July 2007
Watching Government
Bellingham City Council
Compiled by Earl Dennis
Action Taken at May 7, 2007 Meeting
Shall the council:
99. Authorize the mayor to sign a $3 million settlement with Maine Bonding Insurance Company of Portland, Maine? This is the sixth settlement in the cases against the umbrella company Granite State Insurance Company for reimbursement of cleanup costs, and brings total settlements to $4,750,000. The previous settlements were approved at the 2/27/06 meeting, vote number 37; 4/2/06 meeting, vote number 96; 7/10/06 meeting, vote number 158: 9/25/06 meeting, vote number 234 and 11/6/06, vote number 277. (Executive Session) Approved 7-0
100. Purchase 3.5 acres in the Lake Padden watershed for $30,750? The purchase is part of a group of properties being assembled for a Greenways Corridor. Richard and Sharon Skeers are selling the Wildflower plat located on Governor Road. The undeveloped property is designated as a drainage basin. The western side of the property will become a trail, the remaining lands will be kept natural. (Executive Session) Approved 7-0
101. Authorize the mayor to sign a $2,062,582 contract with Strider Construction of Bellingham for the sewer treatment plant project? The current Post Point outfall pipe is 30 inches in diameter. It will be replaced by two pipes, one 54 inches ia diameter and the other 60 inches. The new pipes will follow the existing one, under three sets of railroad tracks, through Marine Park and 600 feet into the bay. The project has been coordinated with the Port of Bellingham, local groups, federal and state governments, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway and the Lummi Nation to address park access, mitigation, railroad operations and installation concerns. The low bid was above the engineer’s estimated cost of $1.9 million. One hundred and five bids were solicited and two were received. (AB17419B) Approved 7-0
102. Create a Resource Conservation Manager position for two years? The position will implement recommendations for the inventory and action plans of the Cities for Climate Protection program (see next vote) and coordinate the Puget Sound Energy resource conservation program. First year funding will be $60,000. (AB17443) Approved 7-0
103. Approve the inventory and action plan of the Cities for Climate Protection program? At the 3/14/05 meeting, vote number 53, the council unanimously approved the Cities for Climate Protection program. The program is a five-step program to solve global warming. The first step — the inventory and action plan report — is finished. The report assesses the cities contributions to greenhouse gas emissions; it recommends a reduction goal (second step) and an action plan (third step). The action plan sets a target goal at reducing city pollution to 64 percent below the 2000 level by 2012 and to 70 percent by 2020. City staff is directed to implement the plan and develop the plan’s 18 projects, future funding will be on a case-by-case basis. AB17442 (Resolution 2007-10) Approved 7-0
104. Express concerns to the federal government about the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative? In December 2004, the federal government passed the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, requiring all U.S. and Canadian citizens to use passports or other accepted identification when entering the U.S. starting 1/1/08. Businesses, politicians, trade groups and other citizens have sent letters to the federal government expressing concerns about negative impacts to legitimate travelers. The council recognizes border concerns, asks the executive branch for an economic and social analyses of the impact on cross-border trade, tourism and local community activities and to revise the implementation strategy based on analyses and asks Congress to both delay the implementation and reconsider the legislation. AB17414B (Resolution 2007-11) Approved 7-0
105. Correct inconsistencies in existing level-of-service ratios for parks acreage? (Public hearing held) The city’s comprehensive plan was adopted in June 2006 and was appealed to the Western Washington Growth Management Hearings Board. Petitioners claimed the park acreage calculation didn’t comply with Growth Management Act requirements, that the plan overstated the acres needed for future parks and thus understated the amount of developable residential land by 830 acres. The hearings board found the plan consistent except for a discrepancy between the existing level-of-service in the “parks, recreation and open space plan” and the existing level-of-service in the “capital facilities element.” The board ordered the inconsistencies corrected by June 5, 2007. This vote corrects the inconsistencies. AB17395 (Ordinance 2007-05-37) Approved 5-1-1, Barbara Ryan opposed and Don Gischer abstained.
