HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil May 4 1993WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Regular Meeting
May 4, 1993
The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 1000 N.
Forest St., 2nd floor, by Marge Laidlaw, Chair.
Also present: Absent:
Barbara Brenner Bob Imhof
Larry Harris
Ken Henderson
Dennis Vander Yacht
Dan Warner
READING AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Laidlaw drew the Council's attention to the minutes of the March 31 Joint
County -Wide Planning Policies meeting.
BRENNER MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED.
Motion carried unanimously, with Henderson abstaining.
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
1. GEOFF MENZIES, DRAYTON HARBOR WATERSHED
COMMITTEE, AND BECKY PETERSON, COUNCIL OF
GOVERNMENTS (COG) WILL GIVE A 20 MINUTE PRESENTATION
ON WATER QUALITY DISTRICTS (AB93 -154)
Becky Peterson, Council of Governments, project coordinator for the Drayton
Harbor Watershed program, reported that the Drayton Harbor Watershed Committee
has been reviewing the historical and current water quality information of the area.
Findings are not unique to Drayton Harbor, she said. The same issues apply to Lake
Whatcom and other watersheds in Whatcom County as to Drayton Harbor (including
development, urbanization, etc.).
Drayton Harbor is unique because commercial shellfish beds exist in that area.
Shellfish beds are monitored very closely by the state because shellfish are good
indicators of water quality. They are the first to show signs of water quality deterioration.
Recreational shellfish beds also show the impact. Peterson introduced Geoff Menzies,
988 West Laurel, a commercial shellfish bed owner and spokesperson for the committee.
Menzies said shellfish growers are "the spotted owl" of water quality issues; they
provide an indicator of water quality. He said contaminated storm drainage and direct
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effluent discharge into the Harbor, among other things, contaminate the watershed.
Semiahmoo Park, a recreational beach where shellfish is harvested, is near a treated
sewage outflow; commercial shellfish growers, however, cannot harvest there which,
Menzies said, illustrated the significant difference between the regulations impacting
commercial shellfish harvesting and the relatively light regulations on recreational
beaches. He spoke in detail about the production levels of the shellfish industry.
Drayton Harbor is threatened, he said. He gave a brief history of water quality
and shellfish harvesting for that area and the regulations that emerged as a result.
Recreational sites may be regulated as closely as commercial sites in the future, he
noted, adding that the State Department of Health is negotiating with local health
jurisdictions on this topic.
Once a resource area is lost, it's generally gone, he said. He told the Council that
it has an opportunity to protect these resource areas by forming a shellfish protection
district, and he urged them to do so. In fact, if an area is downgraded by non -point
pollution, the County could be mandated by the State to form such a district and tax
County residents (according to a 1992 enactment by the State Legislature). Laidlaw
clarified that the County would be required to tax its citizens to clean up and protect an
area that is being polluted by another jurisdiction.
The formation of such a district was discussed by Peterson, Henderson, Brenner,
and Laidlaw. Laidlaw asked how such a district would work and what the money would
be used for. Menzies said Washington State shellfish protection legislation passed in 1992
was aimed at protecting existing districts and restoring areas. The districts that can be
created can be called water quality protection districts, rather than mere shellfish
protection districts, because shellfish are just an indicator of things to come in the arena
of water quality for an area. An advisory committee is usually set up ' to help the Council
prioritize problems and use the money to help stem those problems. He talked about
some of the use for the money that could be collected by the district.
Peterson commented on the flexibility of the State legislation. He said that the
shellfish resources which exist in Whatcom County exist throughout Puget Sound. The
fact that the County still has that resource means that water quality is still pretty good;
throughout the Sound, however, that resource is losing ground. Grants are wonderful, but
are sometimes limiting. A dedicated revenue source is needed, he said. The committee's
recommendation tonight should be referred to the Council's budget and program analyst
for detailed review for consideration in the Council's budget discussions for 1994.
