HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance June 16 19981
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Finance And Administrative Services Committee
June 16, 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.
12 Also Present: Absent:
13 Ward Nelson
14 Connie Hoag
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16 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL
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1. ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 1998 BUDGET, REQUEST NO. 6 (AB98 -227)
Steve Paus, Juvenile Court Probation, stated that he took the relevant information
from the grant proposal and inserted it into Council Member packet. That is why the packet
information looked incomplete.
Dave Wareing, Deputy Administrator, stated that the total grant amount is $79,980
and applied according to the States biennium budget cycle. Therefore, half the amount is
applied to this year's supplemental budget. $2790 is going into the current expense fund for
administrative costs.
Gary Wood, Juvenile Court Administration, stated that the grant has the potential to
be refunded for two years.
Hoag moved to approve item #1 of the supplemental budget request.
Motion carried unanimously.
Roger DeSpain, Parks Department Director, stated that the funds are to supplement
seasonal staff to take care of programs such as the Highland Games, which was attended by
10,000 people. The Parks Department has tried to work with different groups to bring in
dollars to help with parking and other costs of the event.
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 6116198, Page I
I Hoag asked about funding from Squires Lake and from the plant sale. The Squires
2 Lake money is from funds that were designated specifically for Squires Lake. DeSpain stated
3 that only $2000 is designated for Squires Lake. The department will spend the $2000 for a
4 person to do maintenance at Squires Lake. The rest of the cost of that employee, who will
5 spend the remainder of the time at Samish Lake, will come from the regular budget. DeSpain
6 stated that the same situation exists for the plant sale money, which is designated for the
7 Fragrance Garden at Hovander Homestead park.
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9 Nelson moved approval of item #2 of the supplemental budget request.
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11 Motion carried unanimously.
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13 COUNCIL "CONSENT AGENDA" ITEMS
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16 1. RESOLUTION SETTING THE HEARING AND NOTICE OF HEARING TO SELL
17 TAX TITLE PROPERTY BY NEGOTIATION, REQUEST #98 -3 (AB98 -228)
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19 Dawson asked if the property had ever been auctioned before and is there shellfish
20 growing at the property. Dave Wareing, Deputy Administrator of the County Executive's
21 office, stated this property has not sold at auction. There is an offer for a negotiated sale.
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23 Frakes stated that the property was in the last foreclosure sale and did not sell.
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25 (Clerk's note: Discussion of this item continued after discussion of items 3 - S)
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27 Wareing stated that these properties are to be sold at public auction. He pointed out
28 on a map the lots that will be for sale. They are being sold because the owner did not pay
29 property taxes and it was not sold at auction. There is an application to purchase the property
30 by the adjoining property owner
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32 Nelson moved approval.
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34 Hoag asked if County ordinarily sells tidelands. Wareing replied yes.
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36 2. RESOLUTION SETTING THE HEARING AND NOTICE OF HEARING TO SELL
37 TAX TITLE PROPERTY BY PUBLIC AUCTION, REQUEST #98 -4 (AB98 -229)
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39 Hoag asked the location of the property owned since 1902. Wareing pointed out the
40 property. The property probably had not sold at auction since it was originally acquired in
41 1902. The property is made up of several lots of varying sizes. According to the Property
I Management Committee, the owners of the adjoining property are not interested in
2 purchasing the property.
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4 Karen Frakes, Senior Civil Deputy Prosecutor, stated that there is someone who is
5 willing to purchase the property, which is why it is before the Council. Wareing commented
6 that occasionally land investors would make offers on County -owned property.
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8 Hoag asked if Council could set the sale price higher if the land was more valuable.
9 Wareing replied that the County's primary goal is to put the lot back on the tax roles.
10 According to Ed Henken, most of the property is under water, some is bank, and the
11 remaining is not buildable.
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13 Frakes stated there is a RCW provision for negotiation if a lot is cannot be built upon,
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15 Nelson stated that the assessment value is not the same as the sale price, which is the
16 amount owed in taxes.
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Hoag moved approval.
Motion carried unanimously.
REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO APPROVE THE
PURCHASE OF LIGNOSITE FROM GEORGIA - PACIFIC, A SOLE SOURCE,
FOR USE ON COUNTY ROADS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $60,000
(AB98 -230)
(Clerk's Note: This item was handled after item #1 on the Consent Agenda)
Dawson asked if this money is designated solely for road use.
Dick Prieve, Public Works Department, Assistant Director of Operations,
Maintenance and Operations Division, stated that if the weather is rainy during the summer
season, the budget will not go over $35,000. However, if there is a hot summer, the budget
would go over $35,000. It all depends on the summer weather. The product to be purchased
is dust oil.
Nelson moved approval.
Motion carried unanimously.
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 6116198, Page 3
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REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO MAINTAIN THE
CURRENT WHATCOM COUNTY FERRY RATES, WITH NO FARE INCREASE,
AS PREVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED (AB98 -231)
Hoag questioned the higher amount that came in from the fuel tax. This was not
figured into the 55% recovery revenue. She felt this should this be passed on to the passenger
fee. She also questioned if the high fuel tax was a fluke or can be counted on.
Eric Schlehuber, Public Works Administration, stated that the original ordinance
states it is revenue generated from the ferry fares. Any additional income from the State is
not included in the calculation. The cost is based one the total cost of the operation, exclusive
of dock maintenance, not the County's portion of the cost. The ordinance does not reference
the net cost. Public Works can amend the ordinance so that the benefit of any additional
revenue can be passed along to the passengers.
Hoag stated that the advantage would be lower fares, but the disadvantage would be
lower money in the road fund.
Schlehuber stated the road fund is operating at a deficit. The ferry operation is not
self - sustaining and does not pay for itself.
Nelson moved approval.
Motion carried unanimously.
5. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EXECUTIVE TO ACCEPT THE
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT AWARDED BY THE
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY TRADE &
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ENTITLED "WHATCOM COUNTY DISASTER
RECOVERY GRANT," IN THE AMOUNT OF $175,000 (AB98 -232)
Hoag asked for clarification on what the funding would be used for.
Lara McKinnon, Public Works, Engineering Division, stated that the information in
the packet outlines exactly how funds will be used.
Nelson moved approval.
Motion carried unanimously.
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Dawson asked about a provision in the grant stating that the grant money shall not be
used to further the election or defeat of any candidate of public office. She questioned
whether that is traditional language.
McKinnon replied that usually State grants come from the Department Of Ecology,
but this grant is from the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development,
which may have different policies.
(Clerk's Note: Committee continued discussion of Consent Item #1.)
6. REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR PAYMENT OF COUNCIL MEMBER
EXPENSES AND /OR TRAVEL (AB98 -143C)
Dawson stated she would abstain from this vote.
Nelson moved approval.
Motion carried 2 -0 with Dawson abstained.
ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 10 a.m.
Jill Nixon, Recording Secretary
These minutes were approved by Council on , 1998.
ATTEST:
Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Marlene Dawson, Council Member
Finance and Administrative Services Committee, 6116198, Page 5