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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance Jul 21 2020Whatcom County Council Finance and Administrative Services Committee COUNTY COURTHOUSE 311 Grand Avenue, Ste 9105 Bellingham, WA 98225-4038 (360) 778-5010 • • Committee Minutes - Final VIRTUAL MEETING - ENDS NO LATER THAN 12:30 P.M. Tuesday, July 21, 2020 11 AM Council Chambers COUNCILMEMBERS Rud Browne Tyler Byrd Kathy Kershner CLERK OF THE COUNCIL Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C. Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final July 21, 2020 Services Committee Call To Order Roll Call Committee Chair Tyler Byrd called the meeting to order at 11:02 a.m. in a virtual meeting. Present: 3 - Rud Browne, Tyler Byrd and Kathy Kershner Absent: None Also present: Barry Buchanan, Carol Frazey, Ben Elenbaas, and Todd Donovan Announcement Satpal Sidhu, County Executive, stated he would give Executive reports in Council meetings instead of in this committee. Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council 1. AB2020-276 Ordinance amending the 2020 Whatcom County Budget, request no. 14, in the amount of $1,810,500 Browne moved that the Ordinance be recommended for adoption. The following people reported and answered questions: • Brad Bennett, Administrative Services Department • Kathleen Roy, Health Department • Anne Deacon, Health Department They answered questions about the $120 from the Emergency Solutions Grant - COVID-19, whether it is in addition to what has been allocated to the City of Bellingham for the Motel 6 isolation facility, how they define the specialized shelters on which this money will be focused, and whether this needs to be spent this year. Browne's motion that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION carried by the following vote: Aye: 3 - Browne, Byrd and Kershner Nay: 0 Absent: 0 2. AB2020-277 Ordinance establishing the Silver Beach Creek Fund and establishing a project based budget for the Silver Beach Creek Stormwater Improvements Fund Whateom County Page I Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final July 21, 2020 Services Committee Kershner moved that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 3 - Browne, Byrd and Kershner Nay: 0 Absent: 0 3. AB2020-290 Request permission for the County Council to authorize the County Executive to award Bid 420-24 and execute a construction contract with the low bidder, Williamson Construction, for the Twinview Levee Improvement Project in the amount of $60,814.25 including all taxes (Council acting as the Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors) Browne moved that the Contract (FCZDBS) be recommended for authorization. Paula Harris, Public Works Department, briefed the Councilmembers and answered a question about how much work will be done for this amount of money. Browne's motion that the Contract (FCZDBS) be RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION carried by the following vote: Aye: 3 - Browne, Byrd and Kershner Nay: 0 Absent: 0 4. AB2020-298 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and the Cities of Blaine, Everson, Ferndale, Nooksack, Lynden and Sumas for the purposes of supporting a coordinated use of the local CARES Act federal dollars and cost sharing related to the COVID-19 health crisis Browne moved that the Interlocal be recommended for authorization. Councilmembers discussed the item and the amount allocated for the digital infrastructure category. Browne moved to amend the Interlocal to increase the amount for digital infrastructure for schools from $500,000 to $1.5 million with the understanding that if they do get the USDA grant the amount can be reduced later on. Councilmembers discussed where the money should be taken from. Satpal Sidhu, County Executive, spoke about what is being approved with Whatcom County Page 2 Council Finance and administrative Committee Minutes - Final July 21, 2020 Services Committee this agenda item. This is only for the money that the County received. He would like to know what category in this document should be cut. Councilmembers, Sidhu and Brad Bennett, Administrative Services Department, discussed the motion, where money should be cut and what they have to work with, whether the interlocal has already been agreed upon, what the money for digital infrastructure would be used for and whether the County has coordinated with the school districts, what schools are doing with their own budgets and whether that has been figured in, whether there is a plan for how school is going to start in the fall, whether details are worked out for how the money would be used, whether they are going to do an interlocal with the City of Bellingham, and whether the amount of un-allocated money can be changed later. Sidhu spoke about the timing of the grant. Councilmembers and Sidhu continued to discuss the motion to amend the Interlocal, whether schools will even be able to reopen by the end of October when this money needs to be spent, what the schools will contribute from their own budgets, whether the interlocal would need to be changed if the dollar amounts are amended, what the schools plan to use the money for, the fact that business assistance applications are already in process based on the allocation in the memo, whether the additional allocation for digital infrastructure should be taken from the business allocation, and how the CARES Act money figures in to what the schools have said that they need. Anne Deacon, Health Department, answered a question about the behavioral health contracts with the school districts and whether that money could be used for other purposes. Browne amended and restated his motion to reallocate $1 million from business grants to the digital infrastructure on the understanding that if the USDA grant comes through the money can be reallocated back to the business sector. Councilmembers and Sidhu continued to discuss the motion and the fact that schools have their own funding sources. Deacon answered how the behavioral services will be impacted if students are not back at school and whether money contracted with RE Sources for educational outreach in schools could be re -allocated. Whatcom County Page 3 Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final July 21, 2020 Services Committee Browne moved to call the question. The motion to call the question carried by the following vote: Aye: 3 - Browne, Byrd, and Kershner Nay: 0 Cathy Halka, Council Office, restated the motion to amend the Interlocal to change the funding for schools from $500,000 to $1.5 million, getting the additional from business grants with the understanding that if additional grant funding comes the business funding can be allocated. The motion to amend failed by the following vote: Aye: 1 - Browne Nay: 2 - Byrd and Kershner Browne moved to amend the Interlocal to add $500 funding to schools to bring the total allocation to $1 million. Kershner suggested a friendly amendment to add the unallocated amount of $391,500 to