HomeMy WebLinkAboutclosed_caption09:01:26 Alright, alright. Good morning everyone. I will call this October second meeting of the Board of County Commissioner's order.
09:01:35 Great to have people in the chambers with us and online as well. So we will begin as we always do with public comments.
09:01:44 We've got some. 3 proclamations we're going to do at 9 30 as well.
09:01:47 So we'll we'll end public comment properly at 9 30 and and get to those before our health update at 9 45.
09:01:54 Ross having you know as is our norm these days a few tech issues dead monitor in this case which means that if you're watching this on AV capture you'll be able to hear us but
it'll be black for the time being but we'll get a new recording up.
09:02:05 At the end of the day, but you can also join us at the Zoom Meeting and CS. All our visual glory.
09:02:13 So with that I will open up to people in the room or people online for public comment. You can have up to 3Â min to talk to us about anything that you like, specifically the
agenda, but anything.
09:02:26 So is there anyone in the room that would like to make a public comment today? Yes, come on up.
09:02:34 Hello, my name is Alexa Serbido. I'm here to provide public comment regarding consent agenda item number 5.
09:02:41 I strongly urge the Board of County Commissioners to reject the proposed LTAC budget and send it back to that funding body.
09:02:47 I urge you to review the document that hopefully is attached to today's agenda that I provided if you don't have a copy I have several with me today and create an inquiry into
these serious conflict and interest concerns.
09:03:00 In the spirit of full disclosure, I was an applicant to this process who was not awarded funding. However, in the process of debriefing from the experience, I came to have serious
concerns about the conflict of interest and ethics issues.
09:03:10 Possible present with in this funding body. I actually have a revision to the document that I submitted for comment.
09:03:17 Officially last night. Page 6 states the highlighted rows account for 87.2% of the total allocated funds.
09:03:24 87.2% is the total allocation of the budget that raises valid good faith questions by well-informed and reasonable members of the public.
09:03:32 This includes the aforementioned conflict of interest concerns and one instance in which LTAC did not follow its own procedures for incomplete applications for a total of 611,
public dollars.
09:03:43 I feel obligated to share this information as individually and independently. Those I have consulted said it must be shared and because I feel optimistic that you will not find
any malicious intent here.
09:03:53 I think these are concerns that can be easily addressed with thoughtful inquiry and an eye towards clarity with a lack of emotion or partisanship.
09:04:00 It's just doing good business, which I feel certain is our county's objective. Regardless, these figures are concerning.
09:04:06 So I cannot emphasize enough how strongly I urge you to send back this budget for further review along with additional oversight and inquiry ideally initiated by this body.
09:04:15 Thank you, Alex. Anyone else in the room like to make public comment today?
09:04:21 You guys were here before meeting. No, we're with the proclamation. In terms of public oh hold on a second just make sure you get the microphone so folks at home can hear you
too In terms of
09:04:38 In terms of public comment, I've been up here before and it's about the radio tower at 35 brain shower drive.
09:04:46 We are contesting. The entire issue as a land petition use. We filed in superior court.
09:04:57 And, it. After we got the notice, it was going to happen. They issued the building permit.
09:05:06 And then work was commenced before we had. Our our right to appeal. Okay, so we appealed in time.
09:05:18 I think we have certain issues. And their biggest point is Everything meets whatever they want to do it there.
09:05:27 But it doesn't meet engineering in terms of grade. Or soil compaction. Ice on the tower, so a huge engineering issue.
09:05:39 And then they want to put it down. A private road. That the people maintain. Versus the public road and it's right past 2 sites that are owned by the city and the county.
09:05:57 And the city has granted a no dollar lease to the radio station up on Morgan Hill that would serve. The entire radio station's need.
09:06:09 And now they're trying to put an industrial strength. 100 and ninety-foot tower right next to the power lines in the woods.
09:06:18 And they're out there doing it with a building permit. Which I grant you is a building permit.
09:06:26 But it's not posted. County has not complied with going out there and inspecting it. And I would like you to tell me.
09:06:39 Who is the entity or the business? It is on that permit.
09:06:46 You can't call. The DCD and get a person. They're only open 4 days a week.
09:06:56 And then they take lunch. They have a lot of people in there. And I don't know how I would run a business like that and stay in business.
09:07:05 I would be out of business. And I know people that are having issues with DCD. I mean, it's like we can't what's going on with your permit.
09:07:15 Well, we don't know. We don't know. They don't complain because they don't want to complain because they don't want to be pushed to the end of the line.
09:07:22 But this is right in the front of the line. There's excavators out there right now with no permit posted.
09:07:28 They're doing it the wrong way. No survey. I mean, what do you say? You tell me, you're the people in charge.
09:07:37 Thank you.
09:07:41 Right, and as always, we'll listen to all public comments before we respond to them, but please do stick around and we will respond to to all the public comments that we get.
09:07:49 Yes. Please. So my name is Maria Baka and I'm an owner of a historic building downtown as well as a new business that retreat-based for that relies on tourism and bringing people
here.
09:08:05 I, when I heard the news that the commissioner, the commission was going to vote on this the budget for the tourism, the lodging tax and the some of the organizations that have
recently helped me like Kuemper Events Collective who has been helpful to my new business.
09:08:30 When I heard that. Some of the things that were found from the process in the budget, it made me concerned and I have consistently seen that.
09:08:43 More young professionals are wanting to engage with the city and youth that produce events per do have local.
09:08:52 Local business and if they're still I'm just curious on how what kind of support that. We can get versus what has been a established that continues.
09:09:04 So you get funding but maybe isn't as active as it once was. And to look at what the and then when I additionally heard that the rules.
09:09:14 Were of the governing body were violated and or possibly violated and it's itself it made me concerned.
09:09:23 So as a stakeholder that has some benefit for this, but also concern for the process here.
09:09:32 I'm curious to learn more about this. Thank you, Maria.
09:09:39 Okay, we have a busy. Ready to send. What would bring Mr. Chia Shover online?
09:09:45 Mr. Chair, shall you come over? You have. Up to 3Â min to make public comment.
09:10:00 Okay, finally, unmuted. The, couple of things. First of all, since there were some comments about the, the LTAC.
09:10:11 It occurred to me, that even though there's more than a million dollars worth of LTE money.
09:10:17 I don't think county is collecting all that it might. The subject was brought up at the last, at your last meeting.
09:10:26 Regarding the possibility of adding. A new lodging tax for us for funding. Of a public facilities district.
09:10:35 And that got me to thinking along with LTAC, well. What other things aren't LTAC funds being collected for?
09:10:45 And what comes to mind are all these short term rentals that are happening all around the county.
09:10:48 Not just VRBO and, you know, Airbnb. But all the private listings.
09:10:55 Things that are on Craigslist, people are running out their A to use. Seems like there's a whole lot of lodging.
09:11:01 It's not being taxed. And I don't know what it's going to take to do that, but I think it's something that you might want to consider because I can see just a whole lot of additional
revenue coming to the county from that.
09:11:14 The other thing is completely unrelated. I know this is not exactly in your decision making. Court but you are involved with burn bands so if you don't fire chiefs come and
they talk to you about burn bands And the Burnman is currently in effect.
09:11:32 And we've got a whole lot of rain. Things are really wet out there. And I've got a whole bunch of stuff that needs to be burned.
09:11:38 So maybe could you put in a good word and see if we can get that thing lifted a little sooner than the end of the month.
09:11:45 I'd appreciate it. Thank you.
09:11:48 Thank you, Mr. Teersch. Anyone else online? Would like to make a public comment today?
