Public Works Feb 25 2020Whatcom County
Council Public Works & Health Committee
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360)778-5010
Committee Minutes - Final
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
1PM
Council Chambers
COUNCILMEMBERS
Todd Donovan
Carol Frazey
Kathy Kershner
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C.
Council Public Works & Health Committee Minutes - Final February 25, 2020
Committee
Call To Order
Roll Call
Committee Chair Carol Frazey called the meeting to order at 1 p.m. in the
Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
Present: 3 - Carol Frazey, Todd Donovan and Kathy Kershner
Absent: None
Also present: Rud Browne, Barry Buchanan, and Ben Elenbaas
Special Briefing from the Health Department Concerning Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The following Health Department Staff gave an update on the Coronavirus
(COVID-19):
• John Wolpers
• Mark Raaka
• Cindy Hollinsworth
They briefed the Councilmembers and answered questions about recently
updated guidance documents from the Center of Disease Control (CDC)
which include travel advisory updates for a couple of different countries and
how to prepare for a potential pandemic. The Health department has a
pandemic response plan that was used for the 2009 HIN1 outbreak which
they are in process of updating. They are working with other agencies and
looking at internal staffing capacity for expanded response needs.
They answered questions about coordination between agencies at the local
level and who is taking direction from the CDC on potential
non -pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) such as social distancing to slow
down transmission, and how local government is being proactive and
providing guidelines to agencies and the community.
Kershner requested that the Health Department come up with guidelines
that can be shared with the public.
Discussion continued about educating the public on preventative and
emergency preparedness measures, what authority the Health Department
has for instructing pharmacies to accelerate a person's next prescription to
ensure that they have an adequate supply on hand in the event of a pandemic
situation, and what the treatment protocol looks like now or how it might
look if there is an outbreak.
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Council Public Works & Health Committee Minutes - Final February 25, 2020
Committee
Special Presentation
1.
2.
AB2020-096 Presentation regarding pipeline safety
Carl Weimer, Pipeline Safety Trust Executive Director, submitted and read
from a presentation (on file). He highlighted the measures that local
governments can take to lower pipeline incidents. He answered questions
about whether Washington State has unregulated lines; how the Pipeline
Safety Trust is funded and whether they offer grants to young engineers to
help fund new inspection tools; how many of the significant pipeline
incidents in Washington State within the last decade were due to human
error as opposed to negligence; whether it's common for local governments
that their first responders are prepared with gear to respond to an incident,
whether they are trained to use the gear, and whether there are grants to pay
for it; whether the regulations passed a decade ago which require people to
call before excavation and to communicate with pipeline companies before
adding developments have been effective; whether there are recommended
buffers between pipelines and development; and whether there is leaking in
the distribution pipelines in Bellingham.
This agenda item was PRESENTED.
AB2020-097 Update on the Lummi Island ferry
The following Lummi Island Ferry Advisory Committee (LIFAC) members
submitted and read from a presentation (on file):
Rhayma Blake
Patricia Dunn
They highlighted the possibilities of funding the 30 million dollar project.
The LIFAC recommendations are:
1. Maximize CRAB (County Road Administration Board) grant
2. Apply FHWA Ferry Grant to new ferry
3. Create a Capital Fare Surcharge
4. Create Ferry District and enact limited -time tax
Roland Middleton, Public Works Department, stated Public Works is in
support of the LIFAC's recommendations and also recommends the
formation of a work group with membership including two representatives
from the Lummi Island Ferry Advisory Committee (Patricia Dunn and
Rhayma Blake), two representatives from the Public Works Department
(Jon Hutchings and Randy Rydell), Tyler Schroeder from the Executive's
Office, and two representatives from the Council (Todd Donovan and Ben
Elenbaas). He answered questions about funding sources and the timeline
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Council Public Works & Health Committee Minutes - Final February 25, 2020
Committee
for the steps needed to get the necessary funds; when a ferry district would
need to be formed and how it would need to be formed depending on
whether it's a countywide district or a limited area district; and whether the
Lummi Nation has agreed with putting in a larger dock.
Cassandra Durkin, KPFF Consulting Engineers representative, answered
questions about how they determined a projected 56 percent increase in
ferry ridership.
Middleton continued answering questions about how much a mile -long road
between ferry docks would cost; how to get the county residents on board
with supporting a countywide ferry district; whether Birch Bay Watershed
and Aquatic Resources Management (BBWARM) contributes to funding;
and what the differences would be between this proposal and other project
funding mechanisms.
Kershner moved to forward to the full Council the Public Works
Department's recommendation to establish a work group with membership
as described by Roland Middleton.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Donovan, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
Councilmembers and the presenters discussed whether the time frame
should be to set up a ferry district and then figure out a funding mechanism
later or set up a district and a funding mechanism at the same time, and
looking at other options for the funding mechanism instead of a countywide
ferry district.
Jon Hutchings, Public Works Department Director, wrapped up the
discussion by stating he looks forward to working with the Council to find a
solution.
This agenda item was PRESENTED AND A MOTION WAS APPROVED.
Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council
1. AB2020-094 Resolution amending the membership of the Homeless Strategies Workgroup
Committee chair Frazey gave a background on the group and an update on
the suggested membership changes.
Kershner moved that the Resolution be RECOMMENDED FOR
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Council Public Works & Health Committee Minutes - Final February 25, 2020
Committee
APPROVAL by the full Council.
Cathy Halka, Legislative Analyst, answered questions about adding a
representative of the developmental disability population and added
clarification on the purpose of the group which is to respond to the
immediate need for shelter as opposed to long term housing needs which
are covered by the Whatcom County Housing Advisory Committee. She
also stated that the law enforcement representation will change to two
members.
Kershner's motion that the Resolution be RECOMMENDED FOR
APPROVAL carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 -
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
Other Business
Adjournment
Frazey, Donovan and Kershner
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 2:41 p.m.
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Car Frazey, 6mmittee Chair