HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance Feb 22 2022Whatcom 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, February 22, 2022
10 AM
Virtual Meeting
VIRTUAL MEETING - ADJOURNS BY NOON (TO PARTICIPATE, SEE
INSTRUCTIONS AT www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil OR CALL
360.778.5010); AGENDA REVISED 2.22.2022
COUNCILMEMBERS
Tyler Byrd
Carol Frazey
Kathy Kershner
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C.
Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final February 22, 2022
Services Committee
Call To Order
Roll Call
Committee Chair Tyler Byrd called the meeting to order at 10 a.m. in a
virtual meeting.
Present: 3 - Tyler Byrd, Carol Frazey, and Kathy Kershner
Absent: None
Also Present: Barry Buchanan, Todd Donovan, Ben Elenbaas, and Kaylee Galloway
Announcements
Special Presentation
1. AB2022µ 115 Update on the November 2021 floods and presentation of lessons learned
John Gargett, Division of Emergency Management, presented. He and
Councilmembers discussed how requests for more staff for emergency
response would come to the Council and from which department, looking at
the required level of staffing in the upcoming budget review process,
including in employee contracts a responsibility of County employees to
fill and be trained for an emergency role, whether the Climate Impact
Advisory Committee could give recommendations on what we need to do to
respond to these types of climate emergencies and make sure our
Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is adequately staffed, relying more on
community partners for staffing the Incident Command in a disaster and not
so heavily on County staff, having one funnel for disseminating information
out to those volunteers, separating out emergency response and recovery
scenarios when planning for staffing, setting an expectation that volunteers
need to show up, being more proactive in our management because of
climate change by doing things such as managing drainages and restoring
drainage function, getting swift water teams in place, considering the Navy's
model for collateral duties and determining those for County staff in
emergencies, and whether Gargett has a list of positions that would be
needed in different emergency situations.
Satpal Sidhu, County Executive, answered whether someone from Human
Resources (HR) could come to the meeting in two weeks to discuss how
the County might be able to formalize emergency duties into the contracts
and he spoke about how the COVID-19 pandemic tested the limits of the
nation's systems, waiting for the COVID-19 response study, re -writing the
Division of Emergency Management manual, and looking beyond personnel
to things such as how to plan for being cut off from supplies because of
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Services Committee
supply chain issues, and scheduling a future discussion on what we can do
and how we should connect with the other bodies at the county level as well
as at the state and federal level.
Gargett stated they continue to build relationships with our Canadian
partners to be able to support each other, and Elenbaas spoke about tying
job titles to certain positions in an emergency response and having an
expectation that a change in job title requires employees to train for that
collateral duty before the change of job title can be complete.
This agenda item was PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED.
2. AO Q22-135 Presentation from Gina Stark regarding the Port of Bellingham's work on the
County's broadband investments
Gina Stark, Port of Bellingham, presented and answered a question
regarding affordability and whether there are any sorts of mechanisms to
make sure there is a lower cost basic package available for people who are
getting this service.
This agenda item was PRESENTED.
Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council
1. AB2022--086 Ordinance amending the 2022 Whatcom County Budget, request no. 5, in the amount
of $7,750,231
Frazey moved that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION.
Councilmembers discussed not having so many items included in this type
of Ordinance at the same time.
Mike Hilley, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Manager, answered
questions related to the EMS Fund requests for gurneys and power system
units and whether this is the start of the County rolling into new technology
or whether it is just a one-off request, whether additional requests in the
coming weeks will include the units in the City of Bellingham, whether the
timeline for expenses related to renovations in Lynden are going to
correspond with the outcomes of the EMS levy renewal or whether it is
sufficient to move forward regardless of what may happen in November,
whether new EMS members would be hired to staff the medic unit in
Lynden or whether they would be hired within the Union family.
The following people responded to questions about the request to fund
COVID isolation services from FEMA grant proceeds:
• Kathleen Roy, Health Department
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• Erika Lautenbach, Health Department Director
• Brad Bennett, Administrative Services Department Finance
February 22, 2022
They and Councilmembers discussed whether this is additional funding or
the same funding that was discussed two weeks ago and what this particular
request is for, having staff from the Administration and Finance come and
outline exactly the process for these types of requests, the process for
having to submit emergent requests ahead of time and whether the funds are
still needed now, getting clarity on actual versus budget and the actions that
the Council has taken since November on these facilities so that they can
see what they are approving and so that it is clear to the public, and whether
budget supplemental requests should be presented by department or by
individual items so that Councilmembers can ask questions and not approve
the things they do not wish to.
