HomeMy WebLinkAboutclosed_caption09:02:22 Good morning, everybody happy. Monday after Rody weekends I i'm assuming most of everybody in the community at least, who was on the parade route, was as busy as me this weekend
and so as we do every
09:02:38 Monday morning we start our day with public comment. we have a couple of folks here in the room with us, and I'm assuming they have comments they would like to make but
09:02:49 We will also have virtual public comment. We are still doing our meetings in a hybrid format.
09:02:55 So if you wish to make public comments, please raise your hand using the raise hand button at the bottom of the zoom screen, or if you're on the phone by pressing Star 9, and
we will bring you over might be a good time, to
09:03:13 announce that next Monday is memorial day will not be meeting next Monday, and it also happens to be a fifth Monday, which means we won't make it up on Tuesday.
09:03:22 So 3 day weekend I see one hand up.
09:03:34 You guys in the room. Do you have com comments that you wanna make?
09:03:39 Okay, let's start with in person first. Yes, you have 3Â min, and please state your name and your where you where you reside.
09:03:52 Well, good morning, and my name's debbie lewis, and I am a 2 year permanent resident of queline.
09:03:59 I'm here about the possibility. of having encampments in closing, and Brennan and the impact would have on both the homeless population and those communities.
09:04:12 I think, first of all, I think it would do a major disservice to the homeless themselves.
09:04:19 And I I think it would really hinder them from any opportunity of changing their life.
09:04:24 And why do I think this? Because the major drivers of homelessness are addiction and mental health issues, and it's a complex problem not handled well, nationwide, But for the
following reasons, especially in the closing and brennan communities we
09:04:39 have no transportation Abund bus runs twice a day along 101.
09:04:45 So holding a job would be not feasible. We have minimal minimal medical care locally, and it doesn't even meet the needs of our current community.
09:04:52 We have no social services, no social work, professionals, no addiction.
09:04:57 Medicine, no mental health. And we have known jobs. More importantly, we have no job training programs.
09:05:05 We have 2 small stars, but no grocery no pharmacy. none of those of resources as well, and rehabilitation can't be successful without a comprehensive program. relocating the
homeless to our communities will
09:05:17 be catastrophic to both Bern and and quilocine.
09:05:22 Why? do? I think that because these encampments bring crime and an influx of drugs and drug dealers.
09:05:29 Not only does this put the homeless population at risk, it puts our all population at risk for increased violence.
09:05:35 Drug-related crimes, robbery, and our children at risk for addiction. And why is this different from Port Townsend?
09:05:41 We have no police services, really we we rely on the county sheriff response.
09:05:46 Times could be very, extremely variable, and we also our disadvantaged communities.
09:05:54 To begin with, we have there's a lot of poverty in these communities to start with
09:05:59 Many homes don't even have portable water we have septic issues.
09:06:04 We have no city services, really. and We talk about the food bank
09:06:13 And as a justification, I understand. but that we need a larger food bank, as I understand it, because we don't can't serve the current needs.
09:06:22 We have with what? what what's in place this would have a tremendous impact on struggling local businesses.
09:06:30 This is truly a case of what you permit you promote and unless these can be mitigated, we're just warehousing people, with which is a moral and ethical concern and i'm happy
to
09:06:43 work and bound, would volunteer to work on any innovative solutions.
09:06:47 But I think remote placement of these encampments would be a problem.
09:06:54 Even one encampment of 50 would represents 8% of our population.
09:07:00 Thank you for your comments, Debbie.
09:07:05 Sorry. Do you have a comment you'd like to make use moral support for , , Okay, Okay, then, we it looks like we have a couple of folks online interested in commenting this morning,
09:07:30 Good morning, elizabeth you'll need to unmute i'm sorry. Have you thrown me in No, we're we're sorry.
09:07:38 Can you hear me? Okay, . Yes, we can hear you.
09:07:42 You have 3Â min for comment, and please state so where do you reside?
09:07:46 Thank you. Good morning, Commissioners. My name is Elizabeth Dunn.
09:07:52 I actually reside in Columb County. So your neighbors in the Peninsula and I just wanted to speak briefly in support of an agenda item.
09:08:00 That is the Commissioner's letter to dnr policy leaders regarding the Beaver Valley sorts and penny wise timber sales.
09:08:09 I just wanted to thank you for your leadership on this issue.
09:08:13 I recently had an opportunity to visit Penny Wise yesterday, efficiency yes, Okay, sorry.
09:08:25 I heard I heard a little background. I recently have the opportunity to visit Penny wise yesterday, and was just struck by
09:08:35 The how large these trees are. it's a structurally complex forest, very unique.
09:08:43 And the importance of preserving these types of forests, looking for innovative solutions to do so like you all are doing so again.
09:08:52 I just wanted to express my support for your leadership.
09:08:55 On this issue. very much of hopes that Dnr.
09:09:00 Will listen to your requests, and I also wanted to note that for those who do want to really see for themselves
09:09:10 How unique these forests are, these remaining structures, complex legacy forests on State lands?
09:09:17 Listener for a response. before you. Street is hosting a community hike to visit Penny Wise on June fourth at 10 Am.
09:09:25 Which is a Saturday, and folks could sign up on the website to join that hike and see.
09:09:33 So. Thank you. Thank you, Elizabeth. We appreciate your comments.
09:09:38 Steven, I think you know the drill but you'll have 3Â min for public comment.
09:09:43 Please state where you live and your name, and we look forward to hearing from you
09:09:53 Yeah. Hi: Okay, I see my. Am I here? Okay, , Okay.
09:10:01 Yes, thank you very much. Yeah. Look I as I often do.
09:10:05 I ran at a time talking about my friend who had passed last week, and while we were waiting for the hearse, his friends and family were discussing the situation, and all of
us putting all of us were seeing that his cancer came back after getting
09:10:21 vaccinated, and he died not long after his booster and of course that's just anecdotal evidence, but the fact is is that cancers have been taking off like wildfire and emerging
and reimerging
09:10:35 latent diseases like Shingles and Epstein Bar.
09:10:39 And and basically the the mechanism is as that the vaccines are hosting the t cell immunity as that they're holding back these these things, and then they tend to to reemerge.
09:10:49 And so, anyway, you know I this is just I guess I just wanted to say it.
09:10:54 Also i've heard that that the health officer is considering, or it's already been basically reimposing a mask mandate on.
09:11:05 I think, cloud kids I I don't know I mean like the
09:11:10 I I understand that you really trust what the health officer has to say. and this is just me crying out in the wilderness about my own opinions about this. but it's not just
my opinions.
09:11:18 I mean, basically studies. You know, all over the world consistently shown that these mask mandates are really not or not effect.
09:11:28 And you know if it was just a matter of well they they can't hurt, and maybe they'll help So let's do it.
09:11:34 But the fact is is that there's a lot of negative impacts of these of these masks, especially on kids, their development, their psychology, and all this stuff.
09:11:44 And another factor is the carbon dioxide it levels for the kids or about, I think, 250% of 150% higher than then.
09:11:54 The level that's allowed in the industrial setting and you know that's I mean for them to be wearing this for 6 8Â h a day is is not good for them.
09:12:04 And so, you know, this is just me crying out in the wilderness, but it's not just me.
09:12:09 And the response of this seems from the health authority, seems to be the to call People point to these.
09:12:15 These convenient truths, calling it misinformation and trying to, you know, trying trying to make it illegal to, you know, trying to have the homeland security, saying it's
terrorism.
09:12:28 And listen. You may not understand the science of it but I hope that you've read, you know, fahrenheit 451 Or Orwells 1,984 in school, and understand that these kind of
09:12:37 totalitarian Ministry of Truth. Book burning clamp down.
09:12:42 Things do not come from the good guys and you know nobody's paying me to do my research.
09:12:46 But pharmaceutical companies and Gates Foundation are largely funding the who and the Cdc.
09:12:53 Rotating door regulators. So, anyway, just just open your mind about this i'm sorry for just you know pounding on this over and over again.
09:13:02 Finally relating to the Trinity I think it's Methodist Church Grant of like a 124,000 Facebook people.
09:13:12 You know the entire thread. No, Christians are not really in favor of you.
09:13:18 Just give away. Thank you very much. Thank you. If anybody else who is on zoom with wishes to make public comments, please rest here.
09:13:28 Raise your hand now. using the raise hand Button at the bottom of the zoom screen, and I see Patricia is here with us to make a comment, and then, if anyone else would like
to comment, Please raise your hand and we'll bring you
09:13:40 over. next
09:13:47 Good morning for justa you'll need to unmute Good morning, Commissioners.
09:13:53 Thank you for the opportunity to comment I'm. Dr. Patricia Jones residing in Quosine Washington, speaking for the Olympic Forest Coalition.
09:14:02 I'm. speaking today, and supported the draft letter requesting the Bnr.
09:14:06 To delay the consideration of the sale of Penny.
09:14:10 Wise and Beaver Valley, Swartz, until a thorough consideration of our options for managing the forests is completed. I Wanna.
09:14:18 Comment on time and terms. time in 1994 through 96, the Us.
09:14:23 Fish and wildlife completes a biological opinion for our current habitat conservation plan.
09:14:29 The opinion included. Assuming that the Hcp. period would retain 10 to 15% of older force on the landscape, the Hc.
09:14:39 Cp. was signed. With these modest targets, goals, and assumptions the Dnr.
09:14:44 Must have for each and every planning unit a plan. They must have a plan for how they will retain 10 to 15% of older harvest by the end of the period. Dnr.
09:14:54 Does not to this day have plans to our policy. Almost 3 years ago Mr.
09:14:59 Stephen cropped, realized that after the mirrorlet policy was passed in 2019, that Dnr.
09:15:07 Had plans to cut the remaining scraps of older forest. With no plan. Mr.
09:15:11 Crop raised these issues with Dnr. directly Dnr.
09:15:14 Has been on notice, and out of compliance with its obligations since 1,997, and most recently, since 2,019.
09:15:22 These sales were laid out after these notice at 1Â h, 38Â min, into the recording of the April, the fourth B.
09:15:29 In our meeting, Mr. Angus Brodie provided Bnr.
09:15:33 Commissioner Peach, with the information that Dnr. May at the Executive level, not bring a sale to auction for a 180 days after the Bnr.
09:15:42 Itself had approved the sale price and layout. Beaver Valley source is one of these sales.
09:15:46 It was on the agenda over a year ago, and held Commissioner Franz and Staff may hold all legacy forests for a 180 days, while Dnr. completes with the top complies with its obligations
to
09:15:59 have a plan. Terms of terms. The Federal lands use old and mature force.
09:16:05 The Hcp. uses older forests which Dnr. defines.
09:16:09 Standby stand in an opaque application of the term without a clear policy or definition.
09:16:14 We might like their definition if we knew what it actually was.
09:16:18 Conservation uses the term legacy forests to denote both its ecological significance and historic importance.
09:16:25 We could have used scraps, remnants, crumbs of older forests, but those terms seem to be easy to ignore, and the forest cut after all.
09:16:33 At 1 point the terms global warming and climate change were considered made up deflecting important policy decisions to a discussion of terms is just that deflection. we're
so grateful for all your work on this issue.
09:16:50 Thank you, thank you, Dr. Jones is there any better anybody else on zoom or in the room.
09:16:59 I I don't think nicole's here to make a public comment.
09:17:03 So wishing to make a public comment. Oh, I see Tom bring him over, and then we'll again again.
09:17:09 Say, if anyone has joined us and wants to make a public comment, you can use the raise hand button at the bottom of your zoom screen.
09:17:17 Okay. Good morning, Mr. Tirish
09:17:27 Your looks like you're unmuted and you have 3Â min for public comment.
09:17:32 We can't hear you
09:17:39 I can't hear you that's better yeah got you now I see heads shaking.
09:17:43 Yes, good, thank you. Sorry about that. good morning. one at all.
09:17:50 Couple of things. regarding the comment that was just made about masks and C.
09:17:57 O 2 Commissioner Brotherton at the Chamber of Commerce meeting last week was was there, along with some experts regarding the
09:18:13 Measurements of C. O. 2 in our environment in our offices and homes, and I didn't hear anything during that presentation that was specifically directed at Co.
09:18:24 2 concentrations and masking but if Commissioner Brotherton. if you have any specific information about that I would really like to know the facts rather than the supposition
that's been presented about Well, it.
09:18:39 Must be higher, because you're wearing a mask I i'd like to see some scientific studies.
09:18:43 If you have any reference to references to that i'd like to see them, because frankly I don't believe what was presented earlier this morning is is accurate.
09:18:55 Or reasonable. second topic, the open public meetings act, the governor's proclamation 2028 is going to expire June first, and that was the one that that removed some of the
09:19:09 constraints of the open public Meetings act with regard to the conduct of meetings, and so forth.
09:19:16 There's one section in particular which is 42 $30 for Rcw. that you should take a closer.
09:19:24 Look at it's the one that says you can't ask people to say their name, or where they live you in order to attend a meeting.
09:19:34 Now that doesn't say specifically regarding public comment but in the absence of Apollo, it's been interpreted by the courts that you can't ask people that question the way
that you're asking it you know please state your
09:19:50 name in residence, or where you reside is a strong suggestion that if you don't, well dot dot dot In other words, please stop doing that.
09:20:00 If people want to identify themselves, and where they live that's up to them.
09:20:04 But for the chair of any commission agency board whatever to to demand that information, or suggest that it might be mandatory.
09:20:14 That's just not not correct. so please consider changing your practices.
09:20:19 I would appreciate it. Thanks very much. Thanks for your comment, Mr.
09:20:26 Chair,
09:20:30 It looks like we have one more hand up there. Anybody else is out there on zoom without their hand up, and wants to make a public comment.
09:20:38 Please use the raise hand button at the bottom of your zoom screen
09:20:49 Send me. Hello! This is Barbara Mori from Port Townsend.
09:20:55 I just have a question more than a more than a comment regarding the Ordinance Review that's happening today.
09:21:00 I do have a couple of comments that are editorial related to that.
09:21:03 Are we going to be able to do public comment at that time?
09:21:07 And if we are not, then i'd like to just say that there are some changes in the language of the proposed draft, they're minor.
09:21:16 There are words smithing, but they are important to their impact that need to be addressed as before.
09:21:21 The ordinance is finally passed, and would ask for your assistance in doing that.
09:21:29 When we have the this afternoons hearing at 1 30 regarded in the ordinance on temporary housing facilities.
09:21:36 Thank you, I'm Barbara, we do have put additional public comments as part of that.
09:21:42 Thank you very much. It doesn't show on the manufacturing on the agenda.
09:21:47 Thank you. Okay. Is there anybody else on Zoom who would like to make a public comment?
09:21:56 You can use the right hand button at the bottom of the zoom screen.
09:22:01 I don't see any unknown phone numbers on the phone i'm calling in so. So anybody who's joined us this morning who would like to make a public comment who hasn't so far use the
raise hand button at the
09:22:13 zoom screen. Okay? Well, we will leave public comment open for another 8Â min and begin our response
09:22:27 To the ones we received Anyone like to start I could start just for sure, ,
09:22:39 Let's see thank you ms lewis I appreciate your your input.
09:22:46 And you know we're gonna be starting a deep dive on this, and also to to Miss Maurice comments. So we have a workshop this afternoon where we will be talking more about the
ordinance of the planning commission
09:22:56 just have their turn with and now it gets turned to us so we will workshop this afternoon where we'll be learning more.
09:23:05 And you'll see how our agenda today we're setting a hearing date.
09:23:08 So in 2 weeks time 3 3 weeks 3 weeks 3 weeks from today we'll be having a hearing.
09:23:15 So there's still a number of steps in the process and lots of opportunity for public inputs.
09:23:21 To your question. Ms maurie I I I will just say, and I don't have the recent date.
09:23:28 I don't know if greg can cited but there are a lot of homeless folks living in Closely and Brennan in South County.
09:23:34 And they are dispersed largely in the woods and the point in time.
09:23:40 Count every year does count them I don't know if it's separated geographically.
09:23:42 If No, okay, it's county wide but I know that that was a surprise, and I lived in closeine for many years.
09:23:50 But I was surprised when I first took this position. I think it was in 2,017.
09:23:57 We had a really high number, and that point in time count, and only kept specifically called out how many of those were living?
09:24:03 In the woods in South County. and so you know it's they are there.
09:24:08 They are neighbors and our constituents. and you know, figuring out how to best provide services, is what this ordinance is about to some degree.
09:24:17 And I think a high level of commitment to try to do that.
09:24:20 So I appreciate. I hear you share that concern. Useless?
09:24:23 Let's see people you you cut me off Carolyn let's see. we will be talking more about the letter to the Board of Natural Resources, and dnr later. today.
09:24:42 So i'll save comments on that just to clarify a little bit about masking
09:24:49 The health officers. I Shouldn't speak for dr lucky we'll say Dr.
09:24:54 Barry has reinstituted temporary and very targeted mask mandates on a couple of schools on the Peninsula, and that is where transmission is highest.
09:25:06 The only place she has implemented it is in couple of schools where, transmission is the highest and nobody.
09:25:15 Nobody wants mask mandates anymore. we're here in that love and clear.
09:25:18 We know that it's not sustainable we we I share the risk. that, especially for young children.
09:25:24 Masks are could potentially interrupt developmental, important developmental stages.
09:25:30 And, you know, reading faces and social queues.
09:25:34 So the the hope is to implement those and really targeted spaces for short amount of time and get this current search under control.
09:25:44 Similarly, we will be considering, a change to our internal policy later today, where we might have to do the same thing in certain county departments.
09:25:52 We need to authorize the ability of department directors to target mask mandates for short amount of time to try and stop.
09:26:02 You know the the real risk is that when you get overwhelmed in a workplace a school county office. you can't continue operations when you don't have enough stuff you have to
shut down and we know that that's terrible for
09:26:13 kids, too. So a mask is a way provides some protection, varying degrees of protection.
09:26:20 Given all sorts of variables, but provide enough protection to be able to keep keep folks showing up to work and school.
09:26:29 Keep our economy going. So that is, being used in a very targeted way and temporarily.
09:26:37 I think that's Oh, I will call out for now, would you like to go next?
09:26:49 Sure. thank you, everyone for your comments. thanks for making the trip up to some quilts.
09:26:52 It's a beautiful drive, though. you know, I I agree with a lot of your points, Miss Lewis, and you know, as Kate said, we are gonna have a hearing on this on June thirteenth
and you know We've been
09:27:02 through this a couple of times. we had an unsanctioned encampment at the fair grounds that had drug dealing and needles on the ground and overdose and overdose fatality that
was tragic and in solving that problem we
09:27:15 adopted a very, a modified version. Watkin counties temporary encampment ordinance that allowed us to create an outdoor shelter which is kind of a a new model.
09:27:26 But it has been really effective and is reduced emergency service encounters increased uptake of services for those folks, and I will say that, you know there's lots of folks
with substance use issues. and and mental health issues.
09:27:40 But that's not it there's also a lack of housing and our system is designed with a lot more shoots than ladders, and want to go down a couple shoots you're you're rattling around
at the
09:27:49 bottom was really marginal housing. Homelessness looks different in different communities in our area, and it looks different.
09:27:57 It looks you know it's like your your daughter and son in law on your couch, or someone in an rv out behind the house, and it's It's different.
09:28:05 But since we've started using these manage shelters like causal Brown and Mill Road, as well as that's place in Peter's place, our point in time count this year, was the lowest
it's been for years,
09:28:18 it's been between 176 and 200, which still is an incomplete count.
09:28:23 But this year is 122 so the big difference being well, it's.
09:28:28 It was a challenging year to to collect data. so maybe we missed some people, but that's you know.
09:28:35 30% decrease can largely be accounted for.
09:28:37 People are getting into places that have closer access to services and it's much easier like our therapeutic ports.
09:28:44 The first thing they do is make sure that you have a place to live because it's so much harder to to use services.
09:28:51 If you're you know, gotta find a place to charge my phone today, and waking up, you know, make make sure my stuff still here when I come back.
09:28:58 So providing dignity is a good first step to getting people enabled in in services, and I've looked all over the county when we were looking for the location of Coswell Brown
to see hey?
09:29:08 Maybe the Covarv Park in brennan or This place in Wilson and your point about accessibility to services is a two-way street.
09:29:16 They don't want to go down there either and I don't know where people got the idea that they're going to be.
09:29:21 There's going to be a industry of encampments everywhere, but these are not money makers.
09:29:25 These are things that cost money that are going, to take outside money. for us to be able to bring people up and give them that hand up so they can get housing of their own.
and it's there I have seen no proposals for
09:29:36 any South County encampments and there is no incentive to and the agencies wouldn't want to do it because they can't provide the support of services that are required so I would
not take that fear as as a
09:29:48 legitimate concern because it's just it's really unrealistic.
09:29:54 That said Do do we need to I mean we haven't really looked at this re-scoped ordinance, which will be a permanent ordinance, and we'll we'll address all those things and I think
you
09:30:01 know, maybe is there a maximum number I don't yeah I mean that's reasonable.
09:30:06 We had the 50 number at each encampment. is kind of an arbitrary number based on what them counties.
09:30:11 And That's working really well for causal brown village I can't imagine a 300 person encampment anywhere, So i'm not.
09:30:19 We're not decreeing what that is yet. and we'll be processing through the ordinance on June thirteenth, and I I encourage people to give their feedback.
09:30:27 So enough on that now. but it's an old it's it's an ongoing process, and yeah, they're just gonna be closer to services. That's just the logical place.
09:30:34 Thanks to Miss dunn for the comments on dnr we're gonna be talking that later for Steven, you know, still playing fast and loose with correlation between cancer and vaccines
that doesn't make any sense But to Tom
09:30:48 tirish's point we were my talk with the fluid dynamics.
09:30:54 Professor is looking for you know, many of these layer admitations. we know it's not just one thing it's vaccines and masks.
09:31:00 And now let's pay attention to ventilation so they didn't have any data about Co.
09:31:05 2 and masks. but i've talked to Dr. barry about this before, and it's you know, best friend in and in hospitals. They've been proven safe over the decades that they've been
used in in health care but
09:31:16 I'll ask Dr. Locke about that again today. if There's maybe some studies that he can point to thank you, Dr.
09:31:22 Jones for The The comments and I think definitions are important.
09:31:28 You know. I think we should work out what those definitions are we'll continue to talk older.
09:31:33 Forest legacy for us. I mean everyone's thrown definitions for you know the benefit of their argument.
09:31:38 I mean that's what we do. and I think working out the definitions is a big part of the task in front of us for our own product.
09:31:46 Appreciate Mr. Tier. she's note on opma pretty easy that I mean.
09:31:52 Hearings are different, of course, where you do have to provide your name, and I believe the where you live right.
09:31:57 But I think that's a good practice to adopt to to
09:32:01 You can share your name if you want kind of thing, and thank you for Miss Ms.
09:32:06 Moore there is tate said there's more opportunities for review. and we'll get some today, and and the hearing is a great place to get that to you know we'll keep keep working
on this until we get it right I
09:32:15 think is the goal. So thank you, Everyone for your comments.
09:32:20 You guys covered most of what I might say but I was just gonna say to Miss lewis's comment that I haven't heard a proposal for any housing.
09:32:29 Homeless camps or housing tiny tiny house clusters or causal brown type facilities in and closing our Brennan.
09:32:40 I haven't i just haven't heard it i've read every single piece of public comment that's come across our computers, since not an insignificant number and I have not seen one
proposal for that or one
09:32:50 idea come out. of our discussion so i'm i'm not clear what I've seen the comments a couple times.
09:32:58 Don't do it, but i'm not even sure where it's coming up that it might be done anyway.
09:33:05 I would love to get out and see Penny wise, but I have a hard conflict on June fourth, that I will not.
09:33:12 My husband has of his first solo show show over the course of the pandemic.
09:33:16 It opens that day I will be there. and I would say about visiting these forests.
09:33:22 I highly recommend it. I have in my over the course of my career, had the great but fortune to walk in old older legacy.
09:33:31 Every every definition of forest that you could probably imagine. and
09:33:37 I hold them close to my heart. so I don't feel like I need to see another stand of old growth.
09:33:43 To believe in them. But, anyway, I think that as many people as as can should get out and see the forest that we've been talking about to Dr.
09:33:56 John's comment about the target, the target and dnr silver culture policy which does state that they will try to get to 10.
09:34:07 The 15% of older forests. in the various planning units that they manage.
09:34:15 That's that's what i've heard the border natural resources, saying, I it's it's a hobby of mine to attend or to review the recordings of as many of those meetings as possible
and i've
09:34:29 been hearing them say that actively, for the last at least 18 months at least, at every other meeting.
09:34:37 So a lot of what i've been saying about what Dnr.
09:34:42 Should do is based on their statements of what they want to do.
09:34:44 So I I am going to keep saying that I want to see what they're proposal is for how they're going to address those older forest targets laid out by the Hcp.
09:34:55 For all the planning units, including ours, which is the Straits planning unit.
09:35:01 And so, Tom, tier's comment about not asking for name and address I'm still learning I learned today. I will not ask for that in public comment anymore.
09:35:11 I think I had crosswires with hearing and just so noted for years.
09:35:21 We would say it's helpful if you give us your name residents to direct our response or something.
09:35:31 So yeah, I think that's the only the only specific responses. I have, and it's 9 35.
09:35:38 So I will close public comment unless Oh, Are you guys here to give public comment?
09:35:47 Okay, Okay, great. So i'm gonna close public comment and suggest that we consider consent agenda.
09:35:58 I think It's a meeting one today. there is one thing I want to discuss from consent. So I wonder since we have Nicole here.
09:36:11 Consider a proclamation Oh, okay, Okay, Okay, What I'd like to talk about.
09:36:13 I can still take that long but to move on with her day, and I'm excited about car free day.
09:36:20 Of course, Trans. a month. Hmm. So we are going to consider our proclamation.
09:36:33 That was farther down the agenda, proclaiming June 2022 as ride transit month, and associated with that June first as car free. day.
09:36:45 So you can write transit instead of drive your car or ride your bike.
09:36:50 As many people in the community saw me doing this weekend so does somebody want to nicole You're gonna introduce this proclamation?
09:37:07 I'm sorry I was in
09:37:18 He's. I can stand in for him Would somebody like to introduce the proclamation?
09:37:26 Or we could read it, and you could respond after a few and when you speak you need to speak into the microphone.
09:37:37 That's at the at the little podium There Okay, so let's kick off the proclamation.
09:37:44 Then who wants to start? I could start the proclamation, whereas on average public transit provides almost 250 million passenger trips in Washington each year.
09:37:57 Transit agencies in Washington State invest almost 5 billion dollars in transit capital and operations each year prior to 2,020.
09:38:04 Jefferson transit authorities. Annual passenger trips on fixed route service were 258,956.
09:38:11 This includes services on the west and east side of Jefferson County in 2,020.
09:38:17 One Jta, like all transit agencies around the country, was focused on safely rebuilding its ridership numbers.
09:38:23 The total annual passenger trips on fixed route services was 137,579.
09:38:29 This includes services on the west and east side of west and east sides of Jefferson County, and Whereas Washington's transit provider landscape is vast and varied, including
32 transit agencies, 8 serving urban
09:38:41 areas, 11 smaller urban and 13 rural, 17 tribal transportation providers, more than 20 community transportation providers, 6 medicaid transportation brokers for travel Washington
inner city bus program lines
09:38:54 8 ferry systems. One monorail and almost 25% of Washington's cannot or do, not drive, and may rely on public transit.
09:39:03 And whereas during the Covid 19 during COVID-19 transit agencies continue to branch, provide more than a 100 million annual passenger troops for a central workers or essential
rides as well as pivoting to
09:39:17 bring other services to their communities, including delivering meals, groceries, and prescriptions to people with disabilities, seniors, people with low incomes, and people
with special transportation needs in their community.
09:39:31 Jefferson transit authority work closely with the local food bank to deliver food boxes to riders, and provided 244,409 rides in 2020 and 2021 and whereas using the
09:39:46 transit system in Washington today reduces 371,000 metric tons of Co.
09:39:52 2 emissions per year. If all people driving alone were to shift to transit, we could save 130,000 metric tons of Co.
09:39:59 2 emissions per year, about equal to 28,272 passenger vehicles, driven for a year for every 1 million dollars invested in Washington State transit it equates to 102,000 metric
tons
09:40:11 of Co. 2 reduction, which is equal to the carbon sequestered by 125,000 acres of us forests in one year, and whereas June is a great time to promote using transit to get to
work, and the best time
09:40:24 to get beginners using transit whether you're new to transit or a regular writer ride transit month is a time to celebrate you.
09:40:32 Our community of writers who are helping Washington State lead the nation in ridership.
09:40:37 And now, therefore, be it resolved that the Jefferson County Commissioners do here by proclaim June 2022, as ride transit month in Jefferson County, and ask all residents of
this community to join us in
09:40:50 our transit operators who care for the public and show our appreciation.
09:40:55 Not just during this month, but at every opportunity throughout the year, approved this 23 third day of May, 2022 great, and as a huge fan of multimodal transportation of which
transit is a major
09:41:10 component. i'm happy to move to approve the proclamation is red, all in favor.
09:41:17 Hi: Okay, Jane, it is made the parking lot to be empty and June , Yeah, we'd love to have you guys come up and and make some comments about right transit month.
09:41:34 That'd be great, and say who you are and who You're representing Just so the public.
09:41:44 What Good morning. My name is Nicole I'm.
09:41:46 Got here. i'm with Jefferson transit authority.
09:41:51 And thank you very much for this proclamation.
09:41:55 Jefferson Transit has been in this community since the early Eightys, who we continue to provide transportation options for all of our citizens.
