August 2004
Watching Government
Bellingham City Council
Compiled by Earl Dennis
Action Taken at June 14, 2004 Meeting
Shall the council:
114. Approve the payment of $90,053 to the state of Washington for repairing water damage? A broken city water main damaged the Interstate 5 off-ramp at Northwest Avenue and the state Department of Transportation did the repair work. Approved 7-0
115. Approve an interlocal agreement on salmon recovery? The agreement is between the cities of Bellingham, Blaine, Everson, Ferndale, Lynden, Nooksack and Sumas, the Lummi Nation, Nooksack Tribe, Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife and Whatcom County. A board will be formed under Water Resource Inventory Area #1 to protect and restore Chinook salmon runs. The board will consist of one representative from each of the above parties. (AB16049) Approved 7-0
116. Authorize the mayor to award the low bid of $201,507 to Henifin Construction of Bellingham for improvements along 20th Street? This project will add a sidewalk on the east side of 20th, from the existing sidewalk in front of the SPIE building to Taylor Street, a retaining wall, curb/gutter and storm drainage. (AB16109) Approved 6-0, Grant Deger was out of the room.
117. Authorize the mayor to award the sole bid of $61,230 to Northwest Signal Supply of Tualatin, OR, for ten signal poles? The traffic signal poles will be installed at the Lakeway Drive intersections of King and Lincoln to improve traffic flow. Twenty-two bids were solicitated and one was received. (AB16116) Approved 7-0
118. Appropriate $1,427,421 for goods and services checks issued from May 28 through June 4, 2004? (AB16117) Approved 7-0
119. Appropriate $2,604,507 for city payroll checks issued from May 16 through May 31, 2004? (AB16118) Approved 7-0
120. Authorize the mayor to apply for a $672,000 state grant to fund the Taylor Dock project? The request is to the state Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation. The money would be used to design and construct a new floating dock and gangway ramp on uplands adjacent to the Taylor dock park. The preliminary estimate of the total cost is approximately $1,200,000. The city has received a federal grant of $289,946. AB16111 (Resolution 2004-17) Approved 7-0
121. Authorize the mayor to apply for a $600,000 state grant to help buy Inspiration Point (Woodstock Farm) on Chuckanut Bay? The request is to the state Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation. The money would be used to reimburse the 1997 “Beyond Greenway” money used for the purchase. AB16112 (Resolution 2004-18) Approved 7-0
122. Authorize the mayor to apply for a $300,000 state grant for Squalicum Fields Park? The request to the state Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation is for the financing of phase one. The city received $1 million from Olympic Pipeline (1/12/04, vote 6) to create the park. The first phase includes demolition of current structures and the removal of pavement, site preparation, fill and grading, construction of one baseball field, storm drainage, irrigation system, walkways, parking, stormwater retention and landscape work. AB16113 (Resolution 2003-19) Approved 7-0
123. Establish fee schedules for building, mechanical and plumbing permits? When the international building code is adopted at the 6/21/04 meeting (vote 133) the fees will be repealed. This resolution re-establishes the fees without changes. AB 16114 (Resolution 2004-20) Approved 7-0
124. Accept a $5,000 state grant to pay overtime for traffic enforcement? The Washington Safety Commission grant for May 10 through June 6, 2004, requires officers to write three traffic citations per hour. AB16081 (Ordinance 2004-06-35) Approved 7-0
Action Taken at June 21, 2004 Meeting
Shall the council:
125. Authorize the mayor to sell six acres in the Irongate Industrial area to Whatcom County at the appraised price of $873,000? The county would like to locate an interim jail at 2140 Division Street for low-risk offenders. The city will add 62,000 square feet for a stormwater system in exchange for a .29-acre lot in Maritime Heritage Park. Approved 6-1, Barbara Ryan opposed.
126. Authorize the mayor to sign an agreement with employee unions for a three-year health insurance benefits and premium sharing agreements? The agreements are being made with the AFSCME, AFSCME 114F, Teamster’s Local 231, and the Supervisory and Professional Employees unions. This agreement establishes health care coverage for employee dependents. Employees will pay 10 percent of their dependents’ health care bills. Approved 7-0
127. Adopt the existing fire permit fee schedule without changes? The fee schedule was repealed with the adoption of the new international fire code (vote 133). This resolution will keep the original fee schedule in effect. AB16119 (Resolution 2004-21) Approved 7-0
128. Loan $2,060,000 to the Holly Street remediation project? The city currently has three landfills that it must remediate: Holly Street, Roeder Avenue and Cornwall Avenue. This loan will cover the Holly Street project till the city can pass a bond issue to cover all three projects. Tax-exempt municipal bonds require proceeds to be spent within three years of approval and the state may take longer than that to approve the Roeder and Cornwall projects. This interim financing allows the Holly Street remediation project to proceed now. This loan is from the solid waste fund. AB16093 (Ordinance 2004-06-36) Approved 7-0
129. Contribute $75,000 to the “Community Forum on Growth Management?” Both the city of Bellingham and Whatcom County are rewriting their Comprehensive Plans this year. There will be a series of meetings to solicit community input. A report making recommend changes in the planning and development regulation will go before both councils and the Planning Commissions. The total cost of the forum is $125,000; with the city paying 60 percent; Whatcom County and Whatcom Transit Authority the remaining $50,000. AB16107 (Ordinance 2004-06-37) Approved 5-2, Grant Deger and Bob Ryan opposed.
130. Authorize a $3,000,000 loan to the Bellingham-Whatcom County Public Facilities District? The loan allocates $1,000,000 to finish phase one of the Mount Baker Theatre renovation project and $2,000,000 to purchase land for a teaching gallery and children’s museum. The location of the property for the gallery/museum has not been chosen. This loan is due on 12/31/05. Previous loans totaling $3,000,000 (6/23/03, vote 109; 10/13/03, vote 160; 2/9/04, vote 25) are due on 12/31/04. All loans are from the wastewater fund. AB16108 (Ordinance 2004-06-38) Approved 6-1, Bob Ryan opposed.
131. Create a new position in the Planning and Community Development Department? A permit center manager position is needed to coordinate the streamlined permit process with Planning, Building Services, Public Works and the Fire Department. This position will be no more than two years, starting July 1, 2004. Pay is being evaluated, with a cost of $39,509 for 2004. AB16110 (Ordinance 2004-06-39) Approved 7-0
Shall the council:
132. Repeal portions of Chapter 17 of the Bellingham Municipal Code and adopt new codes? Repealed are Chapter 17.08, 17.40 and 17.44 and adopted are international codes on residential buildings, commercial buildings, mechanical and fuel gas, uniform plumbing, and state codes on energy, ventilation and indoor air quality. AB16114 (Ordinance 2004-06-40) Approved 7-0
133. Repeal portions of Chapter 17 of the Bellingham Municipal Code and three ordinances and adopt the international fire code? Repealed are Chapter 17.20 and adopted is the 2003 edition of the international fire code. State law requires that Bellingham adopt the international fire code. AB16115 (Ordinance 2004-06-41) Approved 7-0 §
