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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance Apr 26 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, April 26, 2022 10:15 AM Hybrid Meeting HYBRID MEETING - ADJOURNS BY 12:10 P.M. (PARTICIPATE IN -PERSON OR SEE REMOTE JOIN INSTRUCTIONS AT www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil OR CALL 360.778.5010); AGENDA REVISED 4.26.2022 COUNCILMEMBERS Tyler Byrd Carol Frazey Kathy Kershner CLERK OF THE COUNCIL Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C. Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final April 26, 2022 Services Committee Call To Order Roll Call Committee Chair Tyler Byrd called the meeting to order at 10:15 a.m. in a hybrid 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. AB2022-249 Report from the Facilities Department Rob Ney, Administrative Services Department Facilities, presented and answered whether there is any reason to worry about the potential request for the Northwest Annex building to become a historic building, whether we are okay with the land -use zoning for that facility, what the estimated costs are to bring the jail up to compliance with requirements of House Bill 1257 relating to energy efficiency, whether the Design2 Last building assessment report for the jail is online, whether there was a survey done for the employees that work at the Northwest Annex to determine if they wanted a restaurant or whether it was just a request of two Councilmembers, whether rising bond rates will affect the project, and how soon the County could go out to bond. Tyler Schroeder, Executive's Office, stated there was a meeting two months ago with members of the Administrative Services Department, the Treasurer, and Public Works Department to talk about anticipated capital projects that would require the County to bond. Bond rates last month were 2.8 percent for 30 years but those are likely to be climbing. They are working on the Capital Improvement Plan that shows the projects and the funding sources that are available and they are using a 3.5 percent rate for planning purposes for projects they are anticipating to bond. As Ney mentioned, they are looking into a bond consultant and will also look at available funding sources to accomplish the projects. He answered how soon they can get the bond. Kershner stated she is supportive of funding a new jail, building a new safety center, and not putting more money into the current jail. Whatcom County Page 1 Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final April 26, 2022 Services Committee Donovan spoke about the elevators in the jail. There was a funding need for the jail that was not communicated with the Council and then they heard about it in a press release. He asked how they will know going forward when there are needs for repairs that are not being communicated to Council. Schroeder answered questions about whether the Council can drive decisions regarding leasing temporary facility space to be able to help with jail capacity, and the roles and responsibilities for decision -making for the existing jail facility. He stated the Council would be seeing a budget supplemental soon to replace the three existing elevators in the existing jail. Ney gave a history of the elevators, and stated a request to replace them will be coming to the Council for consideration. Buchanan stated he has invited Sheriff Bill Elfo to come this afternoon to give his thoughts about immediate needs in the jail and potential leasing of space. This agenda item was REPORTED. Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council 1. AB2022-193 Resolution authorizing the County Executive to sign the Black Slough Comprehensive Barrier Removal Design Project grant application to the Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board (Council acting as the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors) Kershner moved that the Resolution (FCZDBS) be RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL. Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, stated he was available to answer questions but there were none. Kershner's motion that the Resolution (FCZDBS) be RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL carried by the following vote: Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey, and Kershner Nay: 0 Absent: 0 2. AB2022-215 Ordinance amending the project budget for the Swift Creek Capital Projects Fund, request no. 1 Frazey moved that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION. Whatcom County Page 2 Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final April 26, 2022 Services Committee Jim Karcher, Public Works Department, stated he and James Lee were available for questions. James Lee, Public Works Department, answered whether this money is being used to purchase more property to sequester the sediment. Frazey's motion that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION carried by the following vote: Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey, and Kershner Nay: 0 Absent: 0 3. AB2022-217 Resolution amending the Flood Control Zone District & Subzones 2022 budget, request no. 2, in the amount of $110,000 (Council acting as the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors) Kershner moved that the Resolution (FCZDBS) be RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL. Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, stated that most of this money ($100,000) is for the grant to do the sea level rise vulnerability assessment, and $10,000 is to provide for incidental expenses related to the new Climate Manager position. Kershner's motion that the Resolution (FCZDBS) be RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL carried by the following vote: Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey, and Kershner Nay: 0 Absent: 0 4. AB2022-219 Ordinance amending the project budget for the Way Station Project Fund, request No. 1 Frazey moved that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION. The following people answered questions: • Rob Ney, Administrative Services Department Facilities • Tyler Schroeder, Executive's Office They answered questions about the funding sources that would be transferred to the Way Station project -based budget as noted in the Ordinance, and whether all of the money is for retrofitting the building and Whatcom County Page 3 Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final April 26, 2022 Services Committee construction costs and none has been set aside for the services in the building. Kershner stated it might be naive to think that the Opportunity Council is not going to come to the County for funding for this because the County funds all of the other programs that the Opportunity Council implements regarding homelessness. We probably should be thinking about the operational costs of this center and being prepared for that ask. Ney stated there is also a federal grant that was awarded to Unity Care Northwest that is going to be transferred to the County for $2 million. Frazey's motion that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION carried by the following vote: Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey, and Kershner Nay: 0 Absent: 0 5. AB2022-225 Ordinance amending the 2022 Whatcom County Budget, request no. 7, in the amount of $6,246,353 Kershner moved that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION. The following people answered questions: • Tyler Schroeder, Executive's Office • Bill Elfo, Sheriff • Brad Bennett, Administrative Services Department Finance Councilmembers and the speakers discussed the request to fund a refrigeration unit for holding evidence for sexual assault kits from grant proceeds and how long evidence can be held, the request to re -appropriate funding for broadband expansion, the requests to fund a new Senior Purchasing Coordinator and to fund increased staffing in support of the JD Edwards financial system upgrade, and whether equity considerations could be incorporated into the budget and budgeting processes. Kershner's motion that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION carried by the following vote: Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey, and Kershner Nay: 0 Whatcom County Page 4 Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final April 26, 2022 Services Committee Absent: 0 6. AB2022-244 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Opportunity Council to provide funding for supplemental pay premiums to eligible staff providing direct services to clients, in an amount not to exceed $272,196 Kershner moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION. Ann Beck, Health Department, briefed the Councilmembers and answered whether the providers know this is just a one-time deal, what fund this is coming out of, how much it will be per person, and whether we are anticipating more of these kinds of issues. Kershner's motion that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION carried by the following vote: Aye: 2 - Frazey, and Kershner Nay: 1 - Byrd Absent: 0 Council "Consent A>:enda" Items Part 1 Byrd stated he would be pulling AB2022-243 from the Consent Agenda and asked if there were others anyone would like to pull. Cathy Halka, Council Legislative Analyst, stated AB2022-246 (Consent Agenda item number nine) was withdrawn from the agenda. Ann Beck, Health Department, answered why AB2022-246 was withdrawn from the agenda. She stated it was withdrawn because the Lighthouse Mission has an EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity) statement but they also have a faith -based statement that they ask their staff to agree with so it did not comply with the County's EEO requirements in their contract and the County was not able to find a way to make that work. She answered how the County does any funding projects with them then, and what EEO stands for. Kershner discussed looking at the County's Ordinance regarding the issue to see if there is any way it can be updated so that situations like this do not come up. If an organization makes hiring decisions based on an EEO policy, their internal operating policies should not dictate that the County cannot support their efforts. Wlmtcom County Page 5 Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final April 26, 2022 Services Committee Frazey stated if it is County money we want to be able to serve while not discriminating. Chris D'Onofrio, Health Department, answered whether the Lighthouse Mission has a faith -based process of hiring, whether it does not affect how the Lighthouse Mission hires and is just a contract that applicants have to sign after they are hired, and whether the Lighthouse Mission brought this issue up when the County submitted the contract to them or whether the County found it and discussed that with the Lighthouse Mission. 