HomeMy WebLinkAboutclosed_caption09:00:05 normal customers. Okay? And then you know, for hours over
09:00:12 Okay.
09:00:15 Okay.
09:00:21 they be running it? No, not running it without masks.
09:00:30 Good distance here, and we've been. We've been testing So okay.
09:00:37 And let's okay. Okay. It looks like AV capture is running, and it's 9 o'clock, And I just heard the clock tower chime, so I will call this October seventeenth, 22 meeting.
09:00:54 Of the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners to order.
09:00:57 Good morning, everyone!
09:01:04 so as we do every Monday morning we'll start with public comment if you've joined us this morning on Zoom, and would like to make a public comment.
09:01:15 You can use the raise hand button at the bottom of the zoom screen, and I don't see anyone joining us on the phone.
09:01:22 I see Kate's hand going up I don't want to do a public comment.
09:01:26 Okay, Hmm: So I see LED Bowen has his hand up and anyone else would like to get in queue for public comment.
09:01:35 Please use the raise hand button at the bottom of your zoom screen
09:01:41 Good morning, LED. You're gonna have to unmute
09:01:49 You're still muted and
09:01:54 Oh, there you go!
09:01:55 alright, let me give that a try. So at Bone West, Jefferson County, landowner, I'm coming to you this morning with a public comment in the form of a request I believe 2 of the
commissioners too Muchers, brother.
09:02:10 10 commissioners, Eisenhower. I've I've spoken with the subject on in China Valley, Chile.
09:02:16 I'm not sure if I've ever spoken to Commissioner Dean about this, so might be a little off the take.
09:02:24 But this is a hitic structure. It exists in the third district of Jefferson County, in the very southern region of the district, roughly township, 25 range, 6 section 1212.
09:02:40 been there almost a 100 years, now, built between 1922 and 1929, predates.
09:02:47 The park was a part of the reason. The park was established.
09:02:53 And it is on the National Historical Register, and I'm coming to the Commissioners today to ask for you to consider what position or what type of action you can take.
09:03:02 But I would say position is the best term you can form between, as the board representing the county On on basically saving this chalet, it has been threatened by mother nature
but fortunately recent times mother nature's backed off, quite a bit but the effort of the land manager the
09:03:26 Olympic National Park to address it. They have a preferred alternative.
09:03:30 They have not made a final decision on but their preference is is to basically, and simple terms destroy the chalet, remove it, burn it whatever you want to use term you want
to use There has to be some other solution.
09:01:57 Yep.
09:04:00 Thanks for coming and addressing us formally. LED. I do remember talking to you about it when we were on that tour with the Board of Natural Resources.
09:04:10 So anybody else who's joined us this morning interested in making a public comment.
09:04:17 You can use the raise hand button at the bottom of your zoom screen, and I see Tom Tier says, his hand up, and if anyone else there would like to make a comment this morning,
I think you all know how to do that, use the raise hand button at the bottom of the screen.
09:04:35 good morning, Commissioners. So this morning I'm confused.
09:04:41 There was an item on your agenda. Toward the end of last week when it was first published regarding social media policy.
09:04:51 And So when I went to look at the agenda again this morning, that item disappeared which is strange, because I had over the weekend spent some time thinking about it, and was
ready to make some comments regarding how I believe you'd finally come to your senses regarding the social media policy
09:05:09 and now appears you've changed your mind disappointed because I'll I'll report what repeat what I said when this thing first came up.
09:05:19 I don't think Jefferson County should be talking back and forth on social media with members of The public.
09:05:26 I think it's a very dangerous thing to do. It encourages all kinds of misinformation to be spread.
09:05:32 It just is. It's it's not right. And I am assuming that you got some legal advice that said, Well, no, you can't block comments on Facebook something like that which frankly
I still don't believe to be the case.
09:05:46 But not a lawyer. So, whatever I still have recommendations for how to improve that policy.
09:05:53 For how to post things and make it a one way. Communication, and then allow the public to communicate with the various departments of Jefferson County through other means, like
web forms email Yadda Yadda. Anybody that's got Facebook on their phone also has email Also, has the ability.
09:06:11 To enter information onto a website, but apparently you've changed your mind on that little disappointing second thing I wanted to just mention to you trying to find the agenda,
and related documents on Laserfish this morning.
09:06:27 It turns out Laser Fuchs isn't working so well.
09:06:30 You try to get a Pdf. And you get a message that says out of disk space.
09:06:34 This is not a good thing, so you might want to. Let's write it.
09:06:38 Department know that getting error messages, trying to access lazy fish documents in Pdf.
09:04:32 Good morning, Tom.
09:06:47 Thanks for your comments, Tom. We appreciate you and your attention to our agendas.
09:06:55 we'll address your question when we're done.
09:06:58 Receiving public comment, so is there anyone else who's joined us this morning who would like to make a public comment if you're with us on zoom, you can use the raise hand
button at the bottom of your zoom, screen and it's nice to see you in person I don't
09:07:18 know that I've ever seen you in person, I know.
09:07:22 Been a long time. Thanks for coming so somebody has join us in the chambers.
09:07:26 We'll take a live in person comments, and then allow anyone else who's on zoom to make a comment if you so desire.
09:07:33 So consider getting your hand up. If you're interested. Good morning, Steve.
09:07:39 You'll have 3Â min for public comment. Yeah, thanks. A lot.
09:07:44 And this could see you in person, and I don't know.
09:07:46 I I I think I gotta say, you know I've I feel like I've been a little bit adversarial in my comments, and just jamming information at all.
09:07:54 And I'm not sure that that was necessarily the most effective kind, or whatever tactic, charitable it's been sort of frustrating, I'm sure.
09:08:05 For everybody in different ways for me and for some others that feel like me.
09:08:11 We sort of felt like Cassandra's that are just sort of like shouting out to the world and I don't know.
09:08:16 I I I guess I just wanted to get that out there.
09:08:19 The one thing I would want to comment about was I saw that Jefferson County may be keeping its emergency orders even after the other counties and the State lives, at October
30.
09:08:30 First and personally, I I really urge you not to do that.
09:08:34 I mean, for one thing, that would be sort of like putting you out.
09:08:37 There been special doing this. Unlike other people, other well, apparently the other diligence for the other counties, and I understand that, according to our health officer,
that Jefferson County may not have the level of population many others, do because it did such a good Job, controlling it, before and there there, may be cases
09:08:55 now, and there may be cases in the future, but I'm not quite sure that constitutes an emergency, and if things change and things happen during the winter, then maybe at that
point one consider calling, an emergency.
09:09:08 But I don't know. I I I just part part of it is is that I I I really would like, yes, to normalize, and I also would feel that. Pretty be for putting it this way But for your
electoral prospects, or whatever I mean, I think that a lot of information has been coming out in various
09:09:25 ways. They make the wisdom of a lot of these lockdowns.
09:09:28 Look look suspicious, and you know to the extent, if you're like standing up, there is the only county that's doing this thing in a sense that allows you to be sort of like
saddled.
09:09:39 You know. With this label of being like the lockdown Commissioners, or something like that, or having done it above and beyond what other counties have done; whereas if you're
just kind of following the same you know, actions, as everybody else at least you're kind of acting in a more safe way
09:09:53 about all of this, anyway. I nothing I just wanted to put out is is that
09:10:02 Well, gosh! A lot of stuff has been happening has been coming out in the media in the news, like the the European Commission heard Pfizer say that they hadn't done testing on
transmission of the of the virus.
09:10:15 Excuse me The vaccine which it's been something which is obviously part of the original narrative about it, and you've got countries around the world abandoning, you know, we've
got sweden and the netherlands and Australia they're banning a lot of these recommendations for kids to
09:10:32 have avoiding. And so I feel like a lot of things are sort of changing, and the narrative is shifting insofar as what the appropriate guidance should be We just had this v-safe
data dump, which shows like about 33% of the
09:10:46 10 million cases having pretty bad effects from the the vaccine Florida just did its own testing, which pretty much showed it, doubling of deaths for for men under 40 in the
first 28, days and they've basically advised men under 40 don't take the vaccine and that's
09:11:06 3Â min, Very good. I just finished my send, you know, kids not.
09:11:10 And they're saying that everyone should be informed of these risks so you could almost sort of say that this is becoming the emerging, merging guidance.
09:11:16 Anyway. Thank you very much. Appreciate seeing you. Is there anyone else who's joined us online this morning who would like to make a public comment?
09:11:29 If so, you can use the raise hand button at the bottom of your zoom screen, and we'll bring you over anyone else.
09:11:34 There.
09:11:38 Okay, I'm not seeing any other hands. Go up, so we'll respond to the public comments we have and then leave public common open till 9 30.
09:11:46 If someone it feels moved to raise their hand in the intervening minutes.
09:11:51 But Gregor, Kate, would you like to respond first?
09:11:54 Sure I can. We're eager today. Let's see, Mr.
09:12:04 Bowen. Thank you. I did not know. That's the chalet in Chanted Valley.
09:12:10 Was there before. The park was so I obviously, need to get up to speed on this, and would welcome a conversation with you, Mr.
09:12:17 Bowen, and sounds like my fellow commissioners will have more to say.
09:12:22 Perhaps Mr. Tirish. Yes, I I was prepared for you to have a concern about that agenda item, disappearing.
09:12:31 I had a lot of, and won't say concern, but I'll crash course and social media policy again.
09:12:39 It's been couple of years. You know. We We've revisited this a few times, and I'll just say in this most recent iteration, the the desire to change our social media policy.
09:12:54 Came from we lost our our staff. Person who has been managing the Jefferson County Facebook Page, and so we have nobody posting to that account, because it's quite a lot of
work mostly moderating comments.
09:13:06 So we were wanting to be able to post some important time.
09:13:13 Sensitive county business to the public. And so we consider changing the policy.
09:13:17 But turning off the comments, since we don't have anyone trained in our department there.
09:13:22 Of course, other county departments that have social media and, interestingly, what we found is that the type of page we have, and almost every type of Facebook page, in fact,
with only a couple of exceptions, you're not allowed to turn off the comments.
09:13:37 You can add, you can purchase a patch, an independent software patch that would allow you to do that.
09:13:43 But that felt like it was going too far in terms of, you know, taking extra steps.
09:13:49 But But Facebook has has no longer allows pages like ours to turn off comments.
09:13:54 Interestingly, and we the legal advice we got both from Mrse and from Mr.
09:14:00 Hunsucker is, we could give ourselves that right to turn off comments.
09:14:05 but there's also a fairly large body of work that is, folks saying the expectation of social media, like Facebook is for two-way information.
09:14:17 So there are things called government communications, like a web page.
09:14:22 As you mentioned, Mr. Tears that are designed to be one way, but number of legal folks are saying, Actually, Facebook is meant to be 2 way, and it.
09:14:32 Perhaps That's why Facebook turned off its comments Or let's not forget that Facebook's algorithm works by feeding.
09:14:40 On controversy, and so in many ways comments, fuel their algorithm for further engagement.
09:14:47 So we had to get the agenda item on the agenda before all of the research was done, So that was published on Thursday, and then we learned some more, and more, with help of
Ken Hugo.
09:15:01 Our public records, manager, and pulled it on Friday, because when we figured out that the kind of technical piece of it, so we still have to decide how we're gonna handle the
Jefferson county, account there, like, I said, there's time sensitive and information.
09:15:14 We want to be able to get out, but it is a liability.
09:15:19 I see Mr. Hunsucker is in the attendees.
09:15:22 If you want to add anything, Phil, feel free to raise your hand, and we'll bring you over, Leslie. Mr.
09:15:30 Schumacher, really nice to see you in person. It is, you know, I think, the the thing that I most please about now that we are moving into this endemic phase, is it feels like
we can start to kind of heal some of the things that have have cursed our country our communities
09:15:50 and you know, I think we knew all along that this was a grand experiment.
09:15:56 No, none of us had ever been through anything like this, and we we're all doing our best and I think it'll be years before we really understand what was effective, and what
was the right.
09:16:04 Choice. And so I I feel some hope that the things that have divided us for the last few years can we can at least, I'll say we tried.
09:16:15 We were all doing our best. We tried, we did well in this community, and and I don't have regrets.
09:16:21 but I'll say we we learned every step of the way as we went I don't know if you heard our conversation last week.
09:16:29 It'll be continued this afternoon regarding the emergency order.
09:16:34 you know I have some concern about continuing it just mostly, because I feel like there's a bit of a crying wolf situation.
09:16:41 That if we continue it, that we perpetuate the the sense of emergency and then, when there actually is an emergency, it's harder to rally folks to to respond as such but I I
trust very much.
09:16:56 That the staff who are dealing with the administrative end of this think that there's a lot of benefit in keeping it in place for a few more months, revisit in a few months
in part because it's hard to get stuff going again so if we were to rescind it that getting it back in
09:17:15 place. If we have a surge, just takes capacity, and if we're in a surge, than public health and department of emergency management, or have less capacity.
09:17:24 So I am going along with Staff's recommendation.
09:17:28 We'll have more discussion about it today, but I anticipate that we will go ahead with keeping it in place, and but I share your concern.
09:17:37 We talked about it last week. I think there's yeah.
09:17:40 There's I I worry. It's a little disingenuous myself, but it's a tool that for administrative purposes and you know we're not.
09:17:52 We're not in doing any sort of lockdown.
09:17:54 Obviously, we're all here today and glad to have the public back, few as they may be, and more last week.
09:11:55 sure I can go for this. Oh, go ahead, Kate.
09:18:04 Yes.
09:18:08 Sure. Thank you. And I. Kate, covered a lot of this pretty well.
09:18:14 I'll go, I guess, in reverse order, and start with Mr.
09:18:16 Schumacher's statements. I'm sorry, I missed you in person, Steven, but I'm I'm on the screen here today because Covid is still with us.
09:18:25 I'm on day 6 of my second positive test. So while it was a very mild case, you know, we still, as a county, have to deal with the reality, that it is very there's a lot of transmission,
I assume still over 400 per 100,000 in our community and some of the levers that
09:18:45 that emergency order offer us are are really critical to you know.
09:18:48 Come up with extra pay for staff, so we can make services, and also take care of our folks and make sure they can stay home when they're sick.
09:18:56 So I also feel like it's a little bit disingenuous, and we'll have a robust conversation I'm sure.
09:19:02 At 1 30. But I'm also like Commissioner Dean and Client, to to take the staff recommendation and just keep it on a little bit longer, not as a lockdown.
09:19:12 But to make sure that we still have those lovers available, as we continue to deal with, it as I can attach with firsthand experience, to Mr.
09:19:20 Tears. I, too, is expecting to see some social media stuff, so it's good to hear from from Kate about how that went down.
09:19:28 And this isn't, you know, an open conversation, you know, and sometimes we're stymied by the platform.
09:19:34 Sometimes we're timing by the law, and it it sounds like it was the platform that's timing.
09:19:37 This effort we need to do something pretty quick, because we've really lost a communication capacity and and losing losing Jeanie So something that we're gonna have to address
in the short term and at social policy social media policy is certainly a an iterative policy that we try to we need to
09:19:51 consider, to refine, and to LED Bowen. Thank you for your comments today, Mr.
09:19:58 Bowen, and I did speak with LED last week and and asked him to to kind of pop pop this up, I think both Mason County and Clown County, and even Grace Harbor County have all
started to take a position on this I'm not sure and I think Mr.
09:20:13 Bowen's choice of words was absolutely appropriate. Position is is all that we're going to be able to have on this while it is in Jefferson County, and I've I've hiked I've
hiked by past the Chile before and it is beautiful and I think it
09:20:24 was Jeff Monroe that might have moved in the for the first time, would love to understand the the issue a little bit more.
09:20:34 But I, think that we should, we should, as a group, work to define and amplify our position on on the disposition of the enchanted Valley.
09:20:46 Shelley. So I really appreciate you. Bring it to our attention.
09:20:49 I I do suggest, Kate, that you talk to LED. He's got more insight, and has been following this pretty closely, and I think it might be a great opportunity to get the New Sulla.
09:21:00 The new Olympic Park director to a workshop might be be able to, You know get to bird with one stone with that, with that kind of workshop, so as always appreciate everyone's
taking the time to to make public comments, and and to to be here with
09:18:03 Yes, so that's it for me, Greg. Did you want to respond
09:21:19 Thanks, Greg: Yep. I've been testing because I sat here next to you all day last Monday, and so far all the tests have come in negative, so I'm still evading.
09:21:31 Covid full stop thankfully, and I would just say I'd start with the Enchanted Valley Chile when Mr.
09:21:39 Bone and I spoke. I encouraged him to reach out to you, Greg, as it is in your district, and told him I was also a history, not and would hate to see any historic structures
to tore down but that there may be reasons and would want to hear more from the national park, service as to why
09:21:59 they're proponing. That is their preferred so preferred solution.
09:22:04 So it would be good to have a workshop with them or at least a presentation understanding.
09:22:09 Why that's why that's the tack they're taking to Mr.
09:22:15 Tears's comments on the social media policy. I I I was the one that said Let's pull it from the agenda, because their work questions that we hadn't didn't have answers to.
09:22:25 And I felt like we needed. There was more work to be done before we could put up new social media policy in place.
09:22:32 I would say also that we are looking at hiring a public information officer, and that job description is being written right now.
09:22:42 but the time line of that position coming on, and our former social media manager didn't match up.
09:22:50 And so we're we're caught in this limbo land in them in the middle, where we have information basic information, job descriptions, job postings, basic community information
that we'd like to share.
09:23:02 That we need to get out, but we felt that need to update our social media policy.
09:23:07 So I think we'll be digging into that and working on it together, and we just didn't really have the time to do that last week, and it might not be the policy it might just
be our how we manage that account right?
09:23:20 that sounds like we don't have a lot of latitude because of the platform right?
09:23:28 and yes, Steve, it's great to see you, and I was last week's saying, you know it's we put out.
09:23:35 We put all this stuff in place. So if we what happens if we rip the Band-aid off now with the potential, all the cases that are happening in Europe that Dr.
09:23:45 Barry's been talking about, and how we've tended to follow the trend with our our cases going up after cases in Europe in the past.
09:23:55 And Then you know, I just feel like Personally, I know more people with Covid right now than I ever have, and so I don't feel like it's a time to stop having the precautions
in place.
09:24:27 and just hiding. I'm just good to put a period on on your final statement.
09:24:09 That we do, especially how the how it day affect the things we put in place effects our team here at the county, for you know human resources issues. So it's something that
we are gonna have more of a conversation about this afternoon is there anyone else on zoom who would like to make Yep.
09:24:35 Right yep.
09:24:39 Yeah, thanks. Greg. And I see Jeff Chapman has his hand race.
09:24:46 Good morning, Commissioner Eisenhower. I I I didn't know exactly how to talk about this, but the the I I just want everyone to know that the Pacific National Scenic.
09:24:56 Trail has its compound out. The scoping for their comp plan under their neighbor process out for comedy for 30 days and it's kind of a short time.
09:25:08 Frame and it and some of the landowners have expressed concern to me that it really wasn't brought to them in a way that they really understood what it was about, because the
it's a basically development of the comp plan This is the scoping process the 30 days ends at the end of
09:25:25 October; and what with you, understand what the Pacific Northwest Trail is It's an overlay of the Olympic discovery trail and the Larry Scott trail between poor Towns and and
What'll be the for service Boundary whether
09:25:43 that'd be somewhere in August, or whatever, and the comp plan is really a land use document.
09:25:48 So it includes management of the trail itself, as well as frankly management of the adjacent property to the trail that we're trying.
09:25:59 I was. The landowners representative on the Advisory Council originally for the trail, and it the the Advisory Council was discontinued about 5 years ago, and the Forest Service
has continued to develop the document in House and now they're again releasing it to the public for input and
09:26:20 we'll start restart up the Advisory Council I don't know if I'll be on it.
09:26:25 We're keeping our pretty close eye on that. The management of the trail across county, state, and private land is different than the management of it across Federal lands.
09:26:39 But all that will be what goes into the comp plan and comes out of the Comp. Plan as to how it's worded, and how sh the shared management will will be involved.
09:26:48 In weather will in any way affect private land. Orders along the trail.
09:26:53 So it's important that people be aware that that's going on, that there are eyes on it.
09:26:55 For that exact reason, you know, as to keep it, and there will be some places where the county and the and the foresters will have to come, or the Federal government will have
to come with terms with things like ebikes you know the Federal will see you bytes.
09:27:09 Are only allowed, on motorized trails, and therefore not allowed on the Pacific Northwest Trail.
09:27:15 So those kind of things is how the policies interplay between county, State and Federal policies will be in the Comp plan.
09:27:24 And so we need a you know, if anybody wants to talk about it, or or comment to it, they can submit comments right now to do what's posted in the news release it is showing up
in the Seattle Times it just showed up, and the for forum and well, and for all I know is
09:24:42 Good morning, Jeff.
09:27:47 Hey, Jeff, can I ask you a question before you disappear?
09:27:41 in the Pdn. Or the leader, so just letting people know about that
09:27:50 do you? Do you think? And you know, looking at Monty a little bit here, too? And do you think that there's a any, any input that the county could provide?
09:27:50 Certainly
09:28:04 Yes, I think the county needs to review this, because it is a land management plan, and and the scoping does.
09:28:12 And but the really reason the scoping at is the for service pretty much drafted. The Comp.
09:28:16 Plan and so the scoping will be followed from the actual posting of the draft.
09:28:20 Compliance. So it'll be a continued discussion to make sure that when they adopt the comp plan and finalize it, that it's that the safeguards are in there for county and State
government, but it's important to county be part of that process in fact Jefferson Island Skadget county should all
09:28:01 That would be useful
09:28:36 be very involved in it, but cause it could see it involves a quite a bit of land in those 3 counties that isn't on Federal.
09:28:49 Hmm! And I
09:28:46 And as that process it's for. But yeah, there are land or is concerned, because they're going. Well, what does that mean for us?
09:28:55 You know we live adjacent to the Olympic discovery, or the Larry Scott trail, and and it it is a concern, I think we're addressing it.
09:29:01 You know, if I think the input we gave when we're in the Advisory Council to this, and what I've seen so far in the scoping documents is they're really trying to separate that
Management out So that they're not interfering with local management, but and what's also written in
09:29:14 the compliance is that is, the ability to have interagency agreements with the the counties and with the State.
09:28:54 Alright.