09:11:54 Love to hear from you.
09:12:02 Anyone else in the room that would like to make public comment? Yeah. No. 3, okay.
09:12:11 Yes, we're here. Yeah. Okay, great. Okay, great.
09:12:16 We'll bring Miss Paul over.
09:12:25 Good morning, can you hear me?
09:12:27 Dan, thank you. Go ahead, Miss Paul.
09:12:29 Good morning everybody. Believe the burn ban has been lifted. I that may not apply to port, I don't know about that, but I leave out in the county.
09:12:40 Anyway, it has been. Thank you.
09:12:45 Feeling our line there, Gene, come on. We've had something good we can say. One of the public comments.
09:12:50 All right. Anyone else online that would like to make a public comment?
09:12:57 Okay, well we'll keep public comment open, but start to respond since we have no one else that would like to make it now.
09:13:04 Do we still have Commissioner Dean with us.
09:13:09 Great. Alright. I'm happy to respond to all the LTAC comments. So.
09:13:16 As chair of the lodging tax advisory committee. I've received a number of, Public comments, including yours, Alexis.
09:13:25 And had a number of the same questions that you had. That we talked about in our meeting. The one issue with an incomplete application came from the Port Townsend Chamber of
Commerce and they are really in a state of retooling right now.
09:13:44 And so we felt like because we'd always given them a lot of support, we could give them a little bit of support and help them get going again.
09:13:50 But that's still a question and that was something I wanted to talk with Mark about today.
09:13:55 In addition to that, there were a number of questions about why Jefferson County has so much LTAC funding to grant out.
09:14:03 And why the city of Port Townsend only grants $20,000 a year of their over $500,000 received in LTAC funding.
09:14:11 And I looked into that. They have a budget that they create for LTAC every year, which includes the Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce.
09:14:20 For this year as well. And So that's something that Mark and I started talking. On Friday about potentially that we do for the Tourism Coordinating Council who does all of the
tourism coordinating activities for Jefferson County and has since before I was a commissioner.
09:14:39 So those 2 things. Did trigger questions. In terms of the percentages given to entities for LTAC funding this year.
09:14:51 Hmm. One thing we talked about as a committee is the desire to fund organizations who are open year round.
09:14:58 More than funding organizations who may be. Our one weekend a year. So, for example, the Windboat Festival, I was like.
09:15:09 I used to work at the Maritime Center. I was like, I'm not going to be that the advocate.
09:15:13 For this project, but. The rest of my committee members came up and said we want to give them a grant.
09:15:19 I'm like, okay, great. Because they're a one weekend event or one weekend year event.
09:15:28 So there was a lot of thinking that went into the allocations that went to different entities. And if I look at the breakdown that our staff did and that you also did, Alexis.
09:15:40 The smaller percentages went to entities who are not year-round entities. And that was the rationale for that.
09:15:46 I stand behind the. List of recommendations for this year. And the one question I still have is the Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce.
09:15:57 Do we want to give them the $17,000 to print the maps which have been effective tools for our tourism community.
09:16:06 We're gonna look at how we do LTAC differently for the next round. And I don't want to delay making these grants this year because we are up against the end of the year and
this is the funding for 2,024.
09:16:18 And to get another whole process through would take 6 months so we get into the year with. A lot of entities not having any of the funding that they rely on.
09:16:27 I appreciate all of your analysis and input. And you guys being here today. And I think we really do need to look whole cloth at how we distribute these funds and ask the city
how they distribute their funds.
09:16:41 Because really Jefferson County LTAC funds are meant for the broader Jefferson County and Port Townsend LTEC funds, which aren't that much less than Jefferson counties, are
meant for the city of Port Townsend.
09:16:53 So I think that we need to think more whole cloth about how we address this funding. But I still recommend that we move forward with the consent agenda item just because I don't
want to hamstream.
09:17:06 Almost 20 organizations that rely on the funding. That's one more question. Yeah, absolutely. The concern about the percentage that are going to tourist related facilities.
09:17:19 From our code and someone sent me. Not more than 50% for the operation of tourist related facilities.
09:17:26 You can't vet that. Well, some of the organizations Part of their budget is for operating a facility and part of it is for operating that organization.
09:17:36 So it didn't feel like there was. More than 50% going towards. Like the Gateway Visitor Center, for example, which is one of TCCs.
09:17:50 And so not more than 50% for the operation of tourist related facilities including but not limited to Jefferson County Historical Society.
09:17:58 Tourism Coordinating Council on the Olympic Peninsula Gateway Visitor Center.
09:18:03 And then the tourism coordinating council is not a facility. It's programmatic activity. There's no facilities.
09:18:11 I didn't write the code. I was reading. Yeah, I mean, so no, we do not have over 50% going to Tor.
09:18:17 Facilities. Okay. Capital facilities. Which is how I read that part of the code.
09:18:23 Operation, but yeah. Okay. But TCC is not a facility. It's programmatic activity.
09:18:33 There's not facility other than gateway visitors. Why do you think they're listed in this code?
09:18:39 I mean, they operate the gateway visitor center, which is pulled out as a separate line item in the budget and does not make it such that we exceed 50%.
09:18:48 There's a lot of that tourism coordinating councils like advertising.
09:18:53 Thanks. Send. No. Stuff.
09:19:01 Heidi.
09:19:03 We, we had far less funding. Get out. Then we had. Yeah.
09:19:10 Was the, center of decision part of that question of, you know, kind of.
09:19:16 Should the city be supporting organizations that primarily function within the city? Is that the? Oh.
09:19:22 Yep, was part of that discussion.
09:19:28 Yep, for sure.
09:19:33 Okay. I've said what I had to say. I really appreciate all the input and the clarity.
09:19:44 Do you want to talk about other stuff where you have the cons? Regarding the radio tower, I mean, I would want I would wonder about the building permit too, but it looked like
there was a contractor listed on the building permit.
09:19:58 So, Control entity or individual or anyone to get direction in the subject. Please, sir. All right.
09:20:11 That's the end of my responses. Okay. Alright, Kate, any responses?
09:20:19 Sure, yeah. I will just say that the.
09:20:24 The numerous funding boards that we have. we, try to give them authority to meet different priorities, in any funding cycle and that can look like in consistency.
09:20:44 And I know that that's frustrating for folks, but I, I will say that there, you know, we do have some latitude and how those statutes are applied and So I, you know, I do trust
that we have.
09:21:02 A commissioner and. Number of well intended folks working on making those difficult choices. So I just.
09:21:11 I know that it can be unsatisfying for the public who say, but that's not how they did it last year or, you know, it doesn't look consistent, but, you know, I think they really
try to balance a lot of different needs and priorities given a shortfall and funding available.
09:21:25 So. Thank you, Commissioner Eisenhower for the, the explanation and, I am inclined to move forward unless I hear any further.
09:21:36 Concern about. About the process. Let's see, I in response to.
09:21:41 Kate, I would, I would just add that we did. Undertake 4 separate votes for funding.
09:21:48 So we had Folks recuse themselves from the votes for their specific entities. And that was led by staff, which was a really good idea.
09:21:57 So the votes were without the entities that were to stand, stand again from the specific vote.
09:22:06 Oh, great. Yeah. And you know, we do have a number of these boards.
09:22:11 So we are pretty well aware of the risks and pitfalls and I think do a good job of trying to thread the needle of you know providing.
09:22:22 Flexibility while and sometimes trying to fund more organizations, with less than what they asked for.
09:22:30 So that there are less of a sense of winners and losers, but I know it's challenging.