09:42:03 Jefferson Transit is currently working with the Climate Action Committee and promoting car free day, which will happen on June first.
09:42:11 First. So this is a great segue into that car.
09:42:15 Free day is really an encouragement for the entire community to look for less car dependent ways to to run errands or move about the community.
09:42:26 And of course we would love everyone to write transit but if they're not going to write transit possibly ride their bike.
09:42:33 Jefferson transit does have bike racks and all their vehicles, so you can combine the 2 or to walk.
09:42:41 Jefferson County is a very walking, friendly community. but as an employee of Jefferson transit
09:42:48 I can speak highly of just the entire workforce and the full court press that it takes to get a bus on the road.
09:42:58 So every time you're seeing me a jefferson transit view called Know that there are hardworking staff, and behind that operator.
09:43:05 So all of our mechanics or dispatchers, customer service finance.
09:43:09 Everyone it's it's a really a full court press to get that vehicle out on the road.
09:43:14 So we really do welcome the support of our operators, but also our entire agency.
09:43:20 So think you very much. Hello! Thank you. My name is Alex Hudson, and I have the honor and privilege of being the executive director of Transportation Choices Coalition, where
a statewide nonprofit organization that
09:43:35 works to promote a holistic transportation system, including abundant.
09:43:40 And, as we like to say, irresistibly good transit options for people, i'm so grateful to you is the first jurisdiction to make a proclamation around ride transit month.
09:43:52 You were leading. what will be done of municipalities and cities across
09:43:57 This beautiful state who are celebrating their transit systems and all they bring to their constituents.
09:44:04 You spoke very often about the positive sustainability benefits that we get from moving away from single occupancy vehicles and into more sustainable options.
09:44:18 But I just want to also remind you that public transit is a very powerful tool for economic justice and economic mobility for people.
09:44:27 Harvard issue to study several years ago. That shows that the single greatest predictor of households coming out of poverty is the length of their commute. And so, by providing
people with options of how they can get around in a
09:44:40 way that is much more affordable than a private vehicle, which triple a estimates cost $10,000 to own, operate, and maintain a vehicle in the State of Washington.
09:44:50 You were putting resources back into the hands of your constituents and their families, and making it easier and impossible to access the incredible economic, educational, and
recreational opportunities.
09:45:04 I'm here with some of my colleagues and we took transit all the way up from Seattle, and I just want to say it was so seamless, so wonderful, so I appreciate the work that this
county does with its with
09:45:15 its neighbors to make that possible. So thank you so much.
09:45:21 Did you come by vain bridge or Kingston i'm in love with that route?
09:45:28 Yeah, I mean the sure shot there's just many wonderful options here.
09:45:32 And I we i've experienced it personally as is my family many times.
09:45:36 So thank you. Awesome thanks for joining us today. Thanks for making the trip.
09:45:40 Alright guys, I wish we could talk about that for another 15Â min.
09:45:47 But we have another item on our agenda. Okay, so we do have a hearing notice on the consent agenda that needs to be passed before we move on to our covid update.
09:45:56 Okay, I will move to a private hearing Notice: Item: number one, and consent to agenda.
09:46:00 I will second all in favor. Aye, I passes unanimously.
09:46:08 Okay, Now we can move on to our Covid update with Dr.
09:46:15 Lock this morning, and I haven't went to the attendee list to see if Willie's here this week.
09:46:22 Yup. he's there can I just say my favorite thing to do when I travel is to see how many different forms of transportation, especially public transportation.
09:46:32 I can hit in one day weeks ago I hit 5 hi Thank you.
09:46:52 So we did have apparently we had an item don't see it on the agenda Karen
09:47:05 That we need to take care of before. Oh, but we can do that afterwards.
09:47:11 Can we? Okay, Monty, if you're listening we're gonna do the Crab certificate after the Covid update
09:47:27 It's. Dr.
09:47:33 Good morning kpt with Z listeners. we're bringing over Dr.
09:47:40 Locke and Willie Bens to join us and we'll get get going with our our covid update
09:47:54 Good morning, gentlemen,
09:48:08 Good morning, Dr. good morning. I get everything turned on here today.
09:48:13 Yeah, well, good morning. So pleasure to be here and get to fill in for the esteemed Dr.
09:48:21 Barry and as is become the traditional i'll i'll start with the numbers and and unfortunately they're not good we're we're seeing case rates climb throughout the country up
by
09:48:39 50 53% nationally hospitalizations are now. going up Nationally, we're not seeing an increase in in the death rate, although that's a lagging indicator in Washington State.
09:48:56 Washington's currently about fifteenth, on the list of States in terms of covid activity, and cases are up 37% hospitalizations are up.
09:49:06 27%, and unfortunately, we're starting to see yes increase again in Washington State.
09:49:15 With the daily average, being about 8 fatalities per day.
09:49:19 Now in in Washington State. Hi! Jefferson counties rate has gone up somewhat.
09:49:28 The the 2 week case rate is 848 for 100,000 There are currently 2 people in the hospital in Jefferson County clown counties.
09:49:41 Rate is slightly lower at 817 per 100,000, and and no hospitalizations.
09:49:49 Currently that that I'm aware of and as as I reported to the the Board of Health.
09:49:58 Last week we We passed the grim milestone in the Covid.
09:50:01 Pandemic last week, where we we exceeded 1 million known deaths in the United States.
09:50:12 Globally. The official number is 6.3 million. but the World Health Organization estimates is probably twice that much at at 15 million or more.
09:50:24 But still the Us. has one of the highest mortality rates for Covid in the world.
09:50:31 And and each of those deaths is a unique story.
09:50:35 But as we look at all of them we can see patterns that have emerged.
09:50:41 We know that 3 quarters of these deaths were in people who were 65 years of age and older.
09:50:49 We know that black haspanic and native American populations we're disproportionately represented.
09:50:58 They. they had almost 2 times the risk of death, as the white counterparts.
09:51:03 And and we we know that that a lot of these deaths could have been prevented.
09:51:13 This is really the most tragic statistic of all.
09:51:18 There was a study out of brown school, public Health, and Harvard last week.
09:51:25 That, computed at 318,000 people their lives could have been saved.
09:51:33 I had. we fully vaccinated the Us. population when the vaccine was available, and and that's almost one out of every 2 people who died after the vaccines became available.
09:51:47 So so that that is a tragedy that I I scarcely have one I to express.
09:51:55 Those those are deaths. those are lives disrupted that didn't have to happen.
09:52:00 And we have to learn that lesson and We have to use the tools that we have to to combat this deadly pandemic.
09:52:09 I've looked at the numbers and in cleveland Jefferson and I don't know if people fully realize what an extraordinary job we did the the death rate in Jefferson County today.
09:52:25 29 people have died, and if we had had the death rate just the average death rate of the Us.
09:52:33 Population that number would have been 98 so 3 times as many. But even that's not an accurate calculation, because Jefferson County does not have the same age distribution as
the rest of the country
09:52:49 the Us. about 16% of the population is over 65 in Jefferson County.
09:52:56 That number is 38%, and and since 3 quarters of the people that died were over age 65.
09:53:08 That that potential death rate in Jefferson County could have been even twice as high.
09:53:11 And so the the the fact that that death rate was kept so low it's just an extraordinary accomplishment from the public health nurses and all the around the clock efforts to
contain transmission and healthcare
09:53:29 workers. We did such an amazing job in testing people and vaccinating and taking care of people in the hospital, and Willie and his following tears did all the backsine clinics.
09:53:42 I, I I think you know, as as we mourn these deaths, we also need to ignore what an extraordinary job this community has done.
09:53:50 And in tried to blunt the impact of this pandemic.
09:53:54 So I I just Wanna make that shout out it's very important so where?
09:54:00 Where are we at Right now? Our Our current status is the increased case.
09:54:08 Rates are being driven by the Omicron sub-variance.
09:54:12 Not not original, omocratic disappointing Washington state it's all entirely the B.
09:54:20 A 2 subvariant where there is on the east coast, and and in most of the Us.
09:54:25 It's actually inside another subvary what's called B.
09:54:30 A 2 point, 1, 2 point. one is the predominant strain.
09:54:37 And the reason these are spreading is because they're they're they're so transmissible almost.
09:54:48 And then Ba 2 is is 30% more contagious than than original on the crime.
09:54:58 And then the latest subvariate. 2 point, 1, 2, point.
09:55:02 One is another 25% more transmissible.
09:55:07 So So, in addition to being more contagious these so variants also have have learned the trick of being at least partially resistant to prior immunity, what's known as immune
escape, I and so immunity, that
09:55:25 you've drive from a vaccine or for prior infection is still very valuable in terms of preventing severe disease.
09:55:35 But it's not as effective at preventing mild or moderate infection.
09:55:41 And so we're. just seeing more people getting these breakthrough infections, and that drives transmission in this there's a final cause.
09:55:49 It doesn't get a lot of attention but It it has to do with the vaccine itself.
09:55:55 It's by design. This is a vaccine that induces what's called systemic immunity.
09:56:03 So you give it into a muscle and it pretty antibodies and immune cells that circulate for a whole body.
09:56:09 It's not as as as good at preventing the virus from growing in our nasal passages, because the immune system just doesn't get the antibodies to that area as well And so what
what
09:56:25 vexine developers are coming to realize more and more is what we really need is a vaccine that does a better job at preventing that infection at the point of entry.
09:56:39 And where that that is under development, a nasal vaccine so literally a vaccine that you would squirt in your nose and would develop, very high immunity at the point of entry
that's kind of
09:56:51 our Holy Grail right now in terms of vaccine development.
09:56:57 We also need updated vaccines, ones that that are updated for Omaha crime and subsequent sub variants, and those are in development as well.
09:57:08 And, in fact, the decision has to be made in the next month.
09:57:12 What vaccine to use for the fall and it very likely will be an updated vaccine that covers these these new severities.
09:57:23 So i'll conclude just by reminding all of us that that yeah, we're we're we're still in the midst of the pandemic. But we have very powerful tools in combating it we have the
09:57:38 vaccine. we have home testing and i'll get into that a bit more with the Kptz questions.
09:57:44 But it's a very powerful tool we we have masking.
09:57:51 We have better masks now these high efficiency medical type masks which are very effective in preventing the spread of disease and protecting us from infection when we're in
high risk situations, and we have we have
09:58:06 ventilation I heard that was discussed earlier.
09:58:12 We know a lot about that. How back can reduce risk?
09:58:17 And it really there it comes down to dose, makes the difference.
09:58:19 Being exposed to large amounts of virus is more dangerous than being exposed to very low levels and ventilation as a dilution effect.
09:58:31 That that is very protective. And then, finally, we have a new generation of antiviral medication, so oral drugs and injectable drugs that are very affected at protecting people
who who are high risk for
09:58:49 complications from developing those complications. so that these are powerful tools.
09:58:57 We're using them every day in in practice and and we need to keep going down that road, and we need Congress to fund that that ongoing vaccine and antiviral medication.
09:59:12 They have not yet done that, but we really need them to act on that.
09:59:17 So with that i'll turn it over to the commissioners, and then I I did thanks to commissioner Dean.
09:59:25 I did get the 6 great questions from Kptz.
09:59:31 Dr. Lap, i'm just gonna say, one comment I really appreciate you putting the case rate in context, talking about how we could stand to be 3 times higher in our case rate. and
if we compared ourselves to other net app across the region
09:59:47 and nation. so that context is super helpful. Gregor, Kate, do you have any questions for Dr.
09:59:55 Locke this morning. Well, one came up in in public comment earlier that i'd love to run by you, Dr.
10:00:00 Lock, and that's just the kind of the old you know one of the greatest kits that that Co.
10:00:05 2 concentrations inside a mask reach unhealthy levels, and I know It's been a best practice in healthcare situations.
10:00:11 Can you talk a little bit about The potential negative effects of of wearing a mask?
10:00:18 I mean, are we getting up to that? you know 3,000 parts per 1 million in in our mask?
10:00:24 No, in a word, no in any kind of reasonably well manufactured mask. I mean if your mask is completely blocked. for some reason not it might be substandard, but that that's been
very well
10:00:40 researched. The The important variable is, Oxygen levels are not diminished by masking.
10:00:50 And and Co. 2 levels are minimally affected and if you're C O.
10:00:54 2 level goes up. All it does is just make you want to breathe faster.
10:00:59 What happens in aircraft and and poorly ventilated rooms.
10:01:05 So it it as you suggest, you know we in in healthcare.
10:01:11 We've been wearing masks forever and you know we don't see surgeons dropping over unconscious during surgery, or or anyone having adverse effects so so that that it's just not
an
10:01:26 issue if I could just take a couple of quick comments.
10:01:32 One to to reiterate and put up.
10:01:35 Find point on what you said, Dr. Luck, about what a good job this community is done.
10:01:38 I do want to recognize that Dr. Barry was awarded the young professional of the year work by the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce.
10:01:45 Very well deserved, for the exact reasons you pointed out, and she, of course, called out that you know she was not doing that alone.
10:01:52 It was with so much support from Jefferson Healthcare Department of Emergency management.
10:01:57 The whole team at Jefferson County, public health, and on and on.
10:02:00 So con congratulations to Dr. barry and i'm so pleased that she is on a much deserved vacation this week, and thank you for for filling in for her.
10:02:10 And then too, I just it. It feels like my public duty to call out, it's, you know, we talk about mild disease. and you know there are some folks who who happen to be asymptomatic
but as someone who suffered through a really really tough 2
10:02:25 weeks. mild, covid It is miserable and so I I just feel like there's a I wish that we had some way to talk about the the levels of disease differently, because mild disease
makes it sound like it's not
10:02:37 a big deal. it's, a big deal and i'm Still, you know a number of medications and trying to kick the last of a secondary infection, and you know it is just I I worry that when
we call it mile disease it
10:02:50 makes it sound like It's not really hard and it is so just wanna reiterate that point, thank you, Kate, and thanks for calling out Dr.
10:03:02 Barry's award and Thanks to Mark macaulay for nominating Dr.
10:03:07 Barry, writing the nomination, writing a obviously a compelling nomination for our dear doctor.
10:03:15 I don't have any questions to add to the one the ones that have been asked, or to comments that have been made, or to the ones that have been sent by kpd Z listeners.
10:03:24 So let's get on with those Okay, and that i'll just comment on on what Christianity just said it.
10:03:32 I I I I take that point. The hard is is Covid.
10:03:35 19 is a very serious disease. Even it is so called mild form. It may be mild in the sense that it's not sending you to the hospital.
10:03:45 But this is a systemic, vascular disease it impacts blood vessels and the heart and the kidneys and the nervous system.
10:03:55 So it's it's one of the more severe diseases that a person can get and and our bodies have to fight very hard to get rid of it, and we feel it we feel that that that immune
battle going
10:04:10 on it. it exhausts, and it gives us fevers, and can keep us bedridden.
10:04:16 For for one to 2 weeks, so so we should never do diminish.
10:04:21 How bad a disease this is and that's not even looking at the issue of Long Covid, where we think 10 to search of people can have symptoms that persist beyond the duration of
the acute
10:04:34 illness itself. it's why we fight this thing so hard is because it is so serious.
10:04:42 Well, from my kptz I I got 6 questions the first asks about sort of Pcr tests versus rapid Antigen and Kenya use them together and are there problems with that and the
10:04:59 way I describe this is is Pcr is still really the gold standard in terms of sensitivity.
10:05:07 It's the one that could pick up the infection at the earliest date.
10:05:11 It's the most sensitive one but it's big downside nowadays is it takes one to 2 days to get the results, and with a rapid antigen test you have it in 15Â min or less sometimes,
and
10:05:27 and you Pcr tends to turn positive about one to 2 days before Rapid Andigen.
10:05:33 So we're finding that the rapid antigen especially if you do it multiple times.
10:05:39 So if you if if you have symptoms or you've been exposed, and you test negative, you can always repeat the test in 36 to 48Â h, and that's almost as good as Pcr in terms,
10:05:53 of detecting infection when it exists. the time to consider.
10:06:00 Pc. R. I think is, is, if you develop symptoms, especially if you had a known exposure, and you consistently test negative with rapid Andigen and Pcr is a way of of sort of
answering the question once and
10:06:14 for all. Are you infected with Covid 19? or is this some other kind of respiratory infection?
10:06:21 And we are seeing a lot of other kind of restoratory infections.
10:06:25 You know our our 2 years of isolation. has left our new systems weaker in terms of all these common cold viruses and influenza.
10:06:36 So we're we're we're seeing increases of those as as well.
10:06:41 The but I I strongly recommend that that people use rapid tests.
10:06:49 Everyone have them in their house and in addition. to detecting the virus rapid Antigen is a very good way of telling whether you're infectious or not.
10:06:59 There's a saying, if you can detect you can infect So if your test is positive, you have enough virus in your system to spread it to someone else, and the converse of that is
true, as well, so, if you're wrap
10:07:14 advantage and test goes negative. it's. very unlikely that you're going to infect any you're really over the infectious period. So we're we're using those tests more and more
in that way there was question asking about
10:07:27 Matt mixing vaccination the messenger, Rna vaccine types, and whether that should be used for the fourth booster, the fourth dose Technically the second booster, and where that
comes from
10:07:43 is during that the first booster back in in the fall there there was a big study that said, If you you know, had taken Moderna, and you switched to Pfizer or vice versa, you
actually got a higher antibody
10:07:59 response, and although they have it really I tested that for the the second booster dose, I it likely still applies, and it's It's
10:08:15 The question, though, is, does it make a difference it's safe to do It's completely legal to switch doses.
10:08:25 But unfortunately the high antibodies levels is not the problem with the boost groups. Nowadays we we know that when you get a second booster your antibody level increases by
a factor of 10, but the problem is
10:08:38 those antibodies don't work as well at preventing infection, as they once get, as they did with the earlier strings.
10:08:45 Covid, I think I quoted to the Board of Health.
10:08:51 There was a good study that measured 73 different antibodies that the vaccine produces, and only 3 of them are really highly effective against the new variance.
10:09:03 That's better than 0 but it's not near as as good as we would like them to be
10:09:12 So so It's it's find the mix and match I Unfortunately, I don't think it's gonna make a lot of difference at this point.
10:09:19 There was a question about home management tests, and what are the is the proper way to to take it.
10:09:27 And they This is very important. that. there there are directions and videos with the kit.
10:09:35 But I I think the most important thing to realize when you're doing a home management test is the virus is in the cells.
10:09:44 That's what you're trying to get it's not it's not just in secretions in your nose. so you're not trying to get a sample of snot you're trying to get cells from the inside of
10:09:54 your notes, and you do this by by gently wiping the the inside tissue in your nose, especially in the septum.
10:10:02 The middle part of the nodes that that's where you'll get the most cells, and you're trying to gently wipe them onto the swab spending at least 15Â s on each side of the nose
and Then
10:10:16 it's also important to extract the sample well and Nowadays most people are using this eye health test where you have a little vial of liquid, so after you've collected the
swab you put it in the
10:10:28 pile, and it's important to swirl it at least 15 times and then very important.
10:10:35 When you pull the swab out to squeeze the tube and squeeze the fluid out of the the swab, and if you notice that there's still there's a good amount of liquid still in that
10:10:47 tube after you squeeze the swab you've done a great job, and then then you put that on the test.
10:10:54 So that's kind of the state of the art way to to do sampling, Dr. Buck? would you just speak to Are we still not recommending that folks swell their throat before swinging the
nose with
10:11:06 a home test that's correct and it's it's mostly because the particular tests are not designed for that.
10:11:15 There, there are some Pcr tests that are designed for throat swabbing.
10:11:20 But the they they're just I mean it might work in individual cases.
10:11:28 But the the test kits are not designed for that they're not they.
10:11:32 They haven't been tested for it so we we don't know how sensitive they are.
10:11:39 If, for instance, you were experimenting and you got you swabbed your throat.
10:11:43 You got a positive test recall. I would call that a true positive it's what we're concerned about.
10:11:49 It's the other way around if it's negative we don't know for sure it's a tree negative and in Nasa Nasal swabbing is is pretty easy to do doing a good throat
10:12:01 swab on yourself is not easy to Do so so i'm not really recommending that they also part of this question was was, you know, when to do the test. bit. Besides, the objects,
you know, if you got
10:12:17 symptoms. if you had an exposure those are obvious times to do it. but now it's it's officially recommended by the Cdc.
10:12:26 Pre travel is to to do a test ideally within 24Â h of departure kind of the sooner the better.
10:12:38 But you also need time to react. If you test positive.
10:12:42 You need time to cancel your trip plans it's also because a positive test correlates so strongly with being infectious it's it's also very useful before encounters with high
risk individuals So if
10:12:59 you're gonna be visiting a a friend or a relative who's elderly frail or a munos suppressed or on cancer chemotherapy that's an excellent time to do a test even if
10:13:15 you have no symptoms, and if you test negative it's highly unlikely that you're infectious that day.
10:13:23 Same applies for for gatherings. so So tests are plentiful. they're free.
10:13:33 Everyone should have a supply at home, just like you have a thermometer at home. there.
10:13:39 There are basic medical necessity now, and I I think it'd be good to to use them.
10:13:46 Very regularly. there was a question about home tests and expiration dates, and Dr.
10:13:55 Barry had apparently mentioned it that one of those was good for at least 15 months.
10:14:00 It. virtually all of the tests are good beyond their expiration dates.
10:14:07 It varies from test to test, and the Fda has a website.
10:14:11 That lists. all the tests and lists, all their expiration.
10:14:14 Date extensions. So, for instance, for the by next now test it.
10:14:20 It is 15 months beyond the expiration date for the I health test that the State and the Federal Government is distributing for free.
10:14:30 Now it's 9 months not 15 but it's still a a healthy extension so I reckon I don't throw away the tats if they're close to the expiration date or even if
10:14:45 they're past. don't throw it away go to the Fda website and check and see if the expiration date's been extended.
10:14:53 It's important to store the tests at room temperature So so what you don't wanna do is have them in a hot car as as the yeah things tend to heat up because cause high.
10:15:08 Temperature can damage the test. but but a test kits stored it at room. temperature should be good far beyond its expiration.
10:15:19 Date fifth question is about the oral medication Pexlovid and rebound.
10:15:28 And that's an interesting phenomenon which just starting to learn more about it, as as we're using this antiviral medication.
10:15:34 At at widely now, so it's become a available and rebound, was noted in the initial clinical trials.
10:15:44 The clinical trials that resulted in this drug drug being licensed, were of unvaccinated individuals at high risk for complications, and it showed a dramatic reduction in risk
of hospitalization almost 90% those
10:16:02 studies also showed that about 2% of people could took the drug.
10:16:07 I had a kind of a rebound effect. They they once they stopped the drug.
10:16:12 They started to feel sick again, although it was usually only a a mild grade illness.
10:16:19 The also, though, in the study, 2% of the people who took the placebo also got a rebound effect, so they weren't sure whether it was from the drug or not.
10:16:28 We're now starting to see that that people that take tax slogan for 5 days.
10:16:34 It's not unusual for the their test to become negative, and then to become positive again for a week or so, or for people to feel some, some return of symptoms importantly,
people are not getting full blown illness or
10:16:52 being hospitalized after taking pexlobin so that's good.
10:16:57 And this is what's likely going on is that we need to learn more about dose.
10:17:02 Maybe some people need to take the drug for longer periods of time.
10:17:06 Some people may need higher doses but but the drugs basically doing like what the the licensure was for, and that is preventing severe disease.
10:17:19 It it it decre. It stops the virus for multiplying in your system.
10:17:25 So it it dramatically decreases the viral load but it doesn't completely eliminate the the virus from your system.
10:17:34 It's not like the penicillin in the strep throat.
10:17:38 It's more. it reduces the viral burden rather than completely eliminates it.
10:17:45 And then finally there's kind of a complicated question just asking, So after having a sore throat for 4 days, and then I having 3 weeks of symptoms as someone finally tested
positive and
10:18:03 and they were to, but they were exposed over 3 weeks ago?
10:18:10 And they're asking, Could that have possibly been some very slow incubation period lasting 3 weeks or longer, or maybe exposure to one of the older strains like a delta variant
in the answer is probably not
10:18:25 we we think the maximum incubation time for covid is 14 days, and even with the the newer subariance it, it's probably shorter than that the trend has been that the accubation
time
10:18:40 has actually been getting shorter rather than longer. so it used to be 4 to 6 days.
10:18:48 Now it's more like 3 to 4 days from exposure to when you have symptoms and something we're definitely noticing and have documented is people that are vaccinated Have symptoms
earlier in the course
10:19:01 of their disease. because their their bodies recognize the infections.
10:19:07 So you you develop symptoms often at day 2 or 3 of the infection.
10:19:15 And so the the most likely explanation. If a person has symptoms for 3 weeks, and then they they get Covid is their illness started out with something else. and eventually they
became exposed to Covid and and 3
10:19:32 to 5 days after that exposure, and they tested positive that's what's more likely, and we're not really seeing the old strains.
10:19:42 So Delta and alpha beta they haven't come back.
10:19:48 They've just simply been out competing heated by these. these newer sub-variants that are so much more contagious that they they predominate over time.
10:20:01 But we don't know what the future holds it's not impossible that delta or or one of the others would come back.
10:20:11 But we we're doing a lot of genotyping of subvariance.
10:20:15 So Washington state's one of the leaders question in State subtypes, 13% of all the Pcr tests And And right now the main thing we're seeing in Washington State is ba 2 we're
not yet seeing the
10:20:29 the newer. 2.1, 2 point, one subvariant.
10:20:34 In this state, but the the odds are we will as the summer progresses.
10:20:42 So with that looks like we've got 10Â min and Willie's got a question too, that it from the Kptv listers.
10:20:50 That's one question, Dr. Locke, before we pass over to Willie. He gets uncomfortable if we give him more than 20Â min.
10:20:57 I was just wondering with with talking about the antigen tests, and then also about the nasal vaccines.
10:21:03 I guess I don't really understand how that works but is it. Kind of the same concept is more of the vaccine end up kind of with the gateway that the virus is coming in with
the nasal vaccine.
10:21:12 Or how does that work in different than getting a shot? Can you just dive into that a little deeper?
10:21:20 The there's different kinds of antibodies that are produced in the body, and when you give a shot into a muscle, you mostly produce these antibodies called igm, and ig.
10:21:34 Ig is what's in gamma clock for there's also a special antibody called Iga that is bound in mucus membrane surfaces, and So what you really want to do in technical
10:21:46 terms is, you want to produce high levels of Iga.
10:21:50 So you have antibody in your nasal passage waiting for the virus when it tries to invite and that, and that's that's what like the live virus vaccine. We use for influenza That's
what it
10:22:03 does it induces high levels of iga and the nasal passages, and do they have didn't?
10:22:10 I mean I guess that's the first nasal vaccine. I've heard of. Do they have shorter durations that they're effective and visit go out of you quicker or anything how does it what
are the
10:22:19 long term comparisons between a nasal vaccine and a for for influenza.
10:22:25 It seems to work as well, and and but that that may be a characteristic of implement influenza that I coronaviruses are very different infections, and is the general rule that
the antibodies to
10:22:43 create run of viruses. do not persist in the symptoms or in the system as long as as some other vaccines do so.
10:22:53 That's one of the challenges it's not only intensity of immune reaction.
10:22:58 But duration of it. and and for a a they they are experimenting with nasal Coronavirus vaccines.
10:23:07 How long they last is simply under. at this point and it's by no means guaranteed that the'll even be able to develop one.
10:23:17 But if they did, it would be very valuable.
10:23:20 The systemic vaccines, though are still very valuable, is is, you know, being protected against severe disease and hospitalization, and death is a major benefit from a vaccine.
10:23:32 Great. Thank you. Sorry Willie. thank you Dr. lack thanks for being here today, and i'm just gonna take up a couple more seconds of Willie's times to do a big shout out for
all the items on consent
10:23:45 agenda, somebody's been working hard getting grant funds in for emergency management, and I want to give a big kudos to you and your department for that, because i've been a
grant writer in the past and I
10:23:55 know it's not a small amount of work and who's here who does for everything we're gonna approve in a bit, but just wanted to call that out because there are 5 grant agreements
on consent today for emergency
10:24:07 management. Female grants are really easy, though. Here, Yeah, right Federal Federal grants, Greg, Have you been a great wider for one day, Willie, or is yours?
10:24:19 Thank you, Commissioner, very much. I appreciate that and That's part of the reason that we are hiring a second full-time person here in emergency management.
10:24:27 That our first review is actually i'm gonna take base today. So i'm looking forward to seeing some candidates to to help me out with that front.
10:24:35 So. thank you for for supporting that recruitment.
10:24:38 There. my update today, and my single question from Kptz actually has nothing to do with the pandemic.
10:24:45 I don't have any operational updates regarding covid 19 i'm.
10:24:50 Better than we're still chugging along in our after action process meeting with the Apple Martine, the director of public health. I'm.
10:24:55 A little bit later today to talk about our next step there.
10:24:57 My one question actually had to do with pooling centers and severe weather shelters.
10:25:04 I'm a concerned Citizen, i'm following up on a previous question concerned about potential summer heat waves like we saw last June.
10:25:11 I'm. So I Dick, the opportunity here to to follow up on their previous question.
10:25:14 Talk about some of the work that we've done in the intern to help pair for the summer.
10:25:20 First off i'll start off by saying that this was a new issue last summer for a lot of different jurisdictions. I'm. So I do wanna i'm shout out a couple of our partners.
