HomeMy WebLinkAbout011121_cabs01JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA REQUEST Co Administrators Briefing
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Philip Morley, Jefferson County Administrator
DATE: January 11, 2021
RE: Discussion of Potential Proclamation to Designate January 22, 2021 for
Celebrating the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear
Weapons
STATEMENT OF ISSUE: On January 11, Commissioners will discuss a potential
proclamation designating January 22, 2021 for celebrating the United Nations Treaty on the
Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and will give direction on whether to bring a final draft forward
for adoption.
The Commissioners may take final action on such a proclamation during its meeting on Tuesday,
January 19, 2021.
ANALYSIS: Doug Milholland and other community members have asked the Board of County
Commissioners to adopt a proclamation designating January 22, 2021 for celebrating the United
Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which becomes effective that same day.
The Board may consider the enclosed draft proclamation, which is based on a submittal by Mr.
Milholland, with minor edits by staff.
The UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons can be viewed by clicking on this link:
http://undocs.org/A/CONF.229/2017/8. Additional background about the Treaty can be viewed on this link:
https://www.un.org/disarmament/wmd/nuclear/tpnw/#:~:text=The%20Treaty%20on%20the%20Prohibition%20of%20Nuclear%20Weapons
,stockpile%2C%20use%20or%20threaten%20to%20use%20nuclear%20weapons..
The preamble of the draft proclamation references prior resolutions adopted by the County
Commissioners, Board of Health and Port Townsend City Council. On June 3, 2019, the Board
of County Commissioners adopted Resolution No. 030-19 asking nationally elected officials to
negotiate for the elimination of all nuclear weapons. A copy of the Resolution is enclosed for
reference. The Jefferson County Board of Health also adopted a similar resolution, Resolution
No. 026-19
FISCAL IMPACT: N/A.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the Board discuss if it wishes to adopt a
proclamation regarding January 22. If it wants a proclamation, Commissioners can give staff
direction on any revisions to the enclosed draft. A final draft of the proclamation could then be
presented for adoption at the Boards meeting on January 19.
REVIEWED BY:
1/7/21
Philip Morley, County Administrator Date
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PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, the Jefferson County Commissioners, the Port Townsend City Council and the
Jefferson County Board of Health each passed resolutions in 2019 asking our nationally elected
officials to negotiate for the elimination of all nuclear weapons; and
WHEREAS, the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, ratified by fifty
countries on October 24, 2020, becomes international law on January 22, 2021; and
WHEREAS, the United States could lead a global effort to prevent nuclear war by:
Renouncing the option of using nuclear weapons first,
Not begining testing of nuclear weapons again,
Taking U.S. nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert,
Canceling the plan to replace its entire arsenal with next-generation nuclear weapons,
and
Joining nations around the world pursuing a verifiable, multilateral agreement among
nuclear-armed states to eliminate their nuclear arsenals;
NOW THEREFORE, the Jefferson County Commissioners hereby proclaim January 22, 2021 a
day of joyous celebration in Jefferson County in solidarity with all nations, states, cities and
towns that also supported the passage of the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of
nd
Nuclear Weapons; e ncourage all citizens to join in ringing bells at noon on Jan 22; and invite
citizens to s end celebratory letters to incoming President Biden and Vice President Harris,
Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and Representative Derek Kilmer, encouraging them
to earnestly seek passage by the United States of the United Nations T reaty banning nuclear
weapons.
APPROVED this __ day of January 2021
SEAL: JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ATTEST: Kate Dean, Chair
Carolyn Gallaway, CMC
Clerk of the BoardGreg Brotherton, Member
Heidi Eisenhour, Member
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