The following letter to Ferndale City Councilmembers is provided courtesy of Ferndale City Administrator Jori Burnett. It provides summaries, and background in some cases, of the items on the meeting agenda for the regular City Council meeting scheduled for 6pm, Monday, April 1st.
Councilmembers –
Your agenda for Monday night does not include a public hearing, a department work plan, an executive session, or a City Administrator. You could be home early (see Item 2 of the Consent Agenda if you are not).
Item B: Consent Agenda.
– Approval of Council minutes, authorization of payroll.
– Council Meeting Time Extension Ordinance: Chapter 2.04.010 (City Council – Meetings) of the Ferndale Municipal Code would be amended to require that a majority of Councilmembers present authorize a meeting time extension past 9 pm. The current code allows the mayor to extend the meeting without approval by Council. The recently-adopted Council Rules of Procedure require Council approval, and the proposed change would make the Ferndale Municipal Code and the Council Rules consistent with each other.
– 2018 Budget Amendment Ordinance: Staff requests that the City Council amend the 2018 budget to correct for a reimbursement to the Thornton Street Extension fund that was incorrectly placed in the Street Fund. A transfer of funds in the amount of $16,000 from the Transportation Benefit District (TBD) fund to the Street fund is needed to cover the negative balance. No impacts to projects are anticipated.
– 2019 Budget Amendment Ordinance: Staff requests that the City Council amend the 2019 budget to reflect the latest calculations, which reflect actual expenditures rather than a flat 3% assumption. In 2018 the Washington State Auditors identified the need for the City to update its cost allocation policies to reflect these actual expenditures. Included in this budget amendment is a $7,500 transfer from Stormwater to Equipment Rental and Replacement (ER&R) for a vehicle that was included in the 2018 budget.
Regular Agenda.Item C: Ski to Sea Presentation. Mark Lee, the President of the Whatcom Events Board of Directors, will provide the City Council with an overview of the 2019 Ski to Sea Race. Whatcom Events is responsible for organizing the race.
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Item D: 2019 Capital Projects Update. Capital Projects Manager Katy Radder will provide a monthly update on the City’s capital projects.
Item E: Water Conservation Resolution. The City Council is asked to approve mandatory water conservation measures, to take effect June 1. The measures, which would allow every other day watering, would exempt certain outdoor water uses (newly planted lawns and shrubbery, outdoor potted plants and hanging baskets). The proposal would also restrict overnight watering and irrigation. These conservation measures are being proposed earlier in 2019 than in previous years, in an effort to better sustain the aquifer through the hot summer months. In 2018 the City observed that the aquifer was not able to regenerate during peak watering periods, but did rebound following mandatory conservation efforts. The City seeks to apply proactive conservation measures early in the year in order to reduce stress on the aquifer. If the measure is approved by Council, the City will publicize the conservation requirements over the next two months, prior to implementation.
Item F: Portal Way Parking Restrictions. Public Works Director Kevin Renz and Police Chief Kevin Turner will present a resolution authorizing the Public Works Director to install and maintain signage restricting parking on Portal Way. The resolution allows for time-restricted parking, no commercial vehicle parking, or parking prohibitions. The City has received numerous complaints of vehicles, particularly large commercial vehicles such as semi trucks and/or their trailers, parked along Portal Way. As proposed, the resolution would allow the Public Works Director and the Ferndale Police Department to identify the most effective methods to address the issue.
Item G: Cedar Creek Park Playground Updates. Recreation Coordinator/ Communications Officer Riley Sweeney will present a request to allocate purchase approximately $60,000 worth of playground equipment for installation at Cedar Creek Park, located on Apollo Drive. The playground update was authorized in the 2019 budget. The Recreation Coordinator, the Public Works Department, and the Parks, Recreation, and Trails Advisory Board (PRTAB) have coordinated on these efforts. The plan would call for the removal of the existing playground equipment at Cedar Creek, replacing that area with grass.
– Jori
Documents related to the agenda items are available by clicking here.
The public is encouraged to attend City Council meetings. They are held on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month (the Tuesday following in case of a holiday) at 6pm in Council Chambers at the City Hall Annex located at 5694 2nd Avenue.