7. AB2022-243 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and City of Bellingham to provide funding for the Alternative Response Team pilot program, in an amount not to exceed $167,917 in 2022 and $259,210 in 2023 Frazey moved that the Interlocal be RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. Satpal Sidhu, County Executive, answered a question about metrics and how the Health Department is going to be measuring the effectiveness of this program. Dean Wight, Health Department, briefed the Councilmembers. Cathy Halka, Council Legislative Analyst, clarified that there is a substitute for this agenda item. Wight answered whether we have any idea where additional funding would come from if we decide it is a great program and we want to continue it, and whether this will eventually be connected to the new 9-8-8 system implementation that the State and perhaps Federal levels have been working on. Frazey's motion that the SUBSTITUTE Interlocal be RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT carried by the following vote: Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey, and Kershner Nay: 0 Absent: 0 Council "Consent Agenda" Items Part 2 Kershner moved to approve Consent Agenda items one through six, eight, and 10 through twelve. Councilmembers voted on those items (see votes on Whatcom County page 6 Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final April 26, 2022 Services Committee individual items below). 1. AB2022-208 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment between Whatcom County and Northwest Regional Council for the provision of nursing services for the jail and work center, increasing the original contract by $153,350.00 for the balance of 2022 Kershner 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. AB2022-212 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a grant agreement between Whatcom County and Washington State Dept of Commerce for the Way Station in the amount of $4,000,000 Kershner 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. AB2022-230 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and Washington State Office of the Attorney General for Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Grant, in the amount of $3,000.00 Kershner 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. AB2022-233 Request approval for the Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Taylor Driving Schools to provide Class -A Commercial Driver License (CDL) training to Public Works Maintenance and Operations employees, in the amount of $60,000 Kershner moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR "ateon: County Page 7 Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final April 26, 2022 Services Committee AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 3 - Byrd, Frazey, and Kershner Nay: 0 Absent: 0 5. AB2022-234 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment between Whatcom County and Opportunity Council to provide case management and supportive services to individuals and households experiencing or at -risk of experiencing homelessness in the amount of $56,801 for a total amended contract amount of $585,237 Kershner 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. AB2022-242 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Bird's Eye Medical to provide COVID-19 vaccine administration services at community vaccine clinics, in an estimated amount not to exceed $140,000 Kershner 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 7. AB2022-243 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and City of Bellingham to provide funding for the Alternative Response Team pilot program, in an amount not to exceed $167,917 in 2022 and $259,210 in 2023 This item was removed from the Consent Agenda. See motion and vote above. 8. AB2022-245 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Pacific Security to provide Courthouse Screening Services, in the amount of $109,500 Whatcom County page 8 Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final April 26, 2022 Services Committee Kershner 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 9. AB2022-246 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Lighthouse Mission Ministries to provide funding for supplemental pay premiums to eligible staff providing direct services to clients, in an amount not to exceed $117,611 This agenda item was WITHDRAWN. See discussion of this item under the "Council 'Consent Agenda' Items Part 1 " header above. 10. AB2022-247 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and the Mount Vernon Police Department for use of the Plantation Rifle Range to train personnel, in the amount of $7,108.85 Kershner 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 11. AB2022-248 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between Whatcom County and the Sedro-Woolley Police Department for use of the Plantation Rifle Range to train personnel, in the amount of $6,669.71 Kershner 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 12. AB2022-250 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between Whatcom County and Northwest Youth Services to provide funding for supplemental pay premiums to eligible staff providing direct services to clients, in an amount not to Whatcom County Page 9 Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final Services Committee exceed $140,612 Kershner 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 Items Added by Revision Other Business Adjournment There were no agenda items added by revision. There was no other business. The meeting adjourned at 11:24 a.m. ATTES:'t�:aass�rra;F �w hag , &}pg u d m ti:.v " bR� �L E) " �"t " 03 Dania Brown` D is, buncil Clerk -�r,9 no&/A Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Trans6ription April 26, 2022 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL WHATCOM COUNTY, WA Tyler Byrd -via email 4/28/2022 Tyler Byrd, Committee Chair Whatcom County Page 10