City Council - Regular Meeting

City of Bellingham City Council Regular Meeting Minutes 09/26/2016, 7:00 PM Mayor Kelli Linville Contact: (360) 778-8200, ccmail@cob.org Council Members April Barker, Gene Knutson, Daniel www.cob.org/council Hammill, Pinky Vargas, Terry Bornemann, Michael Lilliquist All meetings are held in the City Hall Council Chambers at and Roxanne Murphy 210 Lottie Street, Bellingham, WA unless otherwise noted. Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Council President Vargas at 7:00 p.m. Announcements & Upcoming Meetings: Bellingham City Council meets all requirements of the State of Washington Open Public Meetings Act. 1. On Monday, October 17, 2016, the City Council will host a Public Hearing on the Comprehensive Plan Update at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers. Pledge of Allegiance Led by Boy Scout Troop 4036. Roll Call Present: April Barker, Council Member, First Ward Gene Knutson, Council Member, Second Ward Daniel Hammill, Council Member, Third Ward Pinky Vargas, Council Member, Fourth Ward Terry Bornemann, Council Member, Fifth Ward Michael Lilliquist, Council Member, Sixth Ward Roxanne Murphy, Council Member, At Large Excused: City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 1 of 7 9/26/2016  15-Minute Public Comment Period Joseph McDonald, spoke against the doctrines that are currently being taught about Christianity in the media. Chris Deile, spoke about the bears in the Alaska wild. Executive Session - Report and Action only. 1. Labor Relations Bargaining Strategy Staff, the City's labor relations attorney, and Council discussed general strategies and timelines for collective bargaining. This was for information and discussion only. No action was taken. 2. Potential Litigation Legal department staff provided information to Council regarding a potential litigation matter. This was for information and discussion only. No action was taken. Public Works / Public Safety 21366 1. Request for Sewer Service Within the City's Urban Growth Area at 3214 Locust Avenue Terry Bornemann / Gene Knutson moved approval to authorize the Mayor to enter into a contract with Mark Buehrer and Janet Nordholm for retail sewer service as allowed under Bellingham Municipal Code Section 15.36. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 21367 2. An Ordinance of the City of Bellingham, Washington, Adopting a Flat Rate for Water Service in 2017, Amending Section 15.08.250 of the Bellingham Municipal Code Terry Bornemann / Roxanne Murphy moved approval for first and second reading. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Finance and Personnel 21368 1. Results from Bellingham Police Department Staffing Study Council Member Murphy reported that the study addressed the current staff needs and needs by 2018. The report also estimated that the department is short five detectives. Information only. City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 2 of 7 9/26/2016  Lake Whatcom Reservoir and Natural Resources 21369 1. Interlocal Agreement Between the City of Bellingham, the Lummi Nation, the Nooksack Indian Tribe, the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, Whatcom County, PUD No. 1 of Whatcom Co. and the Cities of Blaine, Everson, Ferndale, Lynden, Nooksack and Sumas Dan Hammill / April Barker moved to authorize the Mayor to enter into an interlocal agreement between the City of Bellingham, the Lummi Nation, the Nooksack Indian Tribe, the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, Whatcom County, PUD No. 1 of Whatcom County and the Cities of Blaine, Everson, Ferndale, Lynden, Nooksack and Sumas. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Committee Of The Whole 21370 1. Technology Update Report Council President Vargas reported on the presentation that was given earlier in the day. An extensive overview was given and I.T. reported that updates in software, especially to the Municipal Court department and Permitting department, were implemented in the last year. Also noted, that the software for the Finance department is outdated. The budget will need to take account for a new software system in the next year. 21371 2. Sustainable Services: Process Update Council President Vargas shared the highlights on the update that was given in the afternoon session. A clarification was made to better understand level of services vs. service levels. Level of service standards are measures of the minimum amount of a public facility which must be provided to meet the community's basic needs and expectations. Service levels are usually associated with the community's experience with both the state and the operation of public facilities and the timeliness of response for service. Information only. 21372 3. Waterfront District Update - Potential for District Energy Discussion on a central heating and cooling system. A single heat exchange system feeds into all buildings in the district so that one building does not have to have its own. Excess heat in one building could be used to heat another. Pinky Vargas / Gene Knutson moved to recommend approval of the discussion of a proposed energy district. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 3 of 7 9/26/2016  21373 4. Authorize Staff to Enter into Negotiation for a Hydropower System at the Waterfront District Development Council President Vargas reported that earlier in the Committee session, Council approved to support direct negotiation for procurement of a hydropower system in the Waterfront District Development. