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Home My WebLink AboutFinance February 10 1998WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL Finance and Administrative Services Committee February 10, 1998 The meeting was called to order at 9:30 a.m. by Committee Chair Marlene Dawson in the Council Committee Room, 311 Grand Avenue. Also Present: Absent: Ward Nelson None Connie Hoag COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 1998 BUDGET, REQUEST #1 (AB98 -073) Those speaking included: Dale Brandland, Sheriff =s Office Dave Wareing, Executive =s Office Ward Nelson, Council member Manca Valum, Development Manager, WomenCare Shelter Chuck Benjamin, Health and Human Services Director Fred Sexton, Economic Development Council Kathy Sutter, Council member Dave McEachran, Prosecuting Attorney =s Office Dave Wareing, Executive =s Office, requested the Consent Agenda be discussed first and then return to this item. Items 7, 8, 9, and 10 were then discussed. Item #4 (WomenCare Shelter) was discussed first. Manca Valum, Development Manager, WomenCare Shelter, commented to the requested funds. She stated that renting was no longer organizationally sound. Valum also addressed Dorothy Place, which is transitional housing. Questions followed. Those speaking included Dave Wareing, Executive =s Office, and Chuck Benjamin, Health and Human Services Director. Topics discussed included the definition of deferred loan grants (city of Bellingham); and the facility =s security and confidentiality. Nelson moved to recommend approval of this item. Motion carried unanimously. Item #3 (Professional Services /Appellate Attorney) was then discussed. Finance Minutes, 2/10/98, Page I Nelson moved to recommend approval. Motion carried unanimously. Item #5 (Economic Development Council, EDC) was next discussed. Fred Sexton, EDC, gave a brief summary of last year =s accomplishments. He stated the Council =s purpose is to encourage and attract investment for industrial and commercial firms (handout on file). Questions followed. Those speaking included Kathy Sutter, Council member. Topics discussed included concern about allocating funds to bring in projects that would negatively affect the quality of life; maintain the quality of water; the type of companies the EDC is focusing on; various information needed from the EDC for Council; and the upcoming economic summit. (Clerks Note: Tape 1, side B) Nelson moved to recommend approval of this item and direct Council =s representative (Dawson) to work with Mr. Sexton to ensure a broader communication and understanding of the community needs from the EDC. There was discussion on the motion. Dave Wareing, Executive =s Office, commented. Motion carried 2 -1 with Hoag opposed. Dave McEachran, Prosecuting Attorney =s Office, addressed the issue of the appellate money (item #2). He spoke specifically to the appeal process and the current caseload. Discussion followed regarding the use of professional services. Nelson commended McEachran for his work. COUNCIL "CONSENT AGENDA" ITEMS REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH COMPU -TECH TO BRING THE SYSTEMS INTO YEAR 2000 COMPLIANCE IN THE OFFICES OF THE ASSESSOR AND TREASURER (AB98 -047) George Reid, Information Services Manager, stated the request was for $60,000 and not $88,000, which is a high end estimate for the two applications. Nelson moved to recommend approval. Kathy Sutter, Council member, suggested that on packet page 30, AConsideration =, read for clarity: Finance Minutes, 2/10/98, Page 2 A ... the County agrees to pay Compu -Tech a fee of not to exceed $60,000 dollars.= There was discussion. Motion carried unanimously. 2. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF TRAFFIC LINE PAINT, GLASS BEADS AND HERBICIDES AT THE PRICES MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE WASHINGTON STATE CONTRACT: MORTON INTERNATIONAL FOR ROAD STRIPING PAINT, POTTER INDUSTRIES FOR GLASS BEADS, AND WILBER -ELLIS FOR HERBICIDES (AB98 -048) Those commenting included: Mary Scrimsher, ER & R Manager Kathy Sutter, Council member Dave Wareing, Executive =s Office Nelson moved to recommend approval. Motion carried unanimously. 3. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF DRUG TESTING AGENTS FROM ABBOTT LABORATORIES AT THE PRICES MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE WASHINGTON STATE CONTRACT (AB98 -049) Nelson moved to recommend approval. Motion carried unanimously. 4. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF VACCINES FROM CARDINAL HEALTH INC., WHICH HAS THE WASHINGTON STATE CONTRACT (AB98 -050) Nelson moved to recommend approval. Motion carried unanimously. 5. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO FOLLOW THE BROKER =S RECOMMENDATION REGARDING PROPERTY INSURANCE Finance Minutes, 2/10/98, Page 3 RENEWAL (AB98 -051) Dave Wareing, Executive =s Office, explained coverage. Kathy Sutter, Council member, inquired about a rental house believed to belong to the Park Department ranger. Also discussed was insuring an item of historical value. Nelson moved to recommend approval. Motion carried unanimously. 6. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND THE CITY OF BELLINGHAM FOR HAZARDOUS WASTE AND YARD WASTE OPERATING COSTS (AB98 -052) Those speaking included: Ravyn Whitewolf, Solid Waste (handout on file) Nasser Mansour, Public Works Kathy Sutter, Council member Nelson moved to recommend approval. Motion carried unanimously. 7. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT FOR PRISONER TRANSPORT WITH SNOHOMISH COUNTY CONTINGENT ON PASSAGE OF THIS PORTION OF THE 1998 SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET REQUEST #1 (AB98 -077) Dale Brandland, Sheriff =s Office, addressed this issue. He stated this system has been in place for years and explained the transport process. This has reached a point where safety is an issue. Currently, Snohomish County is now in charge of paging for the services it has been using for this length of time. This allows Whatcom County to put two people in the transport van round trip, as well as a clerk for tracking purposes and additional monies for a more suitable transport van. There was discussion. Those speaking included Dave Wareing, Executive =s Office, and Kathy Sutter, Council member. Topics discussed included Marysville =s contract being signed and Skagit County =s contract amount. Nelson moved to recommend approval by acclamation items 7, 8 with the understanding that the contract has been signed, and 9. Finance Minutes, 2/10/98, Page 4 Motion carried unanimously. Dave Wareing, Executive =s Office, recommended item 10 be discussed at this time before returning to the supplemental budget request. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT FOR PRISONER TRANSPORT WITH THE CITY OF MARYSVILLE CONTINGENT ON PASSAGE OF THIS PORTION OF THE 1998 SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET REQUEST #1 (AB98 -078) 9. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT FOR PRISONER TRANSPORT WITH THE CITY OF LYNNWOOD CONTINGENT ON PASSAGE OF THIS PORTION OF THE 1998 SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET REQUEST #1 (AB98 -079) 10. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER, ACCEPT, AND SIGN A DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT BLOCK GRANT AWARD USED TO ASSIST WITH THE PURCHASE OF AND TO EQUIP A MULTIPURPOSE RESPONSE VEHICLE CONTINGENT ON PASSAGE OF THE PORTION OF THE 1998 SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET REQUEST #1 (AB98 -080) Dale Brandland, Sheriff =s Office, addressed this item. Last year, his department applied for a $32,561 grant for the purchase of equipment. The van owned by the Sheriff =s Office is a 1977 model used for crime scenes; he requested replacement and an upgrade to a multipurpose van. Brandland stated the monies are in his ER & R Fund to purchase the van, but the requested funds would purchase the van equipment. He projected the need for this van would be great, although it was needed in the past. Questions followed. Those commenting included Dave Wareing, Executive =s Office; Topics discussed included grant approval; cash match monies; staffing time regarding grant conditions; public hearing; a list of requested equipment costs; retirement (special conditions, packet page 93, #16); the identification of the advisory board designated and the criteria to be met (special conditions, packet page 93, #15); and the actual cost of federal grants. Nelson moved to recommend approval with the condition that Council will not expend additional dollars in support of the grant other than what is currently being expended. Motion carried unanimously. (Clerks Note: Committee then returned to the supplemental budget request.) 11. RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN FOR WHATCOM COUNTY EMPLOYEES WITH ICMA/RETIREMENT Finance Minutes, 2/10/98, Page 5 CORPORATION IN ADDITION TO ITT HARTFORD (AB98 -081) Those speaking included: Dave Wareing, Executive =s Office Karen Goens, Human Services Manager Nelson moved to recommend approval. Motion carried unanimously. ADJOURN The meeting was adjourned at 10:55 a.m. Elizabeth Bennett, Recording Secretary ATTEST: WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk Marlene Dawson, Council Member Finance Minutes, 2/10/98, Page 6