Bellingham City Council

Shall the council:

167. Approve labor contracts with three unions? The contracts are with 130 firefighters and paramedics with the International Association of Firefighters, Local 106; 11 dispatchers with AFCME, Local 114F and nine librarians with AFSCME, Local 114L. The Local 106 contract increases wages by 3½ percent this year and all three contracts allow dependent medical insurance premiums at the same rate as other bargaining units. Approved 7-0

168. Approve a change in police department property disposal? In the past, the department destroyed old equipment or sold surplus property (such as weapons, autos, etc.) at auction. It has signed an agreement with an Arizona corporation to sell and dispose of the property. (AB16168) Approved 7-0

169. Authorize the mayor to award three low bids for the Mount Baker Theatre sound and lighting systems? The low bid of $52,850 was awarded to Pro Sound & Communications of Bellingham for the sound system; the low bid of $27,833 was awarded to Hollywood Lighting Services of Portland, OR, for the light system and the low bid of $2,028 was awarded to Kian Concert Sound Services of Bellingham for the playback system. Twenty-eight bids were solicited and four were received. (AB16172) Approved 7-0

170. Authorize the mayor to award the low bid of $2.07 per pound to Whatcom Builders of Bellingham for asphalt pavement crack sealing? This bid covers labor, equipment and materials for the installation of the sealant to prevent water from undermining pavement and helping prevent potholes. The city uses around $200,000 worth of sealer annually. Eight bids were solicited and two were received. (AB16175) Approved 7-0

171. Appropriate $5,278,954 for goods and services checks issued from July 9 through August 6, 2004? (AB 16179/16181/16183/16184) Approved 7-0

172. Appropriate $4,605,037 for city payroll checks issued from July 1 through July 31, 2004? (AB16180/16182) Approved 7-0

173. Authorize the mayor to apply for a $214,000 grant for the Farmer’s Market depot project? The mayor will apply to the Whatcom County Economic Development Investment Board. The board was created by the Whatcom County Council to make recommendations on economic development investments. The County Council makes the final decision. If successful, the grant will close the $214,000 funding gap in the project. AB16176 (Resolution 2004-26) Approved 5-2, Bob Ryan and Grant Deger opposed.

174. Recommend guidelines for Whatcom Transit Authority service? The WTA is reorganizing its fixed route service to provide better service for its customers. The City Council’s recommendations include: using high frequency transit corridors between the primary destinations of Fairhaven, WWU, downtown and Bellis Fair/Whatcom Community; eliminating non-productive routes in favor of on-demand services; adding or eliminating service to areas as the population changes; and annual consultation with the council on performance and changes. AB16177 (Resolution 2004-27) Approved 6-0-1, Louise Bjornson abstained.

175. Appropriate $300,000 from the 2004 drug-forfeiture fund for the EWHA, Inc. litigation settlement? This allocation is three quarters of the $400,000 settlement to help the Bellingham Inn’s (202 E. Holly Street) owners convert the motel to apartments and retail space (see the 6/7/04 meeting, vote 105 for more information). The remaining $100,000 is due when the project is completed, estimated to be in 2005. AB16153 (Ordinance 2004-08-52) Approved 6-1, Bob Ryan opposed.

176. Appropriate $48,983 for tuition, travel costs and teen court? Allocate $12,500 for two police officers’ tuition and travel expenses to attend staff and command training; $11,483 for tuition and travel expenses for an explosives/meth lab officer and a computer forensics specialist to be court certified; the remaining $25,000 goes to the teen court run by Northwest Youth Services. AB16154 (Ordinance 2004-08-53) Approved 7-0

Shall the council:

177. Authorize the mayor to award the low bid of $330 per ton plus tax to Jones Chemicals of Tacoma for liquid chlorine? The total cost for the year is estimated at $71,800. Last year, Jones Chemical was the low bidder at $290 per ton plus tax. The chlorine is used as a disinfectant at the drinking water and sewer treatment plants and is mandated by the Washington state Department of Ecology. Fourteen bids were solicited and two were received. (AB16186) Approved 7-0

178. Reappoint Dawn Sturwold to the position of Bellingham Hearing Examiner? Initially appointed on June 12, 2000, as Bellingham’s first hearing examiner, this two-year term expires on June 12, 2006. (AB16192) Approved 7-0

179. Place an initiative on the November 2, 2004 ballot? The Whatcom County auditor certified that the required number of registered voters (3,652) signed petitions to prohibit fossil fuel-powered watercraft from being in or operating on Lake Whatcom. The initiative only applies to the portion of the lake inside the Bellingham city limits. (AB16185) Approved 7-0

180. Place a charter change on the November 2, 2004 ballot? Amend sections 5.02 and 5.03 of the Bellingham City Charter to allow the mayor to designate administrative personnel to execute city contracts without the involvement of the finance director and bring bid advertising into compliance with state law. AB16188 (Resolution 2004-28) Approved 7-0

181. Appoint a citizens’ advisory committee to review four sections of the Bellingham City Charter? The committee will be restricted to the initiative and referendum processes, duties and scope of the civil service system and whether the finance director position should be changed from elected to appointed. AB16188 (Resolution 2004-28) Approved 5-2, Bob Ryan and Louise Bjornson opposed.

