HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance May 18 19991
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Finance and Administrative Services Committee
May 18, 1999
The meeting was called to order at 12:00 p.m. by Committee Chair L. Ward Nelson in the
Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
Alcn PrPCPnt-
Tom Brown
Robert Imhof
Absent:
None
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL
1. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR PAYMENT OF COUNCIL MEMBER TRAVEL
AND /OR EXPENSES (AB99 -022F)
Imhof moved to amend request to pre- approve the use of his $1,000.00 for attending
Harvard.
Brown stated that he will not support Imhof s request because it is not Council business.
Motion to amend carried 2 -1 with Brown opposed.
Motion to recommend approval as amended carried unanimously.
COUNCIL "CONSENT AGENDA" ITEM
REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND THE ARC OF WHATCOM COUNTY TO
PROVIDE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TO ESTABLISH A BROAD -BASED
COMMUNITY COALITION OF PERSONS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL
DISABILITIES AND THEIR PARENTS OR GUARDIANS, IN THE AMOUNT OF
$20,000 (AB99 -174)
Brown moved to recommend approval.
Motion carried unanimously.
2. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO AN
AMENDMENT TO THE 1999 CONSOLIDATED CONTRACT BETWEEN
WHATCOM COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND THE
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO INCLUDE THE
Finance and Administrative Services, 5/18/99, Page 1
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DOLLARS PROVIDING FUNDING FOR NURSING AND OTHER SERVICES, IN
THE AMOUNT OF $125,267 (AB99 -175)
Chuck Benjamin, Health and Human Services Director, explained that the State made an
error in the original contract. This contract corrects the State's error and adds the money that
should have been in the original contract. The budget reflects the total of both the original
contract and this addition.
Nelson moved to recommend approval.
Motion carried unanimously.
3. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO AN
INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND THE STATE
OF WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE, PROVIDING FOR
TWO FULL TIME AND ONE QUARTER TIME TRAINED WDFW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICERS ON A REIMBURSABLE BASIS, IN THE AMOUNT OF $110,825 (AB99 -
176)
Jeff Monsen, Public Works Director, stated that the activities will be reimbursed by using
federal funds. These officers can address County, State, and federal laws. They will work
jointly with both the Lummi and Nooksack Tribes.
Imhof moved to recommend approval.
Motion carried unanimously.
4. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO AN
FCAAP GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY FOR THE FIRST PHASE OF HYDRAULIC MODEL
DEVELOPMENT FOR THE LOWER NOOKSACK RIVER, IN THE COUNTY
SHARE AMOUNT OF $9,575 (AB99 -177)
Brown moved to recommend approval.
Motion carried unanimously.
5. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A
CONTRACT AWARD BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND RESOURCES TO
IMPLEMENT THE 1999 -2000 CLASSROOM PRESENTATION PROGRAM ON
RECYCLING EDUCATION, IN THE AMOUNT OF $55,000 (AB99 -178)
Bruce Mills, Public Works Engineering Division, stated that this was brought before the
Council last June. It was a two -phase contract, one for the recycling hotline and one for the
education program. The recycling hotline was approved, but the classroom education was not.
On September 23, the Solid Waste Executive Committee requested that the County Council re-
Finance and Administrative Services, 5/18/99, Page 2
I instate the classroom education. They also directed staff put out a request for proposals (RFP)
2 for the classroom education. Only one proposal was submitted. Upon review, staff felt that it
3 was an excellent proposal. They brought it forward for Council review.
4
5 Nelson questioned whether there was any information about the impact of the program.
6 The use of videos was suggested previously. He also suggested having the teaching tools
7 available for the classroom teacher to utilize.
8
9 Jeff Monsen, Public Works Director, explained that an individual that goes to the school
10 teaches the information given at the school, rather than just having materials available to the
11 students, which is the method the schools prefer.
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13 Mills stated that there is a State grant that will fund 60% of the program.
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15 Imhof explained that he has discussed this with several people in the school and that it is
16 helpful.
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18 Nelson stated that there is no way to measure whether the programs are having an effect.
19 Mills stated that there are some goals in the proposal.
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21 Brown stated that some of the recycling efforts are not paying for themselves. The
22 recycling numbers have gone down, according to his research, however a lot of people are not
23 reporting their recycling. A lot of the recycling could be done in the solid waste process.
