City Council - Committee Of The Whole

City of Bellingham Committee Of The Whole Minutes January 8, 2024, 1:00 PM Mayor: Kimberley Lund Contact: (360) 778-8100, mayorsoffice@cob.org Council Members: Hannah Stone, Hollie Huthman, Contact: (360) 778-8200, ccmail@cob.org Daniel Hammill, Edwin H. “Skip” Williams, Lisa Anderson, https://cob.org/council Michael Lilliquist and Jace Cotton Call to Order Council President Hammill called the meeting to order at 1pm. Roll Call Present: Council President Daniel Hammill, Third Ward Council Member Hannah Stone, First Ward Council Member Hollie Huthman, Second Ward Council Member Edwin H. "Skip" Williams, Fourth Ward Council Member Lisa Anderson, Fifth Ward Council Member Michael Lilliquist, Sixth Ward Council Member Jace Cotton, At-Large 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. 23974 1. Contract Award for James Street/Whatcom Creek Bridge and Meador Avenue/Whatcom Creek Bridge Project, Bid No. 26B-2023 Eric Johnston, Public Works Director, and Mike Wilson, Assistant Director of Engineering, presented the James Street/Whatcom Creek Bridge and Meador Avenue/Whatcom Creek Bridge Project. The contract will replace both bridges and includes roadway improvements, sidewalks and storm water systems to James Street and Meador Avenue. Strider Construction Company, Inc. was the responsible bidder who submitted the lowest responsive bid of $8,517,996.61, including any applicable Washington State Sales or Use Tax. Council Members discussed and asked questions regarding the contract. Michael Lilliquist / Edwin H. "Skip" Williams moved to recommend approval of the contract award for the James Street/Whatcom Creek Bridge and Meador Avenue/Whatcom Creek Bridge Project Bid No. 26B-2023 to Strider Construction Co. Inc. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 1 January 8, 2024  MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 23975 2. Renewal of Emergency Operation Center (EOC) Lease Agreement Fire Chief Bill Hewett presented a renewal of the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) Lease Agreement. The interlocal agreement commits to another ten years of sharing the EOC facility between the City, County, and Port and provides for an upgrade to the building's generator. Hollie Huthman / Edwin H. "Skip" Williams moved to recommend approval of the lease agreement to extend the Joint Emergency Operations Center (EOC). MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 23976 3. Approval of the 12/4/2023 City Council Committee and Regular Meeting Minutes Hollie Huthman / Edwin H. "Skip" Williams moved to recommend approval of the December 4, 2023 meeting minutes. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 4. Old/New Business Council Member Anderson inquired if Council wished to modify the process for public comment period. Council Members discussed various possible changes to public comment. Lisa Anderson moved to recommend extending public comment from 30 minutes to one hour and allowing up to 10 individuals to sign up online in advance, and 10 individuals to sign up in-person. MOTION NOT SECONDED; MOTION FAILED. Michael Lilliquist moved to clarify the public comment period as not 30 minutes, but as "up to 30 minutes" in the agenda packet. MOTION NOT SECONDED; MOTION FAILED. Hannah Stone / Michael Lilliquist moved to remove the listed 30 minutes timeframe from the agenda packet for public comment, and to synchronize in-person and online signups to be available between 6:30pm to 7pm. Hannah Stone / Edwin H. "Skip" Williams moved to amend the motion to include shortening each person’s public comment time limit from three minutes to two minutes. MOTION TO AMEND FAILED 1-6. Opposed: Daniel Hammill, Hannah Stone, Hollie Huthman, Edwin H. "Skip" Williams, Lisa Anderson, Michael Lilliquist Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 2 January 8, 2024  ORIGINAL MOTION CARRIED 6-1. Opposed: Hollie Huthman Council Member Stone requested discussion on several items from the consent agenda due to their community impacts.  Agenda Bill 23977 What-Comm 911 Interlocal Agreement (ILA)  Agenda Bill 23978 Interlocal Agreement with Whatcom County for Interactions with GRACE  Agenda Bill 23979 Interlocal Agreement between Bellingham Housing Authority and Bellingham Police Department for a Drug and Crime Prevention Officer Fire Chief Bill Hewett, Police Chief Rebecca Mertzig, and WhatComm Deputy Director, Alysn Everbeck, provided information on the three items and answered Council Member questions. Council moved into Executive Session at 2:55pm to discuss four items until 3:23pm. 1. Litigation: Benson v. City of Bellingham et al. 2. Labor Relations: Discuss Collective Bargaining Strategy 3. Labor Relations: Review Contract Proposal for Teamsters 4. Labor Relations: Discuss Labor Relations Strategies Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 3:23pm. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 3 January 8, 2024