Whatcom County Council

Compiled by Barry MacHale

Action Taken at February 13, 2018 Meeting

Shall the council:

19. Appoint Eleanor Hines to the Whatcom County Portage Bay Shellfish Protection District Advisory Committee? Ms. Hines holds a master’s in science from Huxley College and is the lead scientist at RE Sources. She is appointed to a partial term ending on 1/31/2021. (AB2018-058) Approved 7-0

20. Approved $970,000 in Economic Development Investment Board funding? The EDI Board recommended a $470,000 grant to the Northwest Washington Fair – Agricultural Eduction Center, it will help fund a proposed 40,000 square foot, two story building for exhibits and education. The board also recommended a $500,000 loan to the Whatcom County Housing — Affordable for the Workforce, a low income housing loan program. (AB2018-061) Approved 7-0

21. Authorize the executive to sign an agreement with the city of Bellingham to provide joint usage of the Vactor Waste Transfer Facility? The facility, located at 2140 Division St., handles street wastes from roadway and storm drainage systems in compliance with federal, state, and local environmental regulations. The original ten-year agreement expired on 12/31/2011. It has been extended yearly. The city of Bellingham maintains the facility. The rate increased from $54.36 per ton to $147.56 per ton due to increases in hauling and landfill rates, solid waste excise tax and facility operating costs. This agreement runs from 1/1/2018 to 12/31/2018 (AB2018-062) Approved 7-0

22. Authorize the executive to sign a $957,459 contract with the North Sound Behavioral Health Organization? The contract will fund administration of the county’s behavioral health program, participation in regional behavioral health activities, and housing support for individuals living with mental illness. Of the total, $458,592 from medicaid and state mental health contract will be deferred to 2019. The contract expires on 12/31/2018. (AB2018-063) Approved 7-0

23. Authorize the executive to sign a $143,134 contract with ImageTrend of Lakeville, Minn.? The city of Bellingham is also participating in the contract, which will provide software licenses, professional services, and annual fees related to the implementation of a regional electronic patient care reporting system for Emergency Medical Services. The contract is ongoing until vacated by either party. (AB2018-064) Approved 7-0

25. Cancel uncollectible personal property taxes totaling $19,855? State law requires that the county treasurer present to the council a list of taxes certified as uncollectible. Ten businesses (total $18,126) and five mobile homes (totaling $1,729) are listed. The largest single business amount is $10,149 for Callen Construction Company. AB2018-060 (Resolution 2018-003) Approved 7-0

26. Set Whatcom County Veterans Assistance Program income eligibility standards for 2018? The eligibility standard will be based on 60 percent the area median income, instead of 150 percent the federal poverty level. The council considers this adjustment to better reflect local economic conditions when determining support for veterans who struggle with meeting their basic needs such childcare, food, healthcare, and housing. AB2018-067A (Resolution 2018-004) Approved 7-0

27. Repeal Ordinance 2017-057 and adopt amendments to the Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan and Whatcom County Code related to buildings, construction, zoning, and land division, as all relate to water resources? (Public hearing held.) At the 10/25/2016 meeting, vote # 196, council adopted an emergency moratorium (Ordinance 2016-048) on the issuance of permits for projects that rely on permit-exempt groundwater withdrawals in closed or partially-closed basins. It was extended at the 12/6/2016 meeting, vote 250; 3/7/2017 meeting, vote 44; 4/18/2017 meeting, vote #74; and the 10/10/2017 meeting, vote #193. Following the 1/18/2018 adoption by the State Legislature of Senate Bill 6091, which directed a review of watershed planning and permitted groundwater withdrawals up to 3,000 gallons per day in closed basins the council adopted an emergency ordinance (2018-001) at the 1/30/2018 meeting, vote #13, allowing the permitting of projects relying on permit-exempt withdrawals. This vote amends the Comprehensive Plan and county code to reflect the resumption of permitting for projects in closed basins. AB2018-057A (Ordinance 2018-005) Adopted 6-1, Todd Donovan opposed.

Action Taken at February 27, 2018 Meeting

Shall the council:

28. Authorize the executive to sign a $310,332 contact (amendment #3) with Design2Last of Edmonds adding phase 2 and phase 3 to the the jail and work center project? Phase 2 is for $235,214 and phase 3 for $75,109. At the 7/12/2016 meeting, vote #114, council authorized the executive to sign a $151,883, contract with Design2Last to provide building assessment studies and cost estimates for capital improvements at the jail and work center. It was amended at the 1/10/2017 meeting, vote #10 by $218,404 and the 11/8/2017 meeting, vote #213 by $543,000. Since the proposed new jail was defeated at the November 2017 election, the life of the existing jail needs to be extended another five to seven years. The amendment brings the total contract to $1,223,619, it expires on 12/31/2018. (AB2018-080) Approved 7-0

