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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial Council November 21 1989WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING Tuesday, November 21, 1989 The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. by Council Chairman Don Hansey. Other Council Members Present: Absent: Tom Burton Emily Jackson Corky Johnson Will Roehl Dan Warner Mary Vanderpol Hansey asked Warner to give an overview to the Council and public on the 1990 budget that will be discussed after the Public Hearings. Warner explained the Finance Committee decisions on the budget. The committee had planned to add a Sheriffs deputy, change the elected officials salaries, move the Treasurer's office to 8 hour days, give money to the Humane Society, $2,500 extra to the Visitor and Convention Bureau and do the Strand Road project. The Executive cautioned that the ending fund balance is being depleted and recommended some other options. The resulting decisions that were made are as follows: The additional Sheriff deputy will be held off for now. Did not authorize the Treasurer going to 8 hour days at this time. Reduced the Capital constuction fund by $100,000. Reduced the Tort fund by $100,000. Deleted the Strand Road project. The above items will probably be feasible in March, 1990. HEARINGS AND FINAL CONSIDERATION 1. RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE WHATCOM COUNTY 1990 ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM Public Hearing opened. Rene Wise Acme Ms. Wise stated that the residents had appeared before the Public Services Committee opposing the moving of the Turkington Road bridge downstream to Hudson Road.. In the recent flood the proposed location was entirely under water but there was no problem with the bridge in its present location. It was agreed to put off any decision Minutes, 11/21/89, page o�, on this until spring and she would like that specified on the document. Nasser Massour of the engineering department said they would be studying the options. Van Zanten said they were not locked into the wording on the one -year plan but if Ms. Wise would feel more comfortable with the words "relocation" and " \Hudson ", they could be removed. Rollie DeKoster Lynden Concern about the Lynden /Birch Bay Road - the section from the Rathbone Road to Enterprise was never finished. This is heavily travelled and he would like to see this investigated. Van Zanten said it has been included in the RAP applications and probably will be funded next year. Public hearing closed. Warner reported that Finance recommended approval of this item. WARNER MOVED THE ADOPTION OF THE 1990 ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM. ROEHL AMENDED THE MOTION DELETING THE WORDS "RELOC- ATION' AND "HUDSON' ON ITEM 8 Amendment carried BURTON MOVED TO TAKE ITEM 12, COLUMN 10, CHANGE THE 40 TO 30; COLUMN 15, CHANGE THE 15 TO 10; AND COLUMN 16, CHANGE THE 15 TO 10 AND ADD A LINE 12a TO READ HAYNIE ROAD, STEIN ROAD TO WEST BADGER. IT WOULD READ COLUMN 10, $10,000 AND $5,000 IN BOTH COLUMNS 13 AND 14. Amendment carried. Amended motion carried. 2. RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE 1990 SIX -YEAR PHYSICAL PLANT AND FACILITIES CAPITAL PROGRAM RELATING TO BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES FOR WHATCOM COUNTY Public hearing opened and closed with no comment. Warner reported that Finance recommended approval of this item. WARNER MOVED TO APPROVE THE 1990 SIX -YEAR PHYSICAL PLANT AND FACILITIES CAPITAL PROGRAM. Minutes, 11/21/89, page 3 3 Jackson asked if Lottie Street will be used for employee or public parking? Van Zanten said it would be mostly for employees but a certain number of spots will be kept for the public in front of Buildings and Codes. Motion carried unanimously. 3. ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE LEVY OF TAXES FOR COUNTY AND STATE PURPOSES IN WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON, FOR THE YEAR 1990 PURSUANT TO HOME RULE CHARTER SECTION 6.10 Public hearing opened and closed with no comment. Warner reported that Finance recommended approval of this item. WARNER MOVED TO ADOPT THIS ORDINANCE. Motion carried unanimously. 4. ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING WHATCOM COUNTY FERRY RATES Public hearing opened and closed with no comment. Warner reported that Finance recommended approval of this item. WARNER MOVED THIS ITEM BE ADOPTED. Roehl asked about the early morning runs. Van Zanten said the added run makes very little budget impact. Motion carried unanimously. 5. ORDINANCE AMENDING EXHIBIT A OF ORDINANCE 89 -24, ESTABLISHING 1990 FEES FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT Public hearing opened and closed with no comment. Warner reported that Finance recommended approval of this item. WARNER MOVED ADOPTION OF THIS ITEM. WARNER MOVED TO AMEND PAGE 2, NUMBER 05 TO READ $5.00 NOT $6.00 DUE TO STATE RESTRICTIONS AND NUMBER 16 TO READ $.10 INSTEAD OF $.05 PER COPY FOR PHOTOCOPYING. Minutes, 11/21/89, page �{ Amendment carried unanimously. Amended motion carried unanimously. FINAL CONSIDERATION 1. ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE 1990 BUDGET Warner reported that Finance recommended approval of this item. WARNER MOVED ADOPTION OF THIS ITEM. The Finance recommendations that were made are as follows: The additional Sheriff deputy will be held off for now. Did not authorize the Treasurer going to 8 hour days at this time. Reduced the Capital constuction fund by $100,000. Reduced the Tort fund by $100,000. Deleted the Strand Road project. Finance added two provisos; 1. the Parks department would not be allowed to buy the building they are in without alerting the Council and 2. the expenditures for the five recommendations would be delayed until March 1990. There was a discussion about moving the Treasurer's staff to an eight hour day. Vanderpol stated he would rather allocate money for part -time help rather than funding a new clerk. Jackson said the extra hour of a trained person is a much better deal for the department rather than untrained part -time help in a busy time of getting the tax notices out. JACKSON MOVED TO DELETE ITEM 2 WHICH WOULD ALLOW THE TREASURER'S OFFICE GOING TO 8 HOUR DAYS. Motion carried unanimously. Burton asked if Parks will get levy interest accrued to the Park capital fund. Jackson said that $50,000 was to be restored from the timber tax money and the County will start an account that will accrue levy, interest from now on for the Parks capital fund. Hansey proposed ...that after verification by the County Executive's office that the 1990 beginning fund balance is sufficient to carry out the intentions of the above listed appropriations, the expenditures may then be reinstated by the County Council in the priority listed above. If insufficient fund balance is available to provide a $250,000 beginning fund balance the expenditure authority shall be rescinded for any or all of the above mentioned commitments in priority order. Minutes, 11/21/89, page Roehl suggested deleting Item J. Van Zanten said that if J. is deleted the other balances have to be changed. ROEHL MOVED TO AMEND SECTION J, PAGE 5, LINE 22 TO STRIKE "MARCH 1990 AT THE EARLIEST' AND INSERT "AUTHORIZED BY THE COUNTY COUNCIL" AND TO STRIKE ALL OF SECTION J ON PAGE 6 BEGIN- NING ON line 4 1/2; 2 HAS ALREADY BEEN ELIMINATED. Motion carried unanimously. There was some discussion about the Visitor and Convention Bureau allocation. Burton said he is against government subsidy to fund brochures and a kiosk; he said he thinks industry should be funding this since they reap the benefits. There was also some discussion about the Sheriffs deputies and their actual cost. Jackson said our traffic deaths have more than doubled so we do need to keep the new deputy as a top priority. Roehl agreed that this was important. Motion to adopt the amended ordinance carried unanimously. Warner thanked Van Zanten and Sutberry for all their hard work on the budget. Haney wished a happy birthday to Shirley Van Zanten. OTHER BUSINESS Hansey said that there has been a delay while the Council considered whether to contract out this position rather or hire a full -time Hearing Examiner. After some discussion, it is the consensus of the Council that this should remain a full -time position. WARNER MOVED THAT THEODORE P. HUNTER BE APPOINTED THE NEW HEARING EXAMINER. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:46 p.m. ATTEST: WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL WHATCOM COVTY, WASHINGTON Barb ra Maher. Council Clerk �� ald G.