09:29:28 Okay, Thank you. I did start reading the scoping document on Thursday.
09:29:35 So happy to take the lead on this one. If you want.
09:29:22 Where the trail goes across their property or across private property.
09:29:46 My suggestion to 2 is, I'm gonna suggest in that they extend the scoping it.
09:29:52 They just introduced another document. On Friday. So it's like, Well, okay, that gives you 2 weeks to review the document.
09:29:45 Look at that!
09:30:03 Okay, yeah, I don't. I don't know that any of our staff has time right now.
09:30:08 Everything going on. I can talk to our trail project manager, but all sorry about
09:30:17 Maybe maybe Heidi could just, you know, run some talking points by.
09:30:23 I can draft comments and bring them back.
09:29:59 So they they probably should extend it another 30 days
09:30:26 Yeah, Mantio was asserting. If you had any input on the the chalet, just knowing how much time you spend in the park and dealing with park issues, It's been a long time since
I've been up in shannon Valley I mean I've been up there I've seen it
09:30:46 but I the board, should the matter and take position. Talk to Park about this, and see and get all the information on it.
09:30:56 Sure, Okay, but I don't know. It's current condition.
09:24:32 There is public comment at that. At that discussion, at 1 30 about the emergency.
09:31:01 I know they had a I followed the as they moved it away from the river the first time and I didn't realize it predated the park either.
09:31:11 Obviously if it's from the 19 twenties it did, could Kate or Greg one of you reach out and talk to the new Park super?
09:31:21 I'm happy to Yup
09:31:28 For sure. Yeah, I mean, I think the you know, because it's a wilderness area that makes it really challenging to work out there.
09:31:35 That's one of the the big cost additive or multipliers out there.
09:31:39 I think the the river was encroaching again. Till, like when I was there 3 years ago, it was probably 15 feet away, but, according to my conversation with add a a log jam that
was up river and cleared, and maybe and now it seems to be moving the other way, again it's a giant flood plane down
09:31:59 there and there's nowhere, you know. If you move it farther out with the you know, pushing it along the the rail, that it still has underneath the the building, you know you're
not gonna get that.
09:31:23 Okay, and just see if we could get a briefing on the chile, so we can get all the information
09:32:21 That'd be great. Yeah, it's interesting. I you know.
09:32:12 Far so. But yeah, I'll reach out to Sulla and see if she can come and and introduce yourself and and talk about this specifically.
09:32:38 Yup
09:32:24 I mean the the park service is also charged with maintaining You know the things of cultural importance as well as wilderness, and so interesting to hear how they are balancing
those 2 mandates we can sympathize with competing mandates
09:32:44 So last call for public, I'll take last call for public comment.
09:32:48 Is there anyone else who's joined us this morning?
09:32:51 You'd like to make a public comment, We're after 9, 30, but I saw a bunch of additional folks jumped on, so if no one else is interested in making a public comment this morning,
I'll close public comments, and we'll move on to consideration of the consent agenda it
09:33:08 was.
09:33:20 I mean super great to see the the cost sharing Grant for helping folks with oss come in.
09:33:27 That's a a huge safety valve for the folks of Jefferson County who are having trouble with septic systems, and and it can be, you know, a real existential threat.
09:33:14 Is there anything that you guys wanted to call out? Call out on the consent agenda this morning?
09:33:39 Yeah, I I hadn't heard that that grants have been awarded So congratulations to environmental health for almost half a 1 million dollars to help the septic repairs that's Great
and that that is for individual homeowners so It'd: be good to get some information out to
09:33:37 So yeah, cheers.
09:33:57 Yeah, we had a Facebook
09:33:54 the community about that. Maybe a pro public information officer. What account does they?
09:34:02 yeah, yeah, it's true. And this can be used anywhere in the county.
09:34:08 The previous one we had, of course, was kind of on the on the waters of the canal.
09:34:12 So this it's great that it's a income income threshold.
09:34:17 You know, income qualified, but low income qualified. But yeah, really exciting.
09:34:20 And I I feel like the first $300,000.
09:34:25 Grant that we had took years to get anyone engaged with it, because often there's a disconnect, you know, as renters that would be income qualified it has to be the homeowner
slightly different. Rules.
09:34:04 They have a good Yeah, Hmm
09:34:53 just looks like public health, has been busy and always happy to see HIV Aids education.
09:34:58 There's family partnership, so. Yep, good stuff.
09:35:05 nothing. I mean, I'll just. I'm always thrilled when people step up to volunteer for our advisory boards, and have been working on a few appointments myself.
09:35:14 So it's nice to see some of our vacancies being filled here and appreciate people's service to the community.
09:34:36 In this, but I do believe that Amanda and public health really dialed it in getting those dollars passed through to to folks that could use it last time. So I'm I'm pretty confident
in their ability to spend it down
09:35:26 I'll I'll just shout out to Yeah, I I was in the interview panel with Susie for the Parks of record, and it's she's perfect edition.
09:35:33 So it's great to have someone with the outdoor and education focus like like Susie join, and glad the O, 3.
09:35:40 A seats were filled so quickly to on the advisory board, so I'll let Kate continue the motion.
09:35:22 is there want someone to make a motion
09:35:46 But you have the Floor Commissioner. I'll move to a proven.
09:35:45 She was starting
09:35:52 Second.
09:35:51 Adopt the consent. Agenda all in favor. Hi!
09:35:56 Not opposed, passes unanimously great. Okay, So we have a few minutes.
09:36:05 Does anyone need a break? Yes, okay. We have a few minutes for briefing from last week.
09:36:12 Does anyone want to look at their calendar last week and share what they've been up to
09:36:24 sure I can start. Let's see. So I'm looking back.
09:36:32 At Last week we did have a left one. Retirement disability board meeting on Tuesday, and we had one.
09:36:41 One person that was was getting some services, and we approved it, and it was all good.
09:36:46 We had to have one opening on that board I think it'll be a challenge anyone to fill tourism Coordinating Council on Tuesday was good.
09:36:59 I felt like oh, hearing a little bit more about the washed dots road closures this coming year that we had sent him a letter about, and I was I've been tardy and drafting a
letter.
09:37:16 I I believe that wash Dot, and I'm gonna confirm this before bringing it back.
09:37:22 But I think wash. Dot has proposed that all 4 weekends in May prior to Memorial Day, or maybe that's one weekend in April.
09:37:30 That's it! Was the disconnect in the presentation I had Memorial Day wouldn't be impacted, but it would be the weekends in May that that it was happening, And I think there's
only 4 weekends in may so that would include me memorial day.
09:37:42 Recap, So I think that's good I'll I'll try to get a little bit more information, and and and adjust the letter that we have.
09:37:49 But I think basically it might change to be. We support these days.
09:37:55 This one Memorial day is a pretty big one, you know, something like that.
09:36:22 Years might be briefer. Greg
09:37:59 So more to come the cool scene print. Go ahead
09:38:06 That was for the the bridge closures, the watchdog bridge closures.
09:38:12 Hook, canal bridge. I forget what they had to do.
09:38:14 They were going to do it this year, Monty might have more information.
09:38:19 public works had been clued in by a Port let low resident that it was happening, and we, as well as everyone else, sounded, the alarm but not enough notification or communication
had happened so.
09:38:31 They did delay at one year. I think March they had a plan to come back and talk about it, but they had a meeting in the last month, and this was the outcome that I heard about.
09:38:01 And can you say which projects can you say which projects? That was for
09:38:44 But it's not their not the roundabout. No, the you Greg's talking about is for the the bridge span work, and before weekend closures, which seem to be there were no definitive
dates. I mean.
09:39:04 They pushed it back because of supply chain issues till next year, but hopefully, within an additional year they could, you know, work with the counties on what?
09:39:14 What weekends are going to be kind of out of bounds, loaded, eternal happens in May. You concern it?
09:39:22 Certainly things like it wouldn't be like the wooden boat festival.
09:38:41 But I haven't verified yet. So the big news there, not the run
09:39:25 Other large festivals. Here impacts the economy.
09:39:30 And the irrigation festival and squam is in May as well.
09:39:34 But both Rody and an irrigation festival are more local festival.
09:39:30 You know why
09:39:43 I will say that Senator Murray and Congressman Kilmer were held up getting to port Townsend.
09:39:50 This weekend by a bridge closure on a Sunday.
09:39:39 So it's got to be some weekends. I don't know. I'll I'll get more information and and bring it back
09:39:58 Good, Yeah. Let's let's plan that. Let's see, Quilsee Brennan and Power teams meeting happened on Tuesday.
09:39:53 They were like, Really, they do this on Sundays, like, Yeah, I've been telling you this for years.
09:40:10 Most There's a lot of discipline actions that they student, advisor, and and quill scenes doing because they got vape detectors in their bathrooms is kind of preventative maintenance
from, I think, from the power teams grant actually and then the batteries were dead for the
09:40:28 first week they hadn't realized. And so I think some kids had recognized that it wasn't working, in one.
09:40:35 So when the batteries went in they got more like 1111 alerts that day, so the gig is up for for this troubling trend of kids kids vaping.
09:40:50 But it is. It is pretty ubiquitous right now.
09:40:53 It's really concerning, and then had a campaign thing on Wednesday.
09:41:00 Orc was canceled. We did have the agenda planning meeting for the Board of Health next week.
09:41:06 Looks gonna be a good meeting back to the gills, of course.
09:41:10 had a big, oldly cap meeting. We had some national Cap members come out from Maine and present a whole family program That was really appealing.
09:41:19 I also tested positive on this day, so I was attending only virtually and sorry to miss them.
09:41:27 But looks like a really promising program. And we also have someone that is assigned on the line to be the finance director for only Cap, which has been a open position for
a year, and a half So really exciting news there had to Miss an in person forum had to also on Thursday missed the port meeting at the
09:41:46 quilting community center and Behavioral Health Committee was canceled, Had a couple of phone calls with residents and pretty much took it easy.
09:42:08 I'm glad you're feeling better. Greg is the is air quality.
09:42:12 I'm the agenda for Board of Health.
09:42:17 Okay. I know we've been looking at some potential policies for that.
09:42:15 no interesting, no
09:42:21 And we talked about Okay.
09:42:31 Okay, thanks. We've got 3Â min. Anyone feel I could talk about my most important meeting of the week week.
09:42:45 That might take a few minutes. So as you'll remember, you may remember, I was involved a little bit last year with the Lorraine Loomis Bill.
09:42:56 just really the the the tribes working with the Governor's office in saying how well you know, salmon are declining.
09:43:08 We know that lack of habitat is one of the reasons for that, and we we understand, and the shoreline that we need to regulate shoreline areas because they are so, important.
And but we don't.
09:43:24 Be that for rightiparian areas. So it's a really pretty big departure in the State starting to say in this case, tribes in the Governor saying that we need to regulate right
period areas.
09:43:36 so Bill was introduced last session, and big outcry from primarily the agricultural community, and it crashed and burned.
09:43:46 And everybody agrees It was handled poorly, did a lot of damage in terms of trust, trusted relationships being built.
09:43:55 I am keeping an eye on the clock. Don't worry.
09:44:00 and so the governor W. Got a proviso in the budget last year and said, Let's let's have meaningful conversations about how we want to handle riparian areas, and So I was asked.
09:44:11 To be on the roundtable to try and hash this out.
09:44:14 We had our first meeting in Olympia all day.
09:44:16 Friday, and it's it's gonna be really interesting to see I mean, this is a major departure for the State.
09:44:27 the tribes, our unrelenting, they are saying, You know this.
09:44:32 There has to be a standard for the the how riperian zones are protected and their function, and if you know, if if the State won't come to the table, then you know they said
that we're there 7 for 7 or 9 for 9 on us supreme court cases upholding treaty
09:44:48 rights. So there's saying, you know, either you either, you know, give us this protection, or we're going to the courts.
09:44:57 so the stakes are high and it's an honor to be at the table.
09:45:00 There's I think, about 30 of us, and you know it.
09:45:06 The the tribe, and many of the state agencies are really set on that site potential tree height, which is a very aggressive protection standard.
09:45:16 And it is primarily affecting agriculture.
09:45:20 The you know one of the more interesting conversations is that the you know the impacts that that urban and suburban areas have on riparian zones are huge, but we don't talk
about you know, taking back 50 foot buffers and tearing out buildings and
09:45:36 infrastructure. And so the impact really gets pushed to resource lands and and agriculture in particular.
09:45:41 So stay tuned. It's gonna be. We have to have a report to the Governor by December first. So it's it's gonna be an intense couple of months.
09:45:50 Yep, looking forward to it. Okay, sorry. Awesome. Just went a little past I'm sure we could talk all day about that.
09:45:59 Yeah, exactly. We Yeah, and we might be able to talk about it more this afternoon.
09:46:01 So I am not seeing Dr. Barry. She's on there.
09:46:09 she's got a new framing today. That's that's the problem.
09:46:08 Oh, she is okay. Oh, oh, she's I was looking on the Oh, hi!
09:46:19 nice to see everyone. Thanks for having me so on the Covid front. We're at a bit of a strange time, as far as numbers go.
09:46:28 Because the case ascertainment nationally is historically low.
09:46:33 There's a recent Ihme report that just came out.
09:46:36 That, said the national case. Entertainment rate is 4%.
09:46:40 So we're really just getting it Half of the iceberg of the cases that are out there And I think that's really important when we look at national numbers when you hear that cases
are going down, know that you're only catching 4% of what's out there.
09:46:54 the Washington state case the entertainment rate is 7, so almost twice the Federal one, but again only a little bit of the cases that exist in the world.
09:47:03 Out there, so nationally, we are seeing cases going down.
09:47:07 They're done, 19%. But just that little bit of cases that we're detecting hospitalizations and deaths are relatively flat We're still losing 375 Americans.
09:47:19 A day, so an incredible loss daily due to Covid.
09:47:22 19 It's still circulating widely in a very severe virus but thankfully it's less than the severity we have seen in prior ways in Washington.
09:47:31 State cases are down trending. We're seeing a down trend of about 30% in the last 2 weeks, which is hopeful.
09:47:38 But again only 7% of cases are being detected. Hospitalizations and deaths are relatively flat at the State, as well in Jefferson County We are diagnosed 6,074 cases of Covid
19 that puts us at a case rate.
09:47:54 Of 355, with an 11% positivity in Jefferson County.
09:47:59 We actually do have Phil active case as entertainment, and we do still account home.
09:48:02 Antigen tests So we're actually detecting about 40% of the cases that we have.
09:48:07 So if you ever are trying to compare our numbers to the Federal, you got to multiply those by 10, and that'll get you a lot closer to what we're seeing here. We have no one
currently hospitalized for Covid 19.
09:48:19 We did have someone hospitalized last week that they think they have things we discharged.
09:48:24 We have unfortunately, one new death to announce. We have had 32 deaths due to COVID-19 This most recent person, who died was a woman in her eighties, had multiple chronic conditions,
she was vaccinated but she was not up to date on her vaccines and so that does highlight
09:48:42 especially for those over 65, and those with underlying chronic conditions.
09:48:46 It's really critical to stay up to date on vaccines.
09:48:50 Make sure you're up to date on your boosters, including especially getting the most recent fivevalent on the Crown specific.
09:48:55 Booster, in Clown County. We've diagnosed 15,735 cases of Covid 19 Our case rate is 136 per 100,000, but of notes we are using the States so we're working with currently a 7%.
09:49:12 Case master team rate in chrome as well. In Jefferson.
09:49:16 We are able to manage our case as entertainment locally.
09:49:19 And so that's how we ended up with different numbers.
09:49:21 So make sure you multiply. The column numbers. Likely we're seeing very similar levels of transmission across from.
09:49:29 We have one person Currently, hospitalized for Covid 19 in Chalam County, with a for a total of 443 hospitalizations due to Covid 19 We have one new desk to announce for column
as well up to 125 of our citizens.
09:49:45 That We've lost due to Covid 19 this most recent recent death was in a woman who was in her Ninetys.
09:49:51 She also had multiple chronic conditions, was also vaccinated, but not up to date.
09:49:54 On her vaccine. So same same issue that we saw with the loss of our recent Jefferson County Resident at this point.
09:50:04 What is the real situation with Covid? We are seeing still widespread transmission of Covid 19 throughout the country and in our region, as well, thankfully, we're not seeing
the level of severe disease we saw before and that is primarily, due to how many of us are vaccinated but if
09:50:20 you are unvaccinated. Or if you have any high risk, conditions and you're not up to date in your vaccines.
09:50:26 Covid 19 can still be very serious for you. And so, and for those of us in our community who are very vulnerable, who are immunosuppressed COVID-19 is going, serious even if
they've done everything.
09:50:37 They can to stay up to date on their vaccines And so that's why we continue to encourage everyone to get up to date.
09:50:45 Make sure you get your omicron-specific booster.
09:50:46 If you're 12 and over and actually it was just approved for everybody's 5 and over.
09:50:50 So if you were over 5, we encourage everyone to get up to date on your vaccines.
09:50:56 Make sure you get that bivalent booster. It makes a huge difference in reducing your risk of contracting Covid transmitting Covid and getting severely ill.
09:51:03 Beautiful Covid. That's really a big part of how we move past.
09:51:07 Covid is. We stay up to date on our vaccine.
09:51:10 The other critical thing is wearing masks in close when you're in close proximity with lots of other people.
09:51:17 My rough estimate that I use in my life is, if it's over 5 people in an indoor setting that's when I really try to make sure that I wear a mask and I look at the ventilation
in the space there are some stores in our reason that have really excellent
09:51:31 ventilation. They have their doors open, their windows open, and they don't feel as strongly about wearing a mask in those spaces.
09:51:38 But if you're in a crowded indoor space, especially things like transportation, large public meetings, where everybody's close together that's a really important time to make
sure you wear a mask we are Also, starting to see flu activity.
09:51:51 Tick up in Washington State. So it's really important to go ahead and get your flu vaccine as well.
09:51:55 Remember, you can get your Kovat 19 vaccine and your food.
09:51:58 That team at the same. We are looking at. There's only one place left where it's still going to be required to wear masks, and that's in our health care settings.
09:52:09 When when you're in a patient care area, so whether it's patients or or providers, it's really, important, that we mask in that space.
09:52:17 The primary reason for that is that that's a space where high-risk folks gather by definition, and it's also a space where people are more likely to be carrying covid 19 it's
really important that all of our citizens can access health care without contracting covid
09:52:31 19 in that process. So that's why we also wear masks and healthcare settings.
09:52:45 I'm sorry, Dr. Barry, where the the the requirement to wear masks and in health situations comes from, I forget.
09:52:36 And we can expect that to continue likely through the flu season until we're to the other side. So with that I am happy to take any questions
09:52:54 Yes, currently a mandate from the State. So there is an order from the Secretary of Health and the Secretary of Health Orders extends past the declaration of emergency, and
that's probably worth kind of digging into a little Bit so health officers and secretaries of health always have the
09:53:13 ability, and the authority, and the obligation to control infectious diseases, regardless of states of emergency, Governors only have that authority when a declaration of emergency
is in place So after October 30 first the Governor doesn't have the ability to issue orders around the
09:53:29 pandemic, but health officers still do. We always have had that authority.
09:53:34 We will continue to do so. Secretaries of Healthy 2 so many folks didn't know we existed before the pandemic.
09:53:42 But we have all these been here So if there was, for instance, a measles outbreak, we would issue health orders around that and so as long as we're still seeing high Rates of
Covid transmission, we're likely to see health orders, related to that but they're more targeted
09:53:56 now than they used to be because we're in a different phase of the pandemic, and that one most critical space.
09:54:02 It's health care, We need people to be able to see their doctors and not get covid from that interaction And so that's where we are still requiring masking long-term care facilities
also fall under that space that's an area where people can't choose whether or not they
09:54:21 great thank you, and I don't know. I can follow up with one other question.
09:54:17 need to live there, And it's really important to protect
09:54:26 I'm not sure. I I assume you've looked at it, but we're going to be considering our thirteenth emergency resolution about Covid just this afternoon, and I'm wondering if you
got a chance to look at it if you way in in favor of keeping
09:54:42 Arm Emergency resolution, or adding a thirteenth, or you know, we've talked a little bit and had public comment today about you know, it being disingenuous to call it an emergency.
09:54:52 As we move into an endemic phase, and it does seem, you know, a little a little strange at the same time, It's still a lot of important levers that it opens up to us to to be
able to to use as as as I can a test covid is still very high in our
09:55:12 Yeah, I think it's it's certainly a challenge to figure out.
09:55:14 How do we move in a seamless way into this endemic phase, and not lose all the games that we've made as a community?
09:55:22 And I think that's where where these these kind of emergency declarations come in.
09:55:28 The biggest thing that the local emergency declaration makes available is the ability to to rapidly fund but find certain situations or make certain control efforts available.
09:55:41 But again, the emergency declaration doesn't actually have a lot of bearing over whether or not, for instance, I could issue a health order, and I think that's where sometimes
people end up, having strong feelings about the emergency declaration is is the thought that that would if we if we lifted, that then
09:55:56 we would no longer have public health authority, And that's not true.
09:55:59 It It actually has no bearing on that What it does do is allow us to do things like fund.
09:56:05 Covid test, or or, for instance, potentially move forward, something like the department of emergency management responding to a covid outbreak and so it it allows us a little
more flexibility in responding to things And I think that's what makes it reasonable.
09:56:20 To move it forward I think it was appropriate that, for instance, the Federal Government did just announce that they extended their emergency declaration so that we can continue
to eat.
09:56:30 Some of the tools we need to fight Covid through the fall.
09:56:35 And with that, long answer to, I think it's a it It's a complex decision, whether or not to maintain it.
09:56:42 But I do think it's helpful to have all of those tools available, and only use them when we need them.
09:46:16 Sorry I was looking on the wrong list. Good Good morning.
09:56:52 I have a question about the ascertainment rate. Dr.
09:56:47 But it's it's good to have that option
09:56:54 Barry. So is that the the number of I guess I'm curious, and the ones that we that we think we're missing was 60% that we're not reporting on the approximately are those folks
that know they have a positive test at home that aren't reporting them to the
09:57:25 The mix of both. So it's everybody that we're not cat And we did get a question about this in one of our Kptz questions as well as how how do we you know how many?
09:57:33 Of the code cases. Are we really catching? So we've done this a little before, But I think it's important to help folks understand this weird term.
09:57:41 A case after team at rate. What that means is how many of the covid cases that are in the world?
