HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance July 5 1988WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
FINANCE COMMITTEE
July 5, 1988
Meeting was called to order by Committee Chairman Dan Warner
at 3:05 P.M. with Council members Hansey and Vanderpol present.
ORDINANCE TQ REV REYISE EEES FOR C N S H
AMENDING WHATCOM COUNTY CODE SECTION 5,5,2.05
Undersheriff Doug Gill said the change in fees -- from $10
to $40 for one year, $6 to $24 for six months and $2 to $15 for
30 days -- will help cover costs of issuing permits. Non - profit
organizations are exempt, he said.
VANDERPOL MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO FULL COUNCIL.
Motion carried unanimously.
ORDINANCE AMENDING AN 8 -6
WHAICOM COUNIX LQCAL-AND A M R ME S
I A T UCTU NT INCLUDING ROAD
INaTALLATION WITHIN THE AREA KNOWN AS CORDATA BUaINF.0 PARK,
B7, AMENDING SECTION 9
County Executive Shirley Van Zanten said the amendment moves
a date from October 31 to October 1. This ordinance will have a
public hearing on July 7•
HANSEY MOVED RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO FULL COUNCIL.
Motion carried unanimously.
AMENDING QRPINANCE H C SECTION
PURPOSE 0 S N G THE FEE SCHEDULE FOR 9j0LIP WASTE
WHAICOM COUNIT SOLID WASTE.SITES
Public Works Director Paul Rushing recommended the ordinance
remain in committee for 60 to 90 days while the method of finding
a new solid waste facility location is studied. Committee members
agreed to keep the ordinance in committee until Rushing brings it
forth.
ORDINANCE TO REVISE THE 88 NON- EP R NT 0 0
W,I_jH.I,R THE CURRENT EXPENSE FUND
Van Zanten said the revision would cover $15,862 in expenses
incurred by Nor -Bell Care Center, including: Fines recently
imposed by the state Department of Social and Health Services
(amounting to $12,200) that are not reimbursable by rates charged
to patients; payout of vacation and comp time to former Director
Dorothy Durand, who has resigned; and the overlapping costs of
hiring of replacement Director Terry Unger.
Finance Minutes, 7/5/88
Page 2
Payment of the fine was due 10 days ago, she said, but the
County is withholding the money while negotiating with the state
for a reduction.
VANDERPOL MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO FULL COUNCIL.
Motion carried unanimously.
ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING E OF.EXCESS CASRIN CERJAIH..FUND�
TO BENEFIT THE SANE
Budget Director Tom Sutberry added two funds to those listed
in the proposed ordinance: Solid Waste Reserve Fund No. 40110
and RID Guarantee Fund No. 70150.
The ordinance would require interest money from designated
funds to build their own reserves. In most cases, interest from
funds would go toward fattening Current Expense.
HANSEY MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO FULL COUNCIL.
Motion carried unanimously.
ORDINANCE TO RV E. H 8 CQUNTY SUPPLY 0
The revision would cover increased costs of mailing and
purchasing through the Supply Department, due to fewer
departments buying items directly from vendors. Money would act
as a revolving fund, covering Supply's costs until reimbursement
is received from other County departments.
VANDERPOL MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO FULL COUNCIL.
Motion carried unanimously.
BID AWARD RECOMMENDA110N FOR THE RECONSIRUCTIQN
TO THE LOW BIDDER, WILDER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY,. FOR $6330.494
INCLUDING TAXES
The project will cost more than budgeted because the Council
authorized extending it to include the portion of West Pole Road
from Aldrich to Northwest Road, Van Zanten said. The additional
costs will be covered with money left over from the Nooksack
River Bridge and Lakeway Drive projects.
HANSEY MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO FULL COUNCIL.
Motion carried unanimously.
Finance Minutes, 7/5/88
Page 3
INIIIAIING RESOLUTION IN IHE MATTER QE THE 0 ESTABLISHL4EN
OF 6 AND AWARD-OF CONTRACT 0 H E RECQNSIRUCIION
POLE ,ROAD
Included in above recommendation for approval of bid award.
139-924, 1
HANSEY MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO FULL COUNCIL.
Motion carried unanimously.
REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION TO SIGN A , CONTRACT WITH Iii ,HATCO.M
COUNSELIN9 AND PSYGRIAIRIC LI 0 A (INMOLUNTARY
ACT_). SERVICES FOR $9,5j520
Substance Abuse Director Peggy Motes Ball said it would be
in the County's best interest to completely contract for these
services, rather than have County staff involved in them. She
said the Mental Health Board and Sheriff's Department had spent
many months fine - tuning the proposed change.
VANDERPOL MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO FULL COUNCIL.
Motion carried unanimously.
The contract would be retroactive to January 1 of this year.
The hang -up in negotiations was the payment for medical
insurance, Van Zanten said. The County agreed to pay percentage
wage increases each year in lieu of step increases, she added.
Harold Raymond, personnel director, said he was satisfied
with results of negotiations.
