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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Finance and Administrative Services Committee
November 23, 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.
Also Present:
Tom Brown
Robert Imhof
Absent:
None
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL
1. ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 95 -001, ESTABLISHING
SERVICE FEES AND SETTING A FEE SCHEDULE RELATED TO
AMBULANCE SERVICE CHARGES (AB99 -447)
Imhof moved to recommend approval. The City of Bellingham has already
adopted the charges.
Brown stated all Councilmembers received a letter from Cascade Ambulance.
At this time, he wouldn't support the fee schedule as requested. It is an expensive
route to go when there is a possibility of having a private operator provide the
service without the expensive cost.
it.
Imhof stated this might make it more economical for the private sector to do
Brown stated they have to create the mechanism that allows that.
Motion carried 2 -1 with Brown opposed.
2. RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE 2000 SIX -YEAR PHYSICAL PLANT AND
FACILITIES CAPITAL PROGRAM RELATING TO BUILDINGS AND
FACILITIES FOR WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON (AB99 -427)
Nelson stated this item was not scheduled for public hearing. Regarding the
capital facilities, there is an item about the renovation that keeps going forward
each year. These dollars have not yet been pledged. They are not in the budget.
Brown stated much of the money is from proposed bonds. They will deal
with it as they get to it.
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 11/23/99, Page 1
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Nelson stated they have to plan a six -year program.
Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, stated the ordinance is related to the
budget process. It is a six -year physical plant and capital facilities program related
to buildings. The large document is the six -year capital improvement program that
is part of the Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan. They are separate and
independent documents.
Michael Knapp, Planning and Development Services, stated that both needed
to be adopted. There is a Growth Management Act (GMA) element that needs to be
adopted.
Nelson stated that GMA requires that they plan a level of service for six
years.
Sutter stated the GMA document was sent to Planning and Development
Committee. In their confusion, they believed it belonged in Finance Committee.
That is where the Council sent it. Apparently, there are two different programs.
One is for Finance Committee and one is for Planning Committee. Knapp stated
they have worked to make them consistent.
Brown stated one should support the other.
Knapp stated one refers to amending the Comprehensive Plan and the other
refers to the County Charter.
Brenner stated they should have received the information sooner. Knapp
stated 95 percent of the document came to them weeks ago. Modifications have
been made for consistency with the County Charter required six -year program.
Sutter questioned the ordinance amending the Whatcom County
Comprehensive Plan regarding capital facilities (AB99 -407) on page 13 of
the addendum regarding the square footage. She questioned what the square
footage of the Northwest Annex would be used for, if not for County offices.
Matt Aamot, Senior Planner, stated the Comprehensive Plan breaks down
services provided only to those residents in unincorporated areas. Some functions
of government services both city and county residents. There are different levels of
service for those two categories of office space because the entire county may grow
at one rate and unincorporated areas may grow at a different rate. The overall
square footage of the Northwest Annex expansion would be 63,000 square feet.
The portion of that square footage that services both city and county residents
totals 45,050 square feet.
Knapp stated the only major change is on page 31. They added a reference
to Interstate 5. There is a grant that will potentially bring a considerable amount of
money, $2 million, to the County for improvements to I -5. The City of Bellingham
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 11/23/99, Page 2
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has another piece of the grant in the amount of $1.5 million. The total amount that
could come to the county for the corridor study is $3.5 million.
Brenner questioned whether that would be affected by Initiative 695. Knapp
stated they initially believed it would. The match is very small compared to total
dollars. It is approximately 15 percent. The match would be split three ways
between the State Department of Transportation, Whatcom County, and the Port of
Bellingham.
Nelson stated this plan is not etched in stone. It is only for planning
proposals. If they don't plan, they have nothing to look at.
Knapp stated the County would have the option of rejected the grant.
Nelson moved to recommend approval of the resolution adopting the 2000
six -year physical plant and facilities capital program (AB99 -427).
Brown stated the Comprehensive Plan should support the physical plant and
facilities capital plan. He will abstain until he has the time to read it.
Nelson stated some of the dollar amounts in one proposal do not reflect the
dollar amounts the other proposal, even though they are not budgeted.
Motion carried 2 -0 with Brown abstaining.
3. ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE YEAR 2000 UNIFIED FEE SCHEDULE
(AB99 -431)
Imhof moved to recommend approval as amended with the Revised Code of
Washington (RCW) changes.
Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, stated there is a new fee schedule
distributed that reflects a couple of changes. Since they distributed the substitute
ordinance, they discovered three changes that need to be made relative to the
reference on the ordinance that it amends, not the amounts. The administration
recommended they adopt the fee schedule with their allowance to make the three
technical changes. The first change is on page 22 of the substitute ordinance. The
fee authorization and fee rate authorization for commercial and residential rezones
should be amended, "WCC 20.90.2-90010." The next change is on page 23 of the
substitute document. The fee authorization for text amendments should be "WCC
20.90.2 - 9-8010." The third change is to the fee authorization for reference for
Zoning: Comprehensive Plan should be "WCC 20.90.238010."
Brenner questioned whether any of the fees are increasing. She also
questioned whether the fees reflect the County's cost or the County's need for
money. It seems as though they are increasing fees suddenly in response to I -695.
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 11/23/99, Page 3
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Knapp stated the Planning Department has a number of permit fees that do
not reflect the costs. They had initially planned to bring forward fee increases. I-
695 was a part of how they got there, but it didn't match the number of hours
spent with the fees. The fees they are proposing reflect the time it takes and actual
costs. They have an increased workload as well.
Chuck Benjamin, Health and Human Services Director, stated one of the
things that he started looking at when he arrived in Whatcom County was the fees.
There were services for which they were not charging the fees they should have
been charging. Services such as communicable disease investigations do not have
any fees. Also, the Environmental Health service fees did not include the indirect
costs. He included the indirect costs in the fees across all programs. They are not
trying to get money that exceeds the cost of providing the service.
Brown stated that somewhere there has to be a basic amount of services
provided by the property taxes they pay. That has to be sorted out from all the
fees being charged.
Nelson asked about the fees for tuberculosis (TB) consultations being limited
or expanded. Benjamin stated they go out for x -rays, then they get consultation
for reading. Not all of that service was charged.
Nelson asked if this is another mechanism to collect revenues the County has
not used in the past, in regard to Medicaid dollars. Benjamin stated that was
correct. It would also affect private insurance.
Nelson stated Health Department fees are often charged to get
reimbursement from a third party payer. Government should provide service, but
not a free lunch.
Brenner stated her concern was that this came right at the time of I -695's
passage. Also, at some point it may be cheaper to privatize some of this stuff. The
County could look into privatization.
Brown stated page 23 of the substitute regarding zoning site plan review for
residential was discussed not long ago. He questioned whether that amount was
twelve percent.
Hoag stated it is .12 percent.
Brown asked how much the sales tax is.
Hoag stated it is 7.8 percent.
Brown questioned how much this is per $100.
Imhof stated it is $.12 per each $100.
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 11/23/99, Page 4
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Knapp stated there is a mechanical glitch in their permit plan software that
doesn't allow them to go to three digits beyond the decimal point. The actual
amount is .125. It is not an increase in the fee itself. It is a change so they can
mechanically address the software. It is not a new fee or software. When they
entered the fee into the software, the software doesn't recognize the five in ".125 ".
Sutter stated her interpretation of increasing fees against the loss in
revenues due to I -695 was that the money the County is losing was likely used to
subsidize the services that were provided at a lower cost. The fees have to be
raised to help subsidize the costs of the programs.
Knapp stated fee increases were warranted because of the increased
workload.
Hoag asked about Noxious Weed Control on page 26 of the substitute. She
questioned whether the $25 administrative enforcement fee is for the certified mail
contact. Monsen stated those two fees are newly proposed to cover the costs of
correspondence and phone contact and working in the field face to face with the
residents.
Hoag asked if this was a fee that was being charged because someone did
not cooperate. Monsen stated routine business is part of the operating procedure.
These fees are for follow -ups in enforcement for non - compliance. They need to
begin a formal process.
Hoag stated she didn't want to charge someone a fee for the initial contact
and asked that Monsen check that information. She then asked about the extra
vehicle for Silver Lake Park. She urged the committee to remove that item. If
someone is up there with a tent and a car, she didn't want to charge for the extra
cost. It may cost more than it brings in to administer.
