HomeMy WebLinkAboutclosed_caption09:01:35 Turn on av capture. Get that started
09:02:12 It looks like it's it's like we're live now, and it's 9 o'clock.
09:02:17 Hello, everybody, I will! only in progress, though. Pause that call this July 2522 meeting of the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners to order Hope everyone had a great
Weekend in the
09:02:36 the precursor to all the heat we're gonna have right a lot of watering, and weeding and crabbing for for me.
09:02:49 I don't know if anyone has anything for the good of the order they want to share this morning before we kick off public comment.
09:02:58 Okay, so as we. so as we always do we'll kick off our Monday morning with public comments.
09:03:06 If you've joined us. you can make a comment by using the raise hand button at the bottom of the zoom screen, there's nobody on the phone.
09:03:18 So. if anybody's here who would like to make public comment this morning, we have a number of opportunities for public comment on specific agenda items throughout the day, but
we always like to start the day with a general call for comment
09:03:32 from folks not seeing any hands go up yet. Is there anyone with us on the attendee list who would like to make public comment this morning?
09:03:43 If not, we will need public comment. Open this initial public comment period open until 9 30, and you are welcome to raise your hand at any time in the next 27Â min.
09:03:56 But maybe we'll move on to consent agenda or were there any written public comments that anyone wanted to call attention to?
09:04:13 We're a lively bunch today, they tend to respond to emails as they come in.
09:04:23 And So no comments today, thank you Okay, So anything from consent agenda that folks wanna call out right. Yes, please.
09:04:32 It's another meeting consent agenda great to see i'd love to hear a little bit of talk about it.
09:04:37 Looks like we have a lot of the behavioral health. bhac!
09:04:43 Awards in this one, and that was great to see one of them.
09:04:45 I had a small question. A lot of these are continuing contracts just extending the time, and you know, same unit price on the big one for cascade community connections Number
11.
09:04:59 It was an extension of the the contract but there Wasn't.
09:05:05 An original original copy of the contract in there and I don't know if we should.
09:05:08 It was just kind of a one page extension of the contract I think just that's practice.
09:05:14 So the other ones have the one that is being extended to So I don't know if you can add that and then as I say, love to hear about any of those from from you excited about.
09:05:25 You know, cascade community connections, and staying over for cooking at the transfer station, and other places so really excited about the work, excited to see all that work,
you know, especially I know we've been you Heidi.
09:05:35 And others have been working hard, getting Esd to go that gap at the at
09:05:41 The school based mental health professionals and wondering if that's gonna be kind of the the standard going forward and then really excited about number 2.
09:05:52 At first that that price. Tad looked a little little steep to me, but you know, as is my want usually I you pretty short shift to the severability, and go straight to the scope
of work.
09:06:01 And that is gotta be the Bfi scope of work I have ever seen.
09:06:04 I'm just after reading that i'm so excited about diving into this project, and and all my swack dreams are coming through.
09:06:12 So I'm really excited to see that and down the Gardener Communities center.
09:06:16 Sorry I started to see her quickly leave that the board but he's been a great advocate for for the community down there. but we're working a lot with Janet Johnson, and I think
the his replacement is
09:06:31 is great, and of course great seeing the mental health navigator. waspid, Grant getting re-upped, and I guess I was unclear, and maybe we're gonna hear about this later.
09:06:42 If they're just going to extend the existing contract, or is there gonna be another Rp process?
09:06:48 I mean I feel like they are pretty happy with the existing contract.
09:06:51 But i'm just not wondering what the practice is there so those are the high points on a very beef.
09:06:56 Yet sent agenda for me. Yeah, I think we would have to check with the sheriff on the navigator question.
09:07:04 Not sure what, Because because it was the first navigator contract for the sheriff's office.
09:07:11 Yeah, This is the third right this is the third, and i'm not sure there's a standard practice yet.
09:07:18 So we we should check with Sheriff and all about that.
09:07:20 Well, it was redone after the first one so there's there is a precedence that's been right I can reach out to the to sheriff now, or andy.
09:07:31 Yeah, I think for continuity purposes, keeping the existing navigator on would be a smart thing.
09:07:37 But i'll check with with sheriff null, and if I hear i'll report back thanks mark
09:07:49 I had some similar comments, really happy to see some long range capital planning happening.
09:07:53 Starting at the transfer station. so very to see that project move forward.
09:08:00 Said to see her cook go he's been a great volunteer at the gardener community, center, and I think that's it.
09:08:12 Yeah, I mean, you know, great to see the behavioral health funds going out and good work to the committee that had to make all those decisions.
09:08:22 So summer can be a quiet time around here, but obviously lots of work getting done.
09:08:28 So yeah, does it feel like a quiet time to me and and seeing that solid waste replacement planning services contractive. I got hardache about swack again.
09:08:42 But it's. Okay, Greg I know you're doing a great job, and they they got the banjo back.
09:08:46 They were excited about that So but yeah i'm grateful for all the work, from behavioral health and and public public works.
09:08:57 Lots of good work going on here, and you know the the behavioral funds are coming in higher again this year, so we may have another additional round of Grants supplemental round
of Grants here.
09:09:11 Unless we can forecast what the higher amount might be, and get those numbers dialed into the first round of grants.
09:09:19 So same same with Ltac, too. Probably any sales tax driven.
09:09:26 Sorry of funding Well, I don't have anything to add other than that.
09:09:32 So. anyone care to make a motion today? Can I ask one more question, or maybe make a comment?
09:09:38 It took me a moment to understand that those were behavioral Health Advisory Committee recommendations.
09:09:45 All the recommendations came in from public health. staff and I guess I always thought I mean it's not public health.
09:09:51 It's making this recommendation They're helping the advisory Committee make the recommendation.
09:09:55 Aren't they? I mean like with l tech we don't get recommendations from, you know the clerk so I just think going forward.
09:10:05 It would be. It would be clearer for me to understand the process that had happened if it was a recommendation from the Behavioral Health Advisory Committee, which I think is
technically what it is so like.
09:10:13 A cover, a cover, memo describing the process, or something I mean, I a different feeling out of the agenda request.
09:10:22 I guess I mean, if you go Internet slow but i'm going into one right now, I think they were all Jefferson County Public health is requesting board approval of amendment to to
the professional services agreement and it
09:10:38 should be if, in my understanding, the Behavioral Health Advisory Committee is requesting for approval of amendment Number 2 for the Behavioral Advisory Committee has recommended
for funding.
09:10:53 Okay, so I will i'll work with anna and apple I'm making sure that that language is clearer and these cool.
09:11:01 Just I think a lot of people the public seeing some of these applications it's their their providence is isn't kind of inscrutable sometimes.
09:11:10 So the clear we can be about how this recommendation came in front of us.
09:11:13 What the funding source is, and then the finding source was clearly clearly identified.
09:11:17 But just those things, I think help make the consent agenda easy to understand, which is why we're not spending regular agenda time on it.
09:11:26 Right, Are you saying that they were clear in the past?
09:11:32 I I believe that probably it was it was they I Think we're varying the lead of who made the recommendation here, and I don't think we did before. but I could be wrong.
09:11:43 Maybe i'm just not Yeah, that's something that we we can engineer for sure.
09:11:49 Yup that I I just heard from sheriff not on the existing navigators gonna stay on staff the continuity will be will be a good thing for the program.
09:12:01 I think he's done a good job, hey? I saw your hand up, you know, just thinking, you know, 1 one of the other.
09:12:10 A similar program. is conservation futures, where you know, the staff person and the chair of that board often come and present to us the their process, and who they have selected
for for funding and you know that could be a good way
09:12:27 to to get an annual report, too, from behavioral health.
09:12:32 In this case. So just a suggestion that we could consider doing that, since it is a a particular sales tax revenue source.
09:12:41 The the acting guy would benefit, and the public might benefit from hearing a little bit more about that process as well.
09:12:48 Okay, So can we, can. We pass this and then move on.
09:12:54 People are raising their hands Now, i'll move that we approve and adopt the concept agenda as presented.
09:13:01 I'll second all in favor bye bye passes unanimously, and I see a hand up in the attendee list.
09:13:11 It is Steven Carolyn. Do you want to bring Steven over?
09:13:16 Bring him over his panelists. There he comes good morning steven you'll need to unmute, and then you have 3Â min for public comment.
09:13:30 Good morning. Good morning, Heidi. Thank you very much.
09:13:35 The Board account. Excuse me, the Board of Health meeting last Thursday.
09:13:37 I think it happened at 1 30 instead of the usual 2 30 time, and I wasn't sure if that was a one-time thing, or is that gonna be your new time?
09:13:45 But that did interfere with with people. or at least so people got confused, and we're able to make public comment because they thought the meeting was going to be later. So
anyway.
09:13:55 I'm gonna just share some sort of health related comment There's been a lot of things in the news recently that have called into question the extent to which we can trust what's
going on in our top health agencies you
09:14:09 know Nih Fda, Cdc. John Hopkins.
09:14:17 Professor Marty Mccarry, published a pretty well-publicized thing regarding all these whistleblowers that he's getting from the Nih.
09:14:25 F. to a Cdc saying they're you know They basically lost the Fda lost their executive director and deputy director and the Nih.
09:14:36 Lost their top. 3 people direct executives, vector deputy and medical chief medical officer in the viral departments, all out of protest against the premature pushing of vaccines
and boosters to young people
09:14:53 they, According to Mccarry. They have no leadership right Now, Certainly there's an enormous number of job openings at the highest level positions.
09:15:01 There's a huge amount of turnover morale is low things become very political, you know.
09:15:05 They? they're advisory boards. are being ignored, and their recommendations are being ignored, and in particular the Fda Doctors whistleblowers were referring to recent developments.
09:15:16 First that with no solid clinical day to the agency, authorized Covid vaccines for infants and toddlers, including those who had already had to covid.
09:15:26 So we're already basically immune to second the factors months ago, the Fda bypass or external experts to authorize booster shots.
09:15:32 So other things going on is that that? Well, I mean like, despite all of this, the messaging right now for the Cdc.
09:15:44 And so on, is, you know, 6 month old. Go in there, get these boosters.
09:15:48 Sorry to get these vaccines. that's the one thing you can do for these kids, but as as doctors comment about this, that that's basically a lie.
09:15:57 There's no randomized data now you missing options. study. There's shown a reduction of risk in this age group, and, in fact, the trials for that were just a complete disgrace.
09:16:06 I mean, I think that they had about 4,000 kids for the pfizer ones, and they showed no Fxc. whatsoever.
09:16:13 After 2 doses, so it finds you do is Oh, Well, let's add a third dose, and then that reduced the group of kids to like about a 1,000 12,100 or something which wasn't even
09:16:23 statistical, significant, And you know and they found you know basically 2 or 3 cases of Covid and the you know in the boot in the in trial.
09:16:33 Any. Anyway, it it's just that you know basically they found no results.
09:16:36 So, anyway. let's keep this in mind. another thing that I should get to before I can leave right at the time.
09:16:42 3Â min, Stephen. So okay, So okay, So thanks a lot.
09:16:51 I wish I had better time management. Thank you for your time.
09:16:55 Thank you for your comments. So if there are folks who join us on the phone, you can. if you're if you're wishing to make public comment.
09:17:06 You can do so by pressing star 9 on your phone and we'll bring you over. If anyone on the attendee list who's with us this morning would would like to make public comment.
09:17:16 You can do so by using the raise hand. button at the bottom of your screen, or, as I just said, if you're on the phone by pressing Star 9.
09:17:22 Is there anyone else with us this morning? you would like to make public comment.
09:17:27 As I mentioned earlier, We'll have a number of other opportunities for common on specific agenda items as we move through the agenda today.
09:17:37 But this is if you have, and then con any topic you would like to cover with us.
09:17:41 We'd love to hear from you. Okay, So we will leave public comment open until 9 30 and if you decide you want to add something or have a question.
09:17:58 Please raise your hand. Do you guys want to do some briefing?
09:18:04 Can I respond to Stevens he He asked about the 1 30 board of health meeting, and we had 8 applicants to interview and open public sessions to appoint those new members.
09:18:16 So we we had a 3Â h meeting in front of us, and not wanting, or even able in some cases, to keep staff.
09:18:22 After the 430 or 5 30 and we did move just that one board of health meeting up to 230 from 1, 30 to 4, 30, and we're we're back to the normal 2 30 to 4 30
09:18:33 schedule other than that and as to you know the child, the pediatric vaccines, you know.
09:18:42 Well, I'll I'll ask how they're going with with with Dr.
09:18:45 Barry, who is really our expert, and why I trust
09:18:50 Based on very experience with her and her credentials to interpret the data, and we'll talk about I'll ask her if if no one else does about the pediatric vaccine efficacy so
09:19:01 far sorry but that Mr. shimmer didn't see the change of time.
09:19:09 It was noticed as required by Opma and but that will not be a regular thing
09:19:22 Okay, sorry. I was just I I highlighted a bunch of stuff on my agenda today and make sure that I was reminding folks of public common opportunity.
09:19:31 So i'm high centered on that today. Okay, So Maybe the next thing we could do is some briefing, and I just wanted to say at the start of briefing today that I I find it incredibly
valuable for me for
09:19:45 our us to have some time to coordinate and we haven't necessarily had that time.
09:19:49 We got through half a briefing, I think, last week and no calendaring, and so i'm making it my august resolution starting today that we stick to having time for briefing and
making sure that we find time to bring each other.
09:20:03 up to speed on what's been going on because I feel like there's a lot of places where over our work overlaps that benefits from us being more coordinated.
09:20:16 So anybody like to start with some briefing from last week?
09:20:22 Okay, you're muted. I got it yeah so relatively light week last week.
09:20:31 Let's see. we were all together in the Jefferson Transit meeting, where we talked about the general manager recruitment. and also past our transportation development.
09:20:46 Plan 5 year Tdps encourage folks to take a look at that if they're interested.
09:20:50 Wednesday had a meeting with Kerry Heights from the city.
09:20:55 The the Parks strategist. and just really, really great to have somebody
09:21:03 And she is very skilled and experienced, working on kind of long range planning for parks and publicly owned assets.
09:21:11 And I feel like we we benefit from having her having the city hire her, you, you know, in part because we we overlap my district.
09:21:19 Is the city. So we we have a lot of interest in common. So we're just really really grateful or it's specifically overlapping at a couple of things like child care and like
a potential
09:21:31 aquatic center. So stay, tuned more to come on that had a call with Scott Brewer from the Hook connect coordinating council as Heidi has mentioned.
09:21:41 There's a lot of consternation of the pupils and partnerships pulling back of half a 1 million dollars for each local integrating organization that's for restoration and recovery
work and the
09:21:55 coordinating council did send a strongly worded letter to the pupils on partnership which is always a little bit awkward, because i'm on the board of both.
09:22:04 So all the different hats that we wear sometimes it's not super obvious what the right answers are.
09:22:11 But I think that the partnership is heard loud and clear.
09:22:17 That that was it feels like the process there was unfair and disrespectful to the local integrating organizations.
09:22:26 And that partnership takes that to heart. but they are holding that their hope is to be more strategic.
09:22:32 While we have this unprecedented amount of money coming from from the fence.
09:22:35 If we can be as strategic as possible, and how those funds are spent.
09:22:40 But that is their their goal, and the intent is to put that funding instead into helping Lios seek this larger funding.
09:22:48 So instead of half a 1 million dollars be potentially applying for millions of dollars
09:22:56 Let's see, had a good meeting with Mary Jane Ryan has been helping with some of the timber discussions and research, and I had no idea that she had such a strong background
in in policy so
09:23:11 it, should she? You know, as we start to talk about a process for how we want to come up with a proposal for dnr, and she, among others, will be a great a great asset very lot
of experience a lot of
09:23:26 smarts in the world, the policy making appreciate her her volunteering.
09:23:31 We have a policy management group meeting on wednesday and we'll be hearing from Willie this afternoon.
09:23:38 Again. as we did on Monday as well. But really, you know, dealing with the after action report it was they got, and how to you know, turn those into kind of actionable lessons
learned and will be targeting some specific
09:23:56 input from business community identified a number of different sectors that where we could get some valuable input on our covid response, and how to move ahead to be better
prepared.
09:24:09 Then had a an operating council meeting again that similar to what I recorded with my it's called Scheduler, Wednesday.
09:24:23 Of course, 3 meetings, all happening at the same time, managed to jump into 2.
09:24:28 One was a meeting with the hospital like Glenn and Junior Fo.
09:24:33 We meet monthly, or try to anyway. and you know they're the taking a closer look at how they want want to proceed.
09:24:43 We heard in Board of Health that they are the hospitals scaling back there ballot measure, like, you know, potentially their their board this week will be voting on whether
to pursue a ballot measure for their new building replacement building
09:24:58 so won't report too much on that because their board will have their way with it on Wednesday.
09:25:05 But they're looking at other options given the extraordinary costs right now.
09:25:10 North Olympic Development Council executive board meeting
09:25:15 No, they're just juggling many many grants and funding sources, I should say today at lunch.
09:25:19 I will not be attending the Quarterly elected and directors meeting, because we have the economic development administration in town.
09:25:28 So monte will be seeing them this morning, and I will be meeting with them at lunch over the lunch hour.
09:25:35 Potential funder. so great that they're taking interest and coming here.
09:25:41 In a Dc. breath. Them here the airport health meeting where we appointed 2 negotiations that was great. So Aj.
09:25:51 Hopkins. Is that right? Do I get that right? Amanda Fenaro So great to have gone through that process.
09:25:57 Got a lot of great applicants. for those positions was very successful in getting more diversity of voices at the table, and really pleased with how that went.
09:26:09 Friday had a workforce development, meeting and i'm so disappointed it was in person, and I I I heard that 2 months ago, at our last meeting, and then totally. it must not have
put it on my calendar so I was
09:26:25 joined by phone while everybody else was in person in the new work source office in swim.
09:26:31 So we lost our local, the Jefferson County Workforce office.
09:26:34 They have one in Los Angeles and one in per town zone, and they combined them into one and squim which you know I've been upset about for some time, but they opened
09:26:48 They opened it to full services recently and they're seeing really really kind numbers of folks using it.
09:26:54 There wasn't a good breakdown yet of which county those users were coming from, but they saw 160 people.
09:27:01 In the first 4 days they were open. they have hired 7 new staff for that office, for whom live in Jefferson County.
09:27:08 So that's a really good sign and they're doing a lot of outreach here, including the county library which we heard at the library's annual meeting that they wish to be a local
site for more job speakers so that outreach
09:27:21 is happening, and I'm really pleased with their making an effort, even though they don't have a physical footprint here in Jefferson County anymore, to be in increasing the
outreach and services that they're able to
09:27:34 provide, especially coming out of the pandemic that was my week, but to Friday afternoon often went up to the top of Dear Park, and always good to get some perspective.
09:27:50 Looking down on Jefferson and palm counties and across to Canada.
09:27:54 It's very valuable. so great thanks kate yeah.
09:28:04 So I was just gonna make last call for public comment, and it looks like we have a hand up.
09:28:07 So, Carolyn, we bring Patricia over perfect, and then this will be our last public comment for this initial morning session.
09:28:16 A public comment, and then great we'll do is briefly after Patricia's comment: Okay, good morning commissioners Dr.
09:28:26 Patricia Jones on behalf of the Olympic Forest Coalition.
09:28:28 Thank you for the opportunity to comment. At the end of last week I was able to send an email to you all in an effort to try and identify some of the alternative options that
could be before us in particular for the penny wise
09:28:42 sale I know you've just received that request but i'm looking forward to hearing your views and comments and concerns.
09:28:51 Thank you very much. Thank you, Patricia. We will look forward to reviewing our message.
09:29:04 I have not seen it yet, so greg do you wanna do briefing from I'm close I will close public comments for the morning session here, and rank can do this briefing and then i'll
do mine and maybe
09:29:18 that'll take us to Allison Great thank you it was a fairly quiet week for me last week.
09:29:25 After our Monday meeting all day together, I went down for the northward Canal Chamber of commerce meeting.
09:29:31 We're still talking about merging with the Jefferson County Chamber.
09:29:36 There's a little bit of you know called cold food in the last minute.
09:29:39 Wanna make sure that the staffing stays considered and a few other issues. So, continuing to have those conversations, it's been very fruitful.
09:29:45 On Tuesday I went to a a regular update on the the
09:29:50 The food banks efforts to build a new bespoke food bank or food pantry, and and will see, and it's coming along. great.
09:29:59 I think they're going to be breaking down and putting the sept again, and then a week, or so so they're
09:30:04 It's really exciting i'm looking at the designs and seeing that project moving forward.
09:30:09 Ha harm reduction. On Tuesday. one of the many last meetings I had with departed, and very valuable to Laurie Fleming, and exciting about believe in recoveries.
09:30:22 Mobile mobile clinic. I guess they all the same facilities, same resources.
09:30:27 They offer to folks with substance Use disorder is now going to be traveling around.
09:30:33 I know They're going to have a home at the at the closing fire department, and they're gonna try to find a place in Brennan and connecting them with the food banks.
09:30:42 So it's really great to send those services to our remote often underserved areas.
09:30:48 And yeah, really excited at Gabby and and at all work in that arena, as we as we know.
09:30:55 You know, brennan is not just a food denver It's a service desert, too. So it's great to to meet people where they are really appreciate that we were all at the Jefferson transit
meeting like the
09:31:05 transportation development plan, which is, you know, more boots on the ground.
09:31:09 What are we actually doing required by some of our grants than our long range plan?
09:31:15 Seems seems great Then, when I was able to of course on Tuesday, I had the 3 meetings at the same time, so couldn't quite split myself in 3, but only Cap is continuing it's
had
09:31:30 a a customer resistance meeting with dCD that I I joined for part of to look at their The potential.
09:31:38 Permit pathway that We've. kind of in the last workshop we had with DCD.
09:31:41 We talked about the type 5 pathway, and and said it was really a political decision, more than a hearing, examining into decisions.
09:31:49 So they are pursuing that pathway, and they have hired some architects to try to develop a plan.
09:31:57 On Wednesday I had a childcare meeting with fully Cap and the Ymca.
09:32:02 Ymca. is still committed to providing the childcare.
09:32:04 At any at at Seventh Haven. it will be a titted improvement after the fact.
09:32:11 So people will move in, and then we'll start working on the the child care area and you know, still kind of dancing around the original grant.
09:32:18 We got is not quite enough. They have modified it, and our kind of Ymca.
09:32:25 Is is going to be doing just ages 3 to 5 so I think it's 30 kids age ages 3 to 5, and want to maybe tie it together with the facility.
09:32:34 They're they're hoping to develop over a new high school as well, and that and so they'll do the kind of the the early childhood, you know, 6 months to 3 over there, so kind
of trying to do it as one basic
09:32:48 facility and 2 locations is there approach right now? I also, would you guys like to see the the final artists for the seventh even building?
09:32:56 Yeah, I I neglected I did. I ran out of time to show you.
09:33:00 So there were 2 spots. One spot is kind of the child care residential entry up at the corner of Seventh Haven Seventh, and i'm sorry Seventh and Hendrix, and the other is the
blank concrete
09:33:09 wall you see driving in past Qfc. and DCD.
09:33:13 And then they wall on the other side. We divided the 6 final artists into 2 groups, and and gave 3 of each the either the parking lot, spot or the child care spot, And we ended
up choosing 2 of the
09:33:28 artists as the as the final art that we asked to design proposals just for the child care spot.
09:33:36 So i'm going to show you 2 that are for the same spot. But one of them is going to actually be in the parking lot area. So it'll be a different shape at the same basic concept.
09:33:45 So we get that up. Just take a moment
09:33:59 Can you see that? Yeah. So Jennifer Coons is going to do the child care intrigue.
09:34:08 And this is so. this is on hendrix I guess you know and it's gonna be kind of a you know, under C motif.
09:34:18 And there's gonna be a lot of mosaics and she works a lot with with children and community members on creating mosaic.
09:34:24 So there's going to be 2 days do developing the tiles. That will be.
09:34:31 These are some examples of things that she has done zoom room alright get down to what we're doing.
09:34:38 So creating mosaic elements that we install on sections of the exterior wall to celebrate the underwater ecosystem.
09:34:48 Mostly yeah. lots of starfish and shellfish And then there's a concrete pillar right by the main entrance will be covered in stained glass mosaic cool, and then a few painted
09:34:58 elements.
09:35:03 And then some window films to create privacy at the child, care facility.
09:35:08 That will be, as I say, vacant for the first year.
09:35:11 Probably I like it. Yeah, So there'll be 2 2 days to work with the community in in the budget and everything.
09:35:18 And that's really exciting Why, don't I stop sharing while I get the other one up
09:35:32 Oh, that was so. this one! while also, for the same area, is going to be down on the concrete wall.
09:35:45 But the same basic concept I think she's going to make most of these panels.
09:35:50 At our studio and bring them and and install them.
09:35:53 So continuing that the underwater motif with a more all ages or a less less child centered focus.
09:36:03 Yeah These examples what she's done in other places.
09:36:12 I'm sorry which side of the building will this be on so this one she.
09:36:19 The proposal was for that same section. But this will be down in the parking lot.
09:36:21 Right kind of perpendicular to the door for dCD There's a big kind of a blank concrete wall.
09:36:27 You'll be on that wall and then the then going around the corner to the other one just straight across from public works.
09:36:33 Basically So 2 2 2 planes of the corner there. and there's gonna be some workshop.
09:36:41 Oh, i'm not sure about that This is the kind of stuff that that Jean does.
09:36:45 Hmm: So So that's that's really exciting Yeah, moving forward on that looks like positive and uplifting art.
09:36:59 That'll be good I met with Dr. Chris Jones Wednesday.
09:37:05 Talk about her letter that she sent us a couple of weeks ago I wasn't sure in her full con if that was the letter she was referring to.
09:37:13 I will say I'm i'm probably still not inclined to ask Dnr to look at unit 7.
09:37:17 A pity wise yet again myself. but really, in looking, looking also forward to Dnr, invited all of us.
09:37:25 I think, to be in ours field trip that I said I'd love to go on, but maybe later today we can discuss if we wanna parse that up and and distribute it between us.
09:37:36 I do almost feel like unlike the timber 101. It might be kind of productive for us to go and go as a quorum.
09:37:43 But but we can definitely break that field trip up in a couple of sections.
09:37:46 It is a publicly noticed meeting, I believe. Oh, so I think it.
09:37:51 It already is a public, an open public meeting. Maybe we would need to do posted as our meeting as well, but it it will be operated as such.
09:38:05 And then, as we talked about board of health, really excited to have both Aj.
09:38:12 And Amanda join us, and it's great to have experience on both the on the community.
09:38:17 Health and the environmental public health side in these, in these new applicants, and the diversity of perspectives, and and the youth very excited, really really sad also
to see Sheila Westerman, the longest serving Board of health Member
09:38:30 in Washington State history, and also Oh, my God, Dennis, who has just done yeoman's work on so many levels with the the the Board of Health.
09:38:44 Taking a lot of drafting duties and really bringing his experience as a lawyer.
09:38:49 2 to constructive use at the board house.
09:38:54 So we will. We really miss those folks, But glad to have the new blood that's joining us at the next meeting, and hopefully, we'll get a travel representative, too, and even
though we might not miss the we might Miss the July
09:39:06 thirtieth deadline. I think we're all dedicated to continuing our our search for for any interest in tribal representatives on that board.
09:39:14 Jay bat on Friday was was great they're moving forward, and they still don't have pd doesn't have a dollar is for all those brants yet.
09:39:24 But they're starting to put pieces in place and expect them Soon it's the game is a foot there excited to hear a little bit about the loan.
09:39:32 They took 2 to increase business speeds and port towns and definitely. It's time to register your llc, so you can get that reasonable business speed in in the new service area
that they're going to be
09:39:45 giving, I think, like over a 100 mega maybe a bit synchronous up and down so really exciting there, and that was my week.
09:39:57 Sorry I didn't leave you much time Hi okay. last week I didn't have any time so I actually was gonna bring up a couple of things from the week before last.
09:40:10 But now, now they're on the agenda for today so
09:40:15 Last week I would have told you that we're gonna bring a Jefferson County Odt update to you guys, and that is on the agenda for this afternoon.
09:40:22 I also signed up, for ian's ride which is the powered wheelchair ride of the Olympic Discovery trail, and we'll be doing the spruce railroad section with marty
09:40:31 gay from our community. on August sixteenth or 26.
09:40:38 I believe last week, and this we the week before last and last week I've had a number of issues on forests and trust land issues.
09:40:47 I was in port appointment to the Wasteack Encumbered Lands working group and
09:40:54 That group will work through a number of encumbered lands issues in in our county, Clown County, Scammonia County, with Kayakum County, and this came out of a legislative proviso
from the last
09:41:07 legislative session that also included some funding, and some of it was called out directly for Jefferson County.
09:41:14 So trying to figure out how they're gonna I guess this encumbered Lands working group will figure out how they're going to distribute that funding based on the number of acres
of encumbered lands in each count I
09:41:26 don't know we don't know yet so that's part of the work of the the work group like before last I intended the North Northwest maritime centers navigator night out super inspiring
event
09:41:40 and the chimicum Inter Independence Day pancake fee.
09:41:44 Maybe I did mention that to you guys, but people have been reporting back.
09:41:47 They love the pancakes. So last week transit with you guys, we had a behavioral health advisory committee meeting, coming out of our last meeting, which was a little more heated,
and any of the ones I've been in
09:42:03 previously. We are moving forward with creating a therapeutic Court coordinator position, and we have received 8 applications as of last week for that position.
09:42:17 We also received a presentation on the impacts of Covid from the State Department of Health and That presentation was really focused on impacts to individuals and underscore
the importance of finding time for
09:42:31 self-care. I mean it's coming out in all kinds of different ways from kids to elderly people.
09:42:38 That it's important that we all take care of ourselves and that we won't really know the long term impacts of this pandemic, probably for decades.
09:42:46 But that to be aware of what's going on in our own bodies and households as we move forward cause there's a lot of indicators of kind of community kind of dissute.
09:43:02 This disillusionment around a number of issues, as we can imagine.
09:43:08 So we launched the trust lame transfer pilot program.
09:43:13 With 10 projects to consider, including devils blake natural area near Quelstein.
09:43:20 So i'm on the on that committee and we're ranking those projects over the next couple of weeks, and then getting back together to combine all of our rankings and see how that
list comes out I had a meeting of
09:43:32 the Charlotte statewide shoreline and pollution control.
09:43:36 Hearing the board which I'm also now on to do to do some rule making based on changes that were made in the last legislative session.
09:43:45 I'm working with Julie to combine our various lists of advisory boards and committees.
09:43:50 She's taking the first crack at kind of combining our lists and getting the the source Rcw.
09:43:59 Or source Code reference sent a list that can come back to all of us which we can then review.
09:44:06 So we don't have to do that knitting work of bringing those lists together, and then we can each look at the list in our committees and make any updates that we want.
09:44:15 We need to I'm doing straight ern contract of you tomorrow with Kara, and it looks like in Odc.
09:44:23 Is gonna take over administration of the straight ern from the Jamestown tribe, which is great.
09:44:31 We had raised our hand that we were willing to do it.
09:44:32 But we're steering them more towards entity that had more of the Straits Geography contained within it, and in our Dc.
09:44:40 Fit that bill nicely. 9, 44. I had 3 overlapping meetings on Thursday had to miss one, so I tended to Jase Jefferson Community Foundation Board, meeting and then the Board of
health meeting which you Guys have
09:44:52 covered well and Then I had a meeting conversation .
09:44:59 Meeting with Mallory and these Pringer regarding Jefferson County forestry and carbon work, and Mallory.
09:45:06 We'll be working, based on her contract she has with us We'll be working on an updated report on management of State and county for us in Jefferson County, using the force for
the future report as a basis for the State work and
09:45:17 updating updating that report and it's 9 45.
09:45:23 I have to cut my my report short again, so we will move on to our weekly public health update with Dr.
09:45:32 Barry and Willie Bens if he's joining us Yep, there he is!
09:45:37 Good morning, Dr. Barry. How are we doing? How are we doing this week?
09:45:42 Nice to see you all we're relatively stable on the Covid front from where we were last week.
09:45:47 So nationally. is it a little bit of a different picture than what we're seeing in Jefferson?
09:45:53 So pieces are up to 19% nationally, hospitalizations are up 15%, which is concerning from our end and actually depths are up 38%, though that's a little bit more of a variable
number But we're seeing
09:46:05 over 400 deaths, due to Covid 19 every day in the country as a whole.
09:46:10 In Washington State the picture is a little bit different. we're seeing cases are relatively flat, but hospitalizations have been slowly increasing for really the last month,
and that trend is continuing.
09:46:21 Our deaths are thankfully flat in Washington State as a whole in Jefferson County.
09:46:25 Our case rates are relatively stable from last week slightly up So we've diagnosed 5,178 cases of Covid 19 that puts us at a key street of 786 per
09:46:39 1,000 with a 17% positivity rate. We have one person currently hospitalized for a total of 140 hospitalizations.
09:46:47 So far in this response, and no new debts we've lost 30 of our residents to COVID-19 in neighboring Klein County.
09:46:54 We've diagnosed 14,503 cases of Covid 19.
09:46:58 That puts us at a case rate of 604 per 100,000, with also a 17% positivity.
09:47:04 We have 3 of our residents currently hospitalized for a total of 421 hospitalizations, and we have had 118 deaths due to Covid 19.
09:47:15 That is one More than last week. Very sadly we lost a member of our community who was in his thirtys.
09:47:21 He was unbex needed, and he had no underlying conditions.
09:47:26 And I want to acknowledge this is someone who was very dear to many members of our community.
09:47:30 So this is hitting cloud and very hard I think it is a critical and very sad reminder about how severe this virus can be if you are unvaccinated, even if you're not ill.
09:47:40 So it is really really important to move forward with getting backs needed.
09:47:43 We're also seeing among our hospitalizations we're seeing people who are immunosuppressed, who are up to date on their vaccines.
09:47:50 And so it's a another important reminder that There are members of our community who are very vulnerable.
09:47:58 And who need our our protection to help them they're doing everything they can but their immune system can't fight this fire as well, and so that's part of why we wear masks
in indoor settings is really to
09:48:06 protect them. So we are fully in the B A. 5 wave at this point.
09:48:13 So Ba: 5 is highly contagious. It does do a really good job about of getting around prior infection and even getting around your vaccine as far as a breakthrough infection.
09:48:24 But we are seeing good protection against severe disease for those who are up to date on their vaccines.
