City Council - Public Works and Natural Resources Committee

City of Bellingham Public Works and Natural Resources Committee Minutes March 10, 2025, 1:00 PM Mayor: Kimberley Lund Contact: (360) 778-8100, mayorsoffice@cob.org Council Members: Hannah Stone, Chair Contact: (360) 778-8200, ccmail@cob.org Lisa Anderson, Jace Cotton https://cob.org/council Call to Order Committee Chair Stone called the meeting to order at 1:00pm. Roll Call Present: Committee Chair Hannah Stone, First Ward Committee Member Lisa Anderson, Fifth Ward Committee Member Jace Cotton, 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. 24463 1. Contract Award for Pacific Street Operations Center Warehouse Re-Roof (EF-161), p. 3 Bid #8B-2025 Joel Pfundt, Interim Public Works Co-Director, and Carol Rofkar, Superintendent of Communications, Facilities, and Fleet, provided a summary of the Pacific Street Operations Center re-roof project. The project will repair the failing roof and mitigate water damage. Council Members discussed the contract and asked questions. Jace Cotton moved to award contract No. 8B-2025 for the Pacific Street Operations Center warehouse re-roof to Queen City Sheet Metal & Roofing, Inc as the lowest responsive, responsible bidder and authorize the Mayor to enter into a contract with them for the amount of $343,997.46, which includes any applicable WSST. MOTION CARRIED 3-0. 24464 2. Authorization to Retain Outside Legal Counsel to Help the City Obtain Federal Clean p. 9 Energy Tax Credits for Qualifying Projects Public Works and Natural Resources Committee Minutes Page 1 March 10, 2025  Matt Stamps, Senior Assistant Attorney, provided a summary of the request to retain outside legal counsel to pursue federal clean energy tax credits. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 established a clean energy tax credit program allowing tax exempt entities to receive direct payments from the IRS for qualifying clean energy projects. The Washington Clean Energy Tax Credit Assistance Program connects local governments with law firms with expertise in the tax credit program at no cost. Council Members discussed the program and asked questions. Lisa Anderson moved to authorize the Mayor to retain Avisen Legal PA to assist the City with accessing clean energy tax credits. MOTION CARRIED 3-0. 24465 3. Discussion of Water Quality Retrofit Options for Private Properties in the City's p. 11 Portion of the Lake Whatcom Watershed Mike Olinger, Interim Public Works Co-Director, and Jason Porter, Surface and Stormwater Utility Manager, provided an update on current programmatic efforts to clean and protect the Lake Whatcom watershed and considerations for future changes to existing programs. Council Members discussed watershed protection efforts and asked questions. Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 1:38pm. Public Works and Natural Resources Committee Minutes Page 2 March 10, 2025