09:57:46 We think we're actually catching and knowing about. And so the we think we're catching about 40% of them.
09:57:53 That means about 60% are still out there, either because they don't know they have Covid.
09:57:57 They never tested, either, because they didn't realize it wasn't that that it could be covid, or they think Covid silver.
09:58:05 So they're not testing anymore, and it just gives them their lives.
09:58:08 Other folks are testing and modifying their behavior, but maybe not reporting it to the Public Health Department.
09:58:13 All of those would fall under that number and the way that we calculate that is, we look at a few different variables.
09:58:19 We look at the percent positivity of the Pcr tests that we have we look at the percent of our tests that are made up of home antigen tests.
09:58:28 How well those are getting reported to us, and we also look at the frequency of severe outcomes for things like hospitalization and death.
09:58:36 There is a formula for how many cases we think are out there compared to how many people are getting hospitalized and dying, and so based on those numbers that affects how how
many cases think we're missing kind of cool
09:57:12 health department? Or is that folks that might not even know that they have a mild infection because they're not testing or aren't unwell enough to to see the need to test
09:58:51 Okay, And so Jefferson is still doing a really excellent job in case numbers in a way that many other counties are have moved on from either, because there's so many cases they
just can't or funding streams are dried up variety, of reasons people have lost the ability to
09:59:12 already interest in tracking cases I do think we are moving to a point, particularly when I look at case as entertainment rates of less than 10% at the State and Federal level
where I think it's appropriate to start moving into what's called a sentinel surveillance system that's how
09:59:26 we track flu is we we don't count all the flu cases, but we have some measures of how many people are coming into the er, and then we bat.
09:59:36 Calculate how many cases of flu we think there are based on that.
09:58:51 Interesting. Okay, Thank you.
09:59:51 So you're not using the scented candle data which I just read about this week.
09:59:38 I think it's appropriate to start moving in that direction with Covid, and I know the State is working on that. I'm hopeful that that Will start coming out soon, and we can
move in that direction here, as well because it is a big list for the staff to keep counting on
09:59:57 Fascinating. The number of bad reviews for scented candles on Amazon, of people saying, There's no scent is actually a really good predictor of of covid cases.
10:00:08 Oh, my God! Really yeah.
10:00:59 sorry guys. I just lost audio to anybody else. Okay.
10:01:05 I think we all did. I mean, everyone is not sitting in the chambers
10:01:09 Okay, good. I thought it was My speaker.
10:01:17 Yeah, so it's just the the Commissioner's room that we lost So apologies for those on the radio, you might have heard some dead space.
10:01:24 That's because we lost audio with the Commissioners meeting room.
10:01:30 we could potentially do some kptv questions while we wait to get the Bocc up and running.
10:01:16 Yeah.
10:01:36 I think that sounds good. We got a nod who share as well.
10:01:35 What do you think? Commissioner Brotherson? Okay, Looks like you guys can hear
10:01:39 They can still hear us. I think I think we're just struggling to hear that.
10:01:42 Okay, right? I'm sure Oh, I can hear you now.
10:01:47 Wonderful.
10:01:45 Can you hear us last time? Testing? Okay, let me just finish what I was saying, because I probably let it off in the middle of the sentence.
10:01:55 Okay, So So I was. All I was announcing was that we're gonna go down to a less frequent update from Dr.
10:02:03 Barry, starting in November, and we're looking at once a month on a Monday.
10:02:06 At the same time and we're trying to figure out the best Monday.
10:02:09 But currently, we've got one proposal of the third Monday.
10:01:50 You feel free, and I actually didn't hear anything you said. I heard announcements, and then nothing After that
10:02:14 But just letting our listeners start to get let that sink in, cause I've never been a commissioner without weekly updates from Dr. Barry.
10:02:23 So it's gonna be a big adjustment for me, and I just thought I should start sharing it, and then we'll move into more formal announcement of that in the coming.
10:02:33 Weeks But we're we're weaning. I just had one question because I sat next to a couple of people who had Covid last week.
10:02:19 Sure.
10:02:43 I started testing every 12 and 24Â h, just because I was curious, and I had all those tests stacked up in my bathroom right?
10:02:54 So so initially my purple C line was very control line was very dark, and then it got lighter and lighter, and letter to where I could barely see it.
10:03:07 But I never got a positive test. Was that what causes?
10:03:10 That is that the quality of the test or the something shifting
10:03:17 Yeah, if your control line is fading, that does suggest that the test is is starting to expire but doesn't suggest that you had Covid.
10:03:29 If you're but if you are having a very, very faint control line, that would be a moment where it'd be good.
10:03:31 To try a different test. So get a new test or get, you know, check.
10:03:23 Okay, okay.
10:03:37 The expiration dates on your test. Get what your newer tests to move into.
10:03:39 Yeah, okay. Okay. And I did that. And it was, Yeah, Okay, yeah, I was curious.
10:03:45 I was like. That's awesome. Yeah, I had a whole box like that.
10:03:49 Oh, interesting. Yeah. And I didn't actually check the date.
10:03:53 But it was, I could tell that they were all just gonna give a very unsatisfying answer, So I did check the day, and it was.
10:03:41 There.
10:03:58 It was a solid date, But, anyway, okay.
10:04:01 Yeah.
10:04:08 Yeah.
10:04:09 Yeah.
10:04:16 We do still have we do? No, no, we do still have tests available at the health department, at the libraries at say, yes.
10:04:25 Covid Test We've heard confirmation from the State that Cs.
10:04:27 Covid test will extend until the end of this calendar year, Not clear if it's gonna go past December.
10:04:33 but those are still available. So if you're starting to run low on tests in your house, it's a good time to go ahead and order those so that you have them available.
10:04:42 When these situations arrive, and and that did come up, we got some questions about that.
10:04:48 Of If you've been exposed to Covid, you're up to date on your vaccines.
10:04:50 What do you do? All you have to do is wear a mask.
10:04:55 For the next. Where for the next 10 days, when you're around, other folks, for if you have access to testing and you're in a situation where you can't wear a mask like you can't,
be, heard in a microphone testing before you go there to make sure that you don't have
10:04:13 Okay. Well, maybe I have been positive
10:05:08 covid before you unmask is a good move. Other than that. You don't have to quarantine just after an exposure, right do some Kpc questions?
10:05:19 Okay, So one person asked, Are there any recent local statistics? For long Covid?
10:05:27 Any trending related to fewer mass in stores, to Long Covid is something that we are not studying at the local level but we are setting at the State and Federal level thankfully
our of covid.
10:05:40 It is a less common outcome. And so, when you're looking at less common outcomes, you need large denominators of people studied to have adequate adequate significance of your
data but at the federal level. There was a relative there was a recent high quality large scale study looking at long.
10:05:57 Covid, and they showed a 6% rate of severe among covid symptoms in individuals diagnosed with Covid 19.
10:06:05 So up 6% of people who get Covid. End up with really persistent, quite severe symptoms.
10:06:10 So things like persistent restlessness, really life altering symptoms.
10:06:17 The those results were those more severe symptoms were correlated with severity of underlying disease.
10:06:24 So you were more likely to get long. Covid. If, for instance, you were hospitalized due to Covid so it does really track with severity of illness and you were much less likely
to get along.
10:06:34 Covid. If you were up to date on your vaccines in this particular study, they only looked at, vaccinated, or not vaccinated, so they weren't looking at whether or not you've
had boosters or anything like that but you are 60% less likely to get long covid.
10:06:48 if you were up, if you were vaccinated. Yeah, that makes it not 0.
10:06:55 but it does significantly reduce your risk. Of getting along, Covid.
10:06:58 If you've been vaccinated. We don't yet have large enough data sets looking at whether or not you're boosted or up to date on your vaccines, But what we did see was that there
was even a lower rate of long covid for people who had had a
10:07:12 vaccine recently, which is our best proxy for whether or not people were up to date on their vaccines.
10:07:18 That's the best thing you can do to reduce your risk of long covid, and of course, reducing your risk of getting Covid all together by wearing masks in stores.
10:07:26 We don't have that data locally, but given that, we're seeing this persistent relationship between number of covid infections and lone Covid, when we see more covid infections
in our community, we're likely to see more along covid and that did track with the lifting
10:07:41 of the mask orders. Once we lifted the mask orders, we did see our case Rates rise.
10:07:46 Commensurate with that And so we likely are seeing a percentage of our citizens who are getting wrong.
10:07:51 Covid. And I think it's important Talk about one Covid. It's a very, it's a real illness, and it is very debilitating for those who have it.
10:08:01 it is likely, playing a role in some of the workforce laws that we are seeing We're staying around the country. People are saying they can't recruit enough workers to do the
work.
10:08:11 There's a lot of factors in that, that. Covid is a big one, you know.
10:08:14 Lost over a 1 million people in our country. Many of those were frontline workers. Or many of them were caregivers of children, of frontline workers.
10:08:24 we have also had about 6% of the people who got Covid are having persistent debilitating symptoms from it that are limiting their ability to work, and so vastly into what's
going on.
10:08:34 Now. Which is why we still try to reduce transmission of this virus at this point, as well as to correct our most mobile system?
10:08:43 The next question is, Can a doctor tell the difference between the flu and covid is a test essential Clinically, it is impossible to tell the difference between I see people
in my primary care. Office.
10:08:56 They come in with acute onset, flu like symptoms.
10:09:01 I cannot tell whether it's flu or covid without a test.
10:09:04 That's why we have the tests. And so we do test them to figure out which one they have most clinics.
10:09:08 Do have flu swabs and covid slabs.
10:09:11 Some only have one or the other but what we then do is, if I have someone who's high risk and they test negative for Covid.
10:09:19 But they've got a very clear case of what looks like the flu.
10:09:22 I can go ahead and treat them with flu treatments. Tamma Flu, to help reduce the severity of their infection.
10:09:27 But you do have to test know the difference between Covid can look like a whole lot of things flu classically.
10:09:33 Looks like a cute onset. Severe symptoms.
10:09:38 So ache, muscles sometimes nausea, diarrhea. G. I.
10:09:42 Symptoms. All of those can track the flu, and they can also look like covid.
10:09:49 You got a test to know the difference between the 2, and remember that there are treatments for high-risk individuals for both. So if you have those kind of symptoms, because
negative for Covid make sure you talk to your Doctor about whether or not treatment for blue is a cool both of those treatments need to happen
10:10:02 as soon as possible. Well, after your symptoms. Alright.
10:10:06 Yeah. This next person was the one who was asking about case after human, rate which I mean, we've dug into a bit.
10:10:14 But yeah, we only are catching about 40% of cases here, which is much better than just about anywhere else in the country.
10:10:19 But it's still only about 40%. This next person said I just read that the Biden Administration extended the Covid 19 Public Health emergency.
10:10:28 Does this mean that Dr. Barry and really Ben will continue to be here for weekly briefings?
10:10:35 Thank you for being interested in our continued weekly presence here.
10:10:39 Unfortunately, it does not. So the Federal Declaration is important.
10:10:42 It frees up things like the ability to do telehealth appointments to get packs a little bit.
10:10:48 It frees up the ability to trans transport vaccines in a different kind of ways.
10:10:52 It's an important move. But what it didn't come with was any funding.
10:10:59 all of our public health departments have really kind of burned through all of our Covid funds.
10:11:03 And we don't really have an extra cushion to funds.
10:11:08 This kind of ongoing, intensive emergency effort. So we're having to pair back what we do.
10:11:12 We don't like having to do that, either, but we are working hard on prioritizing the most critical aspects of this work.
10:11:20 So we're still here, working with our schools still here, working with our long-term care facilities. Now we're still working on other things.
10:11:26 We're treating people for TV managing vertically.
10:11:29 We're still here, we're still gonna be here, but we won't be able to be here on this program with the same frequency.
10:11:34 I will still be here once a month. This next person says our up-to-date vaccinated, boosted, and healthy people getting long covid.
10:11:45 So like we talked about Yes, unfortunate. That does happen. It is less common, though we really are saying severe long covid the kind of debilitating symptoms we associate with
cases. In long covid.
10:11:57 We've heard about. Those are associated with severe cases of covid 19, and that is much more common if you're not like a day on your vaccine and it's more common if you have
underlying conditions but young healthy people get long covid especially if they're not up to date on their
10:12:12 vaccine to get up to date You wear your masks and your crowded indoor spaces.
10:12:15 The rest of long Covid for you is well this and the they had a couple other questions about how to plan for space related to some some upcoming activities One was using public
restrooms public restrooms are a place a lot of place that people go and If there's not that good ventilation you
10:12:33 certainly can get virus particles there. However, you're usually not there for very long, so your risk of contracting covid 19 in a public restroom is is really quite low, because
you don't spend a lot of time.
10:12:45 There but if you're worried about it, wearing a mask in that space will protect you and other people They also asked about showering at public showers like It State Park showers.
10:12:56 Actually are one of the places where we do see Covid 19 spread.
10:12:59 Because you're by definition, unmest, and the humid air really can keep the virus particles in the air for longer. So, if there is poor ventilation in a public shower, generally
you do want 70Â min between the last person and you which is hard, to do if it's a
10:13:16 very crowded shower. If there is event, and windows are open, if you can wait a half hours since the last shower that's going to be the safest, Both of those numbers also apply
to if you're sharing a home with someone who has covid managing how you handle
10:13:31 bathrooms and showers is a key part of reducing transmission within the household. And then the other question was about: If you're going to visit our information centers and
museums what's the risk of that it really depends on how crowded.
10:13:45 They are we all know there are some museums to go to where there's 3 other people walking around.
10:13:50 The probability of getting covid there, as well. But if you're going to something like yeah, hundreds of people packed really close together, that is a high risk.
10:14:15 alright. So just this past weekend we had our last adult Omerkron specific booster clinic, a little over 300 people and 3Â h there.
10:05:19 Yeah.
10:14:26 So, thanks coming out that to everyone who participated in our our final adult clinic, this weekend we have what right now does look to be our final mass vaccination clinic
specifically for 5 to 11 year olds for their recently approved omicron specific
10:14:44 booster. We have a ton of space in that clinic, and we wasn't.
10:14:49 It hasn't been enough for very long. Given that that approval was just this last week.
10:14:54 It is on Saturday, the 20Â s at Blue Heron, in Pt.
10:14:58 And we have ample space for anyone who wants to get their young.
10:15:02 One vaccinated just in time for Halloween.
10:15:05 So please go and register via the public health website or by calling us here at D. E.
10:15:09 M: I'm plenty of space in that specific clinic, and then that does look to be our last mass vaccination clinic, at least for the the time being.
10:15:20 If we see a potential need for a future it feature large booster clinic, we We're always happy to pull the trigger, of course, pending funding, but we look to once again.
10:15:31 Turn this back to our pharmacies and nominal work and priorities, typically as well as safeway those health care providers and our friends at public health, doing it in a much
smaller, personal setting rather than that mass vaccination set so register your young one this coming Saturday you know.
10:15:48 massive. Thank you to the staff. And volunteers who have helped us do this for well over the past year.
10:15:54 I'm over dozens and dozens. These mass vaccination clinics.
10:15:58 the 2 non covid things I wanted to address real quick.
10:16:01 As I talked about last week, the great Washington shakeout is this Thursday.
10:16:06 I'm 1020, at 1020, A. M. And we will be testing our next soul on so do subscribe to that.
10:16:13 If you haven't already. That's how we communicate with folks in case of emergency.
10:16:18 You can do that on the Jeff Co. Eoc website or by texting Jeff Co.
10:16:22 Eoc to 8 8, 8, 7, 7, 7, We'll also be testing our Ab.
10:16:30 All all hazard, alert and broadcast, sirens.
10:16:34 Specifically, we typically use them for a tsunami, but they are technically all hazard, and we have the 3 of those point Hudson Point, Wilson, and in the boat yard those will
be going off at 1020 and folks typically hear those the first Monday of every month when
10:16:48 they play kind of the more friendly chime sounds. This will be an official test.
10:16:54 You will hear a voice. At that time, so don't be surprised if and when you hear that otherwise we encourage folks to practice, drop, cover and hold on as if it were an earthquake
at 1020, just for a minute.
10:17:07 It doesn't take particularly a long time after that.
10:17:12 Talk with your co-workers, your friends and family about your earthquake plan, and now is also a great time to check in on your emergency. Hit.
10:17:19 So I'm looking forward to I'm kind of a slew of activities in this coming first part of the shape out Last thing, I think I heard Mr.
10:17:27 Commissioner Dean talk a little bit about air quality before the Bocc briefing.
10:17:33 We have seen a slight dip in air, quality, I'm here locally.
10:17:36 it was as everyone, I'm sure knows, it was pretty warm.
10:17:40 This weekend across the State, and there were some strong easterly wins that both help start some new fires as well as spark up some old fires that were contained.
10:17:51 But we're still smoldering that additional heat that wind came through and helped Rev.
10:17:56 Those up a little bit, and produce some smoke. I'm so we're just barely in the yellow under Washington's air quality index.
10:18:04 So it's not particularly unhealthy for everyone it still is unhealthy for those insensitive groups.
10:18:10 You have asthma, or the like. So if it is bothering you, do go indoors.
10:18:17 take a little bit of a arrest, make sure you drink lots of water, etc.
10:18:21 The air quality looks to remain this way, at least for the next day or 2, and then it should clear up as we move into So we're in October.
10:18:29 But still not quite out of fire season, so I'm a good reminder there for everyone to you to maintain fire safe practices, and then we'll look for the air to clear up again as
we move a little bit out of this weather everything that that's it from me.
10:14:27 Wow.
10:14:01 Space. So wearing a higher quality mask in those spaces is a good idea. But generally, if you're going to an indoor space, it's crowded where your high quality mask you should
with that I will pass it over to willie
10:18:46 Thanks, Willie. I went in the county library yesterday, and I felt a significant increase in air quality in the library.
10:18:53 I was like. Oh, my God, it's so nice in here, so if folks need to get inside and some cool air. The county library is a great place to go
10:18:47 What.
10:19:08 2 2 quick addendums on there. So this next weekend's clinic is for all children. For 5 and up.
10:19:11 So if you've got a 17 year old who needs their booster, they can come to and it's for anyone.
10:19:16 If it's been 2 months since you're left vaccine, you're eligible for the among them are happy to take care of you. And a reminder that sensitive groups includes for air quality
it includes all children so all children are considered.
10:19:32 In a sensitive group to being thoughtful about outdoor activities for kids.
10:19:34 When we're in that yellow category, and all pregnant people are also in a sensitive group there, particularly high risk for smoke exposure.
10:19:43 So limiting your exposure, the extent you can.
10:19:45 If you are pregnant at this time, and thankfully it will not last too long, and then we should be able to get back up.
10:19:05 Good.
10:19:55 that's interesting, because I spent some time this weekend with my daughter soccer team, deciding whether or not to play a soccer game, and there is some State guidance, and
They were playing out of the county at a private school so there was some you know lack of kind of
10:20:10 clarity around when to call it. It ended up getting called at halftime, but my daughter had an asthma attack in the process, and so it's I think I I will be.
10:20:22 I I do think it would be helpful if our Board of Health advanced.
10:20:26 The the air quality regulations. Just you know there's some State guidance.
10:20:30 But, for example, I don't I don't know if we all knew that all kids are considered in the sensitive group because they were willing to play up until a 150 parts per 1 million
and alright Qi and and it had pretty detrimental effect, on the number of kids
10:20:49 and coaches too, feeling really unwell. But those kids, especially 2Â h running back and forth, you know, across the field.
10:20:55 It's gonna have a very different effect. So I I do think we should revisit that at public health census is becoming, you know, a more frequent event And then, also, so just
wanted to say, I was at the clinic at my vaccination on Saturday and as usual great
10:21:13 job deem, and thank you. William Volunteers. It was a just a a well run machine, and I was out of there and like 20 less than 25Â min. It was great.
10:19:50 Okay.
10:21:25 So. Thank you. I heard a lot of gratitude for that over the weekend, Willie.
10:21:33 So good energy flowing in the community about that clinic.
10:21:28 But
10:21:38 I want to agree. I think we yeah, Tm: is doing an amazing job, and I think we do need to do a little more messaging on air quality, because when people think of high-risk groups
they think it's like elder folks with heart failure and they don't know that all kids fall under that
10:21:53 Group: and they also might not know the complexity about what you're doing outside going through a walk-up side is very different than 2Â h running back and forth.
10:22:01 You're actually moving a ton of smoke through your lungs. If you're doing that.
10:21:37 Thank you.
10:22:11 Any other questions, for Oh, you are Dr. Barry, auntie.
10:22:16 Do you have any? No? Well, thanks, you guys, we appreciate you being here again this week, and we'll look forward to seeing you next week.
10:22:03 So I think you could handle that at the the Board of Health and Public cost level, and also share a lot more money
10:22:35 I think we save one more weekly update, and next week it will actually be Tom.
10:22:25 We have a couple more weeks of weekly updates, and then we'll shift to our new rhythm.
10:22:37 Oh, that's right.
10:22:36 Locke is going to be speaking to you guys because I'm gonna be on vacation
10:22:48 Right. Have a good vacation. Well deserved
10:22:56 Giving Kptz a little bit of the air time back this morning.
10:23:03 so do we wanna go back, and oh, no, we have another agenda item this morning, and we could.
10:23:10 I see the owls on on online. I'm assuming you're ready to go out.
10:23:17 I can. Bring a very quick bio break, or I could just run down the hall and guys are getting set up.
10:30:57 Ms. C. Doing? Yeah, I mean, it's a good idea.
10:31:04 Okay.
10:31:06 Yeah.
10:31:14 to help parents.
10:31:17 4, one.
10:31:22 Okay, Can you hear us, Greg: Okay, So I think AV's up and running, or we're not really sure which system systems are working right now.
10:31:32 But appears to be working so welcome back we are, gonna be joined this morning by our so solid waste manager, Al Karen's in talking about solid waste transfer station operating
hours Looks like Al already shared a screen and can't really read What's
10:31:54 on that image, but it looks like the org chart for solid waste.
10:32:04 Make it bigger. Or maybe I can make this. I don't know.
10:32:08 How can you make that wider? And you're muted?
10:32:17 thanks.
10:32:13 Just so, you know, I think most else. Good morning, Al.
10:32:21 I I think most of the slides will be more legible than that when I can tee this up when you're ready.