10:25:30 Who've done a lot of work to make information available and help us in planning for this issue in the future on the National Weather service out of Seattle, put on a two-day
workshop that I attended specifically on severe
10:25:43 weather sheltering that was emergency management and other agencies from across the State tended
10:25:51 So we use that initial workshop as kind of a jumping off point.
10:25:54 Start writing a severe weather shelter plan that not only includes cooling centers in the face of extreme heat, but warming centers, I'm.
10:26:04 In the face of extreme cold, as well as air quality shelters I'm.
10:26:10 As remember just a couple of summers ago, we had some pretty severe, degraded air quality in the area.
10:26:16 So it's not just whether that's too hot or too cold.
10:26:20 But when the air gets too smoky it becomes unhealthy to even be outside.
10:26:25 We had considered opening shelter for service scenario there.
10:26:28 So This plane kind of consists of all 3 elements we've plagiarized from other jurisdictions, and there should be severe weather sheltering plans and used some of the feedback
that the national
10:26:41 weather service brought forward We're also going to be attending a presentation by the Northwest healthcare response network.
10:26:47 Actually on Wednesday I'm. a team of udub researchers had read It's Dr. jurisdictions on their planning I'm.
10:26:56 For severe weather sheltering will be presenting that on Wednesday.
10:27:00 So we're interested in incorporating that piece of feedback as well. I'm.
10:27:03 Finally, the Governor's office has actually taken notice of this being a new emergent issue for jurisdictions across the State, and was reaching out to local emergency management
agencies.
10:27:16 Regarding the possibility of making funding available I'm for staffing for these shelters planning resources.
10:27:23 As well as potential facility upgrades, which is what I noted.
10:27:27 We would particularly be interested in here. since we have a lot of buildings that since it wasn't a history need don't have adequate cooling.
10:27:37 Which was a a big issue for us during the the quote unquote heat dome last summer.
10:27:43 So all that being said, we're still in the process of putting this plan together, and we'll be calling a meeting of our severe shelter partners here in the next couple of weeks.
10:27:53 I know we're pushing pushing up against summer, especially considering all the nice weather we saw this weekend, so we'll get that here hopefully sooner than later.
10:28:01 But sometime in the next couple of weeks. but talk about resources that are of available.
10:28:06 Identify our facilities. identify trigger points most people I'm an identified cooling center during the heat dome last June, because Port Townsend was only estimated to be
in the mid eighties around that
10:28:25 point. But in conversations with these partners in the findings from these studies we're getting a lot of new information about keep risk, and that the the mid eightys in one
area, when you have a vulnerable population especially with folks
10:28:40 who might live on third story apartment buildings with no air conditioning mid-*s doesn't sound like a lot but it but it can present a a pretty serious risk to those individuals.
10:28:51 So we're learning more identifying some trigger points I mean we'll have that plan solidified. come summer.
10:28:57 So be happy to follow up on on this question yet again.
10:29:01 Here in a little bit, once we have that solidified.
10:29:05 The last thing I will say is that well we're making these preparations really encourage folks who are connected concerned about severe weather. whether it's during the winter
or the summer to make preparations themselves I know installing a cooling
10:29:19 system can be Hubert expensive, I sure you don't expect that from a a wide variety of folks but there are cheap air conditioning units, and you can make an improvised air conditioner
with just box fans some ice and
10:29:32 soda bottles for for less than $20 so and there's also steps.
10:29:36 You can take that you can add, educate yourself on on.
10:29:39 You know when to open your windows, how to ventilate, when to close them, to seal in that cool air.
10:29:45 I mean, we have some of that information available on our website.
10:29:48 We also encourage folks to talk to their friends family i'm care providers as well on if they do have concerns, and of course i'm if you don't know where to start. Don't know
where to look and wants to
10:29:59 more direct advice. You can always call us here and we'll be happy to share preparedness resources with you, and walk you through steps.
10:30:06 You can take that better protect itself. so where we're at right now. again the the pandemic emergency response, feeling off a little bit, but they're still i'm always funny
of central emergency.
10:30:19 So second follow up on this topic i'll definitely plan on following up with the third here.
10:30:24 In the next little while. Is it moving to summer? So, barring any questions that seem to my report, appreciate that update, Willie. Great.
10:30:32 Okay, do? you have any questions for Willie no just say it's such a short amount of time when we go from complaining about how cool and what it is to worry about.
10:30:44 The next evening 36Â h. We appreciate both of you being here today and sharing with the community.
10:30:48 I know hundreds of people in the community, 10 in and and really care about these updates.
10:30:54 So thank you for being here. I guess I have one comment and just just that. More of our public spaces are open the summer than we're open last summer. so we have a different
matrix that we're dealing with and making sure that people have a
10:31:05 safe place to go, and in severe weather yeah very very true and That's one thing moving into this summer will still take case rates and you know covid mitigation measures into
account.
10:31:17 But i'm absolutely a great point i'm during the smoke event a few summers ago, and then, during the heat event last summer. Given the fact that so many facilities were closed
and case rates, were so high we made things difficult
10:31:30 to make a lot of spaces available. but we'll hopefully have more flexibility.
10:31:35 Come this summer i'll never forget during that smoke event I was working at the maritime center and the summer camps were going, and we had to keep all the kids inside.
10:31:45 So we watched all of the sailing movies that had ever been made that were appropriate for young people, and it was it was miserable, I mean.
10:31:54 So yeah, we don't hope that doesn't happen again this year.
10:31:59 Thanks, you guys, Thank you. Okay. So we have a hearing at 1030.
10:32:09 But I would like to address the item that was on our agenda earlier this morning for the County Road Administration Board certificate of good practice.
10:32:18 So if you wanna bring Monty over Okay, monty you're gonna need to accept the promotion to panelists
10:32:39 And mark here, you're gonna leave this agenda item correct right.
10:32:44 Hi, Monty. Hello, Yeah. Commissioners. I mentioned this last week.
10:32:52 And i'll let moni talk through it but what I want to do briefly and quickly.
10:32:58 Is share my screen. So we received this nice letter from the County Road Administration Board, and dated April 20 seventh, informing the Board that our Public Works Department
was the recipient of this certificate of
10:33:16 good practice. which demonstrates the professionalism of our public Works director and the entire department.
10:33:26 And so I think the board suggested that we invite Monty to the sport meeting to and easily not in the room to physically hand the certificate to But we're gonna we're gonna
do it
10:33:39 virtually, and i'm gonna turn the floor over to moni, so he can talk about the certificate and what's necessary to to achieve that certification and I have never questioned
that monty is one of the
10:33:55 mostly behind the scenes, rock stars of this county. So, Monty, thanks for all of your good work and your leadership of your department roads.
10:34:03 All the public works team. we really appreciate your leadership.
10:34:09 Well, thank you kind words, certainly from from everyone here. appreciate that like you said It's a team effort.
10:34:18 So. you know Eric Kuzma and and Matt's 2 are key members of that team as well as the people who work for them.
10:34:26 Eric, leaving the engineering projects, and Matt, the road maintenance division there.
10:34:36 But yeah, the State Law County Road administration board you know, requires us to do a number of submitals every year to show that we're meeting the State law as far as how
we use the road fund and the motor
10:34:53 vehicle. fuel tax and that it's yeah we have proper practices in place for administering the the road fund.
10:35:03 And yes, if you don't get your certificate, a good practice, you ultimately can lose your access to motiv vehicle field tax, which for this county is about 1.4 million dollars
a year and have other sanctions
10:35:15 imposed Obviously they usually don't start by doing that they work with you to try to get you back and compliance.
10:35:26 But there's just a number of things that are required In fact, they've recently updated the long we have a couple of new things that we have to do you'll be seeing those this
year on your agenda We have to
10:35:40 have a policy for protecting survey monuments in the right way.
10:35:47 They actually borrowed our policy and wrote the model policy but we've updated our slightly with some guidance.
10:35:55 So in any case, is very important. I mean, I appreciate what the County Road Administration Board does by laying out standards for how you manage to road fund, and and they
provide good guidance there and they check on us every
10:36:05 year, and that's great to be acknowledged as a department for following the rules and and using our our funds appropriately to to do the work.
10:36:21 So thank you anyone else want to say anything sure yeah i'll just say it's it's good roads or something that everybody uses and often take for granted and you know we know that
cities who have less funding
10:36:36 for roads, and have a hard time maintaining there so in my district, and people complained to me about their open court town said all the time, I say, Well, it's not really
our you know that's not my in my jurisdiction
10:36:47 but at the same time we we get a lot of compliments about how good the county roads are.
10:36:53 That is due to the the hard work of your crew under your leadership, Monte and
10:36:57 It's. it's no small thing so as a whether you're a pedestrian or a cyclist or a commercial driver, or just need to get yourself around roads are important and I know I don't
always
10:37:08 value them as much. I'm always wanting you to do more trails and bitcoins.
10:37:12 But I I am proud of our roads and thank you for the good work that you all do.
10:37:15 Yeah, if I could jump on. Thank you, mo moni. I really appreciate it, too.
10:37:20 How many miles of roads do we have? Do you guys maintain a Jefferson count?
10:37:26 Yeah, it's really impressive the the leveraging of resources that your team effectuates is always impressive.
10:37:35 And yeah, I hold you got a guys up as a model of an effective department that that really speaks well for the county.
10:37:43 So thank you, guys, for your your diligence and your effectiveness at your job.
10:37:47 Thanks. Well, we you know we have, not nearly enough resources to do the job that everyone would like us to do.
10:37:56 But I feel like we do a pretty good job of prior itself. Our needs and using the resources wisely, and most of our capital projects are almost a 100% grant funded with a little
bit of county match as as necessary whether it's
10:38:11 fish, barrier, removals, or trail projects or safety projects or whatever.
10:38:17 And so that's what we do. but we actually have some of the lowest or the lowest revenue per road mile of any Western Washington county.
10:38:28 And you probably would guess that, given we have pretty low population, and yet we have a a fairly extensive road system.
10:38:38 So. it's a challenge, but again appreciate the the a vote of confidence.
10:38:48 So yeah, moni, I might follow up by saying that this board, and recognition of how well you leverage your resources. reduce the property tax diversion to the general fund by
50,000 this year, and it'll be reduced
10:39:04 another 50,000 next year, so that's a tangible vote of confidence from this board.
10:39:11 Agreed. Yes, thank you. We will put those funds to good use.
10:39:19 Thanks, monte, Alright. Okay. So we do have a a hearing We we're i'm having a bit of a traffic jam this morning.
10:39:34 We have a here now that's now 10Â min late
10:39:41 So we'll proceed with by hearing the the hearing to inform citizens of the county's intent to file an application for a Washington State Department of commerce generally purpose
community development block grant for 2022
10:40:00 23 in partnership with Trinity Unit, Trinity and United Methodist Church, said Grant, will be used for renovation and repair projects such as window and roof replacements.
10:40:09 We will receive. we will be accepting public comment on this application.
10:40:15 So I think first, what's going to happen is Mark's gonna t this item up, and I believe Philip Hunzucker has a presentation to make relative to this item, and then we'll take
public comment after that
10:40:28 correct public testimony. Thank you. Team Mark. Do you want to tie this up?
10:40:46 If I could find the buddy
10:40:54 Morning Mr. Hansenger
10:41:00 Morning. Sorry having some minor technical difficulties. but I I think I got it fixed. Okay?
10:41:09 Hopefully, people can see this i'm i'm trying to I want to hit the zoom out arrow.
10:41:17 So you don't see the video So can you see the the av capture screen. see?
10:41:24 Right there. Yeah, there we go. Okay, Commissioners. much like the public hearing.
10:41:28 We had, I think, a week ago from public health. this is a public hearing on a community development block Grant program that the State has.
10:41:37 This is a general purpose program There's 11 and a half 1 million in funds available through this program. and we're required to have 2 public hearings on Cdbg grants, and this
is the first one on
10:41:54 this. We wanted to have this public hearing before submitting the grant application.
10:41:59 On the first of June, which is next wednesday we've already submitted a a pre application which commerce has approved.
10:42:08 They did point out some hurdles that we have to get over regarding low income certifying the beneficiaries the the folks, taking advantage of of
10:42:21 These facilities are, in fact, low income and so as we move ahead.
10:42:25 We'll work to meet all those requirements so so this is the Grant program.
10:42:33 One of the things that you can use These funds for is community facilities, and much like. When the Board approved a $20,000 grant for Trinity to renovate their facilities,
they demonstrated
10:42:48 satisfactorily that that they, 6 days a week make their facilities available to the community.
10:42:55 For a variety of purposes, alcoholics, anonymous meets.
10:42:58 There Lou garrett's disease folks meet there and and and they make their facilities available to others frequently for free, and when when it's not free they charge very small
rent amounts $10 $50 to make
10:43:17 those facilities available. So Trinity community or united method is church.
10:43:27 They have a number of projects that they're hoping to to have funded through this grant application, and they're listed here. Hopefully, people can read them there's 7 specific
projects replacing a roof and very old
10:43:43 single pain windows. at 88 bathroom upgrade for the preschool building.
10:43:50 I think that's where the firefly program is an Ada automatic door opener replacing an old furnace and boiler with with an electric boiler they want to renovate the kitchen to
10:44:04 qualify as a donor level kitchen, which will allow them to prepare meals for the port towns, towns and homeless center.
10:44:13 And and and others, and then to repair flood damage from the old boiler overflow.
10:44:22 So. The fact that the commerce has approved our pre application indicates that they believe that this is a worthy application, and I know there's some in the community that
have first amendment concerns, and because of that I
10:44:36 consulted with our chief civil deputy prosecuting attorney, Philip Kun Sucker, who is present and has a Powerpoint presentation.
10:44:46 He would like to share with the board in the community and so i'll stop sharing my screen and turn the floor over to Mr.
10:44:53 Hunsucker. Thank you, Mark
10:45:03 Alright can everybody see my screen okay so i'll put I'll try to put in presentation mode, so it'll be a little easier to see
10:45:16 Alright, There we go there. You go so first off, I I think it's important to keep in mind that we're still relatively early in the process.
10:45:30 They're still as Mark said hoops that have to be jumped through.
10:45:35 And relate, and these relate to issues that aren't first amendment issues.
10:45:41 So. that's what i'm here. to talk about or at least give you an outline of how it how the establishment clauses. and though the Federal and State constitutions work, okay, So
here they are the top one is the is
10:46:02 the Us. constitution. and the part that's highlighted in yellow is the what's called the establishment clause of the first amendment.
10:46:09 It's the whole first amendment but that's the establishment cause Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.
10:46:18 That's what it says. Okay, and then washington's is a little more detailed.
10:46:23 This is the one before that is called from article one section 11, which is broader than what I have up here, but no public money or property shall be appropriated for, or applied
to any religious worship exercise instruction or the support
10:46:41 of any religious establishment. So that's what it actually says, and I put up a slide up here because people have misconceptions about about how these work?
10:46:58 And here's a quote from the United States Supreme Court in the winter Winter's case from 1,986, and it just says it's well settled that the establishment clause is not violated
every
10:47:11 time. Money, previously in the possession of a State, is conveyed to a religious institution.
10:47:17 So it and it's talking about the Federal constitution that's that wes up above it.
10:47:26 But that's also true for the Washington constitution and we'll look at some cases on the Washington constitution as well.
10:47:32 There's a fairly large body of cases on the establishment cause on the Federal side, smaller on the State side.
10:47:44 But this has been the law of settled off for a pretty long time.
10:47:49 Okay, So let's look at the Washington cases in in some ways.
10:47:54 It's simpler because there's a couple of Washington cases one Supreme Court case and one court of appeal case that talks about grants or and what they basically say is you have
to have a religious purpose for it to
10:48:12 buy the the Washington establishment cause that's above it
10:48:26 This is this: is the court of appeals case and what it says, If it's if it's for an objective other than worship, exercise instruction, or religious establishment, it's not
within the prohibition of
10:48:42 the Washington Establishment Cause
10:48:48 Okay, So what's the purpose of the grant this is it and Mark talked a little bit about this this is this is in the agenda packet they're they're they're looking to upgrade facilities
10:49:06 that are mostly used for secular purposes
10:49:16 And there's the list that they have that's in the packet hospice print night ref refugee recovery and a bunch of other stuff.
10:49:30 Okay, So let's look at the us Supreme Court cases and the key. the the number one thing that that the Us.
10:49:44 Supreme Court says is that these types of things must be.
10:49:48 The government has to show neutrality and and it's neutrality that's required is among religions and between religion and non, not religion.
10:49:59 And this is the night circuit case that sided here.
10:50:04 Vernon, versus City of La, and 1994, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals case.
10:50:11 The ninth circuit is the circuit we are in, and then the test is from this case called Lemon V.
10:50:22 Kurzman to 1971 supreme court case and there's lots of cases talking about this test.
10:50:30 It's a Three-part test first the aid must have a secular purpose.
10:50:37 Second, the principal or primary effect of the aid must be one that neither advances nor inhibits religion; and 3, the aid must not foster quote and excessive government entanglement
with religion close quote that's from the
10:50:52 widers case that I that I had up earlier on the point about not all aid is violates the establishment.
10:50:59 Clause So here's what the vernon case says about lemon.
10:51:08 This is language modified from the Vernon case. and for the first prong all there has to be is one secular purpose
10:51:22 For the second prong. Is it objectively reasonable for the Government action to be construed as sending primary, primarily a message to be either endorsement or disapproval
of religion?
10:51:37 And the third prong is the excessive entanglement.
10:51:46 Prong and what's, added here is the last sentence they entanglement prong seeks to minimize the interference of religious authorities with secular affairs and secular authorities
in religious affairs so the more rules that
10:52:01 are put on. Oh, whatever funding the the more likely It is there'll be an excessive entanglement.
10:52:12 Okay. So we talked about this already here's the secular purpose for purposes of the Federal establishment clause.
10:52:22 And then, if you look at all the materials there's you can't I don't think you'll be able to find a message of endorsement or disapproval of religion in the in the proposal
10:52:37 Excessive entanglement. This part of the proposal goes to that.
10:52:41 It's really going to be awarding money and whatever's in the grant proposal or or the the grant required will ultimately determine whether it's excessive entanglement or not
we don't know
10:52:54 what that says, but I would predict that it's likely not going to be, and excessive entanglement.
10:53:05 That's it. questions Gregor. kay do you have questions I do.
10:53:14 Yep So I am anticipating that somewhere along the line.
10:53:19 If if this funding request is to be submitted, and to be funded, that in our contracting with a church, we could specify requirements for particular outcomes that we would like
to hold the church to and could that also
10:53:38 address some of these concerns and clarify the relationship to demonstrate that it is not a violation of either of these constitutional issues.
10:53:48 Absolutely. Okay. Yup: Great. Do you have any questions? Nope: Very helpful.
10:53:55 Thank you. I would just say that I am aware, over the course of the pandemic needs for facilities to become even increasingly hot pressure pressure for facilities, and particularly
kitchens for group for cooking food and commercial grade
10:54:16 kitchen. so I, for the purposes of serving the community, not for religious purposes.
10:54:22 So it. Your presentation makes sense to me philip I think the key is really that it?
10:54:31 That it's not first for a religious purpose it's for secular purpose, and the more we can emphasize that the better off will be in terms of complying with these requirements
10:54:47 Are there any other questions in the room before we open the hearing for public comments?
10:54:56 Testimony, testimony. Sorry I I need to tap 2.
10:55:03 I don't have any tattoos so it would be my first testimony.
10:55:08 So. we are very interested in hearing the public's input on this proposal, and project
10:55:14 We will open the floor for testimony from the public.
10:55:19 If you are interested in making testimony, relative to this proposal, please raise your hand using the raise hand button at the bottom of the zoom screen, or by pressing star
9.
10:55:31 If you're on the phone and then we'll bring you over once you're brought over. if you're on the phone, you need to press Star 6 to unmute so is there anybody here today on the
attendee list wishing
10:55:42 to make public comments on this Community Development block Grant for the 42, 23 round in partnership with Trendy unit United Methodist Church, said Grant, will be used for
renovation and repair projects such as window and roof
10:56:01 replacements, and the grant amount is a $124,000.
10:56:08 Is anybody interested in making comment on this proposal?
10:56:16 I see a couple of hands going up
10:56:31 Good morning, Mr. Scarantino, you'll have 3Â min for public comment.
10:56:35 You'll need to unmute and state your name and place of residents. Okay, And now that we're in a testifying situation, you will need to state your name and place the residents.
10:56:51 Thank you. I see you unmuted
10:56:57 I we can't hear you yet
10:57:04 Still can't hear you Mr. scarantino you might need to click up on the audio options and make sure that your microphone is the one that you expect
10:57:21 Still not hearing you. so We'll Let Mr. Tears go first, and then come back to you, Mr.
10:57:28 Scarantino, hoping that you get your audio worked out.
10:57:30 Mr. Tears, you have 3Â min , Thank you commissioners for the record.
10:57:38 My name's Tom Tarsh resident of Jefferson County.
10:57:44 I have 2 parts to my testimony. here.
10:57:46 First is, of course, my objection to the the use of these funds by a religious institution.
10:57:51 I appreciate the explanation and detail gone into by Mr.
10:57:56 Hunzucker. However, there are still a lot of reservations in terms of how this money is going to be used.
10:58:03 You know funds are fungible. the church didn't get those money from the county.
10:58:10 I guess they would have to use their own funds where those funds derived from well sounds like religious donations.
10:58:16 So you know one step removed, and guess what it's religious purpose.
10:58:22 So you know you can play games with the definitions but as far as I'm concerned.
10:58:27 You're still helping a church. what what repairs are we talking about to roof and windows which building is it that's going to be repaired? Is it?
10:58:34 The church itself. or is it the outbuilding if it's just outbuildings.
10:58:39 Okay, maybe there's an excuse there maybe there's a possibility that that's in fact.
10:58:44 Okay, but I haven't seen that defined anywhere in the proposal.
10:58:49 The language of the request is also a little bit interesting.
10:58:53 The cover. memo from Mr. Mccoy says that this is gonna have no budgetary impact.
10:59:01 And I suppose that's true if the money is just being passed through.
10:59:04 However, there is a budgetary exposure because of the rules that are associated with these kinds of grants under the Federal statute.
10:59:16 It, says the grantee that would be the county is responsible for ensuring that the funds are used in accordance with the program requirements, and you know the recipient is
responsible for determining the adequacy of performance under
10:59:28 the sub-recipient agreements, and for taking appropriate action.
10:59:33 When performance problems arise. In other words, the county is responsible has to spend some staff time monitoring what's going on.
10:59:40 There making sure things are being complied with that's not free, and it's not budget neutral, So you know. let's let's be clear here about where the money is going and what
extra money is gonna have
10:59:51 to be sped on this the The other thing about this is
10:59:59 I I just, I I I just think it's unwise for the county to be involved in in these sorts of things.
11:00:05 I think, when you define as a community ways of sponsoring these needed facilities, but without the churches being involved, I I guess that's that's the bottom line of it.
11:00:18 It it just doesn't feel right it doesn't feel like my rights under the first amendment of freedom from religion are being respected when the county does this sort of thing.
11:00:29 So that's the bottom line thank you
11:00:34 Thank you, Mr. Tish i'm seeing a can I read the other one out.
11:00:39 Yeah, just to get into the record. sure sorry you're having technical today.
11:00:44 Difficulties That's just guaranteed okay I I will read the text just because it's hard to get the text into the record from Jim's guarantino.
11:00:53 Who, i'm sure I know, lives in Jefferson county So this is his testimony via text technical difficulties on my end.
11:01:01 This is a naughty question, as every church lets groups meet, and so I lost it.
11:01:06 Sorry contacts. as every churches that groups meet in their buildings.
11:01:14 This is religious outreach. Other churches use their kitchens to provide food to the homeless shelter that is also part of their outreach.
11:01:19 Part of their religious mission work. Also the buildings are used for religious purposes, as is the heater upgrade that improve the churches worship facilities.
11:01:27 This is clearly a violation of us and Washington Constitutional prohibitions.
11:01:32 Lastly, does receive these funds now require the Church to accept groups meeting in its building the whole views and direct conflict with the churches teaching. Will the county
prohibit the church from holding any events in these facilities or using the kitchen for
11:01:42 anything other than providing food to the homeless shelter.
11:01:47 I was from Jim, scaring Tina, who had trouble getting his audio on for 2 testimony.
11:01:53 Thank you, Greg. Is there anybody else on the zoom call, or on the phone that would like to make public comment.
11:02:02 If you're on zoom, you can use the raise hand button at the bottom of the zoom screen, and we'll bring you over if you're on the phone, you can press star 9 and when we bring
you over you'll need to press star
11:02:16 6 to unmute. Is there anybody else wishing to make public comment
11:02:23 Not seeing any other hands go up, so I sure no answer just went up.
11:02:33 Okay, So i'm gonna close this hearing and we will have consideration of the comments that have been given.
11:02:46 If anyone want to start. Oh, that's fine i'll start i'm always willing to start you know appreciate the the testimony that we had looked at lots of other things, too, including
the resolution for the first
11:03:00 $20,000 that we provided for the the churches work.
11:03:07 I guess I will go back to that. issue you know it was really presented to us as childcare support that we are paying for, and that's That's what I thought when we left.
11:03:18 I don't know if that's what you guys thought but that is not what we supported that we supported, you know, a a room stairs to the basement to make it accessible working on
the elevator part of a
11:03:29 larger capital project. I think alcoholics anonymous does meet there, but I felt a little bit of
11:03:35 I didn't feel like those those funds necessarily went for the public good, and and comparing this grant application to the one that we heard at the hearing.
11:03:46 Was it last week from public health That is very much for the public benefit, both to help those that can't afford, repair their septic systems, repair them. And for the environmental
bonus of you know, getting safer safe
11:03:59 septic systems in our environment that is clearly for the public benefit.
11:04:03 I didn't see any of their community partners advocating for them today.
11:04:08 Trinity methods. I if I look at their website I don't see a way to access community resources at their facilities.
11:04:19 With these 2 grants kind of in relief against each other. i'm in.
11:04:26 So I mean, even if there is a legal defense that we can do this, it still seems a little sticking to me, too.
11:04:32 I don't feel confident that this will benefit the public as much as the other. grant application to the same pot of money that we already appropriate, so I guess I would probably
just have one grant application to that 11.5 million
11:04:46 dollars. I am i'm pretty confident about this and I've been doing some research in preparation for the hearing today, too, trying to hear from the community.
11:04:58 And so the the kind of conclusions i've come to
11:05:05 What is that? I I have real concerns about keeping Church and State very separate.
11:05:08 I share that concern with some of our testimony today, and I also know that the Faith community has largely been a very important part of our social safety net his historically
in this country, and that we've suffered from
11:05:26 from churches drinking in size, and being able to provide fewer services in our community. So it's a bit of a fraught relationship.
11:05:36 Historically, to begin with, you know i've been involved in a project trying to get more childcare facilities and capacity available in our community, and I know how challenging
it is to find locations to be able to afford
11:05:50 the upgrades necessary to perform, childcare services and so I I appreciate that this is a facility that does provide that, and is willing to continue to do so at an affordable
rate, because that's a gap there are just gaps
11:06:05 that the government itself cannot fill and we rely on community partners to help us do that.
11:06:12 But again, I don't I I I am also uncomfortable with funneling public funds to 2 churches.
11:06:21 That, for example, don't pay taxes and operate in a different transparency framework.
11:06:29 Then government does with most public funds. So let me see, I want to have a couple of other points.
11:06:37 I wanted to make one concern, I have and i'm not sure if we can speak to it or not is. but i'm a little worried about the $124,000 being applied for certainly not enough to
complete
11:06:47 those projects. but the the 7 Projects listed so i'm curious if we know anything about other funds that are gonna help to to complete those and otherwise.
11:06:57 Are we funding some of That's not Completable and I I do agree with Mr.
11:07:06 Tears that some county resources would be used. We would be managing this grant.
11:07:11 And But again, I think that there is great benefit to leveraging community organizations to partner with us, and helping to do more because we don't have the capacity to do
everything we would like to do so I know
11:07:27 that i'm not coming out clearly on one side of the other of this so happy for the opportunity to deliberate and consider the testimony received.
11:07:35 So look forward to more conversation. I would just I guess i'll leave this on you like sometimes. i'm muffled when I talk through the mask.
11:07:51 The The information about them not promoting what they do for the community is is real for me.
11:07:59 Is, Is it really an accessible facility for the community?
11:08:04 That feels like a very real question to me and Also, though I mean I have a history of a lot of cooking in the community, and know that kitchens for any kind of event or need
are not readily available and that's
11:08:28 what compels me about this this proposal is that they're talking about serving the community with from their kitchen, and that I would hate to take away opportunities for that
in the community.
11:08:42 So Yeah, It's a it's a hard one I appreciate Mr.
11:08:47 Hunzucker's briefing on the first amendment issues.
11:08:56 But I did think as Amanda was making her presentation last week.
11:08:58 How does this come up against that in terms of funding?
11:09:02 Because The proposal that she was briefing us on is much more compelling to me than this.
11:09:12 One is capital request for one church in our community, and you know, I think we we partner with religious organizations in Jefferson County in a lot of different ways, you
know, and if Coast was making a an application to provide all the food for the
11:09:25 shelter for a year that's kind of a project based you know exactly where all the money is going to go, and it's not nearly as squishy to me as this application.
11:09:33 Yes. Well, it makes me wish that we had our grant grant manager here, and and they would be saying, we have these 26 grand applications.
11:09:41 We're gonna do from these 22 sources of funding we need to prioritize. and but we Haven't had that the luxury of that kind of larger picture of thinking about funding opportunities
that are out there and I
11:09:53 feel like this is a prime example of one where we were seeing a conflict from the same source of funding.
