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Past Issues


Whatcom Watch Online
Bellingham City Council


December 2012

Watching Government

Bellingham City Council

Compiled by Marcia Guderian

Action Taken at September 24, 2012 Meeting

Shall the council:

181. Ratify the 2012-2014 labor agreement with with AFSCME, Local 114F? The three-year agreement with fire dispatchers at the Prospect Communications Center has the the following terms. Wages: a 3 percent wage increase effective 10/1/2012; a 2 percent wage increase in 2013; a 2014 increase the same as the city negotiates with What-Comm Guild. Benefits: a. premium-sharing same as E-team, AFSCME 114 and Teamsters S&P effective 1/1/2013; addition of high deductible health plan with a health savings account as a choice for 2013; $1,000.00/member medical change incentive. operational changes that allow for more efficient and cost-effective management of the communications center. (Discussed in Executive Session) Approved 7-0

182. Authorize the mayor to sign a settlement agreement with Futurewise, Whatcom County and Caitac? The Whatcom County Council at the 2/22/2011 meeting, vote #24, voted to consider rezoning the Caitac USA property from R10 (one house per 10 acres) to R5A (one house per five acres) and rezone the golf course from R10A to Tourist Commercial to allow a hotel with limited area of more intense rural development designation. The City Council at the 7/11/2011 meeting, vote #127, authorized the city to appeal any rezones. Futurewise filed an appeal with the Washington Growth Management Hearings Board; later the city filed an appeal. The hearings board consolidated the two appeals. This settlement agreement dismisses all hearings board claims. It will contain the following terms: the County Council will repeal the ordinance passed at the 12/6/2011 meeting, vote #223, so the area rezoned R5A for the housing development will revert back to R10A; no part of that area may be rezoned from R10A to R5A for a period of five years; Whatcom County and Caitac USA will terminate the housing development agreement; the ordinance passed at the 12/6/2011 meeting, vote #224, will remain in effect, so the area where the hotel will be built will keep the designation of Rural Tourism LAMIRD (limited areas of more intensive rural development) and the rezoning to Tourist Commercial; and the development agreement associated with the hotel near the golf course will also remain effect. (Discussed in Executive Session) Approved 6-0-1, Cathy Lehman abstained.

183. Authorize the sale of the property located at 2404 Meridian Street for $180,500? At the 4/16/2012 meeting, vote #74, the City Council voted to accept a property bequest from the estate of Allyn C. Deets. Money from the sale of the property is to be used to maintain the Fountain Plaza Park. The City Council at the 5/7/2012 meeting, vote #86, directed staff to sell the four pieces of property. At the 9/10/2012 meeting, vote #176, the council approved the sale of the property at 2404 Meridian. A judge modified the sale agreement so another vote to approve the sale is required. (Discussed in Executive Session) Approved 5-2, Jack Weiss and Stan Snapp opposed.

184. Approve the mayor’s appointment of Barry Buchanan to the Waterfront Advisory Group? The advisory group ensures that the principles outlined by the Waterfront Futures Group continue to be implemented in future waterfront development. Of the 10 members, five are appointed by the city of Bellingham and five by the Port of Bellingham Commission. This will be Mr. Buchanan’s first term; it is a three-year term ending on 9/24/2015. (AB19691) Approved 7-0

185. Appropriate $3,339,008 for goods and services checks issued from August 24 through September 13, 2012? (AB19695/19696/19697) Approved 7-0

186. Appropriate $2,621,363 for payroll checks issued from August 25 through September 10, 2012? (AB19698) Approved 7-0

187. Add a marina boathouse chapter to the Bellingham Fire Code? The boathouse fire at Squalicum Harbor on 3/30/2012 that killed two people and destroyed 12 boats made it clear that changes in the existing fire code were necessary. The new code outlines safety regulations, requires permits and annual inspections of all harbor boathouses and establishes maintenance requirements for handling and storage of combustible materials. In addition, fire alarm and protection systems will be required in all the larger boathouse condominiums. AB19669 (Ordinance 2012-09-044) Approved 7-0

