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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance November 27 1990WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL FINANCE AND PERSONNEL COMMITTEE November 27, 1990 The meeting was called to order at 3 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 1000 N. Forest St. by Committee Chairman Dan Warner. Also Present: Absent: Marge Laidlaw None. Mary Vanderpol 1. BID AWARD RECOMMENDATION FOR PARTIAL REMODELLING OF THE MEZZANINE AREA, WHATCOM COUNTY CENTRAL SHOP (AB90 -407) There was discussion among Committee members and Mary Chisholm, who distributed paperwork for items 1 and 2 and said materials were late due to the holiday agenda deadline. WARNER MOVED THE ITEM BE RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL. Motion carried unanimously. 2. BID AWARD RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A MATERIALS TESTING LABORATORY, WHATCOM COUNTY CENTRAL SHOP (AB90 -408) Chisholm explained the testing lab and the request; in order to receive federal aid money the County must have it for asphalt and density tests. LAIDLAW MOVED THE ITEM BE RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL. Motion carried unanimously. 3. BID AWARD RECOMMENDATION FOR GUARDRAIL SITE IMPROVEMENTS - VARIOUS LOCATIONS (CRP 99198) TO THE LOW BIDDER, CORAL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY IN THE AMOUNT OF $258,499, INCLUDING TAXES (AB90 -409) 1 -6 and RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING COUNTY ROAD PROJECT NO. 99198 AND THE AWARD OF THE CONTRACT FOR GUARDRAIL SITE IMPROVEMENTS, VARIOUS LOCATIONS Finance Minutes, 11/27/90, Page 1 Executive Shirley Van Zanten said this item is included as item four in the annual construction program. VANDERPOL MOVED THE ITEM BE RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL. Motion carried unanimously. 4. BID AWARD RECOMMENDATION FOR THE INTERSECTION SIGNALIZATION OF SR 539 (GUIDE MERIDIAN) AT AXTON ROAD (CRP 99195) TO THE LOW BIDDER, WATERWORKS, INC., FOR $69,690 INCLUDING TAX (AB90 -410) 7 -11 and RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING COUNTY ROAD PROJECT NO. 99195 AND AWARDING THE CONTRACT FOR INTERSECTION SIGNALIZATION OF SR539 AT AXTON RD. There was discussion. LAIDLAW MOVED THE ITEM BE RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL. Motion carried unanimously. 5. REQUEST TO AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH WHATCOM COUNSELING AND PSYCHIATRIC CLINIC FOR THE PROVISION OF PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES IN THE JAIL NOT TO EXCEED $14,820 (AB90 -411) 12 -19 Budget Director Tom Sutberry explained the request. LAIDLAW MOVED THE ITEM BE RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL. Motion carried unanimously. 6. ORDINANCE REVISING THE CURRENT EXPENSE FUND, BUILDINGS AND CODE BUDGET THEREIN (AB90 -384) 54 -56 Tyler said this is not a supplemental. The grant money came in after people were hired; the money was put into the County's general fund, rather than in the salary account. This reimburses the Buildings and Code budget. Sutberry and Van Zanten said it is a supplemental budget because any revenues accruing to Buildings and Code via this sort of contract go into the general fund; to spend them, the appropriation level must be increased. LAIDLAW MOVED THE ITEM BE RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL. Finance Minutes, 11/27/90, Page 2 Motion carried unanimously. 7. ORDINANCE REVISING THE CURRENT EXPENSE FUND, THE BOUNDARY REVIEW BOARD'S APPROPRIATION (AB90 -386) 57 -58 Sutberry explained this item. LAIDLAW MOVED THE ITEM BE RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL. Motion carried unanimously. 8. ORDINANCE REVISING THE CURRENT EXPENSE FUND, ANIMAL CONTROL LICENSING APPROPRIATION (AB90 -387) 59 -60 Sutberry explained that the licensing activity carried on by the Humane Society, under a one -year pilot program, allows the Society to keep all license fees for the first year. The Society wants to do an animal census, which would be very expensive. Resources are from expected collection of licensing fees for the last six months of 1990. Discussion ensued. LAIDLAW MOVED THE ITEM BE RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL. Motion carried unanimously. Warner asked the Council Clerk to invite the Humane Society to make a presentation, updating Council on the licensing system and how it is working. Discussion ensued about costs. Warner and Sheriff Larry Mount discussed some citizen complaints about animal control. 