Compiled by Barry MacHale

Action Taken at February 9, 2016 Meeting

Shall the council:
23. Appoint applicants to vacancies on two county boards? Fred Likkel was appointed to the Portage Bay Shellfish Protection District and David Ramirez to the Whatcom Family Community Network. Mr. Likkel and Mr. Ramirez were the only applicants for the single vacancies on these boards. (AB2015-367)

24. Authorize the executive to sign a $29,945 contract (amendment #1) with Shearer Design of Seattle for replacement of the South Pass Road/Saar Creek Bridge No. 212? At the 10/28/2014 meeting, vote #194, the council approved the replacement project. This amendment is for professional engineering support during the bidding and construction phase. This amendment brings the total contract to $85,813; it expires on 12/31/2016. (AB2016-074) Approved 7-0

25. Authorize the executive to sign a lease agreement (amendment #2) with Whatcom Sports and Recreation? Whatcom Sports has leased 32.5 acres from the county since 1993. The amended agreement will permit use of Northwest Soccer Park for a period of 25 years, expiring 10/31/2040. The agreement includes naming rights to recognize a $700,000 private donation to a 9.7 acre expansion. The expansion includes two artificial turf fields with lighting. Whatcom Sports assumes all maintenance, operations, and capital improvement obligations. No payment is required for the lease, but the county reserves the right to require future rental fees. (AB2016-055) Approved 7-0

26. Authorize the installation of temporary stop signs on North Lake Samish Road at Bridge No.107? The bridge is a timber structure that a recent inspection found areas of wood rot, determined it is structurally deficient, and requires either replacement or structural enhancement to continue to safely convey heavier traffic, such as fire engines and school buses. As a short-term safety measure while options are being reviewed, the county road engineer recommends that stop signs be temporarily installed and traffic on the bridge be reduced to a single lane to reduce the weight-bearing load. The stop signs will be removed when the final bridge replacement or structural enhancement is completed. AB2016-064 (Ordinance 2016-002) Amended and adopted 7-0

27. Amend the 2016 budget (request #4) in the amount of $700,000? Appropriated: $300,000 to fund the East Whatcom Regional Resource Center expansion project. At the 10/13/2015 meeting, vote # 191, the council voted to appropriate $300,000 to match a $750,000 state grant. Re-appropriated: $400,000 to fund the Lummi Island Heritage Trust conservation and access easement. At the 11/24/2015 meeting, vote # 234, the council voted to appropriate funding for the protection and restoration of the 105-acre former quarry site to provide public access. AB2016-065 (Ordinance 2016-003) Adopted 7-0

28. Appropriate $1,050,000 (amendment #7) for the East Whatcom Regional Resource Center project budget? This amendment provides an expansion of the resource center that includes a food bank distribution center and multi-use space. The amendment is funded by a federal grant of $750,000 and $300,000 in county matching funds, for a total amended project budget of $6,097,571. AB2016-066 (Ordinance 2016-004) Adopted 7-0

Action Taken at February 23, 2016 Meeting

Shall the council:
29.  Adopt the Whatcom County Hearing Examiner’s recommended approval of a planned unit development, filed by Wayne Allen dba Whisper Lake Developments, Inc. of Burnaby, B.C.? The proposed development is located at 7495 Blaine Road, Blaine, includes 145 single-family residential lots on a 38-acre site. The site is located within the Birch Bay Urban Growth Area and is zoned for medium density residential development. (AB2016-089) Approved 6-0, Satpal Sidhu absent.

30. Appoint two members to serve on the Criminal Justice Treatment Account panel? The County Council appoints two members of the seven member panel. It advises the Northsound Behavioral Health Organization on issues related to providing substance abuse services as part of the larger goal of reducing incarceration. Appointed: Chris Watras, of SeaMar Community Health, to fill the treatment provider vacancy, and Jon Komorowski, to fill the criminal defense bar member vacancy. (AB2016-090) Approved 6-0, Satpal Sidhu absent.

31. 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 2016 rate is $54.36 per ton. This agreement runs from 1/1/2016 to 12/31/2016 (AB2016-094) Approved 6-0, Satpal Sidhu absent.

32. Authorize the executive to spend up to $100,000 to purchase the annual supply of glass beads? The retro-reflective materials used on county roads will be purchased from Alpine Products of Auburn as needed using the Washington State Contract. Expenditures for glass beads were $59,131 in 2014 and $84,654 in 2015. (AB2016-095) Approved 6-0, Satpal Sidhu absent.

