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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCounty Council for August 9 197911HATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING Minutes of meeting August 9, 1979 Whatcom County Council meeting was called to order by Chairperson Van Zanten at 7:40 p.m. Don Hansey was excused. The motion to excuse C. J. Johnson was passed by a majority vote. All other members were present. Minutes were approved as corrected. EXECUTIVE ITEMS The only Executive item was a budget revision for the Tort Claims Fund, involving a line -item transfer of $15,:000 from Insurance Premiums to Professional Services. These transfers were recommended by Gene Moses, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney. The motion to refer this budget revision to Public Safety and Finance committees was passed unanimously. BEARINGS A14D FINAL CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCES Public hearing on the ordinance amending 11hatcom County Code 3.08.025, Section IV, regarding Garbage Disposal Fees was opened by the Chair, It was referred back to Public Works for further study and continuation of public hearing by a 4- 1(Mclnty e) vo e, ,Muenscher stated that by increasing from $1.25 per 'Cto $3.25 is penalizing a system which should be subsidized. The ordinance regulating the Hiring of Commissioned Slieriff Depart- ment Personnel for Police related outside work was continued to September. 6 and referred back to Public Safety by unanimous decision. The ordinance amending the Whatcom County Interim Zoning Ordinance to clarify and update certain sections was postponed to Augus.t 16,.at which time four additional items as introduced on August 2, will be con- sidered in conjunction with the original fifteen. The motion was made to continue this issue until such time as publication is complete. The Council passed this motion by unanimous vote. OTHER BUS! NESS By unanimous vote, two items were added to this section. Roger Despain from the Parks Department addressed the Council regarding the purchase of a sixty -feet wide strip of land -Adjacent to-the old Lummi Island ferry terminal located on lu.mmi Island. The Parks Department has been exploring for the past two years the ininutes of meeting page 2 August 9, 1979 possibility of turning the dock into a boardwalk park. The purchase cost of the property is $15,000. The size is 60' X 200' at low tide and 60' X 50' at high tide. It was deemed necessary that the Council take immediate action because the option to buy at the $15,000 price is to run out on 8/15/79. Mr. Despain estimated that the total cost of getting the park going would be about $30,000. Polly Hanson of Lummi Island also spoke in favor of the purchase. Thompson made the motion to approve the purchase of the 60' strip. Motion passed unanimously. The resolution approving the Comprehensive Plan for ,rater supply and ditribution system as adopted for and by Whatcom County Water District No. 16, recommended with "do pass" from Planning and Public Works committees was passed by unanimous decision. Jake Smith, Jr., Attorney for Water District 16 spoke giving the details and background on this proposal. Roehl made the point that the County needs to update the County Comprehensive Plan in general - both Water and Land Use areas need improvement. The resolution establishing the procedures for processing of Liquor License applications was recommended "do pass" with amendments by Public Works. One amendment was made striking the words on line 22 beginning with the word "Due" through line 27 "study." The other was on line 19 after the word "licenses," inserting "except upon request of Council, the Council may review application for special events and those special event applicants being denied license, have the right of appeal to Council." The resolution was passed unanimously as amended. The order consolidating and enlarging DID No.'s 9 and 25 and establishing Johnson Creek Drainage Improvement Project No. 31 was approved b17 unanimous vote. Diane Mitchell, District Manager from the Whatcom County Conservation District spoke describing and supporting the passage of this order. It involves the consolidation of approximately 14,000 acres of ].and around the Johnson Creek area from two drainage districts to forming only one. Subsequent to Counc pT -ova1, this issue will go to the voters in that area for their approval of a graduated acre assessment. Bastian Scholten, a farmer from that area spoke supporting this issue. minutes of meeting page 3 August 9, 1979 A resolution regarding authorization of the County Executive to sign agreements and /or payment requests for EPA /DOE grants to eliminate improper waste treatment in the area of the Nor -Bell Nursing Home, recommended by Finance and Public Works with "do pass" was passed by the Council by unanimous vote. INTRODUCTT.011 OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIO14S The agenda was amended to include a fourth item in this section by unanimous vote. The ordinance providing for a supplemental budget for the Juven- ile Probation Department's 1979 budget was introduced by Larry Mc- Intyre. By unanimous vote, it was referred to Finance and Public Safety. The ordinance providing for a supplemental budget for the Planning Department's 1979 annual budget was introduced by Will Roehl, and unanimously referred to Planning and Finance committees. The ordinance regarding a revised budget request for the GTnatcori County Department of Emergency Services was introduced by Larry Mc- Intyre and referred to the next possible meeting. Igo cor.,lmittee review will take place. A resolution regarding review of the functions, powers, and mem- bership of ti hatcom County Governmental Boards and Cormilissions and providing for appointment of members of such Boards and Commissions was introduced by Roehl. It was unanimously decided to ford an Ad hoc corimlittee comprised of Will Roehl, Chairman, Conrad Thompson, and Bob Huenscher to review this issue. The Chair announced that the Appointment Committee is still working on the Health Board appointment. The appointment should be announced and ratified next Council meeting. Meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m.