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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCounty Council for February 17 1983WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL Minutes February 17, 1983 The Whatcom County Council meeting was called to order on Thursday, February 17, 1983 at 7 :35 p.m. by Chair Cole with all members present except Hawley. The minutes of the February 3, 1983 meeting were approved as presented. OPEN SESSION Bob Gilda, 1577 Landon, Bellingham, spoke regarding the speed limit on East Bakerview Road. He submitted photos of the road. Letters were also received from Toni and Larry Clark and Mr, and Mrs. Art E. Gaasland. A public hearing will be held on this matter March 3, 1983. Robert Frost, 5602 Guide Meridian, spoke regarding the unemployment in the County. He submitted a letter regarding this matter. Wilson Byer, 141 E. Laurel, spoke regarding the variance procedure for Rural Farm designation. Ken Fox, consultant in Energy and Heat related problems, spoke regarding the features of the Olivine burner. He stated it is a feasible and practical way to dispose of Solid Waste. Paul Shissler, 717 E. North Street, consultant for Olivine Corporation, stated Olivine has looked into all necessary permits and has developed a recycling procedure. Richard Siverson, 1760 Robertson Road, Bellingham, a 15 year Steam Engineer at W.W.S.U., suggested the buildings in the Civic Area could be heated through-the burning of solid waste. Frank Imhoff, 3246 Goshen Road, spoke in favor of the Olivine Solid Waste proposal. Martin Passmore, 910 Donovan, spoke regarding Bellingham Recycling Volunteer Groups. Bill Sterling, 1010 - 34th Street, spoke regarding neighborhood recycling. Whatcom County Cc ccil Minutes February 17, 1983 page two Don Starr, 3575 McGee, Blaine, spoke against the closure of the Birch Bay - Lynden Road Dump until the Solid Waste pro- blem is solved. Ronald Krieg, Blaine, spoke regarding the solid waste issue. EXECUTIVE ITEMS Executive Louws presented the following two bid awards: 1) Demolition of an Exhibition building at the Northwest Washington Fair to go to Vellema Construction in the amount of $4,530.00 2) Construction of a new Exhibition building at the Northwest Washington Fair to go to Huizenga Construc- tion in the amount of $370,086.61. Hansey reported the Finance Committee recommended acceptance of the two bids. Hansey so moved to accept the two bids as pre- sented. Motion passed. Consideration was held of the Humane Society Contract. Hansey moved to authorize the Executive to enter into the agree- ment. The contract amount is the same as 1982, $91,800.00. Johnson made comment to a particular instance of picking up dog on an emergency call. Hansey moved to amend the contract on page eight, item L. DURATION., to insert the commencement date of January 1, 1983 and the termination date of December 31, 1983. Motion to amend passed. Motion to approve the contract as amended passed. Liquor License. Roehl moved to approve the liquor license, class F for Hawthorne's, Inc. of Point Roberts, Washington. Roehl reported the Law and Justice Committee recommended approval. Motion passed. Executive Louws gave a disaster status report. He will report on the prioritization of projects at the next meeting. UVARTMr -P Hearing was declared open on the Ordinance adopting a 1983 Budget for the Public Works Department, 1982 Road Construction Fund. Ron Krieg, Blaine, questioned if the money could be used for matching funds. Colleen Bates, Fiscal Manager, stated the County will receive three Federal dollars for every County dollar. Whatcom County C acil Minutes February 17, 1983 page three No further testimony was received and the hearing was closed. Hansey moved the ordinance for final passage. He reported the Finance Committee recommended adoption. Motion to adopt the ordinance passed on a 5 -0 vote (Hawley abstained, Muenscher out). Hearing was declared open on the Ordinance adopting 1983 Budget for the Sewer Construction Fund. No testimony was received and the hearing was closed. Roehl reported the Finance Committee recommended "do pass" of the ordinance. Roehl so moved the ordinance for final passage. Motion passed on a 5 -1 vote (Hawley voting "no ", Hansey abstained). Hearing was declared open in the matter of declaring vehicles surplus. No testimony was received and the hearing was closed. Hansey moved to declare the vehicles surplus and authorize the Executive to proceed with the sale of same. The vehicles are a 1972 Harley Davidson, 1A34517H2, and a 1974 Harley Davidson, 2A46611H4. Motion passed. Hearing was declared open in the matter of the abandonment of a portion of Skookum Creek Road. No testimony was received and the hearing was closed. Van Zanten moved