106. Appropriate $23,000 in drug forfeiture funds to pay for police department evidence storage space? The additional space was not anticipated when the 2007 budget request was submitted. AB17416 (Ordinance 2007-05-38) Approved 7-0
107. Accept a Western Washington University grant of $2,360 for police department party patrols? The grant will pay overtime for two nights and bring the party patrols grant total to $34,964. WWU received a $260,804 grant from the National Institute of Health to be used from 5/28/04 through 8/31/07 to change the drinking culture on campus. AB17428 (Ordinance 2007-04-39) Approved 7-0
Action Taken at May 21, 2007 Meeting
Shall the council:
108. Authorize the mayor to award the low bid of $178,095 to HB Hansen Construction of Lynden for a storage building at Joe Martin Field? The 2006 budget allocated $200,000 for the storage building and track resurfacing. The low bid for resurfacing the Civic Field track (4/30/07 meeting, vote number 88) was $91,333. Seventy-five bids were solicited and three were received. (AB17469) Approved 6-0, John Watts excused.
109. Appropriate $2,982,223 for goods and services checks issued from April 20 through May 11, 2007? (AB17470/17471/17472) Approved 6-0, John Watts excused.
110. Appropriate $2,753,007 for city payroll checks issued from April 16 through April 30, 2007? (AB17473) Approved 6-0, John Watts excused.
111. Adopt the annual six-year (2008-2013) transportation improvement program? State law requires cities to update the six-year transportation program by July 1 of each year. The program provides a list of capital improvement projects and establishes the city’s eligibility for state and federal funds. AB17440B (Resolution 2007-12) Approved 5-1, Barbara Ryan opposed and John Watts excused.
Action Taken at June 4, 2007 Meeting
Shall the council:
112. Authorize the mayor to sign a settlement with D.R. Horton of Fort Worth, Texas? This settlement ends a dispute over road improvements. D.R. Horton plans on building 429 housing units in the Cordata PUD. The company will construct Kline Road between Guide Meridian and Aldrich Road and pay for improvements to Aldrich Road. It won’t be required to extend Cordata Parkway to the city limits. (Executive Session) Approved 7-0
113. Appropriate $2,558,908 for city payroll checks issued from May 1 through May 15, 2007? (AB17484) Approved 7-0
114. Appropriate $1,149,889 for goods and services checks issued from May 11 through May 18, 2007? (AB17485) Approved 7-0
115. Amend the 2007 action plan of the 2003-2007 consolidated plan? The action plan designates city use of federal funds for low- and moderate-income households. The 2007 action plan was approved at the 10/23/06 meeting, vote number 272. It approved guidelines for an estimated grant of $1,508,400. The actual grant amount will be $353,786 more than the estimated amount approved at the 10/23/06 meeting. (AB17457B) (Resolution 2007-13) Approved 7-0
116. Amend the Planning and Development Services budget by $423,506? This vote transfers 70 percent of the salary ($423,506) of planners in planning and development services to the general fund. The purpose of the transfer is to maintain the goals established by the council for reserves. Deterioration in the reserve fund could result in fee increases or staff reductions. AB17461 (Ordinance 2007-06-40) Approved 7-0
117. Spend $69,038 to find replacements for three departing executives? The city hired Adams Consulting of Bothell to conduct job searches for a new finance director; human resources director and museum director. Fifty thousand will be for recruiting expenses, $16,500 for management consulting and $2,538 for advertising. AB17462 (Ordinance 2007-06-41) Approved 7-0
118. Transfer $36,000 in interest from the Greenways Maintenance Endowment Fund to the general fund? The Greenways Advisory Committee recommended that the parks and recreation department use $8,000 for two AmeriCorps positions; $15,000 for the South Bay Trail; $4,000 for Little Squalicum Park and $3,000 each for Woodstock Farm, Squalicum Creek Park and plant materials for Greenways sites. The interest balance is $198,644; the appropriation will reduce the balance to $162,644. The Greenways fund will earn approximately $70,000 in interest this year. AB17463 (Ordnance 2007-06-42) Approved 7-0
119. Accept a state grant of $5,500 for nighttime seat-belt enforcement patrols? The Washington State Traffic Safety Commission grant will pay overtime for officers participating in the “Take the Fight to the Night – Nighttime Seatbelt Enforcement” patrols between 5/21 and 6/3/07. AB17466 (Ordinance 2007-06-43) Approved 7-0