11:10:01 And I I would absolutely support the other grant proposal that we heard about last week over this one, and if there's any chance of it conflicting of this Grant proposal, conflicting
with the manda's grant
11:10:15 proposal for septic repairs i'm fully i'm fully on the same side of that one.
11:10:23 You know, if I have the teeteroter going well, the same pool of money.
11:10:27 But I mean you know they're competing for a big bucket of money. but if there's that's what 20?
11:10:34 $22500,000 projects across the State, and I think with to recognize that that small community-based churches are not trained in grant writing and meeting Federal and state requirements
for Grant, writing.
11:10:50 So if some of the concerns I have things like transparency and ability to finish the work given the budget are are probably somewhat of a function of, you know, is the likely.
11:11:03 Volunteers, or you know folks involved in the church that have not done this kind of work before.
11:11:10 But I I guess i'm i'm hearing enough concern that I might say, Hey, why don't we turn this back and ask them for some refundement, and would consider it again in the future?
11:11:20 I know that's a little bit of a mixed message because i'm sure that they're putting a lot of work into this application, and I realize that puts it off for a a sizable delay
in a
11:11:31 year likely. but you know I would I would like to see more safeguards built in.
11:11:41 Let's see it, Judy shepherd who's been working on this issue directly.
11:11:46 Our finance director has been working on this issue directly has raised her hand.
11:11:52 Can I respond to Kate real quick, yeah while we wait for Judy, you know.
11:11:56 I guess I just feel there's a slippery slope. here, too, you know, if we're going to open, you know capital costs at a religious institution that also provides community benefits.
11:12:05 So are we gonna open this this public portal, the money to all churches, because it just it.
11:12:12 It brings a whole different group in that have different fundraising opportunities than our nonprofits do. right?
11:12:17 I mean they've got ties it's a different I feel like the separation is pretty fundamental one.
11:12:25 So i'm not necessarily of the mind that we should say hey?
11:12:26 Work on this and get more guard rails in. I am more of the mind that you know.
11:12:31 Find a community partner that's going to work. it you know how Firefly apply for this money and you know. Give them enough agency that they they feel comfortable being that
you know we're gonna provide childcare and I would feel
11:12:42 very differently about a childcare proposal at a church rather than a church proposal that includes a child care as their community assets.
11:12:51 Yeah, it's a good point and maybe for the public's benefit.
11:12:55 It's worth noting. These funds are available for a wide range of applicants.
11:13:01 The the crux being that they need to have a a public entity city or a county government sponsor
11:13:08 Their application, and that is what is under consideration today. so there's nothing that stops another religious organization from approaching us.
11:13:17 And so it's that would be kind of a informal or formal policy that we adopt as accounting, and how we who we are willing to sponsor for Cdbg application
11:13:32 Julie, we see you there. You have something to add.
11:13:35 I saw you raised your hand. you only need to unmute.
11:13:43 Okay, I think I've got it okay so i've been working with Cdbg for the last 5 or 6 years.
11:13:51 With only account general purpose. Grants have kind of rosen risen to the top of some of the needs to to fit some of the needs and take care of some of the needs. and the community
and working with the minister
11:14:09 at this at Trinity Methodist, we went through a number of conversations that address
11:14:18 The child care facilities, and the main reason for wanting to do these upgrades is is to provide
11:14:29 A much needed area in our community for childcare and for working adults that are trying to working our community, and lots of times at very low wages. and and I know you're
all aware of that so I know when park and I
11:14:45 met with them with him with Jeff. If was one of these things, you know, they have tapped a lot of their congregational resources to do a lot of other renovations.
11:14:57 However, the 2 areas that they really need to help with is the kitchen, which provides a lot of homeless meals.
11:15:04 It provides or or wants to provide, and they have been providing, I guess, to the winter shelter.
11:15:11 And a lot of our churches do that. They bring people in, and we Michigan on different times throughout the year.
11:15:19 And so but the ability to actually cook off site is challenging, because, as you mentioned hi!
11:15:28 There just is not it it? It costs a lot of money to do that.
11:15:33 So I think the 2 things we need to focus on. Are we providing a service that actually lends itself to provide child care in our community for working adults that are trying
to provide services and jobs and with and stay within the community and
11:15:48 so the Church is able to do this. with the 2 programs they have, and they have a breed to follow the constraints of a Cvbg grant, and they are tight.
11:16:00 I mean it will take some staff resources at the county to be able to
11:16:06 What's the to monitor this Okay, but it's not an intensive monitoring process.
11:16:13 It's setting them up to monitor it and then checking in to monitor similar to what we do with a weekend. so not to take a lot of your time, I just wanted to give you some of
the components that I have
11:16:24 been working with with them to try to get them to a place where they would be able to present this to Cdbg.
11:16:32 Yet it's a large bucket of money 11.5 million I don't really see it coming into competition with what the Public Health Department is trying to do with the sewer assistance
addressing those meetings of
11:16:49 the community. it's a totally different it's a different need So I just wanted to offer that as some put into throughout their application for the great appreciate you, adding
and Judy anymore. comments or questions.
11:17:10 Well, maybe to that end, I mean, do do we understand that the deliverable the deliverables?
11:17:16 We might anticipate on the child care front. with this funding.
11:17:22 Do not know anything about site improvement, specifically for childcare or expansion of ability to provide childcare I'm trying to drill into that benefit.
11:17:30 So my understanding of the actual buildings. where the childcare is is that the heat is a challenge because they're not able to stay as warm as they should.
11:17:43 So, therefore, that's the upgrade to the heat the the meals is a totally different deliverable as far as upgrading their kitchen.
11:17:56 From what I see. and so I believe the focus that we're seeing is the childcare, and so that's where the the focus is right now, with the deliverables, with the exception of
the kitchen
11:18:14 I would just say I feel like there are enough questions about this proposal that I unfortunately Mark would probably move forward with not supporting submitting this.
11:18:30 Just because I feel like there's not enough detail in terms of the community impact that the funding would have.
11:18:39 And if you're coming to the decision makers which is us without that level of detail, it just feels like a poorly thought through project to me in terms of metrics and community
impact.
11:19:00 I don't. Yeah, it was very well could be because it's a folks who are not grant writers professionally.
11:19:08 Unfair to hold them to the standard That is is so that you know, but also concern concern about the potential conflict with our septic and environmental public health proposal
11:19:24 I mean I i'm i'm over that mine too you know the the the first amendment issues, while maybe legally defensible.
11:19:31 They don't sit well with me. I tend to agree with with most of the comments that we got about that ethically, and I just i'm not sure that a 100% of these dollars are being
used for the public good and I think
11:19:45 that while we have a lot of alignment in our mission with trend at this church, and it's great to work with religious organizations, we do it all the time.
11:19:54 Their mission is a little different than ours. and I think it's a little different than than pure public benefit.
11:19:59 As I think it was, Mr. Scantino said In this testimony, you know that church is mission often involves community work as as part of a larger mission.
11:20:10 That is, you know, while we are you know I Guess the the converse of the the friend of my friend is a friend is absolutely true, and we're we're working towards similar goals,
but not exactly the same ones.
11:20:26 Yeah, like I said I, I am. I feel like I could have.
11:20:30 I walked in today, not knowing where I was going to land on this issue.
11:20:36 And I yeah. I have enough. discomfort that i'm worried about proceeding, which I know means that for this year it is that is out of the question.
11:20:45 And I don't know if at some point we need to have a conversation about whether we would consider faith based organizations for these funds in the future.
11:20:55 But I I will keep it limited more to this one that I I just don't see enough of the safeguards in place that I feel like he can ensure that It's the right use of public funds
under
11:21:05 our umbrella, and I feel comfortable saying I don't think I would support any religious organization for this cause.
11:21:12 At least grant monies. I just think that other ways that we can work together.
11:21:17 But you know a project based one, you know, in partnership with Dove House, or some other nonprofit agency.
11:21:23 You know, if there's a specific project that religious organization is looking for partnership on
11:21:28 I'm always willing to consider it. but I mean this is really general capital improvement.
11:21:33 So it seems to me ancillary benefits so I don't see us.
11:21:39 This is This is a hearing to receive comment so we don't.
11:21:44 Okay, I mean, either, to what somebody like to make a motion
11:21:54 I will choose not to make a motion are applying for these funds.
11:22:05 So I think a formal action might be required to rescind that approval.
11:22:11 Okay, I will move that we withdraw our support.
11:22:13 This grant application that's sufficient action, mark is that sufficient action, all in favor of the motion.
11:22:24 Hi and and i'm sorry for the work that has gone into this and you know it sounds like we need to do some some deliberation on how we deal with these in the future.
11:22:39 And you know again, I really value the work of the faith community to do a lot of the work the Government can't do. but it's fraud, and we have to hold a really high bar with
public funds so I hope this action can be
11:22:50 seen in that light. Yeah, I said, Okay, thank you, Everyone for the discussion on this mark.
11:22:59 Thanks for your work on this. We appreciate you, taking leadership on these issues and bring him to us.
11:23:06 So we can have these conversations so well we've been deliberating.
11:23:11 There's been a lot of action going on on the side of the room.
11:23:14 We we we have a bit of a traffic, dan this morning.
11:23:19 We are going to move forward into our Commissioner briefing session and bring Jamie and Chavan over to share some news with us about the housing project in havelock Masonry
and we may move because of
11:23:35 some key players schedules this morning. In this afternoon we may move our So the walk on the temporary covid policy updates we make combine that with the human resource recruiting
and retention
11:23:55 workshop this afternoon, cause sarah's one of those key players who has a busy day.
11:24:01 So that's just an update on agenda
11:24:08 Hi, Shavan! Hi, Jamie, Nice to see you guys hi!
11:24:14 It. it's good to see you thank you for having us So little Birdie told me you have some big news to share today.
11:24:24 We do as if about 15Â min ago. W. habitat for humanity.
11:24:29 Now owns the property known as the old air field. in Port Hadlock, behind the primary school in the library at 2, 3, one Mason Street.
11:24:42 We're really excited about that, and we wanted the opportunity to just let you know about that.
11:24:49 That that project which we expect to be able to serve the community.
11:24:55 People who live and work in Jefferson County with permanently affordable housing, is very exciting.
11:25:04 A range of housing, both habitat homes and a little bit higher income as well.
11:25:09 So very exciting, Shavan. So we we wanted to come on, and just personally say thank you to the board of counting commissioners for supporting this effort, and it made a huge
difference in getting a a great amount of community momentum
11:25:26 built, and as a result we were able to raise an additional 3.9 million dollars for the infrastructure.
11:25:33 Buildout we're just shy by about 600,000 of being able to cover the entire infrastructure.
11:25:41 Build out. But we'll have a couple of years to make up that gap, and we just really want to thank the community members who I identified this as an opportunity.
11:25:52 Early on. They and many of them were the same ones that came through with additional financial support for this.
11:26:01 So I I just want to say again, Thank you. And this is really a beginning for us.
11:26:07 This is this is not the end of a project it's the beginning, and we want to thank you and all of the community members who might step forward in the next 3 to 4 years to be
part of building almost 130 new units of
11:26:18 permanently affordable housing. Jamie. Yeah, it
11:26:24 We are so pleased that you all have seen the value of this to the the community, and you know that until the sewer is complete.
11:26:36 Which we understand you're thinking about 3 years until it's complete.
11:26:42 We will not be able to move forward on the prop project.
11:26:45 So that gives us a lot of time to do the very thing we want to do and and plan to do.
11:26:50 Starting this summer, which is listening in the community, and meeting with community groups and individuals to hear how they see this neighborhood developing, and what will
be a really strong addition to the community of Port headlock.
11:27:05 So we look forward to that and look forward to updating you further.
11:27:08 As we move them on. Well, congratulations you guys I know how much work it's been over the last couple of months, and I know that Jamie, I know that for habitat of East Jefferson
county this is a big step
11:27:21 forward in terms of the tools and the greater habitat families toolbox.
11:27:27 We've known that this kind of thing could be done here someday, and when this opportunity presented it itself, you stepped up and said, I think we can do this.
11:27:37 But that was a huge step, Damien, and I really appreciate you taking it.
11:27:42 And Shavan. I know you know a lot of the funding that you just mentioned has come through your work of being being a fearless fundraiser for the community, and and getting out
of knowing where to where to communicate with
11:27:55 people and talk and and where to bring Jamie in, and where?
11:27:59 How you guys develop this partnership and sharing the story of your vision for this this property.
11:28:05 So. i'm just super excited i've as I said probably too many times.
11:28:10 But I I grew up in this general neighborhood I go to that library almost every day.
11:28:15 I I mean it's and I have always thought you know the neighborhood behind the library. there's a lot of houses there, but there's also there's also always been that land and
i've always.
11:28:26 Thought it's it's right for more families to live near the the school in the library, and just this morning I actually returned the book to the library about the covid 19 pandemic
which was very interesting, but you're
11:28:38 not giving you a book. Report right now. but I Drove down on the cater and the improvements to the street. I mean. so the shout out to our public works are looking awesome.
11:28:49 I think they're coming to you know I mean it seems like the sidewalks are almost done.
11:28:53 Should have asked Monte that when he was here a few minutes ago, but it's looking really awesome and i'm just seeing the neighborhood kind of blossom.
11:29:00 So thanks for being part of that recipe You're welcome I've been doing community development work in Jefferson County for a long time, and projects like this usually take years
to get to the point that this one, already.
11:29:17 Has, and you know, something I have learned in this work is that when there is a ground swell things happen quickly. You know there there are projects that are just right.
11:29:29 Place right time, and they move forward like this one is and and There's a lot I think there's a lot to be said for that.
11:29:38 And you know you will hit roadblocks you'll hit stumbling blocks.
11:29:42 Of course. but I think it just really boats to the the timeliness of this project, the appropriateness of it.
11:29:50 And you know I really I think it's great that you're taking time to do listen to the community, but i'll also say that we are talking about are there ways in which the timing
of the sewer project
11:30:07 can not get in your way. so spoken with public works there in conversation with community development, and the legal team about, you know, are there interim things we could
be putting in place that will not delay your process on necessarily so let's stay
11:30:22 in conversation about that as well. Thank you. That would be very helpful.
11:30:28 We. we know that the zoning change can't happen until the sewer is complete, but it one thing that would be great for us to talk about is whether we can do discussions and move
some some work forward on permitting for
11:30:44 the infrastructure prior to that change if if there's any overlap there.
11:30:50 Otherwise, if we have to wait until that sewers complete, to even start the infrastructure discussion with the county, that will certainly add to the timeline.
11:31:00 Yeah, yeah, we're looking into options Now, really pleased with the development of this project, and the due diligence that you continue to bring to it.
11:31:09 These are. This is a big project, and I really just watching habitat and and the community foundations approach to it has been really instructive for me.
11:31:20 So I appreciate the the past you're taking you know the you know, Getting pace and deliberation at the same time is not easy.
11:31:25 But I think you guys have accomplished that and i'm wondering when I rag about your work.
11:31:29 Is it? Is this going to be a habitat Jefferson community foundation through the intervening years, as well?
11:31:36 Or how's the how should we talk about this and Jamie, if if I may.
11:31:40 This is absolutely Jamie, as is an incredible executive director in the Board of Habitat, have been in incredible leaders on this project, and the Community Foundation is proud
to be of support to them.
11:31:55 But they will be out front in the lead we will do things like help with the community conversations, and pretty much I take my my direction from Jamie and the habitat board
on this project.
11:32:08 So we're happy. to play a support role. but also happy to see habitat out front.
11:32:18 Great I can pull my long boat metaphor out again.
11:32:20 It's always out and and can also while while we have you guys here, and our Jamie could you just talk a little bit about the land of street project, too.
11:32:26 Was it's lovely to see ground being broken on that project and and that's it.
11:32:30 Feels to me like the first 4 am just kind of the Land Trust model that the habitats taking so i'd love to hear that's right there.
11:32:39 Those homes we at land is in Eighteenth Street, across from Kitai.
11:32:45 We broke ground on that informally, we'll do a formal groundbreaking in a couple of months.
11:32:52 We are going to be building there on a half an acre.
11:32:55 3 paired 3 sets of paired homes, so 6 homes all together, and those will be permanently affordable in in our where we own the land and lease that to the home buyer in exchange
for them having a
11:33:08 very affordable mortgage. they agree to limit their appreciation, and in the future, if they sell it, they've agreed to sell it to another family for an affordable price.
11:33:19 We are still doing the engineering work, and the design work on our second parcel on land is at sixteenth, which is a little larger parcel, an acre, and we hope about a year
from now that we'll be doing the same
11:33:31 thing and breaking ground there that's great thank you anything else except for you, wanna jump up and down we do, too.
11:33:47 Thank you so much, thanks so much. Keep rolling together, and the same direction even with Jamie as captain of the ship.
11:33:58 She's just gonna make sure everyone rose at the same stroke.
11:34:04 Okay, Thank you guys,
11:34:11 So we have. we have the team over here the busy bees in the corner have effectively moved the room of a temporary update to the temporary covid policy to the afternoon at 2
30 along with
11:34:24 Sarah's other item on the agenda so I think at this point we should look at consent.
11:34:31 Yeah, right, cause it was a big, juicy consent.
11:34:37 Agenda, although 5 of them I talked about in our covid update where Willie's great grant a great month.
11:34:46 Yes, so the item I was interested in talking about and we've we've touched on this a little bit before but it's about as we think about coming out of covid can we say that when
I rates
11:35:02 her thinking again about the where we have security, the the whole use of the front of the building.
11:35:15 I I would really love to have a a strategic conversation about how we think about that.
11:35:19 I also it did ask a question about that to the Washington chest for historic preservation last week in our Los Angeles that you know a lot of historic courses are dealing with
the same issue of meeting to provide security and
11:35:34 It's very hard to do that in a way that you know is consistent with the historic structure.
11:35:42 So I I I would just love to to have a multi department conversation about security and access to the building. Yeah, if possible. but I don't know if we're on a a tight time.
11:36:01 Frame mark for that number 10, for the Rp.
11:36:02 We're good through the end of the year. I I tried to get ahead of the wave on this and we have had a number of conversations about the security scheme that we have in the building
and the it
11:36:16 was proposed that we go back to having the front doors open, and the judges are and the auditor the treasurer, and the assessor are soundly against that proposal because then
the courts are
11:36:28 secure, but they aren't and so i'd be happy, maybe at the next quarterly.
11:36:33 We can bring that up as a discussion item with the elected and department directors.
11:36:40 I think we'll hear the same arguments from them that every that's everybody else in the gordel first floor.
11:36:49 First floor has concerns. i'm not sure about departments down here.
11:36:51 I know our staff. is I think we're all I think we're all comfortable with the arrangement it Then it's functional.
11:36:59 It's efficient I don't know How we could perform that function any better than we're doing right now. and I think it's completely independent of what firm we retained to do
this security so although they're related I don't think the one has to be held up for the
11:37:16 other. Yeah, i'm thinking more in terms of the the long term capital investment in this building, and is there a a better solution where we get to the we allow the public to
use the beautiful entrance to our courthouse and you
11:37:33 know it doesn't have ade access it is imperfect, of course, and little flexibility around.
11:37:39 How you can alter that. But it sounds like a number of other counties have found a way to both.
11:37:45 Retain the historic integrity of the building and provided security. so I think it's worth a conversation, and it But there are funding sources to help us with some of that
work, maybe something where we need to get our little passports. out and go to all those other
11:38:00 goals buildings , see how they do it yeah I Just I I and somebody. I want to revisit because we've touched on it here.
11:38:10 And having having the whole front of the courthouse off limits, basically just feels kind of wasteful.
11:38:18 And , we implemented the solution that we implemented at the time. What was it?
11:38:28 January 2018, I believe it was We looked at the front entrance and trying to figure out how we could have people come through the front and and screen them, and there was no
practical way to do it.
11:38:44 Happy to revisit the question with as many folks as you think are necessary to contribute.
11:38:52 But that's a tough not and I don't know how we crack it. is it so because i'm real. I've only been here only about a year and a half.
11:39:03 So you've had this conversation a number of times before so What's the sentiment? People just want to walk through the front doors.
11:39:07 Well, some people would, you know, accessibility and just having the doors unlocked. The risky, risky business conundrum is what I would call it.
11:39:14 But, you know, I think a lot of departments really like having security in front, and the only Ada accessibility is on , in the basement.
11:39:19 So if you're gonna have Ada accessibility and you're gonna have security in front of the services, I think is the question is, can you go to the assessor?
11:39:28 Can you go to the auditor without going through security and you're saying that there's a clear consensus among departments that they like to have security in front of all of
the the my recollection is that I think
11:39:40 universally. Everybody in the building likes the current arrangement.
11:39:44 But happy to have the conversation again, and it was moved downstairs during Covid, so that we could more.
11:39:51 You know 1 point securely. Yeah. See who was leaving and entering and masking, and which which also coincided with the desire to have everybody the screens.
11:40:04 But do we do that at the expense of the entire front of our building, Like you know, we pay a lot to maintain the whole front of the building and to have nobody using it.
11:40:11 Seems like window dressing and so just as we think about the long term use of this building and improvements we want to make to it.
11:40:21 I'm not ready to say okay, let's just forget the whole front of the building.
11:40:23 That's history. I think it's a really a question of usability.
11:40:30 So it sounds like a a larger conversation. Probably in order.
11:40:37 Is there a reason to delay the rfp for the security? I mean that's they're just gonna set up wherever it's like one security detail, 1 one screening facility screening detail.
11:40:48 Essentially right. I mean, it sounds like we have months to to work on it.
11:40:52 So if if we were getting some and maybe there's there's I think the conversation could be rich.
11:40:59 You know, you know. is it? is it necessary to have 3 people down here, or in inactive much of the day, you know.
11:41:07 That's that the optics of that are a little uncomfortable for me.
11:41:11 Yeah, So I I I make it's worth a larger discussion.
11:41:15 We haven't had it for a number of years, So I think it's worth 3 visiting, and I guess a question prior to having Yeah, exactly right, and bringing this topic up on the 20 third
of May when we have
11:41:29 some 7 months before the contract with Ppc expires Yeah, Yeah, I think it's good timing.
11:41:39 Okay, I don't know if we can wait for a quarterly, cause that's probably first of July.
11:41:51 I can change all the dates in the Rp.
11:41:54 To coincide we could call the special meeting we learned the workshop that you know.
11:42:00 Yeah cause i'm i'm afraid we wouldn't have time in our quarterly meeting.
11:42:05 I think there should be more interest and more discussion than than just a 1Â h, Yeah.
11:42:15 Great. Thank you. Can we make sure that, that courts involved in that as well?
11:42:22 Oh, try to have a workshop on that. So do we do.
11:42:28 We pull this item. I would like to pull number 10 from the agenda for today.
11:42:38 Okay, I got a couple of other notes, but nothing else that I think we should pull just to clarify a couple things on Number 2.
11:42:46 The user general fund on departmental budget cache to cover expenses temporarily.
11:42:51 That's really that's not assigning more money to Causal Brown, which still has a short fall, but just to kind of keep keep ahead of the of the commitments that we've made that
we're paying
11:43:02 out on to Habitats project, for example, completely transparent upfront.
11:43:17 Yeah, that's great. I just wanted to call that out and also on Number 4, which was from originally you know the the Grant process with the housing fun board, or do B at that
time. and it seems very reasonable to not
11:43:32 you know they they got the Ptac heaters for cheaper, so they wanted to use the rest of that grant to to purchase more, and it seems well within the scope of the grant.
11:43:40 So I didn't think we needed to take that back to the house and fund board.
11:43:44 So I think that that's very appropriate it's like those units air conditioning heater units that are in the windows of hotels basically So it's got a little bit of
11:43:55 ventilation. and it's yeah it's just a unit by unit heating cooling system right and then split that up.
11:44:06 The fun things you learned in this job and then there's a couple of items relative to advisory boards, and we have a bunch of I wanna do more of a longer debrief of the vacancies
that We have at
11:44:18 some point not here, but I just wanted to say this out loud, as we consider this consentage and the numbers 11 and 12. those those citizen representatives on the pift board
that's 2 of 3 of them that we need
11:44:33 to replace, and then the district 3 representative for parks and wreck.
11:44:41 But Kim has been a major player. on the parts of wreck trying to think how long. So when I was a member 6 years ago, he was on the board. so he's been he's a served but he's
put in a lot of time
11:44:54 not a volunteer effort in the parks, alright.
11:45:06 And trustee clerk. give us a motion i'll make a motion to remove item 10 from consent agenda, and remove end.
11:45:15 Approve the remaining consent until Agenda items 2 through 9 and 1115 as presented.
11:45:22 I'll second all in favor. Hi hi passes unanimously.
11:45:30 Okay, we somehow rushing, caught back up so I already said that we're moving.
11:45:39 The review of the updated temporary covid policies to the 2 30 workshop with Hr.
11:45:47 And the apple can join us. then to thank you.
11:45:54 Is there anything else you guys wanna cover this morning before we recess until 1, 30?
11:46:03 I'll just say the the Wasac Newton hour meeting is with the new State Director of Rural Development a few weeks ago.
11:46:18 So Helen Price, Johnson, and then I will.
11:46:25 I will join virtually when we come back after lunch, and then have to to run up and do a presentation at the High School.
11:46:34 And sorry about the timing I don't like missing stuff, but I my my heart is in in inspiring kids who are headed out into the big world so so you're gone from 2 to 3
11:46:51 Certainly be listening to the presentation. this afternoon at a later date, and sorry to miss it, but i'm glad it's not a decision.
11:47:00 The question. I don't know how long Sarah was planning for
11:47:24 Maybe less time than that. that's what she estimated.
11:47:29 Yeah, if we could do the covid policy then at 3 after Sears presentation. And again, I can go back and listen to Sarah's presentation, i'm sorry to miss stuff. but I would like
to be here for the Yeah,
11:47:39 Covid. Well, even working on it so sounds good. We shoot ourselves in the foot if we did it without you.
11:47:44 , well, there's been a number of us working on it?
11:47:47 Who who can speak to it. but hmm okay so if there's nothing else for the morning.
13:31:39 , Okay,
13:31:52 Okay, i'll call us back to order and We are starting off with a workshop on the draft.
13:32:06 Temporary, homeless housing facilities, ordinance.
13:32:08 But our presenters are yet to arrive. So
13:32:15 I think we're just in a holding pattern for a few minutes,
13:32:25 Well, we haven't done any briefing but I always start with
13:32:33 Here come our visitors. Afternoon, gentlemen. I think they want The door closed
13:32:54 Should we take the second microphone
13:33:00 Okay. so from members of the public who have joined us we're just getting organized to start our hearing workshop.
13:33:09 It or is anyone else being brought over. no it doesn't look like it for workshops.
13:33:16 We don't sit at a table together we didn't take it. take no time.
13:33:28 Brian engine, and may want to ,
13:33:38 We can do it differently next time. our our camera, we have. We don't have enough core to put it in the middle, so we'd all be looking away.
13:33:47 , oh, , yeah, , here
13:34:00 And i'm brent and joel I I have to let you know that. I have to leave to do a short presentation, so you'll see me leave and I might even be back before we're done here but
I
13:34:12 apologize, and I will watch the presentation the recording of it after the fact.
13:34:17 So sorry to have to duck out a little early. So, Joel, you sent me the presentation.
13:34:27 I guess more. Could you have it
13:34:55 Thank you for the opportunity to engage in a real opportunity to look at the ordinance and look at some of the pros and cons.
13:35:08 Some of the considerations that We've had and my name is Brent, Butler and I'm, the community development director and I'm being supported of the counties being supported by
the good work of Joe Peterson who has been the project and planning
13:35:23 lead on developing new regulations for housing homeless facilities.
13:35:28 Next slide,
13:35:33 As our agenda. really, we put these points out because they cover a lot of the sort of the critical aspects.
13:35:42 And and for those watching online that haven't been involved we wanted to make sure that there was some clarity as to how we got to where we are today.
13:35:50 Next slide. So Clarity really is and intended to understand this submits and the myths out there that aren't accurate, and and we're all subject to hearing rumors about how
things get started and
13:36:10 we wanna just make sure that we dispel those right off next slide.
13:36:16 So I wanted to point out that the county has had as every municipality in Washington.
13:36:23 They've had a regular point in time account and i'm gonna have Joe.
13:36:30 Look at that, and talk about that, but we've had a unique period of of change.
13:36:36 And and some of this change was related to the Covid 19 and in as a consequence of Covid 19, we saw that.
13:36:46 If we see the gentleman standing on the upper right hand corner, that is the American Legion shelter.
13:36:54 Now the American Legion has provided a shelter for some several decades.
13:36:59 Well, I'm not exactly sure of the start date of the shelter.
13:37:04 But we wanted to point out that in the past there's been persons who have stayed at the shelter that moved over to the camp, or I should say the fairgrounds, and that wasn't
13:37:19 sponsored by local government. it was really nonprofits in our community that we're really trying to address the needs of those that are the most in need.
13:37:34 We had a unique situation in the Covid period, because We saw that those staying at the fairgrounds that were unhoused.
13:37:45 Now or not required to leave because of Covid.
13:37:50 19, and then at the same time. the covid 19 moratorium had a significant impact. We couldn't tell the person's living there to leave
13:38:01 So this was not of the makings of the county or it was just a lack a happen stance up with time, and I think it's really important to to note that there are other external factors
at play as Well, during covid we
13:38:15 saw that huge populations could no longer go to their office, and people started taking advantage of the opportunity to live where they chose, and we happen to be fairly fortunate
to have such a beautiful environment that people that could afford to live here would
13:38:37 so choose to and So what that's led and we've seen this all throughout the United States is some of the lowest housing inventory on record.