33. Accept the phase 1 report of the Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force?The task force was created at the 6/9/2015 meeting, vote #108, to provide recommendations, oversight, and specific timeframes on the development of new or enhancement of existing programs that reduces incarceration of individuals affected with mental illness and chemical dependency and minimizes jail utilization by pretrial defendants. The work is divided into three phases; phase 1 develops goals for a new or enhanced crisis triage center. (AB2016-102) Approved 6-0, Satpal Sidhu absent.

34. Set March 8 as the hearing date for the sale of county tax title property by negotiation? TR2016-01, state law allows for the sale of county-owned property through negotiation if no acceptable bids are received during a public auction. The county acquired the Sudden Valley property on 11/20/2015 and it will be sold for no less than the principal taxes, interest, penalties, title search, and foreclosure costs of $3,839. The potential buyer owns an adjacent lot and wishes to add the property as green space. AB2016-073 (Resolution 2016-003) Approved 6-0, Satpal Sidhu absent.

35. Cancel 2015 uncollectible personal property taxes totaling $22,886? State law requires that the county treasurer submit to the council a list of uncollectible property taxes to be cancelled. The list includes $20,122 for nine businesses and $2,764 for 11 mobile homes. The county treasurer has certified that all reasonable efforts to collect such taxes were unsuccessful. The uncollectible property taxes for 2014 totaled $23,252 and for 2013 totaled $8,833. AB2016-092 (Resolution 2016-004) Approved 6-0, Satpal Sidhu absent.

36. Adopt the 2016 Comprehensive Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan? (Public hearing held at 2/9/2016 meeting.) The Parks and Recreation Department will use the plan as a planning document to assist in capital development; determination of levels of services, programming, and fees and meeting state grant funding requirements. It is separate from the Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan, and will direct recreation and open space planning through 2021. The plan can be viewed at whatcomcounty.us/documentcenter/view/14547. AB2016-062A (Resolution 2016-005) Approved 5-1, Barbara Brenner1 opposed, Satpal Sidhu absent.

37. Request the mouth of Terrell Creek be named Wolf Bauer Point? The council is asking the state Committee on Geographic Names to recommend to the federal Board on Geographic Names that the landform at the the mouth of Terrell Creek be formally named as Wolf Bauer Point. Mr. Bauer was active statewide in conservation and recreation, contributing to the science of shoreline management as well as the sports of kayaking and mountaineering. He was born in Bavaria on 2/24/1912, and died on San Juan Island on 1/23/2016. The amended language adds the dates of his birth and death. AB2016-088 (Resolution 2016-006) Amended and approved 6-0, Satpal Sidhu absent.

38. Authorize the installation of stop signs on Jackson Road at the intersection of Bay Road? (Public hearing held) After reviewing citizen complaints regarding the safety of the intersection, Public Works determined that a reduction in speed and the creation of an all-way stop is warranted. AB2016-084 (Ordinance 2016-005) Approved 6-0, Satpal Sidhu absent.

39. Authorize the establishment a speed limit on Jackson Road at the intersection of Bay Road? After reviewing citizen complaints regarding the safety of the intersection, Public Works determined that a reduction in speed is warranted. The first 500 feet east of Jackson Road will be reduced from 35 mph to 25 mph, and the first 500 feet south of Bay Road will be reduced from 40 mph to 25 mph. AB2016-085 (Ordinance 2016-006) Approved 6-0, Satpal Sidhu absent.

40. Amend the 2016 budget (request #5) in the amount of $5,241,772? Appropriate: $119,714 to fund expansion of the Nurse Family Partnership Program, a medical home-visit program which serves low-income mothers and their families in coordination with the Lummi Tribal Health Clinic; $42,060 to fund the Marijuana Prevention Program, which offers drug abuse prevention and case management services through Communities in Schools; $79,998 to fund the 2015 Homeland Security Program, which assists Whatcom County law enforcement with emergency response through the provision of equipment and training; $2,000,000 to fund the C Street Terminal Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project EDI loan; $3,000,000 to fund the All American Marine Expansion Project EDI loan and grant. AB2016-083 (Ordinance 2016-007) Approved 6-0, Satpal Sidhu absent.

41. Authorize the county to use approximately $700,000 in unspent bond proceeds on further capital projects related to the jail facility? At the 10/12/2010 meeting, vote #179, the council authorized the issuance of $1,825,000 in general obligations bonds for the purpose of partially funding security system replacements at the jail and juvenile detention facilities, and fire safety upgrades at the jail. The vote will allow for expenditures to replace jail security controls, study current jail facility deficiencies, and complete improvements identified in that study. AB2016-086 (Ordinance 2016-008) Approved 6-0, Satpal Sidhu absent.