10:32:30 Yeah, we're ready. Go ahead again. There's a discussion about perhaps, our recommendation to to change our operating hours at the transfer.
10:32:41 Station. This isn't really an area where the board has to, you know.
10:32:48 Make a motion and tell us when the transfer station has to be open, as the public Works Director, I can set the hours I think I will go over that according to the solid waste
management plan but we view this is a good opportunity to check in with the Board and make sure that we're you know on the
10:33:05 same page, and that all of your questions about this topic might be answered, and also just again share some information about our our current operations.
10:33:19 Good opportunity for us to check in with the board. So that's that's just the introduction here.
10:33:26 I'll be making a presentation, and and then, of course, there's any questions or discussion we can entertain that At the end of the presentation.
10:33:38 Great thanks, Monte, and I'm getting text on my phone saying that people are having a hard time hearing you.
10:33:44 So when you I'll try to, I maybe with this microphone you have to be really right on it.
10:33:54 Little technical upgrade here for Monty. Yeah, and just checking in with board on the proposal to modify the hours at the transfer station and we're not looking for a I did
that action from the board we're just gauging your
10:32:20 Good morning.
10:34:16 Yeah, concurrence or level questions you might have on this topic, and we'll see see where it goes.
10:34:22 Okay.
10:34:24 Great thanks. So, Ali, you have a presentation. You want to go through
10:34:29 I do. Thank you, Commissioner and just to caveat this presentation isn't up to my personal standard.
10:34:37 We could let it stand as Testament to the limited staff hours that we currently have.
10:34:43 I'll do better in the
10:34:49 So this is the org chart from the adopted currently budget.
10:34:55 and to show you what kind of staff shortages we've been suffering, as you probably No, our solid waste, moderate risk, waste operations.
10:35:08 Coordinator has retired. What we have done is redistribute.
10:35:15 those tasks among all staff. That position was responsible for doing the closed landfill monitoring program with gas and and water monitoring.
10:35:27 I have assumed those responsibilities, coordination of material movement at the environmental centers.
10:35:37 We have 2, one at the transfer station, and one at the quilting facility.
10:35:40 Those have been. Those responsibilities have been assumed by the solid waste operations.
10:35:45 Coordinator, and then, of course, daily maintenance of those facilities has been registered among the rest of staff.
10:35:55 that's challenging. Given that one of our long term employees, solid was operator, 3 is out, perhaps for a long term.
10:36:05 medical cause, and we also haven't filled a clerk.
10:36:10 Higher position at the transfer station, so redistributing those moderate risk-based coordinator responsibilities.
10:36:18 Across the staffing levels is problematic, and we're looking at several absences coming up the next within this year or early January, we have a scale house attendant Who is
has signaled that she will be resigning in early January, we have
10:36:44 a operator, one who has also resigned that position.
10:36:50 again a clerk tire attendant is out on a medical leave, with no known.
10:36:54 We do date, that position's been unfilled for 12 months, and we have a pending medical leave long-term leave with no known return date.
10:37:06 with one of our clerk. Higher scale attendance at the Co.
10:37:12 Scene, facility as well. One of our other attendants there has.
10:37:17 It's also intimated that she may retire sometime next year as well.
10:37:21 so we would be without both of our. So solid waste attendance at the grocery facility.
10:37:27 So this is the near term future for solidly staffing the effect of all of this on our budget, as you can see here This is January through September over time, comparing last
year's this year you can see that it's increased somewhat substantially
10:37:47 here.
10:37:49 And I should say we don't have any staff that want over time.
10:37:55 So this is having it pretty Deleterious effect on morale, just to compare the number of over time hours again.
10:38:08 This is January. Through September, comparing it to roads.
10:38:15 you know we're we're distributing 408Â h, or have distributed 408Â h of overtime between essentially 4 staff at the transfer station, whereas roads has distributed 512Â h between
more than 20 staff
10:38:34 So here are the effects of these staffing issues on our operation.
10:38:40 I hear, at least weekly from Staff that they are suffering from an inbalance of work versus Life Staff are either burned out or quickly approaching.
10:38:53 Burnout, and that's affecting our ability to retain staff accidents and near misses have been increasing.
10:39:03 We've had 2, Lni claims in the last 30 days.
10:39:07 we're unable to meet our training requirements right now.
10:39:11 They're simply aren't enough hours in the week after operations to have all of our staff trained counties required training level.
10:39:24 there's no real hazard in not being able to meet the open public Meetings Act Training requirement Cause staff doesn't have time to get on a computer right now.
10:39:35 but it's it's a bit demoralizing for staff not to.
10:39:41 be compliant with the training schedule We've limited training to just the essential work.
10:39:48 Safety, issues, But other than that, we're we're just gonna have to host date the the rest of the training schedule until we get adequate staffing.
10:39:59 we've been able to keep up with equipment, maintenance, critical maintenance issues.
10:40:05 But other maintenance issues like groundskeeping pressure, washing, painting.
10:40:10 You've had to put that in advance until again we we have adequate staff to be able to do that staff.
10:40:16 There at the transfer station, The closing facility are pretty proud of maintaining the facility at a fairly high level, so that, too, is affecting morale.
10:40:27 I'm project manager. We have a pretty significant capital project about to We're gonna break ground on replacing the pit Scales, November Fourth We've been fortunate to be able
to retain an operations coordinator who has pretty
10:40:45 deep experience, with project management, construction, man project management. And we're not able to apply those skills to that.
10:40:58 Project, simply because that person is needed for running equipment.
10:41:02 So we're kind of losing out. I'm being able to tap into the skill set that we have out there.
10:41:12 and again. I I will be onsite for the 2 weeks of that project as well and largely absent from the office during that project.
10:41:22 we had planned on doing a software upgrade for our scale software, we should have completed that Already we've pushed that into January There's a little bit of risk in doing
that We've also had to push back the replacement of the computers and the operating
10:41:41 software, because the the current software program that we're utilizing there.
10:41:48 Oh, well, talk nicely to the new operating platform. So we've had to push that project back, and we're concerned, too, that by applying management labor to backfill for absent,
staff there that we may run into a grievance issue the Union we're pretty proud that
10:42:12 we've been more than a decade without a grievance in solid waste division.
10:42:17 You'd like to continue with that track reactor
10:42:23 So what's the fix for our staffing problems we have over the last year year and a half borrowed operators from the Roads division?
10:42:36 I inquired of Matt Stewart whether or not this was a long term.
10:42:41 Fix for us. Roads also suffer some staffing issues here?
10:42:48 I asked him to be candid in his response to my query, and I'll I'll quote from the email I got back from Matt last week, he said, We understand your needs and will help solid
waste.
10:43:03 As needed but for the love of drivable roads.
10:34:43 Oh, jokes!
10:43:07 Please don't ask. So That's the last time I'll ask Matt to be candid with me.
10:43:14 We could, when we fail to be able to staff the transfer station with a minimum One operator and 3 laborers.
10:43:23 That's the That's the minimum staffing level.
10:43:28 In order to assure that Staff get a lunch break.
10:43:33 then we would have to temporarily close the facility.
10:43:39 we'll talk a little bit about what that might look like.
10:43:43 Or we could tailor the operational hours to the current near term staffing levels
10:43:53 So as we've already discussed roads is strongly signaled that, barring from their operations, is not near term, and certainly a long term fix, we would see closing the facility
on a temporary basis is suboptimal would be my most
10:44:19 euphemistic description of that arrangement.
10:44:20 There we might only know when we fall below those staffing levels the day of an operation and would have to close the facility.
10:44:31 Very little public notice, not something that we really want to entertain
10:44:40 Or we could look at tailoring the operational hours to the staffing level
10:44:49 So what we would recommend. Yeah, And you can see at the top of that slide.
10:44:54 These are the current operational hours? We accept both residential and commercial cell phone and the garbage certificated callers.
10:45:05 Waste Monday through Saturday, 9 Am. To 4, 30 Pm.
10:45:10 what we are recommending is that we revise that schedule, maintain the current operational hours, but on a Tuesday, through Saturday basis for residential and commercial cell
callers, and then accept it's from waste connections the G-sert Haller on
10:45:29 Monday's only to only allow waste connections.
10:45:33 Loads on Mondays, and then, additionally, we would like to close the Friday after Thanksgiving.
10:45:41 This has become a significant point of contention with Staff.
10:45:50 There the solid waste division outside of first responders in the county are the only staff that are required to work On the Friday after Thanksgiving.
10:46:02 It's been a I've heard loudly from Staff that they would really like to enjoy that benefit.
10:46:09 That other county employees receive
10:46:13 In the future, when we have the adequate staff, we would like to regain some of the operational hours lost in this revision by adding a half hour of operation at the end of
Tuesday through Saturday operations the current and probably long term trend is that we are getting more
10:46:34 loads Towards the end of the day. So this gives us an opportunity to get a little bit ahead of the curve.
10:46:42 Here in anticipating that long-term trend, We're also seeing a lot of the loads from lease connections coming in between 3 30 and up to 4 30, and this is a considerable cause
of the overtime, hours that we're seeing here since may of this
10:47:05 year we haven't had a single staff person actually work the hours posted on the monthly schedule.
10:47:12 There have been that many significant revisions, particularly for the operators.
10:47:19 they simply would like to be able to know, when they're going to sit down for dinner with their family right now.
10:47:27 It could be, you know, on on some really good days they're able to leave the facility at 5, 30 on average.
10:47:37 It's probably closer to 6 o'clock, and we've had staff on site till 7
10:47:45 So
10:47:47 We took a look around the state to consider what this revision would mean in terms of the number of facility, hours of operation available to cell phone customers and we looked
at both client and kits app as our neighboring counties and then also other counties, with the population. Relative to ours we didn't look
10:48:13 at counties with the lower population, tried to measure ourselves against.
10:48:22 you know those with with a higher population here. And then.
10:48:26 What we did was, we. We divided those number of operational hours per week available to the public by population to try to try to come up with a metric where we could adequately
gauge our level of service versus other counties, and and I should say in in doing any service, level of service comparison with
10:48:46 other counties, and solid waste. It's it's sometimes really tricky It's it's actually not often that you can do an apple staff comparison. Oftentimes you're bearing an apple.
10:48:58 To it an orange or banana, or occasionally a pineapple.
10:49:02 but it's always good for us to take a look around the State and see what the level of services in different service areas, and and try to gauge where we fall on that so as you
can see here, even with the proposed revised hours of operation we still measure pretty favorably to other
10:49:29 Stevens County was a which appears to be a pretty high achiever.
10:49:35 Here they are very differently, and that they have 5 different facilities.
10:49:41 But I should mention that some of those facilities are only open for limited hours.
10:49:45 2 days a week, or 3 days a week, and the landfill, which apparently takes the majority of municipal solid waste.
10:49:54 There is only open for the actually the same hours of operation that we're proposing a Tuesday through Saturday operational schedule.
10:50:05 I should also mention that discussions with my counterpart in Kitsap County.
10:50:13 he indicated that they will be adjusting their minimum fee.
10:50:19 January first from its current. I believe it's $32 minimum to 41.
10:50:28 So that's gonna be a pretty significant increase for them.
10:50:33 it. It helps us in that we're probably not gonna see a lot of leakage, municipal salad waste damages to their facilities next year
10:50:48 So let's compare that are like. Take a look at Downside and upside to what this revision would mean.
10:50:58 Obviously it's a drop in in customer service here.
10:51:03 it will cause longer wait. Times in the near future we would well and obviously it's gonna create some customer dissatisfaction anytime that we Amanda hours of operation or
a level of service.
10:51:20 We do here from the public quite a bit, so we we can't overlook the downside here of of making this this change.
10:51:32 We close. I believe you recall we closed for one day, due to Covid, related absences throughout the entirety of the pandemic, and we still field calls from customers wondering
if we're open on Monday.
10:51:49 So, some months after we made that one day service revision, so which just reminds us of how how important, how critical this service is for the well being of our of our population
here on the upside we you would anticipate that it'll it'll improve.
10:52:13 Our ability to recruit and retain staff, mostly because the only scenario that we could find we looked at at least it does in different staffing revisions and operational changes
only when we consider going to a a g Sir caller only Monday revision here can we then create a more
10:52:44 flexible, scheduling arrangement, where we can have a mix of 4 tens, 5, 8, and permanent part.
10:52:52 Time, but under a a 6 day a week, Operational standard including Re cell phone customers.
10:53:01 We're kind of stuck in it in a, in a five-eight schedule and we just don't have that flexibility.
10:53:11 we could improve safety. We've had an increase in lost time.
10:53:16 We could reduce that one I claims certainly we'd like to reduce the overtime cost which has the knock on effective, of reducing the increase to the tipping fee that we anticipate
for 23 we can gain a lot of operational
10:53:38 efficiency right now. There's no no way to match labor hours with the daily average annual loads that we get.
10:53:50 we track those those numbers pretty closely, And right now what happens is that we we end up with more staff in the middle of the week on our low tonnage, low transaction days.
10:54:01 where staff are really need at the beginning, and the end of the week, and there's just no remedy for that without some operational efficiencies that we could gain And it's
easier only Monday in the future, both with the we have adequate staffing and we can
10:54:23 but a half hour of operations. On the end of the day.
10:54:27 that's gonna reduce our wait times, but not in the near future. It's something that we're we're gonna have to work towards waste connections has signaled.
10:54:39 They could probably move 40% of their commercial accounts to Mondays.
10:54:46 They can gain a lot of operational efficiencies as well.
10:54:49 And so we're taking a large volume of tonnages that take a lot of time to manage the the compactor loads.
10:55:00 take far more time to manage on the tipping floor. Then the cell phone customer loads do so if we can move 40% of those loads over to Mondays that's gonna save quite a bit of
wait times.
10:55:15 For our customers, for our cell phone customers. Those operational revisions within waste connections would play out over the next 2 to 3 months.
10:55:26 It will take some time for them to make those changes, so we won't see, you know, an immediate positive effect on that.
10:55:32 But by January one we would anticipate that we can take a large percentage of those commercial halls and place them on Mondays, with which is staff to managing those and I've
mentioned eventually We'll Lengthen the end of the day hours and
10:55:54 it's it's a bit counterintuitive that if if the direction we'd like to push our customers or encourage our customers to go to is for curbside collection by subscription with
waste connections, then then convenience, works against that initiative.
10:56:14 we would. We've We've talked a least connections about rolling out a a program advertising for that herbside service here as we move to these operational revisions.
10:56:31 As Well, I did. It's a bit dated, but I think it was early last year.
10:56:36 I looked at the at the cost. Difference between cell phoneing Assuming you're a Portland Other resident and gas was, I think, at the time 4 50, a gallon and compared the cost
of it by weekly trip to the transfer station not giving any value to time just on fuel
10:56:59 costs, and it looked like a a $90 a year, savings to subscribe to curbside service.
10:57:09 By weekly including recycling, so we would want to strongly encourage our customers to consider curbside services by subscription.
10:57:19 We did have Last month we had a customer arrive with 2 pillows, so we charged $5 per pillow.
10:57:30 we would like to probably revise our minimum fee.
10:57:33 January first to $10 per pillow.
10:57:38 hmm, hmm.
10:57:40 The customer also complained about the 15Â min. Wait time
10:57:44 Hmm.
10:57:57 Oh, yeah, thanks for the the great presentation Al: and hard to argue with the analysis.
10:58:03 I'm just wondering I didn't see in there, and maybe I missed what the Commercial Hollers think about this potential change.
10:57:49 Any questions.
10:58:12 We have, and thanks for asking that, Commissioner. Yes, just last week we sat down with the commercial holler and work through some of the logistics of this upsides and downsides
of it.
10:58:28 they're pretty enthused about going to about being able to move so much of their weekly tonnages to Mondays.
10:58:36 it will gain them a lot of operational efficiency, too.
10:58:39 They, too, are suffering from staff shortages. I think they they said.
10:58:44 They've had a 30% turnover rate in the last year.
10:58:47 So this would help them out quite a bit. We also had discussions with city, this just to ensure that there would be no service disruption in rescheduling the under the city
contract for her side services, so no no downside there Steve King and I spoke
10:57:52 Hmm! I I have a question. I'll go ahead, Greg
10:59:29 my my question was so going back to your maybe your third slide, where it showed how many people were soon to be out of the solid waste, or charge, or are currently out of the
org chart do you really think this feels like a a small change based on half your capacity in the in the
10:59:13 this last week and this week again, and he has indicated that the city would look favorably on on this transition to
11:00:05 no, what what I might have shown is the positions that we are currently hiring for.
11:00:14 So we we are. We interviewed last week for 2 of the operator, one positions.
11:00:20 We're pretty enthused about the 2 candidates there.
11:00:24 it will require that they go through Cdl training.
11:00:30 and so, which means that for 6 weeks or so will be absent.
11:00:33 Those staff, persons while they go through Cdl training and gain that we are filling a labor position as well with an internal candidate.
11:00:46 So we we should be pretty robust in our staffing level over time.
11:00:54 but of course it's a bit misleading to look at it at an org chart and see it filled, and or I should say, we shouldn't interpret a filled word chart as having the actual skill
level that we need for the operation that comes over time you know and in 6 months to a
11:01:13 year we hope to have the qualified staff with the skill level that we need for for that operation.
11:01:22 we're pretty happy with the org chart as it is, and don't don't anticipate, and needing to add more labor.
11:01:31 it would be our preference to amend the operating hours before we actually apply more labor to it.
11:01:41 Of course, you know labor's a pretty significant portion of our operating costs, and we try to keep it at a at a safe, but not 2 large level As As a service.
10:59:54 near term being gone. So I'm am I oversimplifying the the or chart graphic that you shared
11:02:02 I I don't have a lot to add. I I definitely understand the rationale, and I think the you know, so many organizations, governments, businesses are in the same same boat of having
to manage their customers likeations, and the reality.
11:02:23 With, the reality of our labor market, and I I think it's important to try to make our folks happy and satisfied and not overwork, too, because then we just risk losing them
more.
11:02:34 And more so, certainly want to support you, and keeping your staff come into work and not too burned out so I don't think I I really have any questions or concerns.
11:02:49 It seems there was something I wanted to clarify, but I can't remember what it is.
11:01:55 To our customers who pay for that staff through the tipping fee.
11:02:54 I'll get back to it if you think of it.
11:02:56 Thank you, Commissioner, and I I would also add that what we'd hope to do is is to look at the effect these operational revisions would have over the next year, and revisit
it in the next 12 months probably in a workshop setting again and report back with what this what the net effect
11:03:20 was, whether we gain the operational efficiencies that we're hoping for, and what the level of customer satisfaction or dissatisfaction is we can And then, if maybe we can amend
the hours either back to a Monday operating hours for cell phone customers or conclude
11:03:54 Yeah, I think that's a really important part. I mean, you know, it's it.
11:03:59 It it would be possible to change again after evaluating this, but we don't want to change frequently, because it takes a while to get the message out about what the hours are
for people to get used to it in a course for waste connections to adjust their schedules and everything
11:04:16 else as well. So, but I would pile on to what Al is saying here, that the challenges of hiring staff are are real both in solid ways and and roads.
11:04:36 you know Jefferson County has the fourth highest Median home price in the State, and we certainly you know housing costs have risen all over Washington, particularly Western
Washington I looked at some data.
11:04:56 the meeting home. Price is gone up. 134% since 2,014, and you know, wages have gone up 19.
11:05:04 So the Median Home price in Jefferson County is currently just under $600,000.
11:05:11 Those are difficult prices to forward when you're making $2025 an hour.
11:05:26 and so again is is really impacted. Our ability to find operators in particular people with commercial drivers, licenses.
11:05:37 That's not something. You just go out and get on a weekend.
11:05:40 That's significant training which we we can now provide, but it comes at a substantial cost, and and time to do that.
11:05:50 it used to be. You know, these jobs are really competitive, and you'd have multiple candidates with Cds already that you're turning away because it was so competitive.
11:06:00 And now most of our candidates for operator positions don't possess Cds.
11:06:06 They may have some equipment operation, experience. But again, it's just We've seen a real transition in the labor market, and you know, in the housing costs in the last 7 years.
11:06:20 Here that have, and and and the effects are really starting to show up.
11:06:26 So I think these operational changes are a good way of managing some of that, for solid waste, and but again, like Al says, we'll be able to evaluate that, and and see how it
goes but we are in a real Crunch right now Al when when are you proposing
11:03:40 that the service level drop was commensurate with staffing, and that and the level of dissatisfaction wasn't such that we should roll Mondays back in for cell phone customers
11:06:55 That's right. We'd like to do it within or by November fourteenth.
11:07:01 The rollout for that, so giving us 4 weeks to advertise post notice everywhere.
11:07:07 We can imagine about that. We've got a a pretty robust list of outlets now, as we just started to roll out our remote collection event program as a substitute for the fixed
facility for the moderate risk was facilities.
11:07:30 So we've got a a really good list of media venues to reach the public on.
11:06:48 to begin these hours, and I'm sure you're gonna have a pretty robust advertising campaign for that as well
11:07:39 I don't know if you can see it now, but Greg's got his hand up.
11:07:44 oh, just to comment and try, and I didn't want to step on Al or Monty.
11:07:49 But you, know I don't. I'm really glad that that Al brought this to our attention.
11:07:54 Even though it's of course, within public works, operational purview and everything.
11:07:58 And I I the timeline. Everything seems reasonable, and I just hope that we can help at the Bocc.
11:08:05 You know Kerry, carry some of this water, and I'm sure there will be some pushback and happy to take any of that, or or you know, Give whatever cover I can we can speaking for
my my seat.
11:08:19 Mates a little bit, I guess, but it seems like the best possible solution to a pretty challenging situation, one that we're encountering, you know.
11:08:27 Not not just It's solid waste, including the day after Thanksgiving, you know.
11:08:32 I mean, if if for solid waste, operators were paid like first responders, it might be a different story but I'm entirely in favor of of of getting that day back into their their
family, time and and respect for the the the extra effort that they have been giving seeing that over time comparison
11:08:52 between roads and and and solid waste, and the impact on, you know, people's lives is was really talented to me.
11:09:00 So fully in in support of of your plan. And just, you know, really reach out to me and let me know how I can.
11:09:09 I can help, you know. Manage some of the frustration from the public, or amplify the the messaging that you guys set along.
11:07:37 There.
11:07:42 Greg, you have a question
11:09:22 And I've said it before. Al, I have a lot of customers service experience.