13:38:49 I just before this meeting I called one of the members of the task force on the past president of the Jefferson County, a brokers association just to get a better understanding,
and and from my understanding we may have the
13:39:02 lowest inventory ever recorded, and so I was trying to.
13:39:06 I was hopeful that you would get back to me which I I can't verify that just yet.
13:39:11 But that's what it looks like and so i'm waiting to get verification on that, and the other aspect that I reached out to our our brokers.
13:39:17 We're looking into them as our partners in this is well, what is going on with housing values is it?
13:39:24 Has they have they doubled in the last 3 years. is that an accurate assessment.
13:39:27 And so what we're seeing are certain types of pressures external pressures that were never intended so next slide.
13:39:40 So we see that this has led to it, declared.
13:39:44 Emergency. We already had an emergency before Covid.
13:39:49 We already had a significant need, this just ex exacerbated an existing problem.
13:39:58 And then we also have to recognize that there are external factors. as I've said, the State now, authorizes really just organizations.
13:40:05 To act as hosts for temporary housing.
13:40:11 Facilities. We have no regulations up until that point.
13:40:13 When this always decided. and so, and that coupled with the moratorium eviction. and the low inventory and the high property values, we're seeing What is a perfect storm.
13:40:28 Really a perfect storm next slide. So i'm gonna transfer the the this point to to the lead planner on this project.
13:40:40 Joel Peterson,
13:40:45 Thank you for the record I'm Joel peterson assistant planner, community development, and thank you for this opportunity to share with you our process.
13:40:54 We went through with the planning commission in furthering the interim ordinance 0 8, 1, 2, 1, 3, 21 which expires soon.
13:41:07 So we brought this to the planning commission with a lot of background data.
13:41:12 This slide is the prompt madeer. Remember that we've got our comprehensive plan with specific goals and policies that discuss homelessness and housing issues. just to add a
couple of other facts that stick in my
13:41:26 mind about our lack of housing is Over 75% of the housing in Jefferson County is single family housing, and when the census came out this year, the reports from the 2,020
13:41:40 decennial census. They recognize that these large cities, like Seattle, had a minor increase in multi-family housing.
13:41:48 But rural areas lost multi-family housing.
13:41:51 And so I think that is on a general housing issue is is something that's going to be facing us.
13:41:58 One thing I would point out is that these components that we're talking as about now appear, as where as is in our ordinance, and they also are to support the propagation of
an ordinance.
13:42:11 So we are really going through a lot of the the foundational information necessary.
13:42:19 That really helps us explain why we are where we are now.
13:42:23 Yes, and Further, This document making homelessness a singular occurrence is Jefferson County's 5 Year plan, and has
13:42:33 Many of the objectives are having to do with how we're going to address almostness and housing issues, and so it's a resource that was brought to the planning commission, as
well as next license.
13:42:51 What as well as point in time count data. The next slide, please.
13:42:56 The point in time. Data is a single day of the year where jurisdictions will count the number of unhoused persons in and and looking at Jefferson County's point in time data
from 2,000 and
13:43:12 10 to 2020. The published data is, is there are a lot of ups and downs, and that has to do with many factors. about.
13:43:21 When the count is done, or the changes in methodology at times such as with Covid.
13:43:26 But generally The average of these data points are 130 people who are experiencing homelessness.
13:43:36 We just received some updated information for 2021, and 2,022 from Department of commerce, 2,021 and 64 and 2020.
13:43:46 2 is 130, you and so that probably would not tilt the average too much.
13:43:54 We could still say about 130 people. next slide, please, are experiencing homeless in Jefferson.
13:44:01 Homelessness in Jefferson County. Yes, is there any idea Why, 2,015 was like double that.
13:44:10 No that's been an outlier I think they were over 250 counts and It may be the circumstances of that year and the methodology.
13:44:22 But it shows the variability in the data.
13:44:25 Yeah, that's recognized as kind of an outlier there.
13:44:32 Oh, next slide, please. So as you know, in in Jefferson County Code, 18 chapter, 1845 is the process for amending the comprehensive plan or our unified development. code.
13:44:47 And these bullet points are describing that process. We have a planning commission.
13:44:52 Update, and we bring information to the Planning commission, including a staff report and sepa checklist and is followed by a public hearing.
13:45:02 And so the public hearing was on May fourth with the planning commission and
13:45:08 They begin deliberations after the hearing and continued deliberations on their May eighteenth meeting, and as a result of their deliberations, they provide recommendations
to you.
13:45:19 The Board of County Commissioners, and with their recommendations you can accept or modify them.
13:45:27 You could send it back to them for further work, or or deny the recommendation.
13:45:33 So. if you have any changes that you would like to make you would be holding your own hearing, and then you can implement any additional changes, and we've prepared for that
with this morning's consent agenda item and set up
13:45:48 a hearing date for the board on June thirteenth, and so we anticipate that that would occur.
13:45:55 And so our staff recommendation is to hold the public hearing.
13:45:58 On June thirteenth, and as there may be some further modifications to the ordinance that we want to do next slide, please
13:46:08 We wanted to talk about some external factors in additional detail of what has been going on in the Federal and State Corps and legislatures.
13:46:19 Congress and State legislature after we're addressing Covid and homelessness and housing issues nationwide.
13:46:29 Your regardless of Covid. So we also have some Growth Management Act.
13:46:36 External factors, and then funding, too, always plays apart, and what can be done next?
13:46:40 Slide, please. one of the most observed and recognized changes is from a ninth circuit court case called Martin versus City of Boise. and essentially
13:47:00 It says that if you don't have any other options it's unconstitutional to prohibit camping in public places, if no other alternatives exist, and the brain has a comment for
that right and I just want to make sure
13:47:13 we're just when we say that if you don't refer to you as a municipality like just want to make sure that's clear.
13:47:21 So if the city of Port townsu for example doesn't have a place for homeless individuals to go they can camp wherever they choose, in the public right of way.
13:47:32 And the same is true for the municipality.
13:47:34 Jefferson Kelly. Now there is underway.
13:47:40 Research to understand if the county could enter into an agreement to provide those services for the city and vice versa.
13:47:51 But that's where we are looking right now to see If we were to do an agreement, if that would enable, say the City of poor 1,000 to say, Oh, we see you are camping in Kai Tie.
13:48:06 This is a public space. We did not permit that, but we do have other places for you that also have health services job services.
13:48:15 We do have that available, but sorry you can't stay here and so we wanna
13:48:21 This is an avenue that we can go down as a group.
13:48:26 And so comparing the situation of the the development of the casual brown village site on Mill Road and versus the fair ground it's night and day as far as what's being offered
in the connection to services and
13:48:42 In conversations with the Jefferson County sheriff, they recognize the improvement as far as the calls they receive, and the type of intervention that they had to do in the
past is not such an apparent issue.
13:48:58 Now next slide last one question about the ninth circuit hearing i'm curious.
13:49:03 If you know we have, You know the point counts as 122 folks that are experiencing.
13:49:08 Homelessness is when folks are camping on public property.
13:49:11 Is it a case? by case issue? that is if you know someone's on the stoop of the the courthouse, and we're like, Oh, you gotta move and they're like Well, you don't have enough
to house
13:49:23 me, but we do have rooms at the Lesion, so we can take you down to the American Legion, so that would be
13:49:29 We would be within our right to say, Please move along. we keep you come here, or you can go elsewhere.
13:49:34 But you can't stay, but so there's no argument that people can make that.
13:49:38 Well, you can't house everyone who's homeless right now, so you I can stay here.
13:49:43 I I haven't seen that and and so as long as we have a facility, or in this case, if it's the county courthouse as long as the city of Port Townsend either has a facility where
people can go or
13:49:55 alternatively, which we're investigating They have an agreement with the county to provide a facility then of the police that respond to the courthouse or to the front.
13:50:05 Public right of way of a residence home they can say you can't stay here.
13:50:10 This is someone's homework or in the case of someone's business that you can't stay here.
13:50:17 We have a facility in town for you, Gotcha.
13:50:19 Thank you. So where would the Legion is obviously one an option.
13:50:24 But what about like pets place? is that considered us an option it is. there's an you know, like an onboarding.
13:50:32 There's a application process for that. so it's a little bit different, I meanm not sure if that would Yeah, my anticipation is that Pat's place is moving more toward transitional
or permanent housing
13:50:43 it's not really an emergency shelter and past places on an option.
13:50:50 Can they say back to you there's no room for me if they're in my right way.
13:50:56 Well, we could look at that. but what I understood is that they were not full.
13:51:01 But I will double check, they aren't full No, they aren't full, and we could potentially have another problem that's my my guess but that's something that I haven't researched
so I would need to
13:51:14 get back to you I'm just property a felony, and so legally, this will take years to sort out, and that ultimately would probably end up at the Supreme Court of the Us.
13:51:34 My understanding is that there are other appeals in the works of the of the Boise decision as well.
13:51:43 Okay, but the most important thing is for us at the current time.
13:51:45 It is controlling right? exactly. Yes, an emerging issue.
13:51:52 Next slide, please,
13:51:57 Here we go. Yeah, there's also the Federal law the religious land use and institutionalized persons act.
13:52:04 This was codified and 2,000 and it is it's similar in its discussion.
13:52:11 But it applies to allowing religious organizations to host homeless.
13:52:17 It. it provides It talks about the burden that is placed on religious organizations.
13:52:24 If they're excluded from the filling their mission and
13:52:28 So it it stays literally. No government shall impose or implement a land.
13:52:32 Use regulation in the manner that imposes substantial burden to the religious exercise.
13:52:36 And so this is something that is emerging also in how we're addressing homelessness.
13:52:43 Next slide. So, Joe, just to make sure we're clear so that's like a church, has an affirmative right to have safe safe parking as an example on their property.
13:52:52 Yes, and in the next slide I think next slide we'll be talking about the state implementation of that through our Cw.
13:53:00 Right, and and that's what we are doing here in in port towns and in Jefferson County as well. so an effort to protect religious rights of of in this case prisoners and people
who wish to use property for religious
13:53:14 purposes is is the scope of what that was covering Next slide.
13:53:18 We also, need to address homestead rights, and in Washington Homestead rights, or an important protection, and our M.
13:53:28 Rsc. municipal resource services warren's planners that homestead act can apply to people living in their car.
13:53:37 And so they have reference there in Rcw.
13:53:43 6 13. that there are some protections for people who are living in their cars.
13:53:52 They can't can't toe ways on his car if it's their home.
13:53:54 Yes, yes, and so these things are shaping our understanding and reinforcing the need for developing facilities that this ordinance is applying to
13:54:05 Without it. it's kind of a free for all next slide, please.
13:54:10 Then we have Washington Supreme Court in Woodenville versus North Shore United Church.
13:54:15 This was it kind of following the Federal law in 2,000, much later 2,009 next slide.
13:54:28 Our Washington Department of Commerce is the is the State managing agency, the requiring 5 year homelessness, plans, or or housing plans from local jurisdictions and administering
some of the
13:54:45 Housing Trust fund and issue items like that we have now codified in Rcw.
13:54:52 36, or 1, 2, 90, the hosting homeless.
13:54:57 My religious organizations. also. we have whack 51, 16, 0, 3 0.
13:55:03 It does provide some exemptions for building code requirements.
13:55:11 And that would be for people who are hosting homeless, particularly religious organizations.
13:55:15 There is a limit to what a local jurisdiction can make them do.
13:55:20 Can't impose a barrier that creates a burden preventing them from fulfilling that mission.
13:55:29 Next slide zoom. Our planning commission process is The board had initiated the task, I guess, with the passage of interim ordinance 0, 8, 1, 2, 1 3, 21 with a deadline of twentieth
of june
13:55:44 or a sunset of twentieth of June.
13:55:47 For that interim ordinance. And so the planning agency, our community development and the Planning commission had a public hearing, and we created a record and They, the public
Planning Commission has provided a recommendation letter that includes
13:56:04 findings from comprehensive plan and growth management indicators, and those could be adopted.
13:56:12 As you see fit into the board's conclusions in the ordinance as well. and
13:56:20 So our today is our briefing and identifying issues. and Then we're preparing for our hearing on the thirteenth.
13:56:28 One of the topics that I just wanted to preach.
13:56:30 At this point is the the question that is really going to be posted to the Board?
13:56:36 A significant question about One of the areas of the code where we could classify homeless facilities is as an essential public facility or as a public use for a purpose. public
purpose.
13:57:00 So I just wanted to talk about those 2, because this is really an area that we really wanted to allow you to provide us direction.
13:57:08 One of the the pros that I think is particularly important to note is that, if it's considered an essential public service facility, that is, we may be able to just as Prisons
and schools extend super line from the city to
13:57:28 serve that, and that would have significant cost implications, because the last schedule that I saw talked about a quarter of a 1 million dollars for the septic for the site.
13:57:41 So I wanted to point that out. it. There is some question as to whether or not that is permissible.
13:57:49 If we use the other route. and so we're looking at that, that's really a critical and I think from a funding standpoint important.
13:57:58 Thank you. We'll look at that def those definitions in a little more detail soon here next slide
13:58:06 Just to pick up The last point of these external factors is the funding
13:58:12 So we have our homeless Housing and Assistance Act from the State and and our 5 year housing plan from the county.
13:58:23 That is our conduit for working with that funding source.
13:58:29 And and just in funding. That last point is really significant, because an extension of a sewer line versus the completion of a septic significant differences in cost.
13:58:43 And so we would. wanna be aware of that as the aspect of funding. Yeah.
13:58:50 Next slide, please. Okay, more specifics about the planning commission.
13:58:55 Next slide,
13:59:01 Let's go past the next slide here so planning commission recommendations.
13:59:08 They in general accepted the ordinance, as it was amended, and proposed to them.
13:59:13 After the hearing, and they recognize that community Development building division with their amendments had gone as far as as we could.
13:59:23 As far as possible, to make it to remove any barriers for developing facilities, and Brand is passing out the Planning Commission recommendation letter that has their findings
and recommendations, including the recommendation of a change to the
13:59:45 ordinance. This provision that they'd like to see put in the order Ordinance is to have a review of this ordinance in 2 years, and that's on the last page of the recommendation
letter the concern
14:00:00 was that Everything is rather new and quickly changing, and we want to see how this ordinance is implemented, and if there are any concerns that need to be adjusted, we would,
we would have a deliberative deliberate point
14:00:16 in time, where we would be looking at this again and so you'll see that as as their recommendation and and Staff wanted to note that this has been an ongoing problem in regards
to ordinances for example, our
14:00:30 density bonus ordinance. It was adopted some 10 years ago, and no one reviewed.
14:00:35 Is it working? And so this is a recognition of of a shortcoming great great next slide.
14:00:45 Next slide. so these amendments, where they would be codified is
14:00:54 In 8, chapter 1820, we have performance and use standards spelled out for specific types of land uses.
14:01:00 Section 3, 85 is between existing 3, 80, and 3 90.
14:01:06 We have building standards that are spelled out in this code that come from the international building code or international residential code.
14:01:15 And so there's a question of whether we should be putting those standards in our title 15, which is our Building Standards.
14:01:23 The the pros of that would be that you're only updating one source, and you just reference to the updated source.
14:01:32 The pros for having it in our performance. and use standards is it provides a checklist that's convenient for people to check off that they're meeting.
14:01:40 Be certain building code standards that need to be met. Smoke, alarms or fire extinguishers things like that that can be part of a checklist for a site development plan.
14:01:51 So that is as a question left for your input chapter 1,800 ten's.
14:01:58 Our definitions, and we have some additional definitions to put in there regarding the items in the temporary housing facilities.
14:02:06 And definitions for tiny shelter. village versus what we used to call them.
14:02:12 A wooden tent or a tiny home. So we have some new definitions, and to go in a little more detail. with that we have learned through our work with housing providers that there
there is a difference in how we refer
14:02:28 to homeless. it we don't refer to people as homeless, but their situation, their condition is homeless.
14:02:37 So it's people who are experiencing homelessness or also unhoused persons.
14:02:46 There are some technical or or nuanced differences and how we've referred to those and we can add those to definitions.
14:02:54 If you feel it's useful. our comprehensive plan has a few definitions regarding those things.
14:03:01 But there's some new things that we could define so we can be more accurate in how we refer to to the situation, and I just wanted to sort of piggyback that it's being acknowledged
and
14:03:15 also in community supporting disability rights that you want to have person centered a language homeless.
14:03:25 The homeless is taken on a pejorative connotation, and so unhoused, or a person experiencing homelessness, is preferred.
14:03:35 It's person centered so we don't have that currently in the definition, and that was one of the areas that we thought we might add, if there was a modification the next item
where we'll fit in the use table and this brings up
14:03:52 the question that that Brent was discussing. Is it in the essential public facility or public purpose, Facility and the next slide please so quickly the definition of an essential
public facilities are things that are important and necessary and there are
14:04:08 some examples. for Jefferson County, including airports, large-scale transportation facilities.
14:04:14 Solid waste disposal, correctional facilities in patient treatment.
14:04:19 Mental health facilities, educational facilities, and in contrast, or maybe more, not in contrast, but on the continuum, public purpose facilities are those things that may
not require such difficulty inciting.
14:04:39 And We have public purpose facilities in our rural residential zones, like fire stations, or solid, or transfer stations or gas stations for public works.
14:04:52 So public purpose facilities is more on the scale and intensity of
14:04:59 I didn't or facilities that are required to meet public service obligations.
14:05:04 Now the the where it becomes important and and they facilities we're talking about temporary homeless facilities can fit in either one.
14:05:13 It's more it's generally what the county wants to call it a public purpose.
14:05:17 Facility can be. go through a permitting process of a conditional use.
14:05:21 Permit. and the hearing examiner makes the final decision on whether it's a public purpose, Facility is appropriate or not.
14:05:29 One example would be our Jefferson, transit facility for corners is under a conditional use.
14:05:36 Permit. One item That, I think is important to note is that there may be increase liability by choosing one term over the other.
14:05:48 Meaning that, essential public facilities. may give the county greater latitude in terms of of of
14:05:59 That determination of a shelter meeting that definition.
14:06:05 My stand up more forcefully under questioning or or challenge And so the essential public facility process would be a type. 5 process, just like we're doing with this ordinance
and the board of county
14:06:23 Commissioners makes the decision of of the essential public facility.
14:06:30 And then there is the Gma situation where the question of whether you can provide sewer outside of the urban growth area boundary.
14:06:40 It's January provide it just for the density inside the boundary.
14:06:46 But essential public facilities can raise an exception, possibly next slide. So
14:06:54 The comments we received during the planning, planning commission process.
14:06:57 We had one agency comment, which is our building division olycat and and 9 other public comments, and So we there's some questions about definitions that we can add and this
following bullet point point We have definitions you may wish to
14:07:19 consider like unhoused individual or person experiencing homelessness.
14:07:23 And then we have the question of If the city of port towns and can extend cities sewer with without a Uga boundary amendment next slide.
14:07:34 The planning Commission has provided their findings for The growth management indicators.
14:07:41 Looking at the vision statement, the comprehensive plan and mainly drew from the housing element next slide.
14:07:52 And so with the questions that We've brought to you about possible changes to the ordinance.
14:07:58 I want to briefly mention some of the significant changes that were made to the audience.
14:08:07 First is the planning commission's desire to have a provision to review this in 2 years.
14:08:15 The second was some amendment to the language regarding warrants and sex sex offenders, and how we address those, and talking with the sheriff and the sponsoring agencies.
14:08:27 And what the process is now. We We made the wording more succinct that the sponsoring agency and managing agency show.
14:08:38 Do their background checks as per their normal procedure.
14:08:43 And the statements that were in the original interim ordinance.
14:08:48 The sheriff said it really doesn't work that way and how they address the various different kinds of ordinance.
14:08:56 There are many different kinds of warrants. and So we did keep the language in there that if there is a active warrant or sex offender status that they can be removed from the
facility and that that the sheriff
14:09:11 would be contacted immediately. If that happens so the the end result is the same.
14:09:20 But the language is, is referring to what the normal process is.
14:09:25 Instead of trying to anticipate what the process might end up being and the other changes where the concern about having an egress window requirement.
14:09:35 If someone in a tiny shelter, that means that there's a window that you can push out and help someone inside, or something inside can get out of that window.
14:09:45 They're kind of they're seen as an expensive item. So a change that the building division made is if we have an outward opening door, it can be substituted for an egress window,
and so you can avoid the
14:10:02 egress window expense. If you make the door open the outside, and someone can push their way out, or you can.
14:10:09 Someone help assisting so many insight can open the door and get in
14:10:17 Also the question about fire extinguishers and there are maybe some residents that wouldn't wouldn't be good to have a fire extinguisher in there, or trouble with operating
it.
14:10:27 There's the provision to allow the fire extinguisher to be outside of the door on the outside of the of the structure.
14:10:36 And so those were to be responsive to questions that we got from Oly Cap, and and what they see is is difficulties implementing the strict sense of the of the building. code.
14:10:48 And then, throughout changing our language again as we discussed before so that's all of our for our presentation of the planning commission process, and where they we open
it up for questions.
14:11:01 Can you speak a little bit to the, I guess? The tenor of the comments, the 9 public cons?
14:11:06 Yes, I got a a summary here that for a cheat sheet and
14:11:13 These were comments that were received. I do have a packet of the comments as well.
14:11:19 No, so There are comments about the duration of occupying a site and we still have
14:11:31 So we extended the limits a little bit in the interim organs.
14:11:34 If you have a tent facility, you can be there for 6 months, and can be extended 2 additional.
14:11:42 So a year and a half in one site if it's a tiny shelter village.
14:11:48 It's you could be there for a year and an extension for 2 more years.
14:11:55 Total of 3 years on the site, and for a temporary facilities.
14:11:56 If we have a situation i'm just to compare this with the situation at casual ground village, our goal is to provide a more permanent facility at that site. and
14:12:08 So these temporary facilities would be kind of the the floaters, and when you look at where you can provide facilities that have access to food, bank transit and other services
that are needed, We We're generally looking toward our
14:12:25 urban growth areas or a rural village center areas to be in the fair and equitable proximity to services that are needed.
14:12:33 So. that's the results of of that consideration for duration of occupying a site.
14:12:44 The number of people allowed in the facility. We started with our first emergency ordinance, to just have 50 people in one place.
14:12:50 But places are so different from each other that we took out any limitation and let the site determine what the site can handle based on the acreage.
14:13:03 And we have specific setbacks and a spacing between tense Rb.
14:13:09 Shelters and such. So that maximum limit Isn't listed anymore.
14:13:16 I ask a question about the first count point you made about temporariness.
14:13:22 And then you mentioned casual brown and the intention that it's some at some point a permanent shelter.
14:13:29 How do we deal with the interim time? Is there hope that casual Brown will be a permanent facility within that 3 year window that you guys are talking about?
14:13:41 And if I make this couple of considerations one is that
14:13:48 We have started the process. we felt the board is desirous of that becoming a permanent facility.
14:13:58 I I be sense. That was the overall objective.
14:14:03 So with that objective in mind, we started looking at all of the different issues that should be looked at, and and in the terms of putting it into an Rfp.
14:14:15 That request for proposals. we have not completed that yet.
14:14:22 But we have identified all of the issues that the Board has identified the community as identified, and they include a host, a range of things.
14:14:32 And so we we will prepare that as an Rfp. to facilitate that more permanent housing.
14:14:43 And then You were just mentioning that the the limb no limitation on the number of people in a temporary site.
14:14:52 But is there a limit to the maximum number or a guide?
14:14:57 Guide bars for a maximum number of people.
14:14:58 Are we trying to? I mean I I read some. I read many of the comments because some of them came directly to us, and there seemed to be a lot of concern about the Max.
14:15:08 The the number of people. This would attract because we're creating space from these folks in our community, which which we have to.
14:15:20 But I I saw a lot of people asking that question is like, how many people? Yes, I should.
14:15:25 I should answer that better than than saying it's unlimited.
14:15:29 What i'm saying is the site. will determine holding capacity and the number of sites are going to be limited by our funding and availability of services.
14:15:42 So there, there's not a maximum capacity on a site, as you might see a fire marshal saying for a certain square footage in a room.
14:15:53 , yes, there's more of what the site can handle when you have maybe one or 2 people occupying each individual unit and and the spacing you need for units, you will come up with
that number that This site.
14:16:06 Can only handle number of people so it's not unlimited.
14:16:10 But we're also to take that further changes that were made from the interim ordinances that we letting the site also determine what the requirements are going to be for screening
rather than saying you must be able to 7 foot fence
14:16:24 which can be very expensive if you have adequate screening from a woodland or or a berm or some other side considerations.
14:16:33 We're providing more of performance standards because you need to be sure you're not affecting the neighboring parcel, and so it leaves a lot to the Udc.
14:16:43 Administrator. but by applying conditional use, criteria, which is in our code, we can kind of condition that. and say you, you must not impact your neighbor with noise.
14:16:54 Light glare. things like that. and and if they do then they're out of that they're not meeting their permit conditions, and things would need to change.
14:17:03 So it's it's allowing organizations to modify the way the site is developed bending upon the site.
14:17:13 Conditions. , right, and I want to point out that one of the areas that we're looking at extensively like.
14:17:20 On Friday we had a discussion with the Fire code specialist.
14:17:23 Who's been in consultation with the fire chiefs about the separation between tents?
14:17:30 Right now we have 10 feet. So if you have 10 feet between a 10 and each 10 is, say, 400 square feet, and you have parking requirements, You can easily fill out a site, and so
that will be the the upward limit as to what
14:17:47 capacity would be and it's somewhat similar to what we get to the growth area port. hadlock a lot of the sites are going to be constrained by the number of parking units and
the setbacks so we don't
14:18:01 tell them the maximum number of persons. what we we say well based upon what the land area, what you can have there.
14:18:11 And so, in some cases, and this is one of the areas that we, you can easily allow the site to have more people.
14:18:23 Then a developer can put into a site when you add the parking and the setbacks.
14:18:30 And so sometimes we, we we need to look at that to fine tune in, and so that upward limit there is a upward limit, but it will vary based upon the site. specific.
14:18:40 So I guess that's a I just wanted to make sure that's clear for the community given that there were so many questions about that.
14:18:50 I mean we're, going through it with casual brown which is using that 50 maximum limit which was in the temporary ordinance right?
14:18:57 And that's about the scale the maximum scale without going into large onsite septic systems, and a real scale up of infrastructure.
14:19:06 Since we're talking, at least right now, for this ordinance is only outside of any urban growth area that'll change a little bit when the sewer comes online.
14:19:13 But the get that that cap is still 50 is a pretty reasonable hop. expectation for what any of these manager campus might have.
14:19:25 This is my I guess my analysis of that. Yeah. And to summarize
14:19:35 The public comments in general. we we could compare both ends of the spectrum one being that these facilities can really save people and provide a sense of community and get
them back on track into housing into jobs and into
14:19:51 recovery. by providing the services, having some place for someone to hello, and rather than being in a tent in the woods and forgotten
14:20:03 This is a way that Jefferson County can connect people and help with the more of the root causes of the problem.
14:20:12 Now on the other end. There's a concern about this is going to lower my property value.
14:20:20 It's going to be a a bunch of near dwells that are going to impact the livability of of my home site.
14:20:28 Give him, give him a bus ticket and get him out of town, and so
14:20:34 We see the whole range of comments and Concerns that everyone from Seattle is going to come to Jefferson County, and we'll really have a mess by being welcoming and open the
concerns on the end of the
14:20:52 spectrum that we need to get rid of these people.
14:20:56 They need to get straight or go to jail.
14:21:01 This, these facilities that were proposing this kind of citing establishment and operation of these facilities under the guidelines in our development regulations, provide some
of the answer to that question of of some of the solution to that
14:21:20 situation that people are very concerned about. So the problem is identified, but part of the solution is in the proposal, and
14:21:31 We have had some. We have in our public comment a number of comments about Loftus Road, and no one understood what that was about.
14:21:42 We found out that someone had put up a sign with black balloons, saying, This is the site for your new homeless camp encampment something to that effect and send it out on Facebook
and other social media. So that was not true.
14:21:55 That's that's a misinformation and it's nothing that has been planned on from the county, and it's just to kind of elicit a negative response and to incite people to come out
against
14:22:12 it. But I think part of the solution of those who are concerned is developing a facility like this for giving someone a place to to to get back on track, and some of the comments
expressed that so very well of what community
14:22:29 means in in someone's mental health. If you've been if you lost your house to medical bills, and things and just having some place to get back on track is such a wonderful thing
I'd like to talk a little bit about proximity to
14:22:44 services we had con public comment this morning, I think I heard echoed, at least in the social media.
14:22:52 For around the the public hearing last week about encampment going in, and you know, Quilsting and Brandon, and far field of services, and I guess I just want to.
14:23:01 I thought there was legislation actually requiring, encampments that are offering supportive services to be near proximate to those supportive services.
14:23:11 But I guess, in my analysis of different locations looking for the causal brown.
14:23:17 In the first place, it's just not practical to have an encampment far away from the support of services that are clustered in our urban growth area.
14:23:24 So it was just. It was an impractical suggestion to even pursue. I guess.
14:23:28 I'm wondering, is there legislation that supports that idea.
14:23:32 I thought there was some. Maybe it didn't actually pass this year, but whether you heard anything from social service agencies, or or any stakeholders talking about the viability
of this kind of encampment farther from the support
14:23:45 of services that exist in in that, you know Port towns, and and to a lesser degree that you know, I I would point out that we are looking at that. We did get a comment from
and it was in fact, from Oly.
14:24:00 Cap. They identified Linwood as an example which may have services some 35 miles away.