Roger DeSpain, Parks Department, suggested the leave in the fee so that the
Parks staff could first recommend that someone move the extra car to the overflow
parking lot. If they don't, then the department would charge the fee.
Hoag agreed.
Brenner stated there should be a posted notice. DeSpain stated they will put
that notice in the campsite registration.
Hoag stated that, in terms of the budget and the changes due to I -695, she
would be willing to have a work session on December 1 if needed.
Brenner stated she could appreciate that programs have been subsidized and
they may loose subsidies, but they don't know that for sure yet. If the Council
knows they are going to lose the money, they need to figure out how much they
are going to lose and charge that amount as the difference.
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 11/23/99, Page 5
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Brown asked about page four and the multiple dog license fee. The fee
encourages people to have many dogs and to have an exemption for owning many
dogs when there isn't a kennel. He moved to raise that fee from $65 to $100.
Brenner suggested eliminating the multiple dog fee and charge the per dog
fee. Even at $100, people can go over that amount if they have many dogs.
Nelson stated there is nothing in the ordinance that requires people in the
rural one unit per five acres zone, or larger, to have animals with a license.
Brown and Brenner disagreed. They believed that only applied to the leash
F.
Brown withdrew his motion until he finds out the correct interpretation of the
Revised Code of Washington (RCW).
Hoag stated the Council received letter about this from people who own
multiple dogs for the purpose of taking care of their other animals.
Nelson asked about packet page 40 regarding Superior Court arbitration. He
questioned whether they are charging the same amount for arbitration as for a
jury. He thought the intent was to hold costs down by encouraging arbitration.
Desler stated they would find an answer.
Motion to recommend approval as amended carried unanimously.
COUNCIL "CONSENT AGENDA" ITEM
1. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO AWARD BID #
99 -105, TO THE LOWEST RESPONSIVE BIDDER, FARMERS
EQUIPMENT COMPANY, FOR A BACKHOE TO BE USED BY WHATCOM
COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, IN THE
AMOUNT OF $68,880.97 (AB99 -450)
Brown moved to recommend approval.
Brenner questioned whether these are replacement pieces.
Mary Ewing, Equipment Revolve and Rental Manager, stated they are. This
one in particular is 25 years old.
Motion carried unanimously.
2. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO AWARD BID #99-
110 TO THE LOWEST RESPONSIVE BIDDER, NORTH AMERICAN
CRANE & EQUIPMENT COMPANY, FOR THE PURCHASE OF A DIESEL
BRIDGE TRUCK WITH CRANE TO BE USED BY WHATCOM COUNTY
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 11/23/99, Page 6
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PUBLIC WORKS MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, IN THE AMOUNT
OF $187,365.50 (AB99 -451)
Brown moved to recommend approval.
Mary Ewing, Equipment Revolve and Rental Manager, stated the year on this
rig is 1979.
Motion carried unanimously.
3. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO AWARD BID #99-
111 TO THE LOWEST RESPONSIVE BIDDER, BRIM TRACTOR
COMPANY FOR THE PURCHASE OF THREE LONG -ARM ROTARY
MOWERS TO BE USED BY WHATCOM COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS
MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, IN THE AMOUNT OF $88,290.50
(AB99 -452)
Brown moved to recommend approval.
Mary Ewing, Equipment Revolve and Rental Manager, stated the year on one
of these mowers is 1985 and the year for the other two is 1991. They are well
used.
Motion carried unanimously.
4. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A
SERVICE AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND HEALTH
PROMOTION NETWORK FOR EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
SERVICES IN THE APPROXIMATE ANNUAL AMOUNT OF $20,925
(AB99 -453)
Imhof moved to recommend approval.
Brown stated this is a new program.
Nelson stated it is a new contractor, but an old program.
Brenner stated she supported this idea, but had a problem with Magellan.
When employees have their own counselors, the County is forcing them to go with
a new counselor. The employees should be allowed to go to whom they are already
seeing. Magellan has a list of providers they allow.
(Clerk's Note: End of tape one, side A.)
Brenner continued to state that if an employee is already seeing someone,
the employee should be allowed to continue seeing that person.
