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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance June 12 1990WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL FINANCE AND PERSONNEL COMMITTEE Tuesday, June 12, 1990 The meeting was called to order at 3 p.m. by Committee Chairman Dan Warner in the Council Conference Room. Others Present: Absent: Marge Laidlaw Mary Vanderpol Budget Director Tom Sutberry requested that item six be moved to the beginning of the agenda. 6. ORDINANCE REVISING THE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OFFICE'S BUDGET TO ALLOW FOR UNANTICIPATED EXPENSES CAUSED BY NEW MASTER PROJECTS AND A PHOTOCOPYING MACHINE INADEQUACY (AB90 -181) 29 -31 Craig McConnel of WSU Cooperative Extension said this revision would cover the cost of adding a copier machine to the office and funneling grant money through to pay for "Master Composter" and "Master Watershed" programs, which will be similar to the Master Gardener program already in place. There was discussion. LAIDLAW MOVED THE ORDINANCE BE RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL. Motion carried. 1. BID AWARD RECOMMENDATION FOR A DIAZO ROLL FILM DUPLICATOR TO THE LOW BIDDER, ANACOMP MULTIPRODUX DIVISION, FOR A XIDEX 16/35 RRD FILM DUPLICATOR AT $14,352.44 INCLUDING SALES TAX (AB90- 190) 1 -2 Sutberry said George Reid and Judy Greene of Information Services were present to explain the request. Greene explained that the roll duplicator is for any silver diazo films that the County has now. The silver diazo film is sent to Olympia for archival use, and Greene said the roll duplicator would allow the County to make a copy for general use. There was some comment by Committee members. LAIDLAW MOVED THAT THE RECOMMENDATION BE MADE. Motion carried. 2. BID AWARD RECOMMENDATION FOR A HIGH SPEED AUTOMATIC MICROFILM CAMERA TO THE LOWER RESPONSIVE BIDDER, ALPHA INFORMATION MANAGEMENT, FOR A MINOLTA DAR 2800 CAMERA AT $17,209.52, INCLUDING TAX (AB90 -191) 3 -6 . Sutberry said staff recommends going with the higher of the two bids received. Reid said the lower bid camera did not meet all the bid specifications. Greene said she had worked with Finance Minutes, 6/12/90, Page 1 both cameras. The cheaper camera is a rotary camera, in which the document and the film move at the same time; the resolution is not very good. A "planetary" camera is stable, producing super - _or images on film. The more expensive camera has some automated features as well. She further detailed the differences between the two cameras. LAIDLAW MOVED THE ITEM BE RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL. Motion carried. 3. BID AWARD FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF HAMPTON ROAD, CRP 99184, RAP 6710001, TO THE LOW BIDDER, WILDER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, IN THE AMOUNT OF $895,600.00, INCLUDING TAXES (AB90 -192) (SEE ITEM 1 UNDER "INTRODUCTION'; ACTION MAY BE TAKEN ON BOTH ITEMS SIMULTANEOUSLY) 7 16 and RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING COUNTY ROAD PROJECT NO. 99184 AND CONTRACT AWARD FOR RECONSTRUCTION OF HAMPTON ROAD MP 0.1 TO MP 2.6 (AB90 -192) Engineer Ed Henken was present to explain the Hampton Road project. Laidlaw asked why the County was paying for gas line removal. Henken said any utility with a franchise within the County right -of -way is required to move the line at its own expense. The county only had 40 feet r oht -of -way in this case, and the gas pipeline was just outside of this range. Henken said this is a concern in other situations as well, and he said the County should appropriate more money in the budget to acquire more adequate right of way for future projects. Henken said some right of Nay and easements still need to be acquired, but negotiations are almost completed. He estimated that construction could begin later in the month. Discussion ensued. MOVED THAT THE BID AWARD BE RECOMMENDED FOR' APPROVAL, ALONG WITH THE RESOLUTION. Motion carried. 4. BID AWARD RECOMMENDATION FOR PROVIDING AND INSTALLING CARPET IN BUILDINGS AND CODE ADMINISTRATION OFFICE TO LONE BIDDER, H.G. WALKER COMPANY IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $11,895.42 PLUS $30.00 PER HOUR FOR FLOOR PREP AND REPAIR (AB90 -193) 17 -18 Mary Chisholm, Administrative Services Manager, was present to explain the recommenda- tion. She said approximately 740 yards would be needed to cover the entire upper level of the Buildings and Code building. Some remodel is planned, and the carpet will be laid according to the floor plan for the remodel. Warner said he was curious to know where the old carpet would be disposed of, but didn't ask Chisholm to pursue it further. Laidlaw asked for an explanation of the "alternate one" referred to on the agenda bill. Chisholm said that related to the enclosing of the overhang area in the front of Buildings and Code; this part of the remodel may not take place until the fall. Discussion continued. Laidlaw said she was uncomfortable leaving the labor portion of the award open- ended. Chisholm said there actually is an upper limit because not much money exists in the budget for this project. Finance Minutes, 6/12/90, Page 2 WARNER MOVED THAT THE MATTER BE RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL. Motion carried. 5. ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING AN ACCOUNT IN AUDITOR'S OFFICE TO PAY FEDERAL TAXES (AB90 -180) 27 -28 Sutberry asked Auditor Shirley Forslof to explain this matter. She said a new change in federal law makes the creation of the account necessary. Darlene Metcalf, deputy auditor, said currently there is a three day period within which the Auditor must report the federal taxes. Sometimes it is too difficult to accomplish this within the time period. The law is changed so that only a one -day turnaround will be available. Establishing the account would make things easier for the Auditor. Discussion ensued among Sutberry, Forslof, Warner, Laidlaw and Treasurer Barb Cory. Cory noted that small taxing districts have difficulty reporting federal taxes to the County within the appropriate time period. This sometimes creates a delay. LAIDLAW MOVED APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE. Motion carried. 7. REVIEW OF LUMMI ISLAND FERRY RATES (AB90 -195) 32 -35 Warner said absent any complaint by Lummi Island residents, the rates would remain at the present level. Laidlaw asked if the Administration should be asked for a report. Sutberry said the fee structure is working; Warner noted no complaints had been received. 9. RESOLUTION SETTING THE HEARING ON SALE OF COUNTY TAX TITLE PROPERTY, REQUESTS NO. 36, 37, 39, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 (AB90 -198) 48 -50 10. RESOLUTION SETTING THE HEARING AND NOTICE OF HEARING ON THE SALE OF REAL ESTATE BELONGING TO THE COUNTY, REQUEST NO. 40 (AB90 -199) 51 -52 Warner asked Cory if there were any controversial aspects to the requests. Cory said item number 10 is interesting because there is no record of how it was transferred to the County; therefore it is simply considered to be fee simple property and the assessed value should be the minimum bid. The assessed value was determined in 1987, and it is a small building lot. The Assessor's Office, after a cursory review, felt that $12,000 would be a fair minimum bid. Sutberry said the Council may want to reserve all mineral rights as a result of property sales. In many cases, he added, County -owned property is not assessed at market value; therefore the property may be underpriced. Cory agreed that this could be accurate,_ but that in checking with the average sales in that area the price seemed to be reasonable. Laidlaw asked why the mineral rights are not being kept. Cory said the Treasurer always requests that they be sold with tax title property in order to make them more attractive. She said Public Works established a policy a few years back that mineral rights should not be sold; however, she said this was not always followed. Discussion continued. Sutberry said he does not recall where he saw that policy, but he said it should be "revisite- d" and determined if it should still be in place. Finance Minutes, 6/12/90, Page 3 LAIDLAW MOVED TO RECOMMEND HEARINGS BE SCHEDULED FOR BOTH ITEMS 9 AND 10. Motion carried. 8. RATIFICATION OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO HEALTH BOARD AD- VISORY COMMITTEE BY -LAWS (AB90 -196) 36 -41 Warner said the root of the changes was the ongoing concern by City Council members that adequate representation is not provided in determining the County Health Department Budget. Discussion ensued about this matter. Warner also said contracts shall be negotiated by the Health Board Advisory Committee. Warner said the information in the packet was confusing, and that the by -laws change would be voted on at this meeting, with the ordinance amending Title 24.01 adopted at the next meeting. 11. OTHER BUSINESS Health Department. Assets: Sutberry explained that a settlement had been reached with the City of Bellingham in this matter, and various difficulties with determining ownership of things. The formal arbitration proceedings took place with an arbitrator out of Tacoma. Sutberry represented the County. The joint powers agreement included the land and building as part of the assets, which actually is incorrect; the County owns the land and building. However, Sutberry said the arbitrator had to abide by the terms of the joint powers agreement. Discussion continued. Warner said it is being assumed that the City will pay for whatever portion of Health services it uses. Discussion continued. Sutberry said a supplemental budget for the settlement is Forthcoming. Salary and Benefits Increases: Sutberry said the exempt salary resolution would be coming forward for approval at the same time as the ordinance is acted upon. Warner said every elected official wrote or talked to each Council member who originally voted against the salary resolution, but he said he did not believe it changed their minds. minds. Warner said the Administration should be asked to review exempt salaries and see if they are being paid an adequate amount. The union has someone representing them to make sure they are being paid correctly; the exempts do not. Citizens Shorelines Committee: Laidlaw said 'she had written a memo to several Council members, noting that staff is needed for the Shorelines Citizens Advisory Committee. The meeting was adjourned at 4:10 p.m. WHATCOM COUNTY, COUNCIL ATTEST: WHATCOM COUNTY WASHINGTON Ramona Reeves, Council Clerk Daniel M. Warner, Chairman Finance Minutes, 6/12/90, Page 4