11:09:27 I'm happy to be trained up to be a a a scale attendant.
11:09:32 an Sos scale attendant, so, and I want to be a operator.
11:09:36 Yeah, I know I I I would like some skills. I don't have a Cdl.
11:09:20 Thank you, Commissioner.
11:09:40 But I fantasize about it. Yeah.
11:09:45 Right. You don't think they want the commissioners out there filling in? No?
11:09:52 Okay, Well, if you'd like to come by some time before hours and try your hand at the grizzly, I'm sure one of our operators are. Justin.
11:10:02 Would give you opportunity to hop up there. Yeah, The knuckle
11:10:06 that's the knuckle boom. Oh, I'll I'll I'll cross the lines to run the knuckle boom for an
11:10:15 I'm on out before, or they open some time. I'm just asking for the cash register when they need me.
11:10:21 But anyway, and I'll just say I totally relate to the housing situation, and I it's not lost on me that I wouldn't be able to live here if I didn't have the great great good
graces.
11:10:30 Of my family, and having been here for 40 years, and having that decades of equity in our homes, I would not be living here So Yeah, it's really, tough, and I know not just
on this front.
11:10:49 But on every front that I encounter everybody's feeling it, and I don't ion. It's the thing that wakes me up in the middle of the night.
11:10:56 I honestly don't know how long any of us is gonna be able to stay here.
11:11:05 timings, everything. I can afford to live here now, but I couldn't with this job I couldn't afford to move to Jefferson County at all, so I Yeah, it.
11:09:40 Hmm.
11:11:00 It's yeah, it's it's scary for me.
11:11:16 When I saw the add, and I know that well, maybe I'm I can talk about whatever I want to saw the add taken out by Greg's opponent the other day about the the pay raise and the
decision we made for that and it's like you know, we could not afford to live here, and do
11:11:32 these jobs, and they are jobs, and we care deeply about our community.
11:11:39 And so to the people, working and solid waste. A lot of people here have lived here their whole life, and we know we all want to be here, and we've made a choice to be here.
11:11:50 And it's not easy. And so I just I'm I hear that part of the story, Alan.
11:11:54 I I you know, can't say I have a solution at my sleeve, and I'm not a housing commissioner, but maybe someday I will be, and it's something that I hear about every day.
11:12:07 So yeah, super hard. I'm consistently impressed with the you know, the the dedication, of the job shown by folks in our roads, and solid ways group.
11:12:23 You know people that they really do wanna work hard and and do a good job, and then these are not easy jobs, but you know they they work.
11:12:34 Hard they do. They do great work. But yeah the finding new people's a real challenge.
11:12:39 Again. I I was just looking at the data 2414.
11:12:44 The Median home price. Here was 250,000.
11:12:47 Now it's 600,000, I mean, you can still live in Grace Harbor County meeting home price around 300,000 pays about same as you know.
11:12:56 All the counties pay about the same some a little higher.
11:13:00 Of course, when you get in the metro area, but King San Juan and Snow home, is sure the 3 that are higher than us.
11:13:06 And then then Jefferson County for meeting Home Price And so they're There has been a real shift in a very short amount of time.
11:13:18 and again finding the new people. And it. It's tough
11:13:28 Well report back on how how this recipe goes
11:13:39 I also just mentioned, we Al and and Justin Operations manager and the contractor hosted our remote collection or offsite collection event for household hazardous waste.
11:13:52 This weekend in Port Hadlock, and you had.
11:13:33 we will certainly do that. Thank you. Commissioners really appreciate your support.
11:13:57 Oh, over a 140 vehicles. Yeah, in 4Â h.
11:13:54 What was it? How 140 customers
11:14:00 Yeah, yeah, we, we do barely had capacity. Then.
11:14:07 That within the vehicle to Oh, at all.
11:14:11 So, but we did it just to miss our operations.
11:14:15 Coordinator was managing that event, and the same time I was at the moderate risk.
11:14:21 Waste was facility with 5 technicians moving out the last of the materials.
11:14:01 4Â h. Oh, which
11:14:28 There. We We started at 7, and we ended at 4, 30, and we didn't get all the materials out so we'll have another go at it.
11:14:34 Wow.
11:14:39 Nice work.
11:14:45 Yeah, and we've collected some interesting materials over the years that were not exactly safe to be stored there.
11:14:53 So it's good to see that stuff finally getting handle.
11:14:37 But we're getting close, so thank you.
11:14:58 But you know our average customer weekend day at the Mr. W.
11:15:06 Is about 20 customers. So doing, a 140, plus, and then 4Â h at a remote event, I think, shows that that's a good model to go to, and we can take those events, outside of You
know, port towns and our next one is Well, The next one is in port. Townsend but we'll
11:15:29 be doing these in will scene in South County as well.
11:15:00 Hmm.
11:15:37 yeah, yeah, we'll rotate between Port Townsend.
11:15:35 I believe Port Ludlow maybe right now
11:15:51 So what's the weirdest thing that's shown up at the transfer station?
11:15:55 I don't know the name of it. Al You probably do.
11:15:58 We had a jar about this tall that cost to $6,000 to get rid of with a guy in a bomb suit.
11:15:42 Word Hadlock well seen it board Ludlow, and distribute those services bit more equitably
11:16:06 What was that radioactive or
11:16:08 No, it was a pure potassium, highly reactive. Yeah, the yeah, cost to $6,000 a little more than $6,000 to have a technicians show up done a bomb squad suit, and then over 2Â h
activate slowly activate the potassium He said It had a blast radius
11:16:12 Wow.
11:16:31 of 50 feet, so I I put a building between myself and and the technician.
11:16:33 Wow.
11:16:40 But it was a little scary to see potassium foaming over the the beaker that he activated the solution in so
11:16:54 we're not entirely certain how that got under our shelves.
11:17:01 But we had a no, we we had a few other surprises.
11:17:04 on Saturday. But it's good to have a really highly skilled staff.
11:17:11 There that are It's kind of a crap team that does just those sorts of major cleanouts of facilities.
11:17:20 They had the week before. They clean out a laboratory at the University of Washington, but they said that our facility was a a little bit more required.
11:17:32 More care, then chemical lab at the U. Dub. So I think we.
11:16:49 good person who brought it in, told you what it was
11:17:59 And thanks for dealing with the extra load coming from the one property and Shemicum.
11:17:38 We had taken on a a significant amount of risk in operating that facility, and it is being abated. Now it's nice to see the entirety of your risk for material management go
down the road in a semi truck at the end of one of those events
11:18:12 Yeah, we. We were happy to try to accommodate that.
11:18:16 I mean, I think that you know it hung us up for a little bit there, and it's disappointing that we had to turn away the remaining amount of that load.
11:18:04 I know that. Put a stress on the event and appreciate whatever you could take, because we know that's going to be a a long term cleanup solution
11:18:24 But yeah, you know it's it's always good to run through a scenario like that and and identify whether or not it's feasible or not, we'd certainly found out that it wasn't so
now we know most of our customers expressed a lot.
11:18:36 Hmm, yeah.
11:18:42 Of appreciation for moving that event out of Port Townsend, and and closer, that you know, in the Tri area, we had a number of customers from Brendan Quill scene There so we
got some really good feedback on on this New service delivery model
11:19:07 Yeah, Sorry about that. I didn't realize I did that off the whole time.
11:19:09 Thanks for speaking to me politely to a blank screen this whole time
11:18:59 Great. Glad to hear it. Thanks for turning your camera. On Nice to see you
11:19:17 Yup. Thank you. We'll We'll get Monty back soon. We'll likely be back in here early next year, talking about our fee schedule.
11:19:33 It hasn't been changed since 2014. So again, talking about particularly the minimum fee, which really, you know, having customers come in with these very, very small loads,
because it's so cheap, to do so is is working, against us and you see, all the other transfer
11:19:59 stations really raising those rates. So the people aren't using.
11:20:04 That's Self Hall, plugging up those lines with 2 pillows and things like that.
11:20:10 So. But yeah, that that might be early next year, or the discussion.
11:20:17 Do you know it's part of the callers.
11:20:21 Adjustment to the Monday, you know, being an exclusive day for them.
11:20:26 Will that involve them changing pickup days, cause I assume they would need more lead time. For that.
11:20:31 Yeah, and Al has been talking with them to make sure that these changes, you know, work with with their operation, and that and they are supportive of of doing this, so they'll
they'll transition a little more slowly So we won't see You know all of their changes made on day one of
11:20:53 our change, but as they move more and more stuff into the Monday, it just should help relieve some of the pressure.
11:21:00 On the Tuesday, through Saturday for us. They have curbside, of course, but they also have a commercial routes that they run Yeah, and that's the month.
11:21:13 That's the first. That's the Monday. Well, it's that.
11:21:16 will initially be in there, but they may I change some of their curbside at some point?
11:21:24 Their schedule as well. Okay, remember, they get stuck in the same lines as everyone else, which really impacts their efficiency.
11:21:34 So, If there's no line on a Monday, it's to their benefit to be able to have that facility exclusively for them.
11:21:42 And then, you know, like Al said, we'll just have 2 people there.
11:21:45 We won't need scale house people or anything like that, you know, and so recycling would be closed on Mondays as Well.
11:21:56 No, it's outside the the Scale House It's behind the gate, so right?
11:22:06 It would be for the loan. Yeah, So this doesn't apply to closing, or would it?
11:22:16 We'll see. We'll have the same operational hours.
11:22:20 We're just talking about the transfer station here at Jacob Miller.
11:22:24 Yeah.
11:22:24 only open 4 days a week, I think, right now. Yeah.
11:22:28 While we reduce that a year or 2 ago. Yeah, we extended the hours.
11:22:33 But one last day, Yeah, So it's actually the same amount of overall hours.
11:22:40 But it's compressed into 3 days now. Ack will Scene: Okay.
11:22:48 Anything else on solid waste
11:22:53 No anyone need a break. We could do some more briefing finish up on briefing, and then I know that I think Kate is gonna attend the was that call at noon.
11:23:05 But it's not notice. It's a public meeting, so we can only send one Commissioner today.
11:23:10 And so she's gonna go on our website.
11:23:15 Oh, we got media that email that one else. So yeah, yeah, we didn't get that meeting.
11:23:25 We weren't successful in getting that meeting. Noticed
11:23:32 push through for another Yeah, 20Â min or so, sure. And then Monty, you probably don't need to Come this.
11:23:40 Over here this afternoon. You could just be on zoom. Okay, that one for the 1 30 does that work?
11:23:46 Okay, just doing logistics being the queen of logistics.
11:23:52 Here. Okay, do you? Wanna You are? You talk to us a little bit about the right period issues, but you want to finish up on your week last week.
11:24:06 Sure get back to it
11:24:12 I mean, I guess we didn't really finish up on the right period and discussion, and we we wouldn't.
11:24:18 It would be difficult to finish that conversation. But are there recommended actions for the legislative session?
11:24:24 Coming out of that discussion, or they don't necessarily anticipate a another bill.
11:24:31 This session, although it's it's a well, the governor doesn't, anyway.
11:24:36 Not not the same high profile. I think they want to take some more time to digest the report, so it wouldn't be ready for a so I'll take the report first of December and think
it would take more than the the month, to turn that into a Via.
11:24:52 Cool Bill
11:24:58 Yeah, So the association accountees has has really consistently said that they think this is a takings issue, and that's kind of at the crux of the matter is, you know how what
authority should the state have visa V the tribal treaty rights.
11:25:15 so, you know that can, as people in the room were saying, it's a lot more expensive to fight that out in court than it is to try to come to consensus in that group.
11:25:27 so it's it'll be an interesting process.
11:25:30 I've not heard the tribes kind of use.
11:25:34 This strong a language recently and so you can tell. It really is something that they're going to go to the mat on.
11:25:41 But you know counties, of course, feel strongly about it, too.
11:25:45 and I I You know I had to be very clear going into that meeting.
11:25:51 It's interesting because Paul, jewel from the association of counties is there.
11:25:55 And then also the director of the Puerto Rican partnership.
11:25:56 And so I had to think a lot about what had am I wearing in this meeting?
11:25:59 I said. Forget it. I'm just representing myself in my county, Jefferson County, because it's you know I'm kind of stuck between these 2 total polar opposites, and I I understand
both perspectives, but you know I where I'm landing is.
11:26:16 I think that I think that we what we're doing isn't working, and what I would really like to see is some local decision-making, So like we did for the Rhya process, the water
resource inventory areas have some local authority.
11:26:31 To be able to determine where improvements are made to the right period area.
11:26:38 So for a whole watershed you can expect a certain performance total, and that might mean some areas that are wetlands and not really suitable for farming, could have intensive
restoration, of riparian areas and then some areas that are prime soils actively farmed might have less
11:26:58 and and sprinkled in some smaller buffers And you know, so I think that the question is, do we have the science to know if that could be effective or not?
11:27:08 and it, it. A lot comes down to the stream temperature, so there is a lot of data on that, so we'll see.
11:27:18 But it's I mean, it's really interesting. The still Guamish tribe was there.
11:27:23 There, take a fish for the last many years has been for the whole tribe 5 salmon, and that's only because it's been shut down for you know they're not reaching their their based
numbers and so they're allowed to take 5 for ceremonial purposes.
11:27:44 And that's it, you know, and there are. That's probably the most extreme example.
11:27:48 But you know there are many tribes saying we can.
11:27:53 We do not have our basic subsistence. So I'm you know, I I I'm hopeful We will find a compromise like I said It's really tricky that it's kind of Ag: that's being forced to
kind of make all these concessions when we know
11:28:11 that urban areas. And you know, most cities sit on rivers, and where rivers meet you on what was estuaries, and many of those are now destroyed.
11:28:21 Of course, of their ecological function. So does all of that responsibility, then fall on egg.
11:28:27 and you know cities are doing a better job of that.
11:28:29 Certainly bringing back some habitat, but it's a drop in the bucket so, and does the Snake River play into these conversations?
11:28:39 it's it did not come up. No, no, it's really focused on riparian.
11:28:47 And it's interesting because we're you know, the script really cares and wants to wants to reach consensus and the tribes say, remember, this is just one issue.
11:28:55 They're also talking about, you know, toxins in another room and pinipeds in another room, and you know it's one of many issues.
11:29:02 But habitat being their number, one priority and right pianist.
11:29:06 They see as the the most critical Dave Herrera from the schooner. She and I have sat on the hook now coordinating council together for a long time. He and I are going to meet
in a couple of weeks I always find him really really wise and helpful so be good to
11:29:22 get his perspective. And you know, just start to see where where and he's a He's a real leader in this field to see where where we might, you know, be able to, I think in terms
of a county and a tribe working together We have a great working relationship, in hood canal you know the
11:29:42 first we're working on delisting from endangered species.
11:29:47 The Hood Canal Summer chum, which has never been done.
11:29:56 and Dave was at the table at the forest, and fish conversation.
11:29:50 So we have some some success. So hoping to maybe brainstorm, some common ground there.
11:30:04 Cool.
11:30:02 That seems a lot like this conversation, right? It was intractable.
11:30:05 Yes, yeah, exactly.
11:30:06 There's no solution, so we'll just sit down until we could figure something out right.
11:30:10 Yup. Yup. Yeah, exactly. That's another another table.
11:30:16 Okay, Otherwise, let's see.
11:30:25 Tuesday had a hmm was working on.
11:30:31 I worked a lot on the social media policy that ended up being nothing.
11:30:34 Burger, had Climate Action Committee meeting Monty.
11:30:38 Just So you know that Climate Action Committee, is interested at some point, and hearing Al's presentation on plastics, recycling.
11:30:48 So I know he's really overwhelmed right now, but a lot of interest, and I think that they could be a good group and kind of helping.
11:30:55 To maybe do some messaging or public education on that issue.
11:31:02 Wednesday. Let's see. Oh, so many meetings.
11:31:09 Where do you start? Pads meeting on the energy futures Conference, that pacific national lab is holding with Odc in November, which sounds like there's might be some interested
in number of us attending so maybe we wanna when that Agenda, is published, figure Out who wants
11:31:30 to attend what it's 3 days. So I think there's an opportunity for involvement from a number of us.
11:31:38 If the timing allows, Monty and I met with C.
11:31:42 Thurringer on the Point 0 9, bill, and he still sounds interested in sponsoring that.
11:31:52 And he'll be doing some background work and Paul and I'll be working with a senator who's also really interested in this issue.
11:32:01 Sounds like Steve really wants to keep pretty true to the original bill and the original intent of the bill, and not not do a lot of changes.
11:32:07 But it'll be interesting in the sausage making of the association of counties getting really involved in this, to see where that ends up.
11:32:14 There's some talk of expanding it to border counties and different population sizes, and think, but seems like there was agreement in our group at least, to really keep it pretty.
11:32:24 You know more contained and pure, but we know that Senator Office does not like it So that's the tricky part is how to get get to her.
11:32:35 I'm going. Conversations with a group that's meeting around this blue economy.
11:32:40 continuing to shape that conversation potentially for the recompetes.
11:32:46 economic development, administration grants, which is probably next year before that it comes into meeting, had a meeting on the child Care center, had a public meeting.
11:32:58 Wednesday night and there was really good participation, significance.
11:33:11 not wanting more traffic impacts in their neighborhood was really grateful.
11:33:19 That city Councilmember, Monica Mckagger was there, and I think hope that she can be a voice in the project from the city, because the city has been very supportive.
11:33:30 But without somebody really directly involved. It's hard to speak for the city, or, you know, be able to talk about kind of what kind of traffic study they would require, and
but it it's it is tricky, I and I live.
11:33:44 I'm only a block and a half away from the site.
11:33:46 I you know, I get the impacts of a lot of high schoolers driving too fast, and I have one myself and Hmm.
11:33:57 And yet it's also like you live in a dense, mixed use neighborhood and the the school is that you know half the capacity, as it was 25 years ago.
11:34:09 So it's it's a little hard to say that those impacts are unrealistic, for the neighborhood to absorb.
11:34:14 But you know, looking at trying to mitigate, we really don't want the project to be against the wishes of the immediate neighbors so hoping to be able to come up with some submit
again.
11:34:28 There We will also need to be coming up with quite a bit of match for that earmark, and so could be in the form of state.
11:34:40 Grants could be in the form of appropriation, could be in the form of local fundraising.
11:34:46 We're not sure. So stay tuned for that What's the remind me what the total and that is for that project.
11:34:52 It is I don't want to be inconsistent with the information we put out, so if I get back to you, I want to say about 2.7.
11:35:06 You know. It's got up quite a bit. Of course everything has, but that's our somewhere right around there.
11:35:15 but don't hold me to that number exactly.
11:35:15 Hmm Seems like there was something else. Oh, another outcome from that meeting was, it was just interesting to have a few families that were there.
11:35:28 People, with children, and you know, saying just how they feel kind of invisible.
11:35:35 And in this community, and you know a lot of strong voices of the folks saying, But what about our property values?
11:35:42 And those are largely older folks who have already raised kids here And it was a real it was.
11:35:49 It was sad to see such a divide, instead of like.
11:35:51 Oh, how do we together as a community, solve this? There was some some resentment.
11:35:59 so hopefully this project can pull folks together. Thursday had a meeting with for Tara, and the Bonneville Environmental Foundation.
11:36:14 On this idea we're kind of playing with of regional transfer of development rights program.
11:36:23 there is a, a 3 county version which is, actually called a conservation marketplace, and they only use it development rights.
11:36:32 But the model is, you know, having there be a number of different values that can be traded.
11:36:42 So development rights are done most often, but you know, could that be done for environmental mitigation of various sorts?
11:36:49 the real outcome from that is something I want to pursue from that meeting was the There's an effort to stop state funding from requiring the development rights get extinguished,
you know, So all of our conservation futures I'm not sure if our our ordinance for
11:37:07 conservation futures requires extinguishment, but all our Co.
11:37:11 Grants for conservation require extinguishment of development rights.
11:37:14 When really, that's a a commodity that could be maintained, and the value of that could be sold or used in some other way.
11:37:23 As we start to develop this kind of regional marketplace for different environmental services.
11:37:29 So there's gonna be an effort hopefully get funded this year to to work with the State and see how we can be a little smarter about that you know, And we've always said it's
interesting that in these private deals between a landowner and funders development rates can be purchased and the
11:37:46 landowners gets compensated, but the county or city never gets compensated for what they have lost, which is, a you know, a chunk of their potential tax base current tech space.
11:37:59 So I'm looking forward to that conversation and it's great to see there's attention from some big players at the State who want to get involved with this issue.
11:38:10 So you're saying that they're currently as a marketplace for is that for Pierce King Snowish?
11:38:16 Yeah. So the idea is to do another cluster of counties, or actually, or maybe include another rural area.
11:38:27 the other take away from that meeting, and these are folks who've been working on this idea for a while is that even within counties we do not have a transfer of development
rights ordinance in this county, and and there it statewide there haven't been a lot of transactions
11:38:46 across county lines, because it is a little bit trickier. So yes, they could expand it, but also that rural counties haven't really developed, you know.
11:38:58 So we have extinguished rights on thousands of acres in Jefferson County, largely through private conservation deals, But, you know, could could we, within our own boundaries,
be taking that those rights and putting them in our urban growth areas are there appropriate receiving areas for them and you know, this
11:39:17 is all pretty complicated, high level stuff that I'm not pretending to have any easy answers for, but it's nice to to be starting to have those conversations in their forta
has a bill and the legislature didn't pass last session but upcoming to expand the
11:39:35 Local conservation, incentive program. That's the 3 county area to monetize.
11:39:43 there's is actually a funding source. The legislature incentivizes these conservation deals that then create more density somewhere else.
11:39:53 And you actually get funding jurisdictions that take density get funding for infrastructure.
11:40:00 and so they want to expand that to allow those uses to include a affordable housing, so trying to sweeten the pot for folks to take affordable housing.
11:40:11 so, you know, Like would would they consider adding a royal county as a pilot to that, or you, know just this thrown around ideas at this point?
11:40:18 But yeah, great to to see that the conversation is being moved up, you know, just expanding the toolbox.
11:40:27 yeah, for conservation and for revenue sources.
11:40:34 sorry getting there, Worked a lot like I said, on the social media policy off or not.
11:40:40 learn a lot, and then Friday all day, with the ground table in Olympia, which round table is that riparian?
11:40:54 Oh, right? Yep: yeah, Sunday, or Saturday or Sunday.
