March 2003
Watching Government
Bellingham City Council
Compiled by Russel T. Weston
Action Taken at January 27, 2003 meeting
2. Increase the petty cash fund at the Bellingham Public Library from $600 to $1,100? Additional funds would be available without the need to prepare accounts payable entries. A coin change machine will be installed to reduce clerk involvement in making change. This fund was increased from $500 to $600 on 10/07/02 (December 2002, vote 169). AB15535 Approved 7-0
3. Accept the low bid of $164,300 from Wilder Construction of Bellingham for asphalt pavement repairs? Work consists of patching and repairing potholes throughout the year. Last year the contract was $157,335. AB15536 Approved 7-0
4. Accept the single bid of $52,451 from Gateway Controls of Bellingham for a card key security system at the Public Works Operations Center on Pacific Street? The funding will be from various public works projects. Prompted by a security audit, the intent is to reduce vandalism and increase security at the complex. AB15544 Approved 7-0
5. Approve the $750,000 purchase of a 57-acre park site on Samish Hill? The property is within Bellingham’s Yew Street Urban Growth Area, south of Dumas Avenue, west of Verona, east of Racine, and north of Bennett Road. The purchase price will be from the 1990 Greenways levy fund. AB15539 Approved 7-0Approved 7-0
6. Endorse uses for the Olympic Pipeline fine and penalty payments of $20,000,000? Priorities include an independent nonprofit pipeline safety trust, development of Squalicum Way ball fields as a memorial, ongoing environmental restoration, upgrading the county emergency communications system and contribution to the coastal protection fund. AB15548 (Resolution 2003-02) Approved 6-1, Bob Ryan opposed.
7. Add $149,575 to the 2003 budget for salaries and benefits? Nonunion employees will get the same 2 percent pay increase union employees are getting and funding would be from reserves. The increase will affect 76 employee positions averaging $98,018 per year. AB15515 (Ordinance 2003-01-01) Approved 7-0
8. Grant a 25-year franchise to Puget Sound Energy to build and maintain utility structures for electrical energy transmission in Bellingham? Puget Sound Energy has been maintaining its facilities without an agreement since1998. Responsibility for payment to move or place utility structures will be established. No franchise fee will be paid to the city. AB15455 (Ordinance 2003-01-02) Approved 7-0
9. Amend Ordinance 2002-06-44 that applies to the Spring Creek Meadows Estates west of James Street and north of Bakerview Road? The interior streets of the 100 residential unit development will be 28 feet wide rather than the 24 feet width approved on June 24, 2002. AB15516 (Ordinance 2003-01-03) Approved 7-0
10. Repeal Bellingham Municipal Code 10.42.005 concerning state laws on fishing and hunting and replace it with 10.42.010? The new code will allow city police to enforce state fishing and hunting laws within the city limits without referring them to District Court. AB15517 (Ordinance 2003-01-04) Approved 7-0
11. Cancel the $2 per month stormwater rate increase in the ordinance adopted on 2/12/01? The scheduled rate increase will not be implemented. The current stormwater rate will remain in effect indefinitely. AB15518 (Ordinance 2003-01-05) Approved 7-0
Action Taken at February 10, 2003 meeting
12. Purchase* 3.0 acres (excluding the buildings) from Lee and Bobbie Hallock for $205,000? The property is located at 833 Lake Whatcom Blvd. in West Geneva and has an estimated assessed value** of $177,965. AB15557 Approved 7-0
13. Purchase* 3.09 acres from Richard & Elsie Zarnowitz for $130,000? The property is at the north end of Oriental Avenue in the Silver Beach/Geneva area and has an assessed value** of $86,500. AB15560 Approved 7-0
14. Purchase* .96 acres from Bonnie and John Strode for $115,000? The property at 833 Lake Whatcom Blvd. in the Silver Beach neighborhood and has an assessed value** of $90,000. AB15561 Approved 7-0
15. Purchase* one acre (excluding the buildings) from Terry and Laura Hartnell for $85,000? The property at 735 Lake Whatcom Blvd. in the Geneva area and has an estimated assessed value** of $110,000. AB15556 Approved 7-0
