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Home My WebLink AboutFinance Mar 10 2020Whatcom County Council Finance and Administrative Services Committee COUNTY COURTHOUSE 311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105 Bellingham, WA 98225-4038 (360) 778-5010 Committee Minutes - Final Tuesday, March 10, 2020 10:30 AM Council Chambers COUNCILMEMBERS Rod Browne Tyler Byrd Kathy Kershner CLERK OF THE COUNCIL Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C. Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final Services Committee Call To Order Roll Call March 10, 2020 Committee Chair Tyler Byrd called the meeting to order at 10:33 a.m. in the Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington. Present: 2 - Rud Browne and Tyler Byrd Absent: 1 - Kathy Kershner Also present: Barry Buchanan, Ben Elenbaas, and Carol Frazey County Executive's Report Satpal Sidhu, County Executive, updated on the following, and Tyler Schroeder, Executive's Office, answered questions. The hiring of Erika Nuerenberg as the new Health Department Director The kick-off technical advisory meeting with HOK. The COVID-19 virus will make these meetings a challenge, but they are working on other ways communicate. • A site assessment needs to be done on the south parking lot for soils analysis. A budget supplemental will need to come forward. • COVID-19: Meridian Schools are closed temporarily. The message is still to plan and prepare but not to panic, and to take posted precautions The Finance quarterly report and providing more transparency The progress of work on Economic Development Investment (EDI) applications and who will have input on it • Changes to both the contract sheet and for and contract information sheet Special Presentation AB2020-103 Presentation from Heather Powell regarding Boys and Girls Club and child care operations Clerk's note: Committee Chair Byrd moved this item to after AB2020-113 2. AB2020-113 Report from Whatcom County's Finance Department Brad Bennett, Administrative Services Department, submitted and gave a quarterly report (on file). He spoke and answered questions about whether we are accounting for any decrease in sales tax or other revenue, sales tax growth due to shifting of purchases from in-store online in unincorporated areas, the anticipation of an ending fund balance of $20,000,000 at the end of 2020, anomalies in the other funds and whether the Veterans Relief Fund will be affected, whether the difference in budgeted and actual expenses in Whalcom County page I Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final March 10, 2020 Services Committee the County Road Fund is due to there being multiyear projects, the difference in budgeted and actual expenses in the Stormwater Fund, how to find the fund balances and adding it into the quarterly report, the source of revenue of the Victim Witness Assistance Fund, and what the financial impact of the COVID-19 virus might be This agenda item was REPORTED. AB2020-103 Presentation from Heather Powell regarding Boys and Girls Club and child care operations Heather Powell, Boys and Girls Club of Whatcom County CEO, submitted and gave a presentation (on file) acquisition of the Kids World business and what Boys and Girls Club has done to keep it a viable business. She answered questions about their plan for maintaining or reducing the number of subsidized slots, how they will need to make up the shortfall for 2020, finding a rent subsidy similar to the other two childcare providers in the County or purchasing property to stay viable, if a subsidized child leaves will the slot will be filled with another subsidized child, whether the amount paid for the previous owners' salaries has been figured in to calculations for being able to break even, whether the eliminated staff from Kids World were full time or part time, whether the previous owners of Kids World own the real estate they are renting, how many staff members were brought onto the Boys and Girls Club payroll, lowering the cost per service per child, why school aged children are being subsidized when there is a public school opportunity for them, whether they will be getting rid of the house at the Sunset location, whether the Kids World business was operating as a for -profit business before Boys and Girls Club acquired it, how to find a way to keep the subsidized spots available, and what the difference would be if they paid staff minimum wage which is already going up as opposed to paying according to the approved wage scale. Satpal Sidhu, County Executive, asked how much the State pays for subsidized kids and what their rate is per child. This agenda item was PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED. Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council AB2020-109 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal contract amendment between Whatcom County and Whatcom Conservation District to provide Lake Whatcom Homeowner Incentive Program assistance, in the amount of $100,000 for a total amended interlocal contract amendment amount of $316,000 Browne moved that the Interlocal be RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION. The motion carried by the following vote: Whatcom County Page 2 Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final March 10, 2020 Services Committee Aye: 2 - Browne and Byrd Nay: 0 Absent: 1 - Kershner 2. AB2020-112 Request for authorization for the County Executive to enter into an Interlocal Agreement between Whatcom County and the City of Ferndale for the Stormwater Education and Outreach Project Browne moved that the Interlocal be RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 2 - Browne and Byrd Nay: 0 Absent: 1 - Kershner Council "Consent Aunda" Items 1. AB2020-105 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Snohomish County to utilize State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) funding to sustain and enhance Division of Emergency Management programs, in the amount of $87,923 Browne moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 2 - Browne and Byrd Nay: 0 Absent: I - Kershner 2. AB2020-095 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement amendment between Whatcom County and the City of Sumas to remove Yakima County Jail and add Kittitas County Jail as a Correctional Facility utilized by Whatcom County The following people answered questions: Satpal Sidhu, County Executive Doug Chadwick, Undersheriff Wendy Jones, Sheriffs Office They answered questions and spoke about whether there were going to be any changes besides just where people are going, whether there would be Whatcom County Page 3 Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final March 10, 2020 Services Committee modifications to per diem costs, the fact that this is a contract with Sumas and not the providers, and whether the rate being charged by Kittitas is the same as the rate being charged by Yakima. Browne moved that the Interlocal be RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 2 - Browne and Byrd Nay: 0 Absent: 1 - Kershner 3. AB2020-101 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement amendment between Whatcom County and the City of Ferndale to remove Yakima County Jail and add Kittitas County Jail as a Correctional Facility utilized by Whatcom County Browne moved that the Interlocal be RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 2 - Browne and Byrd Nay: 0 Absent: 1 - Kershner 4. AB2020-102 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement amendment between Whatcom County and the City of Everson to remove Yakima County Jail and add Kittitas County Jail as a Correctional Facility utilized by Whatcom County Browne moved that the Interlocal be RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 2 - Browne and Byrd Nay: 0 Absent: 1 - Kershner Other Business Adjournment There was no other business. The meeting adjourned at 12:06 p.m. "Batton: County Page 4 Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final Services Committee ATTP1111 °o a Dana B`roI7Dvi-uncil Clr7c Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Transcription Whatcom County Page 5 March 10, 2020 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL WHATCOM COUNTY, WA &rd, Committee Chair