14:24:08 The city center and so we're looking at that to see if of those do stand up to to challenge But at this point I can't really answer that with the authority of of legal support,
we're we're
14:24:26 still doing our due diligence there, I guess, following up.
14:24:30 Do you think it might be appropriate based? on the research you're doing now to consider proximity to services as as one of the criteria inciting only Oh, oh, yes, and I I wanted
to defer cause
14:24:42 planner joel Peterson has considered that equity and the term that he's used is equity, and so i'll pass the the ball back to his corner.
14:24:54 Yes, I think that should be an evaluation in our, and could be added to the code.
14:25:01 In our American Institute for Certified Planners are aicp code of ethics.
14:25:07 One is that we will not, that that we need to provide proximity services in so many words as if describes social equity and fairness to resources.
14:25:18 And We see this as an important aspect to provide services just to place these facilities in areas where people have access to them.
14:25:28 Otherwise we're not we're not meeting that ethical principle, and in the discussions of at all levels federal, state and local in providing homeless housing facilities or facilities
for unhoused is that's
14:25:46 that's a major discussion part, so it doesn't go unnoticed or unevaluated.
14:25:52 But we might consider codifying it it it all depends on on how easy the access would be great, I mean, and I can see, you know, Maybe there's a church out on the Hitler lens
that wants to do safe
14:26:06 parking, so I might want to use the encampment.
14:26:11 So I having a case by case criteria same seems seems the appropriate path.
14:26:18 I just that proximity is really important. here. sure.
14:26:27 Okay, so we are. We are property owners in the world town of Brennan.
14:26:32 And so that's kind of why we're here we have we are starting to experience
14:26:38 So home was this about? and the communities are kind of wondering.
14:26:42 Well, how is this coming about and what do we do about it and there's been maybe it's rumor that you know 4 counts, and it has over capacitated and homelessness, So they're
just giving up us tickets to
14:26:52 our absolutely rumor. there's always been Homelessness and Brennan.
14:27:01 I just wanted to and and so that's something we do.
14:27:09 We're gonna have. Okay, and through the Council through the chair.
14:27:16 I just wanted to point out that that's one of the benefits of having an ordinance like this is that if there are persons camping in the front of your home in front of your business,
with got an
14:27:30 ordinance. We can do nothing those persons as long as it's on the public right away front of your business or the public right away in front of your home.
14:27:40 We'll have no tools available to us to ask them to go to a shelter.
14:27:46 So this really serves a public purpose right i'll just point out the reason that this whole conversation started was because of the the unmanaged encampment at the faregrounds
that the Joel started with and finding well we can Kick them
14:27:57 out, and they're camping everywhere or we can find a place and increase dignity and and and better outcomes for folks while getting them out of that was unmanaged. areas that
are that create some impacts for the neighbors
14:28:10 as well as the the unhouse so I want to point out that we did have a public comment written on this agenda item, and we have another agenda item coming up in a few minutes.
14:28:21 I mean we're on a hearing. so we're not super timebound. But it would be good to ask folks where online if they're interested in making a comment.
14:28:31 And then we can let you guys make another comment in the room too, if you're interested.
14:28:34 But is there anybody with this today in the zoom room who would like to make a comment?
14:28:40 If so, use the raise hand, button at the bottom of the of your screen, and we'll bring you over for a comment.
14:28:50 See Barbara Mori I don't see anyone on the phone.
14:28:54 So i'm not gonna say that bit
14:29:02 Good afternoon. far. Good afternoon, You have 3Â min for public comment.
14:29:07 Thank you. First of all, thank you to everyone, Brett and Joel.
14:29:11 You and your committees, and all you have done a fantastic job of working on this ordinance, and really, as a member of the housing advocacy community, We really appreciate
all the effort that's gone in the only issue.
14:29:24 I have now remains with small terminology that needs to be word.
14:29:30 Smith slightly, for example, in one portion it talks about somebody being ejected from one of the campsites.
14:29:39 But i'm the opinion of the person who is the the site manager at that time, instead of opinion, because we're dealing with professional situations in possibly legal situations.
14:29:51 If we had judgment instead of opinion it's just it's that kind of level a words.
14:29:56 Nothing. Okay, it's not it's not a legal thing It's a thing that has a big impact on the dignity and respect for the individuals who are present couple other little tiny things
on the on the ordinance it Still,
14:30:09 says no cooking in the tiny houses and the tiny housees.
14:30:14 Almost all have microwaves. Okay, and we We tried to address this before, but somehow it passed by the idea of not having open flames and all sure that makes lots and lots lots
of sense.
14:30:25 But no cooking except in the over tent, over over large tan or the center place, and is not legitimate for what the situation really is in these tiny shelters, because they
do have refrigerators and
14:30:38 microwaves, electricity, and so on. So there are some words smithing things there.
14:30:43 Of that level that need to be addressed and beyond that, though, I think you have done an outstanding job, and I appreciate the Boards.
14:30:53 The Commissioners Review in the comments that you've been making so far, because you are dealing with both the the political reality with the comments before and in favor and
oppose, and the reality that of people in our community who are
14:31:10 facing a record amount of on on house situations. One other quick comment related to 2015.
14:31:20 The reason that year was so high is because that is the most comprehensive count we have ever done in this county. Thank you.
14:31:28 And and it was really we had 40 people counting. We had a phenomenal training session.
14:31:34 We did a joint. training also with cloud county we got out there, and we were everywhere, and we actually had a comprehensive. That was a real count, and it's the most comprehensive.
14:31:45 Call we've ever had so I will I will just comment on that.
14:31:51 But again, thank you to everybody for all of your efforts. and please know that from the housing advocacy community you are getting full support again with some things such
as words, Smith, thing that provides just a little bit more attention to detail that is
14:32:06 respectful, allows dignity and accepts the rights of the humans.
14:32:11 Humans who are unchalered at this time. Thank you.
14:32:14 Thank you, Barbara. good afternoon, Tom. you can unmute, and you have 3Â min for public comment.
14:32:26 Good afternoon it worked first trial this time. couple of things.
14:32:35 Yeah. first of all, thanks to to the staff. for for doing all this work. And you know the planning commission.
14:32:42 Awful lot of work gone into to this particular issue it's very tough problem.
14:32:46 Don't claim to have any solutions but I I do have some nimbi kind of concerns that that I wanna ask about
14:32:55 But first I was just looking at the Rcw.
14:32:59 That was quoted in the slide presentation. 36 o one whatever it is.
14:33:04 2 90, which is entitled Hosting the Homeless by religious organizations.
14:33:10 And then there was. but around that there was also the discussion about politically correct terminology, and what terms have become deemed to be offensive.
14:33:21 So homeless. For example. Well, whatever language you choose to use.
14:33:25 Unfortunately, the Rcw. still, has those kinds of references.
14:33:30 So just you know when you're choosing your language, it's important to harmonize the language in your ordinances with that used by the State.
14:33:41 I was also wondering, since that particular scw applies only to counties.
14:33:45 Is there a similar thing that applies to the cities so for example The county can't do Xxx.
14:33:52 But can the city of Port Townsend do something that the county is not allowed to do in terms of restricting usage, and so forth?
14:33:59 Something to to look at from a legal perspective the specific question that the Nimby question is, I just don't know how to read that use table in in part 18 of of the county
code it's really hard to understand so
14:34:15 I wanna know what kind of parcel areas, What kind of zoning is is gonna be allowed to to be used for citing of such such encampments.
14:34:27 You know How about? You know our R. 5, R. 10 R. 20.
14:34:32 What are the specific zones that are going to be allowed allowable use areas?
14:34:37 So if I get an answer to that, that would make me feel a lot better, and maybe make a lot of other people feel better.
14:34:42 Thanks, Thank you, Tom. It looks like either. Can we? Just so keep that fresh.
14:34:49 Do you mind if we get that question, answered the the use table
14:35:02 Thank you. We were just discussing that gonna share this micro microphone, Joe, and so as a first out we do have in our zoning ordinance a range of uses and those uses do expressly
call
14:35:22 out the terms that we had on the slide. So just as we have rural residential one to 5, one to 10, one to 20. We do have other zoning classifications.
14:35:35 So what that means is that if you if the board were to give us direction, that we should consider these sites essential public facilities, then any designated essential public
facility so zoned could potentially have that site
14:35:54 that's that homeless facility cited there and so does not molify Mr.
14:36:00 Tierce's nimbi concerns I see cause it could be could be r 5 could be r or 20 turns into a permanent homeless encampment potentially as an essential public and and what could
be done in the process of rezoning the rezoning process
14:36:20 is a process which involves the community, the planning commission, and it involves the board.
14:36:27 Especially if we were to as Joe has identified we're thinking of a a type 5 process which goes to the board.
14:36:36 In that case public and the commenter would be able to weigh in that.
14:36:43 Well, no, you should not be designating or or rezoning that to central public facility.
14:36:51 We do not support that but this site looks much better it's near services.
14:36:58 It it. doesn't have the potential for impacts or residential communities budding it.
14:37:05 And so we would be supportive of that so it's our anticipation that the the very type of public process that got us to where we are today would occur in the designation of those
sites.
14:37:18 There's a type 5 require a public here a type 5 does It's my understanding that our discussion about essential public facility and type 5 relates directly to casual brown village
as we're seeing the the need for a
14:37:34 permanent facility in Jefferson County the
14:37:37 The loss of the American Legion Hall in the future though our and so that that's the solution for an organization that wants to invest in a facility ordinances for temporary
and is silent on zones so they
14:37:59 could be in any of our zones real residential, or, you know, commercial or village center.
14:38:06 And that's part of why we have time limits in the ordinance is that it's temporary We're not specifying. zone.
14:38:15 Don't want to assume that every request for a facility is going to rise to the level of essential public facility.
14:38:26 As the organ says, it's a type 2 approval process which is administrative in DCD.
14:38:31 And for temporary facilities. Yes, and so we have to limit the time.
14:38:38 Otherwise we're creating a de facto zone and so most of these, are gonna fall into 2 buckets.
14:38:47 One is an organization that is investing a lot of money and land and infrastructure like Oly Cap. And that is the essential public facility, or somewhat of a floating zone.
14:39:02 Where these things are gonna occur. Yes, religious organizations safe parking sites.
14:39:07 And our temporary. So just to just to to say that most of these would be a type, 2 process administratively done and and just those facilities that would be permanent would
be essential.
14:39:21 Public. So So . oh,
14:39:32 So we have one more person queued up for public comment, and then I see another hand going up, and i'm just gonna make another announcement.
14:39:39 If anybody is on zoom, want to comment on the almost housing ordinance.
14:39:46 Please raise your hand using the raise hand. button at the bottom of the zoom screen.
14:39:53 Here's personal account. Okay? Okay, is there anything that brent or dol wanna say about the use table that you have displayed
14:40:08 The headers are for essential public facility, gives you a list of what has been currently identified or public purpose facilities.
14:40:20 Is at the bottom the table, There are areas that they are not allowed, like agriculture or forest for essential public facilities.
14:40:34 However, growth management acts is, no jurisdiction can block an essential public facility through their comprehensive plan.
14:40:42 Even So an essential public facility is going to maybe not fit into the table so well.
14:40:50 But it is a purpose and point in time. that is considered through a type 5 process, and if it's not already identified, it adds it to the table and makes it. a yes, use public
purpose.
14:41:03 Facilities. we have we see that Some of the conditional uses are not hearing exam decisions with.
14:41:12 Some are discretionary or administrative, and that has to do with the the intensity of use.
14:41:20 And size, perhaps. and so our table is reflective of the level of concern.
14:41:27 And so with a type 2 process, we always have this trigger that we can make it a type 3 requiring a hearing.
14:41:38 If there's some level of legal technicalities to address or if there's a lot of public concern about the particular project, we we can go ahead and have a hearing, so that's
those are the differences, we see in the
14:41:53 table based on on zones, and how much intensity of use they can handle.
14:42:01 And sometimes we'll do that, even for really complex shoreline projects will make it a type 3.
14:42:07 So there's a a group of projects that typically work necessitate a higher level of of review.
14:42:16 Okay, so we've got a couple more people with their hands up.
14:42:18 We are over time that we'll just go a little bit longer.
14:42:27 The key you're gonna have to accept the promotion to panelists to be brought over Peter.
14:42:32 You can unmute, and you have 3Â min for public comment.
14:42:38 Thank you very much. my name, is Peter Bonnian and i'm gonna express my appreciation for all of the work.
14:42:47 The done by DCD. the Planning Commission and the Border Commissioners, and crafting this well, I consider a groundbreaking ordinance.
14:42:57 The sheltered, unsheltered folks in our county now have a legal option with the potential that leads them to permanent housing with the support services that are being offered.
14:43:13 And i'm really grateful for all the work that's gone into it, and I support the ordinance as written at this point.
14:43:19 The modifications. Some of them that have been suggested today seem to fit quite well as well.
14:43:26 So I thank you again. and I am very appreciative.
14:43:30 Thank you, Peter Catherine. would you like to unmute?
14:43:36 Oh, hi, Katherine, you have 3Â min for public comment.
14:43:39 Great I didn't prepare any specific public comment. Mostly I I joined the meeting because I wanted to see the presentation, and I just wanted to express my gratitude to Joel
and Brent for such a thorough presentation kind
14:43:53 of talking about where we've started as the as the community the perfect storm that folks have weathered, and i'm just so grateful for all of the dialogue that has happened
between providers between the really
14:44:11 dedicated housing advocates between the commissioners who have been championing solutions up and down the housing continuum.
14:44:21 And so it's really great to see this ordinance in front of you and I missed a little bit of the presentation.
14:44:28 So just to clarify and question i'm just curious if you're voting on it today.
14:44:33 If there's another hearing just a reminder about the process. Thank you, Katherine. there's a hearing schedule for June thirteenth, which we said at the beginning of the meeting.
14:44:47 Yeah, Thank you very much. Yeah.
14:44:56 Vicki. Yeah, sign, Vicki Santaag.
14:45:00 And I too, wish to extend my gratefulness for the comprehensive work that has gone into this producing this final draft to the ordinance.
14:45:13 I. it's been a long call and I really appreciate the opportunity to participate along the way, because I think that many of the housing advocates have have really helped to
bring this ordinance to What it.
14:45:27 Is, and you see before you now, I just wanted to comment in 2 regards to the discussion today.
14:45:35 One was about the number people per facility, and I would like to point out that the research, and more most specifically a recent report from Portland State University, on
looking at tiny shelter villages, found that the ideal size
14:45:58 was like 20 to 30. and that is because these people provide a community for themselves, and it is much the community as it is.
14:46:11 The housing that helps people to get back on to or be able to get back on the path that's been recorded today today.
14:46:23 So I think that there's a congruence of of what the best size is, you know for both sides of the the issue.
14:46:33 So the other thing is i'm not sure what the rcw is but
14:46:38 There was a bill path in the 21 state Legislature Bill, 32, 20, and it's specifically prohibits counties and cities from prohibiting facilities and residential zones.
14:47:01 So I I think that should be added to the list of legislation that is referred to because that's a an important one, and speaks to the concern around.
14:47:16 Where, how seen where these facilities might be. Zoom.
14:47:22 So, thank you, Thank you for them all the work you're doing thank you.
14:47:28 You appreciate you showing up? Did you guys have another comment you wanted to make in the room?
14:47:33 No, I wanna say something to Joel I know he's been working on this tirelessly for a very long time, many, many months, and I have huge appreciation for the work you've done
and all of the comments you put up from
14:47:48 both sides of the issue and tried to wade through and make sense of You've done a beautiful job, and I really appreciate the work you've done specifically.
14:47:58 Yeah, yeah, i'll second that good really really good work and I appreciate you taking all all the inputs that you have from all over the issues.
14:48:05 And I want to share one anecdote really quickly.
14:48:08 I had heard recently that the since causal Brown village went in, that maybe there was more garbage on the Larry Scott trail.
14:48:14 You know it's hard to approve causation of course in these things, but went back to the the only cap about this, and they have now their volunteer. they've adopted the trail.
14:48:25 The Larry Scott trail there that section in front of it So they've got a team of volunteers that are coming out and picking up garbage from there did not happen when they were
at the fair Grounds I just want to
14:48:34 say to vicki's point that building community takes a supportive structure, and it's we've seen it real benefits from Causal Brown and the outcomes for for those folks who are
there and and that's a very
14:48:45 tangible one that felt pretty good
14:48:51 I just wanted to acknowledge that we did have a a planner provide assistance.
14:48:55 Who's not here today. planner Brian Benjamin, and I just wanted to thank him for that, and I was hoping that Joe might close with a an explanation of how the community can provide
further comment advance of the
14:49:09 board meeting. How? Where does it make public comment? And up until one time and Brent, we know that Brian is your secret weapon.
14:49:24 Yeah, you tell him we know that. Thank you, Brian.
14:49:26 Yes, they notice, for the public hearing will be will be published in the leader on June first, and that will open the comment period for the ordinance, and it runs through
the end of the hearing that takes place on June
14:49:41 thirteenth. So you can always send comments to me as the project planner.
14:49:50 That's Jay Peterson, J. P. e R. S. O. N.
14:49:54 At the county address that's why that us this next public hearing process.
14:50:08 So that will be from June first to June thirteenth.
14:50:10 You can provide your comments, and They'll be part of the of the hearing record at the Border County Commissioners.
14:50:18 Great. Thanks. you guys. thanks for coming in person. Yeah, , you run your bikes all the way up.
14:50:27 Did you guys ride your bikes from Brennan
14:50:37 Okay, So we are gonna get ready for our next agenda item, which is a workshop.
14:50:43 On human resources. recruiting in retention with our human resources.
14:50:47 Director Sarah melonson but we're gonna let these guys get there here, backed up
14:51:18 Hi, Sarah! hey! hi! We're a little late wait no worries ,
14:51:34 Hey! Are we ready to go? Should I wait a moment, I think, she would come back and watch later.
14:51:39 She has an appointment in the middle of the afternoon. so she's hoping to return before the end of this, and we'll review what she missed
14:52:03 Okay,
14:52:09 All right. I'm hoping you the the screen you see is just a slide that says recruiting and retention.
14:52:14 It is okay, great, and if at any time I kind of if the screen is messed up, let me know because i'm looking at different screens.
14:52:23 So it gets confusing alright. So i'll begin Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today about recruiting and retention in Jefferson County.
14:52:35 The goal of Today's workshop is to discuss where we are and our recruiting and retention efforts, and where we are going.
14:52:45 Jefferson County is comprised of 16 different departments, with different mandates, required to fulfill specific missions.
14:52:53 We employ custodians. They lift laborers, attorneys, maintenance technicians, administrative professionals, financial experts, building inspectors, elected officials, nurses,
equipment operators, sheriff
14:53:08 deputies and engineers and mechanics and planners.
14:53:13 While we are diverse in our work. What we all share is our commitment to serving the citizens of Jefferson County.
14:53:19 The people who pay our wage, and 2 and 4 whom we are responsible.
14:53:25 When a new employee starts work at Jefferson County they learn about our mission vision and values.
14:53:33 While this value statement was developed some years ago, its relevance today is not in doubt.
14:53:37 Employees learn that together we are responsible for creating and maintaining an environment.
14:53:43 Every, and service and integrity
14:53:53 Currently there's a total of approximately 352 employees spread across various departments and boards.
14:54:00 Our largest departments are public works, with 85 employees, public health, with 62 employees, and the sheriff's department, with 45 employees as of May. 20.
14:54:15 First, we are advertising for 18 vacancies, 15 full time and 3 part time.
14:54:19 Our clerk. higher positions,
14:54:24 Jefferson County is not alone and it's high vacancy rate, and challenges attracting new staff.
14:54:31 You may ask what has created these challenges according to an article written by Roy Mauer on May third of this year, and based on a Us.
14:54:42 Bureau of Labor Statistics, job openings and labor turnover survey available jobs across the United States rose to 11 and a half 1 million in March, 2,022.
14:54:55 The highest on record, and the number of quits or workers voluntarily leaving their jobs, reached 4 and a half 1 million people.
14:55:03 Also the highest on record. On a more local level there are neighboring and comparable counties, also experiencing high vacancy rates.
14:55:14 Why are there so many vacancies? and why are people leaving their jobs according to mauer's, May third article The record number of job openings are caused by many factors,
including the ongoing Covid 19
14:55:28 pandemic burnout because of the pandemic, vaccine mandates compensation and disengagement.
14:55:36 These vacancies, created by a high number of resignations, have created many more opportunities for folks looking for different work and higher pay.
14:55:45 However, compensation isn't always a primary reason people seek new jobs.
14:55:50 The pandemic caused people to reevaluate their priorities and rethink what work means to them, how they are valued, and how they spend their time in a June 20, fourth, 2,021
article
14:56:04 Andrea Sue writes that the pandemic had a profound impact on how people think about, when and where they want to work.
14:56:12 According to Sue, people are in search of more money, more flexibility, and more happiness.
14:56:19 In a January 26, 2,020.
14:56:22 2 article written by Dr. Donald Saul, Charles So and Ben Swag.
14:56:28 Factors for people seeking new employment also included greater recognition, inclusion, and respect.
14:56:35 Let's pick a ball that's right I mean what could be better than a work life balance, and being able to play.
14:56:43 Pick a ball on your break. The pandemic has also impacted Jefferson County.
14:56:51 The ability to recruit new employees is impacted by pay.
14:56:55 The housing market and lack of affordable rentals.
14:57:00 Although the county significantly increased, pay for all employees in 2,021, our compensation lags in comparison to nearby cities and larger counties.
14:57:10 However, we have many opportunities here as well, and compensation, as I said before, is not always the primary predictor in attracting staff values and service to the community
set us apart from many private employers.
14:57:23 We live and work in a place that contributes to a satisfying work-life, balance.
14:57:28 There are opportunities for outdoor recreation, hiking, biking, water sports, and the many festivals that happen throughout the year.
14:57:36 There are farmers markets, a thriving arts, community, and high levels of safety.
14:57:40 We are a rural community, with easy access to larger population centers and amenities, and in spite of the challenges that data shows us that we have been able to feel many
positions
14:57:55 If we look at what's been happening in the past 2 and a half years during the pandemic with Jefferson County employment, and that's shown here in the pink we can see that while
there have been many
14:58:09 separations. There have also been many positions successfully filled in the middle of the pandemic in 2,021. there were 52 separations from employment, but we had 62 new hires
and so
14:58:23 far this year, while there have been 26 employees separated from county service since January.
14:58:29 There have also been 25 new hires, and I thought it was interesting to look historically at the number of separations and new hires, and the years before the pandemic started
ranging between 25 and 26 separations a year
14:58:46 and kind of an average of around 20 new hires a year.
14:58:51 So that would be hiring of about 2 people per year.
14:59:00 So, in addition to the fact that we have 20 already hired, 25 folks in Jefferson County interviews and offer letters are underway for other positions.
14:59:12 We can all celebrate that the Department of Community Development is fully staffed.
14:59:19 After a long period of vacancies, however, we still have hard to fill positions, and one of our tasks is to get the message out about why Jefferson County is a wonderful place
to work
14:59:34 In response to the number of vacancies Hr. has taken steps to improve advertising and outreach to attract qualified applicants.
14:59:42 Action taken includes creating an account with, indeed, and posting Jefferson County job opportunities.
14:59:49 There creating a direct link to Facebook from the county website. pinning employment opportunities to the top of the county's.
14:59:58 Facebook page creating a new employment. icon on the county website to make job opportunities more easily located and accessible.
15:00:07 And we've included additional information about the value of our benefits like our medical insurance and retirement on a human resources.
15:00:15 Web page. We are advertised every position in work source the State's employment job listing which advertises all posted jobs on monstercom, and then coming up here in chimica
on may 26
15:00:31 there's a county job and trade fair and I really wanna call out the Public Health Department for for working on having a booth there, creating the materials and staffing a booth.
15:00:45 Well, they will be engaged in outreach for specifically public health jobs, but there also will be a flyer at their table for county jobs.
15:00:55 In addition to what i've already, spoken about we have a planned mailing of job opportunities that will go out with the recreation soccer program flyer, and that will land in
4,000 county mailboxes and
15:01:10 also on the screen. you'll see a new initiative to communicate who we are by highlighting information about current employees.
15:01:19 So i've been asking, and I will be asking for volunteers for employees in Jefferson County, who are willing to talk about their experience working here, and also about who they
are as people and I think we all know who's
15:01:34 in this photo. It it's a great photo yeah It's really fascinating.
15:01:44 So I've talked about the current, environment we're in We are living through a historic time with the Covid 19 pandemic, and Jefferson County is not alone as an employer.
15:01:56 Speaking to attract new employees. The next question is, How do we retain the staff that we have a survey of studies regarding the attrition regarding it?
15:02:09 Tradition reveals that money is not the only predictor for a person looking for a new job.
15:02:14 Rather people stay in their jobs when there is a culture of diversity, respect, collaboration, empathy, and engagement, and the sales and slide article I mentioned earlier.
15:02:26 They base a study on the results of 1.4 million users of the website glass door that rates company culture, and they predicted what would cause a negative review.
15:02:40 So the top predictors of a negative review were a lack of culture, a culture of disrespect, a lack of diversity, a lack of an engagement, a lack of training opportunities.
15:02:54 And situations where supervisors didn't have the back of their employees.
15:03:00 So what they found then on the positive side is that the best way to retain employees is to create and foster an environment of respect, integrity, diversity, and collaboration.
15:03:13 We are emotional beings. they write according to them the best way to retain employees is not about more pay, but holding more social events.
15:03:24 And then in July, 20, eighth, on July 20, eighth, 2,021.
15:03:30 Melanie Fillet wrote an article in Forbes Magazine, in which she wrote that the top predictors of employment retention were training and onboarding the lay wrote that a strong
onboarding process improved new higher retention by 82
15:03:44 percent. And she mentioned that in Linkedin 2,020 global talent Trans.
15:03:51 Report companies that rank highly for employee training. see 53% lower attrition training increases, engagement, retention and revenue studies show that employers who treat
people well have better operational efficiency and score higher
15:04:12 on profitability, and while, as a local government we don't measure success and profitability, we do measure success in improved productivity and the service that we provide
to our customers assistance and taxpayers of
15:04:27 Jefferson County as we look to the future we'll continue to remain focused on communicating and modeling culture and values respect, diversity and collaboration and appropriate
training for our staff, and in an onboarding process that welcomes
15:04:42 each new employee, and shows them the importance of their job.
15:04:47 How to do that job, and who we serve and maybe we'll have a few more barbecues, too.
15:04:57 So. Are there any questions for me? I I have one, Sarah. Thanks.
15:05:03 That was a really informative presentation. I learned a lot and and really intriguing to hear about onboarding and training.
15:05:10 I know we've traditionally maybe it's a little anecdotal.
15:05:14 I would say traditionally, had a problem keeping folks from that 0 to 5 year threshold.
15:05:20 And then, you know, we have once we get past 10 years we're great at at at retention.
15:05:26 So it seems like there's real opportunity there in the onboarding and training, and those kind of pivotal first 5 years, you know.
15:05:31 I think we We tried to address this with our collect bargaining recently, and added, You know, 5 year, so you already pay, or I forget what it's called the bonus.
15:05:43 So longevity. So I I really, you know, I I thought that was a great to bring that long journey down to get the people in 5 years, but I guess for all our departments, and as
an organization it seems like that really clear and
15:05:55 instructive onboarding and ongoing training is something that we should just highlight and try to, you know, amplify as much as we can.
15:06:06 Yeah, I agree with you and each department really we have a very large county.
15:06:13 And so I think what what i've heard in discussing our employment with folks is that we forget that we're huge.
15:06:20 You know we're out quite a large employer and each department really does a wonderful job for the folks that for onboarding specifically for their folks. and I think like just
engaging Hr contacts and developing that further
15:06:39 and also in really spending time with new people from a from the different perspective.
15:06:50 Coming to hr I think that is really helpful and what to me what's challenging is a lot of studies don't seem to show is that it's such a it's an art I think and not assign to
15:07:05 predict what people are going to do. So we have families and partners and things in our lives may change, and that I think that is another challenge of of employee retention.
15:07:23 I really appreciate the presentation sarah being relatively new. i'm still saying relatively new, but that was a lot of them things I did not know, so it was super helpful for
me and I kind of wondered I I don't think anyone's
15:07:37 in charge of onboarding county commissioners, but always always kind of wondered if there was like a handbook for for us.
15:07:48 I think that's really important, because so leader I mean it's like kind of this overview of information. the departments, the kind of employees we have who they are what work
they do the orientation to me towards service is
15:08:04 really critical. Because we do you know at the top of that organization. chart is the citizens of this county, which I think is really important, and to me that really colors
are our work environment here.
15:08:17 It's that's that's Why, we're here and that is really what can make this a great place to work because because it's not about just it's not about you know making a profit.
15:08:26 And and I would. And where was going originally was that you know the policies we have and our personal administration manual.
15:08:38 These are the tools of the trade, especially for those leaders who are supervising as department directors or elections. and these are tools that are just really helpful.
15:08:49 And I think having a you know, an improved onboarding process for for commissioners, and for that level of employee would actually be very, very beneficial.
15:09:01 Yeah, like jump in to say i'm sorry Mississippi. I look forward to watching it later tonight.
15:09:12 I but I really appreciate you you're you're bringing a lot of strategy and high level thinking to this work.
15:09:19 And it's it's just really really valuable one since you brought up the manual.
15:09:26 I do think it's when we have an opportunity to kind of do a bit of a dive into that, and see if there are policies that need them updating when we look towards the future workforce
which might look different than it does
15:09:40 today. you know it's like for example we think our manual. still says you're not supposed to do any text messaging, or you're not supposed to ride in vehicles with people who
aren't other county
15:09:52 employees and that's like there's some just some some modernization.
