HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance Committee December 14 1987WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
FINANCE COMMITTEE
December 14, 1987
The meeting was called to order by Committee Chair Warner at
3:05 p.m. with all committee members present. Also present were
Shirley Van Zanten, County Executive; Tom Sutberry, Budget
Director; Larry Mount, Sheriff; Barbara Cory, Treasurer; Kathy
Walker and Mac Setter, Prosecuting Attorney's Office; Jon
Ostlund, Public Defender; Carl Allen, Developmental Disabilities;
Randy Watts, Council Attorney; Harold Raymond, Personnel; and
Neil Clement, KGMI.
ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH THE WHATCOM COUNTY DRUG TASK FORCE FUND, A
RELATED REVOLVING ACCOUNT AND THE 1988 APPROPRIATION THEREFOR
Shirley Van Zanten and Larry Mount reviewed the ordinance,
and discussed it with the Committee.
HANSEY MOVED TO RECOMMEND ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE.
The motion carried.
DISCUSSION TO CLARIFY EXEMPT SALARIES FOR THE UNDERSHERIFF, CHIEF
CRIMINAL DEPUTY AND THE CHIEF CORRECTIONS OFFICER
Van Zanten explained the problems involved in transferring
the salaries from the Sheriffs' salary grid back to the "inside"
workers salary grid, due to the fact that the current salaries
were higher than the top step on that grid, yet the "inside"
workers were scheduled to get not only a 2% cost -of- living
increase but a 1.9% step increase if they were at the top step.
She also explained, however, that if there had been any "inside"
employees whose salaries were already above the top step on the
new grid, their salaries would have been frozen and they would
not have received the additional 1.9 %. The Council needed to
decide how to administer the salaries for the three individuals,
and whether they should get the additional 1.9% increase.
ROEHL MOVED THAT THE THREE EMPLOYEES RECEIVE A 2% SALARY
INCREASE ONLY, REMAIN ON THE SAME SALARY GRID AS THEIR ASSOCIATED
BARGAINING UNITS, AND THAT IF THE ASSOCIATED BARGAINING UNITS
ADOPT A STEP RAISE PLAN WHICH ADDS AN ADDITIONAL TOP STEP TO
THEIR SALARY PLAN THE EMPLOYEES BE AWARDED THAT STEP RETROACTIVE
TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE IN THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, BUT
NO EARLIER THAN JANUARY 1, 1988.
The motion carried.
Van Zanten said that her office would prepare an amendment
to the exempt salary resolution to implement the motion.
December 14, 1987
Page 2
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE DEFENSE OF WHATCOM COUNTY EMPLOYEES
FOR ACTIONS WHICH OCCUR WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THEIR EMPLOYMENT
Council Attorney Randy Watts discussed the resolution with
the Committee.
HANSEY MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION WITH
THE ADDITION OF LANGUAGE INCLUDING COVERAGE FOR MEMBERS OF COUNTY
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
The motion carried.
Hansey also requested that Watts look into the current
status of the Boundary Review Board, in light of the State
Legislature's actions to reduce its responsibilities.
REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF BIDDERS' LIST FOR THE SUPPLY OF MINERAL
AGGREGATES DURING 1988 FROM INDIVIDUAL VENDORS IN EXCESS OF
$10,000
HANSEY MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE LIST.
The motion carried.
REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION TO EXTEND EXISTING SIX -MONTH CONTRACTS
(AWARDED MAY 21, 1987) FOR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES SERVICES,
FOR 18 MONTHS WITH EACH OF THE FOLLOWING AGENCIES: EARLY
LEARNING CENTER AT WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, CHILD
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES; CURRENT INDUSTRIES, GROUP - SUPPORTED
EMPLOYMENT; NORTHWEST INDUSTRIES, CURRENT INDUSTRIES AND VANGUARD
NORTHWEST, SPECIAL INDUSTRIES (SHELTERED WORKSHOPS); KULSHAN
VOCATIONAL SERVICES, INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYMENT; PIONEER RIDGE,
COMMUNITY INTEGRATION SERVICES WITH LOCAL FOCUS; AND SENIOR DROP -
IN CENTER, SENIOR CITIZEN SERVICES
Van Zanten distributed information on the dollar amounts of
the contracts, and requested the addition to the list of a
contract with Specialized Transportation. Van Zanten and Carl
Allen of Developmental Disabilities discussed the contracts with
the Committee.
ROEHL MOVED TO RECOMMEND THE EXTENSION OF THE CONTRACTS FOR
18 MONTHS, INCLUDING THE CONTRACT WITH SPECIALIZED
TRANSPORTATION.
The motion carried.
December 14, 1987
Page 3
EMERGENCY ORDINANCE TO REVISE THE 1987 CURRENT EXPENSE FUND,
PUBLIC DEFENDER'S BUDGET THEREIN
A letter from Jon Ostlund explaining the need for the
additional funds was distributed, and discussion followed.
ROEHL MOVED TO RECOMMEND ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE.
The motion carried.
DISCUSSION OF STAFFING AND FUNDING LEVELS AND PROPOSALS TO REDUCE
WORKLOADS IN PROSECUTING ATTORNEY'S AND PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICES
There was a lengthy discussion which included: The
advisability of hiring another Public Defender for 9 months only;
the issue of deferred prosecution from the Public Defender's and
Prosecuting Attorney's viewpoints; the potential for
decriminalization of certain offenses (Kathy Walker stated that
the Prosecutor's Office was working on an ordinance to
decriminalize approximately 14 offenses); and the possibility of
forcing the State to fund dependency cases (Mac Setter stated
that the Prosecutor's Office was studying this issue).
REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM
COUNTY AND DENISE G. BRENNAN, LAUGHLAN H. CLARK, RICHARD A BAUM,
MICHAEL D. WALKER, MARK A. BOYSON, MICHAEL B. BOBBINK AND
PATRICIA WOODALL FOR PERFORMING ALL GUARDIAN AD LITEM DUTIES IN
THE JUVENILE DIVISION OF THE WHATCOM SUPERIOR COURT
Van Zanten reviewed the contract, and stated that if there
were no dependency cases referred the contractors would receive
no pay.
ROEHL MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE CONTRACT.
The motion carried.
REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHATCOM
COUNTY AND EDWIN SIMMERS, RICHARD A. BAUM, MICHAEL D. WALKER,
JOHN J. KAMRAR, MATTHEW S. ELICH AND MICHAEL B. BOBBINK FOR
CONFLICT CASES IN SUPERIOR COURT. JUVENILE DEPARTMENT OF SUPERIOR
COURT AND DISTRICT COUR
There was discussion about the contract.
ROEHL MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE CONTRACT.
The motion carried.
December 14, 1987
Page 4
DISCUSSION OF PAYMENT OF AN OUTSTANDING DEBT TO THE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
Van Zanten requested that this item be deferred until the
next Finance Committee meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 p.m.
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
,J
Daniel M. Warner, Chair
Finance Committee
ATTEST:
Clerk of the Council