HomeMy WebLinkAboutres2020-032Whatcom County COUNTY COURTHOUSE
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' Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
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Agenda Bill Master Report
File Number: AB2020-334
File ID:
AB2020-334 Version: 1
Status: Substitute Amended
and Approved
File Created:
07/28/2020 Entered by: DBrown@co.whatcom.wa.us
Department:
Council Office File Type: Resolution
Assigned to:
Council Committee of the Whole
Final Action: 08/05/2020
Agenda Date:
08/05/2020
Enactment #: RES 2020-032
Primary Contact Email: DBrown@co.whatcom.wa.us
TITLE FOR AGENDA ITEM:
Resolution establishing County Council budget goals and guidelines
SUMMARY STATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE:
Resolution establishing County Council budget goals and guidelines
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE FILE
Date: Acting Body: Action: Sent To:
08/05/2020 Council Committee of the Whole FORWARDED TO COUNCIL
WITHOUT A
RECOMMENDATION
Aye: 6 Browne, Buchanan, Byrd, Donovan, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 1 Elenbaas
Absent: 0
08/05/2020 Council SUBSTITUTE AMENDED
AND APPROVED
Aye: 5 Browne, Buchanan, Donovan, Frazey, and Elenbaas
Nay: 2 Byrd, and Kershner
Absent: 0
Whatcom County Page 1 Printed on 81612020
Agenda Bill Master Report Continued (AB2020-334)
Attachments: Resolution, Resolution, Substitute for 8.5.2020.pdf, Browne's Proposed Changes 8.5.2020.docx
Whatcom County Page 2 Printed on 81612020
I PROPOSED BY: BYRD, FRAZEY
2 INTRODUCED: AUGUST 5, 2020
3
4 RESOLUTION NO. 2020-032
5
6 ESTABLISHING COUNTY COUNCIL
7 BUDGET GOALS AND GUIDELINES
8
9 WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant hardship to our local
10 community, which in turn has led to substantial unemployment; and
11
12 WHEREAS, the County Council would like to mitigate the severity of the economic,
13 health, and social impacts to our community; and
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15 WHEREAS, Section 1.51 of the Whatcom County Charter states the County Council
16 shall engage in long-term planning to establish organizational structure, priorities, and
17 performance measurements; and
18
19 WHEREAS, Section 2.20 of the Whatcom County Charter gives the County Council the
20 power to levy taxes, appropriate revenue, and adopt the county biennial budget, supplemental
21 budgets, and emergency budgets; and
22
23 WHEREAS, the County Council believes establishing clear goals and guidelines will
24 help the Council to better work together, strearnline decision making, improve
25 communication, and increase the positive impacts of our decisions; and
26
27 WHEREAS, the County Council would like to support the Administration and County
28 staff by providing additional clarity and guidance related to our decision; and
29
30 WHEREAS, the County Council sees an opportunity to improve our collaboration with
31 outside organizations, municipalities, vendors, and community.
32
33 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Whatcom County Council establishes
34 the following as -goals for the purposes of budget, policy, and planning decisions:
35
36 1. Prepare a biennial budget for 2021-22 which includes a supplemental reflecting a
37 decrease in revenue of 10% and plans for a possible reduction of 20%.
38 2. Identify policies and processes to encourage a balanced and affordable housing
39 market, with Monthly Sales Inventory (MSI) between five and seven months and
40 vacancy rate.
41 3. Focus county government expenditures in ways which reduce county unemployment
42 rate.
43 4. Preserve and expand programs which will increase the number of students ready to
44 enter kindergarten.
45 5. Invest in upstream prevention and interventions, in areas such as incarceration and
46 racial disparity, in lieu of costly remediation strategies.
47 6. Strive to maintain service and staffing levels while recognizing the constraints of the
48 current fiscal crisis.
49
50 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Whatcom County Council establishes the
51 following guidelines to help us identify priorities and make decisions related to the County's
52 budget, planning, and policies:
53
54 1. Children and families first.
55 2. Spend money efficiently and effectively.
56 3. Prioritize deferred maintenance projects based on the level of importance.
