HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance Apr 29 2025Whatcom 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 29, 2025
9:15 AM
Hybrid Meeting - Council Chambers
HYBRID MEETING (PARTICIPATE IN -PERSON, SEE REMOTE JOIN
INSTRUCTIONS AT. www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil, OR CALL
360.778.5010)
COUNCILMEMBERS
Barry Buchanan
Tyler Byrd
Todd Donovan
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Cathy Halka, AICP, CMC
Council Finance and Administrative Committee Minutes - Final April 29, 2025
Services Committee
Call To Order
Roll Call
Clerk's note: There were technical issues at the beginning of the meeting so
the discussion begins at about 10:04 in the recording.
Committee Chair Todd Donovan called the meeting to order at 9:25 a.m. in
a hybrid meeting.
Present: 3 - Tyler Byrd, Todd Donovan, and Barry Buchanan
Also Present: Ben Elenbaas, Kaylee Galloway, Jon Scanlon, and Mark Stremler
Announcements
Council "Consent Agenda" Items
Buchanan moved to recommend approval of Consent Agenda items one
through eleven.
Stremler stated he had questions on Consent Agenda item numbers 3-6 and
stated he has asked if Council could get an update and presentation on any
actual work that has been done to help with the Nooksack River and
flooding issues.
Elizabeth Kosa, Public Works Department Director, stated they will be able
to do a presentation sometime in June.
Councilmembers discussed what committee that should be scheduled in.
Councilmembers voted on the Consent items (see votes on individual items
below).
1. AB2025-322 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract between
Whatcom County and AMS Print and Mail Specialists for the design, production, and
distribution of primary and general election local voters' pamphlets in the amount not
to exceed $90,000
Buchanan moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
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Services Committee
2. AB2025-324 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a Federal Aid Project
Prospectus and Local Agency Agreement between Whatcom County and the
Washington State Department of Transportation for the Martin Road/Anderson
Creek Bridge No. 250 Replacement Project, in the amount of $512,000
Buchanan moved that the Agreement be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
3. AB2025-325 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment
between Whatcom County and Herrera Environmental Consultants to continue
supporting the F000dplain Integrated Planning (FLIP) Process, in the amount of
$590,829 for a total contract amount of $2,998,369 (Council acting as the Whatcom
County Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors)
Buchanan moved that the Contract (FCZDBS) be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
4. AB2025-326 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement
between Whatcom County and the US Geological Survey (USGS) to develop and
assess non -contact methods for measuring discharge in the Nooksack River during
high -flow events, in the amount of $222,698 (Council acting as the Whatcom County
Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors)
Buchanan moved that the Contract (FCZDBS) be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
5. AB2025-327 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement
between Whatcom County and the University of Washington to assess the Nooksack
River's morphodynamic response to potential channel and floodplain modifications, in
the amount of $114,000 (Council acting as the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone
District Board of Supervisors)
Buchanan moved that the Contract (FCZDBS) be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
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vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
6. AB2025-329 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement
between Whatcom County and the City of Ferndale to establish the responsibilities of
the Flood Control Zone District and the City of Ferndale in designing the Ferndale
Levee Improvement Project to a 90% level, acquiring right of way, and permitting, in
the amount of $430,000 (Council acting as the Whatcom County Flood Control Zone
District Board of Supervisors)
Buchanan moved that the Contract (FCZDBS) be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
7. AB2025-331 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract amendment
between Whatcom County and the Northwest Natural Resource Group for
development of a forest management plan in the Lake Whatcom Watershed, in the
amount of $12,063 for a total amended contract amount of $145,123
Buchanan moved that the Contract be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
8. AB2025-332 Request authorization for the County Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement
amendment between Whatcom County and the City of Bellingham for partnership in
the development of a forest management plan in the Lake Whatcom watershed, in the
amount of $12,063 for a total agreement amount of $53,358
Buchanan moved that the Interlocal be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
9. AB2025-335 Request approval for the County Executive to authorize all County departments to use
Washington State Contract #22823 for as -needed equipment rentals through
December 31, 2026, with the award to any one vendor in a fiscal year not to exceed
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$100,000
Buchanan moved that the Bid Award be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
10. AB2025-338 Request approval for the County Executive to enter into an Interlocal Cooperative
Purchasing Agreement with the City of Seattle which will allow reciprocal utilization of
competitively bid contracts, pursuant to RCW Chapter 39.34 Interlocal Cooperation
Act
Buchanan moved that the Bid Award be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
11. AB2025-339 Request approval for the County Executive to authorize the purchase of C1earCount
2.5 ScanStation and C1earAudit Admin. Station bundles from Clear Ballot Group,
Inc., the sole source for these products, in an amount not to exceed $50,347.10
Buchanan moved that the Bid Award be RECOMMENDED FOR
AUTHORIZATION BY CONSENT. The motion carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
Committee Discussion
1. AB2025-303 Discussion of the annual allocation of Rural Sales Tax Fund
Jill Boudreau, Executives Office, read from a presentation (on file) and
stated a couple weeks ago they started a discussion about the Economic
Development Investment (EDI) fund and the idea that they might have
proposed target investment allocations.