09:48:29 Good reminder that that is 3 doses for the vast majority of us for for everybody over 65, and 4.
09:48:35 If you're immunosuppressed given that we're starting to see severe disease in in those who, amidospressed now, it's also a good time, if you are in that community to go ahead
and talk to
09:48:46 your doctor about getting one of the monoclonal antibody treatments that you can get in advance to protect you from severe disease due to COVID-19.
09:48:54 One other quick thing on covid 19 there's been a lot of discussion in the community lately about Pax lovid, so packs a little bit.
09:49:02 It's a treatment for Covid 19. we talked a little bit about this on the Board of Health meeting, but for those who weren't tuned into the Board of Health meeting.
09:49:10 Paxlov is a really good medication for Kovat.
09:49:14 19. Right now it is indicated for anyone who is high risk of severe disease.
09:49:19 So that's anyone over 65 anyone with underlying conditions.
09:49:21 And certainly anyone who is immunosuppress one of the challenges we're facing is it does take time to prescribe packs a little bit.
09:49:28 It's a complicated medication. It has a lot of medicine interactions.
09:49:31 And so you do need an evaluation of your underlying health and the medicines that you're on before you get that medicine.
09:49:39 Usually that's through a telehealth. visit but we have a shortage of providers to prescribe that medication.
09:49:45 Right now our healthcare system is doing the best they can.
09:49:48 Jefferson healthcare is actually doing a really good job during the weekdays.
09:49:51 They can get you in with that about within about 24Â h for a telehealth visit.
09:49:55 But on the weekends they don't have that capability So, especially on the weekends, they're likely to prioritize those who are at highest risk of severe disease, which is those
who are not up to date on their
09:50:05 vaccines, which I know is very frustrating.
09:50:09 If you are someone who is up to date on your vaccines.
09:50:12 But the reason for that is that we are not seeing severe disease for those who are up to date, unless you're immunospressed if you're immunos pressed you're also gonna get prioritized
for that
09:50:20 medication there's also a state department of health resource for establishing telehealth visits for those who can't get one locally.
09:50:28 So if It's a weekend you're up to date, you're not having success at getting one through Jefferson healthcare.
09:50:34 That's another good avenue. and We do have a link on our website, and also on our Facebook page to help folks find find that resource trying to make sure more people have access
to medicine here.
09:50:46 And that is my Covid 19 update today any questions from our Commissioners? Great?
09:50:54 Yeah, good to see you Dr. barry that's 7, 86 per 100,000.
09:50:58 Sure seems pretty high. Still, wearing your mask.
09:51:03 I guess. the The question. We had a public comment earlier today, casting some shade on the efficacy of the pediatric vaccines and the the regulatory path that got them to approval,
including You know the
09:51:16 allegation that there's mass resignations at the Fda and Nih.
09:51:23 Because of the faulty, regulatory path that it went through.
09:51:24 I was wondering if you could tell us how was that path, and how are they working so far?
09:51:29 What are what are the what's the most up to date information on the efficacy of the chat with the pediatric vaccines?
09:51:35 Sure so starting at the end first there's there's no mass resignation at at the fda we haven't seen anything like that, or at the nih I would say that in many healthcare and
public
09:51:48 health settings largely due to the stress of the pandemic.
09:51:53 There have been a folks who have retired there are also a lot of folks who stuck around through the pandemic who were planning on retiring, and but really we're trying to get
us through the worst waves and
09:52:03 then plan to retire once we got to a better place and we are in that better place for Covid.
09:52:09 But there's not been any mass resignation there as far as the approval of the pediatric vaccine.
09:52:15 It actually went through the same process. The other vaccine approvals go through for kids.
09:52:19 So with children. They generally do something which is called immuno bridging. because a Large-scale Randomized control trial of children.
09:52:29 Is, is very hard to do. generally. What we do is we do our largest trials in a adults, and then they still do very large trials, but just not quite as large in children.
09:52:40 And they look for what's called immuno bridging which is demonstrating that the children have mounted the same immune response that we see in adults.
09:52:48 So the same antibody level response that's true of all pediatric vaccines.
09:52:55 But we do really. when we're looking at medical research, we do tend to prioritize as research subjects adults we are.
09:53:04 We don't utilize children in trials as often partly due to concerns over pediatric safety.
09:53:08 But when we look at the the safety and advocacy data for the Covid 19 vaccines, we're seeing the same level of safety and efficacy data that we see with other childhood vaccines
that the vast majority of us have gotten
09:53:21 so nothing atypical in the way that this one went through the Eu way process.
09:53:28 And so far we are seeing very good advocacy for preventing severe disease in children.
09:53:32 You just like the adult vaccines with the variance that we have circulating right now.
09:53:37 We're not seeing as good protection for just any infection at all.
09:53:42 And that's the same thing that we're seeing across the population. but we're seeing very good protection against severe disease.
09:53:48 Sometimes i'll hear from folks that they they wonder Well, Then why vaccinate kids, since they don't get severe disease anyway. But the truth is, kids do they get severe disease
less often than adults?
09:54:00 But they can still get severe disease, so in last year in 2,021 Kovat 19 was the fifth leading cause of death in children, and so actually a leading cause of death in kids,
and it's entirely
09:54:13 unnecessary. well vaccinated kids who have functioning immune systems don't have to die from covid 19 anymore.
09:54:20 And so that's. The big reason why we do it is because it's a tragedy to lose a child, and we don't want that to happen.
09:54:27 We are not seeing any cases of myocharditis so far in the underfive set.
09:54:31 We did see rare cases of myocharitis in the 5, and upset.
09:54:37 But again a dramatically lower rates than from Covid 19 itself.
09:54:40 So that 6 times lower rate of my occurred at is from the vaccine than from contracting Covid 19, and a very different case of myochritis and children from the vaccine than you
see, from
09:54:51 Covid 19 itself, and Myocadis from Covid 19, is generally long-term disabling, and can be fatal.
09:54:58 You see, kids who have chronic, persistent, cardiac anomalies from having had the virus from the vaccine, we tend to see very if we do see it, which is very rare.
09:55:09 We see very mile disease, which is self-resolving, and the kids go back to a fully normal life.
09:55:15 You guys might remember from a long time back we were talking about one individual in our community who did contract miocarditis from their vaccine. That was not a child that
Was a person in their twenties.
09:55:26 They have fully recovered now, and they have totally normal heart function, which is very different than what we see from the virus itself.
09:55:32 So that all to say if you're a parent who is wondering about whether or not to get the Covid 19 vaccine, I would certainly strongly recommend it, I would say as a parent myself.
09:55:41 We went and got my daughter backs needed as soon as we could, and we plan to get her.
09:55:45 All of her recommended vaccines, because the virus is much worse for children than the vaccine is. That's that's great. Thank you very much.
09:55:53 I am one other unrelated questions. but I don't know.
09:55:59 Can you just talk about monkey box a little bit?
09:56:00 You know. it was a little concerning to hear our Community health director.
09:56:04 Say we're really worried about monkey box and I guess I just What's yeah, just kind of what's the landscape right now.
09:56:14 So yeah, monkey pots is concerning from a public health perspective.
09:56:15 We have currently diagnosed 83 cases in Washington state of monkey pox, and one of the things that's concerning for us is really the trajectory of that curve.
09:56:23 It's really going quite rapidly up in the nation as a whole.
09:56:28 But in Washington State as well. We have not yet diagnosed any cases of monkey pox in Jefferson County, but we do anticipate that we will.
09:56:37 Monkey pox is very different from covid 19 and I think it's important to acknowledge that many of us we all went through a communal trauma in the last couple of years where
We saw a new
09:56:48 virus show up in other parts of the world. and Then start spreading, and then really dramatically change our lives.
09:56:53 We don't anticipate monkey pucks will be anything like that.
09:56:56 Monkey pox is spread in a very different way than Covid.
09:56:59 19 it's spread through close In-person contact particularly skin to skin contact, which is very different than covid 19, which is an airborne virus. So we don't anticipate that
we'll see the kind
09:57:10 of broad spread of Co. of monkey pox that we saw with Covid 19.
09:57:16 That said, though, it is still very serious for those who get it, and it is highly contagious when it comes to skin to skin contact.
09:57:23 One question i've heard from kind of the general public along that line is, you know.
09:57:27 Does that mean I can't shake hands anymore? could I get it from touching groceries in the grocery store?
09:57:33 No, you don't get them from shaking cans you don't get it from commonly touched surfaces.
09:57:37 You can get it from close contact. And so, close contact with other people who have monkey pox can include things like sexual contact.
09:57:45 We are seeing a lot of that, but it can also include things like hugging, touching, or sharing linux, so sharing sheets, sharing towels with people who have monkey pox.
09:57:56 So it's primarily that that close in person skin the skin contact that spreads it.
09:58:02 Monkey pox tends to give a a distinctive, painful rash.
09:58:08 And so, if you have a new atypical rash for you that hurts, I would definitely recommend you.
09:58:13 Contact your primary care, provider. There are lots of different things that make rashes.
09:58:18 There are pictures online so you can kind of see what monkey pox looks like, and it's hard to describe on this call, but generally it's a raised often red rash which can turn
into a pestule.
09:58:29 It's painful generally and it can happen on any part of your body.
09:58:34 So far in Washington State. we have only seen it in adults.
09:58:36 I want to specify that, because there's another common at times painful raised ration.
09:58:42 Kids called hand foot and mouths. that is not monkey Pox.
09:58:47 So if your if your kid has a painful red rush on their hands and feet, maybe even in their mouth, that's hand, foot, and mouth, we don't want to worry about that generally primarily
seeing monkey pox, and adults we
09:58:56 have disproportionately seen monkey pox in the community of men who have sex with other men.
09:59:03 But it is not limited to that community by any means.
09:59:06 Anyone can get monkey pox through that close skin skin contact.
09:59:11 And so, if you have a new rash definitely contact your healthcare provider, we do have testing for monkey Ps.
09:59:16 If you think you've been exposed, so say your partner close family friend, that you spent a lot of close in person. contact with had was recently diagnosed with monkey pox contact
the health department because we have some things that can
09:59:29 help. There is actually a vaccine for monkey pox, but is, in short supply, and it actually works as post-exposure, prophylaxis.
09:59:37 So if you know you've been explained to monkey Pox, your partner was recently dying. Those with monkey pox, for example, we can vaccinate you to prevent you from contracting
the disease.
09:59:49 Monkey pox can be quite serious. in about 2% of cases, particularly for those who are immunosuppressed people who are pregnant or very young children.
09:59:58 Otherwise in the general population. it usually lasts about 2 to 4 weeks, and then it goes away so that's my brief monkey pox primer.
10:00:05 It's worth taking seriously at the public health department we currently take it quite seriously, but it's not covid 19.
10:00:13 It's not a cause for general community panic and I Think it's important to acknowledge the populations who are currently affected so they can make sure and get tested quickly.
10:00:23 If they get a rash. But please acknowledge that Kovat 19 not coming into monkey Pox is not limited to any one population.
10:00:30 Any of us can get it, and it's really just from being close to another person. very, very helpful, thank you.
10:00:40 And my final monkey pots. question, is Why, is it called monkey Pops.
10:00:43 It's terrible name, and my hope is that it will get changed soon.
10:00:46 Historically. it was most associated with close contact with.
10:00:53 There are some animal species primarily in Africa that have monkey clocks at Baseline, and so, if you had close contact with those animals, you could contract monkey pox.
10:01:03 This strain is very, very different. It is not involved goes contact with animals.
10:01:08 It's spreading person to person. but it is a very stigmatizing name.
10:01:13 Most likely will get changed to mpv monkey pox virus is what that's short for.
10:01:19 But the who has not officially approved that name change which is why we're still using monkey pox.
10:01:24 But one other key detail to know is, if you do know someone who could track the disease.
10:01:28 They did not get it from an animal, they got it from being near another person.
10:01:33 One other place that we have seen it actually, spread in the King County area is close in person.
10:01:40 Events so like dances, parties You can think of when you're very close to other people.
10:01:44 When it's warm and you're not wearing sleeves. that's how we've seen that spread. So it's it's i've seen some people erroneously.
10:01:53 Call it essentially transmitted infection. it's not It's a skin infection, and one time you bring skin close to other skin is sex. But there's lots of other times that we do
that great Thank you very much.
10:02:03 Thank you. Second question. Thanks. A couple of weeks ago I had knew a number of people who flew back home from vacations who ended up getting having a positive covid test,
and it seems you know pretty darn prevalent that
10:02:21 way. i'm curious if that is still true I am traveling next week, somewhat unexpectedly, and doesn't seem like great timing, just with so many people I know bringing it back
you know we'll absolutely be
10:02:34 wearing a tan 94 on the plane and you'll take the usual precautions.
10:02:40 But are we still hearing that that's a pretty major source of transmission, and any way of knowing if that's from the airplane versus, you know, just high prevalence of disease
and other places?
10:02:49 That people are bringing back hard to know. we definitely are seeing a lot of transmission related to travel. certainly.
10:02:56 We know the plane is a high risk time, but often people travel to do other things.
10:03:02 And so when we when we're investigating a case at the department, we'll talk through all their risk factors.
10:03:08 The plane is one, but often when we fly out of state, we also go to
10:03:15 Oh, she froze, She freeze for you guys Yup within, you know.
10:03:24 2 days of after they landed which suggests they actually got it out of county before the plane right
10:03:31 And then and then brought it back. So if you're traveling I would say, Standard precaution supply high quality mask in the airport and on the plane.
10:03:39 Wash your hands when you go through Tsa, and then also think about when you get to your arrival.
10:03:46 Destination. covid 19 is in very we're seeing very high rates throughout the country, particularly in the South. Actually, we're seeing a really significant rise in cases. and
so I would not recommend for instance, indoor dining if
10:03:59 you're really trying not to get covid 19 outdoor dining take out things like that.
10:04:04 And then, if you're meeting up with friends or going to a conference, assure that you keep your mask on there.
10:04:09 The other place. we're seeing is we'll see even masked conferences.
10:04:13 But then they'll sit down for a meal and take their mass off.
10:04:15 So think about those meal times that's a really high risk time and masking in your interactions in other places as well. But if you're outdoors, you can still primarily take
your mascot is is the transmission
10:04:27 or excuse me, the incubation period changing at all.
10:04:30 But time between exposure and testing positive around set of symptoms, we're seeing about 3 to 5 days, on average, for exposure to our set of symptoms, which is a little bit
shorter than the original but
10:04:42 pretty stable for the homecom there. Okay, but if you have symptoms that started a day after your flight.
10:04:48 You didn't get it on your flight you got it where you went.
10:04:52 Thank you. no worries I see we have a number of Kvtz questions, but I do have one question.
10:04:59 I started to kind of noodle on the fall and thinking about schools.
10:05:05 How are we planning preparing for kids going back to school I've been hanging out with a lot of kids lately, and some of the parents are starting to talk about you know the
Horizon.
10:05:16 So. Yes, looking at schools, there is a lot of pre planning that goes into the place.
10:05:21 If you know any teachers they're working right now on preparing for the fall, and the same is true for the Public Health department.
10:05:26 I do think that our response in the schools will look a little different next year. we are truly at an endemic phase of the virus.
10:05:34 And so what that means from our purposes is there's just tons of Covid 19 in the community, and some of the ways that we managed Covid 19 before don't make as much sense now
so a lot of our early
10:05:44 focus was identifying cases and identifying exposures and trying to lock those down.
10:05:49 But in in our life now we have multiple exposures.
10:05:53 Often throughout our day. if you're going into indoor spaces, multiple different indoor spaces, you're likely getting exposed to covid 19, which is why we emphasize those universal
precautions wearing
10:06:04 a high quality mask and indoor settings all of your indoor settings, and we have less emphasis on contact tracing, because it doesn't matter as much that's the case that I know
about but
10:06:15 There's probably 4 other cases you got exposed to this week that I don't know about
10:06:22 So how that plays out in schools is that we we're still gonna recommend masking.
10:06:25 We're unlikely to require it. We are gonna make sure. schools still have access to testing that they can make available to their staff and their kids.
10:06:34 So schools will still be a critical testing site for our community.
10:06:38 But we are unlikely to do the level of contact.
10:06:41 Facing we did before, where we find out everyone that a kid has been around and notify those folks instead.
10:06:46 What the schools will do is a general kind of dashboard, or they can send direct communications to family one way or another.
10:06:54 They need to let folks know when they have a positive on site But we're not going to see the level of contact tracing anymore, because there's so much in the community that
the school is not going to be the primary source for
10:07:04 where people are exposed So if you're a family member who's worried about isolation and quarantine and contact tracing.
10:07:12 That's good news. If You're a family member who is really worried about Covid.
10:07:16 That might feel like concerning news. I would say. the most important thing for protecting your kid from Covid.
10:07:22 19 is having them wear a high quality mask in school.
10:07:24 Not all kids are going to be willing to do it if not all their friends are
10:07:29 So it's important to start having that conversation with your kiddos.
10:07:32 Now talk about family expectations. Problem solve how to reduce their risk in a school setting.
10:07:38 But hike body masks do still work Well, for the wearer, and so you can protect your kid that way in a school-based setting, and it's interesting to me cause we're you know we're
high up our meter
10:07:52 says Hi still and cdc says that when it's high.
10:07:55 Everyone should wear a mask, but i'm seeing fewer and fewer people where masks out in the community, and and I was just trying to model the behavior, but also just a little
bit concerned.
10:08:07 I don't I don't know what to do about it i'm sure you don't either.
10:08:10 But it's hard to see so many people kind of jedicating that basic protection for themselves and their fellow community members.
10:08:21 And felt frustrated this weekend.
10:08:24 It is hard. I do think there's a lot of fatigue and a general kind of desire to move on, which is very understandable.
10:08:35 You know this has been really long lasting the challenge is the virus is still here.
10:08:38 And it's, in fact, more here. and more transmissible than it's ever been.
10:08:43 I can understand why some folks might not be masking now if they have.
10:08:47 For instance, recently had covid in the last 30 days that's not unreasonable.
10:08:51 But remember that the Kovat protection from a prior infection really does only last about 30 days.
10:08:57 So masking an indoor spaces is still a good idea.
10:09:00 Your vaccine does prevent severe disease. very Well, but there are other people around you who might be high risk.
10:09:06 And so that's that's my biggest reason for asking in those spaces. I think i'm unlikely to get severe disease.
10:09:12 But I don't know who's next to me who might and so it's it's a simple thing I can do to protect my community, and I just wanna say out love that i've heard of people who are
10:09:21 Maxed and boostered 4 shots in who are getting Covid and are down and out for 10 to 20 days, and I just can't imagine being down and out for 10 or 20 days now you know I don't
want
10:09:33 to that happened to me. So anyway, I just feel sensitive to the folks not taking the basic precautions both for themselves in the community.
10:09:44 And that out loud. So we would encourage it.
10:09:48 You've been taking a break from masking Now it's a great time to put one back on now that Pa 5 is really firmly in our community.
10:09:55 We're seeing such high rates transmission on to Kptz Questions: So we have a couple we have several good questions today.
10:10:06 One was talking about return to work guidelines So our current guidelines is that if you are up to date on your vaccines. So if you're vaccin boosted if you've had 4 doses,
if you're
10:10:16 over 65. You can go ahead, and return to work even if you've had an exposure to covid 19.
10:10:24 We do recommend. If you have a known exposure to Covid 19, you do mask.
10:10:29 During the next 10 days after that exposure, and you test 5 days after that exposure.
10:10:34 Or certainly, if you develop any symptoms, this person was asking about higher risk exposures. So say you have a household contact who has Covid 19.
10:10:42 It is true you are much more likely to get a breakthrough infection from a household contact than you would from, you know a random passerby in your day.
10:10:51 So they were asking if there is any change in guidance or change in requirements for those folks.
10:10:56 You. there is not a actual different guidance for that group.
10:11:01 You can still go back to work. if you are up to date.
10:11:04 We do, Really, you do really need to mask for that.
10:11:06 10 days. if you have had a household contact, who has Covid 19, because you are high risk for converting to positive in that setting.
10:11:15 Luckily the masks go a really long way at reducing transmission to other people in your workplace setting.
10:11:21 And so that's why, we say you can go back is because it's not a 100% you're gonna get it.
10:11:25 And if you wear a high quality mask for those 10 days, while you're there, you are unlikely to spread it to others.
10:11:31 Of course, if you develop symptoms, test right away and stay home.
10:11:35 If those symptoms last more than 24Â h Test again.
10:11:37 Keep saying home. and you can really prevent transmission that way like we talked about before.
10:11:43 If you're up to date on your vaccines you are less likely to see that pre symptomatic transmission.
10:11:48 So staying home when you're sick is a key component of not transmitting to other people at work, is an option to reduce your workplace exposure.
10:11:57 If you can work from home that's always better so for instance when when my daughter had covid I moved my meetings to virtual, because I really didn't want to bring Covid into
the public health department, if I could
10:12:09 prevent it. We just can't lose workforce there. and luckily, I am privileged enough to be able to work from home, So I did that not all of us have that option.
10:12:19 And so masking in the workplace is your primary protection from transmission.
10:12:22 There and staying home when you're sick if you work in a very high risk setting where you can't work from home, you work in a hospital.
10:12:29 You work in a long term, care, facility I would recommend.
10:12:34 If you have a household contact who's positive adding another layer of protection, like an antigen test on your way in to make sure that you're not bringing covid into those
very high risk settings
10:12:43 jails are another very high risk, setting that i'd recommend an antigen test.
10:12:47 If you have a household contact as well that's not formal Cdc.
10:12:50 Guidance. but it is a good idea. And now that we have enough engine tests, we have them at the Public Health department.
10:12:56 We have them at the libraries. we have them at all the pharmacies. We really want to encourage you to use them for those kind of settings.
10:13:04 The next person was asking about Nova backs.
10:13:07 So Nova backs was a recently approved vaccine for Kovat 19 and they just want to know a little bit more about it.
10:13:13 So it's not quite in our community yet. but It soon will be, and we will carry it at the Public Health department.
10:13:18 Nova backs is so far a 2 dough series, and it does use an older technology for vaccines.
10:13:25 So it uses a little piece of the virus protein and that can't infect you with covid 19.
10:13:31 It doesn't use mrna it doesn't use a viral vector it's kind of old school technology, but it works really well.
10:13:37 It shows similar efficacy and safety to the other vaccines that we have available. but if you're one of those rare people who was allergic to one of those nova backs could be
a good option if you didn't get vaccinated
10:13:51 before, because you were concerned about some of the technology we're concerned about Mrna.
10:13:55 You were concerned about the viral vector Nova backs could be a good option for you, too, old school vaccine, same as many other vaccines that we use.
10:14:03 So I would definitely encourage you to move forward with getting vaccinated with nova backs if you weren't comfortable with some of the others.
10:14:10 We are seeing that you you can get the kind of flu-like symptoms that you've got after the other Covid 19 vaccines.
10:14:18 But we are seeing a little less commonly with nova backs. So that's one other option, too.
10:14:23 If the symptoms of the side effects made you concerned, Nova Max could work for you.
10:14:27 We have seen rare cases of Myocharditis in the trials of the Nova backs the vaccine again, incredibly rare, much rare than with Covid 19 and actually less than We've seen with
10:14:40 the Mrna vaccines. So if the myocharditis was what kept you from the Mrna vaccines, no webex might be a good option couple of other questions, this next person as a simple but
important question if you take a
10:14:54 home test, and it's negative do I need to report it to Jefferson County.
10:14:57 Public health. No, you do not. We only take positives at the online reporting tool.
10:15:04 You may wonder if you follow our numbers Closely Then how can we get a percent positivity?
10:15:09 We don't count home antigen tests positive or negative in our percent positivity that's exclusively Pcr: results because we do get positive and negatives for those
10:15:19 This next person asks about what percentage of the new cases of Covid 19 are breakthrough cases, ie.
10:15:25 Situations where a person who gets reinfected is fully backed and boosted.
10:15:30 Unfortunately, most of the data collected around breakthrough cases actually still doesn't include boosters.
10:15:36 It's just looking at people who have had 2 doses which we know is really not up to date on your vaccines, but that's all the data sets we have available right now from the Cdc
and from the Washington department
10:15:46 of health, the most meaningful number to look at. There is your probability of contracting Covid 19.
10:15:54 If you just look at percentage of cases you're missing a denominator which is how many of us are vaccinated or not.
10:16:00 But if you look at your probability of contracting covid 19, if you've had only 2 doses, not even up to date, you're still 40 to 50% less likely to contract covid 19 that doesn't
make it
10:16:12 0. We all know people who have gotten a breakthrough case of Covid 19, so would not count on your vaccine for protecting you against mile disease.
10:16:21 But it is very good at protecting and severe disease, and it does still reduce your chance of getting Covid 19.
10:16:27 And all of that data again, is only 2 doses. Boosters reduce that risk even further.
10:16:33 Couple of other questions. One person asks They had a case of Covid 19 in June, and they were wondering about leaving isolation.
10:16:42 They saw that the Cdc. says you can leave.
10:16:44 Iolation after 10 days, and then apparently some recent recent experts the White House advisor recommended getting 2 negative tests before leaving isolation.
10:16:56 So this person's confused so they wanna know Did I do the wrong thing.
10:16:59 Did I infect a lot of people? and I would say you did not.
10:17:02 So current stable guidance is, you can leave isolation after 10 days, as long as your symptoms are improving, and your April for 24Â h generally by 10 days.
10:17:12 The vast majority of us are symptoms are improving.
10:17:15 We can go ahead and leave isolation. There is a very rare possibility of transmitting Covid 19.
10:17:21 After the 10 day threshold. but it's very rare you are most contagious in those first 10 days, and where, earlier in the pandemic we were really finding each individual case
and trying to make sure there was no chance that that
10:17:36 person spread kovat 19 to another person Now, really a lot of our work is really reducing risk when there's so much covid 19 in the community, saying home those additional 1112
1314 days isn't actually helping the
10:17:50 community that much and it's very hard on you so I would say 10 days is very reasonable if you're at all concerned.
10:17:58 You're taking home management tests and they're still positive at day 11, i'd say most likely that's not viable virus that you're shedding at that point it's something your
immune system has
10:18:06 already thought. but if you're concerned, wear a high quality mask when you leave, and then you're very unlikely to give it to others.
10:18:14 Beyond that point. if you are immunosuppressed isolation is actually 20 days which is a very long time, and but that is that's because that group can't fight the infection as
well so they should viable.
10:18:25 virus longer. Can I ask one clarifying question on that?
10:18:29 Really quickly, you said as long as you're a feebrile, you mean without a fever.
10:18:43 Yes, thank you for catching me on my language So a February. You don't have a fever anymore.
10:18:44 If you had a fever at all, Not all of us do most of the time.
10:18:45 The fever actually resolves by about day 5. so you should be solidly without a fever after day 10.
10:18:48 But if you do still have a fever or if you have severe symptoms, if you're coughing really badly, you don't feel well.
10:18:53 You should stay home. That most commonly correlates with severe disease.
10:18:59 In the beginning that will keep you home that long and last question.
10:19:02 This person asks, asked me to respond to a reported market increase in what they called a sudden sudden adult dex syndrome, or S.
10:19:13 Ads. So this likely is in reference to there has been some primarily conservative commentators that have shared this message that there's been a sudden increase in what's called
what they're terming sudden
10:19:27 some adult death syndrome. There actually is no such thing as so sudden adult death syndrome.
10:19:32 There is sudden infant death syndrome that's a very real thing.
10:19:35 We take very seriously very different causes. There is also something called sudden, a rhythmic deaths syndrome, which is also a very real thing.
10:19:44 That is a genetic condition, primarily that's caused by people who are born with an arithmetic that they don't diagnose.
10:19:53 It's actually one of the most common causes of death of young athletes, and has been that way for since long before Covid 19.
10:19:59 So when you see those rare dramatic stories like a basketball player who drops on the field and then dies.
10:20:05 That's. usually what that is so it's a very serious condition.
10:20:12 It merits medical attention, and it merits epidemiologic attention that it has that.
10:20:15 So there is a There's a long time study coming out of University of Washington, called the Justin Time study, which is about screening kids to prevent sudden deaths due to arithmia's.
that is actually the primary reason why when your kids play. sports.
10:20:31 They have to get a sports physical most people think it's to check for hernias and things it's actually to listen to your heart.
10:20:36 So we can figure out whether or not you have that. So it is very serious.
10:20:41 It does matter? it's also been continuously studied throughout the Covid 19 pandemic and throughout the vaccination campaign, and there has been no increase in sudden a rhythmic
death in the world as a
10:20:52 whole in the United States or in Washington State. we have been monitoring for it.
10:20:59 It hasn't happened and that's expected because it's genetic.
10:21:04 So it's not it's not affected by environmental issues.
10:21:07 So not a real thing. We haven't seen a spike in sudden adult death.
10:21:13 What we have seen is a dramatic rise, in the number of Americans dying due to Covid 19, and that is entirely preventable by being up to date on your back seats.
10:21:22 So with that i'm happy to take any other questions from our commissioners, or pass it to Willie.
10:21:29 Thank you any more questions now. Okay, I see. hands up and on the attendee list.
10:21:35 We do not take public questions or comments. We you need to get those into us through Kptz in advance of this meeting.
10:21:46 So. anyway, Willie, what do you have for us We have heat coming, I'm.
10:21:52 Imagining It's a heat Report yeah good morning, everyone, nothing on the Covid front from the Eoc.
10:21:58 Very fortunately, but wanted to talk about the incoming warm weather, and we do have a little bit of a heat wave coming in on specifically Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday,
although it will remain moderately warm through next
10:22:11 weekend. This is a more typical summer heat wave.
10:22:15 I call late July here. way for us. Nothing like the heat dome that we saw just last year.
10:22:24 We will see temperatures up into the 80 S.
10:22:27 Maybe up into the nineties down in South County. but one way that this will differ from the heat dome last year is that it will cool down at night when we will drop into the
low sixtys maybe even the high, fiftys in some
10:22:39 areas which during the heat dome one of the reasons they call it a heat dome, was that he trapped in there wasn't adequate cooling overnight, which increased the risk for everyone
in the community.
10:22:50 So we will have an opportunity to cool down. That being said, there will be elevated temperatures on which will produce a a moderate risk for some in our community.
10:23:01 I do really recommend. Everyone obviously keep an eye on the weather forecast.
10:23:06 But there also there is a tool from the National Weather Service called the Heat Risk index.
10:23:11 That you can search out and keep an eye on i'm currently we've been in the yellow the low level of the heat risk index for multiple days.
10:23:21 Now. we will rise up into the orange the moderate risk level over the course of the week, week, but unfortunately we won't.
10:23:28 Touch the red or the purple high or extreme heat.
10:23:33 Risk index levels over the course of this wave.
10:23:38 So. Nothing particularly dangerous, but it will present moderate risk for those in our community really recommended that folks who are working outside and limit your exertion,
if at all possible. even light stay hydrated, and we're cool cool moving on all
10:23:52 that kind of fun Stuff for those that are indoors definitely.
10:23:55 But who might be at increased risk for
10:24:00 A heat related illness. Do your best to stay cool. stay in front of a fan.
10:24:04 You can for cold water ice behind it to help below cooling air at you.
10:24:09 I'm let a towel place that on your head or the back of your neck to help pull off and watch for the signs i'm anywhere you might be watch for the signs of heat exhaustion as
well as potentially heat
10:24:20 stroke with heat exhaustion you'll see that fatigue, and you'll see folks start to get really red produce excessive amounts of sweat, as certain point that can progress to heat
stroke which is a
10:24:32 life threatening bonus that's actually when your body starts shut down because it can't adequately cool itself.
10:24:39 You'll actually stop sweating, at a certain point and then You'll see an altered state of consciousness from that individual. they won't be able to you know.
10:24:45 Answer questions might not know where they're at things like that and that is a life-threatening emergency.
10:24:50 And you should call 9 1 one in that situation but ideally. Folks don't get to that point so do keep an eye out. You're taking breaks when working outside.
10:24:59 Staying hydrated all that kind of fun stuff because this isn't an extreme heat event we're not looking to our partners to increase hours of facilities or open up you know maybe
specific cooling related
10:25:15 centers. but there are plenty of cooling options for you out there on that can act as pooling center.
10:25:21 We'll be putting on a press release i'm a little bit later. today we'll have the information on both the public health as well as the em websites on the community centers in
the try areas.
10:25:32 We'll seen and Brennan will be available on the port towns in Senior Center.
10:25:37 I'm as well as the libraries. and we'll be making sure they all have some water. a few of those buildings are air conditioned headers will have fans might be a little bit cooler
and then, an apartment.
10:25:48 Building or things like that that folks might be in so i'm certainly some options.
10:25:51 But overall thankfully. Nothing like the heat dome, but some elevated heat will present risk over the course of the next couple of days.
10:25:59 So folks, you know, watch out watch out especially as you're recreating or working out doors, if you have Neighbors who, you know might be particularly wrong, vulnerable don't
hesitate check in on one
10:26:10 another, and that's what our in prep neighborhood preparedness group is really built on neighbors helping neighbors.
10:26:15 So we'll just keep out an eye out for one another i'm thankfully.
10:26:18 This isn't too extreme, but that elevated rit gives us a little cost for concern, so we'll be watching it in the next couple of days.
10:26:24 Thanks, Willie and I also just. I wanted to put a pin in or put a save the date out for the All county picnic, which is August twentieth and 20.
10:26:36 First I I was, I I love all county picnic so I googled it up this weekend, and that I said I should say it out loud in our Monday meeting. yeah, they're the all county picnic
for Those who
10:26:51 don't know it's an annual event it's a partnership with between deem on local 2,000 twentys and prep. group as well as the production. alliance.
10:27:01 And this is actually our tenth anniversary of the All County picnic.
10:27:05 But of course, during covid things as everything else did. It looked a little bit different than what we're used to
10:27:11 It's a annual event celebration of community resilience hardness. that's a chance for folks to come together to you know.
10:27:19 Talk about what resilience means to us to talk about how we can grow resilience by, you know, building relationships between neighbors, helping neighbors as well as the general
public.
10:27:30 And the first response community and other partners in disaster spots.
10:27:35 This year on Saturday, August twentieth.
10:27:37 We we will be having a series of presentations on various disaster related topic, and folks can come and pick up one of the the hallmarks of the all county picnic.
10:27:47 I'm free corn on the hub so you can come pick up corn on the cob.