57 4. Prioritize projects which leverage third party grant funding.
58 5. Invest in digital infrastructure.
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6. Retain expertise within staffing.
7. Ensure transparency in decisions, information, and data.
8. Prioritize environmentally sustainable solutions.
9. Prioritize funding to address up stream issues that ultimately reduce costs to the
community.
10. Be open to new ideas and consider creative approaches and solutions.
11. Prioritize cost sharing and collaboration with other jurisdictions.
12, Work within our authority.
13. Prioritize projects or initiatives working with Whatcom County businesses and
agriculture.
14. Reduce unnecessary redundancies within county.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council budget goals noted above support the
County Executive's overarching 2021-2022 budget goals as approved through Resolution
2020-026.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Executive's overarching goals and
supporting County Council goals are outlined in Attachment A to this resolution.
N1111/1`®
APPROVED this' ii/., day of August — 2020.
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
ATST: P WHATCOM COUNTY, W SHINGTON
. w
Dana' �,rownDavis, Clerk of the Council Ba ry u hanan, Council Chair
APPROVED;AS.,TO FORM °Q
Approved by Karen Frakes via email / LB
Civil Deputy Prosecutor
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ATTACHMENT A
2
3
1.
Executive Overarching Goal as approved through Resolution 2020-026):
4
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Prioritize available funding for the benefit of children and families,
6
7
Council Suppportinq Goals:
8
9
Preserve and expand programs which will increase the number of students ready
10
to enter kindergarten.
11
12
Invest in upstream prevention and interventions, in areas such as incarceration
13
and racial disparity, in lieu of costly remediation strategies,
14
15
2.
Executive Overarching Goal las approved through Resolution 2020-026).
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Take prudent steps to safeguard the long-term financial stability of County
18
finances.
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Council Supporting Goals:
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Prepare a biennial budget for 2021-22 which includes a supplemental reflecting a
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decrease in revenue of 10% and plans for a possible reduction of 20%.
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25
Strive to maintain service and staffing levels while recognizing the constraints of
26
the current fiscal crisis.
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3.
Executive Overarching Goal (as approved through Resolution 2020-026):
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Maintain a reasonable level of service to provide the best possible services to our
31
constituents by maintaining County workforce teams.
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Council Supporting Goal:
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Strive to maintain service and staffing levels while recognizing the constraints of
36
the current fiscal crisis.
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4.
Executive Overarching Goal (as approved through Resolution 2020-026h.
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Maintain County assets and seek opportunities to improve operational efficiencies
41
of overall County operations.
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Council Supporting Goals:
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Prepare a biennial budget for 2021-22 which includes a supplemental reflecting a
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decrease in revenue of 1.0% and plans for a possible reduction of 20%.
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Strive to maintain service and staffing levels while recognizing the constraints of
49
the current fiscal crisis.
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5.
Executive Overarching Goal (as approved through Resolution 2020-026
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Continue to support the Regional Economic Partnership (ADO office) Economic
54
Development programs to keep Whatcom County Working.
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Council Sup.porting Goal:
57
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I Focus county government expenditures in ways which reduce county
2 unemployment.
3
4 6. Executive Overarching Goal (as approved_th_rough Resolution 2020-02
5
6 Continue Countywide initiatives to improve Housing Affordability, Wetlands
7 Mitigation, strategy, and Climate Mitigation.
8
9 Council Supporting Goal:
10
11 Identify policies and processes to encourage a balanced and affordable housing
12 market, with Monthly Sales Inventory (MSI) between five and seven months and
13 vacancy rate between five to seven percent.
14
15 7. Executive Overarching Goal (as approved through Resolution 2020-026)
16
17 Prepare an addendum for General Fund, and other funds reliant on General Fund
18 transfers, that include a prioritized targeted list of cost reduction proposals
19 totaling 10% and plans for a possible reduction of 20% of the unrestricted
20 revenue.
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22 Council Supporting Goal:
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24 Prepare a biennial budget for 2021-22 which includes a supplemental reflecting a
25 decrease in revenue of 10% and plans for a possible reduction of 20%.
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