HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance May 9 2023Whatcom 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, May 9, 2023
10:30 AM
Hybrid Meeting
HYBRID MEETING - ADJOURNS BY 11:45 A.M., MAY BEGIN EARLY
(PARTICIPATE IN -PERSON, SEE REMOTE JOIN INSTRUCTIONS AT
www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil, OR CALL 360.778.5010); AGENDA
REVISED 5.8.2023
COUNCILMEMBERS
Todd Donovan
Carol Frazey
Kathy Kershner
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C.
Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final May 9, 2023
Services Committee
Call To Order
Roll Call
Committee Chair Kathy Kershner called the meeting to order at 10:45 a.m.
in a hybrid meeting.
Present: 3 - Todd Donovan, Carol Frazey, and Kathy Kershner
Also Present: Tyler Byrd, Barry Buchanan, Ben Elenbaas, and Kaylee Galloway
Announcements
Council "Consent Atzenda" Items
Donovan moved to approve Consent Agenda items one through ten.
Kershner stated she would like to discuss Consent Agenda items one, eight,
and ten.
Frazey stated she would like to discuss Consent Agenda items one and
seven.
Consent Agenda item number one (AB2023-301 )
Joe Fuller, Health and Community Services, answered why all school
districts are not in this program since it looks like it is making significant
impacts, and whether there is a way to include all of the schools in our
community. He stated they would love to expand the program but are
limited to the resources they have. They are working to secure additional
funding and would love to replicate the program as more resources become
available.
Kershner spoke about the "Be the One" program that is in some of the North
County school districts and runs on volunteer dollars.
Consent Agenda item number seven (AB2023-322)
Frazey stated during the Emergency Medical Services Oversight Board
meeting she voted against this because it seemed they were just hiring from
the same demographic but then Bellingham Fire Chief Bill Hewitt sent
statistics of who applies for this and who the lateral hires will be. She will
be voting in favor of this after getting further information from him. This
might not be the area to increase diversity in right now. The statistics show
that whether we have candidates that are just applying or coming from
lateral hires, it is about the same.
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Consent Agenda item number eight (AB2023-325)
Kathleen Roy, Health and Community Services, answered why the "Office
of Immunizations - COVID-19 Vaccine" program has a negative amount
listed in the Memo (on file) under Allocation/Revision Purpose, whether
that is money we are returning because we are not doing the vaccine clinics
anymore, and whether the plan is that the County will continue to offer and
pay for COVID-19 clinics around the county.
Kershner stated if we are offering immunizations she would like to see us
offer the other immunizations and decrease the COVID-19 one.
Consent Agenda item number ten (A132023-323)
Kershner stated she appreciates this Resolution coming forward. It looks
like it is a way that we can expedite spending the money we got from the
State to help flood victims and help the County buy flood equipment. She
stated she wants to give kudos to the Administration for this.
Councilmembers voted on the Consent items (see votes on individual items
below).
1. AB2023-301 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between
Whatcom County and Communities In Schools of Whatcom-Skagit to support a
range of student needs and increase access to critical school and community services,
in the amount of $136,000
Donovan moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Donovan, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
2. lt132023-30.8 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment
between Whatcom County and Opportunity Council to provide housing case
management services in the amount of $474,072 for a total amended contract amount
of $1,079,307
Donovan moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Donovan, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
3. A;B 023-320 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment
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between Whatcom County and Road2Home to operate overnight severe weather
shelters in the amount of $16,000 for a total amended contract amount of $95,729
Donovan moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Donovan, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
4. AB2023LL 32 77 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment
between Whatcom County and Lydia Place to provide funding for motel rooms for
families experiencing unsheltered homelessness in the amount of $108,650 for a total
amended contract amount of $681,779
Donovan moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Donovan, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
5. AB2023-295 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a Memorandum of
Understanding with Unity Care Northwest for the Way Station in the amount of
$2,000,000
Donovan moved that the SUBSTITUTE Memorandum of Agreement be
RECOMMENDED FOR AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion
carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Donovan, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
6. AB2023-311. Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement
amendment between Whatcom County and United General District 304 to support
youth cannabis and tobacco prevention strategies and activities in the amount of
$43,945 for a total amended contract amount of $125,595
Donovan moved that the Interlocal be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Donovan, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
7.2023µ322 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement
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between Whatcom County and the City of Bellingham/Bellingham Fire Department
for training and onboarding lateral hire paramedics in the amount of $66,916
Donovan moved that the Interlocal be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Donovan, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
8. AB 023-r325 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement
amendment between Whatcom County and the Washington State Department of
Health for the delivery and funding of various public health services in the amount of
$381,005, for a total amended agreement amount of $8,981,095
Donovan moved that the Interlocal be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Donovan, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
9. AB2023-314 Resolution amending the 2022 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategic
(CEDS) project list to include a Drainage Improvement District 7 project known as
the Atwood Drainage Replacement Project
Donovan moved that the Resolution be RECOMMENDED FOR
APPROVAL. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Donovan, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
10. AB2023_3,23 Resolution authorizing the County Executive to purchase Department of Commerce
grant funded flood response equipment
Donovan moved that the Resolution be RECOMMENDED FOR
APPROVAL. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Donovan, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
Special Presentation
1. AB2023-241 Presentation from the Lighthouse Mission
Kershner stated she took a tour of the new Lighthouse Mission that is being
planned to be built and learned about all of the services that are planned to
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be provided. She thought it was very impressive and a big goal for our
community. She thought the Council would benefit from hearing about the
plans.