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 11/23/99, Page 7
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Nelson questioned whether there is anything that prohibits people from using
other insurance policies or plans in seeking services from this contract.
Karen Goens, Human Resources Manager, stated it does not conflict with
employee's mental health benefits under the medical plan. They don't mandate
that people use the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). It is a choice for
employees and their families.
Brenner stated they are duplicating efforts by doing it this way. It doesn't
hurt them to include the other therapists on the list. If Magellan doesn't want to do
this, the County should talk to someone else.
Goens stated they are putting forward a recommendation to change EAP
providers to Help Promotion Network, which is a local company. Their full business
is employee assistance. They are not into long -range counseling. If someone has
long -range mental health needs, the Help Promotion Network will help the
employee select a counselor. She would make sure the employees can go to their
current provider.
Motion carried unanimously.
S. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A
SERVICE AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND RESOURCES
TO PROVIDE OUTREACH AND PROMOTION SERVICES FOR WASTE
REDUCTION AND RECYCLING/ HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE
MANAGEMENT, IN THE AMOUNT OF $30,000 (AB99 -454)
Brown stated the agreement doesn't say who the two providers are.
Bruce Mills, Assistant Director of Administration, stated they went out for a
request for proposal (RFP). They received two proposals from providers. The
second proposal was from Barron and Company. The Barron and Company
proposal was about the same amount, but it did not include printing the brochures.
Therefore, this was the only responsive proposal.
Brown stated it sounded as if they are rewarding the company because they
previously worked for the County instead of the cost. Mills stated this is not a bid
process. It was proposal process. The other proposer did not include the prices of
printing the document, which would have made their proposal much higher.
Nelson moved to recommend approval.
Sutter questioned packet page 86 regarding reporting. She has never seen
any report the proposal requires. Mills stated the last provider, whose contract
expired in June, provided reports. He will get those reports to the Council.
RESources is a new contractor for this service.
Sutter stated in the past RESources hasn't produced any reports.
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 11/23/99, Page 8
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Lisa Friend, RESources, stated they've always provided the reports to the
Public Works Department on either a monthly or quarterly basis, depending on the
terms of the contract.
Sutter stated that the Council approves the contracts and should be the ones
who receive the reports.
Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, stated they would submit those reports
to the Council right away.
Nelson stated Mike Brennan expressed a desire to do this. They did not
submit a proposal. He asked if they were notified. Mills stated it was advertised in
the newspaper.
Nelson asked Mills to notify the Chamber of Commerce in the future.
Motion carried unanimously.
6. RESOLUTION ORDERING THE CANCELLATION OF WARRANTS MORE
THAN A YEAR OLD (AB99 -455)
Nelson moved to recommend approval.
Motion carried unanimously.
7. RESOLUTION IN THE MATTER OF ADOPTING A SALARY SCHEDULE
AND POLICIES FOR UNREPRESENTED WHATCOM COUNTY EMPLOYEES
FOR THE YEAR 2000 (AB99 -442)
Imhof moved to recommend approval.
Nelson moved to amend the elected officials salary on packet page 100 by
increasing the Prosecuting Attorney salary to the amount $7,972 per month. That
was in line with their resolution from 1995. That would also adjust the salaries for
the other elected officials. The Executive's salary would be $8,052 per month; the
sheriff's salary would be $6,082; and the auditor, treasurer, and assessor salaries
would be $5,294 per month. He also moved to keep the Councilmembers' salaries
at their current rate. It would put the elected officials in line with the non -
represented employees.
Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, stated the Superior Court judges
recommended that the court commissioner salaries be 88 percent of the judges'
salaries, instead of 80 percent. It was a more common figure, as determined by a
survey.
Hoag questioned where Nelson's numbers came from.
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 11/23/99, Page 9
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Nelson stated they are a calculation based upon resolution 95 -016.
Hoag questioned why the numbers in their packet are different that Nelson's
suggestions.
Nelson stated the numbers in the packet only allow a two percent increase.
Hoag questioned what is in resolution 95 -016 that makes him want to
increase the amounts.
Nelson stated it was a resolution to keep the salaries in line with other
officials in other counties. The Whatcom County prosecuting attorney is one of the
lowest paid prosecuting attorneys in the state.
