Bellingham City Council

Shall the council:

209. Authorize the mayor to enter into a $12,351 settlement agreement with AON Consulting of Chicago, Il? The city of Bellingham retained AON Consulting in 2002 for employee benefit services. An investigation by the New York Attorney General determined that AON Consulting had unlawfully received commissions and identified the city of Bellingham as eligible for a portion of the settlement. Approved 6-0, Grant Deger absent.

210. Ratify the contract with the Whatcom Dispatch Guild? The two-year contract will increase wages by 2 percent for 2005 and for 2006 it will be 2 percent or 100 percent of the Consumer Price Index. Starting January 1, 2005 the dispatchers will have the same health care premium sharing as all other city employees. The contract establishes a master dispatcher program, adds an additional vacation day at five years and continues the attendance incentive program. Approved 6-0, Grant Deger absent.

211. Authorize the mayor to award the low bid of $840,043 to Tiger Construction of Everson, for the Taylor Park development project? This phase of the Taylor Dock project will install a floating dock and ramp on the southwest corner of the existing dock and a covered picnic area on the pier’s raised platform. Upland improvements include sidewalks, angled parking on 10th Street, a restroom, landscaping, benches and a plaza. Ninety-two bids were solicited and four were received. (AB16699) Approved 6-0, Grant Deger absent.

212. Appropriate $2,318,360 for city payroll checks issued from September 1 through September 15, 2005? (AB16703) Approved 7-0

213. Appropriate $1,746,648 for goods and services checks issued from September 16 through September 30, 2005? (AB16704/16705) Approved 7-0

214. Oppose border militia groups? The council is concerned about self-appointed groups, such as the Minutemen, with limited training and no legal authority patrolling the northern border. In other areas, such groups have been reported to create an atmosphere of fear, racism and violence. The council opposes the presence of groups that might take the law into their own hands. AB16700 (Resolution 2005-43) Approved 5-1, Bob Ryan opposed and Grant Deger absent.

215. Set November 16 as a public hearing date to consider a vacation in the Fairhaven neighborhood? The Bellingham Hearing Examiner will consider a petition to relinquish public ownership of the right-of-way on the southwest corner of Wilson Avenue and 6th Street. AB16702 (Resolution 2005-44) Approved 6-0, Grant Deger absent.

216. Move an Accountant 2 position from the supervisory and professional bargaining unit to the employee group? The accountant had been assigned to assist in a confidential capacity to formulate the city’s labor policy. Moving the position to the non-represented employee group is effective September 1, 2005. The move will increase the wages for 2005 by $528. AB16684 (Ordinance 2005-10-80) Approved 6-0, Grant Deger absent.

217. Appropriate $774,911 for the Depot Market Square project and $49,125 for the Holly Street boardwalk project? The state awarded grants of $442,125 for the Depot Market and $49,125 for the Holly Street boardwalk. The Depot Market project also received a county grant of $214,000 and $118,786 from city real estate excise taxes. AB16685 (Ordinance 2005-10-81) Approved 5-1, Bob Ryan opposed and Grant Deger absent.

Shall the council:

218. Purchase the property and business located on the northwest corner of C Street and Roeder Avenue, commonly known as the “Colony Wharf?” The city expects to pay approximately $3.3 million for the property and 300,000-square-foot boat building and repair business. The property is part of the old Roeder garbage dump that may cost $1 million to clean up. Approved 7-0

219. Authorize the mayor to award two sole bids totaling $536,059 for communication hardware? The bids were broken into three groups. The sole bid of $382,487 for Group A and B were awarded to Satellite Entertainment Center of Bellingham and the sole bid of $153,572 for Group C was awarded to Western Systems of Everett. The hardware is used for traffic signals; enhanced radio/fiber communications and WTA radio communication. Twenty-five bids were solicited and two were received. (AB16707) Approved 7-0

220. Authorize the mayor to award the sole bid of $100,080 to Slatercom-WCD of Salem, Oregon, to upgrade the Sehome Hill radio tower? This is the second round of bidding, see the 8/15/05 meeting, vote number 180, for details on previous bid. This project will replace aging coax cable and outdated antennas that are used by several local agencies. Twenty-four bids were solicited and one was received. (AB16716) Approved 7-0

221. Authorize the mayor to award the sole bid of $190,160 to Enviro-Clean Equipment of Estacada, Oregon, for a sewer vacuum cleaner? The vacuum will be used to remove sewer debris through manholes. It will reduce the need for workers to get inside the sewers, allowing for more frequent cleaning resulting in fewer back-ups. Twenty bids were solicited and one was received. (AB16718) Approved 7-0

222. Appropriate $2,468,360 for city payroll checks issued from September 16 through September 30, 2005? (AB16681) Approved 7-0

223. Appropriate $1,796,254 for goods and services checks issued from September 30, through October 7, 2005? (AB16682/16683) Approved 7-0

224. Cancel uncashed checks more than one year old? The total of 12 uncashed checks is $366.51. The unclaimed property will be held by the city for one year and then transferred to the state of Washington as abandoned property. The funds will be available indefinitely to the payee. AB16710 (Resolution 2005-45) Approved 7-0

225. Appropriate $835,073 to fund the Whatcom Creek Restoration Plan? The administration (studies and reports) is $210,000 and restoration (plants, equipment, repair and maintenance) is $625,000. The money is from the from the Olympic Pipeline restoration settlement. The bankruptcy court in charge of Olympic’s case has approved the funding. AB16696 (Ordinance 2005-10-82) Approved 7-0

226. Appropriate $771,000 to fund the Whatcom Creek Restoration Plan? The funds will be used primarily for engineering, repair and maintenance. The money is from the from the Olympic Pipeline restoration settlement. The bankruptcy court in charge of Olympic’s case has approved the funding. AB16697 (Ordinance 2005-10-83) Approved 7-0

Shall the council:

227. Support a Whatcom County ordinance renewing the interim moratorium on new subdivision applications within the Lake Whatcom watershed? This letter of support will be delivered to the County Council before the vote on October 25, 2005, to renew the moratorium. Approved 5-2, Grant Deger and Bob Ryan opposed.

228. Approve the 2006 action plan of the 2003-2007 consolidated plan? The action plan designates city use of federal grants for low- and moderate-income housing. The 2006 plan will guide the city’s allocation of $1,625,000 in federal grants. The mayor is directed to submit the plan to the Department of Housing and Urban Development before the November 15, 2005 deadline. AB16723 (Resolution 2005-46) Approved 7-0

229. Expand the authority of the parking commission from downtown to citywide? The commission will develop, set and monitor citywide parking policy, while the mayor will retain the power to designate the staff that manage and operate the parking system. It will increase the council review and comment period from 30 to 45 days; ensure parking policies align with city bond requirements or covenants and the revenue collection be subject to the city’s internal controls. 16708 (Ordinance 2005-10-84) Approved 6-1, Bob Ryan opposed.

230. Increase the 2006 property tax levy by 1 percent? The city estimates that the owner of a home assessed at $225,000 will pay less $5 per year in additional property taxes. The 2006 property tax levy will be approximately 8 percent of proposed spending. AB16712 (Ordinance 2005-10-85) Approved 4-3, Gene Knutson, Bob Ryan and Grant Deger opposed.