City Council - Public Works and Natural Resources Committee

City of Bellingham Public Works and Natural Resources Committee Minutes May 8, 2023, 1:00 PM Mayor: Seth Fleetwood Contact: (360) 778-8100, mayorsoffice@cob.org Council Members: Hannah Stone, Chair Contact: (360) 778-8200, ccmail@cob.org Lisa Anderson, Kristina Michele Martens https://cob.org/council Call to Order President Lilliquist called the meeting to order at 1:00 pm. Roll Call Present: Committee Chair Hannah Stone, First Ward Committee Member Lisa Anderson, Fifth Ward Committee Member Kristina Michele Martens, At-Large Council Standing Committee Meeting 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: 23707 1. Bid Award for Roeder Lift Station, Bid #35B-2023 (EU180) p. 3 Eric Johnston, Public Works Director, and Chad Schulhauser, Public Works Assistant Director, summarized the project and the bid award process. The Roeder Lift Station involves construction of a new sanitary sewer lift station and demolition of portions of the existing Roeder Lift Station. The City received 4 bids which were publicly opened on April 18, 2023. IMCO Construction was the responsible bidder who submitted the lowest responsive bid of $17,545,977.44, including any applicable Washington State Sales or Use Tax. The engineer's estimate was $18,047,678.72. This project will last approximately two and a half years, will include 2,400 apprenticeship hours, and is designed with sea level rise in mind. Funding for this project was already included in the 2023-2024 budget, with revenue coming from regular sewer rates and connection charges. Staff addressed Council Member questions. Lisa Anderson moved to recommend approval of IMCO Construction's bid. MOTION CARRIED 3-0. Public Works and Natural Resources Committee Minutes Page 1 May 8, 2023 23708 2. Broadband Resolution p. 8 Eric Johnston, Public Works Director, and Steve Haugen, Superintendent for Traffic and Fiber, briefed the Council on the resolution, which is a revised version of a resolution drafted by the Broadband Advisory Workgroup AdHoc Committee. The Workgroup also produced a Final Report which includes a summary from the facilitator on the process, a summary of meetings, a glossary of definitions, a consultant report, a draft resolution and member statements. This revised resolution is before Council for consideration. Staff recommendation is to adopt the resolution. Since the presentation in September, staff in the Public Works Department and from the Bellingham Library have been working on recommendations outlined in the draft resolution including the issuance of a request for proposal for a fiber optic network comprehensive plan and coordination with regional partners on digital literacy and equity. Johnston elaborated on the difference between broadband and the City's fiber network and explained the projects and recommendations that are underway already. Haugen introduced John Gaven, who was recently hired as a Fiber Optic Network Engineer. Rebecca Judd, Library Director, gave details on the digital literacy and equity efforts. Council Members discussed and asked questions. Lisa Anderson moved to recommend approval of the Resolution. MOTION CARRIED 3-0. 23709 3. Ordinance Dissolving the Watershed Advisory Board (WAB) by Repealing BMC 2.90 p. 146 Eric Johnston, Public Works Director, and Barbara Wise, Chair of the Watershed Advisory Board, presented on the plan to dissolve the Watershed Advisory Board (WAB) and establish a Water Resources Advisory Board (WRAB). They explained the history of the board and the reasoning of dissolving the WAB and establishing the WRAB. The City of Bellingham established the Lake Whatcom Watershed Advisory Board (WAB) through Ordinance 2000-09-058 for the purpose of guiding the Lake Whatcom property acquisition process. Since then, over the last 23 years, the City has developed and refined the Property Acquisition Program and processes while protecting 2,642 acres and removing 846 development units from the Lake Whatcom Watershed. The program has shifted into implementation mode and this creates an opportunity to consider how to garner resident advice on upcoming water resource issues that are currently outside the purview of the WAB including the Surface and Stormwater Comprehensive Plan, Water System Plan (including source water protection of Lake Whatcom), and Sewer Comprehensive Plan, as well as issues that are gaining prominence such as Lake Padden. Staff and the WAB jointly recommend passing two proposed companion ordinances to create a Water Resources Advisory Board (WRAB) and dissolve the WAB. Wise voiced concern that dissolving the WAB will reduce the amount of attention given to Lake Whatcom, though she clarified that she has no objections to establishing a WRAB. Mayor Fleetwood stated that Lake Whatcom would remain an important topic for the WRAB and that it is not the City's intention to lose focus on Lake Whatcom. Council Members discussed and asked questions. Public Works and Natural Resources Committee Minutes Page 2 May 8, 2023  Lisa Anderson moved to recommend approval of the ordinance dissolving the Watershed Advisory Board by Repealing BMC 2.90 MOTION CARRIED 3-0. 23710 4. An Ordinance Establishing a Water Resources Advisory Board (WRAB) and Adding a p. 153 New Chapter 2.91 to the Bellingham Municipal Code Eric Johnston, Public Works Director, explained what they would be looking for in membership for the new WRAB, describing the breadth of experience they are seeking to establish among the members of the potential new group. Mayor Fleetwood suggested adding "with confirmation by Council" to the section addressing how members are appointed and removed. Council Member Anderson read a series of proposed amendments, including the amendment suggested by Mayor Fleetwood, and offered explanation for each of her suggestions. Council Member Stone suggested bringing this item back to Committee during a future meeting so that Council Members, Administration, staff, and legal have time to review the amendments. This item was held until staff can review proposed amendments and come back to Council with recommendations. Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 2:10 pm. Public Works and Natural Resources Committee Minutes Page 3 May 8, 2023