10:27:52 I'm, attend to presentation. Get a little more information about how you could become more disaster prepared, and then on the 20 first, that Sunday the following day, and we're
encouraging our organized neighborhoods to what we have this concept during
10:28:04 the pandemic calling it picnic in place We're rather than a big big gathering where we've had, you know, a 1,000 people at Hj.
10:28:13 Carl Park in the past. have a smaller, you know.
10:28:16 Covid safe picnic i'm just within your neighborhood.
10:28:19 You can hang out doors. You can space properly be a little bit more safe that way, so we're encouraging folks to come and attend to presentation.
10:28:26 Grab their corn Saturday, then have a picnic within their neighborhood.
10:28:30 Come Sunday if you don't know if you live in a in prep neighborhood.
10:28:34 If you want to get involved, if you want more information about the picnic feel free to contact us here at de, and we can fill you in, and otherwise we'll be doing some more
advertisement as the
10:28:45 picnic trust closer, including a what those presentations will be, and how to sign up.
10:28:49 So thank you for bringing that up, Commissioner, and we look forward to seeing folks there thinking about my corn recipes already.
10:28:58 Thank you, Willie. 1028 so I think we'll close our covid update for today, and thank our colleagues for joining us very by I i'm find myself remarking off in the
10:29:15 consistency of of our team coming together on Monday at this time, and how much the community has come to value and and rely on that.
10:29:24 So I really appreciate the 2 of you being here with us.
10:29:27 And look forward to seeing you next week. can I make 1 one question for Willie.
10:29:34 It's a little tangential but it looks like you took my my recommendation to to grow the hilly who but I just wanna make sure you know you need to clean clean chin, and then
the mutton chops go to the
10:29:46 mustache just i'm working on it it's not ready for prime time yet.
10:29:54 But thanks. Okay, bye guys, bye.
10:29:59 So we have a hearing we don't have time for a break cause we have a hearing at 1030.
10:30:03 Maybe we'll get a little break in after that so i'm not sure.
10:30:12 We need to bring Phil Hensucker over Mark mccoy's already with us.
10:30:17 So for this hearing we'll we'll do a staff report from Fell, and then open the hearing for public testimony, and then do Commissioner deliberation, Kate.
10:30:31 I when it looks like Sheriff Noel is in the attendee list, might be nice to bring him over to in case we have any questions. You know.
10:30:37 There was one bit of testimony regarding enforcement.
10:30:40 So Okay, Yeah. Good. good. that bringing them over you'll have to accept the promotion.
10:30:50 Panelists.
10:30:59 So we'll start with fills update or presentation on this, and then and then do the hearing
10:31:07 Do you wanna refest time This No. proposed no shooting area.
10:31:15 Gosh! sure. the question is, how much do you want that you have in already?
10:31:20 Had I think primarily, the you know the location and the background.
10:31:26 Little background on it. Not not the whole I don't feel like We need the whole phonendy Alright.
10:31:36 Well give me a second here. i'll pull up the presentation and
10:31:42 See see what I can do.
10:31:47 Caroline carolyn's thinking we need more of the information than last, because this is a hearing, probably right
10:31:59 Hey? You might be good to go ahead and open up the hearing.
10:32:03 Heidi this since this is part of it. Okay.
10:32:09 So we welcome everybody who's joined us for this Hearing on a proposed ordinance establishing a jolly way and Silverberry place No shooting area under Chapter 8 dot 5 of the
Jefferson County code.
10:32:27 We're gonna hear a staff report from philip hunsecker, and then we will open the hearing for public testimony.
10:32:34 And then close the hearing, and commissioners will deliberate and decide.
10:32:42 So Philip Alright, got it and i'm bringing it up now.
10:32:51 Hello, Sheriff Noel! Thanks for joining us. Hello!
10:32:53 Thank you. ,
10:33:08 Alright. how's that looking
10:33:15 You see your screen in front of it, our our of our, you know, of our faces.
10:33:20 There we go. That looks like it. Okay.
10:33:31 So this is our a powerpoint that we had from July fifth, and 6 points to be made that we've talked about in the past, that the the Board has the final say on the on the outlines
10:33:52 or the the scope of the no shooting area there's Some State law limitations on any not shooting area.
10:34:03 There's a requirement in jcc 8.5 0 point 0 5 0.
10:34:08 That must be met. and you've already made the decision that it warrants consideration.
10:34:18 You've allowed for participation. of the tribes you've picked the 3 options one of the 3 options which is to hold a hearing and then
10:34:35 These are the requirements in Jcc: 8 point, 5, 0 point, 0, 5 0 subsection, 4
10:34:48 And then We've we've given the legal notice as required by Gcc.
10:34:52 8 point, 5 0 point 0, 5 0 subsection, 5 and 6 and this is in subsection.
10:35:02 6 is where the where it says that you get to decide the final boundaries of the No shooting area.
10:35:14 These are the limitations and requirements under state law and county code.
10:35:18 There's a preemption in rcw 9.4, 1 point, 2, 9 0.
10:35:24 That per Bramps local firearms regulation but there's an exception, and Rcw.
10:35:31 9.4, 1 point, 300 subsection 3, and this is carried over into our county code at 8.5, 0 point 0, 5 0 subsection, one you can regulate, when there is a reasonable likelihood
of
10:35:47 jeopardy to humans, domestic animals or property and then there's an additional requirement in jcc 8 point, 5 0 point 0, 5 0 subsection, 2 and subsection.
10:36:02 3 that requires a definable threat to the public health, safety, or general welfare.
10:36:09 So this is the greater Jolie Way and Silver Place, Nsa.
10:36:17 Proposal. Kevin Hitchcock, at Alright, in the Gis department, has put put this nice picture together 4, Us that shows where it is.
10:36:31 And then the petition proposes the boundaries by my leaps and mounds and bounds, and this is reflected in the in the diagram that Kevin put together.
10:36:51 This is a discussion in the petition of the concerns of the petitioners.
10:36:57 And why? why they're partitioning for no shooting area, and the petitioners provided this bubble chart which is a chart with circles of 550 feet areas area around occupied broad
where they're
10:37:20 occupied structures, and I think this is helpful for looking at the restrictions and limits on no shirt and shooting areas.
10:37:34 So now, all you have to do to do is to deliberate.
10:37:45 Decide whether you want to adopt the proposed greater Joey Way and Silver Place, Nsa.
10:37:55 Proposal, or whether you want to modify it. and before we do that we wanna take public testimony on this proposal.
10:38:03 So as you're likeed officials we want to hear your public testimony on this proposal, and issue
10:38:14 Your your testimony will help inform our discussion and deliberations.
10:38:17 So i'm gonna open the hearing for public testimony and invite anybody who's join us to testify to raise their hand, using the raise hand button at the bottom of the zoom screen
or have you joined us on the
10:38:30 phone I haven't checked over there yet if you joined us on the phone.
10:38:34 You can press Star 9 to raise your hand. and then we'll bring you over for testimony.
10:38:44 I would note that We've received a number of written comments regarding this proposed no shooting area, and both around our our first hearing of this issue on July fifth, and
then, in the intervening weeks and just recently
10:39:01 over this last week. So we have a lot of input on this.
10:39:07 No shooting area proposal, but we would love to hear more. If anyone is joined us to make a comment today.
10:39:15 Use the raise hand button at the bottom of your zoom screen or press star 9.
10:39:19 If you've joined us on the phone I see Michael has his hand up.
10:39:24 Carolyn i'm bring michael over as a panelist, Michael, you'll have to accept the promotion the panelists
10:39:40 And after unmuting you'll have 3Â min
10:39:46 Maybe Phil can stop a share. Okay, So I unmuted.
10:39:53 Thank you, Michael, and you. You can use your camera to if you want to.
10:39:57 But you have 3Â min for testimony we have noticed we've been here 9 years.
10:40:06 Now we do notice that there's a lot more gunfire sounds like larger calibers i'm not a expert in that area, and close proximity to our property.
10:40:19 We feel that it's a a danger to us as well as our property building structures.
10:40:27 Because of the distance of these bullets are traveling now, so we just wanted to, you know.
10:40:33 Let you know that we are very concerned about this and we feel that there should be restriction on it. and we're hoping that you guys can abide by that.
10:40:44 And Apollo, are we wishes? Thank you for your testimony, Michael.
10:40:50 We appreciate hearing from you. Yeah. My name is Michael Moore, and I love off Hastings.
10:40:59 You want my address or not necessary. Thank you. and my wife is Shannon Clover.
10:41:07 Thank you, I should say i'm only asking because It's required in a hearing Thank you I was gonna interject.
10:41:16 You beat me to it? is there anybody else who's joined us today who would like to make public comment on this proposed no shooting area?
10:41:26 I see Tom Tier says his hand raise and rosa Gonzalez i'm.
10:41:29 Bringing both of them over his panelists anyone's on the phone.
10:41:33 Who's joined us, you can use star 9 to raise your hand If you're interested in testifying on this proposed no shooting area
10:41:46 Tom. Tears you'll need to unmute and You'll have 3Â min for public comment at that testimony. Okay, Great. Thank you.
10:41:54 Yeah, for the records. i'm tears resident Jefferson County.
10:41:58 Actually a resident within the boundaries of the proposed.
10:42:01 No shooting area. i'm in favor of the proposal but I am going to continue to see some some small revisions to the boundaries of the proposal.
10:42:13 The thing that that I documented in my written testimony to you shows that there are 5 properties that are outside of the proposed area that have Hastings addresses.
10:42:26 And while there are actually 2 addresses, within the proposed area that do have Hastings addresses now that doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense, and, in fact, the the
properties that aren't included along
10:42:35 Hastings are the ones along which people will tend to park and then trespass illegally to access.
10:42:43 The probably the 120 acres of Dnr. Land.
10:42:46 That, of course, is excluded from from the zone.
10:42:51 So in terms of being able to notice and post signage, and actually have an enforceable no shooting area.
10:42:59 It just doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to leave those those 5 parcels on that have Hastings addresses which are outlined.
10:43:07 Just leave those out of the nose shooting area. So I really recommend that you that you consider changing those boundaries just slightly.
10:43:14 Small small adjustment to make it a little more logical. a little more regular shape area, something that to which signage can actually be posted and seen by people who might
be tempted.
10:43:25 So so that that's the basis of my my first recommendation I do have another question about signage.
10:43:31 I don't know who pays for the signage who pays for the signage.
10:43:33 Who posts them, who maintains them Important thing so I just would like an answer to that.
10:43:40 I just I just don't know the other thing that I'd like to to do is first of all thank you, Sheriff Noel, for showing up.
10:43:47 I think the Commissioners need to hear from you about the question of enforceability.
10:43:53 You know, in the county code. It talks about, you know, definable boundaries and all that stuff.
10:43:57 But the word enforceability were enforceable zone doesn't appear in the code and without an enforceable boundary of an enforceable area just saying it's a no shooting area is
pretty much meaningless
10:44:09 it's got to make the sheriff's job pretty difficult when people don't know for sure whether they are or not.
10:44:17 Inside a no shooting area. So again, I would I would really request again that we hear from the sheriff about this subject matter, and if i'm completely wrong about enforceability,
hey?
10:44:28 Great set me straight. but that that's a big concern you know that that Dnr parcel that 120 acres you know how you get to it only 2 ways one through a small entrance area off
10:44:40 of private road called Arabian Lane, and the other is, if you go through the Horse park and then cross over the county landfill.
10:44:47 So not really great access to that. So you can see why people have been trespassing across properties.
10:44:54 But you know, unfortunately, we can't regulate the dnr lands.
10:44:57 Anyway. That's that's my testimony thank you very much.
10:45:00 Thank you, Mr. Tears. sheriff. No. What do we wanna Take all the testimony and then respond, Okay,
10:45:11 I saw a caller with their hand up ending in 2 8, 2, Carolyn, will you bring them over as well what roses up first, and then i'll unmute Yup. Thank you Rosie?
10:45:23 You'll need to mute and you have 3Â min for testimony.
10:45:25 Can you hear me? perfect, Thank you, as a as you say, my name is recipe and sales. i'll leave in civil berry, which is included in the area that we are requesting the nose shooting
zone
10:45:39 and the reason why i'm approving this request is because of concerns with security.
10:45:50 As Michael was saying, in the last years it's becoming more Often the gun chance in this area, and with the neighbors that we would like just to be walking in having the ability
to ride backs in the neighborhood or to tell we don't
10:46:05 feel really secure with that situation. We appreciate your consideration on this request.
10:46:13 Thank you. Ms. Gzales caller, ending in 2, 8, 2, on mute, and identify yourself, and where you live?
10:46:29 And Hello! Can you hear me? Okay. Good morning.
10:46:34 Can you hear us. Hi! my name is marion i've lived on this property for over 30 years.
10:46:42 It has just More and more increased noise.
10:46:47 The gunshots get louder and louder booming.
10:46:50 It can go on for well over an hour. i've documented documented with some little sound videos.
10:47:01 I live a bit away. It is still it's unnerving.
10:47:05 It's very unnerving. I no longer walk down jolly way.
10:47:10 I used to walk it all the time but bullets don't stay exactly and property lines. so i'm very hopeful that you'll take this consideration.
10:47:20 No shooting area, Marianne, can you give us your last name for the record?
10:47:27 Logwick. Thank you, Is there anybody else who's joined us today on our attendee list who would like to comment on the proposed Joey way, Silverbury. place no shooting area,
if so, please. use the raise hand.
10:47:45 Button at the bottom of your zoom screen or press star 9 if you're on the phone, Anybody else who would like to comment on this.
10:47:54 No shooting area
10:48:02 Seeing any other hands go up
10:48:07 We dealt with everything in the Chat so so so we begin deliberation, and maybe it's might be good to hear from Sheriff Noel on Mr. tears's question about enforcement.
10:48:22 I don't i've never had the opportunity of asking or hearing an answer to that question about no shitty areas.
10:48:29 I don't know what what you guys you all the sheriff's office do. so i'm at close, close close public testimony on this.
10:48:38 No shooting areas. Part of this hearing and we'll hear from Sheriff Nol about enforcing those shooting areas, and then have further discussion, deliberation and make a decision.
10:48:50 Thanks, and that's that's probably the main reason I joined in was that case anyone had any questions about enforcement.
10:48:57 Of course, and and Mr. Tears brought up a good point, I think, with signage.
10:49:03 You know someone has to know that they're in the case of a no shootings on.
10:49:08 They would have to know that there's they would have that knowledge that they're shooting in the no shooting zone.
10:49:13 First thing I would say, you know, as far as deputies responding, Okay, you know we would.
10:49:21 It's a misdemeanor offense according to the county code.
10:49:24 Depending on the circumstances of the shooting at the time.
10:49:28 Most likely, I would say the person would get a warning.
10:49:32 Get out of there and not do that. or if it was a homeowner, maybe that lived in the area did not do that, and that would be a way to start the record of if they continue that
kind of behavior, one thing that we do
10:49:44 have that sometimes frustrates community community members is they'll call in shooting, cause they live in a no shooting zone.
10:49:54 But then we actually have to determine that there's some that person is actually shooting in the no shooting zone.
10:50:00 And I know. another thing Mr. Church mentioned was the Dnr.
10:50:05 Land and Just some people can shoot right near the edge and we've had that happen out in Portland low and after investigation determined that they're actually shooting in a
legal shooting area.
10:50:14 But you know, with it we would, it would respond and enforce it.
10:50:24 Yeah, I think that's about it unless anyone has any questions my understanding.
10:50:29 Is It's make a minimum a $100 fine and possibly 90 days from jail?
10:50:35 Just the maximum penalties. One yeah. One question I thought I had is that this is also in very close proximity to the shooting range.
10:50:45 And I imagine that could present some challenges for enforcement as well where it's it's hard to prove where exactly where shooting is coming from right like you're yeah you're
exactly right and and that was one concern I had
10:51:00 when I was looking at the map of the the location.
10:51:04 So, but by the same coat and I mean it's not impossible to to enforce.
10:51:14 It could be tricky at times. have you have you had success enforcing those shooting areas.
10:51:22 I mean what's the do you it seems like it might in my experience, most people seem to abide by them, and you know I i'm trying to think of instances where we've had flat.
10:51:35 Out shooters, knowing that it's wrong but I I can't really think of any of those Most people say to abide by it.
10:51:46 Only one I can think of is the at the mouth of Timotham Creek, you know there's the no shooting area, and you know there's people who go down to on the Washington Department
of Fish and mild Life
10:51:58 property, and legally hunt for water fowl, and sometimes that causes confusion.
10:52:05 Has even, cause, you know, concern, because some bullets have, you know, gone up up the hill.
10:52:10 So I you know, and but that's I don't know
10:52:15 I know you have a boat you I don't know yeah, you're and you're exactly right, and that's probably one of the the worst examples to pick them accounting that's definitely a
tricky area and people
10:52:26 can kind of can actually hunt out past. I think the mean I watermark in the boat.
10:52:36 So that one yeah that's that that takes some referee in to figure out what's going on the other thing.
10:52:42 I want to make sure that people know is if people are shooting in a unsafe manner, regardless of where the shooting is taking place, that that is something that we can investigate
put a stop.
10:52:54 To so. and that happens that happens sometimes. People sometimes they're just being reckless in a lot of times.
10:52:59 They just don't know exactly what they're where they're bullets are going, which are you could be reckless as well.
10:53:06 But maybe not. Thank you Any other questions for sheriff.
10:53:13 No I am case with the signage question I can speak to that a little bit, and the public works makes signs like they make all our signs, and I know that we've dealt with an expansion
of a no shooting zone
10:53:28 no shooting area before Heidi joined the board.
10:53:33 Where one side of the road was a no shooting area and the other side of the road.
10:53:36 Wasn't there, no shooting area and it's just it was really difficult to to enforce, and you know, of course, problematic, cause I mean it's just 2 you know house a 100 feet
away is out as the no shooting area
10:53:49 so from from my perspective, looking at it, the the instruments into India and holy way, and Silverberry way would be much easier to post as you're coming in.
10:54:00 This is a no shooting area as opposed to putting it on.
10:54:02 Hastings, where one side of it is a no shooting area where it really seems like it's a trespassing issue.
10:54:07 Not even So I guess i'm i'm generally in favor of this proposal.
10:54:13 But I think the expanding it to So you have to start putting signage on Hastings is is going to be more difficult to enforce and more in consistent in its signage
10:54:29 Sheriff Nol has one question I had I keep i'm Sorry I'm keep Mr.
10:54:33 Tears. if you're still on here I keep referring to you that I don't know if if people hunt out there, I don't know if that's a problem as well where you know when when Commissioner
10:54:45 brothers talking about the signage. on hastings road I Don't know if that's a a problem with people actually I can speak to that, too.
10:54:55 I mean they they are allowed to hunt on it and i'm we didn't hear from Point no point treaty Council today, but I know that they do.
10:55:01 You can consider most of the in our life, usual, and custom, hunting grounds and other people do as well.
10:55:07 Access. to It is a a different story, and not really what we're we're considering here.
10:55:12 But yes, as Kate said, there, the sound of shooting will still be there between the Sportsman Association and and the Dnr.
10:55:25 Did that answer your question? no and Oh, Tom said that we can't make a Dnr.
10:55:34 Land in a no shooting area, and we can actually I believe but it is I don't.
10:55:40 We haven't in the past because we've heard from trouble representation and and other, you know, appropriate use of those areas that it's recreational shooting does happen there.
10:55:50 So We've honored that, in the past But we could, if we chose to expand it and cover that 120, and I and I guess that kind of that, you know the if the road was the actual boundary
that makes it
10:56:01 easier for enforcement, if you want to say, or for people to know the boundary. Yeah.
10:56:12 I think we're very place that's that's all a no shooting area, much easier to enforce.
10:56:18 I would imagine. Kate yeah to that point you know i've I've said all along that I I really prefer to expand potential.
10:56:32 No shooting area based on input of those residents.
10:56:36 And given that we did not hear from folks in an expanded area. I'm.
10:56:40 I'm disinclined to to wish to expand it I am curious, and I I was remiss and not asking this sooner was outreach done to the tribes on this proposal specifically.
10:56:56 Today's agenda request that it was sent out to the point of point treated on the fifth.
10:57:00 Okay, Great: Yeah. in in advance of our July fifth agenda.
10:57:05 Item. It was great, great, Thank you.
10:57:12 I'm my only I I had a little bit of confusion, was Tom Tier saying his residence was in his proposed expansion. expanded area.
10:57:21 That's what I know. Okay, near nearby but not in the existing proposed.
10:57:28 Oh, okay, yeah, I think i've had all my questions answered.
10:57:37 And I am given the amount of support as demonstrated in the petition.
10:57:43 I am happy to to proceed with approval.
10:57:47 But yeah, I was really impressed with the the petition.
10:57:51 The bubble chart was very helpful to me.
10:57:52 The documentation of you know erin bullets and everything it's you know.
10:57:56 It seems that a very reasonable application from from my perspective, knowing that there will still be the sound of gunfire in the air.
10:58:03 It's not it's not a cure so i'm happy to move that we support the ordinance establishing us.
10:58:13 Oh, Philip has his hand up Just wanna make sure that all the written public comments will have been considered by you before you take final action.
10:58:25 I don't remember what the what the deadline is for written public comments.
10:58:31 Maybe carolyn can remind me. but I I thought it was the end of the hearing today, I think more more more testimony came in over the weekend, and Julie says she dropped it into
that folder i'm not sure of the
10:58:44 community, the hearing we all did Good. Okay, Okay, So my suggestion is to make sure that you look at that stuff before you take take final action.
10:59:00 You could do that later today, or you could postpone that till you know the next.
10:59:04 Session. I believe we we all did take a look at it, We were told great when it came in.
10:59:11 And It was just the addition of one or 2 comments.
10:59:15 There was no testimony submitted, written in written form, either.
10:59:20 That was opposed to the No shooting area
10:59:26 I I feel comfortable moving forward but we've read and acknowledge that i've just checked as well, and I I don't see any ones that I haven't seen
10:59:41 So should I continue with making my motion, I would make emotions to adopt an ordinance regarding the establishment of a greater, jolly way, and Silverberry No shooting area
under Chapter 8 Dot 5 0 of the
10:59:55 Jefferson County Code
11:00:01 I will second all in favor. we just do a bit of discussion.
11:00:09 Is it worth adding anything like as presented today?
11:00:13 Just because we had had had some discussion of expansion.
11:00:20 I. Yeah, I was assuming that that would all be. The only what we would be considering is what is presented here.
11:00:25 So friendly amendment, sure as presented today. accepted amendment.
11:00:33 Thank you all in favor of the motion and the amended motion on the table.
11:00:41 Hi any opposed passes unanimously. We've established the greater, jolly way in silverberry. No shooting area Alright made more work for Sheriff Null and and his team.
11:00:59 I started thinking That was the conversation because you're here can I just add a a thank you, Sheriff.
11:01:06 No Just wanna say I appreciate the work that was done helping the farms and chimicum last week.
11:01:13 There were some thefts going on, and sorry Sergeant England and Sergeant Shugusky both responded and apprehended.
11:01:24 The gentleman who had been rifling the money boxes at the farm stands, which we know is a Kate knows better than Gregor.
11:01:33 I, but we know is a significant portion of the income for those farms that operate on a very thin margin.
11:01:40 So appreciate you guys taking that up and resolving the issue.
11:01:44 Sheriff. No? Well, thank you. And yeah, that worked out pretty good.
11:01:49 Thanks. Thanks for joining us today. Okay? So do we.
11:02:04 Wanna take a little right. Do you guys need a break 5Â min recess, and we'll be back at 11 o 7 to continue with our agenda.
11:09:22 Most of my clocks say 11 o 7 and we're all back
11:09:30 Call us back into order. And the next thing on our agenda mute, that next thing on our agenda is discussion and potential action regarding Advisory Board reappointments for
the planning Commission and this came up because we need to
11:09:50 take additional public comment on this item and we walked this on the agenda last week, and it wasn't ample notification, or we and we didn't take public comment on this so
11:10:06 We as it says in the agenda. we recommended reappointment of Jefferson County, planning commissioners for Tor for 4 year terms to expire.
11:10:19 March the seventeenth, 2,000, and 26 for both District 2 Representative Lorna Smith and District 3 Representative Chris Llewellen.
11:10:29 So we're unless anyone has anything else they wanna say at the beginning of this we just are opening this up for public comment on these reappointments.
11:10:38 I'm grateful for the folks who applied for these positions, and we had a great process this time organized by the department of Community Development and staff by planner, Joel
Peterson, where we interviewed all all 3 candidates
11:10:52 for each position. so we had a total of 6 interviews.
11:10:55 Commissioner, Brother 10 attended the interviews for the district.
11:10:59 3 candidates. I attended the interviews for the district 2 candidates, and I've already reached out to my other 2 candidates and have engaged them, and potentially participating
in another border committee.
11:11:13 There's district 2 representatives so they they seemed open to that, and understood our reasoning, and Rationale behind our recommendation for reappointing commissioners Smith
that's what happened in district too so I
11:11:26 don't know if any. if kate or Greg have anything they want to add to this well, I guess I should reach out to the the 2 other applicants now in District 3 showing me up a little
bit now I I stand behind my
11:11:38 recommendation from last week Chris llewellen is I didn't speak with her.
11:11:42 She's excited to continue her role on planning commission and happy to make that recommendation again.
11:11:48 Reaffirmed hey? Yeah, I just like to point out It's it's, you know, the humanity of us all.
11:11:56 We had just had a long briefing with with philanthropy, talking about the new law, the new provisions, and opma, which require us to take public comment before we take final
action, and we still fail to do that
11:12:12 accidentally. so we the Italy, got into effect 3 weeks before.
11:12:17 So. things are are you Know it's a shifting regulatory environment for us, too, that we're adapting to.
11:12:24 So we are revisiting it today, and learning as we go. and if we had no if it was on the agenda on the regular agenda, and we hadn't even taken public comment, There still would
have been the morning public comment so it would have been
11:12:35 legitimate. Is that right? Sure, Yeah, I think we're moving towards really trying to call out on the agenda here as well as in our our committees, which is what we've been talking
with homesicker about about really calling out
11:12:46 where there's potential action. and that being a queue to to include public comment, too.
11:12:51 So. but I think technically, you're right but even better to to call out when there will be action, and this reinforces my New Year's resolution, which I stated at our first
meeting of the Year which is to engage
11:13:05 more people in the conversation as we move through all of these important decisions and considerations that we have every year.
11:13:12 So this reinforces my new year's resolution as well, and
11:13:18 So I would just ask if there is any additional public comment from anyone who's joined us on the attendee list regarding these reappointments to the Jefferson County Planning
Commission.
11:13:31 Does anyone have a comment about the appointment of either Lorna Smith for district?
11:13:38 2 or Chris Llewellen for District 3 to the Jefferson County Planning Commission.
11:13:44 Hmm. or the planning commission in General if you have a comment about that.
11:13:48 You'd like to make i'm not seeing any hands go up
11:14:00 Okay, So we voted last week i'm not sure we need to vote again.
11:14:08 Okay, okay. so do I. have a motion sure i'll move that we that we approve.
11:14:18 Lord is Smith and Chris Wellen to 4 year terms on the planning Commission has recommended.
11:14:24 I will second that all in favor. None opposed those appointments, reappointments, passing animals.
11:14:37 Thank you to Commissioners Smith and Lou Ellen for stepping up again.
11:14:43 Okay, now, for the I feel like this is like a drum roll one.
11:14:47 The big big, who in a presentation of the day Mark did a lot of homework getting ready for talking about the objectives and procedures for the 2023 county budget process, and
here.
11:15:04 From Mark, and then we will have, also a public comment period.
11:15:08 At the end of this presentation. And then any further discussion that the 3 of us want to have.
11:15:12 Yeah, and I see a number of participants. Sarah Melonson Stacey Pryor, treasurer, Veronica Shah, the deputy director for Public health.
11:15:25 Judy Shepherd our finance manager.
11:15:30 I see Judge Mendy Walker on the call.
11:15:33 Then i'm hoping that this will be a robust discussion, and I I see Assessor Chip Chatman already has his hand up.
11:15:43 So i'm gonna share my screen and So can you all see that Yup your Ab: capture.
11:15:58 Yeah. So this is what was posted on av capture.
11:16:03 And yeah, it's not hard to find negative economic news these days.
11:16:10 This morning I actually saw the Janet Ellen is predicting that second quarter.
11:16:15 Gdp will be negative, which the definition of a recession is 2 consecutive quarters of negative Gdp growth, and it looks like I don't know how large the negative number is going
to be but you can see
11:16:28 bullet number one Gdp growth and quarter number one.
11:16:34 It was negative. 1 point: 6. Yeah. So in the next week or so we should hear what second quarter Gdp was the growth rate, and that would will likely be revised in the month.
11:16:49 Following its announcement: Jp. Morgan.
11:16:53 They they see second quarter growth at 1%. But the consensus is that that that's optimistic, and it'll actually be a negative number.
11:17:04 If you look at the performance of the dow When I did this, look up the 52 week, I was 36,953, and at 1010 Am.
11:17:16 On July nineteenth it was 31, 1, 66, which is down 22%.
11:17:21 That is definitely qualifies as a bear market which goes hand in hand with the with the Gdp numbers.
11:17:32 And then i'm you see some discussion here about inflation and interest rates and Larry Somers, who, I think, is a highly regarded economist.
11:17:43 I think he worked in the Obama administration. he his outlook is pessimistic.
11:17:49 As well, and he's thinking that the the negative economic conditions might last the next 2 years, and then there was an article in Forbes about how the housing market meltdown,
and Jeff Chapman with his hand up he
11:18:08 might wanna comment on that locally based on what he sees and I think in the 8 o 9 recession.
11:18:16 If I recall which Philip Warley, the previous county administrator, shared with me. Was that
11:18:23 Whatever session hits the major metropolitan areas.
11:18:28 An area like ours use takes 6 to 9 months to feel the negative effects.
11:18:37 And so while the major markets might be hit early, it might take a while for the negativity to hit Jefferson County, and then I think on Wednesday the fed is going to meet,
and it appears as though
11:18:52 they're gonna raise interest rates by another 3 quarters of a of a point.
11:18:58 What which will continue the negative impact on the housing market due to higher mortgage rates.
11:19:05 And when you have mortgage rates increasing and you have price escalation in the housing market that exerts downward pressure on home starts, and then on the sale of phones.
11:19:18 And so, yeah, you know, given given the flood of negative economic indicators, I thought it would be
11:19:26 And and Kate, you actually were the stimulus for this.
11:19:28 So thank you. that we have a workshop to discuss what people are thinking here.
11:19:35 You know, board members and and other electives and staff regarding budget guidance that we should formulate for the directors and elected as the one august, a budget call goes
out for the mid by Am.
11:19:51 Review and modification, and my position, and I believe the position of Judy Shepherd, our finance manager, is that we need to be a very conservative going forward, and that
conservatism might be reflected in a
11:20:06 freeze on general fund budget enhancements, except those that are accompanied by new revenues, or those that are mandated by State statute or some other mandate.
11:20:21 And so couple with that can you see that there's a large enough. Yep.
11:20:33 Okay. So I took a stab last week at estimating what I what I think 2,022 is gonna look like.
11:20:42 And this that's the column I just highlighted It looks like we're gonna understand our budget by a significant margin.
11:20:53 And you know we we're. halfway through the year and so this is a prognostication that may or may not come to fruition.
11:21:04 But it's my best guess as of last week and then projecting out into the future.
11:21:09 We, as the model always does. it shows the steadily declining fund balance out into the future years.
11:21:16 But even at the end of 2027, based on the assumptions I have in the model, we still have a positive, unreserved fund balance.
11:21:26 So So with that. I will entertain questions or the start of a round table.
11:21:39 Right. Yep. thanks, Mark, for for this. I enjoyed looking through the the links as well.
11:21:45 I think Larry Summers also called the inflation when a lot of other economists were going the other direction.
11:21:49 I'm curious. Oh, what was my question Oh, do you think being What is it?
11:21:55 5 million 3 million dollars under the the the 2022 budget is because of so many unfilled positions?
11:22:02 Or do you have any analysis on What Why, we're we're so far under budget.
11:22:05 This year.
11:22:11 And the last 2 years are kicked over has been 2 years ago it was above 4% last year.
11:22:17 It was 5 point, 5, 4%, and so in this model i'm using 3 and a half for carryover.
11:22:28 But what I what I did is I I took expenses as of last week and annualize them, and then I Then I added, the 1 million for the payroll that hits on just 5 January that comes
back
11:22:47 into 2022, and I added a 1 million for 13 months expenditures.
11:22:54 Vouchers that are put in in in the thirteenth month.
11:23:00 And so i'm i'm reasonably confident in in that projection.
11:23:04 And originally confident in in the revenue projection as well.
11:23:11 What I did there, cause I backed. out the pift are the pilt, rather because that's a one time the hit in June, and it will repeat.
11:23:25 And so then I then I I normalized property taxes. because we've received 57% of property taxes in April, and we will receive the balance and November and so I equalize I
11:23:42 reduce the property taxes in april and then doubled the revenues, and then added pills back in, And that's how I arrived at this projection for revenues.
11:23:53 Great. Well, I have to say this looks rosier than I anticipated with the economic picture right now, and with the sort of a significant collective bargaining upgrades that we've
made in the past year and
11:24:07 and continue to make so you know right it always goes down that fun, Dallas, but it's great seen with with our salary and and benefit increases.
11:24:15 Still positive, unreserved fund balance in this model.
11:24:21 The the board that the 9% and year one of the bargaining agreements was generous.
11:24:28 And then we went to 0 and 0 and so that that will help you know.
11:24:32 Moderate the 9% But as I mentioned in the email this morning where I talked about the mediation for central services Sarah and I would like to jump in in January into the new
bargaining cycle
11:24:49 so that we can get ahead of the power curve.
11:24:54 Have all those agreements, you know, and and this is hopeful.
11:24:58 Have the ingredients solidified, ratified, and approved by the board.
11:25:02 So we can actually budget accurately for 2024 and not have to calculate retro payments, which is really a hardship on the auditors office.
11:25:17 So And another thing that that Judy Shepherd, and I are working on is a policy regarding general fund help to other other funds.
11:25:28 Historically. What we have done is We budget for transfer and all of it gets transferred, and every year that transfer goes up by 3%.
11:25:41 We're looking at the policy that will transfer only what is necessary to maintain an adequate fund balance in these other funds, which, depending on the economic circumstances
will allow the general fund to accumulate
11:26:00 additional fund balance. we're also looking at establishing a risk reserve fund, and and then in the establishment of that fund, we would take the general fund money that's
in the capital improvement account and move it into
11:26:16 that risk preserve, and that, that risk reserve could add a function as an additional cushion for the general fund.