to abandon said portion of Skookum Creek Road. Motion passed. The Hearing regarding the Board of Equalization matter is scheduled to be held under Other Business. FINAL CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS Hansey moved to consider items 7 and 8 under other Business, those being Solid Waste and the Birch Bay - Lynden Road Dump. Motion passed. Birch Bay - Lynden Road Dump. Discussion was held regarding the closure of said dump. Bert Brainard, Health Department, stated the site is to be closed March 31, 1983. Van Zanten suggested a motion be passed requesting the administration to expedite setting up a transfer station. Roehl so moved to request the administration to cause the establishment of a transfer station as soon as possible and to request health board to allow the dump to remain open until the transfer facility is available for use in the Birch Bay - Lynden Road area. Motion passed. Whatcom County Co :il Minutes February 17, 1983 page four Solid Waste. Hawley moved that the Council request the Special Committee on Transportation and Solid Waste to come back by March 3, 1983 with a recommendation on which proposal should be accepted. The main point in question is the bonding ability of TRC and Olivine. Motion passed with Van Zanten abstaining. FINAL CONSIDERATION Hansey moved for final passage the Ordinance amending Ordinance No. 82 -64 in the matter of revising the Alcoholism Revolving Fund. Hansey reported the Finance Committee recom- mended "do pass" of the ordinance with two amendments as follows: 1) lines 12 and 13 strike "the first paragraph of Ordinance No. 82 -64 be amended to more accurately reflect the uses of the fund as follows:" and insert "Ordinance No. 82 -64 be amended by adding the following 2) line 14 strike "WHEREAS," and insert "BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED" Hansey so moved to amend the ordinance per the Finance Committee recommendation. Motion passed. Motion to adopt the ordinance as amended passed unanimously. Hansey moved for final passage the Ordinance adopting a supplemental budget for the Referendum 37 Construction Fund 1983 budget. Hansey reported the Finance Committee recommended "do pass" of the ordinance. The revision in the amount of $56,414.00 is to fund projects related to SUN and the WORKSHOP. Motion to adopt the ordinance passed unanimously. The Ordinance amending Section 8.12.030 of the Whatcom County Subdivision Regulations was held in the Planning and Development Committee. Johnson moved for final passage the Ordinance amending Section 8.44 of the Whatcom County Subdivision Regulations for the purpose of expediting short subdivision variance requests. Johnson reported the Planning and Development Committee recommended "do pass" of the ordinance. Motion passed unanimously. Whatcom County C Zcil Minutes February 17, 1983 page five OTHER BUSINESS Hearing was declared open in the matter of the membership and operations of the Board of Equalization. The following testimony was received: Sue Guthrie -She felt this was not a proper 238 No. Forest hearing. Spoke to her suggested Marie Eaton Cheryl Clayton Deming Richard Siverson Mary Ellen O'Kieff Laura Smith 2320 Williams Joyce Baumann Member of Board Lloyd Halladay removal from the board. - Questioned whether or not Guthrie breached confidentiality or not. - Inappropriate to dismiss Guthrie unless she has broke the law. - landowner on Lummi Indian Reser- vacation. He received no con- sideration from the Board when meeting with them. - Internal disagreement among the board. Council should look into how the board has been functioning. - Retain Guthrie. submitted a letter from Linda Allen, which the Chair read into the record. -Spoke on behalf of the remaining board members. State the main problem is the way Guthrie handles the petitioners who come before the board. -Spoke regarding assessments No further testimony was received and the hearing was closed. Hansey moved to remove Sue Guthrie from here position on the Board of Equalization per R.C.W. 84.48.026. Hawley and Roehl both felt the problem with the board was a difficulty of personalities. Roehl suggested the Prosecuting Attorney's office spend time with the board discussing its procedures and operations. Cole also spoke against Hansey's motion. Hansey motion failed. Whatcom County Cc -Zcil Minutes February 17, 1983 page six Nominations were open to the Open Space Advisory Board. Mr. Irwin Noteboom had been nominated by Van Zanten at the Council meeting of February 3, 1983. Roehl moved to close the nominations and appoint Noteboom. Motion passed and Noteboom was so appointed. Nominations were open to the Museum Board. Johnson moved to nominate Ellen Vaughn and close nominations and so appoint Vaughn. Motion