City Council - Committee Of The Whole

City of Bellingham Committee Of The Whole Minutes July 6, 2020, 1:10 PM Mayor Seth Fleetwood Contact: (360) 778-8200, ccmail@cob.org Council Members Hannah Stone, Gene Knutson, Daniel Hammill, www.cob.org/council Pinky Vargas, Lisa Anderson, Michael Lilliquist and All meetings are held in the City Hall Council Chambers at Hollie Huthman 210 Lottie Street, Bellingham, WA, unless otherwise noted. Call to Order Roll Call Council Standing Committee Meetings: Open to the public to attend. Note: there is generally no public comment period for Committee sessions. Standing Committee Members receive reports and information, ask questions and, when appropriate, vote on a recommended action for consideration by the full Council at the Regular Meeting. The notice of Committee Meetings identified below also serves as notice of Special Meetings of the City Council at the times identified as Council Members who are not members of the committee routinely attend and participate in the Committee Meetings. Committee Chairs give a report of the Committee Meeting at the Regular Meeting in the evening prior to deliberation and formal vote in the order shown below: Committee Of The Whole Gene Knutson, Chair Hannah Stone, Daniel Hammill, Pinky Vargas, Lisa Anderson, Michael Lilliquist, Hollie Huthman Please be advised that if the City Council is ahead of schedule, they may start with old/new business before the official Committee of the Whole meeting time. 22690 1. An Ordinance Authorizing Issuance of Water and Sewer Refunding p. 3 and Revenue Bonds Finance Director Andy Asbjornsen presented the ordinance. Council asked questions and had a discussion following the presentation. Pinky Vargas / Daniel Hammill moved to recommend approval of the ordinance. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 22691 2. An Ordinance Amending the 2019-2020 Biennial Budget Increasing p. 42 Appropriations and Estimated Revenues in the General Fund for COVID-19 Recovery Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 1 July 6, 2020  Finance Director Andy Asbjornsen presented the ordinance. Council asked questions and had a discussion. Daniel Hammill / Lisa Anderson moved to recommend approval of the ordinance. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 22692 3. Consideration of Bellingham Housing Authority's Request to Waive All p. 46 Associated Fees, Costs, and Compensation for a Street Vacation Petition Senior Planner Steve Sundin presented. Council asked questions and had a discussion. Michael Lilliquist / Daniel Hammill moved to provide direction to waive all fees and to transfer property without any required payment as provided under State law. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 22686 4. Resolution Providing for a Ballot Proposition to be Submitted to the p. 55 Voters to Continue the Existing Two-Tenths of One Percent (0.002) Sales and Use Tax to Fund Certain Transportation Improvements Public Works Director Eric Johnston introduced the presentation. WTA Director Pete Stark presented about the relationship between COB and WTA. Transportation Planner Chris Comeau presented about the plan. Riley Grant presented the City's new story map on the TBD. Council asked questions and had a discussion following the presentation. Hannah Stone / Michael Lilliquist moved to add under section 2 of the resolution: to following "(Collectively, the Transportation Fund projects)" and prior to "The cost of all necessary design..." inserting "It is the intent of City Council that Transportation Fund revenue will be allocated to the various transportation improvement projects as follows: approximately 40% to project 1 (street pavement and resurfacing program), approximately 40% to project 2 (non-motoried tranpsortation improvements), and approximately 20% to project 3 (Climate Action Plan and WTA transit plan improvements) subject to adjustment by City Council through the annual public process of adapting the City's Transportation Improvement Program based upon funding needs taking into account other available funding sources, project readiness, and strategic priorities established by the City and WTA and their respective adopted Plans." MOTION FAILED 2-4. Gene Knutson, Daniel Hammill, Lisa Anderson and Hollie Huthman opposed. Pinky Vargas excused. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 2 July 6, 2020  Michael Lilliquist / Lisa Anderson moved to add the recital as presented by Mr. Johnston, revising the 12th Whereas clause to state the following: "WHEREAS, it is the intent of City Council that Transportation Fund revenue will be allocated to the various Transportation Fund Projects as follows: approximately 40% to Project #1 Annual Street Pavement Resurfacing Program; approximately 40% to Project #2 Non-Motorized Transportation Improvements; and approximately 20% to Project #3 Climate Action Plan & Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) Transit Plan improvements, subject to adjustment by City Council through the annual public process of adopting the City’s Transportation Improvement Program based upon funding needs (taking into account other available funding sources), project readiness and strategic priorities established by the City and WTA in their respective adopted plans;" MOTION CARRIED 6-0. Pinky Vargas excused. Daniel Hammill / Lisa Anderson moved to recommend approval of the resolution as amended. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. Pinky Vargas excused. 5. Approval of City Council Committee and/or Special Meeting Minutes Daniel Hammill / Lisa Anderson moved to recommend approval of the June 22, 2020 Committee Meeting minutes. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 6. Old/New Business Mayor Seth Fleetwood brought forward a request from Congressman Rick Larsen for City of Bellingham support of an infastructure bill in Congress. Councilmember Michael Lilliquist requested more information about the legislation. Councilmember Pinky Vargas had two items for old/new business: The Council recieved a letter from Whatcom County about setting a meeting to discuss economic recovery and the Council wrote back affirmatively. She wanted to know if Council heard anything further. Council President Gene Knutson said he hasn't heard anything since the letter was sent and said he would get in touch with her as soon as he found out. Councilmember Vargas spoke about the zoning for restuarants and businesses to expand into the street and questioned the timeline. She asked Legal for an update on the permitting process. City Attorney Matt Stamps responded and said there is nothing actively being reviewed in Legal at this time. Adjournment Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 3 July 6, 2020  Committee of the Whole adjourned to Executive Session at 2:58 PM to discuss the following items: Potential Litigation: Claim No. 2020-20 (Brady, approx. 10 mins) Labor Relations (Johnson, approx. 5 mins) Council President Knutson reconvened Committee of the Whole to adjourn the meeting at 3:16 PM. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 4 July 6, 2020