BOARD OF ISLAND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MINUTES OF MEETING - SPECIAL SESSION – OCTOBER 15, 2004

 

The Board of Island County Commissioners met in Special Session on October 15, 2004 at  2:30 p.m. to conduct a budget workshop on the preliminary 2005 budget including  Civil Service Commission,

Budget Director, E911 Fund, Public Facilities Fund,    Joint Tourism promotion Fund, Low Income Housing,    Current Expense  Overhead Allocation,  Rural County Sales Tax.  The proposed budget and supplemental requests are taken under advisement by the Board; no  final decisions  expected as a result of budget workshops.   Hand-outs  are on file with the Clerk of the Board.

 

The special session was held in the Board of County Commissioners Hearing Room (Room # 102B) Island County Courthouse Annex located at 1 NE 6th Street, Coupeville, WA. Commissioners   William J. Byrd Chairman;   Mike Shelton, Member, and Wm. L. McDowell, Member attended.    Elaine Marlow, Budget Director, also attended the session.  Press represented by Eric Berto, Whidbey News Times.  

 

Civil Service Commission       Budget Memo  Page 32 of Budget Notebook.  Presentation by:  Marie Taylor.  No changes from 2004 budget other than slight increase in employee benefits.

 

Enhanced 911 Fund.  County collects  taxes and acts as “pass-through” to Island County Emergency Services Communication Center (I-COM) via  interlocal agreement.  The money from Island County compared to other agencies went down about $24,000.

 

Follow-up:  Contact I-COM Director  about the County receiving surplus 19” screens no longer being used by I-COM.

 

Public Facilities Fund (1st 2% Hotel-Motel).  Money collected in 2004 goes towards grants in 2005.  It is estimated in 2004  that the County will collect $79,000, out of that pay almost $4,000  in overhead allocation charge (to Current Expense) for a total of $75,000 available, and propose recognizing $10,000 from fund balance for a total of  $85,000 for 2005 grant awards.

 

Joint Tourism Promotion Fund [2nd 2%].   Joint Tourism Committee has not yet developed a budget because of on-going discussions with the City of Oak Harbor.  At this point, request the  same budget as last year and before the budget is finalized the Committee hopes to have a budget to the County.  Letter from Mayor Pro-Tem, City of Oak Harbor, dated October 4, 2004, has been received by the County discussing the December 2003 Council vote in favor of notifying the Tourism Committee of the City’s desire to terminate the agreement the end of December, 2004,  giving  a brief overview why the City  took that action and requested the opinion of the County Commissioners on five questions related to the county-wide tourism effort.   Letter taken under advisement.

 

Low Income Housing Surcharge Fund.  [affordable housing recording fee surcharge].  Drop in revenue noticed.  Recording fees are dropping – number of transactions dropped.   Total budget proposed for 2005 is $170,000 [as opposed to $202,000 in 2004].

 

Current Expense Overhead Allocation.  To be finaled  when the budget is finalized since it is based on actual costs in certain departments.    The only real change that could have been made

 

 

but was not is the shared expenses of BMP enforcement position in Planning – done instead as an interfund transaction between the Road Fund and the Planning Department. 

 

Rural County Sales Tax Fund.  Budgeted $63,900 in 2004 and propose budgeting $32,500 in 2005 to fund the annual $32,500 to EDC for normal operational expenditures.    Additional EDC request made during the EDC budget workshop was  for another $24,400 for special outreach project has not been included at this point.   Additional request $24,400 placed on supplemental request list.

 

Budget Director.  Budget Notebook Page 21-24.   M&O budget is proposed the same as 2004.  SWB same with standard COLAs figured in.  Supplemental request is coordinated with Human Resources for a  new copier.

 

There being no further business to come before the Board at this  time, the meeting adjourned at 3:20 p.m.  The next regular meeting of the Board is scheduled for October 18, 2004 beginning at  9:30 a.m.

 

                                             BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

                                             ISLAND COUNTY, WASHINGTON

 

 

                                                 ______________________________

                                                 William J. Byrd,     Chairman

                                                                                                                                                                                                _____________________________

                                                Mike Shelton,  Member

 

                                                _____________________________

                                                Wm. L. McDowell,   Member

 

 

ATTEST:    ____________­­­­­___________

Elaine Marlow, Clerk of the Board