Brown stated the assessor, treasurer, and auditor salaries need to be raised.
They are below the average.
Motion carried unanimously.
Imhof stated he wanted to keep the court commissioner salary at 80% of the
appropriate judges' salary.
Nelson stated the other elected officials have no ability to control their
salaries. The Council does that. Restrictions were imposed by the public to keep
the costs of government down. The councilmember position is a part time position.
He moved to maintain the Councilmembers' wages at the current level.
Imhof stated that isn't appropriate. They've been at that rate since in 1995.
They should be appropriately compensated, which is 15% of the Executive's salary.
The amount would be $1,207.80 per month.
Hoag stated that the vote the Council takes doesn't set its own salary. It
sets the salary for the future councilmembers. People are shocked at how little the
councilmembers are compensated for the amount of work they put in.
Councilmembers are getting paid about $.25 per hour if they are adequately doing
their job. She didn't see the merit of taking appropriate compensation away from
future councilmembers, who are willing to spend time away from their families. If
they are going to increase the other elected officials salaries, they should increase
the councilmembers' salaries.
Brenner stated it isn't about the hours they put in. She suggested a friendly
amendment to exclude the prosecuting attorney and the Executive from his motion.
Nelson did not accept the friendly amendment.
Motion to amend carried 2 -1 with Imhof opposed.
Nelson moved to recommend as amended.
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 11/23/99, Page 10
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Brenner stated the Council should postpone this vote. There should be a
dollar amount increase for the unrepresented employees, not a percentage
increase. She suggested a freeze for all salaries above a certain level.
Motion to recommend approval as amended carried 2 -1 with Imhof opposed.
8. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A
CONTRACT AMENDMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES AND WIZARDS ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING
SERVICES FOR COORDINATING EFFORTS AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT
IN RELATION TO THE SHELLFISH CLOSURE RESPONSE STRATEGIES,
IN THE ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF $12,176 FOR A NEW CONTRACT
AMOUNT OF $82,176 (AB99 -456)
Nelson asked why the additional requests weren't in the original contract.
Chuck Benjamin, Health and Human Services Director, stated the original
contract had the contractor working with both shellfish protection districts together.
However, the districts are still meeting separately, which is more work for the
contractor. The plan was for both distract to begin meeting together, but that
didn't work.
Imhof moved to recommend approval.
Motion carried unanimously.
9. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A
CONTRACT AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES AND BLACK FLAG EMPLOYMENT SERVICES TO
ASSIST PARTICIPANTS TO GAIN COMMUNITY PRESENCE AND
ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT THROUGH ACTIVE PARTICIPATION AND
CONTRIBUTION IN COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND ACTIVITIES,
IN THE AMOUNT OF $17,493 (AB99 -457)
Nelson moved to recommend approval.
Brenner questioned which barriers other than disability barriers they are
talking about.
Chuck Benjamin, Health and Human Services, stated the barriers could be
physical barriers of the facility. This is only for the developmentally disabled.
Brenner stated the language infers that they are talking about other
populations in addition to the developmentally disabled. She asked that the
language be clarified to make it clear it is just for the developmentally disabled.
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 11/23/99, Page 11
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Nelson questioned whether it is an amount that is funded by a grant.
Benjamin stated it is both federal and state money. It is a new contract, but the
monies are already in their 1999 budget.
Sutter pointed out a scrivener's error in the second sentence under "D.
Reimbursement - Volunteer Employment - Level I" They should clarify whether the
monthly minimum service is 16 or 20 hours. Also, there is no information for levels
two and three. Benjamin stated they are only serving levels one and four.
Nelson stated the monthly minimum service should be 20, not 16.
Nelson moved to amend packet page 124, "The Level 1 monthly minimum
service is sixteen twenty (20)...."
Motion carried unanimously.
Nelson moved to recommend approval as amended.
Motion to recommend approval as amended carried unanimously.
DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL
4. ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE FINAL BUDGET OF WHATCOM COUNTY
FOR THE YEAR 2000 AND RESTRICTING THE EXPENDITURE OF
CERTAIN FUNDS THEREIN (AB99 -429)
Imhof moved to recommend approval.
Brenner asked for another work session.
Brown supported the request for another work session. There is new
information he would like to look through.
