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Home My WebLink AboutFinance January 4 1988WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE January 4, 1988 The meeting was called to order by Committee Chair Warner at 3 :00 p.m. with Hansey present. Roehl arrived at 3:12 p.m. Also present were Shirley Van Zanten, Executive; Tom Sutberry, Budget Director; Bob Jurica, Engineering; Barbara Cory, Treasurer; Jon Ostlund, Public Defender; Marvin Vanderpol; Ken Pyeatt; and Neil Clement, KGMI. RESOLUTION TO SELL PROPERTY ACQUIRED BY COUNTY ON TAX FORECLOSURE (SUDDEN VALLEY AND EMERALD LAKE LOTS) There was discussion about the resolution. HANSEY MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. The motion carried. ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 3.32 OF THE WHATCOM COUNTY CODE REGARDING SALES AND USE TAXES, TO ELIMINATE CERTAIN PROVISIONS AND REPEAL ORDINANCE 83 -2Q There was discussion about the ordinance. HANSEY MOVED TO RECOMMEND ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE. The motion carried. REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION TO SIGN A SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM COUNTY AND JEFF BROWN FOR PLANNING AND COORDINATION OF SOLID WASTE REDUCTION AND RECYCLING ACTIVITIES REQUESI FOR AU H RIZATION TO SIGN A SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEE N WHATCOM COUNTY AND BELLINGHAM COMMUNITY RECYCLING FOR SOLID WASTE REDUCTION AND RECYCLING ACTIVITIES Shirley Van Zanten and Bob Jurica explained the agreements, and discussion followed. Jurica requested the addition of a provision regarding production of a household hazardous waste management brochure to one of the contracts. HANSEY MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE AGREEMENTS WITH THE REQUESTED ADDITION. The motion carried. January 4, 1988 Page 2 LUMMI ISLAND FERRY PASSES Ken Pyeatt, 2578 Lane Spit, Lummi Island, discussed a problem resulting from a requirement that a quarterly pass sticker be attached to a vehicle. He explained that he was in the used car business and needed to be able to move different vehicles on and off the Island. The Committee requested the administration to investigate and suggest a solution to this problem. DISCUSSION OF A SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET FOR THE PURPOSE OF HIRING A DEPUTY PUBLIC DEFENDER FOR NINE MONTHS Tom Sutberry distributed information about the cost of hiring a nine -month Public Defender, and the cost - effectiveness of hiring such a employee versus continuing to contract with temporary hourly employees was discussed. Jon Ostlund stated he believed that hiring a nine -month employee would be more cost - effective in terms of the work accomplished. Another issue discussed was the possibility of the County refusing to fund dependency cases for which the State should be paying, and the impact such a move would have on the Public Defender's Office. Ostlund stated that his workload would significantly decrease if no new dependency cases were accepted. ROEHL MOVED TO RECOMMEND FUNDING A FULL -TIME TEMPORARY PUBLIC DEFENDER AT $15 /HOUR ON A SERVICE CONTRACT BASIS FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THE YEAR. The motion carried. The Committee also directed that the Council's attorney be asked to draft an ordinance for immediate introduction stating that no more County funds will be spent on dependency cases, effective February 1, 1988. The meeting was recessed at 4:00 p.m., and reconvened at 4 :05 p.m. ROAD DEPARTMENT BUDGET TRANSFER REPORT Van Zanten distributed copies of a budget transfer request from the Road Department in the amount of $108,000.00. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT RFP Van Zanten distributed copies of the RFP which had been developed by her staff. January 4, 1988 Page 3 PROPOSAL TO COMBINE POSITIONS IN THE SUPERIOR COURT Van Zanten distributed a memo outlining a proposal to combine the Clerk of Superior Court and Court Administrator into one position for a trial period of one year. After some discussion, the Committee agreed that the full Council and the affected County employees should meet to discuss the proposal. The Committee decided to ask the Council Chair to schedule a Committee of the Whole meeting on this subject for Monday, January 11, at 4:30 p.m. RESCHEDULING OF NEXT FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING The next Finance Committee meeting was rescheduled for Wednesday, January 20, at 3:00 p.m., due to the January 18 holiday and schedule conflicts on January 19. The meeting Was adjourned at 4 :25 p.m. WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON o -4w-' Daniel M. Warner, Chair Finance Committee ATTEST: > > Carol Ebergson Clerk of the Counc 1 Courthouse, ' Bellingham, Washington 98225 COUNTY EXECUTIVE SHIRLEY VAN ZANTEN MEMO TO: Finance Committee FROM: Tom SutberryBudget Director DATE: January 4, 1988 SUBJECT: Public Defender's Additional Service Request The Public Defender has requested and you are considering, the addition of a deputy to that office. At range 16, entry level the annual salary for an additional deputy is $22,488, with the associated fringe benefits totaling $5,698. This annualized figure is equivalent to $2,349 per month for the addition of a deputy to the office in 1988, not including any necessary office equipment and supplies. . 