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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance November 6 1989WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL FINANCE AND PERSONNEL COMMITTEE November 6, 1989 The meeting was called to order at 2:20 p.m. in the Council Conference Room by Committee Chairman Dan Warner. Also present were Committee members Mary Vanderpol and Emily Jackson. Don Hansey and Will Roehl were present for portions of the meeting, as was Executive Shirley Van Zanten, Budget Director Tom Sutberry, the media, Marge Laidlaw and Juvenile Court Administrator G. Wood. BUDGET WORK SESSION Warner noted that no more department presentations were expected. The Committee members decided to review each proposal and make a list of recommendations. ASSESSOR'S OFFICE: Warner said the Assessor requested $8,000 for one person to work on maps. He asked Committee members if they had any objections to this; no one did. DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES: Vanderpol said it sounded as though an additional person would be helpful to this department. Warner noted that this program is traditionally funded by pass through grants from the state. There was no firm conclusion as a result of this discussion. SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: Warner said the Sheriff had requested two deputies, costing about $101,000 the first year, $84,000 the year after. Hansey noted that last year the Council authorized hiring five deputies; he asked how much additional revenue they had produced. Warner said projections for 1990 show that traffic ticket revenues will decrease, although Mount earlier said that projection was not accurate. Warner noted that expenditures in the law and justice department, particularly in the Sheriffs Department, tend to create a ripple effect (causing a need for more spending in the courts, Prosecutor's and Public Defender's offices, etc.). Jackson noted that traffic in the county is escalating. She said putting off this decision would result in a problem; the longer the County waits the longer it will take to bring the department up to speed later. She said it was not an unreasonable request. Vanderpol said like to consider adding one deputy, putting it on the "possibility list" at this point. VISITOR AND CONVENTION: Warner noted that the Visitor and Convention Bureau had requested $16,500. Jackson said she didn't see the need, that the public probably was satisfied with the Bureau's attraction of people to Whatcom County. There was discussion of what the Bureau had actually asked that the money be used for, and the amount available in the hotel -motel tax fund. Vanderpol said due to the influx of people, the Bureau probably could use a little extra help; he added that staffing and operating existing centers was more important than luring people to the area. It was decided that an addition of $2,500 would bring the Bureau up to the 1988 funding level, and would be sufficient. COURT COMMISSIONER'S SALARY: The Committee discussed the request to raise Frank Morrow's salary to a level more comparable with the salary of other court commissioners in the state. This topic was discussed in conjunction with the next topic. The result: The Committee decided to set a goal of providing Morrow with a pay increase of $4,399 per year for three years, in addition to any cost of living increases regularly provided to county employees. This would bring Morrow's salary to $64,000 a year, which would be 90 percent of the Prosecuting Attorney's salary (see next section). ELECTED OFFICIALS' SALARIES: There was extensive discussion of the formulas that could be used to establish salaries for elected officials. It was decided that each elected official's salary should be a percentage of the Prosecuting Attorney's salary. The salaries of Prosecutors in first and second class counties in the state were averaged, amounting to $5,751 per month, which would provide McEachran with about a 30 percent increase in pay. The Executive, who has more extensive duties than the prosecutor, should make more money, Hansey, Warner and Vanderpol agreed. Ultimately, this formula was established for elected officials' salaries: Position: Pay per month: % of Prosecutor salary Prosecutor $ 5,751 100 percent Executive 5,808 101 percent Assessor ' Auditor ; -- 3,455 60 percent Treasurer ' Sheriff 3,916 68 percent Council Members 871 15 percent PARKS: Warner asked Budget Director Tom Sutberry what the Council could do to make the interest from the special capital projects levy accrue to the Parks budget. Vanderpol, said it had been the impression that this would happen automatically, and that voters expected that this would be the case. Sutberry said Council could amend the ordinance in effect that lists the various funds that may accrue interest to themselves, adding the Parks levy to the list. Another option would be for him to re- number the fund so that it would no longer be a special revenue fund, but a capital improvements fund. Capital improvements funds