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25 Imhof stated that there is a cost to recycling plastics, paper, and steel, but it less than the
26 cost to landfill the items. There is a savings by not paying for extra garbage pick -up. It is an
27 educational tool that is used to show the elementary kids that there are outcomes to habits. The
28 kids should be educated on the need to recycle.
29
30 Imhof moved to recommend approval. He also asked that Mills provide the RFP along
31 with the reports of the impact. Mills stated that the proposal includes a requirement for monthly
32 and quarterly reports, a final report, and he read the goals that are in the RFP.
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34 Nelson asked Brown to look at this issue through the Solid Waste Advisory Committee
35 (SWAC).
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37 Motion carried unanimously.
38
39 6. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO AWARD BID #99 -53 TO
40 THE LOWEST RESPONSIVE BIDDER, BELLINGHAM CHRYSLER CENTER, TO
41 PURCHASE THREE HALF -TON EXTENDED CAB 4X4 PICK UP TRUCKS FOR
42 USE BY PUBLIC WORKS M &O, IN THE AMOUNT OF $74,433.75 (AB99 -179)
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44 Imhof moved to recommend approval.
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Finance and Administrative Services, 5/18/99, Page 3
I Mary Ewing, Public Works Equipment Revolve and Rental (ER &R) Manager, stated that
2 they are a 5.0 liter engine.
3
4 Motion carried unanimously.
5
6 Council Member Hoag questioned what is being replaced. Ewing stated that they are
7 replacing two 3/4 -ton trucks and one half -ton truck. They are being replaced with three half -ton
8 trucks.
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10 Hoag questioned why they needed V8 engines.
12 Dick Prieve, Public Works Maintenance and Operations Manager, reported that it is
13 needed during flooding and severe whether. They are being used to haul.
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15 7. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO AN
16 INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND PUBLIC
17 UTILITY DISTRICT NO. 1 TO CONDUCT ANALYSIS OF WATER RIGHTS, AS
18 MANDATED UNDER THE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ACT, IN THE
19 AMOUNT OF $60,000 (AB99 -180)
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21 Jeff Monsen, Public Works Director, stated that this is starting the process to deal with
22 some of the watershed planning issues. This will evaluate all the paper documents that deal with
23 water rights. There are around 7,000 documents. Ultimately, the goal is to have "paper" water
24 the same as "real" water. The question is whether the water right exists and is being used or it is
25 just a "paper" right that should be abandoned. Any legal work now is based on "paper" water.
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27 Dawson questioned what kind of work the State Department of Ecology (DOE) has done.
28 Monsen explained they have been managing a file that contains these documents. DOE hasn't
29 been capable of assigning the staff to evaluate the documents.
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31 Jim Bucknell, State Department of Ecology, stated that it is a huge workload to determine
32 what is reality. In a pilot project in the California Creek watershed, they found that people were
33 more willing to talk about their water rights with people who were not with the regulatory
34 agency. During the budget work they are going to do, they will determine how much water there
35 would be if there weren't any uses. That will be based on precipitation such as rainfall and
36 snowfall. The U.S. Geological Survey will be used to calculate the undepleted stream flow.
37 Then, they determine what the actual use is and subtract that from the undepleted stream flow.
38 That calculation will determine whether water is available and, if so, how much. They will do
39 that calculation on a monthly basis. This analysis is a key component. Currently, the water
40 rights in some of the sub - basins may exceed the available quantity during certain times of the
41 year. Some rights are not being used and some are being over -used. The in- stream flow
42 component of the watershed plan is a separate arm of the plan. They look at the available
43 habitat, not the available flow. There will be proposals before the Council to determine the best
44 methodology for the in- stream flows.
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Finance and Administrative Services, 5/18/99, Page 4
I Monsen stated that the hope is that they won't need to spend all of the money. The $4.4
2 million is to deal with the longer -term scope of the planning unit. This review needs to occur,
3 regardless of the level of the scope of work.
4
5 Nelson questioned whether they will be able to ascertain whether or not people will be
6 able to get water rights within the four year period. Monsen stated that is the goal.