188. Allow the Tourism Commission to spend $45,000 on events and activities to attract tourists? The Tourism Fund has the money because the 2011 hotel/motel taxes brought in more than expected. The money will be used for additional contractual services. AB19674 (Ordinance 2012-09-045) Approved 7-0

189. Reinstate three full-time positions in the Planning and Community Development Department? The three jobs were eliminated during the last four years: senior planner, electrical inspector III and office assistant I. They have been identified as the three most important positions to reinstate, and the mayor has authorized this action. At the same time, a vacant, half-time permit programs administrator job will be eliminated. The city must allocate an additional $39,012 in the 2012 budget to cover the extra costs of salaries and benefits. AB19677 (Ordinance 2012-09-046) Approved 6-1, Michael Lilliquist opposed.

Action Taken at October 8, 2012 Meeting

Shall the council:

190. Formally honor Fire Chief Bill Boyd for his service to the city? Mr. Boyd was hired by the city on 11/2/83. He served the city for 29 years as a firefighter, paramedic, quality assurance captain, fire captain, paramedic captain, public information officer, assistant chief and for the last nine years, fire chief. He has also been active in the community through involvement with Bellingham Bay Rotary, WWU and the Northwest Incident Management Team. He worked with the Emergency Management Institute to send 70 city staff members to attend the National Fire Academy, secured over $2 million in state and federal grant funds to purchase technology and safety equipment, and upgraded the city’s fleet of emergency vehicles. He helped to develop the Whatcom Medic One system, to upgrade the Mass Casualty Incident System and to coordinate city and county emergency response plans. AB19699 (Resolution 2012-27) Approved 6-0, Cathy Lehman excused.

191. Direct staff to negotiate with Kuntz and Company to rent the Parkade space for their Commercial Street Theatre project? There are 3,847 square feet of available space in the Parkade. At the 5/21/2012 meeting, vote #105, the City Council directed staff to assemble a “stakeholders group” of downtown business owners and city representatives to evaluate the two proposals for the Parkade space on the basis of public benefit, economic return, support of city goals and the feasibility of the proposed business plans. Kuntz and Company proposed spending $478,000 to remodel the empty units into a 216 seat theatre with a sprung floor for theatre, dance and music performances. The other submission was from the Bellingham Railway Museum; they wanted to rent an additional 1,000 sq. ft. for $4.80 per sq. ft. Kuntz and Company will be providing improvements to the space in lieu of rent which will be figured at the current market rate of $9.25 per sq.ft. (AB19702) Amended* and approved 6-0, Cathy Lehman excused.

192. Grant a noise variance to the Colacurcio Brothers to pave Woburn Street at night? Construction work between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. requires a noise variance. Woburn Street between Lakeway and Alabama experiences high traffic flow during daylight hours so it will be paved at night. The paving is part of the 2012 street resurfacing program. The work is expected to take four or five nights starting on the week of October 15. (AB19708) Approved 6-0, Cathy Lehman excused.

193. Sell as surplus a manufactured home? The city recently purchased property to serve as a trail head for King and Queen Mountains; a 1983 Berks Double-Wide was acquired as part of the purchase. The manufactured home (valued at $25,000), is meant to be a residence, is not suitable for conversion to public use and is not needed by the city. The home will be advertised for sale in local newspapers and on the city website. The home will be awarded to the highest bidder who can safely and legally move it from 4360 King Mountain Road. (AB19704) Approved 6-0, Cathy Lehman excused.

194. Appropriate $5,544,019 for goods and services checks issued from September 14 through September 27, 2012? (AB19705/19706) Approved 6-0, Cathy Lehman excused.

195. Appropriate $2,504,630 for payroll checks issued from September 11 through September 25, 2012? (AB19707) Approved 6-0, Cathy Lehman excused.

