Whatcom County Council

Action Taken at July 8, 2014 Meeting

Shall the council:

131. Amend the six-year (2014-2019) water resources improvement program? (Public hearing held: council acting as the flood control district board of supervisors). The water resources program for 2014-2019 was passed at the 10/8/2013 meeting, vote #171. It is a strategic planning tool and provides opportunity for public input on proposed capital work programs. It outlines future work for river and flood control, stormwater improvements, Swift Creek projects, and Birch Bay watershed management. This amendment adds the Syre property bank stabilization project and funding for emergency repair work at Swift Creek. The Syre project was removed from the amendment. (AB2014-240) Amended and approved 7-0

132. Authorize the executive to accept a $131,738 federal/state grant for the Northwest Regional Drug Task Force? The federal grant is $99,099 and the state grant is $32,639. The goal of the task force is  to interdict criminal gangs and drug trade through multi-jurisdictional efforts of law enforcement and prosecution. The funds will help support positions in the sheriff’s office, the prosecuting attoney’s office, and provide operational costs for the drug task force. The grant runs from 7/1/2014 through 6/30/2015.(AB2014-246) Approved 7-0.

133. Authorize the executive to accept a $447,391 federal grant to enhance cooperation and coordination among tribal, local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies? The grant is from the Department of Homeland Security/Operation Stonegarden Program and will be used to secure the international border. The funding will be for overtime and related mileage and the purchase of equipment. The grant runs from 10/1/2013 through 6/30/2015. (AB2014-247) Approved 7-0

134. Authorize the executive to award the lowest responsible bid of $170,562 to Pape Machinery of Eugene, Oregon, for two self-propelled pneumatic tire rollers? The rollers are used for proper compaction and density of asphalt on road construction and maintenance projects. They are replacing two rollers with 3,025 and 3,693 hours. The equipment was advertised and two bids were received. One bid met minimum specifications. (2014-248) Approved 7-0

135. Authorize the executive to award the low bid of $278,884 to Henifin Construction of Bellingham for the Coronado-Fremont area stormwater improvements? The project is located in the Geneva neighborhood. The project will improve stormwater treatment, promote infiltration, reduce erosion, and install stormwater vaults. The work was advertised and five bids were received. The engineer’s estimate was $298,914. The total cost of the improvements are $433,884. (AB2014-251) Approved 7-0

136. Amend the six-year (2014-2019) transportation improvement project? (Public hearing held.) The transportation improvement program was approved at the 9/24/2013 meeting, vote #164. This amendment modifies the “Gooseberry Point Pedestrian Project” and changes the title to “Lummi Nation Transportation Projects.” It also changes “various pedestrian improvements” to “various locations on reservation.” AB2014-241 (Resolution 2014-031) Approved 7-0.

137. Authorize the sale of surplus property? The surplus property consists of objects which are too costly to repair or are outdated. The surplus property includes: 11 Crown Victoria automobiles; 12 Ford, Chevrolet, and Dodge trucks; three dump trucks, five tractors, eight mowers, two motorcycles, a chipper, a trailer, a sweeper, plus broken office equipment, computer components, and furniture. AB2014-229A (Resolution 2014-032) Approved 6-1, Barbara Brenner opposed.

138. Grant Astound Broadband a non-exclusive franchise to provide cable TV, broadband internet and telephone services in Whatcom County? The non-exclusive franchise has the right of entry, use, and occupation of the public rights-of-way within Whatcom County. Astound Broadband purchased Black Rock Cable which has the existing franchise; it will expire on 9/17/2014. Astound Broadband is a sister company of Wave Broadband, a subsidiary of WaveHoldings of Kirkland. AB2013-331 (Ordinance 2014-040) Approved 7-0

139. Amend the Whatcom County Code to allow packinghouses and slaughterhouses in the agriculture, heavy impact industrial, and rural and industrial manufacturing zoning districts? (Public hearing held) At the 9/10/2013 meeting, vote #158, the council voted to allow packinghouses in the agricultural zoning district. It required packinghouses no larger than 7,000 square feet, a building permit, a waste handling permit and the right to use water. Required a public hearing for slaughterhouses no larger than 20,000 square feet and the application subject to review by the Whatcom County Hearing Examiner. Up to three quarters of the animals slaughtered must be from Whatcom, Skagit and Island counties. On 11/13/2013, a petition of review was filed with the Growth Management Hearings Board challenging the ordinance. This amendment could potentially resolve the appeal before a decision by the Growth Management Hearings Board. AB 2014-060D (Ordinance 2014-041) Approved 7-0

