December 2005
Watching Government
Whatcom County Council
Compiled by League of Women Voters Council Watchers
Action Taken at October 11, 2005 Meeting
Shall the council:
193. Authorize the executive to enter into a $25,000 contract with ReUse Works of Bellingham to promote an appliance recovery program? ReUse Works is a recycling business that deals in discarded and donated appliances to reduce the volume of solid waste and provide job training in appliance repair. The resale of repaired appliances will provide funding to continue the program. The contract runs from 10/1/05 to 9/30/06. (AB 2005-350) Approved 7-0
194. Authorize the executive to sign a lease with Northwest Wildlife and Rehabilitation of Lynden, for county buildings and property at Nugent’s Corner? The nonprofit organization will pay the county $83.36 a month for five years (5/1/05 to 4/30/10) and will be restricted to rehabilitating small wild animals. (AB 2005-386) Approved 7-0
195. Authorize the executive to sign a $123,820 amended contract with Parametrix, Inc. of Spokane, for additional work to update the Shoreline Management Program? The company will provide additional information on nearshore conditions from Neptune Beach to Drayton Harbor. The original contract was approved at the 4/20/04 meeting, vote number 76. State grants will fund $108,820 of the contract. (AB2005-387) Approved 7-0
196. Authorize the executive to sign a $393,000 contract with Art Anderson Associates of Bremerton, to provide marine engineering, planning, design and oversight for the new Lummi Island ferry terminal? The company has provided ferry dock facility planning and design in the past and is thought to be thoroughly acquainted with the phases leading up to the present needs. ((AB2005-388) Approved 7-0
197. Authorize the executive to sign a $18,385 contract with RE Sources of Bellingham, to promote recycling? RE Sources will provide new recycling containers for parks department events, monitor the containers and promote recycling at community events. (AB2005-389) Approved 7-0
198. Sell three surplus properties by auction? The minimum bid is appraised value plus eight other costs. Request 02-05, the properties are: (1) parcel on Silver Lake road 1.53 acres, appraised value $6,500. (2 and 3) parcels by Deming rock quarry, 1 acre and 2.35 acres, total appraisal $36,150. (Resolution 2005-53) Approved 7-0
199. Sell five tax foreclosure properties by auction? The minimum bid is appraised value plus plus five other costs. Request 05-01, parcel in Cascade View Division in Lynden, appraised value $1,203.95 (Resolution 2005-54); Request 05-02, parcel off Cornell Creek road near Glacier, appraised value $465.59 (Resolution 2005-55); Request 05-04, parcel off Rural Avenue south of Ferndale, appraised value $649.93 (Resolution 2005-56); Request 05-05, parcel lot #92 in Campers Paradise, appraised value $1,578.97 (Resolution 2005-57); Request 05-06, parcel lot #83 in Campers Paradise, appraised value $1,523.37 (Resolution 2005-58). All five resolutions approved 7-0.
200. Deed county-owned property to the Whatcom Association of Training Centers, the original owner? The property is located on the corner of Redwood and Alderwood avenues in Bellingham. See the 9/27/05 meeting, vote number 185, for details as to why the county is the owner and why the property is reverting back to the original owner. (Resolution 2005-59) Approved 7-0
201. Adopt permanent land clearing restrictions in the Lake Whatcom and Lake Samish watersheds between September l and April 30? Land clearing that exposes over 500 square feet of soil is restricted in order to control the quality and quantity of stormwater runoff into the lakes during the rainy season. This permanent ordinance replaces the interim ordinances passed at the 3/15/05 meeting, vote number 64, and extended at the 7/26/05 meeting, vote number 151. (Ordinance 2005-74) Adopted 5-2, Sam Crawford and Ward Nelson opposed.
202. Amend the Whatcom County Home Rule Charter to correct scrivener’s errors and clarify the effective date of ordinances? The Charter Review Commission discovered numerous errors in capitalization and punctuation. Section 8.23 of the charter permits the County Council to amend by unanimous vote language that time has rendered moot or obsolete. (Ordinance 2005-75) Adopted 7-0
Action Taken at October 25, 2005 Meeting
Shall the council:
203. Adopt the Whatcom County Hearing Examiner’s recommendation that the development “Horizons at Semiahmoo” be approved? Bay Club Partners of Bellingham applied for permits to construct up to 477 dwelling units on 167 lots between Birch Point Drive and Semiahmoo Parkway above Birch Bay Village. There will be 149 single-family lots and up to 328 multi-family units. The development will take place over 10 years. (AB 2005-399) Approved with technical corrections 7-0.
