HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial Committee of the Whole AM June 28 20161
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Special Committee of the Whole
June 28, 2016
CALL TO ORDER
Council Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 9:34 a.m. in the Council
Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
ROLL CALL
Present: Barbara Brenner, Ken Mann, Satpal Sidhu, Carl Weimer, Todd
Donovan, Rud Browne and Barry Buchanan.
Absent: None.
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION
1, DISCUSSION OF COUNCIL PRIORITIES FOR THE 2017 -2018 BIENNIAL
BUDGET CYCLE (AB2016 -198)
Councilmembers discussed priorities for public safety and economic development.
Sidhu stated create a line item for an economic development initiative that goes
beyond developing infrastructure.
Brenner stated private and nonprofit organizations should do economic development,
not the County. The County should assist business, not get in the way of businesses.
Browne stated he agrees with Councilmember Sidhu. Government should be
involved in economic development with community partners and to do recruitment.
Mann stated develop community partnerships, particularly the Nurse Family
Partnership, to prioritize early intervention. He moved to increase the Nurse Family
Partnership budget to the full amount, about $200,000.
The motion was seconded.
Donovan stated they need to have a discussion on the revenue needed to pay for the
programs they want to fund.
Mann withdrew his motion so they can discuss the process for creating new budget
priorities.
Councilmembers discussed eliminating the Parks Department, making changes to the
Economic Development Investment (EDI) program, the need to review the budget history
over the last ten years to see if there are any programs they don't need anymore, creating
a more targeted list of cuts instead of an across - the -board cut.
Special Committee of the Whole - AM, 6/28/2016, Page 1
1 Browne moved to identify areas of interest to each councilmember, discuss them,
2 and provide some degree of prioritization to the Executive.
3
4 The motion was seconded.
5
6 The councilmembers discussed the potential processes they need to agree to in order
7 to move forward.
8
9 The motion carried by the following vote:
10 Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (7)
11 Nays: None (0)
12
13 Weimer moved that a priority of the Council is to ask the administration to bring
14 forward a budget that includes an increase for water programs in an amount between
15 $500,000 to $1 million.
16
17 The motion was seconded.
18
19 Councilmembers discussed the water programs that need funding, including the flood
20 fund, increasing national pollution discharge elimination system (NPDES) costs, Lake
21 Whatcom water quality, groundwater costs, out -of- stream user study, low impact
22 development outreach and reforming the process for all the different organizations that are
23 working on water issues.
24
25 The motion to amend carried by the following vote:
26 Ayes: Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (6)
27 Nays: None (0)
28 Abstains: Brenner (1)
29
30 Jack Louws, County Executive, stated it's not in the best interest of the County to
31 propose a tax for water issues, given all the other needs across the organization at this
32 time.
33
34 Donovan moved to make it a priority to take the one percent tax increase this year.
35
36 The motion was seconded.
37
38 The councilmembers discussed water issues as public health and safety issues and
39 educating the public about how they would spend increased revenue on public health and
40 safety.
41
42 Sidhu suggested a friendly amendment to have the increased property tax as an
43 option in the budgeting process.
44
45 Donovan did not accept the friendly amendment.
46
47 The motion to amend carried by the following vote:
48 Ayes: Buchanan, Weimer, Mann and Donovan (4)
49 Nays: Sidhu, Brenner and Browne (3)
50
51 Weimer moved that any money freed up if the EMS levy passes is used to support
52 facilities or programs that come from the recommendations from the Incarceration
53 Prevention and Reduction Task Force.
Special Committee of the Whole - AM, 6/28/2016, Page 2
1
2 The motion was seconded.
3
4 Louws stated items two and three in his budget priorities are similar to the motion.
5
6 The councilmembers discussed how to best spend any general fund money that
7 becomes available if the EMS levy passes, including providing services to the jail and an
8 extra deputy, and capital infrastructure for public safety needs.
9
10 Louws stated public safety refers to using the money for the old and /or new jail.
11 Capital infrastructure would include the repairs to the courthouse and other County
12 buildings. He has no plans to use this money to bond at this time. The County needs to
13 bond for the new jail first.
14
15 Weimer withdrew his motion.
16
17 Browne moved to consider that extra general fund money resulting from an
18 approved EMS levy be spent on items outlined in budget priority three as opposed to capital
19 infrastructure needs, plus, "... and incarceration, and improve outcomes for disadvantaged;
20 infants and children." Allow the money to be applied to early intervention efforts, which
21 would save money in the long -term.
22
23 The motion was seconded.
24
25 The councilmembers discussed how this priority relates to the EMS levy funds and
26 reducing project costs at the jail.
27
28 Sidhu suggested a friendly amendment to combine the administration's priorities two
29 and three.
30
31 Browne amended his motion to amend the budget priorities, if an EMS levy
32 passes, "2. Continue the commitment to fund Emergency Medical Services (EMS) through
33 2017 -2018 at the current level of service if an EMS levy should pass in 2016, prioritize the
34 supplanted cash to c .frastFuft ffe -an+d public safety needs. 3 Support the work of
35 the Incarceration Prevention... to reduce recidivism and incarceration and improve outcomes
36 for disadvantaged infants and children."
37
38 The Councilmembers discussed focusing on jail related issues and using funds to pay
39 for capital infrastructure problems with the jail.
40
41 Browne withdrew his motion to allow the Council to think more about this.
42
43 Weimer moved to amend the budget priorities, °2. Continue the commitment to
44 fund Emergency Medical Services (EMS) through 2017 -2018 at the current level of service if
45 an EMS levy should pass in 2016, prioritize the supplanted cash to capital infrastructure aad
46 pub4tc—safety-- eeeds. -3-. In -Ssupport of the work of the Incarceration Prevention...."
47
48 The motion was seconded.
49
50 Mann suggested a friendly amendment, "2. Continue the commitment to fund
51 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) through 2017 -2018 at the current level of service if an
52 EMS levy should pass in 2016, prioritize the supplanted cash to capital infrastructure aad
Special Committee of the Whole - AM, 6/28/2016, Page 3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
pab�Hc safety needs. for public safety needs in support of the work of the
Incarceration Prevention...."
Weimer accepted the friendly amendment.
The motion to amend carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (7)
Nays: None (0)
Buchanan stated this item is held in committee for two weeks.
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
AD30U RN
The meeting adjourned at 11:09 a.m.
The Council app3•nved these minutes on November 22, 2016.
A iI STS +` ° " "•/ �`: WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
. {� =
A. WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
r
t M li -
Dada Brown Dpyis, Council Clerk Barr uchanan, Council Chair
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
Special Committee of the Whole - AM, 6/28/2016, Page 4