9. ORDINANCE REVISING THE CURRENT EXPENSE FUND, DISTRICT COURT APPROPRIATION FOR MISC. OPERATING COSTS (AB90 -388) 61 -62 District Court representative Linda Gill explained the increase in costs that led to the request. Discussion ensued. LAIDLAW MOVED THE ITEM BE RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL. Motion carried unanimously. 10. ORDINANCE REVISING CURRENT EXPENSE FUND, SUPERIOR COURT APPROPRIATION FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS AND MISC. (AB90 -389) 63 -64 Finance Minutes, 11/27/90, Page 3 Sutberry and Superior Court Clerk N.F. Jackson explained the request. There was discussion about state funding of indigent defense; Van Zanten commented. It was recommended this be forwarded to Council with a recommendation of approval. 11. ORDINANCE REVISING CURRENT EXPENSE, TREASURER'S APPROPRIATION FOR A TECHNICAL CORRECTION (AB90 -390) 65 -66 Sutberry explained the item. VANDERPOL MOVED TO RECOMMEND THE ITEM FOR APPROVAL. Motion carried unanimously. 12. ORDINANCE REVISING THE SELF INSURANCE /FRINGE BENEFITS FUND FOR HEALTH BENEFITS COSTS BEYOND BUDGET (AB90- 391) 67 -68 Sutberry introduced Gail Kelley and Larry Mans of Personnel, who reported a 26 percent increase in health benefit costs. Mans said there is not any one thing responsible, just increased medical and prescription costs. Discussion took place. Mans said for prescriptions employees pay a $5 deductible; it probably should be raised to $10. Kelley said most of the costs are payout, not administration; probably more than $800,000 paid this year. Projections were for $750,000 in 1990. Sutberry said the account is not in a deficit situation, but savings expected for this year haven't materialized. Discussion ensued. LAIDLAW MOVED TO RECOMMEND THE ORDINANCE FOR ADOPTION. Motion carried unanimously. Warner complimented Kelley on the employee newsletter, and the Committee agreed she does a good job. 13. ORDINANCE REVISING CURRENT EXPENSE, SHERIFF'S OFFICE BUDGET TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION AUTHORITY (AB90 -392) 69 -70 Sutberry explained the item, noting it was pass- through money from a grant. Mount and Doug Gill, Undersheriff, discussed the matter further with the Committee. The Crimestopper's program, funded by the grant, encourages people to give information that may lead to arrests. It is a national program. The money is not for staffing, but publicity and phones only. The Sheriffs Office will be working in cooperation with all other county law enforcement agencies. Finance Minutes, 11/27/90, Page 4 Warner asked questions about the advertising copy; Mount responded. VANDERPOL MOVED TO RECOMMEND ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE. Motion carried unanimously. 14. ORDINANCE REVISING CURRENT EXPENSE JAIL BUDGET TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION AUTHORITY (AB90 -393) 71 -73 Gill talked about overcrowding problems at the jail, the main reason behind the increase. There was discussion about health care provided to inmates. LAIDLAW MOVED TO RECOMMEND ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE. Motion carried unanimously. 15. RESOLUTION SETTING THE HEARING AND NOTICE OF HEARING ON SALE OF COUNTY TAX TITLE PROPERTY, REQUEST NOS. 55, 56, 57,58,59 (AB90- 413) 102 -103 No action was taken. 16. OTHER BUSINESS Budget Analyst/Program Auditor: Committee members discussed the draft job description. There was little comment. Sutberry asked where the announcement would be advertised. Warner said that would be decided by the Personnel Department. The meeting was adjourned at about 4 p.m. ATTEST: WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON Ramona Reeves, Council Clerk Daniel M. Warner, Member Finance Minutes, 11/27/90, Page 5