passed an?d Vaughn was so appointed. The appointment to the Board of Equalization was before the Council. Those nominated at the February 3, 1983 meeting include Betty Grothe, Bob Bruce, Bob Bengen, Linda Zander, Katherine Ling, John Burton, and Tula Trames. A roll call vote was taken with 3 - Grothe, 2 - Bruce, 1 - Bengen, 1 - Zander, none for Ling and Burton. Hansey moved to vote only on the top two, Grothe and Bruce. A roll call vote was again taken with six votes for Grothe and one for Bruce. Grothe was so appointed. Appointments were also made to the Lake Whatcom Advisory Committee. Nat Dickinson, Grants Coordinator, brought to the attention of the Council that an existing agreement between the City and County which states that the City shall appoint the representative from the 4th.Ward. However, the County ordinance provides for the County to appoint the representative. Correspondence was received from Mayor Hertz recommending that Mr. James Wilson be appointed to represent the 4th Ward area. In addition he stated Mr. Jack Garner would be representing the City Administration. Roehl so moved to re -open the nominations and insert the name of Jim Wilson and close the nominations. Motion passed. The following were appointed to the Lake Whatcom Advisory Committee: North Shore ----------------- - - - - -- Robert N. Moore Geneva --------------------- - - - - -- Bill Clement Sudden Valley -------------- - - - - -- Philip E. Sharpe, Jr. South Bay ------------------ - - - - -- Rita Foley Fourth Ward ----------------- • - - - -- Jim Wilson Private Forest Rep. -------- - - - - -- Ted Deer Middle Fork /Nooksack ------- - - - - -- Jeffrey Margolis Whatcom County Cc. _icil Minutes February 17, 1983 page seven Nominations were open to the Public Defense Advisory Committee. Hansey moved to nominate Roehl to.the Committee. Johnson moved.to close the nominations and so appoint Roehl. Motion passed. Open Space applications were received from Ellis Massey and Betty Ann Moberg. They were referred to the Planning Commission. Petition requesting speed limit change on Kline Road, filed by residents of that area was received and referred to the Law and Justice Committee. INTRODUCTION OF RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES Roehl moved to add the following to the end of the agenda: 1) Ordinance setting forth rules and regulations for the installation of mobile homes on building sites, establishing an administrative procedure for the issuance of permits and providing for inspection thereof. 2) Petition for Sumas Drainage Improvement District Motion passed. Hansey introduced and moved for final passage the reso- lution calling for bid proposals to be submitted by qualified legal newspapers to serve as the official County newspaper for the period of July 1, 1983 through June 30, 1984. Motion passed. Hansey introduced and moved for final passage the reso- lution in the matter of adjusting the Whatcom County Tax Rolls. Motion passed. The following were referred to the Finance Committee: 1) Ordinance establishing the Real Estate Excise Tax Capital Improvement Fund 2) Ordinance establishing a budget for the Real Estate Excise Tax Capital Improvement Fund 3) Ordinance authorizing a revised budget for the Alcoholism Program Fund Whatcom County Council Minutes February 17, 1983 page eight The following were referred to the Planning and Development Committee: 1) Ordinance in the matter of amending the definition of the term "Front Yard" set forth in the Whatcom County Interim Zoning Ordinance, Section 8.24.840 and in the new County Zoning Ordinance, Title 20, Section 20.97.450 2) Ordinance setting forth rules and regulations for the installation of mobile homes on building sites, establishing an administrative procedure for the issuance of permits andproviding for inspection thereof The matter of the petition requesting Sumas Drainage Improvement District was before the Council. Roehl reported the petition was received by Council and sent on to the Boundary Review Board. The Board declined to take action on the matter because they did not know what the Council's intent was. Ed Henken reviewed the matter and submitted a suggested form letter to be sent to the Boundary Review Board. Roehl moved to have the Chair send a similar letter to the Boundary Review Board and resubmit the petition. Motion passed. Hansey reported that the administration has no intention of removing the barricade on South Beach Way. Hansey moved to have the Chair send a letter to the Executive to reiterate the request of the Council of January 7, 1983 to remove the barricade. Motion passed. Roehl introduced and moved for final passage a resolu- tion in the matter of the passing of Bob Partlow. Motion passed. Meeting adjourned at 11 :24 p.m.