11:26:26 Should, the recession be deep enough to require help.
11:26:33 How much of the capital fund mark are you talking about for risk reserve.
11:26:37 I'm i'm i've got to get a couple of other heads to look at.
11:26:40 My spreadsheet, but it it's in excess of a 1,500,000.
11:26:47 So market would be interesting to hear from other folks who might wanna lay on.
11:26:55 I thought Jeff had his hand up, but he took it down.
11:26:56 I ck does her end up. But Kate, do you wanna ask your question, then, what I do?
11:27:03 Do you want to bring other people over with questions and comments?
11:27:06 Mark. sure. Yeah, that's the purpose of the workshop is to hear from folks who have opinions on this.
11:27:13 So folks on the attendee list. If you want to be brought over to be part of the discussion, please raise your hand.
11:27:19 Kate, I saw your hand up initially. What why don't you go first?
11:27:26 Okay, Thanks. Yeah. So mark touched on this. I just Wanna: re-emphasize that The The purpose of this conversation is that as we start as we kick off our budget cycle, hey?
11:27:40 The uncertainty in the economy right now. makes it really tricky to to kind of think about what way we wanna go with this budget.
11:27:48 We still have very low unemployment you know there's there's plenty of reason to to to peer recession, as Mark is pointed out.
11:27:57 But at the same time state revenues are still high, and the State is budgeting for continued increase in revenues. in in part.
11:28:05 That's because with cost of goods higher sales tax revenue is higher.
11:28:10 So it's it. The The tea leaves is certainly at the national level are are scary at the state level.
11:28:16 The State forecast is still good. and so I I have a lot of confusion about how we should be approaching this budget cycle, and that the budget is the most important policy document
that the commissioners sign off on so
11:28:30 it's it's an important one I so what i'm curious to hear from some of the folks who are joining today.
11:28:39 And you too, Mark, is you know, kind of what are the the pros and cons given that the strong state revenue expectation?
11:28:46 And I asked. I represented Fairinger about this just yesterday.
11:28:57 It depends on those for for his budget planning, too.
11:28:59 I I It would be nice to be able to extend this period of of strong revenues that we've had both from our own revenue sources, but also from the Federal Government.
11:29:11 And yet I also think that we are, you know. Perhaps if we, if you change the perspective and looked at it like, okay, we still anticipate strong revenues.
11:29:20 How can we keep a lot of the good work that we've been able to do rolling?
11:29:25 You know. so we're trying to really make some change in DCD.
11:29:28 And talking about some one time expense for moving the needle on some longstanding, intractable issues at DCD.
11:29:36 I would hate to see that stop I would like us to have you know. be a position to provide match if there is bipartisan infrastructure law funding available that that we're in
a position to to be investing
11:29:49 there. So I I just think there is a price to to being really conservative, too, and I want to be smart about it, because there is.
11:29:59 It's just such a unprecedented at times in terms of of the Federal funding, and want to be able to take advantage of.
11:30:05 And I feel like we're on a good role right now that I hate to slow down.
11:30:09 So that's that was my impetus for asking for this agenda item, and would love feedback on that from others.
11:30:21 Yeah. and I would just add that as somebody who extremely budget minded in my own household and now brought that but that perspective to the county, I've been concerned hearing
all of these national training, and you know fears of resilience so I
11:30:41 appreciate Mark putting putting that hat on and looking at it.
11:30:45 What this county So another thing that concerns me is Is it people?
11:30:53 Or using their savings to close the gap to cover the cost of gas and groceries, and whatever else and consumer bad is also rising at a very rapid rate, and at some point ticking
on additional consumer
11:31:11 bat the that will peak, and if they have no savings and they have no debt capacity, then then retail sales could, could turn downward in a serious way
11:31:27 So do we wanna bring our colleagues into the conversation.
11:31:32 I think we should so maybe mark stop sharing that screen so that see each other a number of people raise their hand to be brought over. You See your hand up deaf you'll you'll
have the floor.
11:31:49 First.
11:31:54 Jeff, what do you think in Jeff? Well, I I wanted to comment on Mark mentioned the what's going to happen going forward.
11:32:03 If we get into a recession and that's that's that is a big question.
11:32:07 It's one that we assessors track pretty closely and it that what i'm noticing is it can vary from one county to another.
11:32:15 Is that? yeah, the market may stabilize. It may even go down.
11:32:20 But will it go down Jefferson county and no we haven't seen that happen yet.
11:32:25 We haven't frankly I haven't even seen it stabilized yet.
11:32:30 It may but you know we have something that's going on, now that wasn't going on in 2,010, when which is, you know, when we had the recession is we have climate, change, and
and what we're seeing
11:32:39 with the rest of the country. heating up is there's a tendency for people to move to our area, and and, for example, my wife and all of her friends went horseback riding today.
11:32:52 And they were planning on going to eastern Washington. and then at the last minute they switch directions and they're going towards forks, and it was all because of the heat
and and So we might see that we might see that our
11:33:05 area you won't see the same kind kind of in a recession, the same kind of value drop. but the other part.
11:33:12 I think that's very important to emphasize is regardless of how values go.
11:33:18 I mean you'll i'm gonna be sending out change of value.
11:33:23 Notice to everyone in in another month or 2 months and that you're gonna see 20% increases in values.
11:33:28 Oh, in general, and some will be more than that some will be less.
11:33:33 But it doesn't translate into more money for the county. The The county is still limited to that 1% budget, Terry limitation plus new construction that you know.
11:33:45 They get an additional bonus from new construction and that's very, very hard to get.
11:33:50 Probably owners to understand it's just just because your value goes up by 20% does not mean your taxes are going up by 20%, but taxes happen going up and over the years and
a lot of that's due to
11:34:01 voted approved measure. So when you vote something in that's a levy increase, then yes, more taxes are going to have to be collected.
11:34:10 I remember a few years ago, when quilting boot, quoting taxpayers were complaining that their taxes were going up.
11:34:16 You know it was the county that was taking it. Well, actually the share they were paying for.
11:34:22 The county was going down So that's the kind of thing to keep in mind, and the other component of that is new construction is, we add a amount of assessment value from new construction
that we get an additional collection
11:34:35 over the 1% from, and it averages around an additional 1%.
11:34:40 You got and you gotta. and when you start talking about giving multi-family housing exemptions or you know, increasing as a an incentive to build additional medium income or
low income, places, and you say well we won't pick
11:34:58 up the new construction that's true and I actually I'm i'm kind of torn on that and I've talked to DCD.
11:35:04 About that that if you don't collect a new construction you still got to provide the services you got to provide the roads, the administrative support, and all that, and you're
going. well Where does the money for that come from well it
11:35:19 would get it would get shifted to everyone else so that's something the key. And I think there's a a point where that that is okay, and and there's but you you should seriously
think about that and that's why
11:35:28 assesses generally are reluctant to add more exemptions is because it's a shift, you know.
11:35:34 But What all said is the important takeaway is that the county is under that 1% restriction.
11:35:43 And whether inflation is 8% or 6% you're still only going to get 1%.
11:35:52 And that means we're the money you can get through property tax is simply not gonna cover the bill that you get from inflation that inflation and added services
11:36:07 I see sheriff, and all his hand hand up I don't have a whole lot to say.
11:36:11 But I I wanted to attend the meeting just to keep in the loop on what's going on with county financials and budget whatnot.
11:36:19 But and I don't know if this matters or not but I just wanted to say that.
11:36:22 You know. I don't anticipate any major funding projects for the sheriff's office in the foreseeable future.
11:36:29 So just wanted to throw that in there
11:36:36 Now, Stacey, Judy, have anything you want to add to this discussion, Stacey
11:36:46 Oh, you're I think it's not muted but not audible.
11:36:52 Yes.
11:37:11 She's keeping us in suspense classic hmm
11:37:23 Sorry this is a hustle we got here we got you well, now, I can't hear you so 1Â s
11:37:40 Okay, I think this might work. Yeah. Oh, excellent thank you i'm Sorry about that.
11:37:47 It's so random, whether the headset works or they don't and okay,
11:37:53 So. I appreciated Mark bringing us in on the the conversation.
11:37:58 And agreed. we're definitely looking at a flattening and an intentional trying to combat inflation.
11:38:08 I think. you know what you've already. been anticipating is still kind of the glaring issue.
11:38:15 Is staffing is our big expense, and with the Cpi, for you know the last one.
11:38:22 The 12 month Cpi was 9.1%. So well, you had a 9% in increase, which I think was really needed for the one of the contracts that 0 and 0 I think, is going to hurt us longer term
11:38:37 we're still kind of behind on wages for the area and where everyone can do so.
11:38:45 It's tough you know we're we don't have all of our positions filled Hopefully, we can fill them all.
11:38:49 But you know this is just what has to be done every year.
11:38:52 You know the nimble nature of adapt to kind of the surge in the famine of of revenue for certain things, and and you know we're definitely getting our collections right now.
11:39:09 But some of the other things on deck are legislatively.
11:39:12 They're really trying to reduce certain expenditures for you know, specific populations, and so, interest and penalty, they they waved penalties on property taxes this year.
11:39:29 And then infrastructure is going to go down for residential properties.
11:39:34 Less than 4 units next year, and you know from 12% to 9%.
11:39:43 So that'll go down interest that we make on the the funds we have will go up, and so it might offset it.
11:39:49 Well for the general fund, but you know it it is an evolving of funding structure.
11:39:58 So we'll do our best. Kate I see your hand up.
11:40:06 Yes, I have a question for stacey see i'm curious how I know you.
11:40:08 You get to the presumably read the State economic forecasts that come out quarterly.
11:40:14 What's your takeaway from that I think we're? Such an anomaly out here, you know with with sales tax, and such a tourist base for sales tax and the hotel motel and then again,
you
11:40:30 know really the the shift of the of the property taxes, you know It's still the 1% which is kind of tough.
11:40:41 And then shifting that to different people, paying I would think some of the the heavy hits, you know, could be you know the motor vehicles and other things.
11:40:54 We have over the last couple of years built in the payment. in low of taxes into the budget. so I think it's a much more realistic picture that mark is showing you
11:41:09 But, you know I I read the the housing to be pretty strong, and I don't know it's I would.
11:41:19 I would personally plan for a flattening maybe not a a huge drop off, but a flattening whereas the expenditures keep going.
11:41:29 So that's the the real squeeze that we've we've had for quite a long time
11:41:38 Brian, Did you have something you wanted to add, or did you just wanna be brought over?
11:41:42 No, I just wanted to point out again that I think from the courts perspective.
11:41:48 We're gonna continue to see dropping revenue and legal fines being brought in more and more legislation is being passed to authorize those lfs being waved if you qualify for
any type
11:42:03 of engine. See services like such security. food. stamps you know we're not able to collect some of our old finds and fees that we used to do.
11:42:13 We still have the blake ruling that's out there that I don't think we've processed nearly all of the refunds that need to have happened of course there's money to offset that
but with that blake
11:42:24 ruling. You still have that you know trickle that effects for law enforcement of where people are not just getting the rested.
11:42:32 So we're just not seeing that type of revenues thankfully.
11:42:36 The lack of filings means that we're not having as many costs going out in terms of, say conflict public defenders, and things that I have to pay for.
11:42:48 So that's a bright note i'm lack of live enforcement but just keep in mind.
11:42:54 I I still think that my revenue numbers are just gonna keep dropping.
11:42:58 That's more and more people are able to get their phone waved and removed from the record.
11:43:06 Jeff, I see your hand up yeah i'd I'd. be remiss if I fact to my staff, I really need to say this is that when we plan a 2 year Budget my office was We talked about it here
and my office wanted an additional position.
11:43:22 And there were a lot of positions added in 2122 through the county government.
11:43:27 And we said, Okay, we can get through 2,022 without a position.
11:43:31 But we put in the 2 year budget we're one of the cats, the offices that has an additional position submitted for 2,023.
11:43:38 That is, in the budget. So when when we see discussions about a freeze I i'm not really sure how that's really going to shake out if it's already was approved last year, for
as a position to be added
11:43:54 in 2,023, and I know there there's probably going to be more discussion about this, and I can sit down with Mark and go over that, because again it was a position that was already
approved, and we might be able to find
11:44:05 ways to mitigate it, so it's not as expensive but
11:44:12 But again we we would like to see that position. stay in the budget
11:44:20 Anyone else with input into this conversation. yeah okay, that'd be curious, mark
11:44:32 So some of the i'm thinking to the communications position which we funded in this year's budget but the positions that that we approved, but weren't filled would you recommend
that we continue with those or
11:44:47 reconsider So positions approved, yet unfilled the database manager position and the communications position.
11:45:02 Stacy you filled yours. No, you're working on that yeah I wouldn't take away anything that was approved in the 2022 budget, and to Jeff's point the the whole reason we do
11:45:16 amid by am review, is to have discussions like this, and based on new information, modify that budget to.
11:45:27 So it is consistent with fiscal realities.
11:45:30 So regarding the position, the board you said you could have at the end of 2021
11:45:37 They'll have to review that and validate that in in the adoption process.
11:45:43 Between now in December. So just to let you all know we have a public comment period as part of this agenda.
11:45:55 Item and it'd be great if everyone who's here with us on the panelists, could stay in the room.
11:46:00 In case any of the questions that we get from attendees you're better suited to ask, and and i'm, hoping I'm.
11:46:08 Hoping that the board we'll get will give me guidance
11:46:13 Before we break it at name or subsequent to the elected officials and department directors meeting at noon, so that I can put it resolution together for the Board to consider
next Monday.
11:46:24 Okay, Kate, you have a comment. Yeah. and like us to also be thinking about the breakdown of ongoing versus one time.
11:46:36 You know we we've talked about some important pieces of work that we'd like to move forward so depending on the central services.
11:46:43 Position might be a need for some capital planning work. We have the short term vacation rentals.
11:46:49 We have potentially headlock sub area plan. We have forests.
11:46:52 Our State force for our State forest planning to do all of what you're outside of kind of the e current capacity.
11:47:01 So I i'd love to part of the conversation to be how we approach one time versus ongoing
11:47:07 As we enter this budget cycle right and back when the pandemic hit the board approved
11:47:17 Some I think a resolution given guidance to department directors, and one of the things that the the Board put in that guidance was that, in addition to enhancement requests
that are fully funded by new
11:47:32 revenue that are mandated for budget enhancements that the Board wanted to fund.
11:47:42 Notwithstanding the guidance to electives and department directors.
11:47:45 So if there's a a one-time contractual obligation, Kate, for DCD.
11:47:52 To undertake an effort that's important to the board that would be a one time expense.
11:47:55 Certainly the Board would have the discretion to approve those.
11:48:03 So just on the question of our flow today. It Seems like it would be better to kind of go through our our noon workshop, and here input that might affects you know a motion
that would be made cause we're gonna
11:48:19 hear about communications. We might hear about that the need for that position we're gonna talk about human resources.
11:48:25 We might hear information from Sarah that can inform any kind of recommendation that we as commissioners, make and we we may get broader participation from the team in that
workshop.
11:48:37 So let's hold off on making a recommendation for mark until the end of the Quarterly elected officials and department directors meeting
11:48:46 But I would like to open up for public comment and see if anybody who's with us on the attendee list.
11:48:54 We'd like to add any comments to this discussion about 2023 budgeting and the economic trends that we're all seeing happen.
11:49:06 I see your hand up great. So if you if you are interested in comedy, raise your hand, and we'll bring you over.
11:49:11 But, Commissioner Brotherton I was. I was not trying to intercede in public comment.
11:49:16 I was just trying to open the participants and hit the wrong button. Sorry.
11:49:19 Okay, So is there anybody on the attendee list who would like to comment on the 2023 budget planning process, or what you're seeing feeling about economic trends locally statewide
and nationally see folks with their ear
11:49:39 tuned to that. I know some of these people have their ears turned into that economy, and nice seeing any hands go up
11:49:52 Okay? Well, we will open to hearing, of course, at the quarterly elected officials in the department directors meeting.
11:50:04 So any more comments from those in the zoom room.
11:50:09 Now
11:50:16 Well just samples that i'm gonna have to miss the the noon meeting.
11:50:21 The economic Development administration in town, and the important relationship to maintain with them.
11:50:27 So. I will have to listen to that meeting. after the fact.
11:50:32 Anything you wanna say to us in advance of that discussion?
11:50:40 No I think you know the the budget assumptions are going to be talked about today, and i'm I've been pretty clear in my how i'm thinking i'm approaching this conversation, and
so welcome more input on
11:50:51 that i'll be curious to hear what pertinent but the communications position how to write size that so Oh, sorry to miss it, and we'll we'll play catch up, and I saw that Veronica
had her hand
11:51:05 up. Did that hand go back down? Yep. yeah I try to bring over as a panelist?
11:51:11 I'm not sure if she had something to say there she is Veronica. Do you have something you want to add to this conversation?
11:51:33 I know that public health. you know we are highly grant funded. However.
11:51:37 Our grants are fairly flat. and so you know we'll have to see what is coming.
11:51:49 You know down you know in the future for us we're gonna have to be really monitoring our fees, you know
11:51:58 And seeing how our fees come out, you know.
11:52:07 And you know we met with Judy just recently, and looked at a proposed policy regarding asking for general fund assistance, and I just wanted to give her some kudos.
11:52:19 I thought she did a great job at the draft on that draft.
11:52:23 And I thought it was a good idea to have written policy to help, you know, provide some guidance.
11:52:31 To the special revenue funds. So I just wanted to say thank you for that as well as as far as this discussion.
11:52:42 Those just to provide some more insight. as far as public health goes.
11:52:47 You know the 9% that employees got just recently, you know, was a big hit to us, and public health only asked for the retro
11:53:02 And so moving forward this year, you know. we are. still, you know, feeling that ins to that decision, you know, with the additional step that employees got as well.
11:53:16 So we never asked for general fund assistance for that
11:53:22 And so you know, typically when we ask for general fund assistance it's a one time only ask it's typically not ongoing
11:53:33 And so the bargaining agreements really hit our department.
11:53:40 Quite substantially because we're a large department in most of our expenses lie in salaries and benefits.
11:53:50 And so when we get assistance from the county for those bargaining agreements we typically get at once.
11:53:57 You know we get that initial assistance so if it's a 3% increase.
11:54:03 We get that initial, you know assistance for that increase for that first year.
11:54:10 But those ongoing those are ongoing experience that We have to come up with, and don't give me wrong.
11:54:17 We definitely needed that adjustment. You know our employees needed it.
11:54:22 We needed it to be somewhat competitive even with our local partners.
11:54:28 You know the city, the hospital, and so forth there's definitely still a gap.
11:54:36 But it was a good move. so thank you. Commissioners.
11:54:40 And county administrator for for doing that but what i'm trying to really express is that public health.
11:54:50 Does its best not to ask for general fund. We will continue to do that.
11:54:56 And if when we if and when we do that if we find ourselves in a position of not needing the money that the county has provided us, we give it back and we will continue to do
that, so I just wanted to say
11:55:13 that and so we will keep you prized of
11:55:20 But you know, having that opportunity again. if we can give more money back, we will and we will continue to budget strategically and use our money as wisely as possible.
11:55:38 Thanks Veronica Any other last bits of input on this agenda.
11:55:49 Item, Judy, you'll need to unmute yes, i'm here.
11:55:56 So. I just wanted to share that I believe we have to look at our budget as to what our goals are as accounting what are what are because we need to pull together.
11:56:07 And we've done a lot of this with our culture change salary increases.
11:56:12 You know the bargaining units that have been done, but we, I feel like having some work to do as far as Us.
11:56:21 Coming together with what our goals are for our budget year.
11:56:27 And if we can specifically say, okay, as mark presented we need to maybe take a step back from some things, and you know, be very conservative, conservative.
11:56:37 That's a budget goal is to remain concert conservative.
11:56:43 So. I just wanted to throw that out there, and looking at it from a goal.
11:56:49 Aspect, you know, is the the capital management, capital improvement projects we need to be considering.
11:56:52 Well, then, if that's a goal then we all need to work towards that goal, and in the general, if i'm policy we were putting together and our putting together helps to work towards
those kinds of goals. So I just wanted to to throw
11:57:09 that out there looking at our budget also from what we want to accomplish as a county, and what our goals are.
11:57:16 It's a good reminder. zoomy and mark Do you want to give us a little over you?
11:57:22 And I mean, I know we manage capital funds separately from the general fund
11:57:33 I didn't catch all that could you I know that we manage capital funds separate from the general fund right? so there's different.
11:57:40 There's different buckets of funding that we could be talking about here. But this is particularly the general fund. budget.
11:57:48 Right? Yeah. Yeah, the joint, This workshop, this workshop was principally about general fine, because we have so many departments inside the general fund, and and so many folks
competing for resources.
11:58:05 So whatever guidance we put out, we will apply to all funds.
11:58:09 Based on the economic drivers that we're seeing and what kind of risk the Board would like to take going forward.
11:58:19 Capital funds are managed differently. But capital revenues.
11:58:24 You know, re is what hits the capital fund. you know, listening to Jeff this morning market, still strong.
11:58:35 So maybe we can be less conservative with capital.
11:58:37 I know the boards made a lot of capital commitments.
11:58:40 We have the capital in our Arpa workshop, and the board committed.
11:58:43 Substantial capital resources to a number of projects so there's not a whole lot of capacity from a capital point of view.
11:58:53 If the Board continues to support the commitments they made previously.
11:59:00 But there are large kind of on the horizon potential capital projects that we may want to start planning for correct correct any other last minute.
11:59:15 Last minute comments. here on this agenda. Item: Kate: Yeah.
11:59:22 Just in terms of process, mark, and how how we go about. kind of getting getting some guidance to you as the board.
11:59:34 Do we want to? Pretty full agenda today? But do we want to try and talk about it this afternoon, or can we talk about it next week?
11:59:40 But that wouldn't allow you mark them to have a resolution together for next week.
11:59:45 It would delay it another week. So what what's the timeline you need right and and just a reminder to the to the board that i'm out next week.
11:59:57 So my hope is that the Board will give me guidance this afternoon.
12:00:03 And I can have a draft resolution, but I I could share and we could hone it down and and get it where the board wants it to be for the meeting on A August first.
12:00:15 Okay, that would be helpful. Yes. And then our 2022 budget setting process.
12:00:25 We outlined budget items for 23.
12:00:30 So. are you looking for? Stay of the course with what we plan for 23, or have you received other budget?
12:00:39 Requests that we need to consider. in addition to those ones we already had listed for 2023 well renee tally in central services, went out with a call for capital items to be
funded out of information services
12:00:56 or capital improvement. but as far as requests the budget call goes out from the auditors office on Monday, August first.
12:01:08 So we've not heard from video. the departments yet. on how they wanna modify what they submitted in. in 2021 for 2023.
12:01:18 And that's what the mid myanium review does it allows them to look at what they submitted and make changes to it, based on what they know.
12:01:25 Now that they didn't know them and on the guidance at the board put out for them to use.
12:01:35 Okay, I see that Ruth Gordon has her hand up So let's ring Ruth over and hear from her if we can.
12:01:43 Can you finish this discussion up, Ruth? Oh, not with us yet.
12:01:56 Ruth, did you have something you want to add, or did you just want to be brought over?
12:02:00 Just wanted to be brought over Thank you, not still left out.
12:02:04 That's all okay. So unless there's any last comments we can recess for the noon hour .
12:02:14 Stay in the meeting right right but we're moving to the workshop with quarterly elected and official. So we're not recessing right next agenda item, continued discussion, and
we have a number of specific
12:02:30 items that we want to talk about the same together.
12:02:36 And then probably continue this discussion of budget guidance for Mark.
12:02:44 Okay, So Kate has to leave us Unfortunately, we need to bring over a whole slew of other people, and transition to our new and our discussion. and I don't know who's up to talk
about communications. that's.
12:03:01 The first item, I call it enlist, Mark.
12:03:05 Do you know? Yeah, the the Agenda for this meeting was put together when I was down in vancouver for the Riskpool conference, so I don't I don't know who put the communications
on on the
12:03:18 agenda for today. but if that person is here that maybe they can kick it off, and we need to bring over Brent Byler and Denise Banker.
12:03:31 So I'm bringing over lots of people if yeah and so I guess if they don't accept the promotion to panelists, just raise your hand.
12:03:37 If I have missed you i'm trying to bring people over so i'm not sure if everyone that's there is willing to speak if their staff
12:03:51 I know, but i'd like to share with several of the agenda topics that got decided late last week were per a call out from Adl for any agenda items.
12:04:01 And it looks to be like she put everything that I even suggested on my list.
12:04:05 So. so I am not an expert on any one of them, but it was simply suggestions.
12:04:13 So okay, Anyone else wanting to be brought over from the attendee list, Please raise your hand
12:04:28 I imagine James Kennedy Penguin go
12:04:42 Yeah, Picky has her hand up
12:04:53 Okay. Well, so we have a few items on the agenda for today.
12:04:58 Communications that, including website and social media use for education and outreach about our departments and services, best practices, policies, sharing insights, reaching
a more diverse audience.
12:05:10 Second agenda item is human resources, recruitment strategies, trends with candidates.
12:05:18 Third topic, Diversity, equity, inclusion, frameworks for change, training, staff involvement, messaging commitment, internal and external, and a round table discussion and
a date for our next meeting.
12:05:32 So did anyone on the call propose those agent items who feel prepared to lead a discussion about any of those thinking.
12:05:41 Maybe Sarah, and human resources or I don't know
12:05:48 Yeah, I will freely admit that I have been somewhat delinquent in moving ahead with the communications position that the Board approved.
12:05:58 Some time ago, when the 2,022 budget was adopted.
12:06:02 I know with the there have been discussions with public health about where to locate a communications person and
12:06:11 We need to do some more work on a job description.
12:06:15 And as we do that we need to consider the things that are in the agenda.
12:06:19 Item here. And so it it. Yeah, looks like she took all of your topics and put them in the agenda.
12:06:29 So if communications was yours, feel free to take the microphone and and lead us on
12:06:46 Less frequent forum a a quarterly one, anyway.
12:06:50 I think what I was aiming at was maybe hearing what you just explained Mark, just to sort of see where the county has landed on that, and I understand that you know there's
a lot of competing priorities.
12:07:00 Right now. in in the background. you know, our communications team internally at public health has really developed not only because we wanted it to for many years, but because
out of necessity the pandemic has put us in the middle of
12:07:16 a lot of different modalities of communication that are highly complicated, but also intriguing, and has taught us a lot.
12:07:24 We have a small staff of communication specialists right now, and
12:07:29 Their work is ever evolving. they're doing a masterful job, and from them learning about learning developing and revising policies along the way about how to manage communications
has been really tough but also extremely valuable for our
12:07:46 learning process and evolving in terms of expertise and professionalism of our staff.
12:07:52 With regard to communications. So I, Veronica and I have submitted to to you all that that we have.
12:08:00 Certainly lessons learn to to lend to a future communications position within the county, and we even suggested that there might be some co-locating of that staff person with
our communications team.
12:08:11 Since we're building ours in order to give that extra roles, some supervision from within our department.
12:08:17 If that was, you know, desirable and otherwise, and I realized that that determination is still kind of on the drawing table.
12:08:27 So we I should say public health Run and I are always happy to keep talking about how that could be construed to best serve.
12:08:36 You know us as well as every other county department. as well as the commissioners and and everyone involved where communications coming out from the county to the public are
are so critical.
12:08:51 The work is takes a lot of thought and expertise.
12:08:55 Yeah. Well, I I will say that putting this on the agenda for today will certainly increase the size of the flame under this topic on my list of priorities.
12:09:07 So. thank you. I I will devote considerably more energy to to this item.
12:09:15 Then I have up till now. so thanks for that, Commissioner Brothers.
12:09:22 Can I see your hand. up Yes, thank you i'm i'm glad this was on the agenda for today as well.
12:09:28 I think it's we could still you know brainstorm as long as it's still a gleam in the eye, and I I think to me one of the the real big takeaways from covid and our communication
12:09:37 efforts in the last couple of years is that coordination of communication is really the critical thing, and I I you know I'm not sure.
12:09:45 Public health is absolutely the appropriate place for it. but I think that having it having a place that that communication goes through so it can.
12:09:55 So we can be consistent. is is really critical and I think we've done a good job in that, you know not necessarily advocating.
12:10:00 But I think it's it's really worth considering and just.
12:10:06 I also think that this communications staff member really needs to have interface with all the different departments, though I think that's the consistency of communication
that we're talking about and amplification and someone that's just kind
12:10:17 of truthing. if we're being effective in in getting that getting the the word out and getting the word back in So just my kind of brainstorming.
12:10:26 And input to that, to this, this role. thank you and before I hand it off to someone.
12:10:31 I would just say i've gotten a when I get 3 comments from 3 distinct people.
12:10:36 I feel like It's something enough to raise it up as people appreciate our Facebook presence.
12:10:42 People actually rely on it, and I don't know if we're doing, you know, as much as we could with Facebook or other social media.
12:10:49 But people have been stopping me in the grocery store and saying, You know, I I heard about something on, Facebook, and I really appreciate that the county does that.
12:10:59 So for whatever it's worth. I think social media should be a a big chapter of our communications planning process.
12:11:08 As we move forward. Veronica, I saw your hand go up.
12:11:11 Yeah, I I agree with What commissioner brotherton was saying is like that.
12:11:18 I'm not sure if it if this position should be with public health.
12:11:27 However, it has been discussed. and One of the reasons why we discussed having that person sit here with public health is because of the team.
12:11:35 You know it does definitely do a team effort to keep our communications flowing. and and we do have a process, you know, already established.
12:11:47 And it is quite a process, you know. everything be embedded.
12:11:53 You know we have 2 2, 2 2 positions, 2 communication specialists who heavily, who rely heavily on each other.
12:12:04 Plus the management team. and it's a daily activity you know, working closely together, and I agree again like what Commissioner Brotherton mentioned that this individual would
have to work with every single department who ops in doesn't necessarily mean
12:12:24 that everyone, every department has to opt in immediately. I think it could be a phased in approach.
12:12:31 But that's the 1 one reason why I did offer to, you know. Help with this task.
12:12:40 And possibly bring the individual here to public health is because we already had a process.
12:12:46 And I think we could at least get the get this off the road or off you know, and up and running because of already having a process in place.
12:12:55 So that's just what I wanted to add thanks foronica sheriff.
12:13:00 No, I see your hand up. Yeah, this communications things I I wasn't looking at it.
12:13:06 It's such a big, a big project I was excited because I thought we were gonna talk about how I could put stuff on my department website.
12:13:15 The county website. because I found that difficult to navigate and
12:13:22 So i'll do some more digging on that but I guess another question.
12:13:26 I have was if this communications position, would that be the kind of person where I could and say, Hey, I want to put this on the website?
12:13:34 Or can you change this verbiage or something? Does anyone know if that would be their duties?
12:13:41 Well, as I mentioned earlier, we still need to crystallize the job description, and you know, where do we put it?
12:13:50 In the pay scale, and we have questions still, and so additional work has to happen on this.
12:13:57 But certainly Stewarthip over the county web website I think would be an appropriate duty for whoever we hire thanks.
12:14:10 And but we all have our own individual websites to our different departments.
12:14:15 Well, it Each department has a web page, and I know some departments.
12:14:21 I I don't know whether they have web pages I know they have Facebook sites.
12:14:26 But yeah. I was thinking of the web page but but certainly, you know, helping departments improve the look and feel of their pages.
12:14:37 Certainly ought to be something This person should be able to do one lesson that we've learned in public health is that along with utilizing these social media assets, and they're
not just Facebook for some of us those
12:14:52 assets become rather diverse, because there are many options in which to continue with the public.
12:14:58 That may be more specific to your type of work than anyone else's but
12:15:03 That being said, we often use our Facebook, and Instagram we're not on Twitter yet, and I i'm afraid of the day when that might come to be.
12:15:12 But anyway that's my personal opinion our Facebook and Instagram social media channels often speak directly to live links that go to our web pages and synergizing those in ways
that's accurate and not time
12:15:30 lapsed from one another is critical. so I Think what you're getting at Joe is really important.
12:15:36 Those types of skills and and qualities need to live in that person.
12:15:41 You know holistically on behalf of the county, and each department just my opinion.
12:15:48 Bruce, I see your hand up. Thank you. That is true. It is up.
12:15:52 So I want to agree with my colleague Joe that it would be wonderful to have more assistance in regard to maintaining website presence and updating it at the time that we went
to the new model which is a much more
12:16:11 robust website program that was supposed to make it more interactive.
12:16:17 And you know you could change things was that we became our own Web masters.
12:16:22 But the training was was minimal and brief, and It happened to coincide for the clerk's office with our switch over to a new case management system which was like a tsunami
in itself.
12:16:33 So we just got our website up and we don't really understand the how to make the most of our web pages, and I have been reluctant to update my web pages, because I know there's
a record retention
12:16:48 requirement that you're supposed to save all of your past web pages, and say from this date to this date this was online, and I don't know who's doing that so I have an changed
anything.
12:17:01 And so i've got this pretty well I would start to crept it.
12:17:03 But it's not it's not evergreen and when something changes, we add a page, but that's not really the best way to do it.
12:17:10 So I I think it's very important that we have somebody who has has that kind of experience in the past life.
12:17:18 I was a webpage producer, and I used to do that stuff, although I didn't this private sector, so I have to do the retention part.
12:17:26 But it. it can be very dynamic and it can be like you said, associated with social media and be much more effective and reach more people because there's a whole generation
of people who don't go to websites, they're
12:17:37 just on, you know Tiktok So, or whatever their favorite thing is.
12:17:43 So I think that that is an important skill. to have in the job description, and I hope that it could be offered so before we hand it over to Greg.
12:17:54 It's 1217 so i didn't like a few minutes.
12:17:56 I'd like to wrap this item up and move on to the next one.
12:17:59 But Greg, do you have a final comment you wanna make on this, And I I I just yeah, go ahead.
12:18:07 Yeah, i'll leave the final comment for you No, I I just agree with with what Ruth and Joe said, and I think that means that one of the requirements for this this staff.
12:18:18 Member is that they're you know proficient with civic plus, which is the platform that our website is on, and which can be much more robust, you know, if you look around, even
at favorite dialing is website.
12:18:26 They use the same thing. I mean there's a lot of different places.
12:18:28 We can do a lot more with the website, and connect it to our our to our social media. So I think it's a very good point.