Action Taken at July 22, 2014 Meeting

Shall the council:

140. Authorize the executive to sign three contracts totaling 123,238 for the Beachway Drive and Fern/Park stormwater improvement project? (Council acting as the flood control district board of supervisors.) The project is located in the Cottonwood Beach area of the Birch Bay watershed. The contracts are with: both Land Development and Engineering Services of Ferndale for $37,440 and Tetra Tech Inc. of Seattle for $50,924 to provide construction inspection services and to Rosario Archaeology of Bellingham to proivde cultural resource investigations for $34,874. The project is located in the Cottonwood Beach area of the Birch Bay Watershed. Improvements will relieve flooding in the area and provide water treatment and stream restoration. (AB2014-260/261/262) Approved 7-0

141. Authorize the executive to award the low bid of $520,923 to Len Honcoop Gravel of Lynden for the Beachway Drive and Fern/Park stormwater improvement project? (Council acting as the flood control district board of supervisors.) The project is located in the Cottonwood Beach area of the Birch Bay watershed. Improvements will relieve flooding in the area and provide water treatment and stream restoration. The engineer’s estimate was $592,356. The work was advertised and three bids were received. The total cost of the project is $756,593. (AB2014-263) Approved 7-0

142. Authorize the executive to accept a $143,091 state grant to keep track of registered sex offenders and kidnapping offenders? The grant is from the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. The sheriff’s office will retain a full time and a half time employee to track addresses and residencies of all registered sex offenders and kidnapping offenders in the county and require face-to-face verification. The grant commences on 7/1/2014 and expires on 6/30/15. (AB2014-265) Approved 7-0

143. Authorize the executive to sign an $87,981 contract with Maul, Foster & Alongi, Inc. of Bellingham to update the Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan? The state of Washington requires an update to the plan every five years; it was last updated in 2008. The contract requires five tasks: task 1–visionary process and preliminary assessment; task 2–data gathering; task 3–summary of existing solid waste system; task 4–development of system goals and actions; task 5–preparation of documents. The contract commences on 7/22/2014 and terminates on 6/30/2015. (AB2014-266) Approved 7-0

144. Order the cancellation of uncashed checks issued between 1/1/2009 and 6/30/2012? There are approximately 845 jail inmate trust fund checks totaling $6,605. There are 12 unclaimed checks with an amount over $75. The money will be transferred to the state of Washington as abandoned property where it will be available to the payee indefinitely. AB2013-264 (Resolution 2013-033) Approved 7-0

145. Amend the application deadline for vacancies on the flood control district advisory committee and subzone advisory committees? (Council acting as the flood control district board of supervisors.) Citizens have complained that the current deadline of 4:00 p.m. on the day of the regularly scheduled council meeting does not allow time for the public to review the applications. This amendment changes the application deadline from 4:00 p.m. on the day of the regularly scheduled council meeting to 10 a.m. on Tuesday of the week prior to the regularly scheduled council meeting. AB2014-259 (Resolution 2014-034) Adopted 6-1, Sam Crawford opposed.

146. Establish a policy for acronym use in documents submitted to the County Council? Acronyms will only be used for words or phrases that are repeated numerous times throughout a document, with the full names used the first time. If numerous acronyms are necessary in one document, an acronym glossary will be included. 2014-276 (Resolution 2014-035) Substitute amended and approved 7-0

147. Amend the wireless communications facilities chapters of the Whatcom County Code? This amendment will streamline the permit process for routine equipment upgrades and new antenna construction on existing, approved and conforming sites. New sections are added on permitted uses and definitions of terms. AB2014-256 (Ordinance 2014-042) Approved ?-?

148. Amend the 2014 budget (request 13) in the amount of $790,206? Appropriate: $17,201 to the sheriff’s office for ballistic armor plates and marijuana eradication; $589,943 for behavioral health services; $33,062 to fund mental health court staff position; $20,000 for minor courtroom remodeling, re-appropriate $130,000 for pictometry project. AB2014-255 (Ordinanace 2014-043) Adopted 7-0

149. Amend guidelines for the appointment of non-council members to boards, commissions and committees? Citizens have complained that the current deadline of 4:00 p.m. on the day of the regularly scheduled council meeting does not allow time for the public to review the applications. This amendment changes the application deadline from 4:00 p.m. on the day of the regularly scheduled council meeting to 10 a.m. on Tuesday of the week prior to the regularly scheduled council meeting. AB2014-258 (Ordinance 2014-044) Adopted 6-1, Sam Crawford opposed.