March 2010
Watching Government
Bellingham City Council
Compiled by Marcia Guderian
Action Taken at January 4, 2010 Meeting
Shall the council:
1. Designate the City Council president to serve as mayor pro tempore in the absence of the mayor and the mayor pro tempore? AB18716 (Resolution 2010-01) Approved 7-0
Action Taken at January 11, 2010 Meeting
Shall the council:
2. Authorize the city to file a quiet title action in the case of the city of Bellingham v. Butler? A quiet title action is a lawsuit to establish property ownership. The city has a easement rights dispute with Clayton and Mary Jane Butler over a five-foot strip of property. (Discussed in Executive Session) Approved 7-0
3. Spend $290,000 to purchase approximately 21 acres on Lake Whatcom? The property is located at South Bay, south of Park Road, along Anderson Creek, on the southeast end of the lake. The property is undeveloped but zoned for up to four houses. This purchase is part of the Lake Whatcom Watershed Acquisition Program, bringing city owned property in the Lake Whatcom watershed to 1,334 acres. (Discussed in Executive Session) Approved 7-0
4. Adopt the Little Squalicum Park Master Plan? Little Squalicum Park is located west of the Bellingham Technical College, north of Lindbergh Avenue, south and east of West Illinois with footpath access to Squalicum Beach. The area has been undergoing an investigation and cleanup of soil and water contaminants, which, along with several months of public meetings, has influenced the master plan. The 2009 Little Squalicum Park Master Plan updates the 1990 Park Management Plan and includes play areas, a picnic shelter, rest rooms, trails and a marine estuary. It will establish plans for park activities, park management, resource protection and site restoration including post-environmental cleanup as well as enhancements to wetlands and natural areas. The entire project is estimated to cost between $4 and $6 million, but will only proceed as funds become available. (AB18717) Approved 7-0
5. Extend the Parkade lease with the Bellingham Railway Museum until 1/31/12? The city first signed a lease with the museum on 11/13/03 for a monthly rent of $560. The lease was extended at the 1/10/05 meeting, vote number 3, the 1/23/06 meeting, vote number 12 and 1/28/08 meeting, vote number 15. The rent for approximately 2,400 square feet of space is 70 percent below market rate because of the museum’s benefit to the public and because no other tenants are currently interested in renting the location. (AB18718) Approved 7-0
6. Set February 10, 2010, as the public hearing date on the proposed vacation of parts of Lafayette Street and W. Indiana Street? The Bellingham Hearing Examiner will consider a petition by the Kulshan Land Trust, Aric and Marni Mayer, Allan and Kirsten Park, Garden Gate Development and Geneva Investment Group to relinquish public ownership of rights-of-way on portions of Lafayette Street and W. Indiana Street. AB18722 (Resolution 2010-02) Approved 7-0
7. Appropriate $3,256,257 for goods and services checks and issued from December 4 through December 18, 2009? (AB18723/18724) Approved 7-0
8. Appropriate $5,854,024 for payroll checks and issued from November 16 through December 15, 2009? (AB18725/18726) Approved 7-0
9. Appropriate $110,000 in cemetery reserve funds to cover cemetery expenses? Revenues in 2009 fell below expenses at Bayview Cemetery. Some of the deficit was met by reductions in operating costs, but additional funds are required to balance the budget. AB18702 (Ordinance 2010-01-01) Approved 7-0
10. Accept and spend $30,500 in gift funds? The money comes from Friends of Bellingham Public Library and individual donations. It will be used to purchase library materials such as books, DVDs and audio/visual supplies. AB18710 (Ordinance 2010-01-02) Approved 7-0
11. Accept and spend two grants totaling $15,000 to encourage reading? The grants are from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. They will pay for “The Big Read: Whatcom READS,” a program that is designed to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment. Program costs will include marketing, books, speaker honorariums and travel expenses. AB18711 (Ordinance 2010-01-03) Approved 7-0
12. Repeal an obsolete section of the Bellingham Municipal Code? Prior to 2001 the city transit service was run by the Transit Division. In 2001, the Whatcom Transit Authority took over the city transit service and the section of the municipal code concerning the Transit Division became obsolete. AB18713 (Ordinance 2010-01-04) Approved 7-0
Action Taken at January 25, 2010 Meeting
Shall the council:
13. Authorize the mayor to appoint 11 members to the Capital Facilities Advisory Task Force? The City Council established a 13-member task force at the 11/9/09 meeting, vote number 233. The appointees requiring council confirmation are: Scott Miles, Edie Norton, Andy Law, Dave Finet, Barbara Ryan, Bruce Clawson, John Stewart, Mark Asmundson, Karen Funston, Eric Hirst and Greg Sundberg. Two members of City Council will also serve on the task force: Stan Snapp, (Barry Buchanan is alternate) representing the Finance and Personnel Committee and Terry Bornemann, (Michael Lilliquist is alternate) representing the Planning and Community Development Committee. The task force is disbanding in May of this year. (AB18729) Approved 7-0
14. Appropriate $2,159,590 for goods and services checks issued from December 18, 2009 through January 15, 2010? (AB18736/18737/18738) Approved 7-0
15. Appropriate $3,147,450 for payroll checks issued from December 16 through December 31, 2009? (AB18739) Approved 7-0
16. Amend the city leasing procedure to reflect changes in city ownership of commercial property? City leasing procedures were last updated in 1996. Since then, the city has acquired the Federal Building, no longer owns the food bank building or the building at 200 E. Chestnut and no longer leases space in the Mount Baker Theatre building. AB18719 (Ordinance 2010-01-05) Approved 7-0
17. Increase the lien filing fees the city charges to property owners for delinquent sewer bills? State law permits the city to file a lien against a property owner who does not pay sewer and stormwater fees. Recently the state has raised the filing charges the city must pay both to file and to release a lien. This ordinance will allow the city to pass the higher costs on to the property owner. The city has been charging a $50 fee record and release each lien. In the future, the city may charge up to $50 for recording and another $50 for releasing a lien. The city may also charge the property owner for any other costs associated with collecting the delinquent payments, including court costs and attorney fees. AB18721 (Ordinance 2010-01-06) Approved 7-0