15:09:57 I think that's necessary. You know we wanna encourage carpooling, actually, and sometimes text messages are a really efficient way to send a transitory message.
15:10:06 So just like I I appreciate that you're bringing new thought to this department, and I think we could take a look at where our policies could help us.
15:10:15 Be better prepared for the future. workforce as well.
15:10:22 The addition of an assistant for our Hr. Director kristin and thanks to monte for offering up to cover half of her salary and benefits.
15:10:36 I think that has done a lot to allow Sarah to do strategic thinking and we're gonna see a whole lot more of that.
15:10:45 I don't even remember a time before kristen like she's been here forever.
15:10:52 Good hire. Hmm! great! Well, any other questions for Sarah.
15:11:00 Thank you so much you're welcome Thank you and we're gonna stick around for the next topic.
15:11:07 Correct. I am. so we're gonna move along to our consideration of edits to our temporary covid policies.
15:11:17 I think this is what the eleventh edit and to let I see a lot of folks on the line who are probably most likely here for the dnr Beaver Valley starts timber sale conversation
probably gonna be another
15:11:32 half hour for that, I would say just to give you guys little breathing room there.
15:11:39 So I think we're bringing philip over
15:12:01 Okay. Oh, he's coming over now, is anyone else as Well, Barbara coming over, or apple, or she is
15:12:15 See no i'm not I don't think there's anyone else coming for this.
15:12:21 But I haven't been honest team Oh, good so This is an agenda item that we are walking on today, and it's title being in the manner of adopting an 11 temporary county county
policy based on
15:12:40 emergency response to the Covid 19 pandemic and
15:12:45 We are considering changes to our policy, and I I think Philip is gonna run us through those.
15:12:51 Is that right, or are you doing that? gate i'll start us off, and then fill up may come in whenever he has the the good.
15:13:01 The information can you? Can you zoom in a little bit on the on the document
15:13:14 How's that? that's good alright so this is The matter of adopting an 11 eleventh temporary county policy based on risk emergency response to the covid 19 pandemic and we are
continuing to
15:13:38 adapt our response to Covid 19, as the environment continues to evolve, and the purpose of the changes in this document is to ensure the safety of the workers and the public,
as well as in to ensure the continuity of services to the
15:14:00 public. So, as was covered in the meeting this morning, the rates of illness to with the COVID-19 variance has increased.
15:14:15 We've seen an increase in employees who have tested bot positive, and the majority of these, if not all of them have developed this symptoms while they're at home, and then
they test at home and they call in they
15:14:32 say I we can't commit I can't come in i'm covid positive. so what's come up with this particularly out of raised by a public works department is we need a way to
15:14:49 ensure that we can keep our employees safe, and one of the biggest ways to do that is to use a mask to prevent the spread of Covid.
15:15:00 So. I'm, that is kind of in a summary what started this off?
15:15:06 And so the changes to this resolution is an answer to those issues.
15:15:13 So I'm, just gonna scroll through if at any time you'd like me to stop, or you have a question if you please, feel free.
15:15:24 This whereas section right here, and these 3 paragraphs refer to and add the Lni requirements, and El and I requires that we have that we provide a safe workplace for all of
our employees, and effective on april
15:15:47 20 first of this year, Ellen I. published requirements and guidelines for keeping workers safe, and and they write that although master no longer required for most workers except
for those in public health and corrections, etc.,
15:16:09 COVID-19 remains a public health emergency, and I recognize workplace, hazard.
15:16:18 And And so the whereas is relate to that Leni requirements state that in a minimum, employers must keep workers known or suspected to have Covid 19 from working around others
by following appropriate isolation.
15:16:32 Our quarantine guidance, and that employers must continue to assess the covid 19 hazards in the workplace, because the levels of hazard may change.
15:16:44 This depends on the amount of disease in the community how close workers are to each other, whether the worker or others, they interact with our vaccinated and ventilation.
15:16:55 When Covid 19 hazards change, employers may need to adjust their prevention measures.
15:17:01 And so what we're looking at with this eleventh policy is focusing on the need to adjust our prevention measures
15:17:12 And the way to determine whether there is an issue is to look at the dashboard that is listed on Jefferson County's public health website.
15:17:27 And what this resolution is requiring is that when their risk is high, based on that dashboard located at this website, link, all persons visiting the county facilities are
required to wear a face covering and employees would also be
15:17:46 required to wear a face covering, and a note from Philip was the suggestion that maybe you'd wanna consider the visitors to the county as a separate resolution.
15:18:00 But that would be up to the board
15:18:09 And just going back up to this the prior number here of what's being resolved.
15:18:22 The hybrid meetings would continue with reasonable safety if the dashboard, red, very low, low, or moderate.
15:18:34 So this meeting would not be hybrid today. I don't think so.
15:18:39 No, not based on this policy
15:18:47 And so that that those are primarily the change here up in the resolution area, and then scrolling down then to the temporary personnel policies.
15:19:03 And i'm just gonna look at the changes so we're going to get sick.
15:19:08 Employees stay home. There was a question about whether or not, to remove notification of the human resources.
15:19:21 Manager from notification by department director, or supervisor, and the discussion has led to leave this in.
15:19:32 It's really important that we have a way, to centralize this information, and, for example, in the courthouse, if somebody tested positive, and people may have come in a potential
contact, then I would only be the only one who would know that that was going on at
15:19:51 the department hits may not know. So it continues to be important that we have one centralized resource
15:20:04 We're continuing to follow the guidance provided by public health departments, testing flow, chart
15:20:17 And there's been changes here in the required and recommended face coverings.
15:20:25 He definitely definitions of vaccinated employee and unvaccinated employee were removed.
15:20:33 And now we're defining face coverings again, meaning a mask made of at least 2 layers circle mask, and then detailing what those mass could be as a face covering
15:20:51 And then we go into when our face coverings required.
15:20:56 When required by applicable federal, State, or local health officer requirements for a particular workplace setting, eg.
15:21:05 Healthcare providers correctional facilities, and this has already been in place.
15:21:09 Our new addition to this policy would be that when required by workplace specific COVID-19 prevention program for a department adopted under Section one E.
15:21:21 4 and one and we're getting to one e 4
15:21:31 When our face coverings required. while working or present indoors employee may wear county provided face coverings, or made or purchased by the employee, employees should consider
wearing a highly protective face covering and those are defined
15:21:53 above. And then there was this section which the public health director had a question about deleting, or possibly deleting employees shall keep cloth, face coverings clean,
consistent with Washington standard set by the Cdc.
15:22:12 So Her question was, This is not this would not be considered a cloth face covering would not meet the standard of highly protective face covering.
15:22:23 So there's a question about whether this would be left in this policy
15:22:32 When face coverings are recommended while working indoors would be when the risk is moderate for the dashboard. and then we go into the Covid prevention program.
15:22:45 And here we are requiring workplace, specific written prevention programs from each department director that addresses Covid 19 notification, reporting, and prevention measures
in the workplace to provide a safe and healthy workplace and to
15:23:02 reduce risk of transmission of Covid 19 to the workers
15:23:13 And on this this is something that actually was already put in place.
15:23:20 If the beginning of or toward the beginning of the pandemic.
15:23:23 If I remember that this had already been a requirement by L. and I was to have workplace, specific written prevention programs.
15:23:31 And El and I does have a sample of this on their website, and also the county also had a workplace prevention.
15:23:41 Covid prevention program. and this case, though part of the discussion leading up to this was that it provides the department Director the opportunity to assess what that is
for the workplace.
15:24:01 So, for example, in the public works road division they're requirement for masks. masking may be different than another department or another division, and maybe they would
only require masks at certain times during the operation.
15:24:20 There during their day,
15:24:25 In addition, employees operating, or on the property or other of any other business, would be required to comply with the face covering requirements elsewhere.
15:24:42 And in this section here's a subsection 6 no threats or adverse actions, employees are prohibited for taking or threatening to take any adverse action, against any business
or person, or other entity, or tenant or
15:24:58 imposing face, covering requirements, or on requiring proof of vaccination.
15:25:06 Face covering not required for employees while working outdoors unless required by the Covid 19 prevention plan.
15:25:13 So I have a question there. Yeah, the Covid prevention plan different than the Covid prevention program?
15:25:18 Or is that just a typo I think that's just the same thing?
15:25:23 Okay, So it should be program, I think. And then the next sentence, too.
15:25:44 And so we have an updated link here about where to get more information from.
15:25:49 L and I
15:25:58 We did have a comment that the Board may want to discuss again the 40Â h of paid sickly for employees who are sick or quarantining so just throwing that out there as a reminder.
15:26:14 And then in this last section 4 sentence was proposed by public works that stays applicable federal, State, or local health officer.
15:26:27 Requirements may require face coverings and healthcare settings, locations required by federal law, correctional facilities, and all locations.
15:26:34 So this is list is not ex exclusive, and is subject to modification by federal, state or local officials.
15:26:43 Philip, I see your hand up has it been up for a long time.
15:26:47 I'm sorry I didn't look I see both hands up. Okay, So I just wanted to add a few things. Thanks, Sarah.
15:26:57 That's a great job. on the visitor part the reason that I said you might want to wait or have it be a separate resolution is that's how we had it before.
15:27:11 And you may want that may want to consider having public comment on that before you adopt it.
15:27:16 So it's it's tied to the to the dashboard as well.
15:27:21 That's an That's a new idea that came from the city of Port Angeles.
15:27:26 That actually Heidi forwarded to me and so I tried to integrate it into this.
15:27:33 And then that's true for the the opa provision as well.
15:27:39 They have. They have a tied to their dashboards on.
15:27:43 When it. If you're looking for it here it's in the adopting ordinance paragraph 2 I think.
15:27:54 That's how they that's when They decide whether you're gonna have not gonna have a hybrid hearing that's sort of the trigger for them
15:28:03 And then I just wanted to say that this discussion came up because there was an outbreak in an apartment, and a demonstrated need to make some changes, and and that discussion
started in the covid coordination
15:28:25 meeting on Friday. So we really got this turned and out pretty quickly.
15:28:33 And thanks to really, Kate, for turning it around on on Saturday morning or late sun or late Friday night, around which but we were able to turn it pretty quickly. and I think
there are change circumstances.
15:28:56 We do need to do something different, and that's why we're presenting this today?
15:29:02 Particularly with the high levels of transmission that are going on right now.
15:29:10 Can I ask what kind of consensus there was at the covid coordination meeting on Friday?
15:29:15 Yeah, I wanted to jump into that a little bit. Just talk about the the discussion we had on Friday.
15:29:21 So it was. It was a great conversation it's always our directors and elected are
15:29:28 You know very forthright and i'd say there are a couple of outstanding questions.
15:29:35 So. one is whether, if and whether we want to require the public to mask when they enter county buildings, and then the other, which I was a little surprised in this version.
15:29:47 That that we had specified in the temporary employee policy under twob that that county employees are required to mask when we're at high high risk, because I don't remember
there being consensus on that I
15:30:02 remember the consensus being the department director. could Choose to implement that you're required to wear a mask that Then the department director can have a plan that says
you don't have to we're gonna have 16 different departmental
15:30:21 plans, and do the those have to be submitted to someone thatted and approved
15:30:27 I'm Not sure we won 16 individual written plans So yeah.
15:30:37 So i'll try to respond to that so the the the there, I think there was a consensus at the meeting about individual directors having response.
15:30:48 They're having the the power to implement their own Plans So that's why?
15:30:57 That that covid 19 prevention program languages in there.
15:31:03 It's designed to be department specific it's it's language based?
15:31:12 That's only slightly modified as proposed by one of the departments and and and so that's that's why it's there I don't think it's so so So that's that on.
15:31:28 The if you decided to make the the the trigger of everybody masking up
15:31:41 When when the dashboard shows its hide that would trump some limitations that were in the in the in the Covid program that was in t.
15:31:52 That was the intent of it. so that's a choice for for this board to make a policy choice.
15:32:04 And that's teed up in this document yeah I I think we should.
15:32:13 We should definitely call that out, and i'm like looking specifically in the temper or the employee policy under E to B, which was that that was a new addition that I I don't
feel like we had a lot of buy in
15:32:27 from the departments on, so we should discuss that also.
15:32:34 Wanna mention me to talk quite a bit about return to work on Friday and The new Cdc guidance, or the Cdc.
15:32:41 Guidance is now inserted here for return to work.
15:32:44 I realized we did forget half of the Cdc. guidance, which is that if someone tests negative well, the testing part we added.
15:32:52 So right now. Cdc says, after 5 days your symptoms are improving.
15:32:56 24Â h from a fever you can return. It does not say with testing, we that there was consensus in the group to require testing.
15:33:04 To return to work, but then we probably should include the Cdc.
15:33:09 Guidance does call for masking until day 10
15:33:13 And so I think that's an important addition we should make today as well.
15:33:19 And I there. There was good consensus around adopting that return to work.
15:33:23 Is some conversation around how to deal with co-located departments that have different requirements.
15:33:30 For example, of public Health and DCD. and we we went with the language to consult, just to, you know.
15:33:39 Allow the the department directors to consult and figure out the best way to handle potentially different masking requirements.
15:33:47 It seems like if we're going to have potentially different masking requirements, different departments.
15:33:53 It's a kind of high bar to required the public to come in and wear a mask in all the departments.
15:33:59 Yeah, you can look at it both ways it's interesting and i've played around a lot with it, you know, because public is here for a short time, so their risk is different.
15:34:09 And yet the public could very well bring you know unknowingly.
15:34:16 I'm willingly bring virus into county office and it is the workers who are required to be there and interfacing with the public.
15:34:24 So it's you know I think that the but I can't keep coming back to is our requirement to keep our staff safe.
15:34:31 So I mean this is happening we're talking about this because we have had departments.
15:34:38 Have to shut down Basically, yeah. And we want to maintain county operations.
15:34:43 So no one, no one's excited to be having this conversation.
15:34:48 So I think the public, whether to require public to mask, and that e twob are my 2 outstanding concerns.
15:34:56 And then the addition of that masking till day 10 for return to work.
15:35:01 And where would that be inserted? in here so Let's see Return to work?
15:35:05 I think is
15:35:16 , Okay, So if that is under in the second part of the document, the employee policy B to E: Oh, yeah, okay. Place of Covid must isolate may return to work as follows:
15:35:35 So, Sarah, if we could in that section , if employees return before day 10, they are required to mask until day 10.
15:35:47 That's that's the cdc guidance do we have apple, by the way.
15:35:54 Yes, we Well, we did. Okay, you can cry apple alright i'm a cursor.
15:36:03 I do concur, I think it's a good addition and I think it's important
15:36:13 You know, and as usual, but especially in this period of the pandemic, the
15:36:21 The The conversation on Friday was so much around. How much do we, you know, provide fairness and consistency versus providing flexibility for very different work.
15:36:32 Environments And so yeah, I was a little inclined to go with the flexibility, knowing that we have really thoughtful department directors who don't want to lose their staff
and have to close the office.
15:36:47 You know So I I would be inclined to to scratch e to be the the the all staff have to mask in high risk, and let departments make that decision.
15:37:02 That's part of their prevention program yeah exactly So we'd be removing this right here. A.
15:37:10 T. V. E. to B. Yeah. my preference.
15:37:16 And just from what I I heard from our departments,
15:37:23 So that's then we're just leaving it to the departmental discretion.
15:37:28 But others might disagree on That's my and I think that's a good starting point.
15:37:37 It was Marquis, the Covid prevention programs by department.
15:37:42 Right. Yeah, and we hear mark's hesitation with managing 16 of those which will probably be changing as the pandemic continues to evolve also is a fact that is just the nature
of this Unfortunately, you know and sarah you said
15:37:59 there's a a template or boiler plate of some sort from L.
15:38:02 And I for that. right? So that'd be helpful always to start from scratch. tidy, what do you think about scratching that moving it to the prevention program in the director's
discretion Yeah, Yeah, I think i'm fine
15:38:21 with that. Okay, So what about public masking county offices?
15:38:31 That one. It seems we could not do department by department maybe building by billing.
15:38:38 But even that's well how much do we think that I mean it comes down to the departments that have been closed lately, and we hear from the public how frustrated they are!
15:38:49 The departments are closed, because of covid I mean? how much is public masking or not masking a causal effect of departments being closed like what?
15:39:01 Or potentially. Yeah, what's the risk of the public getting in on masks?
15:39:06 Do we have a sense of that apple. I Guess I mean I can't speak for public works? but it seems to me that
15:39:21 The data question here is how high there's always a risk But how high is the risk for the public coming in in their interface with our staff unmassed?
15:39:30 What I understand so far, and of course I don't know all of those situations by any means.
15:39:37 But as you started this discussion, Sarah, you did say that you know the preponderance of cases we have had.
15:39:45 Have been contracted at home. and then people have been out with symptoms, or have tested knowing that there are positive that they're a close contact, and our positive that
are asymptomatic I I don't
15:39:59 know that we have a hundreds of evidence saying that our employees contact with the public is really a main source of contagion.
15:40:10 So I I mean that is not to say that it's not a risk.
15:40:13 And obviously I want to be mindful of the fact that to varying degrees you may, on a daily basis, interact with the public in under 15Â min.
15:40:23 In every single case depending on the work you do, or you may have other circumstances.
15:40:28 Where you sit, one on one with someone for much more extended periods, in which case some of the other parts of this policy apply like adequate ventilation and spacing and virtual
options, etc.
15:40:42 But I I am a little My feeling about asking the public to mask is complicated.
15:40:49 My my go to is that if department directors are instructing their staff to where high quality mass of the ones that have been noted in this policy at a certain risk level county
wide that in effect is protecting the person wearing
15:41:05 the mask and that's an important feature to remember, especially in light of a circumstance where we may decide that we are not gonna Ask the public to mask that we will.
15:41:19 But department by department mask, depending on at the discretion of the the director.
15:41:25 I guess all that is to say is that there's risk in any circumstance.
15:41:31 But we have to weigh what is the greater risk, and and how we can achieve
15:41:37 The most safe scenarios for our staff, and I just like I find that such a bummer cause we know how unpopular it would be if we ask the public to mask and yet you know asking
them to ask for
15:41:51 the 5, maybe 30Â min they're with us is like if that provides a level of protection, especially versus folks having to wear it 8Â h a day at work like to me.
15:42:04 That's such a small ask. but we know that the public is really pumped up about this issue.
15:42:12 And I mean observing the security is right in front of our office. right?
15:42:17 So we see people come in and I think, changing our process.
15:42:23 Will that affect the policies a little bit I mean i'd say at least half folks come in prepared to mask and ready to mask and willing to eagerly mask I would say, and I think
our you know a recommendation that you
15:42:34 mask indoors has been, not really a recommendation.
15:42:37 So if we just adjust that and if we have staff masks with people, come in and say, master, recommended you know, gonna be here for a few minutes.
15:42:45 Here's your mask that's a lot different than saying yeah, it's recommended, but I wouldn't do it.
15:42:49 I'm not new. It so I think there's a without making a mandate to come in there.
15:42:55 We can still increase what is all already a pretty healthy, masking amount of the public.
15:43:02 And still, you know, as we say we Haven't had any evidence of of the public bringing Covid in that I've forgotten.
15:43:09 So do we ask security to mask because first people you see any command, Security if they're not that's sending.
15:43:27 Not easy, is it?
15:43:28 Not easy, is it? No, But i've been putting my math done a lot more lately, as the case counts.
15:43:33 I mean the last 3 weeks, i've just been for the everywhere going. I'm and i'm noticing a lot more. everyone not having masks on, and i'm just like does everyone not know that
our case counts or on the
15:43:44 uptick. people are done people I know are getting sick, and they're really getting sick, and I got second I wear a mask.
15:43:54 I was thinking of you, and I said that, so I ran my quality mask all the time.
15:43:57 When I got really sick that's yeah there's no clear lines in the sand.
15:44:08 And is there no demarcation Now, when you're working by yourself like if you're working in an office, you're still supposed to put a mask on Well, it gives consideration to
the plan calls out program calls cause that consideration for
15:44:19 ventilation workplace facing, you know it does list those
15:44:33 I mean, if you go back to the where else? Quad is in the L.
15:44:37 And I, Dale, and I allow, whereas classes I mean allowing unmasked public, and to our facilities, does that ensure a safe workplace?
15:44:54 Are we, but that's why, I think the bonus is on us is to have workplaces that can adapt to the given environment.
15:45:02 So the courts already have a more string of standard than we do, because, you know, it's often people talking in close quarters.
15:45:09 They have have had to maintain a stricter protocol.
15:45:15 And the same is true for public health when we have clinic visits. Our clinic rooms are 10 by 10. so we have ventilation. but we know that we're with people even with their
masks on for
15:45:27 a longer proximity in a closer environment, where you cannot spread out any further.
15:45:31 And but I will say, given that I mean Health Department is entirely a healthcare facility by designation.
15:45:40 I have not, and I wanna speak to Christian brotherson's notion something to keep in mind if you if you embody this, or model it at the you know the entrance and precipice of
your department.
15:45:55 It really can help. People actually can surprise you so where I understand cyclically. People might expect a healthcare facility to still remain masked, and we do have that
going on in public health.
15:46:08 I I don't believe i've heard an totally that in environmental health, which is part of our building.
15:46:14 I don't believe they've ever had and they're required to have their folks mask as well when they come in the building because our building is we're all one unit.
15:46:23 They have not had any resistance to that by the public.
15:46:25 So just saying that, push your brunch, and you you have a point.
15:46:30 I think people are more people than we may realize are willing to mask it.
15:46:37 Just is a matter of not persuasion. but leaning by example and making that offer at the door, making the signage really clear and the supply to put a mask on.
15:46:46 If you'd already have one available at an arm's length and I'm speaking about the public here
15:47:04 Yeah, even that could be word in around keeping our employees safe.
15:47:09 No, I mean if we're trying to take action on this today departments have asked for clarity i'd say today i'd be comfortable pulling the public requirement, and and pulling the
you know the e
15:47:27 2 v. or whatever you said so really we're just I'm right, adding the covid 19 prevention program, capacity, right and return to work and for public meetings.
15:47:41 So i'll work. yeah those are the 3 yeah So i'll work.
15:47:47 Yeah, those are the 3. Yeah, I think those are all all good. So still retain a little bit of flexibility, and if we need to make a blanket decision, we can do that next week.
15:47:50 But , 2 weeks, all right, yeah, I would.
15:47:55 I guess I I I would like to know there. was a lot of risk in the public, not in public, not masking, but I I I don't have the sense that that has been a source in workplace,
so
15:48:12 i'm also fine, with not including that for now and if it that turns out to be.
15:48:19 If i'm wrong absolutely, we come back and reconsider that, and we might see other jurisdictions start to do that, too,
15:48:27 Okay, I have time with that as well. So many other you can probably make the most coherent motion.
15:48:35 Any other edits we have talked about are things that we need to consider.
15:48:40 Zack I I that's all I can think of at this time.
15:48:44 So maybe in this we could just use. Persons visiting county facilities are encouraged to wear a face covering
15:48:55 So it's not mandating that face covering Yeah, just starting from that last bit, which is what we already had. right.
15:49:04 Yeah. and then kind of facilities are a crystal we're face covering on covid 19 risk is moderate blah blah blah.
15:49:11 So just leave that last bit yeah let's say if we're gonna keep that we should say moderate or high.
15:49:17 My moderator, I yeah monitored about Yep:
15:49:25 Are. Are you looking at page 4 is that what you're looking at , and then on the signs recommending visitors that recommend visitors where a face covering
15:49:46 Which is what we have up now. right Yeah.
15:49:58 Strike record required in that sense
15:50:03 Yep: right? Yeah, I would. Strange then, the first sentence there too.
15:50:10 Person's visiting county facilities are strongly encouraged, or recommended, and that in that sense it only says, Hi, when the risk is high and you guys were just talking about
moderate, or I
15:50:29 Scratch them, Scratched all that. Oh, okay, Sorry I was looking at ,
15:50:39 Could we be? maybe just trying to be consistent with? Does it matter for recording or encouraging what's I would suggest using the word recommend?
15:50:51 That is the language that's on the signage and that's Dr.
15:50:54 Barry's specific wording just for consistency that's my suggestion.
15:51:00 Anyway. So does that mean that we take the signs down when it's low
15:51:12 Cause every day we're gonna have staff checking the the dashboard put them up.
15:51:16 Take them down So maybe just recommend that people wear masks when they come in which is what we have right now.
15:51:32 Yup i'm fine with that just take out the word moderate that are re eliminating 2 d as well. let's let Sarah catch up with us.
15:51:42 Did you hear what we're saying, sarah which one is that one Yeah, back up to where we were.
15:51:49 Yeah. that instead of linking it to the moderator high on the dashboard.
15:51:56 Recommended to wear face covering for the duration of the emergency.
15:52:03 We say we don't wanna link it to media moderator high, because then we have to revisit it when we're low again.
15:52:26 Sorry you were looking at a different one.
15:52:31 Did I get that in the right place no you're you're in the now.
15:52:38 Therefore, on page 3 of 6, where it says when worrying a face mask is required.
15:52:44 We're not requiring it. now, unless it's part of the prevention program of a department that's a blanket statement, so is that in the whereas this section or below Hello, and
in which section A.
15:53:06 B. Mark, you said that was on page 3 that would be in the whereas clauses
15:53:18 Okay, yeah, So here we are, page 3. And what section mark?
15:53:26 Well, I thought we were we, we weren't making it a requirement Yeah, that's kind of blanket recording it, and , that's been pulled, and you know b says when it's higher they've
already.
15:53:40 Passed it's been cut out? Mark we took the out okay, Well, what about D?
15:53:47 So that's saying when it is required because it is above and a few, we're applicable Federal State requirement.
15:54:00 Okay, we're good Okay,
15:54:07 And the part about where we wanted to move the 2 be down and give it to Department on 3 when we're there. since we took out the requirement based on or employees to wear masks
when it's high then you
15:54:23 might want to do something with 3 as Well, or it's recommending it when it's moderate.
15:54:31 Moderate or high, that would work. yeah or again, do we just always, I mean, do we always wanna recommend right?
15:54:45 The current policy is, masks are recommended, and that was even when we were below 200 or the threshold was to go to moderate during during the public emergency.
15:54:58 Not wait, so you could stop after should wear face face coverings while indoors.
15:55:05 Yeah, Yeah, Period:
15:55:41 So under 4 do Are we adding something about giving departmental discretion?
15:55:51 That's what that's all about isn't it We have an added each department director will develop an approval workplace specific written covid 19 about when covid 19 risk is high
per the dashboard.
15:56:03 To be above. We were going to move down into the .
15:56:10 Prevention program departmental prevention programs. But we talked about about 17Â min ago.
15:56:15 I think we wanna give them more flexibility, though, because, like there could be an outbreak with a ton of cases in a department, and we might not be in high status so I think
we should have that flexibility
15:56:23 and any, so we will just not worry about 2 B. for now
15:56:34 Tracking my notes. If you're gonna pass this today, you may get some questions by department directors that you could we could call pointed up next Monday.
15:56:44 If you have to. we're off next more yeah like okay, 2 weeks from Monday, , i'm happy if there's something on the cute need to have a special meeting if that's you know just
to to me too, there's some unintended
15:57:00 consequence i'm a thirty-first
15:57:09 You got those? Yep: Okay.
15:57:18 Is that everything? I think it looks good good looking sausage.
15:57:29 Okay, we Sarah apple billy you think we're good to go. think it's the best you can do and still pass it today.
15:57:40 Oh, that's not a very high standard I think it's improved drastically since less Friday, and I think there's there may be more. but I think those right the best we can do motion
yeah,
15:57:59 I'll make a motion I make a motion to approve and adopt an eleventh temporary county policy based on emergency response to the covid 19 pandemic as edited today.
15:58:13 I'll second all in favor. Hi, hi and that includes the temporary employee policy resolution. is that right? that doesn't need to be passed separately.
15:58:28 Yeah. great, Thank you. Well, thanks, everyone. It was a lot of
15:58:34 Back and forth over the weekend Sorry about that.
15:58:38 , we got it across the finish line. Thank you for putting in the extra effort, everyone , one better of having insomnia with Covid
15:58:56 Okay, So thanks everyone by Sarah , I fell up by apple.
15:59:04 I don't think we're bringing anyone over on trees. I have one group i'd like to bring over at some point to talk about when public comments going to come and what the process
is for this this this particular
15:59:17 conversation. 33Â min I was just told Should we start with public comment? I can my guess might be able to come over with public comments as well, sure, because we haven't had
any so Okay, So alright.
15:59:52 I have to bring my screen back up. Sorry. So if you were interested in making public comments on the Bever Valley Source Timber sale.
16:00:05 The conversation we had last week regarding potential inclusion and Dnrs carbon pilot. Jeffrey Jefferson County's interest in older forests.
16:00:18 You know the general theme here. please raise your hand so I can get a sense of how many people are here with an interest to make public comment.
16:00:28 Thank. Can we just talk a little bit about? are we are you thinking of passing this today?
16:00:33 We're hoping to get this to the ordinary resources and Dnr.
16:00:39 Before June first correct before their June seventh meeting.
16:00:42 So this is our only chance to We do have a meeting on June 6, Okay, So I see 8 hands up.
16:00:57 So I think what i'm gonna do is provide 2Â min each for public comment.
16:01:03 At this point. Okay. Still, I can Still, if if you keep telling me how much time i'm not gonna have as much time.
16:01:15 Okay, So so we're gonna bring you guys over as you your hands went up.