09:22:35 I've sat on a number of those boards and it is often dissatisfying. Even or especially for those who have to make the hard decisions.
09:22:45 In response to Mr. Tearsha's comment, the for folks who have short term rentals, with one of the larger companies, Airbnb, Verbo, etc.
09:23:00 We, we do collect, LTAC from them. It is the, you know, kind of the rogue folks who are out there marketing on their own that we're probably missing.
09:23:09 But my guess is those are relatively few and far between and as I think I've told you Mr. Teish I've been working on.
09:23:18 Doing a lot of research and gathering some data so that we can really start thinking about a you know, looking at regulating short term vacation rentals and as a potential revenue
source to offset some of the impacts that those have on our.
09:23:34 Housing availability. So, stay tuned, but do know that we, we do collect from the larger companies.
09:23:44 The radio tower, I have. Not heard any concerns raised that I don't think are met by the permitting process.
09:23:55 You know, I, there is a public benefit to having that radio tower there that I think.
09:24:02 In the little bit of decision making that we had, which was basically just. You know, do we want DCD to move ahead with this permit application or do we want more, you know,
deliberation?
09:24:14 Or consideration of it? I felt like, no, we needed to move ahead with it. The public benefit is greater than, then potential impacts and You know.
09:24:25 Sorry, it's just it's One way right now.
09:24:28 And given the. The fact that there's relatively low impact to. Neighbors.
09:24:38 If this is not, you know, gonna be. 20 people a day driving on roads. Even during construction, I realized there, probably are some impacts, but it feels like a very limited
impact.
09:24:48 In comparison to the, to the benefit to the public, especially should there be an emergency.
09:24:57 So. Again disinclined to raise this as a an issue that we should get involved with at this time.
09:25:06 And those are the 3 things that came to mind. Am I missing any major ones?
09:25:12 Yeah, sorry, Mr. Smith. Sorry, Mr. Smith. I will respond to your public comment too, but this is not a dialogue at this point.
09:25:23 Sorry, Mr. Smith. I will respond to your public comment too, but this is not a dialogue at this point.
09:25:24 We heard from you and then we're going to respond, but we can't go back and forth.
09:25:27 But to I don't think that we're being the steam rollers here, Mr. Smith.
09:25:32 I am. I mean, is it your meeting or is it our meeting? It's your meeting. Okay.
09:25:39 So who's, who's, yeah. I do hear your frustration, Mr. Smith and You know, you kind of had me at Lupa case because we once we are, oh, I'm sorry, there's more public comment.
09:25:50 We I understand your frustration with process. It's going through the process. We don't tell applicants.
09:26:00 You should do this over here. This would be a fine place to do it. That's not the, it's not how permitting works.
09:26:07 So as it goes through the process, I am happy to meet with you and you can email any of us and I'm sure we would spend time with you and understand the issue but it is really
not in our lane right now.
09:26:18 Going through staff, it's going through DCD and it's going through a land use petition case now too, so that even more we really need to stay out of this situation.
09:26:32 I encourage you not to behavior like this when you have your day in court. I'm good with that.
09:26:40 2, let's see. Radio tower. To Mr. Teersch.
09:26:46 You know, I hear. I hear you about the, I think, I think Kate responded to that well.
09:26:54 The burn ban as Miss Paul said is over as of. October first. I'll just clarify that's for recreational burning.
09:27:00 Recreational burning is allowed. So, and, Burns, not yet. Right.
09:27:06 Yes, but I think most, a fire of what 3 feet in diameter. Recreational fires is defined as an outdoor fire burning materials other than rubbish where the fuel being burned is
not contained in the incinerator, outdoor fireplace, portable.
09:27:22 Outdoor fireplace barbecue grill, a barbecue pit and has a total area of 3 feet or less in diameter.
09:27:29 Make it small. And then to the Quimper Collective and Lexus and Maria.
09:27:39 I have been in exactly your spot, you know, before I was elected I had a sound nonprofit that applied to LTAC and I was incredibly frustrated when we also as a new nonprofit
were not awarded funds.
09:27:50 So I have been there, I understand your frustration. As, you know, I think Commissioner Eisenhower kind of walked through the rationale behind it.
09:28:00 A lot of the RCWs in this particular board are super frustrating to me too where you have you know collectors and expenders of the LTAC money on the TCC and the LTAC committee
and it seems like unless you're already on the inside, it's hard to get in there.
09:28:13 So I do, I do. Understand the frustration and when I went on I was on the LTAC board for a year or 2.
09:28:21 And, tried to push against some of those kinda, kind of, I don't know, good old boy perception that I felt too.
09:28:31 And the realer is state statute that determines a lot of that. You know. Commissioner Eisenhower seems like she's done with the staff a lot of due diligence and I think there'll
be more iterative improvements as always as we go on.
09:28:46 So I'm not inclined to hold up the the recommendation at this point but I you know I take the take the note and moving forward.
09:28:55 There's room room to improve always, you know, but there's also a dearth of funds, you know, where every board that we have is oversubscribed by you know, 30, 40, 50%.
09:29:06 We got that car, note from commerce that there were 97 applications for the housing applications. I mean there's There's a lot of funds going around on the federal level right
now.
09:29:17 We don't have a lot more to distribute here. We're got, you know, the sales task can only go up so much.
09:29:22 The lodging tax can go up so much. So I do appreciate you bringing this to us. I'll pay more attention to the lodging taxes that moves forward, the the awards in the process.
09:29:32 We've had, you know, hiccups in the in other funding boards too, as Commissioner Dean says, and we try to get it right and I think we are responsive to these concerns.
09:29:44 But you know, there's, no way to cut this cake where everybody gets a piece, unfortunately.
09:29:48 And so, yes I. I, not inclined to, pull this from.
09:29:54 Consent Agenda. Right now. Yeah, I think that is all, but I will turn to, oh, it's 9 30.
09:30:05 We do have proclamations, so I'm afraid I'm going to have to close public comments.
09:30:09 And we, we have the consent agenda. I guess we can take, does anyone have any?
09:30:16 Issues they want to raise with the consent agenda. We've talked about number 5 quite a bit, of course.
09:30:24 Where I'd welcome a motion to approve. I'll move them.
09:30:26 I will move to prove and adopt the consent agenda for October second, 2023.
09:30:32 I'll second. Okay, it's been moved and seconded to approve and adopt the consent agent as presented.
09:30:40 Hi.
09:30:39 All in favor indicate by saying aye. Aye. Okay, that is unanimous. All right, well, we will move on.
09:30:49 We've got 3 proclamations with no particular set time, but maybe we should start with the proclamation about mental health mental illness awareness week since we have some guests
for that.
09:31:01 And as is our norm, we will read the proclamation. And then after approving it, we would love to hear from some of the the great, contributors to this effort in, the, in the
audience with us.
09:31:16 So why don't we go Kate Heidi and then me? Does everyone have the proclamation on mental illness awareness week?
09:31:26 Alright, take it away, Kate.
09:31:26 Yes. Great, a proclamation, mental illness awareness week, whereas mental health is part of overall health and
09:31:36 Whereas one in 5 adults experiences a mental health problem in any given year and whereas one in 6 US youth aged 6 to 17 experience a mental health disorder each year and
09:31:48 Whereas approximately one half of chronic mental illness begins by the age of 14 and 3 quarters by the age of 24 and
09:31:56 Whereas suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States and the second leading cause among young adults.
