Whatcom County Council

Action Taken at December 9, 2014 Meeting

Shall the council:

238. Authorize the executive to sign a $88,788 contract (amendment #3) with Michael Bobbink for the position of Whatcom County Hearing Examiner? The hearing examiner prepares written recommendations and decisions on land-use permits and administrative appeals. The contract provides a $6,194 raise and runs from 1/1/2015 through 12/31/2015. Michael Bobbink has been the Whatom County Hearing Examiner since 1996. This amendment brings the total contract to $336,552. (AB2014-381) Amended and approved 7-0

239. Authorize the executive to sign a $150,000 contract with Larry Steele and Associates of Bellingham for on-call professional land surveying services? (Council acting as the flood control district board of supervisors) Additional surveying services beyond the county’s capacity are required, and the authorization would provide services to multiple Public Works Departments, using multiple funding sources for included projects. (AB2014-389) Approved 7-0

240. Authorize the executive to sign an agreement with the State of Washington for the Washington Conservation Corps? (Council acting as the flood control district board of supervisors) The five corps members, a crew supervisor, vehicle, and basic hand tools will work from 1/1/2015 through 9/20/2015 on water quality, habitat monitoring and improvement projects, new restoration projects, and maintaining existing projects. The total cost is $195,000, with the county providing $60,000, the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association providing $55,210 under a separate agreement that began 10/1/2014 and the state providing the remainder. (AB2014-390) Approved 7-0

241. Authorize the executive to accept a $1,440,000 state grant for design and construction of the Deming levee upstream improvement plan? (Council acting as the flood control district board of supervisors) The plan was created in response to flooding in the town of Deming. A new 850-foot long levee will be constructed. (AB2014-391) Approved 7-0

242. Authorize the executive to sign a $180,000 contract with the Whatcom Conservation District for non-dairy livestock technical assistance as a component of the pollution identification and correction program? (Council acting as the flood control district board of supervisors) The authorization will allow a funding agreement to provide technical assistance to landowners and non-dairy livestock operators in the program focus area. The program is listed as of the highest priority by the Portage Bay Shellfish District Advisory Committee in the Shellfish Recovery Plan. (AB2014-392) Substitute approved 7-0

243. Authorize the executive to sign a $80,000 contract with the Whatcom Conservation District for livestock best management practices outreach and financial assistance as part of the pollution identification and correction program? (Council acting as the flood control district board of supervisors) The authorization will allow a funding agreement to provide community outreach and financial assistance to landowners and non-dairy livestock operators in the program focus area. (AB2014-393) Approved 7-0

244. Approve a letter to be signed by the council chair and the executive that will be sent to landowners to introduce the pollution identification and correction program and explain available resources? The letter addresses fecal coliform bacteria contamination of Whatcom County waterways. AB2014-394 Amended and approved 7-0

245. Authorize the executive to accept a $300,000 federal grant to support the pollution identification and correction program? (Council acting as the flood control district board of supervisors) The authorization will provide program coordination and tracking, technical assistance, compliance staff, and a program review process to landowners and non-dairy livestock operators in the program focus area. (AB2014-396) Approved 7-0

246. Authorize the executive to sign a $33,000 contract (amendment #2) with Kulshan Services of Bellingham for development of a system-wide improvement framework for the Nooksack River levee system? (Council acting as the flood control district board of supervisors) Kulshan Services will implement a stakeholder involvement process, as well as facilitating meetings for the development for the Nooksack River Levee System. This amendment brings the amended contract to $74,460. (AB2014-397) Approved 7-0

247. Authorize the executive to sign a $843,759 contract with Norstan Communications d/b/a/ Black Box Network Services of Minnetonka, MN, for the acquisition, implementation, and maintenance of a replacement telecommunications system? The current system has been in place for 22-years, is at the end of its useful life, and support from the manufacturer is no longer available. All Whatcom County departments use the system, making its replacement vital to future government operations and public service. (AB2014-399) Approved 7-0

248. Authorize the executive to sign a $134,444 contract with CompuCom Systems of Broadview, IL, for a three-year software maintenance agreement? Whatcom County government uses Microsoft Office software acquired under a Microsoft Enterprise agreement . This authorization would renew that agreement. An increase of $9,957 per year over the original agreement reflects the addition of Microsoft Exchange Online e-mail software, providing services such as instant messaging, document sharing, and storage to the existing software. The contract expires on 12/31/2017. (AB2014-404) Approved 7-0

249. Authorize the executive to sign five contracts totaling $411,167 for tourism promotion? The contracts are with: Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism for $250,000; Mount Baker Foothills Chamber of Commerce for $61,167; Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce for $40,000; Whatcom Events for $35,000 and Sustainable Connections for $25,000. The total amount being spent for tourism is $550,000. The other contracts are below the $25,000 threshold requiring council approval. The funds will provide staffing, facilities, and advertising for tourism promotion in Whatcom County. (AB2014-405/406/407/408/409) Approved 7-0