11:40:59 When was Senator Murray here Saturday, Get nice to see Senator Murray and Congressman Kimmer here for can be in activities but still, great to see how much they they love our
area and need us feel very very lucky it was funny They they did significant Stump
11:41:20 speeches at this event. So Pye and I were both at, and they didn't even mention they did mention they had like sewer, but they didn't mention the I guess He did mention it.
11:41:27 As are the Congressional injected spending and button.
11:41:31 Senator Marie didn't mention the child care.
11:41:34 I was like, I I could It's still the virtues of being able to pick up the phone and talk to a member of your member of Congress and know that they get you and want to fund your
projects.
11:41:43 But yeah, they didn't mention it.
11:41:50 I was with you guys on Monday, of course, and then on Tuesday I spent most of the day with some colleagues working on a legislative strategy for trust land transfer The Commissioner
of the Glands is made at One of our top priorities for the upcoming
11:42:09 session, and we're working the trust land transfer program on multiple fronts right now.
11:42:16 I'd say, just maybe I'll just roll in all this work last week, and then on Wednesday, and I mean with the encumbered lands Proviso working group, which is a group of counties
affected by endangered species restrictions on their forest lands otherwise known as encumbered
11:42:37 lands It's organized by the Washington Association of Counties, and Paul Jewel.
11:42:42 And so that's been a really productive table to be at.
11:42:47 And I really appreciated learning more about that issue and the concerns of some of our well Clown county, but also learning more about the issues that are facing Scamania,
W.
11:43:02 Kayakum, and Pacific counties, and then on Thursday had my junior taxing district focus group of the Trust land transfer. Work.
11:43:11 So It was a very Dnr. For us full week last week for me.
11:43:16 but the taxing district focus group I think, is going well.
11:43:20 We have. I think we just added 2 more meetings. So that's stretching out.
11:43:26 but I feel like it's been a good also.
11:43:28 Been a good table to be at. Had an Olympic discovery Trail board meeting on Wednesday evening.
11:43:39 add a sub good Kara cardinals who's our coordinator for the straight?
11:43:44 Erin local integrating organization has pulled up these monthly funding opportunities, coffee hours in the morning and they've been a great forum for the organizations on the
Peninsula.
11:43:58 To get together and talk about funding funding sources, and also projects that they might put forward.
11:44:03 And I feel like it's a really good idea, and it was a really great conversation on Wednesday morning last week.
11:44:10 I feel like we came out of that with some very specific priorities that we could apply to some of the funding sources that are available right now.
11:44:20 And okay, commend her for thinking of spooling those up.
11:44:26 Monty and I did agenda prep, and ltch grants were due on Saturday, so we were receiving those all week last week, and looking at those we have received, I think significantly
more gran applications.
11:44:44 That we have funding for this year. I think we have about 800,000 and lodging tax funds to grant to organizations, and I think so far, I I on Saturday spent some time doing
a tally of what had come in and it looked like it was about 1 point.
11:45:02 1 5, one so about 30, third Again, as much as we have.
11:45:08 I'm to find, so we'll have to Our committee will have to grab them with hard to decisions, And we were gonna do the Behavioral Health Funding Rfp: meeting with our committee
that does those grant deliberations.
11:45:28 But one of our members got Covid, so we canceled that and postpone that so Covid Covid has been rearing its head more frequently in my life than ever before lately.
11:45:41 had a meeting with a port commission or Director Berg about the short farm, and just trying to find out more about what they're thinking, and was an interesting conversation.
11:45:55 look forward to being engaged in that going forward, and then they went out and pick some apples that was in it, that was entertaining.
11:46:04 I was one of those the crazy apple lady I was like in the gutter on Center Road.
11:46:10 Someone said, There's a tree on the edge of my property, and I took out my apple stick and was in the gutter on Center road, picking apples off someone's trees and and I'm like
Yeah, this is what I should be doing right?
11:46:22 Now. So then we pressed cider on, because my trees were not as productive this year, so I needed to find alternative apples and press them cider on Saturday, which was awesome.
11:46:32 Are We allowed to do that? Apples in the right away?
11:46:35 It was on was from private. It was on private property. I got permission.
11:46:39 I always wanted to that then. Hmm!
11:46:45 And then yesterday helped our to make them school. Superintendent moved to his new home.
11:46:51 Nice to get them settled in the neighborhood. So some community stuff, but lots of Oh, let's see work last week, and that's me.
11:47:03 Last week.
11:47:10 go ahead. Sure Great. You want to look ahead first.
11:47:13 Stick with our rotation
11:47:17 if I can on mute, I'm happy to Let's not see
11:47:18 And what was in that little bag that you took a snip up? Or are you finding shantrails
11:47:24 We have not looked for shantelles yet. I think it needs to rain once or twice before the shooting shows come out. So.
11:47:30 I think it's premature, but we haven't.
11:47:28 Okay, yeah.
11:47:31 We haven't gone up to the woods. It was actually a lavender satch at my wife. Stacey also blames me for her covid as she's recovering from surgery brought it to me to see if
it had any odor to it I think
11:47:45 she's concerned about losing your sense of smell, and it it smells great.
11:47:45 Oh!
11:47:51 So she's yeah but with laughter.
11:47:59 Yeah, let's see. This week I have the North Hood Canal Chamber of Commerce meeting this evening, voting on New members of the Executive Board.
11:48:12 All, attend Virtually this is actually my sixth day, so I could, I guess, to part with the mask.
11:48:18 But I'm just and have an abundance of caution, giving it one more day tomorrow.
11:47:55 Okay, -oh. So stiffing herbs in public session
11:48:26 mask till day 10
11:48:25 We're gonna virtual meeting mass till day. 10. Yep.
11:48:32 and then, yeah, food banks having a meeting on their development of the closing food pantry.
11:48:40 And we have a book. Maybe we don't have a harm.
11:48:44 Reduction meetings this week, and Jefferson transit.
11:48:49 I think I've missed the last 2 meetings.
11:48:52 So, looking forward to that meeting tomorrow which I will. That is virtual, I think, or at least hybrid right?
11:48:56 So I'll attend virtually I'll be wearing a mask because I go talk to cool, seeing high school class about job opportunities and job planning on Wednesday morning and then the
community conversation subcommittee is scheduled for the nineteenth then We have a
11:49:16 Jeff Com. Meeting on Thursday. I'll also attend virtually, and then oh, get done.
11:49:25 I'm sure that the Jeff Con meeting will take a moment at 1020, for the great Shake out, then have the Board of Health meeting our first hybrid Board of Health meeting in the
Chaters The public is welcome up to 50% of our chambers capacity and I will probably attend that
11:49:42 in person with the mask, and then, after that, the Housing Fund Board agenda, planning and then I'm off to ocean shores for I'll be taking Friday off and going to a long scheduled
Irish festival out in ocean shores, for Friday Saturday and and Sunday and coming
11:48:29 Yeah, sorry.
11:50:00 back on Sunday
11:50:03 Okay, That sounds fun. Hmm, hmm! What's your one?
11:50:09 Hmm! So tomorrow I have a Economic Development Council Finance Committee meeting and the Transit Authority Board meeting and then meeting with Erinberg also talk about short
bar and trying to get on the same page with the port and that potential project Wednesday meeting with the manager of the
11:50:34 fairgrounds, then doing audit interview for coordinating council.
11:50:42 then Wednesday afternoon and evening, I am at I'm on the board of Washington, C.
11:50:50 Grant, and they're having a 2 day retreats just coincidentally, in squam, which is great enough to travel.
11:50:58 But looking forward to that we've never met in person this board.
11:51:04 It was this board just formed during Covid, so be nice to meet folks from around the State who do work with C.
11:51:11 Grant. That is also Thursday. The first half of the day.
11:51:15 So I'm going to be a little bit divided between that and the Nodec executive board, but somehow swing that then Board of Health.
11:51:24 Thursday afternoon and School Board meeting that night. They will vote on whether to proceed with the childcare center or not.
11:51:38 Can I ask a question about that? I just hearing about neighborhood push back, which I think is really unfortunate.
11:51:44 I do I can't tell you how much I I I I guess, push push back on people lamenting their their property values as a reason not to do a publicly minded project I'm wondering.
11:52:00 If we, as a board, should indicate our support for this project, or consider it at all before that school board meeting, or are you I mean, I assume that you're going to the
meeting Kate?
11:52:10 But do you want to speak for the whole board? Because this is obviously a well, it's a project that I I I support, and I think that it is.
11:51:36 So we all yup
11:52:30 Yeah, yeah, I'm not sure if it would be helpful, you know, I think in in some ways I've tried to to downplay kind of political aspects of this, because it, is just Such a a
a community.
11:52:47 Need I I appreciate the offer. I'm just thinking.
11:52:50 In what form would that come? And you know, just as a reminder, we are the recipients of the 1.4 million dollar earmark for this, and we are providing $290,000 in cash for it.
11:53:05 So I think our support is, you know, so based on paper, we are the 1.7 million in.
11:53:13 So I think our our support is explicit to some degree. So.
11:53:18 But if I see an opportunity or needs, I will let you know and do do appreciate it.
11:53:25 It is. It's frustrating. And I mean, these are yeah friends of mine neighbors who are really adamantly opposed.
11:53:33 And that's that's one of the hard parts of our job to try to hold space for that.
11:53:47 Let's see, Okay, Friday. Pennsylvania Regional transportation planning Organization Executive Board Meeting.
11:53:54 Monty again. I We have a covid coordination meeting at the same time Every month those overlap.
11:54:02 So Are you comfortable Taking the Proteo meeting?
11:54:07 Okay, because both Sarah and Mark are gone. So I really need to do the coordination, covid coordination meeting.
11:54:15 And we're gonna have a new policy to be discussing there.
11:54:17 So I don't like being such a lame member, but it's until we clear up this conflict.
11:54:24 I'm not sure what else to do. Then I have a raucous fiftieth birthday party.
11:54:41 fair enough.
11:54:31 Drag party all weekend long in Seattle. Yes, and I did get vaccinated, so hoping it does not result in bringing bringing anything home
11:54:46 Hi! I know I know that's I just made that connection, but I I got my booster so hopefully.
11:54:53 I'll have enough time to kick in. I'm surrounded like crazy Tuesday.
11:55:02 I have transit with y'all, and just letting you know we've received a petition from a a large swath of transit staff supporting our current interim manager to be the permanent
manager So that went to David nice I just thought i'd share that news with
11:55:20 wow, Yeah.
11:55:21 you a big big list of folks, so great
11:55:32 Press the board across the board yeah.
11:55:37 Yeah, I mean, I'm I've since I've invited chair. This year.
11:55:40 I've been flying a little closer to that than you guys, and I've witnessed her doing a great job.
11:55:25 Interesting representing, do you? Would you say you know operations flee driving? Well, that you know. That's that's great to hear
11:55:48 That's great and she's really impressed me, too.
11:55:45 But just thought I'd share the petition. Yeah, yeah.
11:55:52 And just call out that they've lost a driver, and on tragic rock climbing accidents very, very sad.
11:56:00 He was a beloved member of this community, and sad to to lose any worker, but especially under those circumstances, Yeah, an accident like that Wednesday.
11:56:13 Have a meeting with Mallory to kind of do a game plan for our no end of November workshop on forestry issues so we're gonna start meeting weekly to talk about that and Then
Wednesday evening I have I'm gonna go to the community.
11:56:29 Wellness Project Events at Van River. Thursday Morning Community Foundation Board meeting and squeeze in, checking in with Monty on Agenda, sometime in the and the 2 to 2 30
timeframe and then join you guys for board of health in this room and then I realize that again I have
11:56:50 a conflict for the Lastack Federal Issues Committee. Have you had?
11:56:55 Have you been able to? No, no! In this week we have one with Porto.
11:56:58 So it in your in your experience, do we? I mean, I just been telling Eric every time, but I feel like, have you engaged in it at all?
11:57:10 Or no, no, and I mean I don't. It's not like the same level of timeliness, as you know our State legislative session.
11:57:21 Those are okay, more broad issues that we can continue to engage on long term.
11:57:26 Yeah, so. Well, I think you know, I'll be able to go the next 2.
11:57:30 So, and then Friday, I have another uncovered lands, proviso work group with Wasack and my county colleagues and then this weekend I do not have a rock is birthday party I have
a raucous memorial service for brand new passed away a couple of years ago.
11:57:48 So we'll be helping with that. And
11:57:51 I think the best memorial services. Our raucous, so I hope it.
11:57:55 Yeah, well, okay, we'll spell some spar, vanish on something or about person.
11:57:56 I hope there's some celebration
11:58:02 So So that. That's the highlights of my week coming up, and oh!
11:58:09 And then on Thursday evening, I'm presenting at the North Olympic chapter of the Sierra Club on Forest Issues.
11:58:19 So. Oh, I saw that. Yeah, But that's yeah for me.
11:58:27 You saw the letter from Commissioner Francis Office to do.
11:58:35 Get that as well. Kind of a a bit of a first olive branch and then think it went out.
11:58:42 Statewide, said, Learn more, and engage on that new carbon project.
11:58:47 Oh, yeah, I thought it was a public notice. I didn't know it was a letter.
11:58:53 I don't know There was a letter from Hillary friends attached to the email, just saying, If you're interested in engaging is the staff person, and there's already a group of
counties preparing the counter to it.
11:59:09 Great figured. If if anyone's gonna do anything with that, it would be you yeah.
13:31:11 okay.
13:31:05 Oh, I can't hear you until Chambers, and it's going
13:31:11 Can you hear me now? Okay AV's up and running?
13:31:13 I can.
13:31:18 Okay, we're back in action. I'll call us back to order, and we are starting off the afternoon with the one item on our agenda, which is consistent
13:31:32 Consideration of adopting a thirteenth temporary county based policy, on emergency response to the Covid 19 pandemic, and we will be taking public comment for this agenda item
and I think apple if she's there I don't know no
13:31:50 But okay.
13:31:56 Good afternoon, Colleagues
13:31:59 afternoon commissioners.
13:32:01 Hey? Everyone So who wants to tee this one up
13:32:08 Well, I guess I can, since I did the drafting, if if you like.
13:32:18 Okay.
13:32:13 That'd be great
13:32:26 So can everyone see my screen
13:32:31 Okay, So we had a discussion last week about the what to do about the current 12 policy.
13:32:42 And in the context of that discussion we were also talking about Hello, board of County Commissioners powers to declare an emergency, and commissioners asked me to.
13:32:29 Yup
13:32:58 you still see it? Okay, trying to make a little bigger for you guys.
13:32:59 Yep.
13:33:08 Is that helping okay? Asked Staff to draft a revise resolution, taking into account what has happened more recently.
13:33:20 And so that resolution was attached to the agenda request that was submitted for this meeting.
13:33:28 And what I have now is up is the word version of that; and if you'd like to go through it, we can, or if you want to revisit the discussion, as you had a little bit today, earlier
today, about whether what to do about the the declaration of emergency happy to talk about that too, what is
13:33:05 Yeah, I can see it. Good.
13:33:49 Well, maybe maybe just a little discussion regarding us, and where we were at last week.
13:33:56 and just to say that in our conversations last week we acknowledge that there may be a you know, an uptick in the fall of Covid cases, and we may want some of the precautions
that we have in place based on the emergency order, that we have now to stay in
13:34:30 well, I mean I guess the should we or shouldn't we?
13:34:34 Is is the big question. I I appreciate the text here, and going through it, I think will be helpful.
13:34:38 I don't really want to get into this, should we, or shouldn't we?
13:34:40 Personally, I guess, until we here from the public again, I mean maybe that's the the last thing.
13:34:47 But I I guess I understand where we now we got here. I'm not.
13:34:53 I'm not sure what your not sure we are looking for.
13:34:17 place, and what what What else, colleagues do you want to call up from our discussion last week
13:34:55 Heidi
13:34:56 Just if there were any points that were brought up last week that you wanted to re resurface. Now other than kind of how we got to the re redrafting of this, which I think I
just did
13:35:11 Yeah, I feel good about going through what's being proposed here.
13:35:16 so, yeah, Philip, let's go through the document and the changes that have been made.
13:33:49 your pleasure, commissioners.
13:35:22 Very good, so so obviously this is now the bakers doesn't thirteenth policy, and mainly what I did is I just took out, whereas clauses that don't really seem to be applicable
anymore.
13:35:36 Or seem to be dated, and that's most of these.
13:35:40 And then, and then really updating that that Omar crime is now the dominant variant in the county, and left all the stuff in there about how transmissive Omaconic Oh, Mccran
is and So forth, and then I added where there was a
13:36:07 discussion of the emergency orders from the Governor A discussion of his announcement that he was going to end most of the emergency orders on our October 30.
13:36:21 First as Dr. Barry talked about this morning, the health officers still will have power to deal with this, and then we can talk a little bit about You know what your powers
are as a result of the emergency ordinance.
13:36:39 She talked a little bit about that this morning, and you you do have more than procurement powers under under the Rcw.
13:36:54 But this is kinda where we started with the whole discussion.
13:36:58 Rise with the governor, saying, He's going to end most of these.
13:35:22 And it.
13:37:01 and then. So I took out a bunch of other stuff, and then yes, sure.
13:37:15 Right.
13:37:04 Hey? Philip and I, in fact, for a sec. We might want to consider, adding that the the feds are extending or or continuing there declared emergency
13:37:19 Yeah, I did not have that in there, but I have in here, I think the declaration of the Federal emergency somewhere.
13:38:05 I don't know if they're maintaining it, or extending it.
13:38:08 I can't remember. I think it's maintaining it
13:38:11 I'll do some research while we're going through this
13:38:25 Okay.
13:38:22 Cnbc. Is calling it extended, but oh, double check that through January eleventh.
13:38:38 Maybe Apple has it at our fingertips. Hmm!
13:38:45 23. Hmm!
13:38:59 Secretary of Health and Human Services.
13:38:48 Oh, thanks!
13:39:03 Renewed effect of October thirteenth termination.
13:39:45 Make sure that looks consistent. Yeah, what with what I see.
13:39:51 Hmm great, although I actually in the in the renewal.
13:39:54 I'm not seeing the January eleventh date, but I'll keep looking
13:40:07 the date is interesting. There are Federal funds that we have here in the health department, where in person visits are still not going to be pulled back into reality until
eighth of next year.
13:40:22 This is the newest news from Wick, where we get Federal funding.
13:40:25 So there's there's variations I don't know about.
13:40:00 We can come back to this one if we need to
13:39:39 How's that?
13:40:43 Okay, And then
13:40:38 hmm.
13:40:47 Adding that the loves of color 19 and Jefferson count you continue to put it in the high risk category
13:40:59 and then this is a an addition to take into account with the European center for disease, prevention and control reported.
13:41:11 They reported an Uptick and Covid 19, and then this, whereas clause is designed to basically say, you know, Europe has been a harbinger for what's happened in Jefferson county,
throughout the pandemic and then, acknowledgment that we that the Yeah, we
13:41:36 have a lot of seniors in this county, and that's where the highest uptick has been in Europe.
13:41:43 According to the European center for disease, prevention, and control. And then again deleting some things that don't seem to apply.
13:41:56 and then changing it here to talk about the continued high levels of Covid 19 Jefferson County, coupled with increasing levels of covid 19 in Europe.
13:42:13 the bands that you can take can continue to take measures to protect the public and the county.
13:42:20 and then this is just dealing with the opma a policy, and and basically says that you know it should continue.
13:42:32 and then this really doesn't apply anymore. So that's it.
13:42:38 Those are the proposed changes in whereas clauses adding the one that we just talked about.
13:42:43 and then this is the opma. Decoration.
13:42:49 I didn't change any of it, and then a recommendation.
13:42:56 A person's visiting county facilities to wear face, mask during the emergency.
13:43:01 It's not a requirement. And then Re, adopting the Covid pandemic, temporary personnel policies, and then making this effective on November first when and it could be earlier
could be effective immediately your choice and that's really all the changes that I
13:43:25 propose
13:43:35 unable to hear Kate. For some reason.
13:43:43 I mean the chamber shouldn't be muted
13:43:50 No, maybe they're having trouble with the hi up again.
13:40:58 Hmm: Okay.
13:43:59 I mean, maybe if there's no public in the room, you guys, should go to your zoom audio and turn off the audio on the owl.
13:44:09 Okay, Oh, no. You'll have reverb issues. Then.
13:44:08 We have.
13:44:12 Never mind, bad advice.
13:44:13 Yeah, how about now? Thanks: Okay, Our audio is just cutting out today.
13:44:25 the second to last; whereas just that that sentence, I think, is a little clunky.
13:44:16 Yeah. Can hear you
13:44:33 Whereas the Board of County Commissioners has determined that it's policy that in person attendance at a hybrid open public meeting only can be held with reasonable safety should
continue
13:44:46 Well, that only maybe
13:43:39 I think she might be muted
13:45:02 Oh, well, this could go up here
13:45:07 That's
13:44:51 Can be held reasonably safely. Okay, no, yeah, seem like a lot of extra words.
13:45:18 That better
13:44:52 No. And yeah. And then maybe without the should continue
13:45:25 I still don't know if we need the only I don't know if we
13:45:26 Okay, my recollection, and as this was drafted to comply with the opma requirements, so I'm a little nervous about.
13:45:33 Hmm.
13:45:42 This policy should continue, that in person attendance at a hybrid, open public meeting only can.
13:45:47 It's in person. Attendance at a hybrid, Open public meeting can only can be held with.
13:45:53 Yeah, that sense doesn't make sense. Yeah. Whereas the Board of County Commissioners has determined that its policy should continue that in person attendance at a hybrid open
public meeting
13:46:11 How about the Board of County Commissioners? Has determined that in person attendance at a hybrid open public meeting can be held safely
13:45:33 Hmm.
13:45:36 We can go back and look at those if you want
13:46:27 Well, alright again. I'm worried about what Opma says.
13:46:26 No.
13:46:32 You wanna look at that real quick.
13:46:26 I think that's actually what we're
13:46:32 still like number one below 2, we talk about 50% capacity, so we don't want to be inconsistent.
13:46:36 Right, right.
13:46:39 And then we do. We need this, whereas if we have that number one in the therefore be it resolved, do we
13:46:54 And that capacity limitation is not in opma correct.
13:46:44 I with capacity, limitations.
13:47:00 That's our own determination. Capacity needs another.