VANDERPOL MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO FULL COUNCIL.
Motion carried unanimously.
Warner asked Rushing if it would be feasible to contract
ferry services out to a private company. Rushing replied that
Pierce County, one of four counties with their own ferry systems,
contracts with the Alaska Ferry System and is pleased with the
service. He said his staff is investigating that possibility and
hopes to have an answer prior to budget time.
Finance Minutes, 7/5/88
Page 4
COVENANTS O PROPERTIES S ff.WHAJCQM.CDUNTY
(Item was moved up from last part of agenda)
A Supreme Court decision states that when a County
forecloses upon property and then resells it, the new owner is
not obligated to pay association fees or dues normally imposed on
property owners in certain areas, Sudden Valley attorney Phil
Serka said. This creates a problem for the Sudden Valley
Association, which relies on such fees to pay for road upkeep,
for example.
Serka said the Council could stipulate that all properties
it forecloses upon and then sells are obligated to pay the
appropriate fees and dues.
Hansey asked that this item be added to the July 7 full
Council agenda.
HANSEY MOVED TO- RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO FULL COUNCIL.
Motion carried unanimously.
RESQI,UTION FOR HEARING AN12 NOTICE !2F HEARINQ QN.THE
CQUNTY TAX T11LE PHOEERTY (S.UDDEN YALLEX, I
THE MINIMUM PRICE OF.. $94.6.65 PLUS COSI„S
HANSEY MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO FULL COUNCIL.
Motion carried unanimously.
RESOLUTION .M OF t5UBMITTING TO THE.VOIEBS A ERQPOSAL
TO FUND AN EMERGENCY TELEPHONE SYSTEM
The telephone tax already in place expires this year. Under
state law it must be approved by the voters every six years, Van
Zanten said. What -Comm officials would like this to appear on
the general election ballot in November, she said.
VANDERPOL MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO FULL COUNCIL.
Motion carried unanimously.
RE AU H N ADD- A POSITIQN. SOLID MANAGERs
IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPA,EIMENT, DIVISION OF ENGINEERING
Position would be paid in range 23, and would include the
duties now performed on a part -time basis by Assistant County
Engineer Bob Jurica. The job would be offered in -house and
advertised, Rushing said.
Finance Minutes, 7/5/88
Page 5
VANDERPOL MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO FULL COUNCIL.
Motion carried unanimously.
RESOLUTION-IN TH OF, SUBMITTING TO THE., O R
TO AUTHORIZE AN _ EXCESS LEVY -FOR ONE -TIME REPAIR AND MAI_NIE.N NCE
IMPROVEMENTS FOR EACILITIEa AND EQU PM H COUNI
PARK AND RECREAIION DEPARTMENT
(This item was added to the agenda, resolution language was
distributed to Committee members by Van Zanten)
Total amount being requested in the one -time levy would be
$2.5 million. Van Zanten suggested that Committee and full
Council closely examine the ballot title wording; it is crucial
that it accurately and clearly explain the issue, she said. Some
word changes were discussed. Sutberry noted that any changes to
the ballot title would have to be reviewed by Prosecuting
Attorney.
HANSEY MOVED THE RESOLUTION BE SUBMITTED TO THE FULL COUNCIL
FOR INTRODUCTION JULY 7 AND ACTION JULY 21.
Motion carried unanimously.
REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZAIJON O JOIN IJASHINGTON COUNTIES-RISK
FOR THE PURPOSE QF PROVIDINQ LIAB1LITX. INSURANCE
Van Zanten said the Council could act on this request by
July 21 and still be accepted into the program.
Hansey suggested this item be a topic for the July 14
Committee of the Whole meeting, along with discussion of the Lake
Whatcom Watershed study.
REQUEST FROM BEL_ LINGHAM- WHATCOM COUNTY HEALTH j2laTRICT FQ,
ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO COVER UN,ANTICCI,PATEA.ATTORNEY EXPENSES
The district's board requests the city pay $1,700 and the
County pay $5,700. Warner and Hansey said the Health District
should pay for the extra costs from its ending fund balance. Van
Zanten said the governing board should not have authorized the
expenditure of money it didn't have. Hansey said the board did
not authorize the extra expenditure before it happened.
If the city pays its portion of the request and the County
does not, Health Officer Dr. Phillip Jones told Warner the matter
would be turned over to an arbitrator. Van Zanten disagreed,
saying the arbitrator is only called upon to decide matters
relating to annual appropriations.
Finance Minutes, 7/5/88
Page 6
HANSEY MOVED THAT THE REQUEST REMAIN IN COMMITTEE
INDEFINITELY.
Motion carried unanimously.
DISCUSSION OF SK:A.G 0 Y E UES OR FUNDS TO.SJUDY THE
DINOSEB
No information received. Warner said it could be discussed
at a later date.
Meeting was adjourned at 4:30 P.M.
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
FINANCE COMMITTEE,
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
� i
/vJiL c1�� �
Daniel M. Warner, Chairman
ATTEST:
Ramona Reeves
Clerk of the Council