She and Councilmembers discussed keeping a target reserve balance in the
fund and whether there should be a minimum for that, what Boudreau's
understanding is on the demand for the different allocation "buckets," the
trade off of allocating more this year and starting the next year with a
smaller reserve, what it would take to get the housing allowance up to 30
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percent, that the EDI Board will not be making decisions at their upcoming
meeting in May but will be going over the new structure of calling for
applications once a year, and Councilmembers working on other ideas for
the future.
Buchanan moved to change the fund reserve and target investment
allocations so they are as follows: Fund reserve at 15 percent, housing
infrastructure projects at 30 percent, Whatcom County at 30 percent, and
Government infrastructure projects at 40 percent.
Aly Pennucci, Executive's Office, stated it would be helpful to have the
motion affirmed by the whole body as well so the EDI Board has that
guidance from the Council.
Councilmembers and Boudreau discussed the estimated fund balance and
dollar amounts in the original staff memo compared to now.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 2 - Buchanan and Donovan
Nay: 0
Abstain: 1 - Byrd
This agenda item was DISCUSSED AND MOTION(S) APPROVED.
Motion approved to change the fund reserve and target investment allocations so they are as follows: Fund reserve at
15 percent, housing infrastructure projects at 30 percent, Whatcom County at 30 percent, and Government
infrastructure projects at 40 percent.
2. AB2025-341 Discussion on 2025-2026 mid -biennium review with initial budget instructions and
draft calendar
Aly Pennucci, Executive's Office, read from a presentation (on file) about
what the Administration is thinking regarding the initial budget development
for the mid -biennium review, and answered questions.
Councilmembers and Pennucci discussed what they would like to see in
regard to public participation, whether Council should consider having a
budget committee, the process for Councilmembers to discuss and decide
where they might want to take money from one part of the budget to add to a
priority somewhere else, and whether updating the County's inventory of
services has ever been done.
Randy Rydel, Administrative Services Department Finance Director, stated
the inventory of services have been given more priority in the past when the
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County is in a time of financial constraint, but has not been the focus as
much in recent times.
Pennucci and Rydel answered whether Council could have access to the
current inventory of services, and changing the way they show the budget so
that councilmembers can see the base budget and not just what is being
requested above and beyond it.
Councilmembers and the speakers discussed having budget work sessions in
Committee of the Whole before July, why the executive is saying no to
across-the-board cuts and how it allows them to evaluate the impact of
taking a given cut, that they are facing a situation in which they will have to
do less with less, and whether the Council should self -impose deadlines on
themselves to get the work done.
This agenda item was DISCUSSED.
Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council
1. AB2025-290 Ordinance amending the project based budget for the N. Fork Road/Kenney Creek
Fish Passage fund, Request No. 2
Buchanan moved that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR
ADOPTION. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
2. AB2025-293 Ordinance amending the project budget for the Courtroom Audio Visual Systems
Upgrade, request no. 1
Byrd moved that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
3. AB2025-302 Resolution amending the 2025 Flood Control Zone District and Subzones Budget,
request no. 1, in the amount of $14,400 (Council acting as the Whatcom County
Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors)
Buchanan moved that the Resolution (FCZDBS) be RECOMMENDED FOR
APPROVAL. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
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4. AB2025-310 Ordinance amending the project budget for the Lookout Mountain Road Repairs
Project Fund, request no. 1
Byrd moved that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
5. AB2025-314 Ordinance amending the 2025 Whatcom County Budget, request no. 4, in the amount
of $6,227,211
Buchanan moved that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR
ADOPTION.
Scanlon thanked the Administration for providing the fourth quarter
financial report. He stated he hopes there is a lot of scrutiny on
supplemental budget requests, especially when new requests come through
that would be paid with fund balance.
Byrd stated the new format from the Administration for budget items is
very helpful.
Donovan stated the form that summarizes by fund is particularly helpful.
Buchanan's motion that the Ordinance be RECOMMENDED FOR
ADOPTION carried by the following vote:
Aye: 3 - Byrd, Donovan, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
Special Presentation
1. AB2025- l 59 Report from the Finance Division
Randy Rydel, Administrative Services Department Finance Director, read
from a presentation and the "Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Report" (on
file), and answered questions.
Discussion points included:
• Budgeted tax revenue compared to actual revenue received, lower
sales tax revenues that were offset by the unbudgeted Enhanced 911
tax, sales tax predictions, and other revenue highlights
• The variation in non -departmental expenditures between 2022-2024
due to the use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, and
other expenditure highlights
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Services Committee
April 29, 2025
What the special funds are that receive sales tax revenue and will
require monitoring (affordable housing, homeless housing, public
safety)
Aly Pennucci, Executive's Office, answered when the hiring freeze was
implemented and when it ended.
This agenda item was REPORTED.
2. AB2025-319 Report from the Facilities Division of the Administrative Services Department
Councilmembers ran out of time and Donovan stated this presentation
would be scheduled for the next Council meeting date.
This agenda item was NOT ACTED UPON.
Items Added Eby Revision
Other Business
Adjournment
There were no agenda items added by revision.
Donovan stated he wants to make sure they follow up on scheduling
Committee of the Whole discussions on the budget.
The meeting adjourned at 10:44 a.m.
AT'TIST:
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Todd Donovan -via email 5/5/2025
Todd Donovan, Committee Chair
Meeting Minutes prepared by Kristi Felbinger
Whatcom County Page 8