13:47:01 That's our room. Correct.
13:47:07 A.
13:47:10 Where is the board of? And there's 2.
13:47:14 That's what has determined that that in person attendance at a hybrid.
13:47:20 Okay.
13:47:23 Yeah, I don't think we need that. Only
13:47:28 I think that makes it confusing.
13:47:34 That would be better? Yeah.
13:47:08 Oh, thank you!
13:47:48 Yes.
13:47:40 Because we restate those capacity limitations under. Now, Therefore, be it resolved alright, more explicitly right, so
13:47:55 Kate that you said you had a couple of questions. That was one Yeah, and I can. I can clarify that where that January eleventh date came from.
13:48:02 It's because the feds are renewing the state of emergency every 90 days.
13:48:06 So that's where you get to January eleventh.
13:48:09 So I don't know that we need to include that it's just their process.
13:47:52 Same here.
13:48:12 Fyi
13:48:17 Great Hmm. So it seems like I was thinking about kind of flying up to 5,000 feet and looking down on this, and it seems like what we were trying to do with this thirteenth version
is to continue some of the policies and protections that we have in place I've heard inferences that
13:48:46 some of those policies and protections are in place via
13:48:55 Other orders. Is that the case is this: Is this redundant.
13:48:15 How's that?
13:49:00 What we're doing
13:49:04 We're done into what the State is doing, or what we otherwise are doing.
13:49:08 Well, the the State is withdrawing their emergency order, health care facilities, masking orders, and also also the Hr stuff is Sarah's got her hand up.
13:49:26 so depending on what the questioner is asking. There are requirements under State labor and industries that require an employer to maintain a working environment that is safe
from hazard for all employees, and so we are bound by the state L and I guidelines whether or not our this policy this
13:49:52 emergency policy is in place, so we already follow Lmi guidelines for any other situation that you could think of, including like sharps programs or bloodborne pathogens, etc.
13:50:13 So, and we had discussed this a few months ago, when departments were requested to provide, hazard assessments for their departments that gave or allow department directors
to institute, a mask requirement; if if and when needed, so, for example, if there was a breakout in one of the
13:50:38 divisions of a lot of Covid cases, This would still be.
13:49:21 She might have some light to sign on my question. Maybe Sarah
13:50:49 Okay. So that was that was the heart of my question is whether Appendix I the provisions and appendix.
13:50:55 I would be upheld somewhere else if we didn't have this local Jefferson County emergency declaration. And my understanding is the answer to that is yes, not all, of them though,
Okay.
13:51:10 oh, so if I if I may, commissioner some of this, is how we, how we implement the safety requirement that that Sarah spelled out and we have some discretion in doing that, not
all of these requirements are required by all and I guidance, and there's a question whether that all and I
13:51:32 guidance, is part of the part of what's going away.
13:51:35 On October thirty-first. You know I you know now that department is under Governor Inslee, so I I assume that it's going away.
13:51:46 But there's another reason why you want to do this separately, and that is you want to make these requirements enforceable under your under your own personnel management policy.
13:51:28 Okay.
13:52:01 So you can discipline employees if you need to, And that's one of the functions of having it in the manual.
13:52:06 Okay, although they're really very few requirements staying home.
13:52:15 One sick, and then we provide the added leave for people who cannot work virtually But it's you know, just just to be clear that we're not.
13:52:06 So okay.
13:52:30 But we're not. I mean, the proposal is not to change anything within the policy, and and we had discussion last time about trying to figure out how to integrate a bunch of this
stuff in as permanent parts.
13:52:25 We're not instituting a bunch of mandates with this
13:52:45 Of our permanent parts of our policy, and I think Sarah's is working on that, or plans to work on that, and that's maybe one of the reasons why you might wanna consider keeping
the the one among several white white might want to consider keeping the emergency in place because it
13:53:08 gives Hr. Time to to do the drafting.
13:53:13 If we don't have this, and then you have to think about sort of a crash course of am amending our a policy, whereas now you could kind of do it on a not a crash.
13:53:24 Course but you know, maybe before the end of the year might be reasonable time, since Sarah's already working on.
13:53:37 yeah. That's right. I'm working on other revisions to the policy that are that are much needed.
13:53:13 Right.
13:53:49 And these reasons were what made it make complete sense to me to extend this when we talked about it.
13:53:57 But you know then the Co. Questions came up about, you know what other counties are doing, and I feel I'm still supportive of kind of having a plan to get through.
13:54:11 These revisions to our existing personnel policies, and the time that our team needs to make those revisions, instead of hurting that work.
13:53:44 So this would, could fold in with those revisions
13:54:36 one other important or an important element of the temporary policy is that employees were provided up to 40Â h of Admin paid.
13:54:20 So I'm still supportive of this extension of this declaration, at least through the end of the year to January eleventh, or but for a few months
13:55:14 Yeah, just I think that to to dispel any fears that this is actually it has mandates in it.
13:55:26 it does not. I mean really the only thing we are mandating is that room state 50% capacity for open public meetings.
13:55:36 But the rest is recommendations and policies that would exist. Other places like needing to mask in healthcare settings But we don't have a vaccine requirements just in response
to public comment.
13:55:49 We received earlier today.
13:56:02 Thank you. Yeah, no, I mean, I I think I've I've talked about the the temporary paid leave is is certainly enough reason for me to to do a thirteenth resolution.
13:56:12 I'm wondering if there's anything in Appendix I that has gotten stale.
13:56:17 I guess maybe this is a question for Apple and Philip more than anyone else.
13:56:22 But or Sarah, you know, like, Don't we ask that that close contact?
13:55:55 Any other thoughts or questions like Greg. Do you have anything else you want to ask, or add
13:56:30 I feel like close contact with the and infected a covid, infected family member is sorry I'm looking through it now.
13:56:42 Employees who have a family member at home with Covid.
13:56:43 has changed.
13:56:46 That's that's kind of dated now.
13:56:48 Yeah.
13:56:52 Since we don't have a quarantine requirement
13:56:55 Right? That's the which. Which section is that
13:57:09 Oh, yeah, P: 5. That does seem
13:57:15 A little, a little dated
13:56:59 This is in Appendix I. B. 5,
13:57:21 And even.
13:57:21 V. 5 or what? Because it's not under 5. It's under
13:57:28 105
13:57:29 No, it's the one Oh, about in a family family member being infected in appendix.
13:57:37 I
13:57:28 one you're talking about
13:57:41 B, 5. So up a little bit. Oh, there's B, though!
13:57:43 Oh, p 5, I thought. I'm sorry I don't. I miss her. P.
13:57:33 An Appendix on
13:57:46 There it is.
13:57:48 5,
13:58:00 I mean
13:58:09 So I think that concludes close contact with a person
13:58:17 But so, the the rationale is that you could remove it, since we're not contact tracing as such, but the the danger is that if you were, you remove it and then the place that
that person works is not using masking, procedures then you put you put your employees at some risk given
13:58:41 that That person has a family member who's sick and is coming to work in an environment that isn't masked.
13:58:46 And I used our health department as an example. We still mask as a health care facility, while that's still in forced and do so willingly.
13:58:55 And that's what's kept the spread down within our staff.
13:58:58 We've certainly had family members, sick with Covid, and we've been around them.
13:58:17 wait. What are you saying, Apple
13:59:09 So what! Oh, sorry! What if we added to number 4 department directors and elected officials shall encourage employees to follow guidance from the flow charts link to that?
13:59:27 Again, and to mask or work from home if their job allows.
13:59:05 And then we mask at work, which keeps our other employees safe and not missing out on work
13:59:32 For 5 days after the close contact
13:59:45 And it's it's encouraged. It's it's not. You know we're not again, not mandating, but
13:57:59 Alright, having having heard Dr. Barry this morning. I think so.
13:59:54 Encouraging.
14:00:06 I think we think we need to move that that are close contacts of a person with Covid 19 up before the part that's underlined in red right because that's who we're referring
to she'll encourage employees that are close contacts of a person with covid
14:00:03 And and after that just end with that, or do you want to keep
13:59:39 Yeah, I think that would shore that number 4 up
14:00:24 19, yeah.
14:00:29 Just that, yeah.
14:00:34 And the testing floats, or yeah, testing flow chart talks about testing, which is another important piece of that right?
14:00:26 Got it.
14:00:41 Hmm.
14:00:43 And then delete the rest of it
14:00:26 Yeah, I would agree.
14:00:56 well, I mean I'm I'm sorry to be a test case in this, but I was.
14:01:02 I was. I already had received a note from from Sarah that there was another close contact, and I guess, Staff, that it had Covid last week before I even knew I had.
14:01:15 Money. And so when I got that note from Sarah, I and everyone else got that note was encouraged to start masking for 5 days.
14:01:26 no, it's if you're a close contact. So it was someone in the courthouse We're informed of a positive case in the courthouse, and then we would be informed if we were close contact
so if you weren't contacted.
14:01:24 Is that right? Because it wasn't in note
14:01:42 It's the close contact designation that then would to get the encouragement to wear a mask
14:01:50 Close contact is 15Â min at 6 feet or less
14:01:56 7 Kate Heidi, did you get a recommendation that you were in close contact with someone last week?
14:01:38 Presumably we weren't
14:02:08 Only from that someone
14:02:04 I mean, were you masking throughout the week
14:02:23 Okay, I just wanna you know, make sure we're consistent throughout the organization.
14:02:12 Yeah, but yeah, we we did. And we started testing, And I don't actually know that we are notified other than directly from you But we respond
14:02:27 And I I I mean it's best practice I don't.
14:02:37 Fill up that that after flow chart can go after Flow chart underlined red.
14:02:48 sorry. And that's right here
14:02:43 There at the end. That that is extra. Yeah, Sorry? I was still rating.
14:02:55 So no. We started masking and testing, but
14:03:01 this in the last sentence, or work from home, if their job allows.
14:03:10 is that something we? We're? Are we encouraging all departments to do that with close contacts?
14:03:17 Or is masking sufficient
14:03:23 My opinion is that masking sufficient? But again, it's just a recommendation to mask so person may not want to mask.
14:03:41 I'm a little concerned, though, that this might usurp directors.
14:03:47 Authority. If folks gives folks a lot of opportunity to to work from home, if they're if they say they're close contact
14:04:00 Sorry. Do you have any opinion on that?
14:04:18 I mean this. It's all following the department directors in elected officials. Right?
14:04:14 Yeah, so do we change that slightly, change that language to
14:04:28 Right? Yeah, You're right.
14:04:31 So we were doing this with the goal of taking 5 and all the ABC.
14:04:36 Out. Right? Yeah, Hmm.
14:04:48 We could keep that see? Add that C to number 4 to be more clear that that it's at the directors.
14:04:25 So I think that that is already implicit in that sentence.
14:04:55 Discretion.
14:05:13 in which case we could, and the sentence before, as use the flow chart and to mask for 5 days.
14:05:23 I it just I think that it's a little redundant to work from home twice.
14:05:26 hmm.
14:04:57 hmm.
14:05:30 So the rest of that sentence Yeah, can go from mask, although I think the 5 days is important
14:05:39 Yeah, the bad day is important, so it would be the or work from home.
14:05:11 How's that?
14:05:41 There you go. Yep.
14:05:48 I'm sorry I got confused by the multiple comments.
14:05:42 If they're travel, else
14:05:52 You got it. You got it.
14:05:52 What do we Wanna do here huh? Oh, okay.
14:05:58 Go, team, I think so. Any other? Nope, You were tracking multiple threads.
14:06:11 any other parts of this Appendix. I that people want to talk about
14:06:17 we just keep scrolling. I I have 2 different screens, and flip in between.
14:06:24 Hmm.
14:06:31 Do we know if we'll still be required to keep a log? Via Ellen?
14:06:35 I
14:06:41 are we updating our log with? I mean fully fully vaccinated.
14:06:49 it. It is. But we at least in the health department, we've maintained that primary, primary series is the main indicator for the need of that list, not not boosting simply because
there are So many. To come So we're not asking folks to
14:07:12 we need a definition of close contact.
14:07:17 I mean, we talked about what it meant. We could put it.
14:06:45 Now is boosted right
14:07:24 Yeah, 1550, unmask 15Â min within 6 feet of someone.
14:07:08 Provide us with confirmation that they got boosted
14:07:31 That's been the the definition all along. There's been some some modifications of that and I don't hear are officially changed.
14:07:29 Right? Is that the correct definition
14:08:05 It's good. It's the way you Can avoid.
14:08:07 your teenage daughter being a close contact of you.
14:08:13 Greg.
14:08:23 Okay, anything else. And Appendix I we probably should go back and fiddle with the they adopting resolution a little bit
14:08:39 Oh, that's good!
14:08:33 Is, is it? Is close contact in doors also
14:08:52 Or present at the site of an outbreak, says: our testing flowchart
14:09:01 But is that hard to define? Apple? I think that would come after the 15Â min thing, though.
14:09:08 Okay.
14:08:46 It's contact.
14:09:15 Hmm.
14:09:19 So we're good with it like that
14:09:23 Yup
14:09:28 Okay, anything else. At Appendix I
14:09:35 So what else is there anything else below E
14:09:44 Hmm.
14:09:41 Frequent hand, washing.
14:09:50 Do you remember the beginning of Covid? We had song lyrics, tapes to the mirrors and the bathrooms at the maritime Center so to ensure that people would wash our hands for 20Â s
happy birth ras barrett that was the one that was on all
14:10:13 the one on the mirrors. Oh, God! Wow! Your apple watch can tell when you're washing your hands.
14:10:04 Now my apple watch tells me
14:10:18 Oh, my gosh! That's a little creepy.
14:10:22 Okay, Okay, do we need this frequent handwashing section in here.
14:10:29 I don't think it hurts. I think it should be in any health policy or any policy around disease.
14:10:19 Yes.
14:10:35 Medication, always
14:10:28 And is there any Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Hmm.
14:10:44 It's saves off the flu as well
14:10:46 Hmm. Yeah, so is it Is it a must, or is it a Shall
14:10:38 That's it's probably a good idea beyond Covid
14:10:54 Hmm: Oh, yeah, change. Yeah.
14:10:58 Well, I mean the way I read it is, it's a recommendation the way it's written.
14:11:02 And says, must.
14:10:07 you got it?
14:11:06 After COVID-19
14:11:06 Yeah.
14:11:13 I think that should be, shall
14:10:52 I guess it's shell
14:11:22 you're right, I I
14:11:18 So
14:11:17 And workplace requirements. Sure sounds like a prescription, not a reputation
14:11:32 or workplace standards, I mean, I like the idea of
14:11:39 Yes, it's normative behavior. Hmm!
14:11:51 Okay, anything? What's what is there? 2 more pages?
14:11:27 I I bowed to the collective wisdom
14:11:59 education.
14:12:10 Is there any update to the list of guidance?
14:12:16 Are those all still? Cdc. Department of Health Department of the Labor and Industries
14:12:27 Hmm.
14:12:30 Okay.
14:12:33 Delegation of authority.
14:12:43 Temporary payment. Pay the minister of leave, and that's that's one of the primary reasons where
14:12:54 Keeping this in place
14:11:35 standard. I like that. Because yes, let's let's keep that as a standard
14:13:02 Nope, what's next? What's there for 3
14:13:12 From on, 3
14:13:08 That's that's out of date language on that right talks about the booster.
14:13:16 Covid.
14:13:18 If you're over the age of 50,
14:13:21 Oh, yeah.
14:13:30 Yeah, I think it could. Everything in front of 50 could go right, cause the Jefferson County in order to promote public health during this pandemic deems that it's in its interest
to encourage employees to become fully vaccinated and boosted
14:11:58 There is
14:13:46 I don't think we need anything from as of March
14:13:22 Just excise that
14:13:54 I don't know
14:13:56 Oh, you're saying, Eliminate everything before that, too, and just start with Jefferson County in order to promote Woodhouse
14:14:00 Yeah, yeah.
14:14:07 Yeah, hmm.
14:14:04 Yeah, I'd be okay with that, I think
14:14:11 Okay, using the form developed by the human race. Yeah, I think this is kind of the harder way we're doing this right to keep these in place
14:14:23 For me. Yeah.
14:13:46 Oh!
14:14:27 And really an equity thing. There are many of us who can work from home easily, and this makes it easier for those who cannot work from home to not be making a choice between
coming to work sick and staying home right
14:14:50 Yup. I'm sorry Can we go back up here 3?
14:14:43 And 4 is the last part I think we have to keep for just in case
14:14:54 Just the sentence that's missing. Oh, sorry! Next scroll down. It makes reference to quarantining, which not sure if that's current
14:14:39 Exactly.
14:15:06 I guess it doesn't really matter. Does it get the point?
14:15:11 I mean, you can replace quarantine with isolating, and it's still valid
14:15:17 Hmm.
14:15:34 Okay.
14:15:42 Okay, So we got through. Appendix. I do. We want to go back to the matter at hand that this is nested within
14:15:56 Is there any more changes to this thirteenth
14:16:02 No, and and so just to as a reminder, you know, we are considering this today, today, taking public comment and then taking this draft to the Covid coordination meeting on Friday
for discussion.
14:16:18 So we're not. We don't need to approve it.
14:16:21 Today we'll be getting more more inputs from departments potentially great, And we can do November first.
14:16:33 Doesn't have to be the thirty-first.
14:16:35 I guess it's probably midnight. The thirty-first, or something.
14:16:38 12 O: one. Am: Hmm: Okay, Yeah, So is there anything else that we want to consider updating before we take public comment
14:16:52 Anyone, anyone? Nope: Okay. So I am going to open public comment on this discussion in the matter of adopting a thirteenth temporary county policy based on emergency response
to the Covid 19 pandemic.
14:17:15 Is there anyone with us in the room? One person in the room or online who would like to comment on this thirteenth policy?
14:17:26 If you're online, use the raise hand button at the bottom of the Zoom screen and we'll bring you over after we receive comment from Steve, who's in the room with us
14:17:40 Thank you.
14:17:42 Yes, sure I am appreciate you're all Oh, no, saying that
14:17:53 And
14:17:56 I'm sorry. Does Stephen have a microphone
14:17:56 Bye? Oh, sorry. Okay, Oh, yeah, we're the clock's not running.
14:18:04 We'll get him set up, and then he'll have.
14:18:09 yeah, and it really is not right.
14:18:02 We restart. I couldn't hear. Thanks. Sorry
14:18:13 Okay, surely. Can you hear me now? Can you hear?
14:18:19 Yes, we can hear Yeah, look. So I appreciate you all, you know, wanting to understand and wanting to You know, if you if you stop these orders now, you'd have to ramp up and
and all that I I I got that But So But like what are the pluses and minuses here, I heard
14:18:36 from the health officer, the that the big advantage was that the emergency declaration would allow getting funds, you know, like, for example, to pay for additional covid testing
or management or something I mean I feel like a lot of this is sort of redundant stuff that's already being covered elsewhere
14:18:54 So okay. So there is funds for more testing. Now, why exactly, is Jefferson County and a special condition compared to other counties?
14:19:05 If we're the only county that's going to be doing this.
14:19:08 Well, I also heard that it's because we have more cases.
14:19:11 We also had one death recently, which I think was somebody in her eighties, with lots of Comorbidities who had been vaxed and boosted, but not fully.
14:19:21 But that's also a situation in which you know who's to say she died from the Covid, or died from all these other conditions.
14:19:28 So you know the main thing is is the cases. And is this really an emergency anymore?
14:19:34 Is it? I mean, I really do feel like we're in the endemic stage, and not the pandemic stage.
14:19:38 I do feel like it's disingenuous as I've heard from others to to try to be applying emergency things for something that is really just a caseemic here.
14:19:48 It's not lots of deaths. It's not the hospitals being overburdened.
14:19:52 It's just lots of cases, and part of the reason for all these cases is all the testing. So, in a sense, if you had additional funds from having the emergency order, then you
could have more testing which could possibly provide more cases and make things seem.
14:20:08 To be more like an emergency. So I'm concerned that we're in this sort of walking on angle eggshells mode Where?
14:20:13 Oh, my gosh! We just had a case, and how we've got to shut down the whole workplace, or have everybody be masking or changing doing things in different.
14:20:22 Ways And so you know you in a way, I personally feel like it.
14:20:26 It almost be better to take a step back, not have it so easy that we're already.
14:20:31 We're continuing the state of emergency. Why not just basically say, like everyone, every other county is doing, you know, Say, Okay, it's really not immense anymore.
14:20:41 It's a matter of concern. It's something we need to be watching.
14:20:44 It's not an emergency. If it is an emergency in the future, then we can at that point make a decision and ramp up rather than you know.
14:20:51 And then that'd be due diligence rather than it being this egg shelly thing, where you know, I'm on the turn of a you know a dime that we're suddenly back in this mode and you're
never being able to feel like you can normalize, is is my time up okay.
14:21:05 that's one thing I'll just sort of toss out is is that Jefferson County is different in one other way.
14:21:09 I saw that there's 22 point, 6% of violent boostering, which is like more than twice the 10 point.
14:21:18 2% of all the other counties in this this state.
14:21:21 You know, so I mean, who's to say I mean, like we have a correlation here, not a causation.
14:21:26 This is necessarily between the boosting. The additional cases in this town You know, we've also been told by our our officer that we don't have the level.
14:21:40 Who knows But let's take a step back and and wait and see.
14:21:44 So thank you very much. Thank you for being here. Sure, I guess.
14:21:50 No, it's fine. Is there anyone who's with us online who'd like to make a comment on this thirteenth policy that we're considering?
14:22:01 And collecting input on today. So that they can go to a further staff staff discussion on Friday.
14:22:09 okay, not seeing any other hands go up. I'm gonna close public comment on this item, and see if there's any more consideration that anyone wants to anything that anyone wants
to add I'm supportive of moving this to the covid coordination team on Friday and flying much closer to to this
14:22:31 than many of us have. I I would I would respond to Stephen by saying, I I also came at this from the the pluses and minuses, and, like you heard me say earlier I do you know
I was afraid of the kind of crying wolf scenario right but what I couldn't get
14:22:51 to is what the negatives were. You know that that there are some positives that are potential positives like not having to go through this whole process.
14:23:03 Again. Should we decide that we are you know, in a state of emergency, in a couple of months, as we see, you know, numbers rise potentially, or if there are funding opportunities
that we want to be eligible for or need just need, to be able to respond in.