12:18:35 And I agree. Apple, I saw your hand fly up i'll make it very brief.
12:18:39 I I would be remiss and not missing this and I know that many people on this meeting are actually aware of this already.
12:18:45 But we're saying to everyone that within social media and website work, what a public health missions is to make what we provide to the what content we provide to the public
more equitable.
12:18:56 So we are looking at some eightya accommodations for our site.
12:19:02 We're also looking at some ways to optimize websites for smartphones, because in our work we work with a bunch of a large contingency of younger folks, younger adults, and they
are not going on their desktop
12:19:15 computer to web pages. They are linking through Facebook to websites and to optimize that to see it appropriately in all of its grandeur. because we spend a lot of time making
our web pages on their actual small screen.
12:19:29 Is a is actually extra costs and it's it's extra expertise.
12:19:33 So we're working on those things to enhance equity all parts of what someone in this role would want to be concerned with in general.
12:19:42 That's a really great point and I was just gonna mention disc call. I mean I'm learning about these class platforms.
12:19:49 And now I have I have a discord Page because I want to be connected to the farmers and Jimicum, and that's the best way for me to hear about what They're working on.
12:19:57 So you know there's all these new platforms that are becoming Well, they're not a lot that i've heard of.
12:20:03 But there's you know tiktok and discord and Twitter, and obviously Facebook.
12:20:10 So but I think I think in crafting the job description for this person, maybe we would.
12:20:17 Mark would form maybe a subcommittee of of the folks in this room to help come up with the job description and help with the hiring process.
12:20:24 But i'm not gonna jump in that paddle pool.
12:20:30 I'll let Sarah and mark figure out a strategy for
12:20:32 Yeah, we took a stab at that some time ago. We just have to light the flame again.
12:20:38 Okay, So on that note. let's move on to hr because that was on the list, and that's an important everybody.
12:20:47 Everybody's involved in conversation, sir, was there anything that you wanted to update folks on today, or of course i'm happy to see everyone here, and happy to be here, and
while I didn't add this to the schedule myself it
12:21:04 is a fine opportunity, and just to segue into hr trends
12:21:11 It's interesting on this communication position and I think this This is true with all the positions that we fill in the department.
12:21:20 It's what are the goals really defining what the goals are for the position, and what outcomes we would like to see.
12:21:27 So i've heard a lot of differing ideas about what that would be.
12:21:32 But really, in order to complete a job description we we really need to define what the goals for the position are.
12:21:38 So that's probably something we'll be working on So the agenda item is recruitment strategies and trends with candidates.
12:21:53 If you all heard the workshop that the board and Hr.
12:22:00 Had. and Mark a few weeks ago we talked about the impact of Covid on the workforce here in Jefferson County, and part of that conversation was that how Jefferson County, just
like across the United States.
12:22:19 We're impacted by what covid did and what Covid did was a lot of people resigned jobs, and a lot of people determine that they would look for other work.
12:22:31 They're interested in well-being they're interested in other activities or or workspaces where more of their own personal needs are met in a article that came out from the society
of human resources on July
12:22:50 the 20Â s, which is just a few days ago. the word is is that it's still a candidates market.
12:22:59 There's still a lot of jobs out. There that folks looking for jobs can apply for what that means, for us is that it's still hard for us to fill positions.
12:23:11 However, we are doing better. Currently, if you look on our employment website, we have 14 regular positions that we are seeking to fill, and 2 part-time positions.
12:23:25 A few months ago this was up to 26 positions, so we have filled many positions.
12:23:33 In addition to the fact that it's a candidate's market.
12:23:38 There's the issue of what are people looking. for who want jobs? So competitive pay is always a big deal, and that is something we struggle with at the county for how to how
much can we pay our folks?
12:23:51 And we are limited by our revenues.
12:23:57 But the other important items for how to attract folks here are
12:24:07 In addition to compensation, is the importance of communicating with people who do apply for our jobs early on in the process.
12:24:13 So if departments see that they're getting a good candidate it's really important to reach out and say, hey? we've received your application here's what our hiring process looks
like, and and checking in with them like when when would they
12:24:27 possibly get an interview. When would someone possibly be hired?
12:24:32 That is really critical in maintaining the interest of applicants.
12:24:39 And in addition to compensation, what folks are looking for is flexibility.
12:24:43 So. if employees are able to work remotely, that could be possible, and that does interest
12:24:53 A lot of the employees or folks looking for jobs.
12:24:56 Now. but some of our positions aren't we're not able to work remotely, so that makes it more challenging to hire some folks in Jefferson County I think so.
12:25:10 The advantages we have is the county is to continue to express the importance of the work we do, and and that is
12:25:25 Another big deal is the branding of an organization. And for us, I think our brand is really critical and wonderful.
12:25:35 We are here to support the citizens of Jefferson County.
12:25:38 So if you look at every department we have, and every position in every department is critical for our mission of supporting
12:25:49 Our folks in this county, and the people who live here, so while the there's still challenges in hiring folks.
12:26:01 There are positive there are positive or bright spots another interesting trend that's happening is when companies can't hire people they are upscaling and promoting people
from within.
12:26:17 And I think that you many departments have seen this. So, for example, Public Works Department has promoted folks from a labor position to say an engineering tech position and
providing training to promote these people.
12:26:37 The County Administrators office has promoted from within, from the auditors office to the county administrators office and the finance manager.
12:26:44 The department of Community Development has promoted folks from a planner to a planning supervisor, and the auditor's office has also done this.
12:26:57 So we are participating in the trends even though we may not have known we were.
12:27:02 It's sort of like it's sort of like a natural response to the challenge of hiring People who can fill our jobs and and granted there are still challenges.
12:27:18 We don't get enough if any applications for engineer and those are really critical positions in public works, and a being part of engineers is what's the salary that engineers
are pulling in So those are you know kind of
12:27:36 in a general way, I hope i'm not rambling on but there's a lot of bright spots there's continued challenge.
12:27:44 I'd like you to know that between january first and June thirties of this year we have hired 33 new employees across the county, and I think that is a really that's really important
number
12:28:02 Yeah, if anyone has any questions. Oh, I have more sorry. So in terms of recruitment strategies, that piece the county is an out of Hr.
12:28:15 While many departments kind of led the way in this the foremost being public health, and also public works.
12:28:23 We are now posting all of our positions on. Indeed, we have a link to Facebook from the county website which is new in the last few weeks.
12:28:32 We are pinning new employment opportunities to the top of the Facebook page.
12:28:39 There's a new employment icon on the county website I don't know if you notice that it it is a hiker.
12:28:46 So we're still honing our metaphor for that.
12:28:51 But that was like the last symbol. So anyone has good narrative on that.
12:28:56 Let me know we've been talking about Oh, we are setting up a account county handshake opportunities on handshake, and I think that public health and public works already.
12:29:19 Use that That is one where you can target certain colleges it's my understanding that hasn't been a great resource for the county in terms of sending applicants our way.
12:29:30 But it is a resource. We will use we are posting all of our jobs on workforce, which is a statewide county job board, and we're also continuing to advertise on our usual 4 counts
12:29:47 on Leader Peninsula. Daily News. So does anyone have any questions for me, or any or any insights
12:30:01 No, but it's great we're filling positions That's yeah. great apple is how your hand go away. I just wanted to follow up on a great suggestion that Joe made a few months ago
maybe on one of these
12:30:15 meetings about potentially sharing candidates that don't exactly work out for what you're trying to fill.
12:30:21 If you would just let your colleagues know that Maybe there's a good fit in that person for a different department, and I just was wanting to amplify that as a a strategy. between
departments.
12:30:31 It seemed like a good idea to me. you know maybe somebody's a really good fit, but the apps that you have posted doesn't suit, whatever they need.
12:30:41 So perhaps there's another place in the county they could work so I just.
12:30:44 I just wanted to re emphasize that. I thought that was a good suggestion.
12:30:47 Thanks, Joe, James. I see your hand up
12:30:54 I'm still muted sorry I realize that you probably don't have this information on hand, Sarah, but I was just curious if you happen to know how many of these recent hires are
from out of the area.
12:31:04 That have moved to Jefferson County? or are they commuting to Jefferson County?
12:31:07 Or are they already local to jefferson? county I don't have those numbers being able to get someone who can actually come here and move here as always, One of my top concerns?
12:31:22 If I don't have a local applicant yeah and that brings up something I wanted to say, too, because you're right.
12:31:30 It makes it more challenging for us if people don't already live here or live nearby
12:31:37 Something that Jeff brought up regarding climate change. there have.
12:31:42 There has been at least one person who's reached out to the county for a future job, because they're moving from where they live.
12:31:52 Now they wanna move to Jefferson County or the North Olympic Peninsula, because they are concerned about climate change, so that may be a driving force in the future for us.
12:32:08 Joe has his hand up. Yeah, Sarah. I was just wondering how How do we take advantage of getting jobs posted on the county Facebook, page?
12:32:23 How do we? yes, good job posted on the county.
12:32:30 Facebook, Oh, just let us know, and We'll make sure It gets on there, or you would talk to Jeannie Mackin.
12:32:36 Oh, okay, I yeah. I was okay. Thanks. who's with us on the attendee list.
12:32:43 So she just heard that, too. any other hr last last bits, I guess, just to mention that we're still looking.
12:32:53 We still have 6 positions in the jail we're trying to fill and find in that very difficult and and that the employees are working a lot of overtime.
12:33:02 But so maybe something on Facebook might help. Yeah. and that is one area, too, like engineers.
12:33:12 Those folks working in the jail or in solar waste, or is engineering in public works have been challenging positions to fill
12:33:26 One note is is that when we do see an Hr.
12:33:31 When we see applicants who are not hired in one department, we have been reaching out to other departments, where there may be a fit, so that we can share the wealth and perhaps
find somebody somewhere else.
12:33:45 So. And then also just one last thing: just to thank all of you who are leaders in our in the county.
12:33:58 One of the big factors in in recruiting and retaining retaining employees is how people are treated in the workplace.
12:34:12 So we do have a lot of long term employees and just anecdotally.
12:34:19 I get information from a lot of new people about how they love working here, and I think that is a Testament to our leadership and the values that you bring believing your departments.
12:34:31 And programs. So thank you for that. it's a really important point Sarah.
12:34:40 Okay. feel like i'm the the last specific item that was on the agenda for today was diversity, output, equity, and inclusion.
12:34:52 This could take off. This could be a full seminar with this zoom room of folks.
12:34:56 Is there anyone who wants to start this conversation off Apple?
12:35:00 I saw your hand go up, I only admit that I added that to my potential request for agenda items, and I don't have any particular framework in which I need something decided or
I want to glean better information I think
12:35:16 that i'm trying my best to maintain, it as a regular agenda topic in most forums that i'm in whether that's in public health proper or otherwise.
12:35:28 Because topics like this that are so substantial.
12:35:33 And so deep and takes years and years of practice to impact change.
12:35:41 Really just can't be on the back burner ever there are times when you can do more and engage the the content and the topic then at other times.
12:35:53 But it needs to be maintained as a priority pervasively, I think, in the county and I can only speak referentially to my own experience as a leader here in public health, and
how much diversity equity
12:36:07 inclusion impacts every single thing we do within our agency and with each other along the gradient, toward everything we provide and give to the community through our services
and programming.
12:36:21 And so I didn't have anything specific to pitch here on that topic other than what I know.
12:36:27 We are working on internally. if anybody's interested in that but I I just it belt and coming upon me to make sure that it stays.
12:36:37 It stays talked about, and sometimes there are many months that go by where not a lot of action gets made.
12:36:43 And I understand that we're all human and there's a lot going on, and I still believe that it needs to be acknowledged, addressed, and openly talked about thanks.
12:36:53 Apple, Sarah, I saw your hand go up. Yes, thank you.
12:36:59 One of the there was a Forbes article that came out in June on June 20 seventh, and one of the biggest trends to attract and retain staff is not only flexible work schedules
the
12:37:17 people. First, culture developing soft, developing hard skills from soft skills.
12:37:24 But another huge way to retain people is to have a diversity.
12:37:28 Equity in inclusion program, and a lot of people ask about that particularly.
12:37:35 A lot of the younger people in the workforce i'm excited to be participating in diversity equity and inclusion workshop that public health has put together and that starts in
August.
12:37:53 And so I think that's going in the the right direction.
12:37:58 Thank you. Yeah, i'm really interested in hearing what comes out of that workshop, and how we can help gener generate more conversations around your diversity.
12:38:13 Equity and inclusion in the county i'm the one the one that I'm involved in right now is actually with the Jefferson Community Foundation, and with Usawa consulting who I think
is who we are contracting at public
12:38:26 health to do some work with you guys right apple. So I mean, I think you know, we need to keep our eyes on this one and think about other forums.
12:38:36 We may wanna generate to have more people exposed to it.
12:38:42 In engaged in this really important conversation this time that we're living in now.
12:38:47 It's should Have been important. all the way along but It's important, as Apple said, to hold it up and keep keep the conversation on the front burner.
12:39:01 Does anyone else have anything they want to add on this item.
12:39:04 Otherwise we'll get to the round table which I know jeff's chomping at the bit for at least, and I I would propose we start off the round table with people who haven't spoken
yet just to get
12:39:18 more voices going, So that would be Jeff and Brent and Brian.
12:39:26 And anyway, you know who you are. does in. does. Is everyone okay with us?
12:39:32 Moving along on the other the agenda. Okay, So so.
12:39:35 Jeff, kick us, kick us off on the round table.
12:39:40 Oh, and and circling back a little bit to the reason why we've asked for that position last you know for our praise.
12:39:48 We have less field appraisers than we had 2 years ago or 3 years ago, and one is because we are funding one with one time only money.
12:39:56 And now, now we're trying to make that permanent after a year absence Oh, one thing that has come up, and one of the reasons is my feel appraisers I mean they're they're going
to you talk about
12:40:06 communication. they're going to everybody's houses and some of those folks, have, you know i'm they're communicating with pit balls, and they're communicating with no trust-besting
signs and
12:40:15 they're committee, and and there aren't a lot of that. But you're you're also communicating with a lot of very angry taxp, and you know a lot of counties do double up those
people I mean we've
12:40:24 had we've had physical threats to our employees now, and so you know It's one thing to add positions in the courthouse that the you know, to back up or assistance or or to help
with with office, work but
12:40:43 It's another thing to to be one of those employees who does go out in the field and go to people's houses, and that's one of the reasons we needed the extra extra position is
I would like to be able to
12:40:54 double up on some of our rural areas and then when we're doing populated areas, you know, the plots and the city that we have enough employees to actually cover all the places
that we have to inspect by law you know So
12:41:10 I I guess that's the one thing you know it's it's out.
12:41:13 It was a you know. we added that position. but that positions you know when you're only half for appraisers, and you have to cover every property in the county.
12:41:22 It it it's really a different kind of existence than than what a lot of positions are in the in the county.
12:41:32 Other than that, you know, my office is doing it is trying to get done.
12:41:36 We're we're trying to get our revaluation done, and then we're now starting our with with folks as they get their revaluation components done.
12:41:46 You know the properties they have to inspect in the port Ludlow area.
12:41:50 They're switching over to new construction to start picking up the new construction value and adding it to the roles, which is that other 1% that we were talking about during
the budget.
12:42:01 Hearing. and frankly, we we outside of port ludlow we're at 0.
12:42:04 So we really have an added new construction in the City. yet. or you know North Korea, or even South County, and it South County involves a lot of driving, so we're trying to
we're hoping to get you know as much
12:42:21 of that new construction as we can you know I hate to say, we're only gonna get 70%.
12:42:28 But at this point I can't tell you that i'm already getting a lot of requests from outside businesses for the new values for the current year, and we're still a couple of months
away from setting those so unfortunately, we have to
12:42:40 answer all of those, and deal with the public records request when we really haven't got the data yet, and that takes away from time.
12:42:47 But, anyway, that's where we're at and hopefully we can the next 2 months will determine how much value we do add to the roles, and we're pressing pretty hard on that
12:43:00 Thanks, Jeff. Anyone else, Brand, do you have any updates for the team You'll need on mute.
12:43:12 Thank you. I know that we came to the board on July eleventh, and we really shared the full range of projects that we have under our belt.
12:43:24 And I i've listened to some of the comments earlier.
12:43:29 That a lot of those projects are ones that meet the board's expectations where we should go in the future from vacation rentals from addressing the needs of those that are unhoused
and So you did see
12:43:46 that our current projection is that? if it stays the same, we are
12:43:58 How potentially i have another record here we've had successive records and one of the challenges in the Community Development department is that we're always a little behind
in in a meeting of the community's needs and when I
12:44:14 say that I really want to even with the permits that we start seeing increased activity, and then we hire and so but it so we're not ahead of the curve, So we're always sort
of trying to to keep
12:44:32 up with it, and that's just one of the realities that it is going to.
12:44:36 We we have to recognize, but at the same time I I think that, given the information that the county administrators share given some of the findings that I shared in our in our
July the eleventh a presentation about
12:44:56 the the housing starts nationally starting to slow down, that the the housing prices within the State of Washington starting to come down, that those all often are are trains
that occur here just a little bit later.
12:45:16 And I do remember that Some of the the numbers are heard from past directors.
12:45:23 I'll scout being one of them. is that we might have a 6 or 9 month of delay before we start seeing what the greater a Washington area soon.
12:45:36 And so right now we have 22 staff members in DCD: which is a significant number for us, and we do have continue to have an 8 to 10 week.
12:45:50 Oh, yeah, average turnaround time for permits that are submitted, and that doesn't cover really difficult permits.
12:46:01 And i'm referring to just the average So so we still are trying to meet the community's expectations.
12:46:11 I really do have hope I knew that one of the first items that was mentioned that today was communications and within on the Internet there is a what what they call Css customer
self service.
12:46:24 So we're really hopeful that some of the new technology that we're rolling out will enable the community to access information without having to to reach a staff person.
12:46:40 And so that I I think, would serve a community need for for for better service.
12:46:48 I I think that it's really important for us to to find ways to incorporate the community, and some of our decision making about what we share i've been in communication with
one of the community
12:47:01 members who's really concerned about the balance that the the the less we should share through our new portal entered up.
12:47:13 The more likely we're going to have public records requests
12:47:17 That could have been aborted. and so i'm just looking forward to to really, our challenge now is rolling out this new technology, which is probably one of the most significant
changes that our department as well as environmental
12:47:36 public health will have made in many years for our tracking permits.
12:47:41 And so I really have a lot of high expectations.
12:47:44 So for the css and in meeting that community need and addressing that readily available information that many members of the case, especially in the market that we're in right
now are really participate. Thanks.
12:48:04 Brent I I just wanna put a pin. And one thing you said is, we have historic numbers of permit applications, I mean the highest ever. and you know I get all all of the phone
calls I get are about DCD and
12:48:18 how things are slow, and you know, whatever the various issues are.
12:48:24 And you know, understanding that the the staff at DCD.
12:48:29 Are dealing with record record setting levels of permanent applications is just a you know.
12:48:35 The first thing I say back to people you know you'll have you'll have to you'll have to procure some more patients.
12:48:42 I've been telling people because that's what it's gonna take. and you know we're lucky to have the option to live in such a beautiful place and a pathway to live in such a beautiful
place and
12:48:54 It's gonna take patience. So i've been talking patients a lot with folks in Commissioner Eisenhower.
12:49:01 I would point out that a lot of the per applications that we're receiving are the lots that have sat around for a long time because they're difficult to develop.
12:49:13 So we're often we're seeing not only record numbers.
12:49:17 But we're also getting really difficult complex projects. that have sat for many years, just because of the fact that people would go to the the projects or the sites that were
easier to develop.
12:49:31 So that also is part of the problem. Yeah, Pinky, I saw your hand go up and then Apple.
12:49:41 Oh, we need yeah, you're muted it just just following up on with Brent.
12:49:47 They're dug tailing on his that you know we're doing the intergov training this week, and and last week, and we're, you know, coming to the light at the end of the tunnel.
12:49:56 But I also still want to remind you people that it is only just the light at the end of the tunnel.
12:50:01 It is not through the tunnel as we move through this integral project the go live date of august eighth
12:50:09 There's not going to be a magic one and everything's gonna be better at the end.
12:50:15 That there's going to be they say at least you know 3 years of kind of tweaking the system.
12:50:22 So if this is a a progression, and a evolution that we're going through right now.
12:50:28 And we are just completing a milestone in that evolution.
12:50:33 In my just Wanna say, thank you. Commissioner Eisenhower, for asking people to have patients.
12:50:40 Because it is Patience is the key apple. I see your hand up.
12:50:49 That is only to tag on to what Brent a share as well as Kinky, and and to add the layer of utilizing the communication channels.
12:50:56 We talked about earlier in the meeting. Pinky and her team have done an amazing job of mounting sort of advisories to the public through our social media channels. and our website
to help people understand this two-week period, where her
12:51:10 staff are well in in segments they're getting trained and practicing in the new modalities.
12:51:20 And then to be aware of that once we go live on the eighth, that there is some modica of patience, the public will have to, you know, endure, and hopefully, we'll willingly
participate in as our staff get
12:51:33 the hang of this new system. so I appreciate that we're working on communication strategies to really transparently help the public understand that we're doing this for the
better of everyone.
12:51:45 Especially then, and that it will take a little time so that's not a huge surprise to people when they come in the front.
12:51:55 Just is anyone else. We're in the round table portion of the agenda.
12:52:01 No topic is off the table. brian I saw your hand go up, and then, Pinky, i'm.
12:52:10 But if anybody wants to throw an applicant my way i'm still too short, and including the jury manager position, so someone likes to deal with an elderly population you do not
want to serve on a jury.
12:52:24 Please refer them my way, and I will gladly hire them
12:52:29 Jeff. I see your hand up Yes, it's just a follow up to what Brent and and and and apple were what they're talking about with Inergov is you know we're still my office still
12:52:43 plugged in the tide mark, and I guess the question is with tied Mark.
12:52:48 Is it is that suddenly going to seize in August, or is it still going to be updated going through office, or how do we transit transition from the going from permitting with
tie mark into permitting with undergov
12:53:06 from our off from there, facing with it
12:53:11 Who has any crystal ball on that one hide Mark won't be updated.
12:53:21 You will have access to the history. so you can go back, and you know, look backwards.
12:53:32 But you cannot look forward. Will the the new stuff from enter got with that?
12:53:36 Will that be put into laser fish 2 so it it'll just okay.
12:53:46 Good coordination and collaboration. Here, Sheriff Nol, I saw your hand.
12:53:52 Yeah, just a couple of things that that been going on around here and I don't know if everyone knows.
12:53:58 But we received the last big navigator grant again for another year, which is really good.
12:54:02 That's really proven to be a good valuable program for us.
12:54:07 And The other thing I just wanted to say was you know we have our body cameras and everybody's settling into that.
12:54:12 And just becoming part of the normal routine now that's that's working good as well.
12:54:17 So wanted to update. you on that that's great to hear I see Brian and Jeff for your hands up again, Or, Ruth, I saw your hand go up so you first.
12:54:33 Oh, you're muted. chair of the board of county Commissioners is a very powerful position. You say you're in muted the most yeah that's that you should have like a shorthand
kind of thing for that
12:54:49 I wanna let my colleagues know that Section 7 40 of the budget this year.
12:54:57 The office of financial management. County assistance has an appropriation of 30 million dollars.
12:55:03 This appropriation is provided solely for the office of financial management to distribute to county's according to population, to assist with one time costs related to law
enforcement and criminal justice related reg legislation enacted between
12:55:16 January, the first 2,020 and June the thirtieth of 2,021, and that's something that least my professional association, Waco has not pointed out to us but King county has graciously
12:55:30 shared with us. So look at your at your legislation from the 2020, 2021 session.
12:55:38 And if if that has, if that includes the navigator stuff, and maybe you could get another navigator or something.
12:55:48 Bruce. Look at that!
12:55:54 I'm just gonna say this for jeff's benefit I was appointed to the State encumbered lands work group last week, so i'll be working as part of that round table it's just it's
just through
12:56:07 the end of the year, I believe but what's that mean Dnr.
12:56:12 Has been going through a process with counties that had a number of their Dnr acres made, made not operable, based on the marbled nearlet decision that encumbered the lands
with that decision.
12:56:31 And then there. there are other policies that encumber the lands, but that's the one that triggered it.
12:56:35 I believe I have this right. And there was a appropriation in the last legislative session for some funding for Jefferson, and clleam and comanian.
12:56:47 What kayakum counties I and i'm not sure how they're gonna allocate that funding whether it's based on a prorada and the number of acres that were encumbered by these decisions
12:56:59 but we now have a seat at the table to be part of that discussion.
12:57:03 So yeah, So well, 1257 anyone want the last word for the good, for I don't know anyone have something really inspiring to share.
12:57:18 Snip it. Greg brother turns out on the campaign trail and I saw him posting pictures of strawberry shark cake that that inspired me.
12:57:32 It's. Good Yeah. Stacey I saw your hand go out
12:57:38 So I'm the president of the Washington association of counties officials this year, and we're having our conference the last week of September.
12:57:48 The theme is make a difference, and we're gonna be asking people to submit a picture, and a statement of how people have made a difference.
12:57:58 And so definitely all of the county officials who or on this call Basically, we have the prosecuting attorney, sheriff, auditor, treasurer, assessor, sheriff, I didn't say that
already that you
12:58:17 and people in the key anywhere if you've made a difference and because we've missed out on conferences for a couple of years.
12:58:26 I've really found that one. of the huge benefits is getting to meet everyone and hear more than what's on the agenda and what their actual jobs include.
12:58:35 And so be watching for it. But I really wanted this year to be a celebration of everyone, because everyone is making a difference.
12:58:44 But we don't often see these other sites of people and so Ruth is on the board of trustees.
12:58:50 Unfortunately she will leave at the end of the year, because she is, fortunately for her retiring but
12:58:59 Just stay tuned, and there will be social posts on all of that.
12:59:04 And there's really a a slick card that'll have it. but it's really you know everyone in this room alone is doing a lot, and so just wanna appreciate you and acknowledge it so
thanks thanks
12:59:15 Dave, Ruth, I saw your hand go up. I had the opportunity to talk with several people over the weekend who did not work in my department, but they work in the county, and they
happen to live in kids up and they could work in
12:59:28 kids up and make more money, but they like working here better because of our culture.
12:59:34 And I thought that was nice to hear It's great to hear, and a great segue to Sarah.
12:59:42 Yes, thank you, Ruth. wanted you all to know that the employee Appreciation Week is coming up in August.
12:59:49 That's August 20Â s through the 20 sixth the employee picnic will be thursday August the 20 fifth, and it would be awesome to see everybody's face there.
13:00:04 So hope you can encourage your employees to attend and that you may also attend.
13:00:10 Well, i'll be there. Seth j carroll right part of my district.
13:00:20 Okay, Well, thanks, everybody. I I will recess us and wait for the next time we get to meet, which I think is in October.
13:00:27 And maybe I keep saying this maybe that by Then i'll finally get to sit with you all in person once, cause I'm still the Commissioner, who's never done anything really much
in person.
13:00:39 So I haven't even done it right along with the sheriff.
13:00:40 Yet. I need to do that. Yeah, not not in the front seat, anyway.
13:00:46 No. but I yeah, right. I thought I was gonna get get to be part of the farm stand cash boxing operation, but I didn't.
13:00:55 So yeah, that would have been good. Yeah, anyway, thanks everyone and we'll see you next time, hey?
13:01:02 Everyone recessed until 1 30. The commissioners are recessed until 1 30 time to go out and play on the swings.
13:31:28 I got av rolling Heidi
13:32:01 My volume is turned all the way down so it's 1 30.
13:32:09 Call us back to order and let everyone know that we have lost our second agenda.
13:32:13 Item we'll not be having a update on the eleventh Discovery trail this afternoon left to reschedule that for our future day.
13:32:29 So so but we will be having our workshop on emergency management.
13:32:36 Red notebook with Willie? because he's here yeah alright?
13:32:51 Is that my queue
13:32:52 Take it off. awesome, perfect, perfect. Well, thank you for having me 2 weeks in a row.
13:33:01 I won't be back next week, but it was a good streak.
13:33:06 Well, it lasted this workshop today. came about for 2 different reasons on one for those of you who who were with us last week.
13:33:16 Saw some of the covid 19 pandemic after action findings and some additional training about the role of the policy management group, and how on the Eoc interacts with the boarding
Commissioners and was one finding from
13:33:30 that and this was also a request i'm from commissioner Eisenhower specifically after the tsunami advisory.
13:33:39 We had it number of months back. and I know you noted that you weren't exactly kind of quite sure where you fit in what to do.
13:33:48 The last time we had this kind of emergency training was just prior I'm.
13:33:53 To the covid 19 pandemic and prior to your election to the Board, and then I'm Commissioner Brother 10 and Commissioner Dean have had some on the job training the past 2 years.
13:34:03 During the covid 19 pandemic but we have some i'm brushing up in some additional things to find
13:34:08 So today we're gonna be going through kind of a refresher of some stuff that we've talked about in the past.
13:34:14 But mostly focusing on your roles within the policy management group and kind of the initial actions.
13:34:22 That you'll need to take as commissioners as pmg representatives, etc.
13:34:28 So today's agenda first and foremost we'll have a refresher on the incident command system.
13:34:34 As well as an overview of the emergency operation center, so we'll kind of blow through that relatively quickly.
13:34:41 This shouldn't all be too. super new to any of you worth the refresher again, since it's been a couple of years since we've done this we'll talk about the policy management.
group purpose it's
13:34:53 a role within the Eoc your role within it, etc.
13:34:57 And this will all really be wrapped up into the main purpose of the presentation point.
13:35:02 4 that's your initial actions as members of the Board of County Commissioners. so those will be kind of sprinkled throughout, and we will finalize with with us summary in the
presentation with a summary of the kind of
13:35:15 5 initial actions, we'll be talking about today First and foremost, I do want to kind of make the purpose of this presentation clear.
13:35:25 I'm not emergency is not equal to a disaster And so, an emergency being an event that threatens the life safety of an individual or of a group. but as an event kind of within
the confines of our regular first
13:35:41 response system. So the you know. fire, alarm. getting pulled at the county courthouse, someone falling down and getting hurt something on fire, and that's an emergency.
13:35:51 But it's not necessarily a major disaster what we're talking about today is within the confines of a major disaster.
13:35:58 Something like a tsunami, something like an earthquake.
13:36:04 Something like a wild fire. something in size, scope, and scale that exceeds the capacity of our kind of routine.
13:36:11 First response system. It requires the activation of the emergency Operations Center and really requires a kind of full community level response.
13:36:23 So we're not talking about individual emergencies we're talking about a major disaster.
13:36:29 For the purpose of this presentation. There is a lot of work we have to do.
13:36:33 Talking about individual emergency response as Well, I know one item on on my list, and then a lot of folks as mines is some safety training for members of the courthouse, including
themselves. So that's something we'll get to down
13:36:45 the line. we're talking about kind of the the board a broader emergency response.
13:36:50 For the purpose of this presentation. however, that being set in the face of a major emergency first action first and foremost.
13:36:59 It's too care of yourself and those are around you or closest to you.
13:37:06 It's kind of a general rule of thumb in an emergency response.
13:37:10 You don't want to become a second victim yourself.
13:37:14 Never mind the fact that when we you know have folks within the Eoc, when we have folks coming to work during an emergency, you're of no use to the the greater public to the
greater good, if you are worried about those at home, if
13:37:28 you have other problems. If you're you know hurt yourself so no matter what the emergency is.
13:37:36 So when you get the alert that there is a you Know a tsunami warning, and you're in the tsunami zone. take care of yourself.
13:37:43 Take care of your family. i'm your role as a county Commissioner.
13:37:46 Your role as county administrator, as deem director, is second in that point in time to the safety of you and your family.
13:37:53 I know this is fairly obvious, but it always bears repeating
13:37:57 And this is something of a theme, too, as we kind of engage in a major disaster response.
13:38:03 You know. we're looking out for fatigue keeping in mind personal safety.
13:38:07 That's always the number one priority so I felt the need that kind of start, the presentation off I'm. with a reminder that this includes, and those are physically around you.
13:38:17 So if this is an emergency, will, you are in the courthouse, taking care of those colleagues close by, and but I also include closest to you, so that includes, you know, checking
in on friends and family and that kind
13:38:28 of stuff as well. So, jumping into some of the the background and information, we're starting off with the national incident management system.
13:38:38 And so this was a a system implemented shortly after the September eleventh, terror attacks in New York.
13:38:49 That basically provided the national framework for the way we respond to emergencies.
13:38:55 And not only is it built off of a lot of best practice over the years
13:39:00 This is using names. is how we get access to Federal funds. so it's best practice It's smart to do it.
13:39:08 And if we want Federal disaster relief, we have to use it anyway.
13:39:11 So a lot of good reasons to to utilize nips, and as I said, it's the national disaster response framework, I'm.
13:39:18 Whether you are at federal, state or local government, private sector, non-governmental all that kind of fun stuff
13:39:26 It provides 6 core functions. that dictate the the overall national response system that we all have to adhere to and working together.
13:39:37 So things like command and management. there's preparedness guidelines on resource management, guidelines, basic technologies, standards,
13:39:47 There's ongoing management and maintenance standards like the way we update our comprehensive emergency management plan. things like that. the most in arguably the most important
one and the one we're focusing
13:39:59 on today is the usage of the incident command system, and the incident command system is the the way that we organize when we respond to disasters.
13:40:08 Large and small, and so this was developed. back in the 1970 S.
13:40:14 After a series of wildfires in California i'm diminished a need for a standardized system. So firefighters from different departments from different jurisdictions, and we're
all coming together.
13:40:27 And they were speaking you know quite literally, in a lot of cases, different languages, different terminologies for different positions, different concepts, different tools.
13:40:34 And so in developing the incident command system enabled those fire departments to come together and really work as a cohesive team on incidents outside of their local jurisdiction,
it's
13:40:49 standardized. So it's the same everywhere you go throughout the United States.
13:40:54 It's for all hazards, so whether it's an earthquake, a wildfire, a hazardous material spill, a terror attack.
13:41:01 No, no matter the disaster. you can use ics, and it allows different jurisdictions and agencies to come together and allows them to integrate within a common organizational
structure.
13:41:15 And one unique thing about Ics is, you can use it from incidents small and straightforward to really large and complex.
13:41:22 And I think the best example of this is that every you know.
13:41:26 You see East Jefferson fire and rescue responding to a fire just in a single family home.
13:41:30 They're using Ics to respond to that incident looking at larger incidents like let's say superstorm, sandy Hurricane Katrina.