Nelson stated he wanted to address the concerns presently if they could.
Brenner stated she was also concerned about some of the new fees. They
are supposed to be adopted at the same time as the budget. They should have a
hearing on the criminal justice tax. If they are going to do that, they need to at
least make an assumption of where I -695 is going to cut and how much.
Dewey Desler, Deputy Administrator, stated they've tried to be careful and
prudent and suggested changes. They don't think the changes are significantly
different from the budget that was put forward. He also asked that they consider
other small technical changes to the budget. He distributed the information on the
technical changes (on file).
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Nelson stated that currently they are not increasing the property tax. The
budget is based on what they have available and any revenue surplus they may
have from the ending year. He wanted to know what impact I -695 would have on
this budget.
Brown stated the document from the administration specifically addresses
impacts from I -695. As long as the administration is addressing it, the Council
needs to consider it.
Nelson asked Desler if there are significant changes being proposed for this
budget. Desler stated the changes are relatively minor. The appropriation levels
are on pages two and three of the substitute ordinance he distributed. The way
they arrived at the changes is indicated in the memo.
Brenner questioned why the substitute ordinance didn't have the
comparisons of what was originally recommended. Desler stated it technically
follows the construction requirements of the budget ordinance itself. He discussed
the changes to the budget ordinance. The first column of the handout is the
general fund departments. The second column is the original year 2000 budget.
The third column is budget adjustments the administration recommends at this
point. The fourth column is technical corrections. The final column is the revised
expenditure levels, which match the numbers on the substitute budget ordinance.
Imhof stated the reduction is $176,000 from the previously proposed year
2000 budget. Desler stated there are two reductions. One reduction is for
$176,000 and another for $11,587.
Brenner stated passing the ordinance without review with the departments
whose budgets are being cut should not be done. They need to have a specific
meeting to allow the departments to come forward.
Hoag stated she needed to know what was being cut before she approves the
budget.
Imhof stated that is why the administration manages the budget. The
Council sets the budget amount, and then the administration manages it to fit their
budget as best they can.
Hoag stated they went through two weeks of meeting with the departments.
They ended up with a proposed budget based on that. The Council is not being
given information on what is being proposed and why.
Desler stated they asked all non - criminal justice departments to make one
percent reductions and to raise revenue if possible. The administration also
requested information on any third party payments that the departments were
expecting. The resulting numbers are provided. He provided the details regarding
the original requests made to the departments. They received a response that
reflected about a 1.5% cut. The administration intends that if there is money left in
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a department's 1999 budget at the end of the year, the administration will come
back to the County Council with the request that the 2000 budget be adjusted up to
reflect that surplus.
Hoag stated that is prudent. That will be an incentive for cost savings.
However, if she was going to approve a budget, and she is taking money from a
department, she wanted to know what service or staff she will no longer be
providing to the public. She wouldn't approve a budget reduction that allows the
departments to decide where to make the cut. Desler stated they don't intend to
cut any staff. Reductions have been for the extra help, supplies, travel, and other
such items.
Brenner stated it is appropriate that the Council review the proposed cuts.
(Clerk's Note: Imhof left the meeting at 1:25 p.m.)
Brown stated one of the proposed cuts was for the criminal justice system
imaging system. He supported cutting the one -time expenses. He did not support
increasing full -time equivalent (FTE) employees. He would rather bring up the
items and get the imaging system as long as the revenue is there to do it, and not
commit to more FTEs.
Nelson stated he was not sure they even need to do the cuts. They can go
into the first quarter and see how they stand. He restated the motion to approve
the budget as it is, without the cuts. He supported the motion. If they need to
discuss this further, then people should get their questions answered at another
time.
Motion failed 1 -1 with Brown opposed.
Brown moved to forward the ordinance to the full Council without a
recommendation.
Hoag questioned what the process would be to put forward the changes that
they would like to see. There are some things she wanted added and some things
she wanted removed.
Nelson stated they would do that on the floor at the Council meeting.