14:23:19 A true emergency fashion. You see, it takes us a long time.
14:23:23 Our our process is very, I think, I hope deliberative, and includes a lot of people We'll be doing this in a staff meeting on Friday again, and so that's where I I feel like
the the the the negatives just aren't there and I I appreciate that
14:23:40 we've softened the language, and really tried to not overstate things in this version.
14:23:45 So I I'm still happy to to to move it ahead at public.
14:23:51 Excuse me at Staff's recommendation.
14:23:55 yeah, I I good conversation today. I I always appreciate when the public uses the word grok.
14:23:54 Greg.
14:24:03 Or anyone uses the word crock. Not sure if you you did absolutely correctly, though, Steven, because I believe it also denotes as Heinine used it a deep empathy with the with
the concept.
14:24:15 And I think that you're getting hung up on emergency.
14:24:17 The the word emergency like I did as well, and I think this is really just about the preservation of the standards.
14:24:23 The temporary standards that we have and I'm I'm supportive of taking this to to Staff and and seeing if everyone agrees we can get a consensus from the the cannon coordination
meeting this Friday I don't see as Kate said, I don't
14:24:36 see any negatives from this. It's not like we're you know, running a siren as you drive into port towns, and it's just a allows us to keep you know paid paid covidly which is
critical for some of our staff so i'm in favor of of moving this forward to the the canic
14:24:04 Me too
14:24:56 And I think we saw a good example of this and Monty's Pre.
14:24:58 Or and Alice presentation this morning of the situation at solid waste.
14:25:03 And those people aren't out because of Covid.
14:25:05 But I know Covid is, you know, hampered all the departments, and you know now we're needing to reduce the hours that the transfer stations open because of capacity issues and
it's you know it's it's not tied to this policy.
14:25:22 But it's tied to people being sick in our our county family, and I think, taking away tools for managers to provide our team with what they need when they need.
14:25:36 It is it doesn't feel like the time for that right now.
14:25:39 But the line of questioning I had at the beginning of the session right.
14:25:42 I was trying to unpack whether there was another place where we could take care of these policy matters. That was really why I.
14:25:47 Was asking those questions, and what I heard, what the was that there's not, and so that further, you know, shores up my support for us.
14:26:11 I I just like to show this slide about that emergency powers that you have.
14:25:55 How this continuing this conversation. So is there anything else that anyone else wants to air Apple or Sarah or Philip
14:26:18 I think it's important. You know that. Look at that again, because it's and you guys see that slide.
14:26:28 So these are all the emergency. I I tried to make it more colorful today, so you could see that there's a lot of them After I heard Dr.
14:26:37 Barry, and, you know, gives you extra power to combat the disease, to protect health to safety, of persons, to provide emergency assistance, and then it gets you a list of all
the things that you know You have more flexibility on budget law limitations.
14:27:01 Requirements for competitive bidding and publication of notices.
14:27:08 Provisions per cany to the performance of public work entering into contracts, and so forth.
14:27:14 temporary workers, you know, Could be something given that we're having trouble getting people.
14:27:22 So this is the flexibility that you have with your deckation, that you wouldn't otherwise have
14:27:29 Does the color coding mean anything
14:27:32 well, yeah, a little bit like I try to put the budget stuff for that kind of budgety stuff and and blue.
14:27:39 okay.
14:27:47 Okay.
14:27:52 Any other points of discussion, questions, observations. I appreciate the conversation that we've had today appreciate the inputs from our community members, And I look forward
to hearing back what what the covid coordination team discusses.
14:27:39 But otherwise I just try to make it so. You can see there's a lot of a lot more to it in terms of the flexibility keeps you
14:28:14 On Friday So I guess next Monday we'll hear that Yeah, So Philip and Apple. Are you able to join the Covid Coordination on Friday?
14:28:21 Great thank you, and Philip, if you don't mind getting a copy.
14:28:21 Yes.
14:28:26 Red line, copied to myself, and maybe Adl to get on the agenda have, with the agenda for Friday, and then are we.
14:28:36 Will we put this back on the agenda for next week?
14:28:39 perhaps with some edits we'll see they're often are at it, so this will be an engine item for the twenty-fourth.
14:28:46 Yeah, which is our last meeting before it expires. Okay, thanks.
14:28:34 I sure will
14:28:52 Everyone. Appreciate all your work on this Bye
14:29:02 Okay, Well, that's the only thing written down on our agenda this afternoon.
14:29:08 Did we finish with calendar coordination? Did I?
14:29:13 Yeah, I think I did. And were we starting to look ahead?
14:29:17 Hmm! I think we all Oh, maybe we all talk.
14:29:25 I I heard us all say transit, so I know that.
14:29:28 Oh, okay, this yeah, I think we all did. We did, and that we did look ahead plans, And we talked about how we're both unable to attend the Federal issues, or Wasac
14:29:44 maybe just for the public's benefit, that we will. We do not have a meeting on the thirty-first, because it's a fifth Monday, but it's a very festive day at the courthouse encouraged
folks to see some great decorations in costumes and bring
14:30:03 kids to trick or treat plans are in the works. People.
14:30:06 Yes, top secret, though. And then also, we're not gonna meet on the fourteenth.
14:30:11 Alright because of the County leaders conference. So there'll be 2 meetings in the next month, 2 Mondays that will not be Yeah.
14:30:22 Meeting, Thirty-first and the fourteenth
14:30:31 and then for next week
14:30:36 Will, we? What's our timeline with the social media policy work?
14:30:41 Will that be for next week, or where we look at the seventh of November for that I don't know that we'll be looking at the policy.
14:30:49 because there's nothing we can't
14:30:57 I think we we would still want to just comply with the policy within our department.
14:31:02 So I think our department has to decide if we want to.
14:31:06 On handling that social media account and training a couple of people to do moderation.
14:31:15 so I don't know. I think that maybe starts with staff
14:31:22 And and we could. We could talk about it in public session.
14:31:28 Well, so I don't really understand, because I wasn't part of the conversation on Friday.
14:31:37 What what I just got the call that it needed to be pulled.
14:31:39 We thought so. What happened relative to the social media policy? Did we?
14:31:45 Did we decide that comments did need to be allowed, and we just need to moderate those Come up with a plan for moderating those.
14:31:53 Is that Yeah, So the the reason for changing the policy was to give ourselves the ability to turn off comments, because we and and with the intent being temporarily you don't
have a staff person right to do that work and when it became apparent on the platform.
14:32:13 That that wasn't an option. Then the need to change the policy was moves.
14:32:18 Okay, So we could decide to, you know. Take that on some combination of us, and you know that could be staff that could be commissioners and But we would just need to be sure
that we're following our policy.
14:32:36 About about moderation, which we know is a big liability needs to be done carefully and well, and we actually don't have, according to our policy, that if county administrator
needs to appoint somebody to to serve in that cool for each department account, and so we don't have that so
14:32:58 we would need to do that. So the other concern that Mr.
14:33:04 Hunsucker had was just that that hmm public input should be included in significant changes to policy and so doing that hastily was not recommended and yet, that the need for
that policy change was moved like I said because that wasn't even an option so you guys said there was a there
14:33:24 was an add on, or an app that you some feature that you could purchase, that would allow you to turn comments off.
14:33:31 Yes, and there's also I don't know if you also got an email from Mr.
14:33:36 Tears talking about the you. There's a tool within Facebook where you can identify.
14:33:44 Up to a 100 words, phrases, even symbols, and it will automatically fill them out and block those comments.
14:33:56 So people have used like a period or the word, the or you know the 100 things that are most most likely to pop up in every comment, and they would be blocked.
14:34:05 But I felt, and I think Ken concurred with me.
14:34:11 I don't know that Philip weighed in just that that going to lengths like that Feels like a form either the add-on or the identifying certain words specifically to black people
is really going a step too far to limit free speech that we were not comfortable right?
14:34:29 Pursuing those options. Okay? So to the the analysis, we came to is that we need to decide if it's something we want to take on as a department until we have.
14:34:41 well, and then the things that we're waiting to be posted were like Job, job announcements.
14:34:46 Correct, I mean the even more. It's important and time-sensitive. So one had to do with the voters pamphlet and to belts go out today I think okay, couple of days.
14:34:58 and the Oh, it's the the assessments went out today.
14:35:04 I received mine in mail today, job postings would be, you know, the kind of thing so we could agree to just take on things that are, you know, really time-sensitive important
county information not not do kind of analysis of our meetings or you know truly information helpful informational
14:35:28 maybe with a link or a contact person where to get more information, you know, try to minimize the amount of work in moderation, but I don't know Caroline's looking kind, of
nonplussed.
14:35:38 Over there
14:35:45 What's going on. So I don't know.
14:35:52 Well, I just was trying to figure out when when, or if it would be on the agenda in the future, that's all I, and that's that's Where my question.
14:35:57 Came from.
14:36:04 or Monty in this place. So yeah, and that at least one of the commissioners
14:36:16 Okay, thanks. Well, I just hadn't. I just got asked the question about pulling it So I just kind of wanted to know a little bit of the back, story and I have heard a couple
of the items that we should get out.
14:36:24 There, and I agreed. So just wanted to know Yeah, no.
14:36:28 And it's I'm happy to have that conversation now.
14:34:55 Thank you.
14:36:36 I mean, I feel like we should right if we're not gonna modify the policy.
14:36:40 And I I I do see some wisdom, and getting a pio before we modify that policy.
14:36:46 You know, regardless of of the the details and the back room machinations with Facebook or whatever.
14:36:51 But it does seem like these things that aren't likely to have a lot of comments on them.
14:36:59 We should just get posted, and maybe, you know, just I don't know, direct Commissioner Staff BCC.
14:36:32 If we want our the department to proceed
14:37:26 So do we want to take public comment on this today? We could.
14:37:30 Okay, it up. Okay, I mean, this is the own. I'm reminding people, This is the only time that Kate and Greg and I have to talk with each other.
14:37:41 So sometimes it actually needs to happen, and it may not necessarily be on the agenda.
14:37:07 Staff to to to respond to those kind of acute needs to post and you know not, not. Dive into the deep end about posting, you know, things that might elicit more comments or
something but just factual posted job job overnight informational items
14:37:54 Can I ask a question of Carolyn first? And that's just I mean, this.
14:37:48 But you know we may each get pulled into different parts of one conversation, and want the full picture.
14:38:00 Does staff have the capacity to do this kind of limited posting of other departments requests informational requests on Facebook right now, and I guess they have to monitor
comments, too.
14:38:08 Hi!
14:38:14 Right. I'm not sure how big of an undertaking it is, but I'm willing to take it on right now.
14:38:18 I'm done with the budgetary things, so I I would.
14:38:23 Can try just a couple
14:38:11 Since those are in right coming in
14:38:29 I did. That's great. I couldn't see Carolyn, though.
14:38:27 Did you hear that
14:38:31 Can you get. Move the timer, not kidding
14:38:37 she's in a public. She's on it
14:38:36 There there she is!
14:38:43 Okay, I'm putting it back
14:38:46 Yeah, and it. It is the moderating comments that is the trickiest part.
14:38:52 there's there's just liability for us in
14:38:40 Good to see you
14:38:58 And limiting anyone's free speech, of course, so
14:39:03 I mean, is that something, maybe, that we want to assign to a commissioner for the time being.
14:39:12 Yeah.
14:39:17 Oh, oh, well, I mean we don't have a 31 job.
14:39:11 The monitoring of comments, the the 31 job
14:39:20 I don't. I don't know how much. I don't know how what kind of labor it's gonna be.
14:39:25 I mean, we could just see who uses Facebook most and assign it that way The natural way to do it.
14:39:20 Alright.
14:39:32 Okay.
14:39:37 That's Carolyn and Kate Yeah, no, I think, yeah, I think we'd be a fine, fine team and would need some some education, and luckily for better or for worse, Ken Hugo has become
really proficient, at This So you can.
14:39:57 Spend an hour an hour with us, and probably get us up to speed
14:40:02 Okay. So I imagine there are folks wanting to comment on this conversation Do we?
14:40:09 Is there anything else we want to continue this conversation before we open it up for public comment?
14:40:13 I see Tom tears with us. I imagine he has input Stevens.
14:40:19 Eyebrows are very furrowed, so I'm imagine he has some input on this issue.
14:40:27 Tom, do you, If it I'm gonna open public comment on the conversation we've just been having about our social media policy and kind of our assignment of duties to staff so that
we can.
14:40:42 Get some of these kind of critical communications out, instead of waiting until we hire a public information officer, which may take months.
14:40:50 Likely will take months so I'm gonna open it up for public comment.
14:40:55 If you have joined us this afternoon and are interested in the conversation we're having right now about our social media policy and practices.
14:41:04 Please raise your hand, using. The raise hand, button at the bottom of the zoom screen, or raise your hand if you're in the room.
14:41:15 Hmm.
14:41:20 Say something. Okay, He's not raising his hand
14:41:28 You might.
14:41:34 Anybody with us on the attendee list in Zoom this afternoon who would like to comment about our social media policy or the practices we've just been discussing.
14:41:47 Please use the raise hand button at the bottom of the zoom screen
14:41:54 Nope, no one's raising their hand. Will you come up to the mic?
14:42:00 No.
14:42:04 Yeah, I mean, first of all, I I'm afraid I have to admit I don't really. Totally.
14:42:08 I wasn't totally following all of the the policies that you've been figuring out.
14:42:13 I mean, it sounds good to have you guys collaborating, trying to figure things out.
14:42:17 What can I say? I'm a free speech absolutist.
14:42:19 I really do feel like people ought to be able to say what they have to say.
14:42:22 And yet, when you're dealing with a forum, I've had experiences a for a moderator that you totally do have to have clear guidelines enforce them but also, modify the guidelines
over time as in response to what's really happening and there's
14:42:38 always judgment calls. I mean, there's always people that sort of on the line, and it's it's it.
14:42:44 The problem is, they can just be oh, an endless jawb of of dealing with it, I mean.
14:42:50 fortunately often it is like for months You don't have to deal with it, and then you suddenly have a big spade of stuff that you have to deal with.
14:42:56 So I you know I don't know to say insofar, as you know, your specifics requirements for the count, for the Commissioners, but I I do encourage you.
14:43:06 All to be as open as possible to letting people say with what they have to say, but they need to be doing it in a plight way that's going to be encouraging, you know, encouraging
dialogue and not discouraging it by all the ways that you know all the all the all the these things that do
14:43:23 so that from happening I've really been concerned about these these social media companies, like Facebook and others that have been censoring people for misinformation.
14:43:36 Possibly in conjunction with government orders or encouragement, which seems to be a clear, you know, violation of the First amendment.
14:43:44 That's not really what we're talking about here.
14:43:47 I mean, here you're just trying to, you know. Keep the lines of communication open and do it in some kind of a way.
14:43:53 That's that's going to allow everybody to talk and have nobody shut down.
14:43:57 So, anyway, good luck with that. Thank you. Hmm. Anybody With this on Zoom this afternoon.
14:44:07 Who is interested in the conversation we've been having about our social media policy and practices.
14:44:13 We're talking about putting in place in the intervening months before we have a public information officer with us.
14:44:21 We lost our social media coordinator recently, and so we have nobody really monitoring the our Facebook account.
14:44:29 Currently, but we have a number of time-sensitive communications that we'd like to get out to promote in the community, and we're just trying to come up with us an interim plan
for those communications so currently we're looking at having our account our Commissioner staff making those
14:44:53 posts and potentially a team of commissioner, staff and one commissioner, or maybe a rotating band of commissioners working to respond to issues as they're raised.
14:45:09 So anyone with us this afternoon who would like to make a comment on this use The raise hand button at the bottom of your zoom screen.
14:45:26 Hmm.
14:45:30 Hmm.
14:45:34 Mom Tom Tears doesn't, raising his hand, either, so I got some information from them today.
14:45:39 Okay. So it sounds like in the meantime, Kate and Carolyn are gonna to work with Ken, and just have something on the page that makes me clicks right away.
14:45:54 In fact, so it's time sensitive, Yeah, I mean, I just feel like we can't be that in the water right now, because we have no one working on this.
14:46:04 We You know, yeah, where we go. And yeah, yeah, yeah, all things that we want the public informed and engaged.
14:46:14 On, Okay, So, Greg, you're good with that plan, right?
14:46:19 Okay. So I think we probably need to. Well, know what the authority lies with the county administrator.
14:46:28 So acting in this case, since Mark is gone, I should say, too, in the myriad conversations I've had with now can fill up.
14:46:41 And Monty I. Monty, I don't want to put words in your mouth, but I believe it was you, and certainly Phil said to me, I can't imagine that Mark would really care for doing this
in his absence.
14:46:50 So just to say that the consensus seems to be that this is not.
14:46:55 we're not doing anything that is usurping Mark's authority here.
14:46:59 It's he's not. And Bob, the social media and I think, often defers to folks who know more about it.
14:47:08 But I'm just gonna think if we need to take any action.
14:47:11 But I believe we don't given the authority as it lies.
14:47:19 Currently Here comes Monte. What is my head? Okay, Okay, the new position.
14:47:27 It is. I have it here I confirmed it with Sarah.
14:47:31 Have you heard this conversation, Monty? We've been listening to this
14:47:36 Okay, So we were coming up with the interim. A stop gap measure regarding Facebook postings and monitor moderating the Facebook page and getting some basic information out there
like budget information tax information job postings, elections, things.
14:47:34 yeah.
14:47:58 That we we really should be communicating to the community
14:48:07 is communication. Specialist. Caroline is the current and our interim team is gonna be Carolyn and Kate, and they'll pull others of us in as they need us.
14:48:04 Yeah, I think that's a great idea.
14:48:18 But we're gonna need you to do an appointment, Monte and I'm trying to find the right language that Kenny Administrator appoints some sort of authority for using social media
accounts.
14:48:37 But laser fish will not open for me, So you're not the only one that's hard.
14:48:25 Okay.
14:48:46 Well, if you'd like me to work with one of you on that can do that with the Uk.
14:48:43 Yeah, turn it.
14:48:52 Thank you.
14:48:51 Or however, that's the will of the board, you know.
14:48:55 Great. I was I'm hoping to get this open, so that while we're in public session, if we did need to take action on anything that's we could.
14:49:08 Of course we would take public comment again before taking action, but I can't open laserfish.
14:49:16 Is anyone able to open lasers fish? I'll try.
14:49:19 Thank you. Yeah, 30 dash 21. Thank you.
14:49:30 No nice.
14:49:37 Board of Commissioners. Yup: Okay, Policies or resolutions.
14:49:43 Resolutions, 1 2130 dash I'm in, and I am 30.
14:49:55 Dash 21 and a matter of adopting a remise social media policy be able to email that to me easily.
14:50:06 so much time with it recently. They can go relatively quickly to the section.
14:50:11 I wanna okay download, save for you, or we could read about the whole thing allowed. I'm downloading it
14:50:22 And then I'll email it to you. Did anyone follow up on Mr.
14:50:26 Fierce's comment today about please not opening
14:50:34 Kate attach. Oh, where to go?
14:50:44 Hmm! Oh, wait! I know now where it is. Just a sec. Sorry!
14:50:58 here it is
14:50:59 Okay. Sent. Thank you. Okay, we've got the time to do this.
14:51:06 So sausage gets made.
14:51:10 Not very exciting, great.
14:51:20 Okay.
14:51:31 Okay, Do you want me to see more discussion before we try public comment again?
14:51:40 And I We might not need to take more public comment.
14:51:46 there we go. So we need an authorized agent to post social media content on behalf of a Jefferson county department, and I will
14:52:10 Oh, this is interesting. It's the Central Services Director.
14:52:17 This authorized who doesn't start until the first to approve official social media accounts, review new types of social media.
14:52:28 But Mark's the acting right
14:48:56 Do that.
14:52:34 Yeah, so.
14:52:47 As the central Services Director shall delegate and employ the responsibility of modern archive comments on weekly basis.
14:52:54 Thank you. Thank you.
14:53:05 And there's more definition of the authorized agents uphold standards and values.
14:53:10 Manage all interactive, official social media accounts.
14:53:21 So I guess that the question is the our. Are we comfortable calling Monte the Central Services Director in Mark's absence, even though his authority is as acting any administrator
14:52:55 Page 11,
14:53:47 Well, I think it's clear that the intent I mean the Central Services Director position is under the county administrators.
14:53:54 So I think the intent is clear here that it was within the county administrators per view to manage this policy, and then would include the pointing people to handle.
14:53:46 That's funny.
14:54:11 The you know, moderate the the comments and things like that.
14:54:18 I don't see anything here that would
14:54:17 hmm.
14:55:00 in our policy? Is it, you know, even when we wrote this we didn't really have a central services director.
14:55:09 You know, we had somebody, oh, so sorry in that role, but mostly as county administrator
14:55:16 Okay, Well, it doesn't. The important thing was that we don't need to take any action.
14:55:25 I agree with that. I mean, there's multiple authorized agents, because this talks about social media action plans for different platforms, and each department could have an
authorized agent.
14:55:23 Okay. The authority rests elsewhere. We're just not sure where
14:56:05 I'm sure sure Carolyn's Gonna read us the language of the appointment as well here
14:56:18 Is, I will be out of the off. I will be out of the county on vacation from close a business.
14:56:22 Monday, October tenth, until Monday, October the 20, fourth.
14:56:24 I would be back in the office on Tuesday, October 20 fifth, pursuant to county Resolution, 32, 14.
14:56:30 I am appointing Monty Rinders as acting county administrator in my absence.
14:56:34 Consistent with this appointment, Mr. Reinders has all the authority needed to fulfill. To fully fulfill this role
14:56:44 Thanks.
14:56:49 But part of that role right now is serving us services. Director, too.
14:56:52 Yeah, yup, hmm. Well, I'm comfortable. You, too, think we're all comfortable with moving forward.
14:57:03 Okay, we're not taking action, but we're coming up with the back of the napkin plan.
14:57:09 So let us know, Let Greg and I know if you guys need help with anything, Carolyn, Kate, Monty, and thank you for digging in, and or just the 9 Pm. To 9 Am.
14:57:22 Shift monitoring comments, not my best hours. I I sleep a lot.
14:57:29 hmm! Any do I want to take public comment on this one more time.
14:57:35 Try see if anybody with us on zoom today who would like to make comment on the conversation we've been having around social. Media.
14:57:44 Please use the race hand button at the bottom of the zoom screen