13:41:40 There also using Ics to respond to that incident just in a much different, much expanded form.
13:41:47 So it's really flexible for incidents large and small, no matter how many agencies or jurisdictions are involved, I mean, no matter what the disaster type this is the language
of first responders and
13:41:59 emergency managers. Some of the core features standardizes terminology, establishes a clear chain of command which for you in the the policy management group, is is particularly
important, defines the organizational structure.
13:42:15 Accountability, communications, management, and various things like that. I think one of the best examples of its benefit is is standardizing is eliminating use of acronyms
whenever possible.
13:42:27 But we do love acronyms quite a bit, so it at least standardizes a few core ones.
13:42:34 I mean just as an example. emt as you can see, can mean so many different things to different people.
13:42:40 So within the incident command system, we have our few standardized acts, acronyms that we know what they mean.
13:42:47 We know what they're used for and otherwise we all endeavor to use plain language.
13:42:51 We spell things out, you know, whenever possible. Now, perhaps the most known feature of the incident command system is the organizational structure, the org shark that really
demonstrates how different pieces of the puzzle all fit into one another and
13:43:08 So I think you all have seen the standard ics organization before, and correct me if i'm wrong.
13:43:16 But it you at least i'll have some familiarity with this Yeah. And so the Ics structure is built on the command staff.
13:43:26 So those leading the response responsible for basically communicating with those outside of the response.
13:43:32 And then the General Staff. those who are actually responding to the incident, and then those who are supporting those first responders, those boots on the ground.
13:43:44 So it's all led by an incident commander who's the leader of the incident.
13:43:50 This person establishes incident objectives determines strategies on how they're going to meet those goals and determines the overall incident command structure.
13:44:00 Also really focused on safety. for the response as well.
13:44:06 Now the incident commander is often the person who has the delegated authority.
13:44:11 They might be the most trained, and have the most experience, so their most act to lead the response.
13:44:19 But oftentimes during complex incidents it might be multiple people in that leadership role.
13:44:26 So occasionally there's something called the unified command where you have multiple incident commanders coming together to form a single command structure, and we saw this
for a brief period during the COVID-19 response when we had unified command
13:44:41 between deem public health and Jefferson healthcare So it's not always one person meeting, and it always won't be, you know, the deem director leading the eoc here.
13:44:51 Within Jefferson County. Now, outside of that command staff at the very top, we have the General Staff, and that's divided into 4 sections, and I think the best way.
13:45:03 I always kind of explain the differences between the 4 sections.
13:45:08 We have operations, and they're the group that does stuff they're the boots on the ground.
13:45:14 They're the field responders. they're the ones actually in responding to and providing services. in in face of the emergency. That's where you're gonna see folks like firefighters
law enforcement search and rescue
13:45:27 public works, like the American Red Cross and sheltering partners.
13:45:32 Things like that. we'll get to the jefferson county Eoc here in a little bit, but for the most part the operation section are are our professional partners within partner organizations
within the county.
13:45:45 Next, we have the planning section, and these are the folks that know stuff, and then share that information.
13:45:52 And within our Oc. our planning section is primarily fall in tier.
13:45:57 They're the group who collects collates synthesizes, and then shares information.
13:46:02 So they produce reports for the operation section. so that those partners have all the information that they need, and they're all kind of playing off the same sheet of a piece
of sheet music, so to speak, so planning section, and
13:46:16 information management logistics section. They have stuff, and they share that material with folks.
13:46:24 The logistics section is all about ensuring operations.
13:46:28 Has the physical tools they need, whether that be you know, trucks or physical tools, or human resources as well, and they also look to keep operations fed.
13:46:39 Keep them sheltered all that kind of fun stuff. Last, but not least, the finance and administration section.
13:46:47 They pay for everything. and they keep track of costs you know they're primarily responsible for fema reimbursement.
13:46:53 Maybe sure everyone from other jurisdictions get paid before they go home.
13:46:59 That sort of stuff. Now, one of the features of ics is that
13:47:06 You really can change it to meet your needs and the needs of the particular incident.
13:47:11 So incidents As they grow in complexity they can expand as you wind down.
13:47:17 They can track. Folks can go segments can go home etc.
13:47:22 So we won't go too much in that how they expand and contract. but just know that the full organization Ics organizations that we're gonna see here in a little bit can be changed
into to meet your individual needs So
13:47:37 This is an example of a full Ics organization with
13:47:42 Your command Staff up top the general staff down below with fully built out sections.
13:47:48 Don't pay too much attention to this is this is just kind of an example like I said, we'll get to our eoc here in a little bit, as I kinda kind of fight through this for you
all as I mentioned they
13:48:00 can expand based on neat your operations section. Typically, the workload is immediate and massive for those boots on the ground.
13:48:13 The planning section. You have a couple of different units within there that will be really busy, as they work to accumulate information quickly.
13:48:19 At the beginning of the incident. Finance section is typically busiest through the end of the incident, as you prepare to submit for reimbursement from fema as things close
out which we hear as we
13:48:31 kind of unwind from the covid pandemic.
13:48:33 Have some work to do on that end of things.
13:48:37 Some of the elements of complexity that dictate what your Eoc looks like.
13:48:43 Obviously, community and responder safety is first and foremost.
13:48:49 As I mentioned the beginning of this presentation, impacts to life property and the economy, i'm hazardous materials.
13:48:55 The weather. i'm likelihood of cascading events and a good example of that.
13:49:01 Is an earthquake with a tsunami to follow with additional after shocks.
13:49:08 Things like political sensitivity on media relations i'm etc., etc., are all gonna impact the decision making behind what your Eoc or what your incident command ends up looking
like Now the eoc and incident command
13:49:22 system are different. Now, As I mentioned, the incident command system is used for small emergency responses like single family fires.
13:49:35 Whereas the eoc This is the physical location and the organizational structure.
13:49:38 I'm not supports emergency operations through the coordination of information and resources.
13:49:46 And so you know one way, I always put it, multiple agencies come together to just coordinate resources and solve problems.
13:49:52 So in the face of a major emergency. rather than all of the first response agencies, all of the key partners off doing their own thing, working within existing day to day reporting
and coordination relationships the eoc
13:50:09 is in many ways at just a room for folks to get together all in that one room and work together to solve a common problem.
13:50:18 So it provides a an enhanced level of coordination to work together using the incident command system.
13:50:25 Our eoc's responsibilities. per our 27 team, comprehensive emergency management, plan.
13:50:31 We're responsible for warning and alert so that's Nixon, as well as on other alerting mechanisms to let folks know they might need to take a immediate action in the face of
disaster common operating
13:50:43 picture which includes your data collection evaluation I'm providing all the first responders information they need to act.
13:50:50 I'm strategic planning making sure we're all acting in unison in response to that data, I'm a resource management.
13:50:58 So if we have limited resources available, we're being smart about who's getting what?
13:51:04 What we're using i'm a good example of that might be fuel after a major earthquake, which will be an extremely short supply, but really necessary to get resources.
13:51:13 To the people who need at most and finally public information coordinations that we're all speaking in in a single unified voice.
13:51:20 We're all we're all saying different things and confusing folks, which, as we noted last week, was a a pretty big finding in the Covid after action, state local Federal we're
all saying different things all that being said here.
13:51:35 Is how we organize our emergency operations center here in Jefferson County.
13:51:42 So we have our command staff at the top as our incident, or unified commander and their supporting staff.
13:51:49 Our operations. section we call the coordination unit to really drive home the fact that when this is activated this Isn't Willie coming in and taking over your organization,
this is about fostering collaboration more than anything and
13:52:04 under there we have 3 branches, emergency services, human services and infrastructure with support functions.
13:52:13 Esf stands for emergency support functions representing all the different important functions of emergency response.
13:52:19 So esf 4, for example, is firefighting and that's a representative for all 5 fire districts within Jefferson County.
13:52:28 We have our information in planning section, our resource support, slash, logistics and finance.
13:52:34 Most importantly for you all i'm up at the very top.
13:52:37 We have the policy management group which we didn't see in the core Ics structure, but is a really critical part of our incident command here in Jefferson County.
13:52:51 So we have the incident commander or unified commander, leading the Eoc and leading this incident.
13:52:56 Command structure. but we have a policy group at the very top which enables our elected officials and our county and city leadership to work and kind of oversee the the work
of the emergency operations center so from our
13:53:12 comprehensive emergency management plan i'm the role of the policy management group provide overall policy guidance on priorities and objectives of the eoc based on situational
needs and then responsibilities outlined in our
13:53:27 Cemp: policy management group will work on public messaging strategies.
13:53:32 Coordinate directly with the incident commander. I make recommendations on a declaration of emergency.
13:53:40 Is typically not co-located with the Eoc.
13:53:43 So with all due respect we're gonna have in a physical activation.
13:53:47 We'll have all of our eoc representatives here at the Eoc in part headlock, and then the people will meet elsewhere.
13:53:55 It's more about kind of ongoing supervision rather than direct involvement.
13:54:00 With the with the operations. Certainly not our local elected officials, but in past eocs having an elected representative sitting right there has not gone well on occasion,
so they they like to typically keep things separately located
13:54:16 During Covid, our policy management group consisted of the chair of the Board of County Commissioners, although, as Commissioner Eisenhower became shared this year for continuity
on Commissioner Dean, remained the policy management group
13:54:29 Representative County administrative. So Mark of a collie has been a member of the Pmg.
13:54:36 And we've had the city manager and at times the Mayor of Port Townsend, because it was a public health event.
13:54:41 We've had the public health director, as Well, as health officer as well as me.
13:54:46 The Deem director, and then We've included others on an as needed basis.
13:54:51 So Jefferson healthcare has had multiple representatives at different times. I'm sure if No. has joined us a number of times I'm has has had the the chief civil deputy prosecuting
attorney
13:55:01 Philip Pennsylvania has been there.
13:55:04 On a number of occasions as well. Now, one thing that really limits how, And I think one of the reasons for this workshop today.
13:55:12 We've kept only one boc member on the policy management group due to core and rules.
13:55:20 So, although it'd be preferable to have all 3 of you participate in the policy management. group.
13:55:25 That would create a quorum which would make things a little bit more tricky in terms of
13:55:32 Our coordination between the pmg and the Eoc i'm, as well as the city of port towns in
13:55:39 They have more than 3 on city council members so that would expand membership greatly and create a little bit of a membership in balance there.
13:55:47 So I know. One thing i'd like to talk with you all a little bit about is how we have one Bocc.
13:55:54 Member on the policy management group, and then have that Council member go back and brief their fellow elected and share information outside of the conversations within the
confine of the Pmg.
13:56:06 I know that was a big issue during Covid, and not something.
13:56:10 We had worked through previously. So, having said that that brings me to action number 2, So we have take care of yourself and those around you.
13:56:20 Action Number 2. Receive your initial briefing as a member of the policy management group.
13:56:26 So the policy management group will receive an initial briefing directly from unified command or incident.
13:56:33 Command. in the case of that tsunami.
13:56:36 Advisory. We had our initial briefing about 6 30 in the morning.
13:56:40 I think, on a Saturday i'm commissioner dean I know you were there at that initial briefing and kind of got that initial shake down and here's what we know you heard us members.
13:56:51 Of the Imt talk about our initial actions and concerns, and then we had kind of ongoing email briefings from there.
13:56:58 I think it is important from there, though that representative and or the county administrator should work to to brief other vocc members.
13:57:08 As well as other members of the county department heads or elected as needed.
13:57:12 I mean that's something that we can leave up to discretion.
13:57:16 We can talk about at the initial Pmg meeting.
13:57:18 Okay how we loop others, and since we kind of can't have everyone there, I'm all in that initial briefing.
13:57:24 So. in short, initial action is just to receive the information.
13:57:30 Understand the situation and begin to share it as needed. The focus in these briefings is initially on immediate life safety.
13:57:38 And then what are our first steps as we ramp up?
13:57:42 So initial briefing is kind of getting everyone on the same page, and then springing forward into action to meet the immediate threat.
13:57:51 Any questions before I move. Oh, thanks, willie I guess i'm the only one that didn't know all this stuff.
13:58:00 Yeah, cause you you came on and never got the training. never got this orientation.
13:58:05 So action 3 for both the policy management group and the Board as a whole.
13:58:15 Consider an emergency declaration based on the emergency at hand.
13:58:20 So for those no, don't know the local declaration of emergency, and this is directly I'm.
13:58:29 From the Rcw. and describes the Powers for a county versus a city versus a potential joint declaration.
13:58:35 And emergency declaration basically states that there exists a situation requiring an exceptional response.
13:58:45 And outside of our day-to-day powers and authorities and resources, and that's we're gonna do away with some traditional barriers that would, inhibit emergency response.
13:58:56 And we'll go through those in a second in considering an emergency declaration.
13:59:05 We use the following guidance: So once the nature of the incident requires extraordinary commitment to combat the emergency.
13:59:11 So that's both in terms of human resources financial resources physical equipment resources, effective response requires activation of certain emergency powers.
13:59:25 Those include entering into contracts and incurring obligations to combat the disaster. i'm protecting the health and safety of persons properties and providing direct emergency
assistance to victims. We may need to make
13:59:39 expenditures associated with the emergency without further notice or hearing.
13:59:43 We can also use a declaration to just emphasize and affirm the seriousness of the event.
13:59:50 So it's also a a public message and it's also a notice that this is an important incident.
13:59:58 That that We're taking seriously and we are compat combating not just with our regular resources, but with an extraordinary.
14:00:07 And then, finally, County administrator and or city manager, will arrange for an emergency session.
14:00:13 Oftentimes, though in I think, one of the the best examples.
14:00:17 Upper ho! road, which I believe in my 4 years here we've had 3 emergency declarations for
14:00:26 We've been able, I believe, on 2 of those to to wait until the the Monday Board meeting.
14:00:31 As it occurred, either over the weekend or just prior to it, and didn't require immediate resources to make some repairs.
14:00:45 But the repairs required needed attention sooner than what our day-to-day kind of processes would allow for
14:00:53 And continuing to use that as an example, one of the big things in emergency declaration does remove some requirements of the competitive bidding process.
14:01:03 There are certain provisions pertaining to the performance of public works.
14:01:09 So within that upper ho! road. Example Our Public Works Roads Department was able to move much more quickly in on providing for some temporary repairs of that road, and then
they would, if they were following all of their dated day.
14:01:22 contracting procedures. So there are folks who live along that road who wouldn't have been able to wait for a repair over the course of weeks or months, and in order to move
more quickly that emergency declaration removed some
14:01:37 of those competitive bidding requirements allow public works to enter into contracts on a much quicker basis.
14:01:44 And so we were able to repair the road and allow those folks to leave leave and remain in their homes.
14:01:53 Given that that more expeditious road repair
14:01:59 So when we do declare an emergency we include the following elements.
14:02:06 So our description a definition of the impacted area, a statement that an emergency exists, and that unusual measures will be necessary to saveguard life and property.
14:02:17 Notification that certain resources are authorized, and responding to the emergency time limit to the emergency declaration.
14:02:26 One thing that has is nice about the state of Washington is you know Florida, for example, you're only allowed to declare emergency for 7 days at a time, which for something
like the public health emergency that existed that
14:02:41 continues to exist for the the covid response.
14:02:44 You just imagine, every week during our voc briefing having to declare yet another emergency.
14:02:51 Thankfully for us if there's a larger disaster like Covid.
14:02:54 We can tie our declaration to other broader emergency declarations like the State, and that may have already existed.
14:03:01 Finally, if it's known the amount of money which is typically next to impossible, especially if you're early on in a catastrophic event, I'm: In declaring an emergency, once
we declare a a local emergency, if
14:03:17 we need additional resources. from the State. We may request resources from the State, or from neighboring jurisdictions.
14:03:25 If a State emergency is requested and approved and additional resources are needed.
14:03:32 Still that's when we might be able to receive a major disaster declaration from the Federal Government.
14:03:42 And a local emergency declaration isn't essential to be included in a Federal disaster declaration.
14:03:47 We have gotten Federal disaster declarations for winter storms.
14:03:51 For example, where we haven't had a local emergency but it certainly helps build our case, and if we get that Federal disaster declaration, that's when fema covers it used to
be 75% of
14:04:05 eligible response costs since changed tonight. which is a major help for us.
14:04:12 In responding to a major disaster locally. should we get that Federal declaration?
14:04:17 In rare cases when the impact to individuals is so great the Federal government may also prove individual assistance, or ia, which means there'd be direct financial assistance
from fema to individuals.
14:04:34 After a major disaster. Those are extraordinarily rare here.
14:04:38 But during a catastrophic earthquake, for an example, we would absolutely be receiving an Ia to get some relief to citizens
14:04:49 So any questions on the emergency declaration process or what that means. again.
14:04:55 We've we've had some practice here the past couple of years. put any additional clarification needed not for me.
14:05:08 Maybe just one question really is, is is, what is the interface of an emergency declaration with, say, a public health order from the health officer?
14:05:19 Does it? But is that order function in the same way or They totally set stuff documents?
14:05:27 No, that's an excellent question they're more or less totally separate.
14:05:31 I'd have to go and double check I won't say no off the top of my head.
14:05:35 I there are There may be certain authorities at the Public health officer has that are only activated upon declaration of emergency.
14:05:45 But I I I don't know those off the top of my head.
14:05:48 But the you know, as we've seen the public health officer is able to make orders on their own given their own judgment, and within their own authority, that are that are separate
of the of the disaster
14:06:00 declaration. but I I I don't know the exact interactions between the 2.
14:06:04 So i'll i'll have to double check in on that
14:06:10 I think one thing I will add that's been a question in the past.
14:06:12 There is not necessarily a downside to airing on the caution bearing on the side of caution, and declaring a disaster declaration. you know, however, we do want to make sure
that those are reserved for it was
14:06:30 our 4 disasters. we don't want to be declaring a disaster.
14:06:34 You know, every time it rains every time it's a little bit warm out, you know, trying to badger the state for more money trying to badger fema for more money.
14:06:43 It's very much a you know a boy who cried Wolf.
14:06:48 Type situation, and it does reduce you know trust on the part of citizens. if we're consistently declaring emergencies to do away with competitive bidding and contracting processes
and things like that so they're good
14:06:59 there's no downside airing on the side of caution and declaring an emergency.
14:07:04 But it's something that we we don't want to take too terribly lightly, which I I don't think we've done i've never seen mini jurisdictions who you know hand
14:07:14 these things out. but still just something to keep in mind as we we weigh the pros and cons of of declaring our next disaster
14:07:24 So action number 4 from the policy management group as well as the rest of the Porta County Commissioners.
14:07:31 Review the Eoc's incident. action plan and or situation report Let's establish the policy management group meeting schedule as well as a Bocc.
14:07:41 A broader, briefing schedule. this is something we use in the Eoc.
14:07:47 That's a function of the incident command system that's called the incident action planning process, and this is something we have, you know, hanging up in the Eoc called the
planning peak.
14:07:58 And so you can see. Let me see, that can be fancy and draw on the screen.
14:08:01 You can see the leg of the P. and I should pick a better color than yellow.
14:08:07 You can see the leg of the P. as you go up here.
14:08:10 You have your initial incident you worked to ramp up your initial response, and you have your initial briefing to figure out what's going on.
14:08:20 Kind of what we've been talking about and after you get through that initial incident response.
14:08:27 The leg of the p you have what's called the operational o as you continually go through this cycle, and this is kind of the easy.
14:08:38 So the way it works is, you see, the Ic Uc.
14:08:41 Develop update, and you have your objectives meeting there. The leadership dictates their overarching goals of the response.
14:08:50 Here at the command, and General Staff meeting and they go hey?
14:08:54 Here's cure our priorities for the next operational period. So the next timeframe that we're planning for, and then what happens?
14:09:01 Is, your staff goes in, and they based on your goals outline the strategies and tactics, the ways at which they're going to meet those goals. and So you go through a series
of meetings kind of reviewing these reviewing
14:09:16 your resources. fine tuning your plan for the next operational period, which might be the next 12Â h.
14:09:22 It might be tomorrow. it might be the next week on slower responses.
14:09:27 Once that's finalized and signed off you brief your staff and have them go out and execute that plan as you're executing you.
14:09:36 Assess your progress. Leadership comes up with their new overarching goals, and you begin the process over again.
14:09:42 So this is kind of a continuous feedback loop where you're constantly the ideal he planning for the next day at any given time, going out and executing that plan reassessing
and then doing
14:09:56 it all over again
14:10:03 So the the 5 phases understand the situation, establish your D objectives, develop the plant, prepare and disseminate, and then execute a phone, and then execute, evaluate,
and revise,
14:10:18 And so the outcome of this process is a document called the Incident Action plan itself, and that's a physical document that outlines the overworking goals for the upcoming
operational period and the strategies by which those goals
14:10:33 will be achieved. You develop them once per op. period.
14:10:36 So. that might be once per day once per 12Â h, and really fast moving responses.
14:10:44 It might just be an hour or 2 fema's ics, class notes, operational periods can be of various links.
14:10:51 I'm, although usually not over 24Â h.
14:10:55 We did have when we were developing iap's during a segment of the covid response.
14:10:59 Our operational periods were week by week and I Don't think it's unheard of at this point for folks to go you know, month at a time, and especially during the recovery phase
of a major disaster so
14:11:10 an example of a of a segment from an incident action plan.
14:11:14 This was from our esf for firefighting. during the covid response.
14:11:20 That shows the work assignments for our fire representatives.
14:11:27 They were working on given the considerations at the time.
14:11:30 This was all the way back from april of 2,020, and this is literally the direct tactical.
14:11:37 Who's doing what who's working on what to meet the overarching goals of the response.
14:11:44 Now, this differs from, I think, a document More folks have seen
14:11:50 Our situation report, which this is just purely information. so you can think of it as the iap is tactical.
14:11:59 The situation. report is just informational. this is just data kind of showing what's going on a little bit of who's doing what?
14:12:09 But this is just really that that piece of sheet music that everyone is going to to to be working off of.
14:12:15 So within the policy management group on the voc these are gonna kind of be your your lifelines into the your windows in to what's going on in terms of the incident.
14:12:25 These aren't public facing documents so one thing will be needing your help with is kind of reviewing the operations and then distilling what's important for the general public,
and that brings us to
14:12:41 action number funds So as we establish a regular policy management group meeting cycle.
14:12:48 I'd like folks to to review the iap review the sit rep and other updates and briefings make recommendations on plan priorities and objectives.
14:12:57 So is the eoc acting in line with with your expectations, and especially with what you're hearing from the community.
14:13:05 And that's been, I think, one of the biggest beneficial aspects of the policy management group.
14:13:10 During Covid is I mean, you hear from we all hear from concern, citizens.
14:13:15 We all get feedback, but the elected officials I mean that's that's you know your job is to take their considerations. Take their perspectives into account and bring us as department
directors feedback so work with whether
14:13:28 it's the incident commander the unified command group or the public information Officer help shape public messaging address communication shortfalls, and this is an aspect We've
had plenty of to During the covid 19
14:13:42 pandemic I know something you commissioner dean have Been i'm really working hard to address with us view plans for resources shortfalls.
14:13:52 I'm gonna assist with resources. So if there's something that we really need that.
14:13:54 We don't have that we may Have a connection. to that is really essential and really useful for us.
14:14:03 Share that information with partners and stakeholders as needed.
14:14:05 I noted, represent the interests of the public in the incident action, planning and get our policy management group work to share information with other Bocc members, directors
and elected as needed.
14:14:20 And what that specifically looks like. We don't have a a process, for we we have had the directors and elected the covid coordination meeting on Friday, I think, was really
helpful.
14:14:33 The Bocc briefings every Monday in terms of not just informing the general public, but informing he stakeholders and partners and other county employees as well, has been.
14:14:44 Really so something we take forward for the next disaster. but really digging into the information being provided to you from the Eoc addressing operational shortfalls.
14:14:56 Reason shortfalls, communication shortfalls, and then helping really socialize that information in both directions.
14:15:03 Really critical, hey? Well, I have a question so in it's interesting because the the policy management group doesn't show up formally in the incident command system or in that
O and P Chart, that you showed is that right hey?
14:15:20 I do. I can see it in our eoc chart.
14:15:25 But it. It is an aspect of the incident.
14:15:27 Command system. It wasn't in the chart i'm not gonna go all the way back to it.
14:15:31 It wasn't in the chart that I showed earlier but
14:15:35 The policy management group is A is a function of the incident command system.
14:15:37 Sometimes called different things, and it is a function of eocs.
14:15:42 Of all different types across the country. And so we had a policy management group at humble State University, where I previously worked.
14:15:52 And then I actually was able to participate in an exercise with Washington County, Oregon.
14:15:58 When I was with Red Cross we went back to the Emergency Management Institute with Fema back in Maryland, and one of the key components of their exercise.
14:16:07 There was to activate their policy management group and exercise with them So it wasn't on that word chart.
14:16:13 But it is is a function. and it is built into our eoc operations.
14:16:18 Yeah, yeah, cause I think there's been some some confusion i'll just speak on my part of like where you know where where we plug in.
14:16:29 So I appreciate that you're trying to do it but I do see that it's also not incorporated into general like in that O.
14:16:37 Np: Where would you say we pmg falls into that? Yeah, that's an excellent question, and I would say if we were going to plug you in there, so as you see iap pre and approval
and then operations
14:16:52 briefing that's when you're telling your field staff all right Here's what you're doing further down Here's the approved iap.
14:16:59 Go out and do I would really see the kind of the policy management level briefing after that.
14:17:06 So once we've once we've been sent folks out to start conducting their work, and to meet the goals within the iap.
14:17:14 That's when we kind of come to the policy manager group All right, Here's what we're doing today.
14:17:19 Do you have any feedback? As we embark on our progress, assessment on the update of our newest round of objectives and priorities?
14:17:30 So we can kind of you know hey? send the staff out there.
14:17:34 We're just on the on in the beginning of starting to assess the most recent plan.
14:17:39 What do you have for us to keep in mind as we we start that process?
14:17:43 Thank you.
14:17:55 So at our summary First and foremost, take care of yourself and those close to you.
14:18:03 First foremost, received that initial briefing. Prepare for activation.
14:18:08 And then ongoing consider a disaster declaration that should always be any time there's a A major incident kind of a rising to that level of an eoc activation that should be
one of the first questions
14:18:19 you all ask constantly in the back of your mind receiving review our inputational products.
14:18:27 Iap sit wraps other information. Thank you, Mick.
14:18:28 Right recommendations, connect resources, share information. really leverage your community connections.
14:18:38 Cause. I think one thing that every eoc has the the risk of doing is, there's sometimes simultaneously kind of paradoxically there's an abundance of information out there.
14:18:48 And we were drowning in it, and then the information we need the most is nowhere to be found.
14:18:55 So there's a shortfall as well so i'm helping us both cut through all that noise and providing some critical insight into the the places that we're missing through your community
connections.
14:19:06 I think you're going to be the the biggest strength of our commissioners and and the support of the policy management group.
14:19:13 Now our comprehensive emergency management plan and last updated in 2,017. doesn't define where the policy management group meets what the actual facility or room or the the
activation method is we've
14:19:30 obviously worked through zoom throughout the pandemic and Mac has worked out really well.
14:19:37 But it doesn't define when how often at what point in the incident.
14:19:42 So whether It's you know one of the very first things we do, or if the Pmg.
14:19:45 Kind of lets the Eoc establish a few operational cycles. I mean, that's something where we'll definitely kind of play by ear.
14:19:51 But we you know don't have that nailed down we haven't defined a format for those meetings.
14:20:00 Especially recently as covid has somewhat wind down it's mostly been, you know.
14:20:06 We set our agenda at the beginning of the meeting kind of based on what was in front of us.
14:20:10 I hate to say. I think Commissioner Brotherton will remember this better than anyone in the early days of Covid. It was just whatever what was flying at us that day, As things
were moving so incredibly fast But I think we should I mean, something I can put
14:20:22 some thought into and bring to you all finding a better formatting for that, and the Cemp doesn't define who participates, and that'll be a decision that needs to be made on
I think a disaster by
14:20:37 disaster basis. I think you know, having every year an identified representative of the Pmg.
14:20:44 From the Board of County Commissioners, obviously making sure the county administrator is a part.
14:20:50 But you know, for public Health Emergency, obviously having such strong public health representation is critical.
14:20:59 But during an earthquake you know. How do we include, you know, law enforcement, 5 public works.
14:21:06 All these other affected agencies who are going to be very busy with the response, but also have an invest at stake.
14:21:11 Again. We need to talk a little bit more about how the the remaining 2 Commissioners coordinates with the Pmg.
14:21:18 Representative, and there's work to be done on how the city and county can can better work together.
14:21:25 Again, especially that. The city is going to have to work through.
14:21:28 How they their City Council representative works with the remaining folks on the City Council. i'll admit that our County Department of Emergency management is an emergency
management department for both the city and the County but me being a county
14:21:43 employee obviously means that Yeah, typically I i'm more involved with county operations and city operations. So there's some work to be done on my end to do some outreach and
engage them a little bit better So what's
14:21:57 next. I do need good segue there. Do need to conduct this for the city.
14:22:03 Get them in bulk. I think the policy management group.
14:22:05 We need to have our covid after action review we'll discuss a lot of these things, including the formatting of policy management group meetings.
14:22:13 I'd like to hold a tabletop exercise at some point down the line.
14:22:17 Once we get the city trained up where we can run through a simulated scenario and talk through with everyone.
14:22:24 But other than that I I have left you all a whole 8Â min.
14:22:31 What what additional questions do you have what are your needs if there's lessons learn you want to address that I may not have
14:22:39 Let let me know, since this is a pretty big area we've done a lot of learning on the fly, but we still have some some room for growth definitely.
14:22:49 Thank you, Willie. I I don't know what questions I mean That's a lot of information, and I really appreciate the overview, and I I guess I just felt like I needed that basic
kind of grounding and what our
14:23:04 emergency response. practices are
14:23:11 Question. I I know i've asked you this before Willie.
14:23:15 But i'm curious if the answer has changed and I know that the answer is, starts with, It depends but you know, if if there's an emergency, what should we be doing?
14:23:28 I'd like it like your number one you know take care of ourselves and those around us.
14:23:32 But then, you know, we do have a responsibility. but we should be mobilizing for emergency declaration.
14:23:39 But do you want us at home? Do you want us to?
14:23:42 At the courthouse. Of course that depends. but just if you can kind of talk us through the middle of the night earthquake, or you know, a wildfire. What do we So you're absolutely
right.
14:23:59 I I hate to to say it. It does really depend because you know, during a major earthquake.
14:24:06 One of the things we're actually starting to do right now is kind of define our catastrophic
14:24:14 We're calling it our catastrophic playbook?
14:24:19 So what are the expectations of everyone during the first hour versus our 4?
14:24:22 And so during something that came out you know it's gonna be a a number of hours before anyone even realizes what's going on the The The nature of the
14:24:36 The nature of the incident. so we're still kind of working through what our expectations are on that but for the most part, let's say it's a non catastrophic incident. so.
14:24:45 We we have basic communications, though road infrastructure Is there more or less?
14:24:52 I I just. there are so many variables in gray areas, I think, more than anything.
14:25:00 You're you know that the first is to make sure you're safe, and make sure you're those around you are safe.
14:25:05 But then, just to establish communication one way or another?
14:25:10 And so that may be something as easy as receiving the Nixon message letting you know that the Eoc is being activated Here's our initial briefing, and it may be during a catastrophic
incident
14:25:20 with with out that level of communication checking in, and the courthouse.
14:25:29 We may have to talk about an alternate facility for a physical check-in that you know isn't unreinforced masonry.
14:25:36 So just first checking on folks and then establishing communication one way or another.
14:25:43 So. I think we should talk about a little bit more ways that we do that.
14:25:49 So we we have you signed up for next, so I know I can.
14:25:52 I can text you if need be. I know you know how to get in touch with me.
14:25:56 I know you know where the eoc is let's work on defining like a physical checking point, and when that might be as part of that catastrophic plan.
14:26:05 But that's that's really ever been safety checking in receiving information.
14:26:10 Considering the disaster declaration, and then helping us push information out. again.
14:26:17 The the big thing for me. I think that the strength of the the 3 of our commissioners is that you can both receives information from us at the Oc.
14:26:26 Provide your recommendations. Give us your perspective. Then push that information out to the community at large, and then bring their feedback back to us.
14:26:36 So if anything, I see all 3 of you as kind of information conduits so establishing that lifeline between you and us is going to be the most important thing, and what that looks
like physically.
14:26:45 We need to work on a little bit. And is that like directly being in in contact with you?
14:26:50 And whatever form we're able cause you're gonna be busy and in high demand.
14:26:57 But you're you're the point person for us initially,
14:27:03 I I will be the point person either myself or the deem duty officer. We do have someone who's on call, you know, 31.
14:27:11 That if we need to activate they will be the the first point of contact for that.
14:27:15 And then it might be Whoever is incident, command, or unified command, and that will change, depending on the situation.
14:27:23 More than likely it will be. You know me, or one of the Deem staff to start, but that may get handed off pretty quickly, depending.
14:27:31 But yeah, part part of the core role of incident command is to be the conduit between the policy management group and the Eoc staff.
14:27:41 So that's. a that's a role that will be in pretty high demand, but it is one of the core functions to make sure the 2 are talking so. it'll it'll be a priority
14:27:58 Great refresher. Thank you willie I I don't have any particular questions right now.
14:28:03 It's like glad to have started this up again. and obviously it's.
14:28:09 I think we had our training and then we're pretty quickly able to put it into practice in in a way that it wasn't really designed for.
14:28:16 So I think, who stress tested this already and understand some of the different kinds of emergencies that we can have now in a better way than we did a couple of years ago.
14:28:25 So I really appreciate you jumping on this
14:28:30 Thank you All I I do appreciate. the opportunity to be here!
14:28:36 Not just every Monday morning, but for a workshop.
14:28:40 2 weeks in a row. again. I really would like to get a tabletop discussion going, and I think there are some ongoing opportunities for work on this.
14:28:50 So i'll I get get with mark and and we'll get with the policy management group, and kind of discuss some additional steps now that we've established some basics.
14:28:59 We've tested them Now we've refreshed them and refined them a little bit.
14:29:04 But we can start seeing our teeth and some other things.
14:29:06 So I appreciate it. Yeah, Commissioner Dean.
14:29:10 Sorry. I just thought of what other questions I think you said overluded at the beginning of the presentation, that kind of what?
