HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance October 22 2019Whatcom County
Council Finance and Administrative Services Committee
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste 4105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360)778-5010
Committee Minutes - Final
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
11 AM
Council Chambers
COUNCILMEMBERS
Tyler Byrd
Carol Frazey
Satpal Sidhu
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C.
Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final October 22, 2019
Services Committee
Call To Order
Roll Call
Committee Chair, Satpal Sidhu called the meeting to order at 11:00 am in the
Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
Present: 3 - Tyler Byrd, Carol Frazey and Satpal Sidhu
Absent: None
Also Present: Barry Buchanan, Todd Donovan, Barbara Brenner, and Rud Browne
County Executive's Report
Jack Louws, County Executive, reported on the following items:
Whatcom County Library's 75th anniversary
Proposed budget changes for next year and the budget biennial schedule
Special Presentation
1. AB2019-434 Presentation from the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center
Moonwater, Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center (WDRC) Executive Director,
submitted and gave a presentation (on file). She spoke about the work, history,
strategic plan, community impact, and financial overview of the Dispute Resolution
Center, and summarized the scope of their services including conflict intervention and
prevention. She answered questions about how the resolution center is working with
the issue of homelessness, how fees for services are determined and charged to
clients, how the center is partnering with the United Way, and where the WDRC
community trainings are held.
This agenda item was PRESENTED.
Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council
1. AB2019-520 Request Council approval of the Criminal Justice Treatment Account (CJTA) Plan
Update 2019-2020
Jackie Mitchell, Health Department, described the Criminal Justice Treatment Accent
(CJTA) Plan and answered questions about the process for determining how to use
the funds, how this plan differes from a similar plan last year including no funding for
outpatient treatment and the Health Department's recommendation that whatever
unused funds exist at the end of a quarter would be used to support and pay for
medications for the new medication -assisted treatment program in the jail, and how
Whatcom County Page I
Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final October 22, 2019
Services Committee
many people have been served in the rental assistance, jail assessments, and
residential treatment programs this year.
Byrd moved that the Agreement be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey and Sidhu
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
AB2019-512 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement
between Whatcom County and the Whatcom Conservation District to develop a
water use efficiency program for agricultural water users, in the amount of $20,000
(Council acting as the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Board of
Supervisors)
The following people answered questions:
Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, answered questions and reported about
how many people will be served by the program, assessing what kind of irrigation is
being used and how it can be improved, addressing concerns that switching irrigation
methods would lead to a relinquishment of water rights, using the funds to create an
assessement and outreach program to farmers, whether this went formally to the
Planning Unit, working with the Ag Water Board of Whatcom County or other entity
to set up a water bank, the role of target partners in designing and implementing the
plan, how the plan and partners for this program differ from the proposed water use
efficiency program for domestic and municipal water users, the timeline for getting
both of the plans back, and whether the plan will be implemented by the Whatcom
Conservation District or the Council.
Aneka Sweeney, Whatcom Conservation District, answered questions about the
other partners participating in the proposed water use efficiency program for domestic
and municipal water users, and what funding mechanism will be used to fund rebate
programs.
Frazey moved that the Contract (WCFCZDBS) be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey and Sidhu
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
3. AB2019-513 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement
between Whatcom County and the Whatcom Conservation District to develop a
water use efficiency program for domestic and municipal water users, in the amount of
Wbateonn County Page 2
Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final October 22, 2019
Services Committee
$14,250 (Council acting as the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Board
of Supervisors)
The following people spoke and answered questions:
Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department
Aneka Sweeney, Whatcom Conservation District
Tyler Schroeder, Executive's Office
Councilmembers and the aforementioned speakers discussed whether the scope of
work went through the Planning Unit, what water users are included in the Whatcom
Water Alliance, and getting input from well owners, non-public associations, and
other organizations that are not part of the alliance.
Byrd moved that the Contract (WCFCZDBS) be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey and Sidhu
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
4. AB2019-522 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into Amendment No. 2 of the
Herrera Environmental Consultants Contract for Services to support Lower
Nooksack River Floodplain Integrated Planning (Council acting as the Whatcom
County Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors)
Byrd moved that the Contract (WCFCZDBS) be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey and Sidhu
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
5. AB2019-508 Ordinance amending the 2019 Whatcom County Budget, request no. 13, in the
amount of $375,570
Jack Louws, County Executive, answered questions about the requested amount to
fund the Housing Affordable Impact fee Loan program, when it was originally
approved, what the money is being used for, and how the program loans are
managed. He stated the Economic Development Investment (EDI) Board is going to
meet in November and the request will be to add another $500,000 into the program
for next year and also establish that when the money is getting paid back to the
County the principal amount would be kept in the loan fund to be used again.
Frazey moved that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Whatcom County Page 3
Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final October 22, 2019
Services Committee
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey and Sidhu
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
6. AB2019-534 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an Interlocal Agreement
between Whatcom County and the Washington State Office of Financial
Management, in an amount not to exceed $60,000, for the purposes of expanding
outreach in our community for the 2020 Census
Jack Louws, County Executive, answered questions about using other modes of
communication such as social media and non-English speaking groups to reach more
people and get them involved in the 2020 census as opposed to just using the radio
for outreach.
Byrd moved that the Interlocal be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey and Sidhu
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
Council "Consent Agenda" Items
1. AB2019-515 Resolution ordering the cancellation of unclaimed checks more than two years old for
Whatcom County Jail Inmate Trust Fund prior to June 30, 2017
Tyler Schroeder, Executive's Office, answered questions about making a person's
criminal involvement public by listing inmates online.
Byrd moved that the Resolution be RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey and Sidhu
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
2. AB2019-516 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between
Whatcom County and Whatcom Family & Community Network to provide youth
prevention programs designed to reduce risk for substance use and poor mental
health, in the amount of $65,000
Frazey moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Whatcom County Page 4
Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final October 22, 2019
Services Committee
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey and Sidhu
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
3. AB2019-526 Resolution in the matter of the sale of surplus personal property and the setting of a
date for a public hearing theron pursuant to WCC 1.10
Byrd moved that the Resolution be RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey and Sidhu
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
4. AB2019-527 Resolution in the matter of the sale of surplus real property (building only) and setting
a date for a public hearing theron, pursuant to WCC 1.10
Christ Thomsen, Parks Department, answered questions about what will happen to
the house in question at Silver Lake, whether a notice can be added to the County's
Facebook page, whether the lot is owned by the County, and whether the house has
to be removed from the property.
Byrd moved that the Resolution be RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey and Sidhu
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
5. AB2019-523 Request authorization for the County Executive to accept Sun Life Stop Loss Policy
renewal for insurance protection for the self -insured medical program for 2020
Frazey moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey and Sidhu
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
Other Business
There was no other business.
Whatcom County Page 5
Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final
Services Committee
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 12:16 p.m.
ATTEST:
pana I3r6W9-t3J ui ,, uncil G"lerk
� Q _
Lsti Felbinger, Minutes Transcription
SIGNED COPY ON FILE
Wharcom County Page 6
October 22, 2019
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Satpal Sidh , Committee Chair