16. Purchase* .37 acres from Dale and Janeen Mcatee for $72,000? The property at the south end of Geneva Street at Ann Court and has an assessed value** of $22,500. AB15559 Approved 7-0
17. Purchase* 2.01 acres from Robert E. Laplant for $45,000? The property is west of Lake Louise Road at Austin Lane in Geneva and has an assessed value** of $20,000. AB15558 Approved 7-0
18. Purchase* .28 acres from the Boggs Family Trust for $15,000? The property is in the 700 block of Lake Whatcom Blvd. in West Geneva and has an assessed value** of $10,000. AB15555 Approved 7-0
19. Declare the west half of the Fire Station #2 block between Harris and McKenzie Avenues, 15th and 16th Streets surplus and dispose of it by special process? The property can be sold for less than the market value of $226,000, which was the amount in the 2003 budget. This property will be rezoned from public use to residential single use and further restricted by the Fairhaven Neighborhood plan to allow affordable housing only. AB15551 Approved 7-0
20. Approve the Teamsters Local Union 231 three-year labor contract? The contract includes a long-term disability insurance premium with 50 percent to be paid by the employee and a 2 percent wage increase in 2003, 2004 and 2005. This contact applies to 85 city employees. Approved 7-0
21. Approve the AFSCME, Local 114 three-year labor contract? The contact includes a long-term disability insurance premium with 50 percent to be paid by the employee and a 2 percent wage increase in 2003, 2004 and 2005. This contact applies to 366 city employees. Approved 7-0
22. Settle the condemnation of 1,560 square feet at 1801 E. Sunset Drive for $54,200 plus $9,800 in court costs? The court determined that the distance between the street and the building of the Lake Whatcom Residential and Treatment Center property caused devaluation of the property so a portion of the settlement was for “proximity” damage to the remainder of the property. Approved 7-0
23. Ratify the hiring of a special counsel to assist in the city attorney’s office? The special counsel will fill-in for city attorney Les Reardon who is performing military duty and attorney Jorge Vega who is filling the planning director’s position vacated by Patricia Decker’s appointment as the director of the new Waterfront Futures Group. Funding for the special council would be from salaries and benefits allocated for the positions vacated. AB5553 Approved 7-0
24. Accept four bids totaling $1,725,526 for the Oak Street sewer pump station upgrade equipment? The bids (that the city’s consultant determined met all specifications) awarded to four equipment vendors were $255,474 less than the engineer’s estimate. Future upgrades will include a second 36-inch sewer line increasing sewer line capacity by 62.5 percent and additional power generators for a total estimated cost of $8,000,000. AB15554 Approved 7-0
25. Extend city sewer and water service to the Beth Israel Synagogue? The property is within Bellingham’s Yew Street Urban Growth Area, just outside the city limits. The synagogue will sign an annexation agreement and donate 5.31 acres to the city. The stormwater rates will be the same as those collected within the city for new construction and the city will approve short plat or lot line adjustments for the applicant. AB 15532 (Ordinance 2003-02-06) Approved 7-0
26. Transfer $250,000 from the planning department to the Waterfront Futures Group? Source of funding would be the first ¼ percent of real estate excise tax funds restricted in use by RCW 82.46.035 to financing capital projects. The city is interpreting the RCW to include planning for infrastructure and parks. AB15533 (Ordinance 2003-02-07) Approved 7-0
27. Use $54,842 from the police asset sharing fund to purchase a digital video system for crime investigation? This will allow the police department to use video surveillance tapes for criminal investigations, court presentations and prosecution. AB15534 (Ordinance 2003-02-08) Approved 7-0
28. Dissolve the Bellingham Public Facilities District into the Bellingham Whatcom Public Facilities District? This will eliminate the need for separate boards and will be administered by the city of Bellingham. The state’s annual contribution to the district is $750,000, the city is required to contribute a one-third match for a total of $1,125,000. AB15542 (Ordinance 2003-02-09) Approved 7-0