already are included in the list, he said. There was some discussion. Sutberry was asked to re- number the Park levy fund, making it a capital improvements fund rather than a special levy fund. Jackson said of the prioritized projects presented by Parks, she felt the Strand Road project was most important. Vanderpol called the Strand Road situation a "potential headache" if some sort of maintenance and public education program were not funded by the County. He suggested that it could be a revenue - producing enterprise. The committee decided to provide $9,500 to Parks for the Strand Road project. PROSECUTING ATTORNEY: Warner said McEachran had asked that Randy Watts and Mac Setter have salary increases, because otherwise the County could lose them to private practice. Jackson said she had nothing against Watts or Setter, but that making the job too cushy would mean no one would ever leave and no one ever could advance in different departments. Sutberry interjected that the determination really should be made by the Executive, that it would be out of line for policy makers to set salaries. Vanderpol and Jackson noted that Sutberry made a good point. Jackson said if the Council started setting salaries, every department would approach them with requests for reclassification or salary increases. She said the Council should follow Executive Shirley Van Zanten's recommendations. Warner noted that more budget discussion would take place the following afternoon. The meeting adjourned at about 4 p.m. ATTEST: h. Ramona Reeves, Council Clerk WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON Daniel M. Warner, Member FINANCE AND PERSONNEL COMMITTEE November, 1989 Results of the November 2, 6, and 7 Committee meetings are presented below. This summary is to take the place of minutes for the Nov. 2 and 7 meetings. Formula for Elected Officials' Salaries Finance reviewed proposals for a pay -scale formula, and after some discussion November 6 and 7 the Finance and Personnel Committee has come up with the following recommendation: % of Pros. SALARY: Position: Salary: 1989 1990 1991 Prosecutor 100 4412 5082 5751 Executive 101 4643 5226 5809 Sheriff 70 4026 Treasurer Auditor ; - - - -- 60 3455 Assessor Beginning next year salaries for the Treasurer, Auditor and Assessor will be set at 60 percent of what the Prosecutor's salary will be in 1991. The Sheriffs salary will be set at 70 percent of what the Prosecutor's salary will be in 1991. Increases to the Executive and Prosecutor's salaries will be increased incrementally, in 1990 and in 1991. The formula used is substantially the same as the one proposed by the elected officials, except that Whatcom County salaries were averaged in. This recom- mendation will be made to the Council at a special meeting Nov. 16. Developmental Disabilities Request Finance did not grant the request. Visitor's and Convention Bureau Finance Committee recommends an addition of $2,500. Whatcom County Parks & Recreation The Committee noted that it appreciated having the Park Board members attend the meeting. The Committee recommended: An addition of approximately $10,000 to fund the Strand Road project; Interest from the park levy will accrue to the capital fund, rather than to Current Expense; and Finance Minutes, 11/2 and 11/7/89, Page 2 An addition of $50,000 to compensate for the amount of interest on the levy that went to Current Expense this year. Sheriff's Department Committee recommends the addition of one Sheriffs deputy, which should be a road deputy. Treasurer Committee recommended the additional money needed to bring Treasurer's staff to eight hour days, in lieu of the Executive's recommendation. Assessor Finance Committee did not recommend the $8,000 requested for a cartographer. Humane Society Finance Committee recommended the option that will cost $175,000, which would provide 40 hours of service each week. Administration was asked to draft legislation that would create County -wide dog licensing, with dog control zones for heavily - populated areas. The Humane Society would be asked to administer the programs, and be entitled to some of the fees. The Committee hopes the Society could make enough money in this manner to cover costs and to bring services to the 50 -hour week level, if possible. Superior Court Committee recommended a pay increase from $4,233 per month to $5,175 per month for the Court Commissioner. The increase will occur over a two -year period. The formula developed will set the Commissioner's salary at 90 percent of the Prosecuting Attorney. Prosecutor Without meaning to imply anything negative about the services provided by Randy Watts and Mac Setter, the Finance Committee decided not to review the Prosecutor's request. It was pointed out that the Council would be treading on the Administration's toes if it were to recommend pay increases for individual employees. WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL ATTEST: WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON Ramona Reeves, Council Clerk Daniel M. Warner, Member