WARNER SO MOVED.
Henderson, Laidlaw, and Peterson discussed establishing the entire County as a
water quality district.
The motion carried unanimously.
Laidlaw and Brenner commented.
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OTHER ITEMS
1. RATIFICATION OF THE MASTER LABOR AGREEMENT FOR
INSIDE, JUVENILE, PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKS BARGAINING
UNITS (AB93 -157)
Laidlaw reported that this item had been discussed in executive session prior to
the full Council meeting.
WARNER MOVED TO APPROVE THE MASTER CONTRACT.
Laidlaw responded to a citizen in the audience that no public comment would be
taken. She said there are written statements from the Union leadership clarifying some
of the misunderstandings that may exist.
The motion carried unanimously.
2. ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 1993 BUDGET (AB93 -009)
(BUILDINGS AND CODE REQUEST)
Budget and Program Analyst Bob Woods explained that an earlier ordinance
signed by the Chair and Executive Pro Tern was not correct; this ordinance corrects the
error and takes care of a departmental transfer. Woods noted that a substitute
ordinance had been presented to the Council that evening.
Brenner asked for clarification. Woods and Laidlaw responded.
WARNER MOVED TO ADOPT THE SUBSTITUTE ORDINANCE.
The motion carried 5 -1 with Vander Yacht opposed.
REPORTS AND OTHER ITEMS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS
Northwest Regional Council Interlocal Agreement (AB93 -138): Henderson
reported that the Ad -Hoc Committee reviewed the Northwest Regional Council
interlocal agreement and is going to further study the input gathered, possibly at a
committee meeting soon.
Water District 10 Mediation (AB92 -246): Laidlaw reported that Water District
10, the County, and the Whatcom Falls Neighborhood Association are going through
mediation, and that a possibility exists that more money may be needed for mediation in
order to bring the matter to a resolution. Harris explained his understanding of the
status of the process. He said the discussion concerns whether an environmental impact
statement should be required prior to the Water District 10 sewer line expansion. He
said the Executive seems to be somewhat positive about the prospects for a watershed -
wide EIS. Harris recommended waiting one week before hiring the facilitator to work
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with the two groups. Laidlaw asked if the Council would give Harris and Laidlaw the
authority to spend money up to a certain level. Woods pointed out that the Council has
resources at its disposal that it could use for this purpose.
LAIDLAW MOVED TO HAVE THE COUNCIL AUTHORIZE THE
EXPENDITURE BY THE CHAIR OF AN AMOUNT UP TO AND INCLUDING
$500 IF NECESSARY FOR THIS PROCESS, PROVIDED THAT THERE IS COST
SHARING AS BEFORE, AND THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD BE
INFORMED OF THIS ACTION.
The motion carried unanimously.
Compost Regulations (AB93 -031): Brenner reported that the Solid Waste
Advisory Committee has established a sub - committee to write compost regulations. The
group has had its first meeting; Brenner said the makeup of the committee contains
broad representation. Warner commented favorably on the committee.
Coordinated Water Supply Plan (AB93 -052): Harris reported that the plan is
completed and will be forwarded to the Council for approval insofar as the plan meshes
with County -Wide planning ordinances. The only confusion over the plan is the fire flow
section, he said.
Internal Auditor (AB93 -099): Auditor Shirley Forslof asked for a status report on
the possibility of hiring an internal auditor. Henderson updated the Council on the
meetings that are taking place regarding the Administrative Services Department which
is another step in reorganization.
HENDERSON MOVED TO HAVE THE COUNCIL RELEASE THE HOLD
ON THE INTERNAL AUDITOR POSITION TO ALLOW INTERVIEWS AND
HIRING TO PROCEED.
The motion carried unanimously.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:05 p.m.
ATTEST:
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
.ely� X�Z_ - _1� r
Ramona Reeves, Clerk of the Council arge ilidlaw, Chair
Council Minutes, 514193, Page 4