6,4t� r 1983 -1987 CASE COUNT STATISTICS Whatcom County Public Defender PROBATION MISDE- JUVE- MH/ FELONY PAROLE MEANOR NILE ALCOHOL 1983 388 179 742 246 109 1984 434 269 875 328 78 1985 422 281 962 376 97 1986 500 256 1,166 438 76 1987, 1 2W -1,2-64' 4,78 8.91- 2--79 1331 412- 8'9 APPEALS/ OTHERS TOTALS * 1,664 * 1,984 10 2,148 16 2,452 1-119- 12-f � 2? 2--700 AVERAGE AVERAGE NO. X ANNUAL NO. NEW NEW CASES/ INCREASE CASES /M0. ATTORNEY /YR. - 139 5 @ 333 ea. 8.4% 165 5 @ 397 ea, 6 @ 331 ea. * ** 9.2% 179 6 @ 358 ea. 8.8% 204 6 @ 409 ea. 41-3-11Y.- 2-2 -& 6—Q 449--". Al--1140 2z< (Q 0-,4Sb , *Not compiled until 1985. 10.1 61,, u'��.�}�nrniartinn 1. .i nn etatiatira tl,r is ivy ** *Sixth attorney hired 10/15/84. C) PROPOSED SCOPE OF WORK FOR FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT RFP FOR WHATCOM COUNTY Whatcom County, operating under a'charter form of government, w -4� l ke -moo request5proposa.1s from any interested and qualified parties to conduct an operational audit on its financial management systems. The four primary offices to be reviewed include the Executive office, the Auditor's office, the Treasurer's office and the Public: Works Accounting office, each of which has significant responsibilities in financial management. In particular, we would request that each office be reviewed for its financial management responsibilities , and identify why these functions are carried out, how they are carried out and identify what opportunities for improvement there are. Alternative suggestions for improvements and recommendations for action should then be identified. Specifically, the operational audit should review and make recommendations regarding the policies, procedures and organizational structure for the following systems: 1. Budgeting 2. Accounts Receivable /Cash Receipts 3. Accounts Payable /Cash Disbursements a. Payroll b. Purchasing C. Interfund Transactions 4. Cash Management 5. Debt Financing 6. Fixed Asset Accounting 7. Management Tnformat: ion Systems /Reporting The County would assume that no more than 500 manhours of consulting work will be required to complete this review. The qualified consultant will have proven experience with Washington county governments, with a thorough understanding of the structure and function of the same, and will be fully cognizant of the theory and practice o-P modern financial management techniques and governmental accounting. It is currently planned that this study will be completed by December 31, 1987. WHATCOM COUNTY TRANSFER REQUEST FORM TO: County Executive FROM: BRAD BENNETT FISCAL MANAGER fip Name, Title PUBLIC WORKS Department SUBJECT: Budget Transfer Request The following budget.transfer is requested: ACCOUNT NUMBER FROM: DATE: DESCRIPTION �' A _'.k (fc 12/21/87 10804 -541 Road and Street Const. 10806-543-10 Road and Street Management 10816 - 543 -40 Road and Street Planning 10809 - 543 -60 Miscellaneous /Training TO: 10807-543-20 Undistributed Engineering 10808-543-30 General Services 10808 - 543- 30 -93 -01 Interfund Dist. County Supply AMOUNT 22,000.00 5,000.00 75,000.00 6,000.00 108,000.00 75,000.00 30,000.00 3,000.00 108,000.00 _---- - - - - -- EXPLANATION: To provide for more work than anticipated in Road and Street Administration basesub 543 and to distribute costs as they were incurred within 543. Money budgeted in Planning was actually spent in Undistributed Engineering and General Services. It Shirley Van Zanten, Wiatcom County Executive, do hereby authorize the above - listed transfer(s) within the named fund and budget(s). -- 12 - 2 Z -gT- Sh rley Van Zanten, Date County Executive DATE POSTED: BY: TRNFORM.687 I lf (3) Household Hazardous Waste Brochure: This 3 -color brochure will outline the problems and solutions regarding the disposal of hazardous waste in the home. The brochure will contain a house- hold hazardous waste chart which will identify the various types of waste and advise the correct disposal method. The brochures will be distributed in conjunction with the county recycling brochures. Research /Development $720.00 Artwork /Layout 250.00 Typesetting 80.00 Printing 580.00 Extra Printing 580.00 (if an additional 5,000 brochures are needed) %..-- 2,210.00 (4) RecycTrn—g- e: A county -wide phone to provide local recycling information. Set -up (staff time) $ 72.00 Phone 80.00 Answering Machine 175.00 Connection 100.00 Phoneline (City) 270.00 Phoneline (County) 1;920.00 Staffing _ 864.00 3,498.00 (With county line, $1,561 without) (5) Recycling Poster: 300 copies. 14' by 17" posters. Attractive graphic.and text promoting rec•yc•lfiig and the hotline phone number. To be distributed at varlons postfiig spot,, thruught) tit the county. Development $ 216.00 Artwork /Layout 200.00 Typeset 35.00 Printing 135.00 Distribution 276.00 862.00 (6) Public Service Announcements: Develop four taped public service announcements which will target a variety of listening audiences. The PSA's will promote recycling and the hotline number. Development $ 346.00 Recording 100.00 Materials 48.00 distribution _20.00 514.00 -2-