204. Authorize the executive to sign a $40,000 contract with the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association of Bellingham to supervise Washington Conservation Corps work crews engaged in watershed restoration work? The areas include Ten Mile and Bertrand Creeks watersheds and McClellan, Landingstrip, Fishtrap, Fourmile and Bonners Creeks. The hourly rate for supervision is $44. The contract runs from 10/26/05 through 12/31/06. (AB 2005-400) Approved 7-0
205. Authorize the executive to sign a $119,899 contract with Aspect Consulting of Bainbridge Island, to conduct a groundwater study on Lummi Island? This study, required by the State Environmental Policy Act, will determine the characteristics of the aquifer on Northern Lummi Island and the impacts water withdrawals will have on that aquifer. The study also will identify areas with water quality concerns, such as arsenic and seawater intrusion. The contract runs from 10/25/05 to 3/17/06. (AB 2005-404). Approved 7-0
206. Authorize the executive to enter into an amended contract with Public Utility District No. 1 of Whatcom County for the Bertrand watershed in-stream flows project? The pilot project (task #2 of the original contract) will determine how to meet the water requirements of both the agricultural community and wildlife in the region, particularly spawning salmon. The original contract for $226,655 was approved at the 12/7/04 meeting, vote number 206; this amendment doesn’t increase the previously approved funds. The contract ends 12/31/06. (AB 2005-406) Approved 7-0
207. Authorize the executive to enter into an $87,155 amended contract with KPFF Consulting Engineers of Seattle, for additional work to replace bridge #115 on Lake What-com Boulevard? This amendment covers additional work requested by the county and a new design for slope protection because of rock and soil conditions. The original contract was approved at the 3/9/04 meeting, vote number 46; this vote brings the total contract to $444,073. Federal funds will cover 80 percent of the cost and the county will cover the rest. (AB 2005-407) Approved 7-0
208. Authorize the executive to sign a $154,971 contract with Washington State University in Pullman to develop a model comparing the affects of groundwater use on surface water quantity? WSU will collect data in the Bertrand, Ten Mile and Fishtrap drainages of Water Resource Inventory Area 1, run the model and deliver the results and the model for further studies. The contract runs from 10/26/05 through 5/31/07. (AB 2005-408) Approved 7-0
209. Send a letter to the Federal Communication Commission regarding radio interference by station KRPI in Ferndale? The 50,000-watt station is interfering with telephones, computers and associated communication systems in private homes and businesses. Speakers at the council meeting said their complaints to the FCC have been ignored. (AB 2005-415) Amended and approved 7-0.
210. Authorize the executive to sign a $564,480 contract with Snohomish County to house Whatcom County prisoners in their jail? The contract began on 10/27/05 and will continue until a new minimum-security jail opens in September of 2006. This action was taken to relieve overcrowding. District and superior court judges notified the sheriff that they would no longer accept requests to release defendants awaiting trial or allow the early release of sentenced inmates as a means of reducing the jail population. (AB 2005-417) Approved 7-0
211. Set October 9 as the public hearing date to dispose of tax-title property by quitclaim deed to the city of Bellingham? Request 05-06, the two parcels lie under city streets in the Bakerview Spur and Iron Gate Road and are less than one acre. They have no market value. AB 2005-409 (Resolution 2005-60) Approved 7-0
212. Establish Whatcom County Council meeting dates for 2006? The council will meet every other Tuesday beginning January 17 except for August and December when one meeting is scheduled and on Wednesday, November 8, to avoid Election Day. AB 2005-394 (Resolution 2005-61) Approved 4-3, Barbara Brenner, Seth Fleetwood and Sharon Roy opposed.*
213. Establish the Foothills Subarea Plan Advisory Committee? The 11-member citizens advisory committee will incorporate urban growth area boundaries into the Foothills Subarea Plan of the Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan. The committee will participate in the planning process and solicit public input. There will be one member each from Acme/South Fork Valley area, Glacier, Maple Falls, Deming and the Nooksack Tribe; three from Columbia Valley/Kendall; one forestry, one rural representative and one at-large member. AB 2005-411 (Resolution 2005-62) Approved with amendments 7-0.
214. Renew a franchise agreement with Puget Sound Energy to use the county right-of-way? This 25-year agreement provides a license to place and maintain electrical transmission lines within the right-of-way, which includes all roads, alleys, highways and public places in the county. The main difference between this agreement and the prior agreement relates to being able to charge relocation costs for facility changes for any person or entity other than the county, such as changes due to public road improvements that are required by private development. AB 2005-392 (Ordinance 2005-76) Adopted 7-0
215. Continue the interim moratorium on acceptance of new applications for subdivisions within the Lake Whatcom watershed? All lots that remain five acres or greater shall be exempt from the moratorium. The interim ordinance was first passed at the 4/26/05 meeting, vote number 91. AB 2005-187A (Ordinance 2005-77) Adopted 5-2, Sam Crawford and Ward Nelson opposed.
216. Approve 2005 budget request #10 in the amount of $200,170? Expenditures approved as follows: $75,000 (a state grant) to planning and development services for consultant support, public involvement and community outreach associated with the completion of the Shoreline Management Program update; $33,820 to complete an inventory and restoration plan using new aerial photos to identify beach sediment sources; $40,000 to supervise Washington Conservation Corps work crews for watershed and creek restoration;* $8,000 to the prosecuting attorney for additional law library publications; $26,350 for 27 jail beds for inmates presently sleeping on the floor; $17,000 to fund watershed restoration. AB 2005-391 (Ordinance 2005-78) Adopted 7-0
217. Amend the zoning code to clarify, eliminate conflict and duplication in language? None of the changes will result in stricter regulations. AB 2005-393 (Ordinance 2005-79) Adopted 7-0
*Ten Mile and Bertrand Creek watersheds; McClellan, Landingstrip, Fishtrap, Fourmile and Bomars Creeks.
