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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance November 20 1997WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL Finance and Administrative Services Committee November 20, 1997 The meeting was called to order at 11:35 a.m. by Acting Committee Chair Barbara Brenner in the Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue. Also Present: Absent: Tom Brown Robert Imhof Staff Present: Dave Wareing, Executive's Office Robert Wagner, Budget Analyst Brad Bennett, ADS Finance Wendy Wefer - Clinton, Human Resources Keith Willnauer, Assessor's Office Barbara Cory, Treasurer's Office N.F. Jackson, Superior Court Administrator /Clerk George Reid, Information Services Michael Knapp, Planning and Development Services Director REVIEW OF THE EXECUTIVE'S PROPOSED 1998 WHATCOM COUNTY BUDGET -- DRAFTING OF FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS Brenner requested information on bargaining agreements regarding career paths. Wendy Wefer- Clinton, Human Resources, stated that in the Deputy Prosecuting Attorney's contract there is such an agreement. Wefer - Clinton stated that the others are contained in Letters of Understanding, which are formal agreements between the County and the union signed off by the Prosecuting Attorney's Office. These Letters are interim agreements that take place between contract negotiations to deal with specific issues. Brenner requested a copy of all these Letters and their origin. Dave Wareing, Executive's Office, explained the career path is to keep key expertise within the County to handle key responsibilities and serve the public. He explained these types of agreements are in the authority of the executive branch of the government. Brenner requested to see the agreements. Keith Willnauer, Assessor's Office, reported for his office. Discussion followed regarding the cost of chairs. Willnauer explained the difference in the cost of the chairs. Brenner moved to recommend changing the cost of the chairs from $4,200 to $2,400. Motion carried unanimously. Budget Minutes, 11/20/97, Page 1 Brown moved to recommend deletion of the career path reclass of Drafter I. Motion carried unanimously. Wareing reported for the Executive's Office and recommended deleting the increased 0.25 FTE Clerk IV position. Brenner moved to recommend deletion of the increase for Clerk IV from 0.5 to 0.75. Motion carried unanimously. Discussion followed regarding the addition of one FTE Revenue Deputy in the Treasurer's Office. Barbara Cory, Treasurer, explained the need for the position to become a regular position in her office. Wareing explained it is recommended to be funded one time this year. Brenner explained that she is not comfortable that she has not reviewed everything enough to be ready for next Tuesday's Council meeting. Wareing explained the information has been provided as quickly as possible and that it is his opinion that the end of this process is coming to an end on November 25. Executive Non - Departmental. Brown thanked Wareing for getting the information to him. Discussion followed regarding the strategic planning process. Brown moved to recommend reducing the line item for strategic planning to $5,000. Motion carried unanimously. Brown moved to recommend deleting funding the Festival of Music and the Mt. Baker Theater. Brenner did not support this. Brenner moved to recommend deleting the two additional programmers. Wareing explained these are for the criminal justice program. Brown did not support this. Discussed was the imagining system; Wareing explained last year was the pilot program. Also discussed was the roof repairs for the old jail, which Wareing explained would be demolished. Bellingham Fire Chief Gunsauls, Medic One Program, Emergency Management, introduced Deputy Chief Randy Carroll, Bellingham Police Department. Carroll and Wareing explained the special service districts, as well as the possibility of separating the fire and ambulance dispatching center, thus moving the fire and ambulance dispatching center, which would enable a backup dispatch center to be in place. The figure for the cost which should be Budget Minutes, 11/20/97, Page 2 used is $589,938. Brown asked if this would fund two separate facilities. Carroll explained this is for the 911 dispatch and the E -911 center. The 1997 figure is $562,043. (Clerk's Note: Tape 1, Side B) Brown questioned the purpose for the increase in cost from last year to this year. Dave Hammers, Medical Services Officer, Medic One, explained it is for training and is split for 1998 and 1999. Brown asked about the possibility of the rural fire departments moving victims further down the road to meet Medic One. Hammer explained this usually hampers the situation due to patient care, but it could happen. Brown asked who to contact to build an new medic pad for landing; he explained his field is sometimes used. Hammer suggested Brown contact St. Luke's Hospital. There was further discussion regarding this budget. Brown moved to recommend deleting the $20,000 request in domestic violence for a total of $63,000. Brenner did not support this. Discussion followed on the Starling Program; Wareing explained it is now at $5,000. Brown moved to recommend that the Economic Development Council's budget be reduced by the $8,000 increase. Motion carried unanimously. Brown moved to recommend reducing the RSVP Volunteer Program. Brenner did not support this. Brown asked how the Lake Whatcom Management Plan is funded. Brad Bennett, ADS Finance, explained the funding is in Public Works. There was discussion. Brown moved to delete one PC LAN technician and $42,380 in Administrative Services. Wareing explained the need for the technicians to upgrade and offer customer service. Brenner stated she would not support both technician positions but would support one. George Reid, Information Services Manager, commented that three - fourths of Information Services' time is supporting criminal justice. Wareing explained that the County is trying to get the County up to a business status. Motion carried unanimously. Brown questioned the costs for the Superior Court judges. N.F. Jackson, Superior Court Administrator /Clerk, explained the County only pays half these costs; the state pays the remaining half. Budget Minutes, 11/20/97, Page 3 Brown moved to delete the Clerk IV help desk for Information Services. Motion carried unanimously. Brown moved to delete the development and implementation of a County web site. Wareing stated this is currently being developed and explained this position is only 0.5 FTE, combining it with the Law Librarian. Wareing explained that some of this will generate revenue for the County. Michael Knapp, Planning and Development Services Director, commented regarding funding and also explained using the system in a subscription basis, as well as the use of a "hot link" with the Chamber of Commerce and the County. Jackson explained that hundreds of thousands of dollars are being spent on phone calls being answered that could be answered hands free with a web site. After further discussion, Brown withdrew his motion. hold. Brown inoved to recommend putting the Senior Human Resource Analyst career path on Motion carried unanimously. Brenner moved to recommend deleting the pre - employment polygraph test under Additional Services. (Clerk's Note: Tape 2, Side A) Wareing explained the test is only used for law enforcement. Brown does not support this. Brenner moved to recommend eliminating the drug and alcohol testing for reasonable suspicion and replace it with random testing. Discussion followed. Brown did not support this. Discussion followed regarding Administrative Services. Brown was concerned there were too many managers. Also, he requested revisiting Public Works regarding road naming because the Ere departments are unable to find addresses, and the work is not being done. Brown moved to recommend supporting the addition of an Engineer Technician II for Road Naming. Brenner amended his motion by requesting the Ere districts be involved in the hiring to ensure the appropriate expertise is met. Wareing stated he can refer this into the hiring process. Motion carried unanimously. ADJOURN Budget Minutes, 11/20/97, Page 4 The meeting was adjourned at 1:35 p.m. NaDean Hanson, Recording Secretary ATTEST: WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON Dana Brown- Davis, Council Clerk Barbara Brenner, Council Member Budget Minutes, 11/20/97, Page 5