09:32:03 And 90% of people who die by suicide had shown symptoms of a mental health condition according to interviews with family, friends, and medical professionals and whereas long
delays sometimes decades often occur between the time symptoms first appear and when individuals get help and
09:32:20 Where as early identification and treatment can make a difference in successful management of mental illness and recovery and
09:32:28 Whereas it is important to maintain mental health and learn the symptoms of mental illness in order to get help when it is needed and whereas every citizen and community can
make a difference in helping in the silence and stigma that for too long has surrounded mental illness and discouraged people from getting help and
09:32:46 Whereas public education and civic activities can encourage mental health and help improve the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness and.
09:32:55 Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly contributed to mental health challenges in children, youth, adults, and elders in Jefferson County and whereas mental health
mental illness awareness week is sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAME, to increase understanding of the devastating impact of mental illness on the lives of individuals
and their communities and seek to promote early diagnosis and treatment and
09:33:20 Whereas Nami, Jefferson County's health advocates discovery behavioral health care, community partners, and legislators have collaborated to reduce stigma and provide education
and awareness of prevention, early intervention, and treatment resources for mental health and.
09:33:36 Whereas October tenth, 2023 is World Mental Health Day. And now therefore, be it resolved that the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners on behalf of the citizens of Jefferson
County does hereby proclaim October tenth, 2,023 as World Mental Health Day and October first through seventh, 2,023 as mental illness awareness week in Jefferson County.
09:33:57 Washington to shine a light on mental illness and fight stigma, provide support, educate the public and advocate for equal care.
09:34:05 Proclaimed the second day of October, 2,023.
09:34:08 Alright, I'd welcome a motion to approve this proclamation. So moved.
09:34:14 I have a second.
09:34:15 All right, it's been moved and seconded to approve the proclamation. Recognize Mental Illness Awareness Week.
09:34:23 Hi.
09:34:21 All in favor indicate by saying aye. Aye. All right. We have some guests.
09:34:27 I'd love to invite Patrick and her Val up from from NAME and I kind of I to invite Patrick and her Val up from NAME.
09:34:35 And I kind of, I talked to you a little bit on the hallway, Patrick.
09:34:36 We're looking at our strategic plan later, but would love to take these proclamations to the next level and, you know, go beyond the.
09:34:39 Important but performative process of just reading them and actually taking action so Well, we appreciate that and and thank you again.
09:34:51 I'm trying to remember we were just here yesterday, I think, and that's when we were here on behalf of Mental Health Month, which is in May.
09:34:56 And as you mentioned, Commissioner, Val Finister is here who's part of NAME and also we're delighted to share this time with General Valley and Anne Weaver from Just every behavioral
health who do really important work as well.
09:35:09 To your point and thank you for that discussion. The work that you're doing around housing for example is essential.
09:35:14 We know absolutely that the most fundamental thing for a person to get stable is to have housing and you're doing good work with that.
09:35:21 We we realized that funding is short as per your previous discussion, but going in the right direction is really important.
09:35:27 Discovery behavioral health also makes available housing. And again, it's very limited because there there are more people that need care.
09:35:34 Then there is housing available. One of the things that's happening today that goes again to your point commissioner is awareness and stigma is awareness and stigma is happening
today that goes again to your point commissioner is awareness and stigma is part of this of course and the first step to people getting help is awareness.
09:35:48 And stigma is as part of this, of course, and the first step to people getting help is to overcome that stigma, self-awareness, if you will, which is oftentimes, of course,
and and the first step to people getting help is to overcome that stigma, self-awareness if you will, which is oftentimes a problem for people who have mental illness.
09:35:56 But removing the stigma both from families as well as individuals who have a mental illness is absolutely critical.
09:35:59 On that note, I'm delighted to tell you that NAME with support from the from the Community Accessibility Committee is going to be rolling out a major stigma reduction program
here in the next few weeks and of course we'll be bringing that to your attention and or organizations around town.
09:36:17 Another thing that that you do and that we hope you'll continue is to advocate with the state legislature.
09:36:23 County commissioners and others have substantial influence. You would like more, I know, with the state legislature and, and, will talk to you specifically about one of the
measures that we're very concerned about.
09:36:33 There are there are a whole host of things that can be done. Awareness is one of them.
09:36:39 And your points about taking commissioner, you do proclamations for a purpose and that's to bring attention to the issue and also to represent the citizens of Garrison County.
09:36:48 So these proclamations mean something and we are we are very pleased that that you've adopted and supported the proclamation to declare the first week of October as mental illness
awareness week.
09:37:00 And I would draw your attention as you're driving down Sims, which is a bit of a challenge these days with, I, I just stop.
09:37:06 I don't even know how to go around that thing. But we do have our banner out there and we hope that more citizens will see it.
09:37:12 So thank you again very much for your support and both of you have served on the behavioral health advisory committee over time and continue to serve on a host of other organizations
that are involved with with behavioral health and just finally before Bell comes.
09:37:28 I want to add that we work closely as does Jim and and their staff with the behavioral health court, which is a terrific thing.
09:37:35 And of course they have a coordinator now which we support it. So we're glad to see that.
09:37:38 So thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you, Patrick.
09:37:42 Good morning, Val. Good morning and thank you commissioners for allowing us to come down here and talk about what's happening in the world of mental health, if you will.
09:37:54 You have before you a couple of documents. One is our brand new brochure. As you know, when kovat hit a lot of things changed and one of those things was we moved to the recovery
cafe so you'll find more information about that.
09:38:10 And you'll also find information about our programs. So for example, we have support groups and I believe you have support groups and I believe you have a card that talks about
those support groups and I believe you have a card that talks about those support groups.
09:38:23 And we offer those twice monthly. We also have education classes. The biggest one we do will be the latter part of January for 8 Saturdays in a row for family members, caretakers
and friends of people with mental illness.
09:38:39 And we also do 2 workshops that are also listed in this brochure. One is mental health basics and communication skills in times of crisis.
09:38:50 The other is suicide prevention intervention workshop. And we've been doing those online and in person for almost since the beginning of COVID.
09:39:03 So everything is in relation to COVID. It's either BC before COVID or A/C. Yeah. And I don't know.
09:39:12 Another thing that we've been doing is we have been presenting for CIT trainings in the regional area.
09:39:22 CIT is the critical incident training for law enforcement and first responders. We go to Kitsap County to do that and we'll be doing it again this Friday.
09:39:32 And, when we do that, we do our suicide prevention intervention workshop and we do a lived experience presentation and Q&A.
09:39:43 And finally, I wanted to talk about something we haven't talked about. And that's the AO, AOT program assisted outpatient program.
09:39:53 And that's RCW, 71.0 5.1 4 8 for those of you who are into the numbers.
09:40:00 But it is another tool in our toolkit and Jim can probably tell you more about that toolkit and Jim can probably tell you more about that because they're the ones that are working
on that because they're the ones that are working on that program.
09:40:12 That because they're the ones that are working on that program, but NAMI is following the program.
09:40:16 But NAME is following the progress of implementation of especially in this county because our job is to educate and represent.
09:40:25 That program and others to our members so that they are prepared when a crisis happens and people really need to have choices.
09:40:39 AOT is one of those least restrictive alternatives and it's another choice. And like everything else, the paperwork may be voluminous and the complexity of the program may be
making it difficult for people who are in crisis to understand.
09:40:59 And that's why we're here. So we would appreciate any support that you have in the county.
09:41:05 Or implementation of that program. And we appreciate the support already. That we get from you in the coordination with other programs.
09:41:15 And I'm hoping that maybe Jim can talk a little bit about that. So thank you so much, Alright, Mr. Navalny, I'd love to hear from you.