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 21374 5. Illegal Residential Units - Enforcement Strategies Update Council President Vargas reported that we have a full time employee working on code enforcement for illegal residential units. To date, there have been 296 complaint-based claims. 12 violations were reported, six are still pending and 93 are closed. Information only. 21247 6. Continued Discussion on the Draft 2016 Bellingham Comprehensive Plan - Parks, Recreation and Open Space Chapter Council reviewed language for amendments to the Parks chapters that staff recommended. Information only. 7. Approval of Minutes Pinky Vargas / Roxanne Murphy moved approval of the August 29, 2016 minutes of the regular City Council meeting as submitted. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Terry Bornemann / Michael Lilliquist moved approval of the September 12, 2016 minutes of the regular City Council meeting as submitted. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 8. Old/New Business Terry Bornemann reported that he would like to bring forth a process to accept designs for an official City of Bellingham flag. Mayor Linville also suggested we create a process through which a flag design can be presented for consideration. April Barker / Pinky Vargas moved to direct staff to create a report, by department, that would give demographics of race or ethnicity which employees identify themselves with. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Pinky Vargas reported that she and April Barker attended a York Neighborhood Association meeting recently. The meeting focused on code enforcement and housing options. Mayor Linville expressed that work on a proposal to identify housing options in the City is needed. More meetings and surveys to gather information are necessary. City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 4 of 7 9/26/2016  This project may be built into the existing work plans and should be scheduled for research at the beginning of the New Year. Terry Bornemann / Dan Hammill directed staff to research the issue of vacation rentals to possibly draft an ordinance. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Terry Bornemann reported that members of the Sikh community in the City would like to begin a process of developing a memorial in a City park. The memorial would commemorate an event that drove out their people more than a hundred years ago. Discussion is needed with the Parks director to implement their memorial. Mayor's Report Standing time for briefings, updates and reports to Council by the Mayor, if needed. Information only. Mayor Linville reported that the City is a sponsor of the upcoming Seafeast festival. The Mayor also reported that the Bellingham Police department sent a response to the Burlington Cascade Mall tragedy that occurred on September 23, 2016, to aid the Burlington police department. 21375 1. Mayor's Reappointment of John Stewart and David Willett to the Design Review Board (Approval) Pinky Vargas / Terry Bornemann moved approval of the reappointment of John Stewart to his fourth term, which will expire on September 25, 2020, and David Willett to his third term, which will expire on September 25, 2020. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 21376 2. Mayor's Reappointment of Elizabeth Jennings and Brian Miller to the Community Development Advisory Board (Information) Information only. The Mayor reappoints Elizabeth Jennings to her first full term, which will expire on October 1, 2019, at which time she may be reappointed. The Mayor reappoints Brian Miller to his first full term, which will expire on October 1, 2019, at which time he may be reappointed. City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 5 of 7 9/26/2016  Consent Agenda All matters listed on the Consent Agenda are considered routine and/or non-controversial items and may be approved in a single motion. A member of the Council may ask that an item be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered separately. 21377 1. Approval to Receive and Spend Grant Funds Awarded From the Department of Justice in the Amount of $39,398 to be Used for Microfiche Conversion and Ballistic Vests 21378 2. Interlocal Agreement Between The City of Bellingham and Whatcom County, 2016 Byrne Assistance Grant Program Award 21379 3. Authorization of A/P Checks Issued September 9, 2016 21380 4. Authorization of A/P Checks Issued September 16, 2016 21381 5. Authorization of Payroll Labor Cost Payments Dated August 26, 2016 - September 9, 2016 Roxanne Murphy / April Barker moved approval of the Consent Agenda in its entirety. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Final Consideration of Ordinances 21330 1. An Ordinance of the City of Bellingham, Washington, Regarding the Latecomer Process Amending Chapters 14.02 and 2.56 of the Bellingham Municipal Code Gene Knutson / Michael Lilliquist moved approval for third and final reading. Upon motion, said bill was placed on final passage and approved by the following roll call vote: AYES: BARKER, BORNEMANN, HAMMILL, KNUTSON, LILLIQUIST, MURPHY, VARGAS NAYS: EXCUSED: MOTION CARRIED and was thereafter named Ordinance #2016-09-034. City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 6 of 7 9/26/2016  Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:54 pm. Pinky Vargas, Council President ATTEST: Elisabeth Oakes, City Clerk Representative APPROVED: October 10, 2016 City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 7 of 7 9/26/2016