Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-03-05Board’s Official Business Highlights from Monday's Commissioner Meeting May 3, 2005 COMMISSIONER INJURED IN FALL: On Sunday afternoon, Commissioner David Sullivan fell 40 feet from the edge of a cliff that collapsed underneath him at his home. He was taken to Jefferson General Hospital with neck, back, and ankle injuries and then transferred to Harborview Hospital in Seattle. He will have to wear neck and back braces and stay off the ankle for at least 3 weeks. As of Monday afternoon, Commissioner Sullivan was in good spirits and stated that he hoped to come home on Tuesday. Future Board meetings may be conducted by conference call to include the Commissioner while he is recuperating. PROCLAMATION: The Board approved a proclamation designating May 2 through May 6, 2005 as Jury Appreciation Week. Judge Verser expressed his appreciation to the jurors who are called and have their lives interrupted to fulfill this important function of the judicial system. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD: The following comments were made: the annual Tribal Canoe Journey is scheduled for August 1-6 this year and usually the County donates the use of Memorial Field for participants to camp, but, the Jazz Festival is that weekend so they have to find another location, and a request for County funding to help with the event when the canoes are here; vote-by- mail should be addressed as part of overall voting reform because accountable registration is crucial, picture ID should be required, and a person’s right to secrecy when they vote is an issue if they can’t go to the polls; vote-by-mail is something that should have been done several years ago; the County needs more than just State and Federal grants for funding the Courthouse rehabilitation project and the Board needs to appoint a Blue Ribbon Commission; Port Townsend is remodeling City Hall into a museum at a high cost to taxpayers; it is premature to implement a county-wide vote-by- mail system until the issues regarding the voting process for the last governor’s election are addressed; there is an obsession with land use issues in Jefferson County, too much money is spent to defend decisions that are made, and soon people will begin to stand up for their property rights; the money needs to come from the Hotel/Motel Fund if the County subsidizes the parking fees at Fort Worden State Park, and the Teen Center in Quilcene is going to close because they have no funding; a suggestion to make Jefferson County a charter county; this is Indian Island Awareness W eek, and does the County have an emergency plan in place if there is an explosion there?; last year a record amount of ordnance was delivered to the island and this year will probably be the same; the County Commissioners shouldn’t have doors on their offices because anything they say to anyone should be public and if the Commissioners are asked a question or sent a letter that requires a response, the response needs to have substance instead of being meaningless. CONSENT AGENDA: The hearing notice for the budget extension for the Hotel/Motel Fund (possible LTAC funding for parking fees at Fort Worden State Park) and the contract with The Leader as the official County newspaper were deleted from the Consent Agenda. Commissioner Rodgers stated that he had voted against the original actions and would not change his vote. RESOLUTION: Vacation of that Portion of Oscar Peterson Road Lying Within the Northwest 1/4 of the Northwest 1/4 Section 29, Township 27 North, Range 11 West, WM; Gary Peterson, Petitioner HEARING NOTICE: Conservation Futures Citizen Oversight Committee 2005 Funding Recommendations; Hearing Scheduled for Monday, May 16, 2005 at 10:35 a.m. in the Commissioners’ Chambers AGREEMENT: Amendment No. 1 to agreement regarding the Dosewallips River Floodplain Acquisition Project with the Salmon Recovery Fund Board and Washington State Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation FEDERAL GRANT APPLICATION: Federal Grant Application for Jefferson County Regional Program Development Unit with Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, Office of Juvenile Justice (OJJ) HEARING: Approximately a dozen citizens were present for a hearing regarding the Board’s authorization to conduct all Jefferson County elections by vote-by-mail. Auditor Donna Eldridge explained the requirements of the Help America Vote Act that have to be in place by January, 2006 and prompted this action. State legislation regarding the voting process is scheduled to be signed by the Governor this week. Three counties already have adopted all vote-by-mail systems and five more are ready to adopt it when the legislation is passed. Approximately 66% of the voters in Jefferson County vote by mail. There are certain deadlines that need to be met if the Board chooses to go to all vote-by-mail before the end of the year. If the Board doesn’t opt for all vote-by-mail, seventeen Direct Recording Electronics (DREs) need to be purchased to meet the needs of voters with disabilities at each precinct. At the close of the hearing, the Board approved a resolution authorizing the County Auditor to undertake all actions required to conduct all Jefferson County elections by mail according to the State law.