09:41:31 So thank you commissioners for actually doing the proclamation first of all and thank you to Nami and Patrick and Val for inviting us.
09:41:39 To join today. I've been in this field for almost 30 years now. And I want to tell you there's been a big change, even though we still talk about stigma now from where it was
30 years ago to where we are now, we've made some progress.
09:41:51 And reducing that stigma a little bit or awareness. And having an understanding of mental illness, but we have a still love a lot of work to do.
09:42:00 You know, I come from a family that I just to share families and my son struggled.
09:42:04 My I never met my grandfather. He suicided before my dad was 14 years old. And my mom had severe postpartum depression when I was born.
09:42:14 So obviously I broke good news for her. So anyhow, so I've seen some really big changes and mental awareness.
09:42:23 If you think about as mental health month in May, recovery month of September and mental health awareness week, recovery month of September and mental health awareness week.
09:42:32 Recovery month of September and Mental Health Awareness Week. So put those all joined together because these are the things that affect our community and I'm happy to say that
DBH as long and with with Nami.
09:42:37 Have done a lot to make move awareness. We have made a commitment at DBH to bring mental health first day training to the community on a regular basis.
09:42:46 We've had a third training here recently. The most recent one was based on how to understand adolescence with mental health issues.
09:42:52 We did 2 adult version ones. We have another adolescent one next week. And we hope to keep doing these on a regular basis.
09:43:00 And it's our commitment at DVH to do them for free. I think that's our duty to do that and we will continue to reach out.
09:43:07 So I'm really glad to see where the awareness has gone and as we speak out and see more of it.
09:43:13 There's lots of programs, say it out loud, lots of peers, our agency is growing leaps and bounds with peers helping with lived experience, working with other individuals.
09:43:23 So we see that progress. Now I'll talk a little bit about Aot and Nobel once.
09:43:27 So, so it's assisted outpatient treatment. Actually, I was in a big meeting on Friday with the Salish PH ASL.
09:43:34 So the other my sister mental health agencies and, Portangelis and one down at Kitsap, we're all going to be contracting to provide AOT.
09:43:42 A fact they got a contract in the mail right after that meeting. So what AOT is really a diversion from people having to go into hospitalization potentially.
09:43:51 So we have some next steps yet to do. It's just getting off the ground. The next steps is for the ESO and when my team members will be meeting with the county attorneys and
looking at how we will process that.
09:44:03 It's a little more complex than it sounds, but it really is we do that already kind of with Ella what's called LROs least restrictive LRA is least restrictive when people come
out of the hospital.
09:44:15 So what we were doing is beefing up our teams enough since instead of sending people to hospital try to keep them in the community as best we can.
09:44:21 So it's a fine line to do that, but we'll have to work with civil attorneys here in town, you know, on sucker and hopefully we can put a plan together and see how that works
and hopefully prevent people from going into the hospital.
09:44:34 But again, I want to thank the commissioners for their hard work and understanding and really being, you know, proactive when it comes to mental health and substance abuse issues
in a town.
09:44:43 I don't want to forget the substance abuse because that's all a dual, it's all part of the same process really in a lot of ways.
09:44:49 So thank you again. Okay. Thank you very much, Jim. Love to hear from you.
09:44:59 Oh, I never give up an opportunity to address you all, do I? Good morning, And Dean, Chief Operating Officer Discovery Behavioral Health Care, as well as a resident of Port
Townsend.
09:45:09 Last week, I had the opportunity and pleasure of seeing the Indigo Girls perform right here in Jefferson County.
09:45:17 A line that has stuck with me since my early twenties, which was a while ago, is from one of their songs and that line is, Darkness has a hunger that's insatiable.
09:45:29 And lightness has a call that's hard to hear. I think that quote so clearly defines the overall challenge of mental illness and seeking mental wellness.
09:45:41 And promoting better mental health. Mental health touches every single person, whether you as an individual, your family, your friends, your community state nation.
09:45:54 Etc. It touches everyone. And what I want to Close out our public address about this is how fortunate we are here in Jefferson County there that there is such a commitment.
09:46:08 To promoting and achieving mental health within our community. From the BOCC. Thank you to advisory boards, the behavioral health advisory committee as well as the behavioral
health consortium.
09:46:22 To our nonprofits, Nami, Benji Project, Recovery Cafe, the Nest.
09:46:28 Our hospital, local agencies, and our local therapists who are independent. All are working. Towards a healthier community.
09:46:38 All are working to tamp down that darkness. And promote bringing additional lightness into our community. So is it a perfect system?
09:46:49 Is it being done perfectly? I won't swear, but no. Is our community continually trying and striving?
09:46:58 To do better, I'd say absolutely. So I just want to say thank you for your recognition, your continued efforts.
09:47:07 Your advocacy both through proclamation. And through action. Thank you. Thanks, Anne.
09:47:15 Thank you, Anne. Thank you to Discovery Behavioral Health, Tsanami, for being here today for all that you do.
09:47:20 We have 2 other proclamations, but we're a couple of minutes into our 9 45 health update with dr.
09:47:25 Barry so i want to honor that and I'm not sure if we're already on the radio or not actually but I hope we are because those are beautiful words and you know the indigo girl
that's on point and I'll just say one thing really quick before we turn it to Dr.
09:47:40 Barry and that's a You know, I've often talked about my own families and counters with mental health on these kind of days, but I think today I will acknowledge that.
09:47:49 I've grown too in the awareness of mental illness and I was reminded by my wife a couple weeks ago about one of our good friends who really suffers from mental illness and I
was kind of skeptical, you know, just maybe if she smiled more, it would be better.
09:48:03 And I think we, we all grow in our recognition and empathy with other people and recognition of the real issues that folks are going through.
09:48:11 So thank you guys for all your work and we'll turn to Dr. Barry and our monthly health update.
09:48:17 Thank you for being with us, Dr. Barry. Sorry to keep you waiting.
09:48:20 Oh, my pleasure. Thank you for, thank you for having me and I'm glad I got to listen in to a little bit of that discussion.
09:48:28 It's incredibly important public health issue as well. And I think there's a lot of good work we can all do, to improve access to.
09:48:37 Mental health, not just mental health care, but the necessary aspects to have good mental health in our community.
09:48:44 So today, I'm gonna talk mostly about Coven because we are in the midst of a COVID surge in our community as many of you likely know, we have, you probably know someone who
has COVID right now because there is so much COVID.
09:48:59 19 activity in our community and truly nationwide. We are in the midst of the surge though at the national level we are seeing starting to see the early indications of the plateau
so hopefully we will start to see rates coming down at the national level.
09:49:15 It did hit here a couple weeks after it started in the the country as a whole so we are not likely yet at our peak of COVID.
09:49:23 19 activity in Kalam and Jefferson County. We have seen approximately 4 hospitalizations per week due to COVID.
09:49:32 19 in the last 2 weeks. So we are still seeing our residents hospitalized. Those are primarily folks who are over the age of 70 or when we see hospitalizations under the age
of 70 and folks in their fiftys and sixtys that's near universally in folks who are not up to date on their vaccines.
09:49:49 And so we do still see severe disease. But thankfully, much less commonly when than we did in earlier rounds of this virus.
09:49:58 And the best protection against that severe disease and getting the virus at all is saying up to date on your vaccines.
09:50:04 Right now we are seeing still predominantly XBB, Omicron sub variants. So all kinds of variations of XBB, but really continuously across the board, it's all XPB of one flavor
or another, which is helpful because that is what is covered in the, in the updated COVID.
09:50:24 19 vaccine that has just been released in the last couple of weeks. I want to acknowledge that the COVID.
