program. They are still getting geared up to do the full inventory. They have
someone to inventory the County's system. They now know there are about 20
private detention facilities in the watershed. When a development goes in, the
County doesn't take over the detention facility of a homeowner's association. The
City does take those things over. Private facilities typically refers to a
development.
Sutter asked if there are places where individual private families and
residences have installed stormwater detention or reduction. Blake stated Sudden
Valley requires it.
Sutter stated it is important to know about the individual detention systems.
Collectively, they do contribute to the picture. Blake stated she would make sure
that is on the list for inventory. One of the problems is that people don't maintain
those facilities properly. The original schedule for Program Planning for 2000 was
to get the plan together for the joint meeting in September. For various reasons,
they propose it be rescheduled for later in October, so the Councils and the public
Committee of the Whole, 7/27/99, Page 2
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have more time to review the draft that will be coming out in August. The
timeframe is looking too tight for review.
Brenner stated they will be in the midst of the budget during that time.
Blake stated they are discussing how to distribute the $315,000 that had
been allocated.
Brown stated the summary of the information needed to be more concise.
Nelson questioned the required committee regarding the State Department of
Natural Resources' actions to be implemented due to new legislation. Blake stated
there is a committee composed of three citizen representatives and representatives
from counties, cities, and other jurisdictions.
Nelson asked what the committee would be deciding. Blake stated they
would look at the factors to achieve more extensive water quality standards and to
determine what additional management actions can be taken on trust land to
achieve those standards. This means the committee has to look at what they are
doing, and then make suggestions for changes to reduce the impacts on water
quality. They then have to evaluate the financial impacts of that. The letters are
going out soon from Jennifer Belcher's office.
Nelson stated there isn't anything regarding the forest practices. There is
still quite a bit of forest practices on non -trust land. There isn't anything about
dealing with issues such as conversion option harvest plans and encouraging more
forest practices. Blake stated she would make a note of it.
Sutter asked about the Y Road landfill and surface water sampling. She
requested the results include a map showing the location of the waters that were
tested and the aquifer flow. They are trying to determine whether the landfill is
contributing to contamination of the lake.
Hoag questioned whether there was a well between the landfill and the lake.
Blake stated she assumed there are.
Blake stated the Council members should let her know if there are any other
activities they would like to see on the list.
Imhof moved to go into executive session to discuss the last two items on
the agenda.
Motion carried unanimously.
2. DISCUSSION REGARDING LABOR NEGOTIATIONS AND
RATIFICATION OF THE TEAMSTERS HEALTH CLERICAL COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING AGREEMENT (AB99 -211)
Committee of the Whole, 7/27/99, Page 3
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3. DISCUSSION REGARDING PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO RESOLUTION
98 -079, SALARY SCHEDULE FOR UNREPRESENTED WHATCOM
COUNTY EMPLOYEES (AB99 -418A)
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at approximately 7:00 p.m.
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
These minutes were approved by Council on September 21 , 1999.
ATTEST:
Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Marlene Dawson, Council Chair
Committee of the Whole, 7/27/99, Page 4