Frazey's motion that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION
carried by the following vote:
Aye: 1 - Frazey
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
Abstain: 2- Byrd, and Kershner
2. AB2.022-088 Ordinance closing the State Street Building Acquistion and Improvement Fund 348
Kershner moved that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR
ADOPTION. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
3. /)02 089 Ordinance establishing the Way Station Project Fund and establishing a project based
budget for the Way Station Project
Frazey moved that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION.
Rob Ney, Administrative Services Department Facilities, briefed the
Councilmembers.
Frazey's motion that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION
carried by the following vote:
Aye: 2 - Frazey, and Kershner
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Nay: 1 - Byrd
Absent: 0
Council "Consent Aisenda" Items
Frazey clarified that Consent Agenda item number ten was withdrawn from
the agenda.
Donovan stated he would ask for discussion on item number two this
evening.
Royce Buckingham, Prosecuting Attorney's Office, stated he was available
if they wanted to have discussion on item two now in Committee.
Byrd moved to approve Consent Agenda items one through nine.
Councilmembers voted on those items (see votes on individual items
below).
1. A1320.22-03 7 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment
between Whatcom County and Flex Financial, a division of Stryker Sales
Corporation, for two additional gurneys not included in the original agreement,
increasing the agreement by $116,700.03
Byrd moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
2. AB202 M0 74 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment
between Whatcom County and Cascadia Law Group, PLLC for legal advice, in the
amount of $60,000 for a total amended amount of $100,000
Byrd moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
3. AB2022-081_ Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement
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between Whatcom County and the City of Lynden for alterations to Fire Station 75 in
the amount of $150,000
Byrd moved that the Interlocal be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
4. O B 20',22M 101. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement
between Whatcom County and Bellingham Technical College for accreditation
services for the paramedic training program, in the amount of $42,200
Byrd moved that the Interlocal be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
5.120.2_2;107. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between
Whatcom County and Lifeline Connections for psychiatric services in the amount of
$187,200.00
Byrd moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
6. A132022-112 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between
Whatcom County and Whatcom Community College to provide Adult Basic
Education and GED classes to people residing in the county jail in the amount of
$60,524.00
Byrd moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey, and Kershner
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Nay: 0
Absent: 0
7. AB2022-1_1_6 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment
between Whatcom County and Opportunity Council to operate the Whatcom
Homeless Service Center in the amount of $574,760 for a total amended contract
amount of $2,225,008
Byrd moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
8. AB2022 41 1 "7 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement
amendment between Whatcom County and Washington State Department of
Commerce to provide resources to obtain and maintain housing stability to people
who are experiencing homelessness, in the amount of $282,878 for a total amended
agreement amount of $7,824,102
Byrd moved that the Interlocal be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
9. AB2022:-.126 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment
between Whatcom County and Bird's Eye Medical to provide COVID-19 vaccine
administration services at community vaccine clinics, in the amount of $275,000 for a
total amended contract amount of $315,000
Byrd moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
Absent: 0
10. A13-(021- 3Q Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between
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Services Committee
Whatcom County and Opportunity Council to build a health, resource, and service
navigation system that will provide timely connection of parents and children, pre -natal
to five years, to a range of protective and supportive services, in the amount of
$77,797
This agenda item was WITHDRAWN.
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
Adiournment
There were no agenda items added by revision (but AB2022-130 was
withdrawn from the agenda by revision).
Kershner stated it would be helpful to have a presentation from the Finance
Department on how we pass a budget to how County money is authorized,
allocated, approved, and spent and in what formats along the way.
The meeting adjourned at 12:1.1 p.m.
ATTkSTF y
Dana Brow. 604-&, Council Clerk
Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Tyler Byrd -via email 2/25/2022
Tyler Byrd, Committee Chair
Whatcom County page 7