City Council - Committee Of The Whole

City of Bellingham Committee Of The Whole Minutes November 4, 2024, 10:30 AM 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 10:30am. 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. 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. 24309 1. Budget Work Session p. 3 Forrest Longman, Deputy Administrator, reviewed the memo in the packet to discuss proposed 2025 budget modifications. Daniel Hammill / Edwin H. "Skip" Williams moved to recommend approval of the following modifications to the 2025 budget, Errata & Corrections • Human Resources Department - correct budgeted positions table to 3.6 FTE Human Resource Analysts from 2.4 FTE. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 1 November 4, 2024  • Library – correct budgeted positions table to remove 0.8 FTE Library Assistant. • Add revenue and expense in fleet fund associated with new fleet vehicle purchases ($182,000; Fleet Fund). • Recognize medic student training costs and revenue from Whatcom County ($649,800; General Fund – Offsetting Revenue) New Operational Proposals • Add to Public Facilities District budget to support professional services ($100,000; Public Facilities District Fund). • Information Technology Services Department - remove 1.0 FTE Technical Services and Support Specialist and replace with 1.0 Systems Analyst 1 ($11,000; IT Services Fund) • Police Department - remove 1.0 Traffic Officer and replace with 1.0 Sargent ($17,000; General Fund). • Move 3.5 FTE Security & Information Attendants to the Facilities Division of the Public Works Department and increase by 0.5 FTE. This change allows Facilities to offer civic campus security as a central service and provides additional hours to existing positions to support security at City Hall ($20,000; General Fund). • Transfer $30,000 from Police Department to Fire Department for mental health services to the Fire Department. • Add 1.0 Environmental Coordinator and 4.0 FTE crew to manage the extensive property holdings in the Lake Whatcom Watershed. ($732,000; Watershed Acquisition Fund). • Stormwater Fund vehicle replacement upgrade ($75,000; Stormwater Fund). New and Modified Capital Projects • Feasibility, planning and design for proposed new skate park under the Bay Street Bridge ($100,000; REET 1). • Feasibility, planning and design for remodel of Federal Building ($250,000; REET 1). • Padden Creek Fish Passage Project Modification ($675,000; Stormwater Fund– Grant Supported). • Harris Avenue Multimodal Improvements ($820,000; Transportation, Water and Wastewater Funds). • Edgemoor Sewer Improvements ($2,367,000; Wastewater and Stormwater Funds). • Sewer System Annual Improvements ($1,000,000; Wastewater Fund). • Lower Padden Creek Water Quality ($223,989; Stormwater Fund– Grant Supported). • Lower Squalicum Creek Enhanced Treatment ($23,679; Stormwater Fund– Grant Supported). • Little Squalicum Creek Water Quality Retrofits, Phase 3 ($769,638; Stormwater Fund – Grant Supported). MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Tami Bennett, Court Director, provided an overview of the 2024 Municipal Court's achievements, and the proposed 2025 budget and work plan. Council Members discussed the court's accomplishments, proposed budget, and asked questions. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 2 November 4, 2024  Edwin H. "Skip" Williams / Michael Lilliquist moved to recommend the development of materials to guide Council's testimony on the state's creation of standards for indigent defense, MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Council moved into Executive Session at 11:15am to discuss one item until 11:40am, 1. Litigation: City of Bellingham v. Fang 24310 2. Annual Report from the Hearing Examiner p. 6 Sharon Rice, Hearing Examiner, provided her annual report to Council, which reviewed the administration's land use policies and regulatory ordinances, and made several recommendations for improvement. Council Members discussed the presentation and recommendations and asked questions. Michael Lilliquist / Lisa Anderson moved to request the administration to develop an ordinance to revise BMC 21.10.260 to codify a one-year extension for director approved public works variances as is done with director approved planning variances. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 24311 3. An Ordinance of the City of Bellingham, Washington Relating to the Levy of Taxes p. 18 and Establishing the Amount to be Raised in 2025 on the Assessed Valuation of the Property within the City Forrest Longman, Deputy Administrator, presented the draft ordinance, which increases the 2025 property tax levy by the statutorily allowed one percent. Council Members discussed the ordinance and asked questions. Lisa Anderson / Edwin H. "Skip" Williams moved to recommend approval of the ordinance relating to the levy of taxes and establishing the amount to be raised in 2025 on the assessed valuation of the property within the City. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 24312 4. A Resolution Supporting Increased Funding for the Bellingham Food Bank in the p. 22 Mayor’s 2025 Budget Council President Hammill presented the resolution, which offers support for increased funding at the Bellingham Food Bank in the current 2025 budget proposal and affirms Council's commitment to addressing food insecurity. Council Members discussed the resolution and asked questions. Edwin H. "Skip" Williams / Hollie Huthman moved to recommend approval of the resolution supporting increased funding for the Bellingham Food Bank in the Mayor's 2025 budget. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 3 November 4, 2024  MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 24313 5. A Resolution Setting the Dates and Times of the 2025 City Council Meetings p. 25 Council President Hammill presented the resolution, which sets the 2025 City Council meeting schedule. Council Members discussed the schedule and asked questions. Edwin H. "Skip" Williams / Hollie Huthman moved to recommend approval of the resolution fixing the times and dates of the 2025 regular meetings of the Bellingham City Council beginning January 6, 2026. MOTION CARRIED 6-1. OPPOSED: Jace Cotton Old/New Business Council Member Stone shared that the Keep Washington Working Advisory Group is accepting applications. Applications are available online. Council President Hammill announced that public comment is temporarily suspended through the end of 2024 to allow for security considerations. Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 2:00pm. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 4 November 4, 2024