09:50:31 19 booster rollout has been slower. Then most of us would like this time around.
09:50:35 And I certainly have heard some feedback from the community about that. So I wanted to acknowledge that this time around is quite different than how we did other rounds of vaccination.
09:50:45 Until this booster campaign, all of the other Covid-nineteen vaccines that came through actually came through a centralized government system, including our office.
09:50:53 And so there was a lot of infrastructure in the background that made that possible. We actually were able to track all of the vaccine that came into our community, figure out
where it was going, and move it to different parts of the community if one part of the community didn't have enough.
09:51:08 That was all made possible by the Declaration of Emergency and both the funds and the authorities that came with that.
09:51:15 When that declaration of emergency went away, we lost the ability to do that. And so our office no longer manages the vaccine that comes into our community.
09:51:23 It actually is completely on the private market. So each pharmacy decides how much vaccine they're going to purchase and how much vaccine they're going to distribute.
09:51:33 And because they're paying for the vaccine for the first time in the pandemic, some of our pharmacies shot a little low on how much they ordered for that first round.
09:51:43 And so many of our residents have experienced trying to get it at a pharmacy and not having aments or vaccine available.
09:51:48 Thankfully, all of the pharmacies that we have contacted have put in more orders and they're starting to see the vaccine come in more more readily.
09:51:57 So I'm hopeful that in the next week or 2 we should start to see more free access to that.
09:52:03 That vaccine in our community. We also have just received our vaccine supplies at the Department of Public Health. We didn't have them for quite some time.
09:52:12 And so that's particularly critical because at the Department of Health, we will vaccinate folks regardless of their ability to pay.
09:52:19 Because we're now on the private market, the cost of a vaccine for someone who's uninsured is upwards of $100.
09:52:26 But at the health department we will support you if you don't have access to that. It should be covered by all private and major public insurances.
09:52:35 So if you have insurance, you should be good to go on the vaccine, but if you don't have insurance, we're gonna be your best outlet at the Department of Public Health and we're
happy to take care of you.
09:52:46 That's really the big update. I would encourage everybody to move forward with getting their COVID.
09:52:52 19 vaccine as it becomes available in our community. It's just starting to become more available and so encourage everyone to work on getting themselves scheduled to get their
vaccine.
09:53:01 This is a good match for the current circulating variant and so it should help you not get sick.
09:53:07 Through the fall and winter and of course help prevent severe disease. For those of us who have been unlucky enough to contract kovat in the last couple weeks in this surge.
09:53:20 I'd recommend waiting about 2 months before you get your updated COVID booster because you're well covered for the next couple of months from your recent infection.
09:53:27 And then you'll get more more boost for your buck from getting it in a couple months. And so with that, I'm happy to take any questions from our commissioners.
09:53:35 Otherwise we have a few questions that came in from listeners as well.
09:53:38 Great, Dr. Barry. And I, we do have a hearing at 1015. So I know that KPTZ is eager to get the DJ stick back, but questions from.
09:53:48 My fellow commissioners? No, I mean, I would differ. I saw the list of questions. There's some good ones on there.
09:53:54 Yeah, let's kick into those.
09:53:55 So the first one was asking about the cash price for the COVID vaccine. So most of us shouldn't have to pay that.
09:54:01 And your insurance should cover your COVID-19 vaccines and they're entirely covered under the vaccines for children program.
09:54:08 So most of us should never see that sticker price, but if you are uninsured or if you're coming from out of country, this person was asking about Canadians coming out of country
to get access to those boosters, they would have to pay about a hundred 10 to $130 for the Covid-nineteen vaccines.
09:54:24 If you are an insured, definitely contact the public health department, we're going to be your folks to make sure you get taken care of so you don't get a large bill for your
COVID.
09:54:32 19 vaccine. Another one was asking about how to get the free COVID-19 tests.
09:54:39 So, the federal government thankfully relaunched their free home test campaign to send. Kovat 19 tests around the country.
09:54:47 And the best way to find those is to go to covid. Gov backslash tests and then you can click through and order your tests from there.
09:54:56 They can send them to any household in the country. And it's a really good program to utilize.
09:55:03 Make sure that you have COVID tests on hand. Before you need them. Many of us are either have run out used all our tests or are dealing with some pretty old tests and so it'd
be good to get kind of refresh your supply, in what you've got at your home.
09:55:18 And that's, brings me to the next question, which was folks asked if they, if the expiration dates have been extended and they have been extended on many of those tests have
been extended and they have been extended on many of those tests.
09:55:32 So what I'd recommend you do is actually go to that same website where you wouldd recommend you do is actually go to that same website where you would order them and they have
a link to check and see if your tests are expired and what the expiration date is on your test.
09:55:41 If you can't tell, if you can't find it in that breakdown, the best thing to do is to make sure you see a control line.
09:55:49 If anything's funky about that control line if it's light, if it's wiggly, if anything looks off.
09:55:54 I would consider that test expired. And move forward with getting a new one order so many ones now so that you can have some fresh ones.
09:56:00 These tests last a very long time, but they're not indefinite and you have a risk of getting a false negative if you have a very old test especially if you're not seeing your
control line well.
09:56:11 So that's a good indication for getting a new one. Another good question was, do the tests work for the current circulating variance and they do.
09:56:24 They work just as well for these variants as they did earlier ones. But the difference is that we have a lot of population immunity on board.
09:56:31 And so back in the day in COVID, you used to see a surge in your viral load before you even had symptoms.
09:56:35 So as soon as you develop symptoms, you were going to test positive or you were gonna test negative and it wasn't COVID.
09:56:42 That's not true anymore because we have so much population immunity either from our vaccines or from prior infection or both.
09:56:48 You often will develop symptoms. Before your viral load really spikes. And that's actually your body responding and getting ready to fight this virus.
09:56:56 It's a good thing even though it feels bad. That's your immune system working. But that means that you don't often have a high enough viral load to test positive on a home antigen
test.
09:57:06 So the way to deal with that is to test again in 24 to 48Â h. Don't test again that same day, you're just gonna waste a test.
09:57:14 But wait until the next morning, you're most likely to get a positive test first thing in the morning.
09:57:21 Okay.
09:57:18 So wait until the next morning to test again. If you've got 2 negatives, you're unlikely to be positive, but if you're still sick, try to stay home to the extent you can or
if you can't mask up when you have to go in public places.
09:57:30 That can reduce your risk of spreading whatever it is that you have with other folks, whether it's COVID or another another virus that is circulating now.
09:57:39 And there are a lot of viruses going around now, especially with kids going back to school. Most parents I know are starting to get something.
09:57:46 From their children. And so there's lots of cold viruses and things. If you're testing negative.
09:57:52 Twice or more, you can consider it probably another virus and use your good precautions. Stay home if you can, mask if you can't.
09:58:00 A couple other good questions from folks. Someone asked how they should dispose of their outdated home antigen tests.
09:58:10 So you can just throw them away in the trash. They do have cardboard around them to take that off and recycle it.
09:58:15 So we want to be good stewards of our environment. But if you haven't used them, they don't have any kind of medical waste on them.
09:58:21 And even if you have, you can just throw them away in the regular trash. That's just fine.
09:58:26 Couple other really good questions. One person asked about the the updated booster and they're worried about side effects related to it.
09:58:37 They said they're, small, they're a small person. And they wondered if maybe they should get a lower dose of the Kovat 19 vaccine.
09:58:44 This is adult. Unfortunately there isn't really dose variability for adults. There's just one approved dose for adults and then approved doses for children based on weight.