182. Change two police department positions from rotating to permanent assignments? This is a housekeeping measure. Patrol officers are rotated every two years. This rotation costs the department $10,000 to equip and train the officers. This ordinance makes the positions permanent. AB16169 (Ordinance 2004-08-54) Approved 7-0

183. Appropriate $215,000 to purchase property at 612 W. Holly? See the 7/27/04 meeting, vote 166 for details on the acquisition. The purchase price is $210,000; the additional $5,000 is for closing costs. (Ordinance 2004-08-55) AB16170 Approved 7-0

184. Transfer $7,919 within the Human Resources Department? This is a housekeeping measure. The money will be transferred from the administrative fund to the health benefits fund. The $7,919 is for the purchase of a photocopier, as it has been determined that health benefits, not the administrative fund will use the copier a majority of the time. (Ordinance 2004-08-56) AB16171 Approved 7-0

185. Change Whatcom Medic One fees? The new structure will align Medic One’s fees with changes in Medicare reimbursements that became effective July 1, 2004. The new Medicare reimbursements will slightly improve the financial stability of Medic One; the increased revenue from Medicare will postpone the expected financial crisis. The estimated revenue increase for 2004 could be as much as $75,000. AB16173 (Ordinance 2004-08-57) Approved 7-0

186. Amend the Bellingham Municipal Code for the use of purchase orders on goods and services? This is a housekeeping measure. The current municipal code requires purchase orders for purchases of $500 or more, except for specific items listed. The current city policy requires purchase orders for purchases of $2,000, except for specific items listed. This ordinance removes the conflict by allowing city policy rather than municipal code to set the purchase order criteria. AB16174 (Ordinance 2004-08-58) Approved 7-0

Shall the council:

187. Delay the third and final vote on the false alarm ordinance from this meeting until September 13? At the July 19th meeting, the council voted 7-0 (first and second reading) on a revised false alarm ordinance. At the August 16 meeting, objections to the ordinance by alarm companies delayed the third and final reading until this meeting. Failed 3-4, Louise Bjornson, Terry Bornemann, Grant Deger and John Watts opposed.

188. Amend the Bellingham Municipal Code on false alarms? Since the code was last revised in the 1980s, there has been a major increase in false alarms. Between 1/1/01 and 12/31/03, the police responded to 5,163 alarms, approximately 98 percent were false. The hard- to-enforce criminal sanctions for false alarms are removed and replaced with a $500 civil fine, with added interest, collection costs and suspension of service for failure to pay. AB16160 (Ordinance 2004-08-59). Approved 4-3, Gene Knutson, Barbara Ryan and Bob Ryan opposed.

Shall the council:

189. Approve the Northridge Park master plan? The city acquired the property in 1992 to serve as a park in the Barkley Blvd. area of Bellingham. The wooded backdrop was retained and a greenway trail system with city and bay views will be created. This master plan includes playgrounds, picnic shelters, restrooms, basketball courts and off-street parking. The estimated cost is $2 million. (AB16202) Approved 7-0

190. Consider an appeal to an assessment for construction of a sewer line? Mark and Virginia Herrick appealed their assessment for sewer construction in the 2900 block of Fielding Avenue. The Bellingham Hearing Examiner recommended the council deny the appeal and the council concurred. (AB16203) Approved 7-0

191. Appropriate $2,224,689 for city payroll checks issued from August 1 through August 15, 2004? (AB16206) Approved 7-0

192. Appropriate $1,386,857 for goods and services checks issued from August 20 through September 3, 2004? (AB16207/AB16208) Approved 7-0

193. Set October 13 as the public hearing date to consider the vacation of a portion of 15th Street? The Bellingham Hearing Examiner will consider a petition by the Kulshan Land Trust that public ownership of the southern part of 15th Street between Harris Avenue and McKenzie Street be relinquished, allowing the construction of three affordable housing units. AB16205 (Resolution 2004-29) Approved 7-0

194. Allocate $15,000 to find a replacement for the deputy administrator and change the position title? Deputy Administrator Don Keenan resigned on September 10, 2004. The Human Resources department recommended the use of an executive search firm to find a replacement and change the title to chief administrative officer. AB16193 (Ordinance 2004-09-60) Approved 7-0

195. Place a property tax levy on the November ballot? The six-year property tax levy will fund the city emergency medical services (Bellingham Medic One) and authorize annual increases based on the Consumer Price Index. The levy rate for 2005 will be $0.35 per $1,000 of assessed value and for 2006-2010 at the CPI for medical care. AB16196 (Ordinance 2004-09-61) Approved 6-1, Bob Ryan opposed.