schools instead of $500,000. Browne accepted the friendly amendment. The motion to amend carried by the following vote: Aye: 3 - Kershner, Browne, and Byrd Nay: 0 Councilmembers continued to discuss the specifics of the allocations. Sidhu and Karen Frakes, Prosecuting Attorney's Office, answered questions about the addendum to the Interlocal and keeping flexibility for how the money is spent. Councilmembers discussed whether the agenda item should be referred to Council for further discussion without a recommendation. Browne moved to forward the item to the Council without a recommendation with the proposed amendment and ask for more detail about what the individual categories are being spent on. Whalcom County Page 4 Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final July 21, 2020 Services Committee The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 3 - Browne, Byrd, and Kershner Nay: 0 Browne's motion that the Interlocal be FORWARDED TO COUNCIL WITHOUT A RECOMMENDATION WITH A PROPOSED AMENDMENT carried by the following vote: Aye: 3 - Browne, Byrd and Kershner Nay: 0 Absent: 0 Council "Consent Aeenda" Items 1. AB2020-211 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and Nooksack Valley School District to provide behavioral health services, in the amount of $120,000 Browne moved that the Interlocal be recommended for authorization. Anne Deacon, Health Department, answered questions about whether these funds have to be spent in the school or can be spent on mental health in general, whether anyone has looked at these contracts in light of the current situation and made any recommendations for any changes, whether they should be shortened to one-year contracts and not renewed automatically, and getting reports submitted by the school districts for tonight. Councilmembers and staff discussed how long this program has been funded, whether the funding source is changing, whether funding could be used to backfill the shortage for the 32-bed crisis stabilization facility, and whether there is a timeline in which the Interlocal needs to be signed. Kershner moved that the Interlocal be HELD IN COMMITTEE. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 2 - Byrd and Kershner Nay: 1 - Browne Absent: 0 Councilmembers discussed and a motion was approved 2-1, with Browne opposed, that the next six agenda items be Held in Committee. See motion and votes on individual items below. 2. AB2020-220 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and Lynden School District to provide behavioral health services, in the amount of $111,000 Whatcom County Page 5 Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final July 21, 2020 Services Committee Kershner moved that the Interlocal be HELD IN COMMITTEE. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 2 - Byrd and Kershner Nay: 1 - Browne Absent: 0 3. AB2020-231 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and Blaine School District to provide behavioral health services, in the amount of $131,400 Kershner moved that the Interlocal be HELD IN COMMITTEE. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 2 - Byrd and Kershner Nay: 1 - Browne Absent: 0 4. AB2020-235 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and Meridian School District to provide behavioral health services, in the amount of $108,000 Kershner moved that the Interlocal be HELD IN COMMITTEE. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 2 - Byrd and Kershner Nay: 1 - Browne Absent: 0 5. AB2020-236 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and Ferndale School District to provide behavioral health services, in the amount of $120,000 Kershner moved that the Interlocal be HELD IN COMMITTEE. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 2 - Byrd and Kershner Nay: 1 - Browne Absent: 0 6. AB2020-237 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and Bellingham School District #501 to provide behavioral health services, in the amount of $138,000 Whatcom County page 6 Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final July 21, 2020 Services Committee Kershner moved that the Interlocal be HELD IN COMMITTEE. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 2 - Byrd and Kershner Nay: 1 - Browne Absent: 0 7. AB2020-244 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and Mount Baker School District to provide behavioral health services, in the amount of $108,000 Kershner moved that the Interlocal be HELD IN COMMITTEE. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 2 - Byrd and Kershner Nay: 1 - Browne Absent: 0 Dana Brown -Davis, Clerk of the Council, answered a question about forwarding the remaining items without a discussion and recommendation from the Committee. A motion was approved 3-0 to forward the next four items to Council without Committee recommendation. See motion and votes on individual items below. 8. AB2020-261 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a lease agreement between Whatcom County and the Boys and Girls Club of Whatcom County for use and maintenance of the baseball fields on County property adjoining the Phillips 66 soccer fields Browne moved that the Agreement be FORWARDED TO COUNCIL WITHOUT A RECOMMENDATION. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 3 - Browne, Byrd and Kershner Nay: 0 Absent: 0 9. AB2020-286 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and the Lummi Nation for the purpose of effectuating efficient law enforcment, in the amount of zero dollars Browne moved that the Interlocal be FORWARDED TO COUNCIL WITHOUT A RECOMMENDATION. The motion carried by the following vote: Wkatcom County page 7 Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final July 21, 2020 Services Committee Aye: 3 - Browne, Byrd and Kershner Nay: 0 Absent: 0 10. AB2020-288 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District to provide emergency management services, in the amount of $100,000 Browne moved that the Contract be FORWARDED TO COUNCIL WITHOUT A RECOMMENDATION. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 3 - Browne, Byrd and Kershner Nay: 0 Absent: 0 11. AB2020-289 Request authorization for the County Executive to award Bid #20-22 and enter into a subsequent contract between Whatcom County and Foss Maritime for the annual drydocking, repair and maintenance of the Whatcom Chief ferry, in the amount of $436,161 Browne moved that the Bid Award be FORWARDED TO COUNCIL WITHOUT A RECOMMENDATION. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 3 - Browne, Byrd and Kershner Nay: 0 Absent: 0 Other Business Adiournment There was no other business. The meeting adjourned at 12:39 p.m. Whatcom County Page 8 Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final July 21, 2020 Services Committee AT. �� C O u '�' . • • • ° ' V ��' WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL �`,J�.' `� •� WHATCOM COUNTY, WA N Tyler Byrd -via email 8/19/2020 'T)ana Broi,qCodncil Clerk Tyler Byrd, Committee Chair Phi ••••• � Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Tr scription Whatcom County Page 9