14:29:18 What is the policy management group, and what isn't and just in the in the spirit of honesty?
14:29:25 Was there, Do you do you feel like there has been a a misunderstanding, or overstepping, or just just it'd be helpful for me to hear?
14:29:35 If there are You know ways that that can go sideways predictably that that would be helpful to call out.
14:29:44 I I will say one area of and this kind of ties back just to our our last question is the the Ic.
14:29:52 Being the conduit between the policy management group and the ec i'm. One thing I needed to do a better job of during the Covid pandemic was fostering communication between
the folks in the policy management group and
14:30:02 on down to the the rest of the folks in the Eoc.
14:30:08 Because you know I would be in or leading all the Uc.
14:30:12 Meetings and all those conversations, and then I would be in and or leading all the policy management, group conversations.
14:30:18 But you all in the Pmg. never really were, you know, never integrated with the Eoc, never at those broader discussions.
14:30:25 It was me as a liaison, and one of the pieces of feedback was.
14:30:29 There was a perception that the policy management group was, you know, kind of behind closed doors.
14:30:33 They were having these conversations, and then the decisions made or topics brought up were kind of trickling down.
14:30:39 But I never would directly kind of come and say well here's everything we talked about.
14:30:44 Here's what you need to know and here's their message for you as our eoc as a whole, and then vice versa, you know I would I would brief you in on things that that the Eoc was
working on
14:30:55 and would obviously answer questions and such. But if I, you know, never really brought the full scope of things to you.
14:31:04 Then again I felt oftentimes the policy management might have been thinking, you know.
14:31:09 Hey, what's going on down here? can we get a little bit more insight?
14:31:11 So. I never think that the policy management group overstepped its bounds. but i'm i'm glad we're doing this today, because I think it shines some light on the fact that Well,
here's what it is
14:31:22 here's who's on it here's the work that they do. and then, during future responses, it is going to be really critical, not just me bringing feedback information up from the
Eoc.
14:31:34 But then pushing, you know your objectives your messaging down to the responders since I think there was a little bit of a perception that you know we're in you know a back
room somewhere dimly lit you know
14:31:43 i'll smoke in cigarettes and you know deciding these these things when no, we were talking about the you know the issues of the day we were addressing things.
14:31:53 That the rest of the Eoc, was talking about you were just providing a little bit more guidance, or a little bit more feedback on these issues. and Willie, I guess what i'm getting
from this is is If we if we if there's something you need us
14:32:05 to do, or the policy management group needs the commissioners to do you'll let us know whether it's we have to ride a horse and find me and havelock hopefully not slid off the
bluff or you know I mean it
14:32:21 just when I start thinking unpacking the potential logistics of communication. and you know that's I think that's where I get high centered.
14:32:31 But but basically what i'm getting from this is if there's something that I need to do as a commissioner.
14:32:37 You're as you're gonna let me know Yes, but also don't hesitate to ask either, because you know, as I kind of mentioned
14:32:48 There was a perception there wasn't enough communication maybe out of the policy group and threw me to the bigger Eoc.
14:32:55 I know this, you know, having one commissioner on it and no mechanism for kind of sharing in into what conversations we're having caused a little bit of a communication and
planning silo.
14:33:07 So we absolutely won't hesitate to ask anything of you, but also don't hesitate to come back and say, Hey, you know what's going on i'd like more information on this where can
I help here?
14:33:17 Are the resources that I have. Okay, great Willie, on that last point, and and Kate brought it up earlier.
14:33:24 I mean the maybe the policy management group should be on the org chart somewhere.
14:33:31 I mean If we're if we're finding that the groups were silent from each other.
14:33:36 Was, was it? Did I? Oh, okay, the the very hippie top? Yeah. Yeah.
14:33:41 Okay, Sorry so, but maybe it should be I don't know i'm curious what that interface looks like.
14:33:51 I guess, to to make it deeper. I I I think we had the same problem, especially in the beginning with the you know, whenever I was on the policy management group, and not being
able to bring a lot of information back to the board account of commissioners
14:34:03 which was, you know, open session, conversation, too. so some of the conversations were appropriate to distill and into open conversation.
14:34:11 So I think that is an area that merit a little bit of introspection. I guess, as we go forward, let me do some some research into other jurisdictions, and how they handle their
policy management, group operations.
14:34:24 And if they are, you know, centered at the very top.
14:34:27 If there are, you know, dotted reporting lines or or something of that nature. So so let me let me look into that a little bit.
14:34:36 A little bit more, and see what some of our alternatives are
14:34:46 Thanks, Willie al alright, thank you so much I appreciate it i'll like before like last week.
14:34:52 I'll send you these slides since there was a lot of information on it pretty quick.
14:34:58 But otherwise I appreciate it, and we'll continue to work on this thanks a lot
14:35:12 Oh, did you see ott people? I was paying so much attention?
14:35:16 I was. Oh, Jeff, Selby Yeah, yeah, so for for Jeff Selby's benefit, because I think he's our Olympic discovery trail person on the Attendee list.
14:35:29 We are not doing our update today, because Eric Who'sma is not in the office today, so thanks for being here, Jeff.
14:35:41 But you got go out and ride on the trail.
14:35:46 Okay, So I think we are since we're skipping Olympic discovery trail update
14:36:00 Oh, right, thank you. I had a highlighted, too. I think I got thrown off by having to cancel on the discovery trail.
14:36:09 So we did have public comment, and if people are here who are interested in follow up questions or comments about the emergency management presentation we just had, You could
raise your hand.
14:36:24 But Willy already left I'm not saying anyone raise their hand.
14:36:32 We could follow up with Willie for you. If you have a question we need to tell Staff to hang out until we get through.
14:36:40 The public comment portion of agenda items so I don't see any hands going up on this one.
14:36:48 So we will move on to our final agenda item for the day, because the Olympic Discovery trail item did get cancelled.
14:36:59 And we are going to have our continued workshop on open public meeting.
14:37:04 Zack guidelines for boards, committees, and commissions, and we will have public comment today on this portion of the agenda.
14:37:12 We continued this workshop from last week because our last Monday was so busy so, and we have plenty of time today for this item, so we'll need to bring Philip over.
14:37:24 He's gonna accept the promotion to panelists
14:37:32 Do we plan to take action on this? Do you know
14:37:39 I don't know if the agenda request it just indicates, if we have any guidance to give before a final draft comes back.
14:37:48 Yeah.
14:37:54 Good afternoon. Nice to see you all again. Hi so
14:38:02 I have it up here. There we go. So can you guys see something that says executive sessions alright, have so many windows open right now that I was having trouble, seeing which
one it was but so this
14:38:23 is where we where we left off last time was talking about executive sessions and This portion of the proposed policy talks about how to how to handle executive So in light of
the new requirement
14:38:44 for for public comment before final action is taken, and
14:38:50 Before the Legislature made that change. Typically, we would have an executive session.
14:38:56 We would, we would go into the executive session.
14:38:59 We would have a discussion that was protected under the Open Public Meetings Act, and either we would come out of the session taking action or not.
14:39:11 Taking action. if we, under the new provision in the open Public meetings, act.
14:39:23 If you take action, which necessarily is going to be a final action because it's gonna be a decision when you're coming out of an executive session, typically then you need
to hold public comment before you before you
14:39:37 vote. and so this proposes a procedure Where? if if no no final action is is contemplated.
14:39:51 Coming out of the executive session you just say no final action to be taken, and you move on with the rest of the hearing.
14:40:00 If a motion is made coming out of the executive session, then the proposal would be that you make the motion.
14:40:09 It'd be seconded, and then the chair calls for public comment on the motion.
14:40:16 You would have public comment. You could have discussion after that, and then you could vote.
14:40:19 That would be compliant with the new provision and opma and it so. essentially it's same way that we're posing promotions.
14:40:30 But there's because of the other stuff. that's going on with exact sessions. there's a little more to this than that is that explanation makes sense.
14:40:42 Yeah, Okay, And then f here that i've got up now is just a recess procedure.
14:40:56 It's not specifically an opm a procedure but it's pretty much how you do it.
14:41:02 Now there's also an adjournment procedure This is pretty much how it's done Now, as I understand it.
14:41:11 And then We have section roman numeral 9 which talks about the minutes.
14:41:20 It's a mix of what's required in opma and practical guidance on how to get it.
14:41:30 Well how it should be done. This one says 10 i'm sorry did I say 9, .
14:41:34 I guess I can't you'd think as a lawyer.
14:41:37 I could read normal Roman Numerals but i'm reading the right one. I'm Roman numeral challenge.
14:41:47 Today it is a it is x, 10 Roman, numeral, 10
14:41:50 And so so 10 a is just state restating the requirement of of O Pma, that there must be minutes that's opma requires minutes.
14:42:01 And we have a certain way of doing the minutes Now that's perfectly okay under opa and there's some some suggestions in here that Carolyn put in on on how to do that the there's
some
14:42:16 suggested minimum requirements for the minutes. This both will ensure compliance with opma and
14:42:26 And you know, if you think about this one here that's number 8.
14:42:32 Okay, occasionally we get. we've gotten a question whether whether you know we did something after recess, but before the reconvening.
14:42:46 So having the Times in the minutes is helpful for we're proving compliance with opma, and there's a lot of stuff in here that we do. that This is kind of consistent with the
way that we do that makes it
14:42:58 easier to prove opaque opa compliance
14:43:04 And then carolyn has a couple tips for for the clerk of the meeting, and that's that's what this guidance calls the staff person who's staffing whatever meeting it is clerk
the
14:43:20 meeting you know, for how to do it and Then There's section Roman numeral 11,
14:43:33 It's funny i'm I got tripped up on the the written I'm.
14:43:39 Wondering if that's if it's just a funny I think of that that meeting handwriting.
14:43:43 But I guess that applies equally to digital document as well.
14:43:51 But i'm i'm curious and this comes up i'm trying to think of how we applied these.
14:43:57 Yes, policy to other meetings other than the voc. I know it a place to Becc, but we have a pretty, you know.
14:44:05 Fine tuned machine here, but do all materials that are referenced in the minutes need to be attached to the minutes.
14:44:20 I don't believe so. I think you can just have a summary of of you know what happened during during the minutes.
14:44:29 Okay. So, for example, i'm the secretary for the Budget Committee, which is is an open public meeting.
14:44:37 And we look at financial documents and make reference to them, and I refer people to the laser fee folders where those live.
14:44:52 Is that sufficient? You think I think it is, and in the and the agenda could be.
14:44:56 You know, the agenda could be handled the same way with the link to where things are.
14:45:00 But typically at least for the Vorticatic Commissioners.
14:45:03 And I can say this for the planning. commission and the and the Board of Health, you know there's a packet that is in the agenda.
14:45:15 So it should have. You know most of the things, if not all, of the things that you that you talk about. at.
14:45:20 But during the meeting, of course, if you walk something on that's different.
14:45:24 But so you know. but I can. I tell you that if you wanted to make that a requirement you could.
14:45:32 So this is Carolyn here. Yeah, I was just gonna say exactly what Phillips stated.
14:45:38 There's a meeting packet and so the meeting minutes is to record all the action items, and it can reference the items discussed during the meeting and the meeting packet would
have all that information we're trying to do mostly.
14:45:51 Online folders, so the public can see all those for every packet.
14:45:55 And I think this is one step of getting closer to that.
14:45:58 Having people just move all their stuff online for their meeting comments and that sort of thing.
14:46:03 Although the meeting minutes, if they are required to be approved, show up the next month or the next meeting.
14:46:11 So it but it would be sufficient for there to be a trail, a traceable trail to the previous agenda packets say so.
14:46:19 If you if you went to look for the minutes, say you wanted to look at the minutes for last year, you could.
14:46:28 You could go to a place on the in laser Fe in the and I think this is accessible to the to the public as well, where it has both the minutes and the agenda in it.
14:46:41 So you could figure it out you know, doing that go going through that process.
14:46:46 Sometimes. you know there's a little bit of a delay of getting getting everything in there. But but eventually it'll all get in there so as long as there is a logical pathway
to find it that's okay, we're
14:47:00 not prescribing a particular system so so this This document was called Guidance for a reason.
14:47:12 It's It's I mean when it uses stuff like must that's language generally language that's that means it's required by opma.
14:47:23 But this just provides a a wave of folks doing their meetings and not just the board accounting commissioners, but other Boards committees, commissions for a process that we
know won't work for staying organized and
14:47:41 might be helpful for for people to have because Sometimes people are in that position covering that meeting, as the clerk of the meeting, you know who who may not be doing it
or haven't done it very much you know we
14:47:54 don't here We have for the board accounting commissioners and also for the Board of Health, for sure you know we have a clerk of the Board who's you know that's mainly their
job.
14:48:08 So but you know it doesn't have to be any here. it's not it's not doesn't have to be this way. but I think having it be as much as possible uniform is helpful because then,
you can
14:48:26 provide uniform training you can provide uniform guidance. you know you don't have a bunch of people doing it different ways.
14:48:36 So I think it has a lot of value for that and as I as I said to Heidi recently, you know habits are very powerful.
14:48:47 They're really hard to break habits and so we want people to part of.
14:48:51 The reason for this is to make sure that people have really good habits.
14:48:56 So that we're you know ensuring that we comply with opma.
14:48:59 It's it's incredibly, more difficult my opinion that I thought it would be complying with this public comment new public comment, provision of opma, because and it really comes
down to the nature of the definition of
14:49:17 final action in open. a you know stuff that you don't think would be final action, or that are you know somewhat trivial procedural things.
14:49:29 You know all within That definition. of final action under o Pma and so it's it's changing the mindset, changing the habits.
14:49:41 That's what the purpose of this is but really this is a first draft, and and can be modified in any way that that we want it to be.
14:49:50 And I guess Swamen say it one more time I I really appreciate Staff's work on they updated the county.
14:49:57 Home, page. So when you go to how do I? and then find?
14:50:01 And then documents is right there. laser fees is still there as well.
14:50:07 But I had a number of people say they couldn't find documents and i'm like well, they're right there.
14:50:11 The link from the website. all the documents and they were like well, what's it under?
14:50:15 And I said laser fee and they're like what's that.
14:50:19 And so it's super helpful to just have documents listed there with laser fees in parentheses, because it's just a much more logical way for people to be able to navigate to
14:50:31 previous minutes, and find those historical documents. Anyway, I had a few people reach out and say that they appreciated that.
14:50:44 So other questions or comments about the minutes provisions. Okay.
14:50:53 Talked about the tips and next section Roman numeral 11 limits on communications between members.
14:51:10 And if a quorum of the of the group is there? Then you have to comply with opma, and which.
14:51:26 And so that's really what section section subsection a says Subsection B is talking about written communications, and so there's some cases that say you could have a virtual
public meeting.
14:51:39 And this is why gotta be careful when you're sending out emails to the whole, to the whole of a of a of a board Commissioner committee.
14:51:51 Because it's probably okay to just send something a communication out. The The difficulty comes when there's a response, and if it goes, the response goes to the entire to the
entire board or committee or commission or to a
14:52:11 quorum then someone can argue that's virtual public meeting.
14:52:16 So, having these procedures in place to address that are really important to avoiding and inadvertent violation of the open public meetings.
14:52:29 Act that makes sense. Hmm: Okay. So then we have some what are what's called here unusual situations?
14:52:41 There's a there's a there's a section for what happens if there's a fire flood or an earthquake, or something That's you know ha It's it's happening what can you do about
14:52:53 that. And what happens is that the opma section there specifically authorizes suspension of opium of the notice requirements under Opma.
14:53:09 So so that's that section we were just of course, set up presentation from Willie about you know, standing up the the policy management group, and i'm just curious when I my
reading of this looks like if there.
14:53:27 Was, you know, a physical disaster that we need to to stand things up.
14:53:32 That's the chair could call all 3 commissioners into the Eoc or or into the policy management group to have a conversation without publishing or even having it as a as a public
meeting.
14:53:48 Is that your reading of this yeah it's the notice requirements So it says more than the notice requirements doesn't it?
14:53:56 I mean in the part of this proof, that parenthetical below set a for remote meeting without a physical location or for a meeting at which the physical attendance by some or
all members of the public is limited due to
14:54:05 a declared emergency. So do you have I mean i'm not trying to squeeze.
14:54:11 Sure Opm. A. Certainly i'm just wondering if we had an emergency that we were responding to.
14:54:15 Could we bring all 3 commissioners in to give immediate response or direction?
14:54:24 Or should we just keep with the one? So
14:54:29 This is talking about holding it, some holding the meeting somewhere else, and which is which is the the function of the notice requirement, right?
14:54:40 The notice requirement tells you where the meeting is going to be, and so so for regular meetings, for example, you know, you can have a list, an annual list of where the meetings
are going to be.
14:54:51 But I think you're still gonna have to have an agenda of some kind have that meeting and and comply with the open public meetings.
14:55:01 Act that doesn't seem like worth opening that kind of ones.
14:55:03 But so anyway. that's that's what I think we'd love to I mean it. Sorry, Bill.
14:55:15 We were just talking about before you came out or maybe you're listening.
14:55:19 But So when, in order to declare an emergency, we would have to come together
14:55:30 And but we've just so the notice the notice could be suspended. the wouldn't have to be in the county courthouse, but we would come together with an agenda and take that action.
14:55:43 Okay, Yeah, that is helpful. Okay, field trips we've had this: come up a couple of times.
14:55:49 This is, it happens every once in a while. if the entire. If the entire board commission or committee is going to go somewhere and check something out on a field trip or take
a tour, then that's gonna have to be separately
14:56:06 noticed. if it's regular it's a regular meeting Why?
14:56:11 Because regular meetings are all held in the same place right it's that's that's the purpose of the regular meeting. notice.
14:56:18 So it's gonna be if you take a a field trip or or by its nature it's going to be a special meeting. So you have to comply with a special meeting requirements for the forward
tour. And So we carolyn's done a really
14:56:34 good job with this in the past of you know figuring out how to do the special meeting notice for in between parts of a regular meeting It's the same thing that you do that that
we're doing now with for wassack meetings right?
14:56:51 We're having a we have a special notice for that and cause it's not on a regular a gene generating, but a a quorum may attend that meeting now without without fear of and and
talk without fear of violating
14:57:06 opma. so. anyway, this is kind of how we figured out how to do it and comply with opma.
14:57:15 So it's both practical, and it's also contains the requirements or the requirements of Opma, and it's it's primarily, because if you're not holding it in your normal way on
normal place, does that make
14:57:26 sense. Okay, What happens if the meeting agenda wasn't published within 24Â h of a start of a meeting?
14:57:43 That's a big problem for special meeting because you have to have at least 24Â h notice of a special meeting, and typically the agenda provide also provides the notice for a
special meeting.
14:58:00 Well, there's separate concepts or special meeting we're typically giving notice in, and the agenda at the same time.
14:58:08 But the problem is, if if this happens and your and you're coming to a decision on an ordinance resolution, rule, regulation, order, or other directive and you haven't complied
with the 24Â h
14:58:25 requirement. Then the then, opma says that action that final action is void, and you don't want to have to start over.
14:58:35 So it's better just to reset the meeting than than that violating opma and and risking. you know the risking defines the live building and all that stuff because of because
24 or hour.
14:58:54 Notice was given that's really all this is saying Okay, and then, the last thing disruptions we have not had many situations in the 5 plus years that I've been here.
14:59:08 Where we've had the kind of disruptions that are authorized that are, you know that allow you to shut down a meeting.
14:59:16 No public meeting. and if you look at the rcw that's listed there 42, 30 5 0.
14:59:25 It can. It itself contains a procedure. We have put together a couple of scripts scripts.
14:59:32 To that, we think comply with rcw 42, 35, 0, and they're attached as Pentagon, G.
14:59:40 And h one is for in person, disruptions, and the others for online disruptions.
14:59:48 Little bit different. but there's a lot of similarities between the 2 of them, make a comment.
14:59:54 I don't have a question, but I just really appreciated all those appendixes.
14:59:57 I don't know if it's accurate but I saw Caroline's fingerprints over a lot of these practical sort of guidelines that that that exist throughout this document that I feel like
it's not
15:00:05 only really helpful in, and making sure that we stay compliant with opm A.
15:00:10 But actually making it easier for boards and committees to do their work.
15:00:15 So I just I really appreciated all the appendix as if Carolyn could work.
15:00:19 Yeah, and that was one of the purposes so i'm glad we we seem to be fulfilling that.
15:00:23 Thank you. Okay, And at the risk of scaring volunteers off, I think it's important for people to understand.
15:00:32 You know that there is potentially personal liability or violation of opma and and the the difficulty with opma is, if one person at the meeting is, you know, caused the violation
of opm.
15:00:51 A every member. Is it violation so if if you think a violation has happened?
15:00:57 It's important to point it out. and say hey? I think that was an opm, a violation.
15:01:03 We needed fix that, or or you know, maybe not have to be that one.
15:01:08 Because you don't want to be stuck with some inadvertent violation of O pm you know, and have to pay 500 bucks, or if it's your second violation a 1,000 bucks
15:01:29 got a question on this, too bill sure I mean we we redid some appointments to the planning commission today, because we had not, you know we hadn't had public. comment, and
it wasn't on the
15:01:33 agenda. So, just as boards go through this it's not an instant.
15:01:37 $500 right, you have the opportunity to to redress your errors, and i'm just wondering what what's the timeline at which you have to kind of come back into compliance?
15:01:47 If you do recognize that your your board has gone out of compliance with Opma. Great.
15:01:55 Thank you. Okay. So we talked about this a minute ago, but just reiterate it, you know.
15:02:07 Some actions taken, our Nolan void, and this lists what those are.
15:02:15 So, for instance, the planning commission appointments probably don't fit this but still a good idea to go back and redo things just to get it right.
15:02:29 And then you know the what happens if it's a ca if and we've never since i've been here. haven't been sued under opma.
15:02:37 We've been threatened a bunch of times and usually a threat is, if you don't go back and fix this, or declare your action null and void, we're going to sue you and that's what
15:02:48 the result of the lawsuit against the county would achieve it would get a a determination of of that Whatever action it was here that's listed in B was null and boy and we'd
have to undersea we'd have to
15:03:02 pay attorneys for the pleasure of going through that lawsuit.
15:03:08 Okay, is it worth including somewhere in here? Just because this is turning out to be a pretty comprehensive document.
15:03:17 That that many members of our boards and committees are required to take the the State training for opma and public records.
15:03:33 That's a good idea
15:03:39 Okay, Got a no, I'll put that in the next version Okay.
15:03:44 And then we have a list of forms for folks to use.
15:03:51 These are mostly forms currently in use, but they've also been modified, some of them to deal with with the the new requirements of O Pma.
15:04:05 So you can just kind of follow. them. and it's you know how to, how to what what to fill in what's what you're supposed to put in.
15:04:15 We can put these on the on the on the p drive so that they're accessible.
15:04:21 Some of them already are some of them already are But the idea was to have something that we'd at least think about, and I gotta tell you that doing the drafting or and you
know revisions of these forms I I caught some
15:04:38 things that I you know I don't think I would have caught because it's it's back to the habit thing again, right?
15:04:44 You're looking at something over and over and over again. it's like you don't even notice stuff, you know, when you're on your sometimes for me my fifteenth draft and something
or my tenth draft of
15:04:55 something I I you know it's hard to catch stuff so so.
15:05:00 So these are intended to be pretty up to date. Yeah.
15:05:05 And unfortunately, this would not fit without turning it to a Pdf.
15:05:12 And copying it so the so the form of this is not so pretty.
15:05:16 But Maybe we can do better in the next draft.
15:05:22 So I think that is everything We'll Have the scripts coming up here in a minute.
15:05:33 I so appreciate all this work. fill up and Carolyn I know you're I know you're there, Carolyn, hovering in the background.
15:05:41 But super super work, you guys, Yeah, crack at it.
15:05:48 I did have a question about the quorum that was discussed last week.
15:05:53 There was gonna be some more diving into what constitutes a quorum.
15:05:57 And that was more curious about when it comes time to voting if there's only half a membership there. and there was an even amount of people. right?
15:06:04 So the question raised was, Is the qu is the quorum 50% plus one.
15:06:11 And I promise to look into that, and I haven't done that yet.
15:06:15 So I will do that. And let you know on the next draft what it is that I think that probably will answer your question to Carolyn.
15:06:22 Yeah, not good cause i've never had that happen where we've had, you know, 4 members, and yeah on a like a housing fund board.
15:06:29 I've never had I can even amount of members in a split vote.
15:06:31 I i'm actually not sure what would happen in that incident Okay, very good.
15:06:40 So can you guys see the powerpoint or no no we're now?
15:06:47 We're seeing the Pdf still. okay so i'm gonna put up the Powerpoint because this is where where we come back to it.
15:06:56 Okay. How about now? Yeah. Yeah. Great.
15:07:05 Oh, there we go. Okay. So i'm gonna go back to the beginning, just real quick.
15:07:13 So you can see all the stuff we covered We covered purposes and processes.
15:07:20 We went through the manual. Okay, and then, i'm gonna scroll through this slowly.
15:07:31 And then here we are! our policy choices
15:07:39 And so I think these are the major policy choices that you have to make alright.
15:07:49 How much additional public comment should be required at meeting subject to Oprah.
15:07:55 And then how much you want to talk about hearings that's not specifically an opma question.
15:08:05 But we ought to figure it out figure out how you want to do it.
15:08:11 And well, I I would say this mostly applies to the Board Accounting Commissioner. The Board of Health and the Planning Commission.
15:08:20 Haven't thought about you know very much about or looked at the list of, you know.
15:08:27 Probable boards commissions and committees.
15:08:33 You know anybody else hold hearings I I don't think so, I think it's just those 3.
15:08:40 But when you look at the there's an Mrc. guidance document on this that's discussed in the text of the of the proposed guidelines, that that lists every Rcw.
15:08:55 That requires a hearing and it's not all of them, and there's a whole discussion in that in that Mrc document about whether you have to have a hearing or not we have ordinances,
some ordinances, and some
15:09:14 resolution, some resolutions that require my hearing
15:09:23 And so I put up. You should spend some time looking at this.
15:09:27 I put a proposal in there I don't know whether you're gonna like it or not.
15:09:31 But how much you know? Do you always wanna have a hearing on an ordinance, no matter what's required?
15:09:40 You know our past practice until recent until fairly recently was to publish notice of almost every ordinance twice, you know, before we had a hearing on it. That's not required.
15:09:55 But it, but it may be good public policy. So I was thinking a little bit about that.
15:10:04 You can look at the proposal in the document how you want to handle it.
15:10:07 But I think you should establish some standards for how you want to do it that way.
15:10:13 There's habits that get developed and I think the habit of publishing publishing twice in consecutive weeks was established.
15:10:24 Make sure we weren't by waiting some provision of law so anyway, just something free to think about.
15:10:36 And then robert's rules of order for small boards. We had a little bit of a discussion during during public comments about that.
15:10:45 I I I Carolyn, had something very useful to say about that.
15:10:49 Maybe you want to repeat it. Carolyn.
15:10:51 Oh, well, for small boards and committees they're already. learning quite a bit of new policies and procedures, I think, adding robbers rules of order, and might hinder their
progress.
15:11:04 Also, I think Mark Mccoy brought a great point last time.
15:11:08 There are a lot of people that are what's the word Parliamentarians basically, and they can actually really stifle a meeting in the turn it to a very slow grind.
15:11:17 So i'm not sure I mean I know that there's a smaller version of Roberts rules, and i'm not seeing that yet, but I i'm hearing that that kind of what we're following and this
port is not
15:11:30 following Robert's rules of order and so maybe you can come up with some, you know, in between process that makes sense.
15:11:40 But but you know, I think that the issue with Robert's rules is the requirements for how you have to amend motions, and you have to mode on every amendment. and Yeah, it can
it can get complicated so
15:11:57 do we want to discuss each one of these polygons, Each one of these issues?
15:12:02 Here to this afternoon, and but before we move on, or what do you proposing, Philip?
15:12:10 I just propose to raise them now. and then you know give you some time to to think about it, or talk about it at, you know, when this comes back around I wasn't thinking we
would you know spend a lot of time on it
15:12:21 today. This is just intended to kind of be an introduction.
15:12:26 So you guys get a comprehensive overview in the public and gets a comprehensive overview of what we're proposing.
15:12:33 But I I I don't you know I mean sure it's your pleasure, but I hadn't intended to have a long discussion about these things today, so I know that you know for me there there
are some committees that I sit on
15:12:46 that treat public comment different than other ones right. There are some that have a public comment period at the beginning of their meeting, and then at the end of their meeting.
15:12:54 And now it we're doing is more making public comment after each. you know, major agenda item, and I know we have public comment on this item item today.
15:13:07 So. yeah. Well, I guess we'll just get through the is this the end of the presentation, or
15:13:21 You know. Can we wait in on this really quickly, just to kind of hold?
15:13:27 Sure I mean, I can answer all 3 of these polygons pretty quickly, if I may share.
15:13:32 Yeah, I think we're kind of involved in an open experiment right now on the additive value of additional public comment.
15:13:42 So that one's i'm pretty open on and we'll see how our new our new practices impact the the public stability and interest in in contributing during our meetings hearings i'm
pretty comfortable
15:13:57 with our past practice. i'd rather have more hearings and lesson as we saw today.
15:14:02 A hearing doesn't necessarily add a lot of time and the more public noticing. we do the more accessible and transparent.
15:14:07 We are and i'm with Carolyn I don't think we should go to Robert tools in order for small boards.
15:14:12 That's where I am and I think I agree with all 3 of those where Greg's at since we are in a public forum. I mean I I don't I don't know what the best solution is for public.
15:14:29 Comment, but i'm in a living experiment with a few different recipes.
15:14:34 So it'll be yeah it'd be interesting to get through a year with what you know, or some months doing what we're doing and seeing if people catch on and start showing up more
to pub to test or to give input on things they
15:14:48 care about. there, go ahead. Kate i'm sorry more important for you to speak than me. Oh, well, I don't know about that.
15:14:58 But yeah, it's true I think the the tell it part of the terms we're having with public comment is that we don't have times on our agendas for items.
15:15:09 And people, you know, often aren't in a position to be able to sit around and wait for those items.
15:15:15 So you know, I think we wanna be clear that we can take public comment on any issue at a certain at a specified time, so that they they do have that opportunity.
15:15:24 But I just I think just getting us and our boards in the habit of.
15:15:30 If you are going to take final action, you have to provide an opportunity for public comments, Think that's the for me.
15:15:37 That's the important part, and how they do that I I'm fine with some flexibility around.
15:15:45 Hearings. Sorry, Greg, I want to disagree I think it's a lot more work for staff.
15:15:50 I I think sticking with required hearings is fine as long as we're, you know, providing opportunity for public comment on non hearings.
15:16:01 Personally. that would be my my take on it and I'm.
15:16:05 I'm kind of not using roberts rules but I do think it would be nice to maybe agree on a a short form, and there are a number of of them available to give guidance to to boards
because it's
15:16:20 you know. Sometimes a chair will be thrust into that position and have just no experience, and like, I think some some notification would be good for for our volunteer chairs,
especially to help them figure out how to effectively run a meeting that
15:16:38 compies. Yeah, if you if you like, we can put something like that together for the next generation.
15:16:46 There are some boards committees and commissions that have adopted.
15:16:51 Robert's rules of borders for how they run the meeting.
15:16:55 So it's for small boards there are I know that there are at least a few of them.
15:16:59 But so I think, you know. but some sort of suggested procedure, simple procedure, kind of like the way you do.
15:17:06 It really is a good idea. There you go we got through all the policy.
15:17:19 I have one question based on something kate just said on you're not recommending having hearings on all ordinances and resolutions.
15:17:22 Is that what i'm hearing you say my preference would be just on the required?
15:17:26 What's required by law that's so yeah it's just it's it's it it doesn't matter to me.
15:17:34 I just think we ought to do it a consistent way
15:17:41 And so that I mean it's tied to the hearing notice right? If you have a hearing, then you're gonna publish a notice in the paper typically.
15:17:50 And so you know is that how important is that you're giving, you know you're giving official notice essentially that you're going to have a hearing.
15:18:02 And I you know I think that's a good thing at least once.
15:18:08 If you're going to have a if you're gonna have a hearing for transparency.
15:18:11 But it's not required. I guess I don't have a sense of how many
15:18:17 How many are required, and how many are required by law Well, you have to look at the list to, to figure that out I can't.
15:18:25 I can't give you an I can't give you a number
15:18:31 But this you you know you I mean I I would have thought, without looking at the issue, that a hearing is required on every ordinance.
15:18:41 But I was woefully misinformed until I started looking into it.
15:18:49 Okay, I didn't know that I thought it would would have been I I think I think having a require there is a a positive plus of having a hearing, and, aside from you know, a public
policy and transparency Plus
15:19:03 but having a hearing notice, if you do that as a practice at least once, you're probably not going to screw up and not have a hearing on something you're supposed to have a
hearing on which is which is really bad when that happens
15:19:18 cool. Yeah, I mean, you know, I think by far most ordinances do require a very few resolutions to well, well, fewer resolutions do.
15:19:30 But I just, I think the cost benefit of the costs literally the the actual cost, and the cost of time to go into a newspaper which, like how many people read hearing notices
in the newspaper anymore.
15:19:44 Like it really is a a heavy lift for staff with with little return.
15:19:49 It's very important that we need to leave the work environment of course.
15:19:52 But I I just think it's we should use that carefully, because it sucks up a lot of time. and really it's fairly significant cost.
15:20:03 So not maybe not so much for a small county like Jefferson.
15:20:08 But there are folks that only look at the notices better.
15:20:13 In that are published. notices. and legal newspapers and larger counties to see if there's something they need to pay attention to
15:20:24 And so and that's the value of having a published Notice it's for those people who are looking to see if they want to.
15:20:30 You know, is something they should pay attention to it and it's in the newspaper, you know.
15:20:35 Maybe they should
15:20:40 But I can. I can promise you that I don't look at the the legal section of the paper I don't wanna say ever, but I I can count on at least 2 hands the times i've done that and
my whole life, but that is
15:20:59 the value, and it's it's probably a good practice for that purpose, because then, if you have people saying well, I didn't know about that, you know.
15:21:11 Well, hey, we've published it in the paper Yeah, Okay, good job on getting through the policy choices quicker than I could say.
15:21:23 Them Thank you and so the next. steps. we've already gotten some direction on what to do. so we'll we'll we'll make some proposed changes
15:21:40 And then we'll send it out to staff for their comment, and then we can come back for additional public comment and discussion.