196. Update the business registration section of the Bellingham Municipal Code? Online applications for city business licenses must now be made through the state Department of Revenue/Business Licensing Service. Businesses may register online for both state and city business licenses on the state website. Applications may also be submitted in person at City Hall. At third and final reading, the council voted to remove the redundant phrase: “or any provision of the Bellingham Municipal Code.” AB19689 (Ordinance 2012-10-047) Amended and approved 6-0, Cathy Lehman excused.

197. Rename a position and move it from the planning department to the mayor’s office? The special projects manager in the Planning and Community Development Department will become the new economic development manager in the mayor’s office. This person will report directly to the mayor and will lead city-wide economic development programs including the Waterfront District redevelopment. The cost of making the change will be $8,601 in 2012. AB19690 (Ordinance 2012-10-048) Approved 6-0, Cathy Lehman excused.

Action Taken at October 22, 2012 Meeting

Shall the council:

198. Authorize the mayor to sign an agreement with the Port of Bellingham for the exchange of real property in The Waterfront District? This agreement is for the property declared surplus in vote #202. Terms of the agreement: 1. full ownership by the city of the Cornwall Beach property that is jointly owned by the city and the port. 2. option for the city to acquire at no additional cost, property abutting Army Street and tideland parcels abutting the Cornwall Beach property. 3. city access to the breakwater surrounding the former G-P treatment lagoon in order to build a public trail with parking. 4. a multi-million dollar investment by the port to clean up the Central Waterfront shoreline. 5. The city will be released from costs associated with the current Whatcom Waterway cleanup. The agreement is accompanied by the temporary license agreement for the city to build the trail around the former G-P treatment lagoon. (AB19714) Approved 7-0

199. Approve the draft of a letter to the Whatcom County Council? Mayor Linville submitted the draft of a letter to the Whatcom County Council regarding an ordinance amending the Whatcom County Zoning Code to create a Lake Whatcom Watershed Overlay District. Council asked for one change in the last sentence of the letter: replace “Lake Whatcom Management Committee” with “Interjurisdictional Coordinating Team.” (Old/New Business) Approved 7-0

200. Approve the mayor’s appointment of Alice Shilhanek to a county position on the Lake Whatcom Watershed Advisory Board? This board advises the city on the purchase, management, maintenance and use of property within the watershed. Ms. Shilhanek is a retired geologist and a Whatcom Land Trust steward who has been a Whatcom County resident since 1984. This is her first term on the board; it will expire on 10/22/2015. (AB19715) Approved 7-0

201. Authorize the mayor to award the low bid of $130,901 to Industrial Furnace Company of Rochester New York, to repair a recently failed incinerator at Post Point Treatment Plant? The incinerator converts biosolids to ash and needs to be repaired as soon as possible. The failure of incinerator #1 has temporarily placed the entire load on incinerator #2. There were 56 solicitations viewed and two bids were received. (AB19717) Approved 7-0

202. Appropriate $6,367,494 for goods and services checks issued from September 29 through October 13, 2012? (AB19718/19719) Approved 7-0

203. Appropriate $2,558,118 for payroll checks issued from September 26 through October 10, 2012? (AB19720) Approved 7-0

204. Declare property surplus so that ownership may be transferred to the Port of Bellingham? (Public hearing held.) City and state laws require that the council hold a public hearing before declaring property surplus. The property is located at 900, 902, 907, 909 and 1001 C Street. A property omission was corrected at the 11/5 meeting, vote #20? The city will lose about $70,000 from lease revenue on the property but will be released from paying about $1,500,000 in costs associated with the Whatcom Waterway cleanup. AB19710 (Resolution 2012-28) Approved 6-1, Seth Fleetwood opposed.

205. Sponsor the Whatcom Transit Authority’s request to participate in the Association of Washington Cities employee benefit trust? City sponsorship is required in order for the Whatcom Transit Authority to be granted membership in the benefit trust as a “quasi-municipal entity” AB19716 (Resolution 2012-29) Approved 7-0


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