Hans Erchinger-Davis, Lighthouse Mission, read from a presentation (on
file) and spoke about their mission, the model the Mission uses to see lives
transformed, current and planned services, and the Mission rebuild. He
answered what will be on the first three floors of the new building, whether
he has heard of the Fare Start program, and why Christ the King Church will
not be able to stand up their winter overflow shelter and the new place on
Holly Street is not going to be open this year.
Kershner thanked Erchinger-Davis for the presentation.
This agenda item was PRESENTED.
2. AB2023-329 Presentation from Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services (DVSAS)
Susan Marks, Bellingham-Whatcom County Commission on Sexual &
Domestic Violence Director, read from a presentation (on file) about the
history of the Domestic Violence (DV) Commission, its goals,
Commission members, funding, projects they are doing, and the
Commission's annual meeting on May 25th. She answered whether their
annual meeting is open to the public and stated it is.
Frazey thanked her for the presentation, the work they do, and the fact that
they are getting input from survivors and are survivor -focused.
This agenda item was PRESENTED.
3. AB2023-297 Report from the Human Resources Division of the Administrative Services
Department
The following people read from a presentation (on file):
• Melissa Keeley, Administrative Services Department Human
Resources
• Donnie LaPlante, Administrative Services Department Human
Resources
They spoke about how many people the County has hired in quarter one of
2023, vacancies by department, recruitment efforts and the new Neogov
cloud -based software, staff training & development efforts, the status of
collective bargaining, and the simplification of the salary plan for
unrepresented employees after a compensation study.
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Frazey thanked them for getting creative with recruitment strategies and
providing training opportunities for staff.
Tyler Schroeder, Director of Administrative Services, answered how many
of the new FTEs were hired with funds that will be disappearing such as
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and
Economic Security (CARES) Act dollars. He stated he and Keeley will
work on that and follow up with the funding sources for positions.
This agenda item was REPORTED.
Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council
1. 1 B2023_-298 Ordinance amending the 2023 Whatcom County Budget, request no. 7, in the amount
of 2,880,144
Donovan moved that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR
ADOPTION.
Kershner asked whether the majority of the funding in this Ordinance is the
transfer of support to the Way Station.
Tyler Schroeder, Director of Administrative Services, stated it is, and
answered how they are justifying using Economic Development Investment
(EDI) funds. He stated EDI is the rural sales tax and the County keeps 35
percent of that sales tax to be used for County facilities and the rest goes to
economic development purposes. The second floor of the Way Station will
have various County operations so that is why they have been able to utilize
EDI funds.
Donovan's motion that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR
ADOPTION carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Donovan, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
2. AB2023--299 Ordinance amending the project budget for the Way Station Project Fund, request
no. 2
Frazey moved that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION.
Tyler Schroeder, Director of Administrative Services, answered where this
money is coming from and stated it comes from several different sources.
Frazey's motion that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION
carried by the following vote:
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Aye: 3 - Donovan, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
Items Added by Revision
1. AB2023-318 County Executive requests approval of the Economic Development Investment (EDI)
Board's recommendation for funding to support the Atwood Road Culvert
Replacement project from Whatcom County Drainage Improvement District 7
Frazey moved that the Special Executive Only Item be RECOMMENDED
FOR APPROVAL OF REQUEST.
Tyler Schroeder, Director of Administrative Services, answered whether
this is covered as part of the 35 percent that can be used for public
infrastructure, whether the funding is a loan and grant combination, and
whether this culvert replacement project is on the County's list of high
priority culvert replacement projects.
Frazey's motion that the Special Executive Only Item be RECOMMENDED
FOR APPROVAL OF REQUEST carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Donovan, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
2. AB2023-331 Request authorization for the County Executive to award bid #23-35 and enter into a
Other Business
Adjournment
contract between Whatcom County and Lynden Tribune & Print Co. for the design,
production, and distribution of primary and general election voters' pamphlets in the
amount of not to exceed $60,000
Frazey moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Donovan, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 11:52 a.m.
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ATTEST
fa U C 4/
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D'aria Brown Davis, G. ncil Clerk
Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Kathy Kershner-via email 5/17/2023
Kathy Kershner, Committee Chair
Whatcom County Page 8