15:21:48 Maybe one more workshop, and and then figure out how whether you want to adopt it or talk about it more.
15:21:56 That makes sense. Yeah, Yeah. And where do you see this living?
15:22:03 Though i'm sorry. Where do you see this living set a totally separate policy, or you said, just just guidance like curious if it should be a standalone document, or somewhere
where people can access it?
15:22:16 Easily. Okay, so not in the the employee policy manual.
15:22:21 This is separate from another policy. Well, I mean you could adopt it as a resolution.
15:22:32 And or you know, as subject to a resolution that's what I was thinking it would be but then it would be in the resolutions.
15:22:40 Okay, so, but it's it's it's you know how accessible do you want to make it?
15:22:46 I I think it needs to be accessible, so people can get to it easily.
15:22:54 Okay, I think I guessed right, except there was a there was a header slide in there that I that I didn't account for.
15:23:02 Other questions. So I think we should do public comment now, because those any input or comments might result in additional commissioner questions, Does that make sense?
15:23:16 So I would like to let folks know who are with us on the attendee list that we are gonna have a public comment period on open public meetings that guidelines for boards, committees,
and commissions.
15:23:33 And you can comment by raising your hand and we'll bring you over, and you'll have 3Â min for public comment.
15:23:42 And Philip, can you? Yeah, Thanks that that. And it looks like mixed Mr.
15:23:48 Tears just joined us this afternoon, and not surprise New Tom.
15:23:54 You have 3Â min for public comment. Oh, good! 3Â min for a monster topic.
15:24:00 Well, let me rattle off a few points. then I think you have a big policy decision that's missing from from the list, and that's the area of recordings.
15:24:09 The new public meetings act strongly, encourages you to make recordings of every meeting, and county is not doing that right now.
15:24:19 I think, at a bare minimum, there should be an audio recording.
15:24:23 I mean it costs $0 to make the recording because everybody's got a cell phone with a voice recorder in it.
15:24:29 It does not cost $0 to keep the recording but Still, I think it's a must best practice that you ought to take on board, and just require at least an audio recording of every
meeting.
15:24:41 You know. As as for the general topic of when do you take public comment?
15:24:46 You might want to take a look at what the city has been doing forever, and the Pud has been doing for at least 7 years that I can recall, since I kind of forced them into it,
which is to take public comment on every
15:24:58 item on the agenda by default that way you Don't have to publish it on the agenda ahead of time.
15:25:04 It's just the de facto way that you do business and that that way.
15:25:08 People know what to expect, and they can just follow along and do what you're doing right now, and have a general public comment period at the beginning of the meeting. where
you know people that can't stick around all day can can talk about anything they want
15:25:20 to whether or not it's on the agenda so that that would be my suggestion.
15:25:25 Just make it simpler for everybody and public comment on every item.
15:25:29 Most of the time you won't get anybody sticking their hand up, and you'll just go ahead after sh 15Â s, so no big deal, no big burden on on extending the time of your meetings.
15:25:40 There's another policy matter for the agenda when you have happened to for meeting, I think it's essential that every presentation that's going to be used during the agenda
be available either as part of the
15:25:52 board part of the packet, or at least linked to someplace.
15:25:57 So the public can follow along, because people who are on the phone obviously can't see presentations but they might download it ahead of time.
15:26:05 So that sort of thing you know is just kind of pretty easy. but you know it's it's not been done as a matter of policy, and I think it should be the subject of training came
up.
15:26:15 Yes, obviously open government training is required by law. but why not also?
15:26:20 Then, once this document is finalized, you make it mandatory for participation on a committee. that this document that we're we're refining is is also required reading in order
to be a member of any kind of committee or board
15:26:35 or or commission. Then let's see Oh, yeah my favorite topic, which is the definition of the word action.
15:26:47 You know, when you were talking about coming out of executive sessions and making a motion, and that's final action.
15:26:53 Well, there's lots of other final actions that aren't emotion.
15:26:56 So you know you need to be very very clear about what is final action, and that's why I have always recommended that you use the word discipline instead of action versus final
action decision versus discussion.
15:27:10 2 very clearly understood English words that don't get involved with the screwy definition of opm. A.
15:27:17 That you know everybody thinks action. Oh, that's a vote no it's not it's discussion. so yeah like it's.
15:27:22 It's been a long standing issue. and it's just something that they wrote back in 1,972 that we can't do anything about
15:27:29 I guess i'm out of time. so thanks we'll have some more discussion on by email.
15:27:36 Yeah, please send your comments in writing, though, you didn't get to share Tom.
15:27:42 It looks like Gene. Ball raised her hand. Jean, you have 3Â min for public comment.
15:27:52 Good afternoon, Commissioners. Did I correctly hear Mr. Hunsucker say that there would be executive sessions, and there would also be in conjunction with those sessions public
comment and that left me scratching my
15:28:07 head to suggest that there could be a session that public could not participate in.
15:28:13 Yet comment So I don't know What's going on with that, my other thought is Robert's rules definitely don't do that.
15:28:21 That is a great way to hold hostage. a meeting and a body.
15:28:27 Works great for certain situations for this practical use.
15:28:31 I think you would regret it, for the rest of your lives. Have a good day.
15:28:37 Thanks, Jane. Anybody else who's with us on the attendee lists?
15:28:45 Interested in making a comment on our open Public Meetings Act for boards, committees, and Commissions conversation So we use the race hand button at the bottom of your zoom
screen
15:29:01 Seeing any other hands go up. Okay, i'm gonna close public comment on this item, and that will allow for commissioner discussion.
15:29:14 Commissioner, do you want me to quickly respond to ms balls?
15:29:18 Sure that'd be great thanks philip so it's the the public comment would not be during executive sessions.
15:29:27 It would be after, and only the the board is making a motion.
15:29:34 After coming out of executive session that would be heard an open session, and then the the proposed procedure would be, The motion will be made in seconded.
15:29:46 Then Then the chair would call for public comments on the motion that is made, and then a decision could be made
15:29:58 That makes sense. Any other comments, Philip, is that it?
15:30:08 Okay, great. How are you? Yeah, Start to go out and Then we responded to Jeans comment already into Tom's.
15:30:20 You know i'm not really to recordings for every meeting audio recordings.
15:30:24 I'm not sure I don't know that it's We're worth the extra effort, you know that's it is.
15:30:30 It does cost something to hold on to them but i'd be curious for for developing staff to to consider that, and whether it was worthwhile.
15:30:40 I like the idea of training to include, you know, receiving the document.
15:30:42 At least, that makes a lot of sense. and the public comment is, no just to always take public comment.
15:30:51 That's that's a pretty easy practice to invite to I wouldn't mind doing that final action versus decision seems a little bit like semantics to me.
15:31:00 But final action on a particular agenda item would be.
15:31:05 The decision is how I would see it. but I I guess I'm. Curious Phillips thoughts on on that word choice as well.
15:31:12 So well, I think Mr. Tears has a point about that it's a cumbersome definition of final action.
15:31:19 And I think so. Thank you right. That pretty much Any decision that you make is is final action as defined in the open Public meetings.
15:31:28 Act it's it's a strange way to put a definition within a definition.
15:31:34 But that's what opma does it's within the definition of action, final action, and an action is includes discussion.
15:31:43 So any discussion is action plus some other things. they are cumbersome definitions.
15:31:51 If you did it, the way Mr. Tears is is suggesting.
15:31:55 It would probably simplify matters. I like it simple.
15:32:04 Yeah, I mean, I I would say that I completely agree.
15:32:13 That a recording of when we say every meeting i'm wondering is that of the list of committees that were required to.
15:32:21 I mean there's a lot of meetings so and what happens if you have a technical error in I mean it happens to us sometime when the meeting isn't recorded I don't know if you're
saying
15:32:34 you need to record every meeting. and then on you know July tenth, your meeting isn't recorded what is the consequence.
15:32:45 Yeah, I wish I wish we could call out. You know there are some some boards that you know really have a lot more authority and need to be held to a different standard.
15:32:59 And I know all of the ones we have listed here can have to comply with Opma.
15:33:05 But I I just think there's a a very different different boards have very different authorities, and and maybe it's worth calling out those that we we really need to do things
like retain recordings for.
15:33:23 Planning commission. Probably a good idea at this board. We already do that.
15:33:29 What was the third one we've been part of health for to help?
15:33:33 Yes, yeah. but I think I think there are fewer that we need to hold to that standard.
15:33:40 Then there are that are community, based. and and and frankly I mean we have a hard time getting enough volunteers for a lot of these advisory boards, anyway. and
15:33:51 I I don't like the idea of of making it less.
15:33:57 Yeah, I think being recorded and you know that it has a chilling effect that if if we are required to do action only minutes, I think that's a great start, and But I I would
be afraid of adding on too
15:34:09 much staff work and making it so bureaucratic that we have fewer people wanting to participate in the process.
15:34:20 Okay, no, go ahead, you. They were commenting about that.
15:34:23 I I wasn't I was gonna go on to his his final point that I hadn't addressed about packet including all presentations.
15:34:34 And I think that's a great general practice but of course often we have external guests who might not provide the information before Hannah.
15:34:40 We don't really have a way to compel it I would say, that is a practice we already try to do, but making it a rule would be really difficult to enforce on a frame.
15:34:49 Well, my son, my thought, here I am confessing my sometimes week.
15:34:55 This is oftentimes if I have a meaty presentation to give. I'll spend the weekend before working on the presentation, so that doesn't give adequate time for it to be I mean
it can be uploaded when
15:35:06 it's done, but oftentimes it may not be done until the morning of the yeah presentation, because I can't tell you how many Sundays I've spent most sundays I've spent working
on meeting prep
15:35:20 so I just think that as long as it wasn't required to be posted when the agenda was posted.
15:35:28 I don't know. I Yeah, Yeah, it should be encouraged, but not required in all cases.
15:35:41 Okay, Anything else. On this we we have some decisions to make based on Phillips earlier Slide 3 slides back.
15:35:51 Do we wanna dig into reviewing and discussing those now?
15:35:55 I thought we really did. Did we need to decide because there was some alright.
15:36:03 I'll just i'll just take into account what you said in the in the next draft, and then you can make it decision on the you know, when it comes back around.
15:36:12 Okay. great Then I think we're done with this agenda item for today, and the last thing on our agenda is words and committee vacancies. Sorry monthly.
15:36:26 I added this as a monthly standing agenda item, and up Marx got something right earlier.
15:36:34 We had a discussion about Budget assumptions if i'm to craft the resolution for August.
15:36:40 First. I need some help from the board. you wanna do that before budget board and committee vacancies, or we can do it. after that.
15:36:52 While you do that. i'm gonna take a okay okay So so I, you guys have that list in your packet.
15:37:02 We've we we do a good job at filling vacancies.
15:37:05 But then new vacancies wash up on the shore. So
15:37:09 There are 4 vacancies not on the list that was in your packet, and those are all on the conservation.
15:37:15 Future Advisory Committee, district 3 and 3 interests.
15:37:23 Different interests. recreation conservation that that they aren't assigned in interest, but they have to come from diverse interests, so I don't know I haven't been part of
a conservation.
15:37:37 Futures appointment process. So maybe I will look to my more experience.
15:37:40 Colleagues here, and I don't know how you decide which interests You're going to brainstorm or pursue for for the conservation Features Advisory Committee.
15:37:57 Whatever we can get
15:38:01 Okay.
15:38:07 Well. Oh, and I I still haven't gotten all my letters of reference for the noxious we board. but i'll spot for there I've got my application, and I just need to I keep forgetting
about getting the 10 letters of
15:38:17 reference that you need Yeah, and so that's the other one that has a number of vacancies.
15:38:24 In addition, just to give you guys a little update.
15:38:30 We are doing interviews for the We have 3 good solid candidates for the not just week Coordinator, and are doing interviews for that position.
15:38:37 August 8 or August ninth and Tenth and I'm on the interview committee for that al along with our 2 sitting noxious weed board members and Bridget and Simmons so
15:38:55 and the other ones are just listed there so I greg's got the he?
15:39:03 Well, i'll drum some people up yeah if too, I forgot about the the pit board.
15:39:08 But yeah, I got so yeah, And I think, I mentioned earlier.
15:39:15 I reached out to my planning commission candidates, and they were interested in hearing about some of these vacancies, so that might be a strategy for you to do as well.
15:39:24 Great. i'll work on perks and rep district one and the ferry advisory great, and then there's a citizen at large for the Retirement Disability Board
15:39:45 Law enforcement. Yeah. do you usually recruit retired law enforcement folks?
15:39:53 Or I mean, this board is so. It meets, you know, once a year, for 15Â min.
15:39:59 Basically you know if it's not I think Traditionally, it's people that are in that.
15:40:08 So First there's one or the whatever the the kind of this special pension that we don't offer anymore even to law enforcement.
15:40:20 Our pool is rapidly diminishing On, on for for membership in this group.
15:40:28 Okay, well keep your ears open and It'd be great to have our board and committees all filled up, and then we need to train trained up on opm.
15:40:42 A right totally, totally So that was, I just wanted to loop back with those.
15:40:49 Do my monthly check in on those Okay, Mark, So do you wanna tea up and run this little discussion about what you need from us?
15:41:03 Yes,
15:41:08 How can do you want the guidance to be is the fundamental question?
15:41:14 I I i'd rather be conservative and then loosen up if conditions warn it rather than you know, doing the traditional thing where everybody's budget goes up 3% and the transfers
increase 3
15:41:29 percent. and then, of course, at some point we'll have to have an executive session to start talking about negotiating parameters for the collective bargaining agreements, So
mark I have a question based on
15:41:46 that statement from you? Do you feel like what we have in our 2023 budget that we passed last year?
15:41:59 Do you feel like we need to be more conservative than that?
15:42:01 Or is it, or can we stay the course with that?
15:42:08 Well, it would be conservative to stay the course with that
15:42:19 What what will happen is all the salary and benefits and information that was calculated 18 months ago.
15:42:31 The auditors office has done new salary schedules.
15:42:34 And so all the salary and benefit information in the budget will change, based on those salary schedules.
15:42:41 And Judy Judy Shepherd did a comparison between salaries and benefits in the current budget, in salaries and benefits.
15:42:51 In the salary schedules for 2023, and there's actually a $300,000 reduction, and so
15:42:59 So that that's helpful right? there. But regarding transfers to other funds and giving everybody an X to 3% for non salary and benefit items. Is Is that a place you want to
go or do you want to
15:43:15 do a one and a half percent increase for a 2%
15:43:21 Have we always done something consistent in the past? This is this is me having the luxury of not having gotten to ask these questions.
15:43:31 Yeah. So since I arrived here, it's 3% spend been the rule every every end, every budget has had a 3% increase for non salary and benefit line line items you know bottom line
budget You the extra 3. percent.
15:43:47 You can put it where you want it. and then transfers to Wc.
15:43:53 Extension parks and Rack, DCD. and public health all increase 3%.
15:43:58 But I mentioned this morning that we're looking at at a a new policy, and I think you heard Veronica talk about that this morning, and and where, towards the end of the year,
we're gonna evaluate the
15:44:11 the fund balance of every fund that receives a general fund transfer.
15:44:15 And we're going to evaluate the true need and we'll negotiate with the department, and if if they can you know, justify the full transfer, then we'll consider making it but
in the case of public
15:44:30 health. They have a huge fund balance that's 6 times what resolution requires them to have.
15:44:38 You know, I know that a a fair amount. of that has to It's like working capital because they they spend the money, and then they go and get Grant reimbursements, and and so
we need to make sure they have what they need to
15:44:50 do the work pending the receipt of the Grant phones
15:44:59 Okay, Yeah, I'm: the the the question of the 3% for department seems much less important than the conversation you're talking about, which is really about the what is the need
and trying to fund.
15:45:16 The need. you know, I I know, that departments are dealing with inflation also, and So I think there's a case to be made for providing, you know, making up for a little bit
of that, because everything they're
15:45:27 buying is more expensive also. but so I guess I don't really have a strong opinion about it.
15:45:34 But i'd be curious how that process goes with the departments
15:45:39 Who get the A a general fund supplemental. Oh, you support that.
15:45:46 Well they get. They get something out of the general fund, regardless those departments.
15:45:50 You just listed right so i'm curious how that goes, and really determining what is the need, and not just doing a de facto status quo allocation.
15:46:01 Right, I don't I don't wanna have a an across the board reduction.
15:46:07 It'll be fun by fund and as we did for the biennial budget.
15:46:12 We're gonna have a budget workshops with each elected official and department director, as we move towards December, and so they'll make their case directly to you. and whatever
guidance you put in the resolution
15:46:30 can be my modified based on what you hear, I mean.
15:46:35 I just feel like in in my short time here there's been so much churn and adjustments with union, you know.
15:46:46 New Union agreements. and there's just I feel like We need to let this kind of hold the line and let things settle down a little bit and see what see what we settle into.
15:46:57 You know. I mean it feels like, instead of creating more choppy water.
15:47:04 I don't know I like the idea of being more conservative than
15:47:15 Yeah, So we have. We have been spending a lot of money the last couple of years.
15:47:22 I'm aware of that and that's because we've been in a position, too, and you know I don't I don't want to keep doing that for the sake of doing that and it's it's it's a lot
15:47:29 harder to to pull back on that. but I so I I agree that it's
15:47:36 But it's time that we we do that the I like the idea of assuming that revenues are gonna flatten.
15:47:48 I don't know that we need to budget for greatly reduced revenues yet i'm not. i'm not hearing that from from the State, or for my treasurer so I I think this I I would if it
were up
15:48:03 to me. I think I would. I would, you know, maybe expect a a very small amount of growth in our revenues.
15:48:11 Smaller than we've seen in the last couple of years, and and try to limit new ongoing extendatures.
15:48:20 But I would like us to bef thinking about strategic initiatives, and particularly those with one time expenditures, and like, I said earlier today, i'd really like to keep the
ball moving on a few really important topics but
15:48:37 I think, are worth investing in. We are going to have a big surplus this year, so I think, being really strategic about some things that we want to keep moving that will require
an investment likely in consultants to do that work
15:48:50 so currently looking at the dCD There they have a fun balance of close to half a 1 million right now, which in my time here it's unheard of
15:49:04 You know their their revenue streams are very impressive.
15:49:09 Then and so they given the briefings that you've had from Brent on priorities, and whatnot it's clear that he doesn't have the resources to meet all the objectives that he has
and that you have for his
15:49:23 department and and i'm fully supportive of letting him keep enough fun balance, and you know, maybe maintain the transfer.
15:49:32 It is department, so that those efforts can be undertaken.
15:49:36 Me, too. I think i'm in the in line with Heidi and Kate, you know I you know from Stacey Prede as well as you know my own readings.
15:49:49 I I anticipate to a flattening and I think that's sort of how a flattening of revenues, and if we just treat our expenses that way, too, I think it's probably the responsible
thing we do have a lot
15:49:59 of projects that we're investing in right Now, and as I agree 100% with the the DCD initiatives and the need for consultants for a lot of those I think that's great we've got
a lot of
15:50:09 capital planning starting now, and capital projects that are coming on I don't want to take the foot off the gas for that.
15:50:16 I think the new central services director we've got a lot of new positions, too.
15:50:21 We need to get ironed out so i'm not opposed to a hiring freeze.
15:50:23 I think you suggested mark and did I understand right that you'd like, instead of the 3% kind of inflationary.
15:50:33 Add on to everything you'd like to kind of do an apartment by department analysis.
15:50:37 First. well, I would, for for those elements of the budget that are not salaries and benefits.
15:50:49 In years past every department and elected office has received a 3% increase in those line items.
15:50:57 I'm suggesting that we lower that by some amount a percent and a half, or 1% just and in the general fund that that will make a difference.
15:51:13 And then department of department. We look at the transfers 2 of those departments and transfer what we believe they need based on need.
15:51:22 And that would be a negotiation, not a dictatorial decision that you know we we would have a conversation about it. and we would attempt Judy and I to to reach agreement with
the departments.
15:51:40 And certainly if if we undershoot and their cash flow needs increase, then we'll come to the board and ask for an increase in the transfer budget to that department and we'll
make it make it right Yeah, I mean I
15:51:53 I, I, too, fear the inflation on all the costs.
15:51:57 So going below that 3% this year is gonna hurt more.
15:52:00 But you know if you think that's prudent and we have, we have a backstop for that with this evaluation of a general fund transfers after the fact is that the 8% well, what was
it
15:52:13 9.1 most recently, It hits the general fun, too, and that makes a general fun less able to fork out 3% to the other department.
15:52:22 So what this will do is it'll cause budget managers in the departments, and elected offices to scrutinize expenses a little more closely.
15:52:30 Not that they are already I don't want to insult anybody by insinuating that they're not paying attention to their budgets.
15:52:39 But rather than you know not being conservative enough, and then have. and then, you know, there there are pressures accumulating globally, that are gonna have economic impacts.
15:52:55 I Don't think We've seen the full effect of pending food shortages given, given the high temperatures we're seeing in the Ukrainian Russian conflict and all that green they
can't get
15:53:05 out. You know the Russians of the Ukrainians reach an agreement on exporting grain, and then the next.
15:53:10 Within hours the Russians missile hit the attack, Odessa, which is where the the grain would go.
15:53:17 And so, anyway, I you know i'm i'm a proverbial eternal optimist.
15:53:24 But I I really you know if i'm gonna be a value to you as a board. I I need to give you my honest assessment.
15:53:34 I think you're hearing that we we agree with your gut on that mark.
15:53:40 Sorry, and I also agree with Kate that I I have.
15:53:45 I mean, I know that departments are doing capital planning but i'm interested in us, investing in those bigger ideas and projects that we've talked about over the last year
year and a half.
15:53:55 And so, you know, having a a list of those are like you know what we're considering would be part of something i'd like to see coming out of this process is that we know we
know we have these large capital needs and are gonna
15:54:09 work on, you know, funding plans for those. cause those are our real needs. Yeah.
15:54:13 And the Board has made some decisions. and as we head towards adopting the mid biennium review and modification.
15:54:27 We will revisit those decisions and that's That's the beauty of the biennial budget is 2 years in advance of year 2 and then as you get closer to that budget year new information
becomes
15:54:40 available, and you fine tuna yeah I think my my take away from the work that you've done, Mark, and the research I've done in our conversation today, sort of and being repetitive.
15:54:56 But is that? You know we we anticipate revenue flattening.
15:54:59 But, like Stacey, said, today, our expenses continue to increase and so I I think I would be most interested.
15:55:07 I think a hiring freeze sounds a little severe.
15:55:10 But but in saying that we are not anticipating adding any ongoing expenses,
15:55:19 And that includes new hires new positions so But I think I think that just given that we could continue to see high revenues, because, sales tax, you know I mean It's sadly
we could be in a good position.
15:55:35 But you know, I think it's fine to say we want to be conservative.
15:55:38 Our expenses. are going up too but we don't work Yeah, any new ongoing that's my would be my preference.
15:55:43 But that we're also considering some strategic initiatives that will will require one time investment right? and And then any any one time expense there, a department director
or elected official would like to have funded that those will come to
15:55:59 you you're the decision makers not me and i'll put in the resolution that the board has a discretion to approve and any enhancement request of a one-time nature even if it doesn't
15:56:13 come with revenue, and I I can get behind Kate's language.
15:56:18 I think that is a little softer, and and actually more expansive, you know.
15:56:21 So I think it's Yeah, I like it okay I think I have what I need.
15:56:27 I'll draft up a resolution and yeah and i'll see i'll seek input great so the last thing I'm hoping that we can spend some time is on calendaring cause I know I have
15:56:44 some things that are not necessarily just dates on the calendar.
15:56:47 But things i'd like to go over with you guys so kind of do.
15:56:53 Do you want me to just jump in. Yeah, Okay, so one thing is all of this forestry work.
15:57:00 I've I feel like i've got my finger in 10 forestry pots right now between Jeffrey working with Jefferson Land Trust on the trust line transfer of the 3 leases working on the
Trustland transfer
15:57:11 proviso work group and we're now running the pilot Project I'm on the encumbered lands task force you know.
15:57:18 I mean I and the the list goes on and so I just i'm starting to feel like I have enough on my plate in terms of forest issues.
15:57:27 Right now with all the other stuff that's going on and I know we need somebody to hold this ball of the the continued conversation with Dnr about, you know, having a a joint
vision for State force transfer Lambs in
15:57:42 Jefferson County, and I did meet with Mallory and Denise prayer last week, and
15:57:49 Mallory has, and in her, in her mind and in her contract, that she has the capacity to help update the forest for the future report.
15:57:56 So the state of those forest transfer lands in Jefferson County.
15:58:01 In addition to the county forestry Project and I know that kate you're going to meet with them this week as well, and I suggested that they also meet with you, Greg, so that
we all have these conversations.
15:58:13 But where I left it with them was you know I I'm excited about working with Mallory.
15:58:19 And I also think she's gonna need more resources at her disposal.
15:58:25 She suggested a group called sustainable northwest based in Portland, who she's worked successfully with before to do some of the modeling and more the larger picture kind of
economic analysis.
15:58:42 Anyway. so she'll talk to you about that but I think she's got a a plan brewing, and she's got Denise working with her on it as part of her existing contract with the county
and so I
15:58:54 I just feel like we need to assign one of us to kind of hold the ball.
15:58:58 The football run down the field with it just because Otherwise we're We're always gonna be in these meetings telling people why don't know who you should follow up with or I
don't know you know and that feels
15:59:10 lame, and dysfunctional so that was one item yeah. I i'd be interested in doing it, and i'd i'd argue that the same reason that kate's working on the agreement
15:59:24 with the with the fair grounds is because most of these lands are in District 3. so I i'd be happy to hold that ball.
15:59:34 I would I would love for us to do a workshop with Mallory, cause I think I think we all would probably want some say in the scope of what she's doing, and so I think we could
do that in in public
15:59:47 session and try to define a little more what her role is, and then start identifying what other pieces we need.
15:59:54 But I I think all 3 of us are pretty, you know, passionately invested in this. And so if we can do some of that in a workshop, that would be my preference. that sounds good.
16:00:05 Yeah, I think it works out makes sense. maybe after we get through all these one individual meetings with Malory sure schedule, a workshop.
16:00:13 Okay, okay. I just wanted us to have like an intention.
16:00:18 The path forward on this I mentioned that julie's combining the different tables.
16:00:28 We have on boards and committees. She and I sat down with the 3, the the Leslie's old work of the table that had all the source Rcws for the you know the origin language for
all the various boards and
16:00:39 committees that we could find and and then the meeting schedules. and then who's assigned to anyway? So Julie's gonna take a first crack at combining all that stuff we talked
about the logical rows to have
16:00:51 in there, and sorting them by having 2 sections one That's commissioner appointments, and one that's other boards and committees.
16:01:00 Just so we're keeping track of everything in one place so stay tuned for that.
16:01:05 She's working on that over the next week this week and next week.
16:01:10 So we're giving her some time to get that work done and then the Board of Natural Resources Field trip on August sixteenth, and seventeenth.
16:01:19 I would like to attend some of it I don't feel like I have to but I can't attend I don't.
16:01:24 I, my calendar is blocked up on the sixteenth, so so I could attend on the seventeenth. don't know what what you guys were thinking about.
16:01:36 That invitation, because that's one of those field trips that we just talked about with Philip.
16:01:43 I was playing going. I don't have to go both days I'm.
16:01:48 A little more jammed up on tuesday other than transit.
16:01:52 I think that's the only meeting it. would be a struggling Miss, but one of us could potentially that's the transit man, and then I wide open on Wednesday.
16:02:01 So that was but you know it's not something I I don't know again.
16:02:08 I I think it's be great if we could have our workshop with Mallory before that.
16:02:12 So whoever is there is kind of informed on on any development in the path that we're looking at, so I I don't know if I wanted to know it would be.
16:02:22 Is it feasible to have the workshop with Mallory that we just discussed prior to that?
16:02:31 Probably I mean I already met with her. we asked him about the workshop, though.
16:02:39 Greg. i'm sorry are you asking about having the workshop in public session with Mallory before it would be in our meeting.
16:02:46 Just so. whoever's there is kind of we've had a robust conversation about the path, so if it's one or 2 of us, according to whatever it is that we're we're on the same page
and august
16:02:59 eighth. Would that work? Yeah. I would love to get a an actual agenda for that meeting.
16:03:09 I can look online, see if it's published the email is a little squishy.
16:03:13 I have some availability both days and would like to join for part of it.
16:03:20 And I I think if we just no we can notice well, yeah we should narrow down, he's gonna be there when and notice part of that.
16:03:31 Meeting for us. if multiple ones are gonna multiple commissioner is going to be there.
16:03:39 Commissioners. can each of you send me for that workshop with Mallory?
16:03:43 If you have particular bullet points, you'd like address that I can put in the agenda request, and I can also give Mallory the guidance.
16:03:51 So between now and then she can put a presentation together.
16:03:55 Okay, I I I can only attend on the seventeenth and I'm.
16:04:03 I would be happy to attend all day but I can you know i'm i'm flexible
16:04:13 You could potentially, miss, transit to I don't know how you feel about that.
16:04:16 But we'll be having an important discussion there too.
16:04:21 But the general manager position. But yeah I don't wanna Miss that yeah coat the vice chair.
16:04:31 Greg I don't know if you have a feeling about that it's an important conversation, i'd i'd like to.
16:04:37 I can give feedback before before as Well, so I get my input Well, let's see.
16:04:46 I know that was like there. little dnr day one is gonna focus on Dnr communication site leases, recreation, old growth, protection and day 2 forest management programs specifically
at the the Olympic Experimental State forest So You're
16:05:03 going over, you know, deep into Qualum County a lot of the oes that most of the Oesf is in Jefferson County.
16:05:13 Is is it really? Yeah, most of it Oh, yeah yeah it's interesting, but it says both days that they're meeting at the Red Lion and return there at the end of the day.
16:05:25 But like I assume some of the meeting. is not out in the fields that they will also be sitting and meeting that there's no delineation of when that's happening.
16:05:38 So maybe they're still figuring it out I I am available for part of each morning.
16:05:44 So. but i'd like to see a agenda before deciding.
16:05:53 I don't want to spend it throughout the whole time driving so well, I don't.
16:05:58 I can ask for an agenda for the days, and then we can. I mean, we still have time next week to talk this through.
16:06:04 Yeah. Great: Okay.
16:06:17 I have a complicated couple of weeks ahead. I have one other thing. sorry.
16:06:24 I posit your request pickle ball? Have you seen pickle, ballon, or calendars?
16:06:35 Anyone have a preferred mine is like the lat.
16:06:40 The one of the last 2 dates not just because I'm.
16:06:45 Honing my my but I would prefer the nineteenth or the thirty-first of August.
16:06:56 The other 2 dates are like next week i'm fine with either of those days.
16:07:03 I don't have a I did play pick a wall this past weekend good.
16:07:09 I'm home according to my skills I want to hold on to the landyard, you know
16:07:17 I feel like you guys should schedule without me i'm just starting physical therapy for my back and i'm not yeah.
16:07:27 It was out the last 3 weeks. so i'm i'm not sure what condition I will be in or if it's recommended to be doing that or Not but i'm feeling a little protective of it right
16:07:40 now you Wanna kick the can to September.
16:07:43 Would that make you feel more likely to participate yeah I see it'd be interesting to hear what my physical therapist says if it's you know you know
16:08:05 Need to take all those States off our calendars and look for a later date, or maybe just leave the the nineteenth and thirty-first and see what what the physical therapist comes
back and okay, great just wanted.
16:08:26 to flag the Pickle Ball tournament. That was my last calendaring item, for now
16:08:39 So someone else can. Oh, well, I will just say on the forest stuff.
16:08:45 I I love forestry and i've been really engaged in all this stuff, and so if it ends up being me, i'm fine with that, I just cause I am engaged in all these forest conversations
right now I feel like it's a
16:09:00 little bit silly to recommend splitting the dividing the cake.
16:09:05 But in a way, would it be stronger if? yeah, anyway, I mean Kate right?
16:09:10 We all care a lot about this issue. so doing it collectively.
16:09:14 Makes a lot of sense. yeah at least for now as we're scoping it out.
16:09:22 And Then we can see if there's different roles right.
16:09:25 Maybe we can divide up divided divide up so just so, you know i'm gonna be out of the office a lot the next couple of weeks.
16:09:36 I'll be in a lot this week and busy week this week.
16:09:39 But i'll be taking my son back to college next week.
16:09:44 I'll be participating in this meeting from Dc.
16:09:50 And out most of that week. but and keeping all of the acquaintance I get on my calendar.
16:09:56 I'll just do those virtually so be working part time
16:10:00 And then, the following week ahead of scheduled vacation, taking my son was not scheduled.
16:10:07 Such as the life of a parent. so but I I I will be home in between those 2 breaks like the Friday, the fifth through probably 2.
16:10:18 Stay the ninth so not missing any Mondays, but kind of having 2 2 weeks out of the office a good 3 or 4 days of the week.
16:10:27 So I will be available that first week but i'm in Dc.
16:10:30 By phone and email readily. The second week not will be and out of cell range largely have fun
16:10:51 No I'll. check in with our dc lobbyist, and see if there's anything I should be doing while i'm in Dc.
16:10:59 Oh, it goes somewhere. Australia, 2023
16:11:13 I don't have any big conflicts no not lots of meeting this week.
16:11:24 Swack and Jeff Comm. and I am going on that bam tour with the pudd sound express the whale to the whale to her with their new boat, or the new boat over here.
16:11:36 That sounds fun that's going that's going somewhere yeah it's.
16:11:43 I'll take an afternoon right i'm going on that too.
16:11:48 So we'll we'll be careful not to be the discussing county business. and there's a whale that's not county business, right?
16:11:58 What's the waters of the State once we're off the up coast.
16:12:02 Hmm i'll be gone on friday. for most of the day, because i'm helping the lead a kids have trust land transfer field term to the eglon for us so i'm going somewhere.
16:12:17 And Mark, I have a meeting tomorrow afternoon. but I think you have a conflict, but I would love it if you could be in it.
16:12:23 I don't think you can though it's at 2 in the afternoon.
16:12:29 It's with the department of ecology about septage Oh,
16:12:34 Looks like your double booked in that timeframe
16:12:41 Who were meeting is the public Sector Cabinet So I kind of need to be in on that
16:12:53 Okay, so I guess I could go meet in your old office.
16:12:56 I just need I don't have much room in here I need 5 people.
16:13:02 Yeah, Yeah, that office is available. Okay, we'll use that Okay, sorry.
16:13:13 Those were 2 extra things