7
8 Bucknell stated that is the DOE goal, as well. They want to have the data to make water
9 right permit decisions on the basis of data that is accepted and understood by the community.
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11 Hoag questioned whether they would also look at things that affect the water, such as
12 stormwater that gathers from irrigation of lawns. Bucknell stated that they are trying to come up
13 with a realistic model of the system.
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15 Hoag questioned how they are going to determine how much a person is actually using.
16 Bucknell stated that there will be a variety of methods, including estimations. If a person is
17 metered, they would use that. If not, they would make assumptions on how much water the
18 activities would use. The assumptions would be made by the U.S. Geological Survey, which is a
19 very good, unbiased scientific organization. They will also screen the work through the initiating
20 governments.
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22 Monsen stated that one of the primary focus of the planning unit during the next one to
23 two years is general acceptance of the data that will come forward. That has to be a joint
24 acceptance process without relying on any one entity. That is part of the planning unit process.
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26 (Clerk's Note: End of tape one, side A.)
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28 Imhof moved to recommend approval.
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30 Motion carried unanimously.
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32 OTHER BUSINESS
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34 1. DISCUSSION REGARDING DRAFTING OF PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW WHEN
35 COUNCIL RECEIVES COMMENTS OR COMPLAINTS ABOUT
36 ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENTS (AB99 -171)
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38 Council Member Dawson explained that when correspondence comes in, the Clerk of the
39 Council will talk with the chair of the committee that could address it. Administration expressed
40 concerns that they should be aware of these concerns so they can be addressed.
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42 Nelson explained that, when he was Council Chair, he directed the clerk to forward issues
43 to the various departments for a response. The administration was very good about keeping him
44 informed about what was happening with the issue. If a problem was brought forward that
45 needed to be addressed legislatively, then he would forward the concern to the appropriate
46 committee.
Finance and Administrative Services, 5/18/99, Page 5
2 Dawson stated that there should be a policy so that any new Council members can be
3 informed of the process.
4
5 Hoag stated that there is a difference between people who right to the Executive and
6 people who write to the County Council. It is two separate things. When the Council gets
7 complaints, it is appropriate to let fellow Council members know what people are saying about
8 the problems in the County. If the Council only forwards letters to administration, then people
9 are writing to the Council, thinking that the Council is hearing the message, but the Council
10 doesn't hear it. A copy of a letter should be forwarded to the administration, but Council needs
11 to have a copy of it with the notation as to what has happened to the issue.
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13 Brown stated that there should be a response sent to the citizen informing him or her that
14 the matter is administrative and has been forwarded to administration.
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16 Hoag stated that the note to the citizen should specify to which department the issue has
17 been referred.
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19 The committee concurred.
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21 Brown stated that they were instructed to forward all correspondence to the Executive.
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23 Dave Wareing, Deputy Administrator, explained that correspondence should be routed
24 through administration so that it can be addressed. They will take the responsibility for ensuring
25 that the problem is taken care of. Wareing stated that they may begin to return memos from
26 Council Members if they are not routed through the official process.
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28 Nelson clarified that the administration should be responding to the Council Chair.
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30 Hoag stated that the process they were discussing was only regarding correspondence that
31 is addressed to the Council as a whole. If a correspondence comes to only one Council Member,
32 it will not be routed through the Clerk and the Chair.
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34 Wareing explained that the Whatcom County Home Rule Charter states an agreement
35 between the Administration and the Council as to how these issues are to be handled.
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37 Nelson stated that, as elected officials, they have a responsibility to their constituents.
38 Working together as a team is the issue they are trying to solve by having this discussion.
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40 Brown stated that some issues have been ongoing for many years and have already been
41 routed through the administration. People have received no response from administration.
42
43 Hoag stated that there is no need to run correspondence through the Council staff before
44 sending it to administration.
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Finance and Administrative Services, 5/18/99, Page 6
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Wareing stated that the administration is getting tired of receiving correspondence from
the Council that is disrespectful.
Hoag questioned whether the committee agrees that correspondence requiring
administrative review, which is received by the Council as a whole, will be forwarded to the
administration and a note will be sent to the citizen about that action.
The committee concurred.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at L 15 p.m.
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
ATTEST:
Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
L. Ward Nelson, Committee Chair
Finance and Administrative Services, 5/18/99, Page 7