Bellingham City Council

Shall the council:

178. Authorize the mayor to sign an interlocal agreement with Whatcom County for the distribution sales tax revenue, on the general election ballot, for emergency medical services? The agreement will allow the city to contribute their portion of one-tenth of 1 percent tax increase, minus those funds not restricted exclusively for criminal justice activities, to Whatcom County to fund countywide emergency medical services. If the ballot measure were approved, the 2006 city revenue would be approximately $421,000, with $139,000 going to criminal justice and $282,000 to emergency medical services. (AB16644) Approved 7-0

179. Issue a noise variance to the state of Washington for Interstate 5 construction work? The variance covers 22 nights between August 2005 and September 2006 to place cable barriers in the freeway median. The nighttime construction will avoid daytime traffic disruptions, shorten the project and increase public and worker safety. (AB16645) Approved 7-0

180. Reject the sole bid for work on the Sehome Hill radio tower? Ebenal General of Bellingham bid $139,707 to replace the original coax cable and antiquated antennas. The bid was $49,000 over the engineer’s estimate and does not have the specified documentation showing radio tower work experience and construction methods to be used. The project will be reviewed with the radio tower engineer and rebid. Twenty-two bids were solicited and one was received. (AB16646) Approved 7-0

181. Authorize the mayor to award the low bid of $2,325,622 to Impero Construction Company of Bellingham for the Depot Market Square project? This project will construct a 900 square foot pavilion at the south end of Railroad Avenue that will house the Bellingham Farmers Market and be used for other community events. The project will also make streetlight and roadway surface improvements, add bike racks and other enhancements. Eighty-six bids were solicited and four were received. (AB16647) Approved 6-1, Barbara Ryan opposed.

182. Authorize the mayor to apply for federal grants of $6,550,000 to fund brownfield revitalization projects? The Brownfields Program, administered by the Environmental Protection Agency, provides grants for assessment and cleanup of polluted industrial land, as well as technical advice and training. The grant money would fund cleanup projects in old town, downtown and the Georgia-Pacific site. (AB16648) Approved 7-0

183. Appropriate $1,657,617 for goods and services checks issued from July 30 through August 5, 2005? (AB16630) Approved 7-0

184. Appropriate $2,488,867 for city payroll checks from July 16 through July 31, 2005? (AB16631) Approved 7-0

185. Oppose a regional retail mall proposed for Ferndale that would serve shoppers from lower British Columbia through Skagit County? The proposed mall will have negative impacts on Bellingham and the downtown business cores of all of Whatcom County’s cities, it violates the spirit and intent of countywide planning policies and is damaging to the county as a whole. AB16650 (Resolution 2005-36) Approved 4-3, Bob Ryan, Terry Bornemann and Grant Deger opposed.

Shall the council:

186. Appropriate $2,345,366 for city payroll checks issued from August 1 through August 15, 2005? (AB16664) Approved 7-0

187. Appropriate $3,771,170 for goods and services checks issued from August 5 through 26, 2005? (AB16665/16666/16667) Approved 7-0

188. Set October 11 as the public hearing date to consider vacating a city building and property occupied by La Fiamma restaurant? The City Council at the 8/8/05 meeting (vote number 171) voted to sell the building and property located on the southeast corner of Railroad and Chestnut to the restaurant owners. The Bellingham Hearing Examiner will consider a petition to relinquish public ownership. AB16663 (Resolution 2005-37) Approved 7-0

189. Accept a federal grant of $189,822 for the 911 telephone system? The Department of Homeland Security grant will upgrade the phone system for natural disasters or terrorist attacks. The grant also provides for the training of 23 dispatchers and two technical support personnel. AB16643 (Ordinance 2005-09-70) Approved 7-0

Shall the council:

190. Authorize the mayor to award the sole bid of $117,461 to Braun Northwest of Chehalis for a new ambulance? This replaces a Whatcom Medic One ambulance with approximately 180,000 miles that will continue to serve as a backup. Sixteen bids were solicited and one was received. (AB16674) Approved 7-0

191. Waive a street construction requirement for the Meadow Wood development? The waiver will alleviate the need for improvements on Division Road along the north border of the property. The Bellingham Housing Authority is building 75 townhouses at 4176 Aldrich Road for low-income individuals and families. Twenty percent will serve homeless families; another 20 percent will serve persons with disabilities on fixed incomes and most of the rest will serve families with incomes of less than 50 percent of the area median income. AB16676 (Resolution 2005-38) Approved 7-0

192. Appropriate $2,518,996 for city payroll checks issued from August 16 through August 31, 2005? (AB16681) Approved 7-0

193. Appropriate $2,308,727 for goods and services checks issued from August 26 through September 9, 2005? (AB16682/16683) Approved 7-0

194. Grant final plat approval for Bristol Heights (20 single-family lots) in the Mt. Baker Neighborhood? The north end of the development is across McLeod Road from the Whatcom County Mental Health Facility and Squalicum High School. The preliminary plat was passed on April 7, 1997, and three extensions were granted on 3/18/02, vote 37; 10/13/03, vote 156 and 10/18/04, vote 220. The extensions were due to problems with wetlands and traffic, which have been solved. AB16680 (Resolution 2005-39) Approved 7-0

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