Hoag stated the Council's job is to make the budget for the year. They need
to have a plan and anticipate revenues that come in and determine the most
prudent expenditures. There are some departments that have asked for many
more additional service requests than other departments. They could more easily
absorb budget cuts without impacting their level of service. If the Council is going
to properly do its job, they need to look at where the dollars are going, what is
being cut, what is being kept, and adjust it according to the priorities of the county
constituents. She didn't like the idea of floating a budget that may or may not be
right, and then later attempt to change it. That is not budgeting.
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Brown questioned when this budget has to be adopted.
Hoag stated it has to be adopted December 2.
Motion failed 1 -1 with Brown in favor.
S. ORDINANCE AMENDING THE WHATOCM COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN REGARDING CAPITAL FACILITIES (AB99 -407)
See above Discussion and Recommendation to Council item number two.
OTHER BUSINESS
Brown stated there was discussion of securing at outside attorney to
represent the County in the infectious waste litigation that is coming up. He asked
that they give Councilmember Brenner a chance to bring that up.
Brenner stated there were comments made by the prosecuting attorney.
Some of those comments are erroneous. The Prosecutor's Office has pre - judged
the situation.
(Clerk's Note: End of tape one, side B.)
Brenner continued to state that this is a very narrow issue. They should get
a judgement once and for all if it is enforceable within the City of Ferndale. They
should get the issue answered by hiring the attorney who has worked on this issue.
The attorney said he would give the County a discounted rate. Safe Waste
Management Now has agreed that they will not sue the County if the County does
not enforce this on the effective date, December 3, as long as the County is in good
faith trying to present the strongest public opinion on this issue.
Brown recommended they bring forward to the full Council the opportunity to
vote on funding for hiring an attorney to defend the ordinance. The County may
not be fully inclined to defend this and instead hire an outside attorney, as the
County did regarding the Comprehensive Plan and Sandy Mackie. He moved to
bring to bring this forward to the full Council without a recommendation.
Nelson questioned why they would hire someone with an interest and who is
willing to discount their prices. He asked why they wouldn't ask for a judgement.
Brenner stated a declaratory judgement is not a request for a legal opinion.
The judge will take information from the pro side and the con side. Recomp has
already made their information clear and would give information to the judge. The
other side is now the public, not Safe Waste Management Now. The public needs to
be represented. The County Prosecutor's Office has pre - judged the issue and is
therefore biased. He cannot vigorously defend the public's position.
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Nelson asked if she was suggesting that the County spend public money to
legally defend the initiative.
Brenner stated that was correct.
Hoag stated that in a court, the judge could only weight the evidence
brought before him, based on the law. If they don't have someone willing to
vigorously defend this initiative, then the will of the people will be forwarded and it
deserves its day in court. She did not feel as if the Prosecuting Attorney's Office
was interested in vigorously defending this.
Nelson stated Brown would bring this forward to the full Council.
DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL
4. ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE FINAL BUDGET OF WHATCOM COUNTY
FOR THE YEAR 2000 AND RESTRICTING THE EXPENDITURE OF
CERTAIN FUNDS THEREIN (AB99 -429)
(Continued from above.)
Hoag asked about page five of the additional services requests that were
approved. When this came up during the budget hearings, one item request was
for a work crew supervisor in the amount of $39,802 and two other work
supervisors to be funded by the Centennial Grant in the amount of $128,000. The
discussion in committee was that the first work crew supervisor position would be
paid out of the Centennial Grant, and that the $128,000 represented only one
supervisor, not two. She tried to get correct information on this.
Dan Fitzgerald, Chief of Corrections, stated the budget was reduced from
$128,000 to $110,000 for two years, not one year. They reduced the number of
supervisors from two to one, and the income from the grant should be $55,000 per
year. That would be for one work crew supervisor. The work crew supervisor
position funded for $39,000 is currently working with a contract from the
Bellingham City Park Department and the state Department of Transportation. The
City said earlier this year that they may discontinue that contract, but it looks now
as if they will continue the funding. That money has come back to life. The net
effect is that they would gain one person, and generate the revenue to pay for the
position.
Hoag questioned whether these were already covered with incoming
revenues so the budget wouldn't be affected because of the offsetting revenues.
Desler stated all the technical changes that accomplish what Fitzgerald indicated,
including revenue and expenditure information, are in the technical adjustments
that he presented.
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ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 1:45 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 Committee, 11/23/99, Page 17