HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance January 16 1990WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
FINANCE AND PERSONNEL COMMITTEE
January 16, 1990
The meeting was called to order at 3 p.m. by Council Member Dan Warner. Also
present were Mary Vanderpol and Marge Laidlaw.
Vanderpol nominated Warner to be Committee chairperson for 1990. Motion
carried unanimously.
1. BID AWARD RECOMMENDATION TO OBTAIN NINE MID-SIZE
FOUR DOOR SEDANS TO LOW BIDDER, DIEHL FORD, NINE
FORD TEMPOS AT $9,510 EACH (AB 90 -19)
There was discussion.
LAIDLAW MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL.
Motion carried.
2. REQUEST TO ENDORSE THE ACCEPTANCE OF PROPERTY
ALONG LAKE WHATCOM FOR THE USE BY THE PARKS
DEPARTMENT (AB 90 -20)
Budget Director Tom Sutberry said the Executive didn't think it was necessary for
the Council to act on this request, but it was brought forward simply because it was a
direct request by the Park Board. There was some discussion.
VANDERPOL MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL.
Motion carried.
3. BID AWARD RECOMMENDATION FOR BRIDGE END PROTEC-
TION, VARIOUS COUNTY BRIDGES, TO THE LOW BIDDER,
PETERSEN BROTHERS, INC., OF SUMNER, WASHINGTON, IN THE
AMOUNT OF $218,232.00, INCLUDING ALL TAXES (AB 90 -22)
Purchasing Agent Nat Dickinson explained the bid award recommendation to the
Committee.
LAIDLAW MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL.
Motion carried.
3A. REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT
��_: WITH HLA /HARPER OWES FOR DETAILED SITE EVALUATION
Finance Minutes, 1/16/90, Page 2
AND EIS PREPARATION FOR THE LANDFILL SITING PROJECT
(AB 90 -21)
This item was added to the agenda; it was originally scheduled only for Public
Services. Present to discuss the item were Public Works Director Paul Rushing,
consultant Ron Owes. This contract, if authorized, would allow Harper and Owes to
conduct the environmental impact statement on the proposed new landfill site, with
minimal consideration given to two alternative sites.
Rushing said the Council should not seek another contractor to do the work
because Owes' company already had completed Phase I of the landfill site program.
This contract covers Phase II.
Owes said it would take him about nine months to complete, and said the study
takes place in two steps: Defining the project, and evaluating the impacts of the project.
There was discussion. Owes said there would not be a public hearing prior to the
drafting of the EIS; the hearing would come after the draft is prepared. The Committee
expressed concern that local sub - contractors were not going to be used for much of the
work, about the $38 /hour rate for word - processing, and the $18,000 estimated charge for
the public hearing. Committee members also wanted to know why they were not given
the complete contract to review. Rushing said the complete $485,000 contract is in the
Executive's Office, and would be available to the Council on Thursday, 1/18.
Questions were asked about the auditing process. Rushing said the Council should
fire him if it thinks the county is getting snookered, and Owes also defended the audit
process. Laidlaw noted that previous estimates for this phase of the work came in at
$350,000; now $140,000 has been added to that estimate. She said it made her
uncomfortable. Owes defended the costs. There was discussion. Owes noted that
Harper -Owes had been purchased by Harding - Lawson and Associates. There was more
discussion.
The Committee agreed to send this item forward to the Council. Warner noted
that more discussion may take place in the Public Services and Solid Waste Committee
meeting just prior to the Council meeting.
4. RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING COUNTY ROAD PROJECT NO. 99120
AND THE CONTRACT AWARD FOR CONSTRUCTION OF BRIDGE
END PROTECTION, VARIOUS COUNTY BRIDGES (AB 90 -22)
LAIDLAW MOVED THAT THIS RESOLUTION BE .FORWARDED TO
COUNCIL FOR A DO PASS.
Motion carried.
5. OTHER BUSINESS
Petition for Sheriffs Deputy at Maple Falls: Laidlaw said she saw this item in
the 12/7 minutes, and wondered if the Sheriff would be making a report soon. Warner
said yes, the Sheriff was contacting logging companies to see if the private sector would
help fund this person. Vanderpol noted that a live -in deputy was cost - prohibitive, but
that there may be a compromise reached.
Finance Minutes, 1/16/90, Page 3
Point Roberts: It was noted that Dave Simpson and Roger Almskaar were willing
to serve on the Planning Commission to finish the comprehensive plan for Point Roberts
until February, even though they had not been reappointed to the Commission.
Equipment Rental and Revolving fund transfers may be coming, Sutberry said, in
order to supplement the road funds, because of flooding that took place recently.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:15 p.m.
ATTEST:
Ramona Reeves, Council Clerk
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, W SHINGTON
Da M. Warner, Member