09:58:55 So there's not really a way to get a lower dose. As an adult, if you have had significant symptoms, not dangerous ones, but you feel sick, you feel like you have the flu.
09:59:05 The best way to prevent that going forward to the extent that you can is make sure you're well hydrated when you get your vaccine and hydrate well.
09:59:12 For the next 24Â h after and then you can take symptomatic treatments as well to reduce any symptoms.
09:59:18 So take Tylenol, take ibuprofen to help mitigate any symptoms that you might have.
09:59:24 You may still have some even though you do all those right things and that just means you've got a very strong immune system that's responding really well to this virus but
planning ahead, staying hydrated, having some medications around that can help you if you feel sick and even pre-medicating if you know for sure that you've had trouble with this before
can help reduce those symptoms and make it a little bit more tolerable this
09:59:45 time around. Couple other things. Someone said they just got their new COVID booster. Wonderful.
09:59:54 So glad that you were able to find one and that you got it. How long does it take effect?
09:59:59 To be fully effective in your body? And it is still about 2 weeks before you have the full effects, but you are starting to get some benefit.
10:00:07 Yeah, any additional days since you've had your vaccine. But really to consider yourself fully getting the protection from that vaccine is 2 weeks from when you got your your
vaccine.
10:00:18 So still be cautious and even after you're all the way up to date, still good to be cautious in our community.
10:00:25 To reduce your risk of getting any of the other viruses that are going on, but don't consider yourself up to date until then.
10:00:32 And then this last question was, I think also really a good one. They were asking about, how to space out their vaccines.
10:00:43 So we've got if you're 60 enough, there's 3 vaccines for you this fall.
10:00:47 Kovat, flu, and RSV. You can get them all together, but you are a little more likely to have some of those side effects if you have them all at the same time.
10:00:55 And so some folks want to space that out. And this listener asked, in what order should I get them if I'm gonna do that?
10:01:03 Which I think is very astute question. So there actually is probably a best way to do that.
10:01:08 Get your COVID vaccine first. Because we're in a surge right now and we are not seeing significant.
10:01:14 RSV or flu activity in our community yet. But we definitely have COVID right now. So I get your COVID booster first.
10:01:20 And then if you want to wait a week or 2 to get your next one, I think that would be just fine.
10:01:27 RSV is starting to tick up nationally. It started in the southeast. There's a pretty significant search in kind of the Florida Georgia area and we're just starting to see an
uptick on the West Coast.
10:01:39 So San Francisco has seen a rise in RSV and Seattle is just now starting to see a rise in RSV.
10:01:44 Not much, but it's starting to take up, which means it's a couple weeks before it comes out here.
10:01:48 So soon would be a good time to get your RSV vaccine. Unfortunately, the RSV vaccine is covered by many private insurances and Medicare pert D, but it is not covered by Medicare
Part B and the out-of-pocket cost for the RSV vaccine is often upwards of $200.
10:02:07 And so it's not accessible to everyone. And unfortunately it's not in the in the bridge program so it is not paid for by the government for us to give to folks if you if you
don't have adequate insurance coverage.
10:02:22 I hope that will change next year, but I do want to acknowledge that the RSV vaccine is not currently accessible to everyone, but it's worth checking if it's covered by your
insurance and your sixth year up.
10:02:33 Definitely worth getting. It will be covered for kiddos once it becomes fully available for the little ones and it will be covered for pregnant folks as well.
10:02:42 But that 16 up group, there's a lot of gaps in coverage right now. And then after you get your RSV vaccine, I would get your flu vaccine.
10:02:49 Right now we're not seeing any significant flu activity in the country. We will, but it just hasn't come yet.
10:02:54 And so you've got a little bit more time to get that one done. And that's all the questions I had from listeners.
10:03:01 Thank you very much, Dr. Barry. Follow-ups. I had one.
10:03:04 Yeah.
10:03:07 I got a question about folks who suffer from strong reactions to the vaccines. Are there any? Recommendations.
10:03:14 For people who get flu like symptoms and who are saying they don't want to get the booster.
10:03:19 That question.
10:03:19 You know, I think at this point it is, it is an individual decision. So if you have had really bad reactions, our recommendation is still to get it.
10:03:30 It's good to get that protection on board and to do what you can to mitigate those symptoms.
10:03:33 Either, you know, with hydration, taking good care of yourself, getting some rest, taking some tylenol and I'd be prophin.
10:03:40 But that's most of what we can do to mitigate those symptoms. So if you've had very strong reactions before and you've had all of your other boosters to this point and you're
not in a very very high risk group.
10:03:54 Some folks if you're in that particular category are choosing not to get this booster. And I don't think that's unreasonable if you have those significant side effects every
time.
10:04:03 It's just been happening every time. The one other thing that I would consider is not all boosters are the same.
10:04:08 The boosters before this have had different different variant mixes in them and so not everybody who had that side effects last time is having bad side effects this time.
10:04:19 It's not a guaranteed. We still encourage you to get it, but I think it's not unreasonable if you if you're fully up to date on everything else, if you're not very high risk
for kovat 19 and you consistently have severe side effects you might be one person who would choose not to get this booster but then you just want to take extra precautions this fall
and winter.
10:04:37 You want to make sure you're masking well in crowded indoor spaces and you're avoiding those crowded unmathed spaces until this search dies down.
10:04:47 Thank you.
10:04:49 Yeah. Hi, Dr. Barry. Nice to see you.
10:04:51 Hi, nice to see you as well.
10:04:54 I had a couple of late submission questions that didn't make it onto your list.
10:05:00 One is if you could give an update to the PEACE Lovat shortage.
10:05:04 Is that something we're experiencing locally?
10:05:03 Hmm. We are unfortunately seeing an ongoing pack sloven shortage. It's not as severe as it was.
10:05:11 There was a period a couple weeks ago where we actually entirely ran out of Pax Lovin for Jefferson County and we had critical shortages in neighboring Calm County, even as
folks from Jefferson were coming over trying to find some.
10:05:24 It is better than it was. We have started to see some come in to our local pharmacies, but it's still pretty tight.
10:05:30 And so that all to say, when you get your prescription pack for Pax COVID, if you are high risk.
10:05:38 One way to mitigate that is to actually get it, set, give it get it as a paper prescription so that you can call around to pharmacies to find the one that has it.
10:05:47 And also to be thoughtful about your use of Paxloven if you are not actually truly high risk now is not the time, to ask for a, prescription.
10:05:58 We do really need to prioritize folks who are highest risk right now. I've also heard of some folks requesting Pax Little bit prescriptions before they travel so they can have
one on hand.
10:06:08 When we have enough packs little bit that's not unreasonable, but right now we really need to keep it.
10:06:11 For the folks who need it the most. But that shortage is still ongoing, starting to loosen in our community compared to where it was.
10:06:19 Great. And then one other question about availability of the, home test kits. So you mentioned the mail order ones are available again.
10:06:30 Are they widely available in pharmacies and does public health still have some and how are they distributing them?
10:06:35 Good questions. So they are still available in local pharmacies, though I have seen isolated shortages, where an individual pharmacy has sold out entirely of their Covid-nineteen
test flag just because so many people need it.
10:06:49 But we haven't seen all of them out. So check another pharmacy if you have the ability to pay for your COVID.
10:06:55 19 tests. If you don't have the ability to pay, we do still have them at the public health department and at our South County fire stations and we are still distributing them
through the bookmobiles.
10:07:05 So there is there are still some but they are going fast. We are seeing a high demand and so you may experience intermittent times where you can't get one.