16:01:21 We'll start with Frank Ed and Tim and we would love your input on this set of issues,
16:01:34 Is your person in that list great? I can guess who it is.
16:01:41 Goodness gracious! he's transforming it every time with a completely different hair, Do , 2 days ago.
16:01:51 Doing. Train spotting, I think, is the next play. Good afternoon, Superintendent Redman, You have 3 2Â min for public comment.
16:02:03 I will try to be brief brief. First of all, thank you very much for allowing me to join you today.
16:02:07 I realize you have a very busy agenda and the meeting is running quite for quite some time already.
16:02:14 So. I I have a little bit of knowledge about the work that you're going to be engaging around this discussion, so i'll keep my my comments fairly broad first of all I believe
that our folks at dnr are doing
16:02:27 a great job of making sure that force are sustainably maintained.
16:02:32 They're striking a balance between the needs of the the environmental concerns and the economic concerns of keeping healthy force working for our various public agencies.
16:02:44 That benefit from these working forests? and I believe that, shifting that balance away to have all preservation and no harvesting of those forests shifts the harvesting of
trees to some place that may not
16:03:01 be as well controlled and managed as what our Dnr folks are doing.
16:03:05 So my concern with not being able to harvest in the areas that Dnr designates as being ripe and ready for that work.
16:03:13 Shifts that taken down trees that that may cause more ecological damage over the longer run, and over a a broader spectrum than just maybe Jefferson County, or even Washington
state that's my one comment my second count and that's me as a as
16:03:28 a person living in Washington State in South County and Jeff Jefferson County, where, where we see when these 3 harvest happen, it it makes a pretty big visual impact on our
environment.
16:03:40 Now wearing my superintendent hat as a beneficiary in our junior taxing district.
16:03:48 From the harvest of our our trees. It is a vital resource for some districts, especially like will seen when we have harvest that happen.
16:03:59 That income that comes into the district allows us do things that we are not otherwise able to do.
16:04:04 In the past. 2 years ago we received a little more than $300,000 in forestry money, and that allowed us to do critical work.
16:04:13 That has been long-term expensive. maintenance. things that we just can't fit into our budget. Otherwise, it's a critical resource for some districts like ours.
16:04:20 I recognize that it's not like that for all districts Jimmy come Doesn't, necessarily depend on this from what I've heard.
16:04:26 But cocaine is in kind of a different place It's a bigger impact for us.
16:04:30 If we were not to get that that would that would cause strain on our system. so I don't want to run over my time.
16:04:36 So i'll leave it at leave it. there. Hi Okay, and Chief Manley.
16:04:48 Hi! Thank you guys for letting me speak to Manley Fire Chief with bringing fire.
16:04:55 I would like to just reiterate what the superintendent just said.
16:04:58 These funds are very critical to junior taxing districts.
16:05:02 We. We rely on these funds that come in they help support our operations.
16:05:07 And so if you guys would like to know more about it and get together with the Fire chiefs and or the Fire Commissioners, we would love to get more in depth with you.
16:05:18 I know we only have 2Â min as commissioner redman or i'm sorry, Superintendent Redmond just said.
16:05:24 These are vital to us. they're part of Our Budgets We count on them to provide emergency services.
16:05:30 Ems fire responses, bile landfires etc so I'd like you to seriously take the consideration of that that point.
16:05:40 Thank you, Thank you, Mr. Bowen. Good afternoon. Good afternoon. Good afternoon, Commissioners.
16:05:51 First talk. I want to again begin by saying public comment is not public discussion, and a workshop should be discussion and not just comment.
16:06:02 So all I can offer you today, in this short Drill is what you didn't offer me last week when you had other citizens that were invited to give discussion, and we Weren't allowed
to do that so with that said i'm
16:06:15 left with a mystery. You got 4, supposedly at 14,000 acres of State Force transfer lands.
16:06:22 You want to pull a 1,400 of those under a Legacy Force type of definition, under what I assume is going to be this carbon project of 7,500 acres that the Public Lands Commissioner
wants to promote I would
16:06:35 have you consider whether she has a legal authority to do that, or whether the board and natural resource needs to make that determination.
16:06:41 Secondly, my suggestion, all along with the Third District Commissioner, was, our schools need support.
16:06:48 Well, the law is standing in the way along with Beaver Valley sort.
16:06:53 She also had a common school trust sale at the same time all that money goes into a center pot in the State, and most of that money goes to Cain County. Why aren't you chain
advocating to change the law to keep that common school.
16:07:06 Trust land funds within the county and let the county decide with school districts within the county.
16:07:14 How to use that fund. Then you wouldn't be asking my wallet for a school bond to build an elementary school, and you have solutions there, so that that's been my suggestion
all along, and I really wanted to discuss what can be
16:07:25 changed in the law overall I hope. you go forward today with recommending back to the Board of Natural resource, that you don't have an interest and reconveying the land back
to the county for the purpose of a park and
16:07:38 I say, P. A. Rk. because you're not defining what a park is going to be in your discussion.
16:07:44 So far, so those are my comments. I do advocate discussion further on this.
16:07:48 Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Bowen. Next hand up is Patricia Jones. Great over Producer Jessica.
16:08:00 Neat. Did you guys hear that, Patricia Jessica?
16:08:02 He!
16:08:08 Commissioners. Thank you for the opportunity to comment this afternoon specifically on the topic of the workshop.
16:08:13 I'm. Dr. Patricia Jones, living closely in Washington, speaking on behalf of the Olympic forest Collision building on the important comments from the junior taxing districts,
I'm speaking formally in support of the
16:08:23 draft letter, requesting the Bnr. to delay consideration of the sale of Penny Wise and Beaver Valley sorts, until a thorough consideration of options can be completed.
16:08:35 2 things to highlight this afternoon. First in response to commissioner Dean's questions last week about what criteria to be considered to guide decisions on prioritizing stands
a beginning list developed by local conservation organizations is
16:08:51 management costs and oversight issues, revenue potential impacts, adjacent areas and environmental significance to conservation efforts, tribal sovereignty for a structure age
and successful stage watershed impacts
16:09:05 and water quality for upland, fresh water and fisheries and shellfish threatened an endangered species into biodiversity.
16:09:13 Carbon density and ecosystem services, recreation, potential fire, prevention, potential for connectivity among scarce forest structures.
16:09:23 Environmental justice considerations and potential for research and innovation i'm going to leave my comments there as the time is short, but we have good models in Kitzap County
in forest collaboratives on the olympic
16:09:35 Peninsula. It would be good to really understand of the 1,400 acres we're talking about.
16:09:40 Is there really a connection with Kosene school district, with the junior taxing districts which we totally support?
16:09:48 Thank you, Thank you, Patricia. he you're up next Alright, thank you, Chair.
16:09:58 Hope you can hear me. Commissioners for the Record Heath High Club with the American Forest Resource Council.
16:10:01 I have emailed a couple of you and i've been watching your meetings over the last couple of weeks, and you don't mess around.
16:10:06 You dig into the issues. So congratulations on that.
16:10:10 When I was growing up I heard the term think globally act locally, and I think in this case, as we think about for us, we should really do that.
16:10:19 And when I heard the comments before about, we are uniquely suited in this region to grow for us, and we do it under this most stringent environmental rules in the entire country.
16:10:29 The planet. frankly. and when you look at what the United Nations Intergovernmental panel on climate change actually says about forests and carbon, and they quote in the long
term a sustainable forest management strategy aimed
16:10:43 at maintaining or increasing forest carbon stocks, while producing an annual sustained yield of timber, fiber, or energy.
16:10:52 From the forest will be generate the longest sustained mitigation benefit.
16:10:56 That is exactly how Dnr. manages for us now in the state of Washington under you know, they are the most environmentally friendly managed for us in the State, and one would
say, certainly in in the country. so. the comments that I have for you is just
16:11:12 think about that, because if you think you're setting aside these forests for carbon through something called leakage, which is where they, the wood products are going to come
from somewhere else, whether it's the us south or it's
16:11:24 overseas. Any perceived benefits from carbon reductions just are not going to be met, or through substitution, where we use carbon or concrete or steel in the place of wood
products which are a far more
16:11:37 carbon-friendly climate, friendly building product. So the other thing I want to mention to you is that Dnr has done some initial analysis.
16:11:45 Looking at their pre 1,900 forests on carbon values versus timber values.
16:11:49 I will say the penny wise sale that you are looking at right now.
16:11:53 Our estimate is from timber values worth about 1 point.
16:11:56 6 million dollars to the beneficiaries our estimate under the current carbon market.
16:12:01 It'd be worth about a $166,000 to the beneficiaries.
16:12:05 So it's a very large difference, even if they got higher We think it would be less than about 20 to 25% of that value.
16:12:12 And that's obviously speculative, so thank you for the time to comment.
16:12:16 Thank you Jessica. you're next and Then We'll start bringing over the next 4 Bill Mary Jane and Jean and Cindy.
16:12:29 Hi! Thank you for this couple of minutes to come at
16:12:32 I wanna say I kind of disagree with that I don't kind of I disagree with the first speaker in the second.
16:12:39 There is a actually a lot of wood available through commercial timber industry to supply us with more than enough material in Western Washington.
16:12:50 So that's and also it's only 9.3% of the forest that the State forest lands that we're really trying to conserve.
16:13:00 It's a very small like amount and I think the conservation vastly outweighs the benefit of harvesting those those trees.
16:13:14 And one of the things i've seen over the years is you know, especially with the herbicide thing I was working on for for a few years is that when we don't know about something
we don't know what the outcome is going
16:13:25 to be it's best to be cautious and we've seen, you know, in Washington history we see if there hasn't been conservation.
16:13:34 We basically wouldn't have any elk right now we wouldn't have any trees right now.
16:13:40 It would be like the middle of America, where they just let warehouser and different timber industry just take over the whole thing, and and conservation is really difficult,
you know, in terms of like arguing against the economic benefit that companies
16:13:53 and corporations are making off of our natural resources. but we have this intense pressure under under us right now to conserve into help our species.
16:14:08 And I think there actually are. The Ipc study.
16:14:12 That quote was not quite right, and you know we have to look at the real, the real science and and make choices.
16:14:19 But I think conservation and and trying to protect a natural environment.
16:14:26 It's only less than 10% of the forest land. The State forest land that's in Jefferson County, and I think that needs to be needs to be recognized.
16:14:38 And also the junior taxing districts actually don't get as much money as in the end of the game end of the day as
16:14:46 These numbers Portray. So there's and also bonds have to be passed and things like this and small Oh, is that time? , Sorry.
16:14:56 Okay, Okay, thank you. Thank you Bye Mary Jean you'll have 2Â min, and then Jean Jean, you'll be up.
16:15:05 Dean Bob will be up next. Hi! my Name's Mary Jean Ryan.
16:15:09 I live in Jefferson County, on the Toadas Peninsula.
16:15:12 I read the draft letter to the Bnr.
16:15:17 That was posted online. with your agenda. and I agree.
16:15:21 I agree with the major points to me. the letter seems extremely reasonable I think it's critical that you get the time that you need to fully examine all of your options given.
16:15:34 The Dnr itself has created a brand new conservation option.
16:15:38 Just in April, the new carbon reserve.
16:15:41 It seems only fair that Jefferson County be given the time that it needs to explore.
16:15:48 Getting some projects included in the reserve before dnr forces you to make decisions about the option of reconvenience.
16:15:58 You have a good set, in my opinion of a potential good set of options.
16:16:04 But you need time to work through and really assess each one.
16:16:10 Reconveyance may actually prove to be a great option, especially if coupled with carbon offsets.
16:16:16 Trustland transfer, thanks to Commissioner Eisenhower's efforts should once again be a great tool going forward, and maybe some of the carbon dents Older forests can be approved
for the new carbon reserve we
16:16:28 should use all the tools as a aggressively and smartly as we can, so we can save the remaining legacy for us.
16:16:36 I know there was some discussion about letting beaverail and Penny Wise proceed to be clear cut.
16:16:44 I really hope you don't decide to take that position I urge you to at least take a look at them for
16:16:51 If you're gonna look at reconciliation if you're gonna look at the carbon reserve or Tlt, we should keep those force in the analytic process.
16:17:00 We stand ready to work with you on for further criteria.
16:17:04 Patricia mentioned some initial criteria and on further research.
16:17:10 There never should be a rush to cut an older forest.
16:17:16 Thank you.
16:17:24 Jean Val, you have 2Â min, my dear good afternoon commissioners. I hope my birds aren't too loud for you gene Ball quill Scene.
16:17:38 I hope that I well, I doubt you've had the chance to read the several emails I started shooting off to beginning it 3 o'clock.
16:17:46 Good morning of insomnia, although mine was not due to Covid and my apologies.
16:17:55 I agree with need more time to discuss this. It is too big.
16:18:01 It is 2 consequential. There are too many mechanisms at play.
16:18:05 There is too much unknown. it's a big deal and the consequences of getting it wrong are too dire.
16:18:16 This is important, and it deserves more attention than is being afforded to be rushed through.
16:18:25 This process is, Do you ever make the best decision when you are under the gun?
16:18:31 I don't I don't think I know anybody who does, and I think that we deserve and the future deserves the proper attention.
16:18:39 So I do hope that you will be able to have a look at my emails and consider my comments.
16:18:47 I I know that you do. I hope that you'll be able to do that before you make a decision on this issue.
16:18:53 Thank you very much. I appreciate you all. Thank you, Jane.
16:19:01 Cindy brats, and then we'll get bill Turner ready?
16:19:06 You have 2Â min cindy hi there i'm cindy brats!
16:19:12 I live in Port townsend i'm speaking today as a private citizen of Jefferson County, regarding the urgent need for action to leave our older, carping, dense forest standing.
and
16:19:26 These are I. I command the county for targeting the 10% of Dnr for us that are 75 years and older, and have been removing carbon from the atmosphere each year, storing that
carbon in the
16:19:43 forest ecosystem, because forest carbon loss contributes to increased climate risk, and because climate change may impede regeneration following disturbance, affording deforestation
should receive high priority as a policy
16:20:00 consideration. This explains the basis for the commitments made at Cop 26 in Glasgow to stop deforestation globally.
16:20:09 And here we're only talking about 10% of our forests, not anything extreme.
16:20:17 So I command the county commissioners for the proposal described in the draft made for anything.
16:20:23 Third letter to be Nr. and I please support that letter.
16:20:26 Thank you, Thank you, Cindy Bill turner good afternoon board my name's.
16:20:37 Go turn around the the Washington timber manager for Sierra Pacific industries.
16:20:42 We're here in neighboring basin County as a the Timer procurement manager.
16:20:49 Obviously my job is to procure timber for the meal.
16:20:52 We do bylaws in Jefferson County, both from private and from public lands, and it's a very important source for us to several people have mentioned today.
16:21:03 That this is only 10% of what is out There I I Won't would like to remind the Board of Supervisors that a huge part of Jefferson County is Olympic National Park, yeah, and also
little bit National
16:21:16 forest. In fact, 73% of Jefferson County is of Jefferson.
16:21:24 Counties for us are set aside, and never to be harvested.
16:21:26 Only 27% of the lands are forest lands in Jefferson County are available for working for us at this time, and as working for us, we professional forces, we replant.
16:21:39 We regrow, and the more it is sequestering carbon.
16:21:44 Again on the landscape as well as the finished wood products going into buildings like the ones you're in right now.
16:21:51 To be sureered longer. Long term, As you know, governmental panel on climate change has mentioned building with more wood products on them.
16:22:01 Less is is key to the climate solution it's not just trees. it's trees and wood products that's one of the things I want to remind you of.
16:22:09 Also, currently the Us. imports about 30% of the wood needs that we use in our domestic consumption.
16:22:17 We could supply a 100% and keep it local. Everything that comes in from somewhere else takes more energy and may not be managed as well as what we do here.
16:22:28 So you've got a lot of things to consider but the state the Dnr.
16:22:33 Has already considered a lot of what you're thinking about now they have a habitat conservation plan.
16:22:38 They have the long term conservation trying to marble mirror.
16:22:43 They have a policy of sustainable forests and they consider all these things when they develop their plans for harvesting.
16:22:48 I know. i'm running out of time so thank you for listening today, love to be able to have more conference.
16:22:55 But but these sales are very important for the local industry.
16:22:58 Thank you, Mr. Turner.
16:23:04 Well, we're not gonna decide much in the next 7Â min
16:23:12 So coming out of our workshop last week and then our short discussion, because we didn't have much time last week. either.
16:23:24 I did draft a letter to the board of natural resources for our consideration.
16:23:31 It's before you and then I also did ask some of the folks that helped with last week's workshop to put together a list of criteria that we might want to consider if we were
to ask dnr to work with us
16:23:43 on our reconvenience of certain stands of timber. And I think that was sent to you, Kate. Yeah. So those were my 2.
16:23:50 Follow-up tasks and i've gotten a bunch more input since last Monday, and I I just wanna say you know this is this is moment in time, but these forests do represent a huge part
of our natural
16:24:15 heritage in East Jefferson County and and the entire Olympic Peninsula.
16:24:20 The mix of species. the diversity in them they're but I've been told gold mines of carbon storage.
16:24:30 I think that they're important important for us and they are a small fragment of what Dnr. manages in the State Forest Transfer Trust for the county in one in one piece.
16:24:49 Of communication I got from somebody I I printed it out so I wouldn't forget the quote or I wouldn't miss, quote.
16:24:54 But now I can't find it was basically you know if you look at the revenue from these sales.
16:25:03 We we may say they're gonna hit they're gonna hit these districts, and this year, or the next year. But we don't know if that's gonna happen because of dnr's constraints that
they have with
16:25:13 staffing and timber management planning that they're doing right now. I mean, I asked.
16:25:22 I went back, and I asked Drew from the region for the difference.
16:25:27 What would the What would the difference in values be for a lamp sale versus a sort sale at Bever Valley, and he said, Well, to catch 22. We're not doing any more appraisals
out there on the ground these things
16:25:37 are all on hold, and so I feel like we need to give a clear indication of what what it is that we want to see happen
16:25:48 So that we can get going with dnr and I I I wanna say to Frank redmond's comment I think Dnr is doing a good job, and there and I said it in my letter.
16:25:58 They've they've I went back i've been watching all of the past. V.
16:26:00 In our meetings, for, like the last the last 8 meetings They've been talking about this review of the older forest policy for longer than that, and they've got it, you know,
queued up to work on it the next meeting I
16:26:13 understand, and so I feel like we're kind of in this like please, spot of these sales are planned.
16:26:23 But then they might come and say, Well, those are the older forests we would have saved if they hadn't already been cut.
16:26:29 I'm. a little bit concerned that the quality of those forests might be such that Dnr.
16:26:35 Would recommend them for preservation i'm not a little bit concerned.
16:26:38 I'm a lot concerned and then it would be too late at that point, be a 100 years too late, or more.
16:26:45 In some cases So I feel like we all need to work together to figure out a path forward.
16:26:54 And I, you know, completely value working with my colleagues at Dnr.
16:27:00 And I do think they do a great job and i'm not anti forestry, and I grew up in a resource dependent family, and you know i'm not the person I meet being made out to be by some
people but I I
16:27:15 also. where I want to stay is in that space of like let's find a path forward that works for everybody.
16:27:25 Yeah, I know just a couple of minutes i'll just say where my head is out of this.
16:27:30 You know what what thumbs me out is it feels like such a 0 sum game?
16:27:36 But it's either clear cut or or it's don't touch, you know, really vast tracks with the the consequences that we heard some about today.
16:27:47 I I also have no trouble with a lot of commercial forestry.
16:27:52 I I think it's, you know it is it can be done sustainably, and well, and and we use all sorts of wood products and and and I highly value with products But I do think that there
we're in
16:28:05 a a moment in time, where we have the attention of statewide policymakers on this issue, and we have small amounts of of old forest left.
16:28:18 And I think the the trickiest part for me is it's like well, it seems easy just don't don't touch the the old stuff, but when you see the shapes of those polygons which are
16:28:26 relatively small. there's yeah yeah like is it realistic to say, How do we not cut that?
16:28:37 But cut the rest of the unit is you know how feasible. is that But but what I don't want is is to be up against this time line of of you know clear cut or or or we're shutting
down you know a
16:28:52 major economic opportunity like. I think it has to be a more nuanced conversation than that.
16:28:56 And I think we we have the attention of Dnr right now to say we need more options.
16:29:01 That that is a zero-sum game that that is ecologically unwise.
16:29:07 It's, and I think we have the technology and the ability to to to manage with more nuance.
16:29:18 So that's that's where my head is right Now I also know that I think maybe we all heard the truth say this, but I want to remind us that you said he was assessing all the timber
stands in the
16:29:29 Olympic region right now for the carbon phase.
16:29:32 2 of the carbon project, and I I really feel like we shouldn't move forward with
16:29:40 These timber sales until we know if they're you know some of the force that they say these are some of the best for us.
16:29:45 We have left for garbage I mean I don't know if I except that that that that analysis that these are the best forests for carbon, they store a lot of carbon.
16:29:56 It's true those stores a lot of carbon will cut it down, too.
16:29:59 I guess i'm I feel like we're trying to steer a boat like a motorcycle a little bit right now.
16:30:04 I mean, I share your values. I think we are. We do have a moment of time, and we have the attention of being R.
16:30:08 And Dnr. and I I think that we should really answer some of the questions that we asked.
16:30:19 I don't think we're going to be able to answer them in a short enough time.
16:30:23 Got, you know, still 1,200 acres of, you know, older forests, legacy, forest.
16:30:28 If you want, and I know how we get more we just wait a few more years, and we're gonna have some more right.
16:30:33 I mean that's that is how it happens we're looking at an 80 year management cycle, and saying I don't like you what you're doing today, and I I it feels like we don't have a
solution.
16:30:44 I mean we heard from. Was it Brian a Turner bill trainer that talked about the you know, one tenth of the value that we can get for a junior taxing district, and that jibes
with what we heard last week as
16:30:56 well, and you know one person I haven't heard from is our forester, who would be in charge of this saying, Yes, this is what we can do, so I don't feel like we have the capacity
to manage.
16:31:07 This. Now I guess I think that the carbon offset project with Dnr is really exciting, and I think we would be a really good Canada for it, and that there is still a lot of land
in in Jefferson county East
16:31:21 Jefferson County is specifically that might qualify for that, and would realize, maybe a more balanced revenue with some thinning.
16:31:30 And you know i'd love to you know with the cross land and timber market gets off, and maybe there's a developing market that can hit some of the this triple bottom line while
still preserving a lot of the
16:31:40 ecosystems in these in these older forests.
16:31:43 So I mean I talked to I talked to chief occurrence from Quil seen as well, who's also in the penny wise sale that's the hard stop from Carolyn, because we're close for business
16:31:58 staff. Is that true? at 4, 30, perfect. okay, do you want to finish what you're saying?
16:32:14 And then I mean I don't this is sure I just I I don't wanna pull these.
16:32:20 I guess I I wanna have continue the conversation with dnr but I feel like we don't have a better solution right now.
16:32:25 There's still a lot more legacy forest in Jefferson County that where maybe the
16:32:31 Junior taxing districts. Don't care I mean we were patting ourselves on the back earlier, for you know reducing the diversion from the road fund.
16:32:38 But We're talking about Doubling the takeaway from road fund with both of these sales we're talking about $200,000 away from Jefferson County, Road, and I don't feel like we
have a an outcome that
16:32:47 justifies that yet, or a problem statement that justifies that without a plan.
16:32:53 So I would say, let's look at the sales and 2526, and and really advocate for inclusion and carbon offset for some of these qualified properties, and and and not micro
16:33:07 manage the management. that's been working fairly well and I would argue correctly, creates creates legacy for us with the management process.
16:33:14 Now, as well. you know, trees grow back there. They do multiple species, and there is some spraying.
16:33:21 But you know It's What these were supposed to do and and Chief Mccurren said.
16:33:29 You know they have All they have to replace all their gurnies at the quilting fire district, because they can't get parts for their 14 year old gurnies anymore.
16:33:37 So that's a $100,000 that they don't know how they're going to pay for well on the these. it's revenue is not slated to hit for a while.
16:33:47 So if we shouldn't be saying that you know the money's coming, I mean it's next year 23 Yeah, I mean, that's closer than never I mean that's maybe they can make do with a a
when a gurney
16:34:01 breaks down I mean I don't know I guess we don't have an alternative that's gonna come in a year, either.
16:34:05 That would backfill the the loss that we're talking about in posing on these junior taxi districts.
16:34:14 Okay, Well, I think we have to call it for the day I don't know.
16:34:18 What do we wanna do? I guess we do not want to send this letter? I mean, i'm not in favor of this letter.
16:34:28 I'm not ready but we could also consider it on the sixth right?
16:34:36 Yeah, the day before their board, I mean I feel like that's that's jamming it in. I mean we can talk.
16:34:46 We might have one other issue, too, yeah i'm fine with a special meeting.
16:34:50 But , about making a decision right now Well, I don't think we're gonna get I mean if we have a special meeting.
16:34:58 I would like to there's other He who was here today requested to be considered in future conversations about this, so I would like to be able to have abroader conversation,
where we can make progress on some of the questions that we
16:35:13 have as opposed to just have another conversation where we all 3 of us go around and go around the early gig again.
16:35:21 And I don't think we can we can't do that next Monday. That's memorial day people. i'm sure have plans.
16:35:30 So we should probably look to a future meeting. So what about later this week?
16:35:36 Tuesday, the twenty-first Friday, the 20 seventh.
16:35:44 Yeah,
16:35:52 I can do it.
16:35:59 Open the 30 first. I can do the 20 seventh. We have Jeff.
16:36:03 Come admin special board meeting with. They schedule that over another meeting that I share.
16:36:10 So I told told Stacy today, hey? maybe reach out to the members before you.
16:36:14 You settle on on new special meeting day I can do the thirty-first, except for I don't know that's not gonna happen then.
16:36:22 So yeah, I can do the 30 first okay pretty say 9 o'clock in the morning.
16:36:26 Yeah, that sounds good. we're gonna try to get them a balanced table of folks, or who who has people have been reaching out to you any of you that want to be included.
16:36:39 Well, I mean, I think there's different groups depending on what we want to talk about.
16:36:42 If we want to talk kind of generalities, then you know, I mean having that the the heath and and some forestry ad advocates as well as as a conservation, advocates.
16:36:56 Dnr is i'm always good i'm not sure if they want to come to another meeting.
16:36:58 But and then, if we're talking about the junior taxing districts that are impacted by these 2 sales, you know, we can make an opportunity for posting fire, or even some of the
other junior taxing, districts, I don't know
16:37:11 if we wanna I mean this kind of a position that will impact other sales as well.
16:37:20 So we I mean we could open up to yeah I don't know I mean, I feel like I understand the range of feelings.
16:37:28 The different taxing districts have. What about Mallory?
16:37:33 I think we're I get stuck is the it seems like there's a we tend to hear either.
16:37:38 This is, like, you know, very sacred, special, unique for us, or we hear it is like every other forest.
16:37:50 And like this is a little in between. I What I would appreciate is some nuance of like, How how do these parcels in, you know, with this particular sale kind of measure up against
the others?
16:38:03 Is this you know are these kind of deal breakers and that's the kind of nuance i'm looking. Well, I mean, that's what's immediately before us the the decision.
16:38:15 Point. But again, that's that like like you know appreciate the folks to come up with some criteria to evaluate. I don't have the skills to evaluate on those criteria.
16:38:27 But I think there is a you know I i'll even say a bit of a dangerous precedent or slippery slope.
16:38:33 If we start saying that every you know every forest deemed older forest or legacy, when those haven't really been clearly defined, that become you know that we're going to be
in this with every single sale, and
16:38:59 you know I don't I don't share a lot of your guys as V.
16:39:03 But it's. Okay, I can be other I can think ugly and you know i'm trying to think about future generations.
16:39:12 And reason the reason some of some people voted for me.
16:39:19 You know the value is like brought to the table, and the things I care about, and I feel like
16:39:31 Some of these are special places, and they deserve to be treated as such.
16:39:37 And I, you know I I am frustrated by the the pressure cooking quickerness of the last 2 conversations we've had about this, so I would.
16:39:48 I would just like to have a I think a more paced conversation with more information in it, and maybe maybe we just go out there.
16:40:00 I mean I don't know where do We go though which , what stan do we pick a look at?
16:40:09 Yeah, it's really it's really competing interests So I I I don't feel like I have a a strong, I mean, fundamentally, I wanna know where Dnr is gonna come out with its older
forest policy.
16:40:21 And that's that's the thing that I keep getting stuck on.
16:40:27 And so I I I will commit the following up with on on that on that item, and bringing information back for the next meeting.
16:40:35 I cannot put the full month into the work. I did for the May sixteenth workshop because I have a bunch of other stuff ltak behavioral health advisory committee.
16:40:46 I mean i've got big projects in the work so I mean you don't have to put every agenda item together, too.
16:40:54 I'm happy to do whatever I can to help so I I don't know
16:40:59 Maybe we can work with Mark, and just kind of use him as a point person and and and bring different.
16:41:08 I don't know on an Agenda through Mark that we have to get done by thursdays there, right?
16:41:15 Yeah, that's the first day i'll be back so right , we'll have to notice the meeting on Friday.
16:41:23 Okay, like this meeting will be next week, too. Right?
16:41:28 Correct in accordance with the newly adopted okay i'm Third.
16:41:35 First. Okay, well let's adjourn for today cause we're not gonna get anywhere.
16:41:39 I'll just other than we've scheduled the next meeting, So that is the 30 first at 9 Am.
16:41:48 2Â h we will, We will be having a public comment period.