Online (Microsoft Teams) City Council Meeting

CITY OF LYNDEN CITY COUNCIL MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING January 19,2021 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Korthuis called to order the January 19, 2021 regular session of the Lynden City Council at 7:00 p.m. held through an online web-based meeting platform (Microsoft Teams). ROLL CALL Members present: Mayor Scott Korthuis and Councilors, Gary Bode, Ron De Valois, Jerry Kuiken, Brent Lenssen, Nick Laninga, Kyle Strengholt and MarkWohlrab. Members absent: None Staff present: Finance Director Anthony Burrows, Fire Chief Mark Billmire, Parks Director Vern Meenderinck, Planning Director Heidi Gudde, Police Chief Steve Taylor, Public Works Director Steve Banham, City Clerk Pam Brown, City Administrator Mike Martin, and City Attorney Bob Carmichael. OATH OF OFFICE- None APPROVAL OF MINUTES Councilor Wohlrab moved and Councilor Kuiken seconded to approve the January 4, 2021 regular council minutes as presented. Motion approved on a 7-0 vote. ITEMS FROM THE AUDIENCE Scheduled- None Unscheduled- None 2. CONSENT AGENDA Payroll information is unavailable at this time because of the finance department's transition to a new payroll system (Caselle) 300 4th Street, Lynden, WA 98264 www.lyndenwa.org Page 1 of 5 CITY OF LYNDEN CITY COUNCIL MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING Approval of Claims - December 31, 2020- Printed January 20, 2021 Manual Warrants No. 21188 through 21190 $9,447.48 EFT Payment Pre-Pays $26,290.15 Sub Total Pre-t $35,737.63 Voucher Warrants No. 21200 through 21339 $991,419.49 EFT Payments $0.000 Sub Total $991,419.49 Total Accts. Payable $1,027,157.12 Select Mayor Pro Tem for 2Q3A Pulled from Consent Agenda- Requires a Motion. Appointment to the Park and Trail Advisory Committee Reappointment to the Berthusen Advisory Committee Resolution No. 1030 - Request to Cancel Warrant No. 20573 Councilor Kuiken moved and Councilor Strengholt seconded to approve the Consent Agenda with item #2 pulled. Motion approved on a 7-0 vote. Mayor Korthuis thanked Rena Rudy and Tanya Assink for continuing on the Park and Trail Advisory Committee. He also thanked Tim Van Beek for stepping in and continuing the term for Jeff Roberts (term ends 12/21/2021). Mayor Korthuis also thanked Harlan Kredit, Marlin Hendricks, and Mike Lewis for agreeing to serve and addition 3-year term on the Berthusen Advisory Committee. Mayor Korthuis accepted nominations for the Mayor Pro Tem position. Nick Laninga nominated Gary Bode. There were no other nominations. Council voted Gary Bode in as Mayor Pro Tem with a vote of 7-0. 3. PUBLIC HEARING Broersma Short Plat Vacation Tim and Stephanie Broersma, owners of both Lot A and B of a two-lot Nieuwsma Short Plat, are requesting to vacate this platted subdivision and thereby create a single lot a little over 1 acre in size. Specifically, this action would remove Lot B from the Nieuwsma Short Plat. 300 4th Street, Lynden, WA 98264 www.lyndenwa.org Page 2 of 5 CITY OF LYNDEN CITY COUNCIL MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING The vacate of this property will allow the Broersma family to construct a single-family home and associated amenities without the encumbrances of the lot lines and easements associated with the existing plat. Vacates of short plats are relatively rare and not specifically addressed in the City's municipal code. Absent of a more specific process, the request was noticed and brought to public hearing before the City Council consistent with RCW 58.17.212. Staff has no objection to the request to vacate the existing property division and associated access easement. As noted in the staff report, typical utility easements are to remain. Mayor Korthuis opened the Public Hearing at 7:05 There were no comments. Mayor Korthuis closed the Public Hearing at 7:05 Councilor Lenssen moved and Councilor Strengholt seconded to approve Short Plat Vacate 20-01 which removes Lot B from the Nieuwsma Short Plat and authorize the Mayor's signature on the corresponding Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law. Motion approved on a 7-0 vote. 4. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Ordinance No. 1618-Setting the Final Property Tax for 2021 The City of Lynden is required by State regulations to adopt a 2021 property tax levy. On November 16, 2020, the City Council approved Ordinance No. 1609 which was passed relying on the preliminary figures for the assessed valuation of the City's tax base, as provided by the Whatcom County Assessor's Office at that time. The original executive summary presented to Council on November 16, 2020 indicated that an ordinance setting the exact final levy would be forwarded to the Finance Committee and City Council for consideration when the County Assessor's Office provided the final assessed valuation for 2020. The County Assessor's office has provided the final numbers at this time. For Council information, the final calculations result in a total dollar levy amount of $3,526,471. Per Council's direction this amount incorporated a 0.602% increase in the regular property tax, as allowed per the Revised Code of Washington. This total dollar levy reflects a mil rate of $1.57603 per $1 ,000 of assessed valuation. This is a decrease of approximately 11 cents from the 2020 rate. The Finance Committee reviewed this ordinance at their committee meeting, prior to the Council meeting on January 19, 2021. 300 4th Street, Lynden, WA 98264 www.lyndenwa.org Page 3 of 5 CITYOFLYNDEN CITY COUNCIL MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING Councilor Strengholt moved and Councilor seconded to approve Ordinance No. 1618 and authorize the Mayor's signature. Motion approved on a 7-0 vote. 5. NEW BUSINESS-None 6. OTHER BUSINESS Council Committee Updates CouncilorWohlrab reporting Public Safety Committee discussion of the following: • Update on labor disputes with Fire and Police departments • Overtime in December for Fire and Police departments • Fire department experienced 41 times when the department had overlapping calls • Update on hiring for Fire department Assistant Chief position - the position is going back out with an adjustment to the city's job description for AC • Fire personnel are temporarily located at Badger Road, the admin office is located at the Annex • Alt police replacement vehicles for 2020 have been ordered Councilor Strengholt reporting Finance Committee discussion of the following: • Discussion of OT • Discussion of sales tax revenue - year 2020 ended at 1.5% under budget • Reviewed items on the consent agenda • Reviewed court revenue - the amount is consistent with the past couple of years • Update to fire station remodel interfund loan Councilor De Valois reporting Parks Committee discussion of the following: • Discussion of the Maintenance Supervisor position, recruiting to begin in March 2021 • Discussion of Berthusen Trail maintenance • Benson Barn plans • Dickinson property is being surveyed • Glenning Street property has collected approximately $60,000 • Depot Road to 8th Street trail section is being pursued • Bender Field usage 300 4th Street, Lynden, WA 98264 www.lyndenwa.org Page 4 of 5 CITY OF LYNDEN CITY COUNCIL MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING 7. EXECUTIVE SESSION Council recessed into executive session at 7:20 p.m.to discuss a potential litigation matter. It was anticipated that the executive session would last approximately 20 minutes total and that a decision would not be made. The Council meeting reconvened at 7:40 p.m. 8. ADJOURNMENT The January 19,2021 regular session of the Lynden City Council adjourned at 7:41 p.m. Pl'lmALD.Bna,^ Pamela D. Brown, MMC Scott Korthuis City Clerk Mayor 300 4th Street, Lynden, WA 98264 www.lyndenwa.org Page 5 of 5