HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial Committee of the Whole October 30 20181
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Special Committee of the Whole
October 30, 2018
CALL TO ORDER
Council Vice -Chair Todd Donovan called the meeting to order at 9:33 a.m. in the
Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
ROLL CALL
Present: Tim Ballew, Barbara Brenner, Rud Browne, Barry Buchanan, Tyler
Byrd, Todd Donovan, and Satpal Sidhu.
Absent: None.
The committee observed a moment of silence for the victims of the Pittsburgh
synagogue mass shooting.
1. 2017 -2018 WHATCOM COUNTY BUDGET COUNCIL REVIEW AND
RECOMMENDATIONS (AB2018 -305)
The following staff answered questions throughout the meeting:
• Tyler Schroeder, Deputy Executive
• Jack Louws, Executive
• Brad Bennett, Administrative Services Department
• Marianne Caldwell, Administrative Services Department
Public Defender
Starck Follis gave a staff report and answered questions. He described the request
for and benefits of the new case management system and a clerk IV full -time equivalent
(FTE) employee, the uncertain impacts of caseloads given a new Prosecutor as of January,
and a request for funding to send a lawyer to the National Defense College.
Staff and councilmembers discussed unapproved additional services requests (ASRs)
for ongoing costs being funded from another source, and a public defender in Yakima for the
inmates housed in the Yakima jail.
Prosecuting Attorney /Law Library
Kathy Walker, Prosecuting Attorney's Office, gave a staff report and answered
questions. She described the ASRs expanding a part -time FTE to full -time, increasing
caseloads in District Court, and after -hours search warrant overtime funding.
Staff and councilmembers discussed the source of the drug fund, using software to
increase efficiencies, transitioning to electronic storage of documents and recordings, the
possibility of having a universally shared data collection system for the criminal justice
system, and how to potentially cut 10 percent of the budget.
Superior Court
Special Committee of the Whole - Budget, 10/30/2018, Page 1
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2 Deborra Garrett, Superior Court Judge, submitted a handout (on file), described the
3 request for a pretrial services unit for the Superior Court, and answered questions.
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5 Staff and councilmembers discussed the delayed request for funding the pretrial
6 services unit, the possibility of fully funding the unit incrementally, future savings from a
7 pretrial services unit, services provided to pretrial defendants, the public's desire for jail
8 alternative programs, a federal program for free phones for the homeless, incarceration as a
9 risk - factor to reoffend, the ability to measure the return on investment, and the needs of
10 people with severe mental illness.
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12 Superior Court and Juvenile Court /Probation
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14 Dave Reynolds, Superior Court Administrator, described the ASRs for Superior Court
15 and spoke about the timing of the request for funding for a pretrial services unit. He
16 answered questions about offenders with charges in both District Court and Superior Court,
17 allocation of Superior Court staff duties to different funds, specific administrative expenses,
18 the structure of Whatcom County's Superior Court, and the static costs of juvenile
19 detention.
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21 Councilmembers and staff discussed Charter requirements to establish a budget in
22 which the expenses do not exceed revenue and to maintain capital facilities, and including
23 the reserves to meet the Charter requirements.
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25 Jail and Sheriff
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27 Bill Elfo, County Sheriff, described the submitted budget, performance indicators,
28 crime trends, jail use data, ASRs, and the Cascadia Rising event. He answered questions.
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30 Jeff Parks, Sheriff's Office, answered questions.
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32 Staff and councilmembers discussed increased capacity for patrol deputies,
33 particularly in the east county, if they hire additional FTEs; an unfunded request for a social
34 worker in the jail that could be funded from other funds; how expenditures from the
35 Behavioral Health fund are allocated; how patrol areas are decided upon; overtime costs;
36 body cam vendors; jail and jail alternatives costs; a deputy stationed in Newhalem; and the
37 Spellman data system.
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39 (Clerk's Note: The Committee took a break from 12:07 to 1:00 p.m. Councilmember
40 Buchanan left the meeting.)
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42 Washington State University (WSU) Cooperative Extension
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44 Schroeder referenced the memo from the Cooperative Extension and described the
45 ASRs. He answered questions about whether there are other agencies that contribute to
46 Cooperative Extension.
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48 Health
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50 Regina Delahunt, Health Department Director, referenced and read through the
51 Health Department budget memo and described the budget, revenue, expenses, upcoming
52 changes in behavioral health services and other programs, ASRs, a domestic violence
Special Committee of the Whole - Budget, 10/30/2018, Page 2
1 offender treatment program, and hiring a social worker for the jail. She answered
2 questions.
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4 Patty Proctor, Health Department, answered questions.
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6 Staff and councilmembers discussed the solid waste self - hauler excise tax, extra staff
7 for the solid waste program, the proposed domestic violence offender treatment program,
8 funding for the syringe program, unapproved ASRs for mental health and developmental
9 disabilities, reductions in mental health services, behavioral health fund, homeless housing
10 funds, the proposed Access ID program, and measuring the success of Health Department
11 programs in the jail.
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13 Public Works
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15 Jon Hutchings, Public Works Department Director, described programs funded from
16 special purpose revenues; the capital program; day -to -day operations, including regular
17 road fund maintenance; fleet management and the equipment rental and revolve (ER &R)
18 fund; ASRs; fund balances; and the need for water resource funding.
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20 Staff and councilmembers discussed frontloading expenses in the first year; concerns
21 about water resources funding; the 2020 budget; flood control zone district expenditures;
22 and the homeowner incentive program (HIP).
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24 Parks and Recreation
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26 Mike McFarlane, Parks and Recreation Department Director, described senior center
27 services, trends in park and trail use, rising costs, and ASRs. He answered questions.
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29 Christ Thomsen, Parks Operations Manager, answered questions.
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31 Staff and councilmembers discussed the source of the operating transfer in from
32 conservation futures funds, the Plantation Rifle Range, and an unapproved ASR for covered
33 storage.
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35 Planning and Development Services
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37 Mark Personius, Planning and Development Services Director, described the overall
38 budget proposal and the ASRs. He answered questions.
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40 Staff and councilmembers discussed locating the fire marshal and inspector
41 positions; the need for staff to do monitoring; cross - training staff; and funding for long -
42 term planning.
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44 (Clerk's Note: The Committee took a break from 3:15 p.m. to 3 :30 p.m.
45 Councilmembers Ballew, Donovan, and Byrd left the meeting. The quorum of members was
46 lost.)
47 Auditor, Assessor, Treasurer, and Council
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49 The Committee did not discuss these departments.
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Special Committee of the Whole - Budget, 10/30/2018, Page 3
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ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 3:30 p.m.
The Council approved these minutes on November 20, 2018.
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Dana BrowQ, -,4 ;Council Clerk
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Rud Brbwne, Council Chair
Special Committee of the Whole - Budget, 10/30/2018, Page 4