250. Authorize the executive to approve the spending of $441,924 to purchase 13 vehicles for the sheriff’s department? The vehicles were advertised and no bids were received. The state contract will be used to purchase the vehicles. Six marked 2015 Ford interceptor vehicles will be purchased from Columbia Ford of Longview in the amount of $204,505. They will replace six vehicles with milage from 101,718 to 142,137. Three unmarked 2015 Ford interceptor vehicles will be purchased from Columbia Ford of Longview in the amount of $103,084. They will replace three vehicles with milage from 101,223 to 147,510. Two 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles will be purchased from Bud Clary Chevrolet of Longview in the amount of $72,000. They will replace vehicles with milage of 158,730 and 135,888. Two 2014 Ford interceptor sedans will be purchased from Columbia Ford of Longview in the amount of $62,335. They will replace vehicles with milage of 108,690 and 117,130. (AB2014-410/411/412/413) Approved 7-0

251. Authorize the executive to sign a $127,745 contract (amendment #16) with Washington State University to provide salary and support to provide an extension program? This amendment continues the sharing of costs for faculty positions in the Whatcom County Extension Program and cost sharing for a forestry specialist to support the community horticulture program. The total amended amount is $1,266,288. The contract expires on 12/31/2015. (AB2014-414) Approved 7-0

252. Authorize the executive to sign a $276,000 contract with the Bellingham Food Bank to provide food to low-income people? The Food Bank will use the funds to obtain, store, and distribute food and other needed goods to families in the lowest income brackets. The funding is $138,000 per year for two years. The contract expires on 12/31/2016. (AB2014-415) Approved 7-0

253. Authorize the executive to sign a $33,304 contract with Bennett Engineering of Bellingham to monitor closed landfills? Ground water, surface water, and gas emissions are monitored at the former Cedarville and Y Road landfills to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations. The contract expires on 12/31/2015. (AB 2014-416) Approved 7-0

254. 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 2015 rate is $54.36 per ton. This agreement runs from 1/1/2015 to 12/31/2015 (AB-2014-419) Approved 7-0

255. Authorize the executive to sign a $721,415 two-year contract with the Whatcom Humane Society for animal control and shelter services? The service agreement includes administering regulations, enforcement, and penalties regarding county ordinances, statutes, and local code. Additional costs for vehicles, fuel, maintenance, and building maintenance are not included in this contract but are covered by the county for amounts over $37,010 in 2015 and the same amount in 2016. The contract runs from 1/1/2015 through 12/31/2016. (AB2014-420) Approved 7-0

256. Authorize the executive to approve the spending of $147,979 for a 2014 John Deere front loader? The state contract will be used to purchase the front loader from Pape Machinery of Kent. It replaces a 1991 Caterpillar with 4,079 hours. (AB2014-421) Approved 7-0

257. Authorize the executive to sign a $1,082,800 contract with the Northwest Regional Council to provide nursing services for jail inmates? They will provide medical, psychiatric, and dental care for inmates at the Whatcom County jail and the work center. This contract is a $26,225 decrease over last year; it expires on 12/31/2015. (AB2014-422) Approved 7-0

258. Approve $550,000 in proposed lodging tax funding for tourism promotion in 2015? See vote 249 for five contracts totaling $411,167 in amounts of $25,000 and above. (AB2014-427) Approved 7-0

259. Approve a request by the Whatcom County Auditor to include three ballot questions at the next special election? Questions one and two: annex the city of Everson and the city of Nooksack into Fire District #1. Question three: annex the city of Ferndale into Fire District #7. Each city has adopted ordinances initiating the process of annexation and each fire district has passed resolutions concurring. AB2014-385/386/395 (Resolutions 2014-064/065/066) Approved 7-0

260. Adopt a salary schedule and policies for unrepresented Whatcom County employees? This vote establishes salaries contained in the budget for elected officials, managers, department heads, supervisors, court commissioners, and staff. The salary schedule will be effective 1/1/2015 through 12/31/2016. (AB2014-388) Resolution 2014-067 Approved 7-0

261. Amend the 2014 budget for flood control district and subzones (request #5) in the amount of $70,000? (Council acting as the flood control district board of supervisors) Ordinance would fund a cost-share agreement with the Sumas/Nooksack/Everson Subzone for Swift Creek bank stabilization. AB2014-483 (Resolution 2014-068) Approved 7-0

262. Amend the 2014 budget (request #19) in the amount of $141,223? Appropriate: $15,987 for overtime in the sheriff’s office; $125,236 for new courtroom recording system connecting the commissioners courtroom on the 5th floor, the superior courtroom on the 2nd floor, and the main jail courtroom. AB2014-382 (Ordinance 2014-086) Adopted 7-0

263. Grant the Public Utility District No. 1 of Whatcom County a 25-year franchise and the right, privilege, and authority thereunder to locate, set, erect, lay, construct, extend, support, attach, connect, maintain, repair, replace, enlarge, operate, and use facilities in, upon, over, under, along, across, and through the franchise area to allow for the provision of water services? This ordinanace covers all roads, public ways and county property in Whatcom County. The PUD, a Washington Municipal Corporation, is limited to providing retail water service in the Grandview and Cherry Point service areas. It has existing franchises for water lines and facilities within county rights-of-way. The franchises will soon expire, this vote will replace existing agreements. AB2014-180 (Ordinance 2014-087) Adopted 6-1, Barbara Brenner1 opposed.