29. Authorize the executive to sign a $142,178 contract with Allied Universal Security Services of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania? Security screenings were first approved by the council at the 9/13/2005 meeting, vote #172. The contract covers x-ray security screenings, parking services for the Courthouse and occasional afterhours security screenings. The contract runs from 3/1/2018 to 12/31/2019, with provision for three one-year extensions. (AB2018-081) Approved 7-0

30. Authorize the executive to sign a $1,716,168 contract with Bayside Pathology/Dr. Gary Goldfogel for medical examiner (corner) services? Dr. Goldfogel has provided medical examiner services since 1992. This three-year contract (plus inflation adjustments for 2019 and 2020) includes a 15 per cent increase over the previous contract. The contract runs from 1/1/2018 to 12/31/2020. (AB2018-082) Approved 7-0

31. Initiate Comprehensive Plan and zoning amendments? New applications for amendments include language relating to: capital facility planning; the density credit program; the repeal of the Cherry Point-Ferndale Subarea Plan; critical area ordinances in areas with ongoing agricultural activities; the monitoring of critical area status; Whatcom County Code/Title 20 amendments; and wind energy system amendments. AB2018-084 (Resolution 2018-005) Substitute amended and approved 7-0

32. Add one representative from the Port of Bellingham to the Homeless Strategies Workgroup? At the 10/24/2017 meeting, vote #205, the council voted to establish a Homeless Strategies Workgroup to identify solutions to reduce the population of unsheltered individuals that has been increasing in recent years. In addition to the proposed representative from the port, the Workgroup currently consists of: the Whatcom County executive/mayor of Bellingham or designee; two County Council members/ Bellingham City Council members; and one representative each from the Downtown Bellingham Partnership; the Opportunity Council; Northwest Youth Services; the Lighthouse Mission Ministries; and the Bellingham/Whatcom Chmber of Commerce. AB2018-088 ( Resolution 2018-006) Approved 7-0

33. Amend the Urban Fringe Subarea Plan, Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan, and Whatcom County Zoning Code? (Public hearing held at January 11 meeting.) The amendments relate to the following zoning districts: Urban Residential Medium Density; Urban Residential Mixed; Gateway Industrial; Light Impact Industrial; and Heavy Impact Industrial. Some changes include: no longer including rural and agricultrual lands in the vicinity of the UGA; modifying policy related to the extension of water and sewer lines outside of city limits; eliminating the requirement for transfer of development rights with rezones that affect residential desnsity; eliminating the requirement for city development fees in areas outside of city limits; upgrading evaluation criteria for UGAs; and updating and deleting sections of code that are outdated or no longer necessary. AB2018-055 (Ordinance 2018-006) Adopted 6-0, Todd Donovan abstained

34. Continue the interim moratorium on the acceptance and processing of applications and permits for new or expanded facilities in the Cherry Point Urban Growth Area? (Public hearing held) At the 8/9/2016 meeting, vote # 147, the council voted to impose an emergency moratorium on filing, acceptance, and processing of new permits for projects for which the primary purpose of which would be the shipment of unrefined fossil fuels not to be processed at Cherry Point. Council approved interim moratoriums at the 9/27/2016 meeting, vote 173, 3/27/2017 meeting, #54, and 9/26/2017 meeting, vote #180. This interim moratorium expires on 8/27/2018, and may be renewed if findings of fact are made and public hearings are held. AB2018-077 (Ordinance 2018-007) Adopted 5-2, Barbara Brenner1 and Tyler Byrd opposed.

35. Amend the 2018 budget (request #4) in the amount of $1,443,449? Appropiated: $14,000 to fund an increase in the Washington State Association of Counties dues; $30,000 to fund an increase in the Courthouse security services contract; $1,675 to fund cold weather gear for motorcycle officers; $5,000 to fund Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigations; $9,774 to fund ID badge production equipment at the sheriff’s office; $20,000 to fund the strengthening families program, providing parenting and substance abuse education for families with 10-14-year old children; $175,000 to fund the repair of the two Lummi Island ferry terminal docking structures; $135,000 to fund the establishment of a Lake Whatcom stormwater utility funding mechanism; $500,000 to continue funding the Homes Affordable through Workforce program, which provides loans and other funding for the construction of housing available at 80 per cent or below the area medium income; $470,000 to fund new facility construction at the Northwest Washington Fair Agricultural Center; $30,000 to fund increased Courthouse security costs; and $53,000 to fund additional labor capacity to meet services demands on the Facilities department. AB2018-069 (Ordinance 2018-008) Adopted 7-0

36. Approve an additional $311,000 in expenditure authority for the jail improvement fund? The jail improvement fund was last amended by $3,117,000 at the 7/26/2011 meeting, vote #121 to replace fire alarms and control systems. This amendment provides funding for eighteen additional items added to scope of the project since the proposed new jail failed to be approved at the November 2017 election, the life of the existing jail needs to be extended for five to seven years. The total amended project budget amount is $3,778,700. AB2018-070 (Ordinance 2018-009) Adopted 7-0

 

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