10:07:15 And we're also starting to limit the total number that a family can take because they're just going so, so fast.
10:07:21 We want to make sure that we distribute them evenly. So if you don't need a COVID-19 test today, I'd encourage you to use the federal program and it'll come in a couple days.
10:07:29 But if you need one right now and you can't get one and you can't afford to pay at a pharmacy.
10:07:34 You can still get one from us from our libraries or South County fire stations.
10:07:41 Thank you, and if it makes you feel any better, even, Fred Hutch, the regional cancer center had to cancel their COVID.
10:07:53 Yes.
10:07:48 Booster clinic because their supply is also so unpredictable so they're experiencing it even here in Seattle I was hoping to get mine today and it was just cancelled.
10:08:02 Okay.
10:07:58 That is, and just acknowledging that that's really frustrating for folks who are trying to do the right thing, trying to protect themselves.
10:08:06 And I think many of us, certainly in public health and I think in the community as a whole would have really preferred that this booster came out about a month ago.
10:08:15 Yeah.
10:08:13 So that we could have been protected before this surge and hopefully next fall we'll see it moved up a little bit.
10:08:20 Thank you.
10:08:20 I was really hoping to get a live vaccination on radio too. I'm sorry. Happened Kate.
10:08:26 I tried, believe me.
10:08:24 That would have been super cool. Okay.
10:08:27 Okay. Okay. Well, thank you very much, Dr. Barry.
10:08:32 We're gonna have to stop again at 1015. So I believe we have a pinch hitter for emergency services today with Anna Pioseki.
10:08:42 I hope I said that right. If you can, turn on your camera, but good to meet you, Anna.
10:08:50 And I'm sorry, I haven't been over there to actually introduce myself, but welcome. How are we doing on the emergency management front?
10:08:54 Good morning, thank you. Yeah, we're doing well. October is a big month for us here at the Department of Emergency Management.
10:09:01 We have the Great Washington Shakeout Drill coming on October nineteenth. The shakeout drill is scheduled for 1019 am on October nineteenth and everyone is encouraged to participate
no matter where you are by practicing the drop, cover, and hold drill as if there was a major earthquake occurring at that very moment.
10:09:19 After you complete the drill. We want to encourage folks to check on their family members, check their go kits and think of anything else you would need to do in the event of
an actual earthquake.
10:09:29 The shakeout drill is not the only thing that, Department of Emergency Management will be doing the week of October, the nineteenth starting on the sixteenth.
10:09:39 We will have trainings occurring every day, including a volunteer orientation and a walkthrough of our new hub program.
10:09:45 Information on how to sign up and on all that information is on our website. It's front and center so you can't miss it and we really hope to see you guys there.
10:09:53 Finally, I did want to announce on a little bit of a satire notes my last day at Jefferson County will be October twentieth as I will be moving down to southern Washington.
10:10:03 Moving to Jefferson County from where I grew up in Texas was a long time dream of mine and I'm really excited that I got the chance to serve and get to know this community.
10:10:12 But unfortunately, affordable housing has been a huge issue. And I am unfortunately not able to find that at this time and my current arrangement is temporary.
10:10:20 So with that, I will take any questions, but that's the kind of the hits of what we have going on here at DEM.
10:10:27 That's awfully sad, Anna. Well, nice to meet you. Yeah, at least we'll be here for the shakeout, right?
10:10:31 Yeah, hi and bye. Yes, that's actually my last week, so I'm really excited to kind of be able to get this all up and running and and kind of help to kind of plug back into the
community before I unfortunately have to move on, but it's it's been a really fun year and I've been really grateful to get to to be up here and experience everything.
10:10:52 Well, I know we'll miss you. I know Willie was thrilled to have you on his team and.
10:10:56 It'll be a great loss for the county and those people down in southern Washington are lucky. Are you going to Clark County?
10:11:03 I'm looking at Mark McCauley right now.
10:11:04 I am actually.
10:11:06 Okay, actually going to Clark County.
10:11:08 Yeah, I'll be working for their Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency.
10:11:14 Yeah. Oh, small world.
10:11:13 Oh, Kredak, yeah. Okay. Well, I know the director there, so. I'll call him and tell him to treat you right.
10:11:21 Oh, awesome. Thank you.
10:11:22 So, and I had a question about your update though. What you mentioned the hub program, the new hub.
10:11:27 Yes.
10:11:29 Can you describe that a little bit for our listeners?
10:11:32 Yes, so it's just kind of we've been working for since I got here for Jefferson County on a new community hub and neighborhood hub concept and a hub essentially is whenever
an emergency happens it's just a central meeting location.
10:11:59 Hmm.
10:11:46 We've been working on them neighborhood based but then also community based. And of course the big question we get is where are they and where are they going to be and what
you know how are we going to set them up and unfortunately depending on the disaster kind of depends on all those scenarios so our goal is to just kind of walk through what one could
look like and you know be thinking about what you could do for your neighborhood or for
10:12:06 your, you know, little corner of the county and to get everybody kind of on the same page there and just be thinking about how your hub might look for your community.
10:12:15 Awesome, thank you. Okay.
10:12:18 Yeah, and I wish you all the best, but, I'm wondering if you can speak a little bit to the news item.
10:12:26 Last week that came out talking about the predictions for this winter. Moving into the fall October November, are typically our windiest times of year and, it's one of the most
challenging types of storm emergencies that we have here.
10:12:42 So how is Department of Emergency Management thinking about the winter ahead.
10:12:48 Yeah, so we actually have been pivoting kind of from our summer wildfire operations to the winter weather operations.
10:12:55 On our last incident management team, we kind of had a touch base of winter weather. What was coming and what to expect.
10:13:00 And as we can, those monthly meetings will be continuing kind of discussing what to do. If we do have another windstorm like what happened last year, that actually happened
my first week on the job.
10:13:10 Hmm.
10:13:10 So that was definitely kind of a trial by fire thing for me to to find out that you guys are in a very wendy spot up here.
10:13:15 Yeah. Anticipate this being a very windy winter. That, I always get the mixed up.
10:13:26 I'll need you in, but.
10:13:26 Yeah, yeah, I do too. I actually missed that meeting that we had last time I was out of town, but from what I hear, it's kinda gonna be more of, it'll be similar to kind of
last year.
10:13:36 I'm hoping that we won't have the same kind of wins that we had and if we do that we are able to kind of get a better jump on preparing for them but as far as I know it should
be similar to last year hopefully a little less.
10:13:51 Yes.
10:13:49 And I think it's supposed to be a wet one. Regardless. Thanks. Thank you.
10:13:55 All right, well, Anna, thank you so much. Yeah, keep up the good work, you know, for the next couple weeks and good luck down in Clark County as well.
10:14:07 Thank you.
10:14:04 And thank you, Dr. Barry. And we'll give a little bit of time back to KPTZ, so I'm sure they'll spend some good discs and we will I guess take just a moment of a break if anyone
you know needs a break and then we'll start a hearing.
10:14:17 At 1015 so thank you to the listeners from KPTZ for the questions and and to Anna and Dr.
10:14:24 Enjoy. Just precess for like 1Â min, I guess. I don't know if anyone needs to run to the bathroom.
10:16:38 Alright, welcome back. Oops.
10:16:49 We're just coming back into session. We have a hearing at 1015. Trying to get my 30 statement open.
10:16:57 Alright. So welcome everyone to this third quarter, 2,023, supplemental budget appropriation hearing with various.
10:17:03 Right.
10:17:04 With the finance department this public hearing is now open. If you join this meeting via the phone and provide a wish hearing testimony, please stay on the line.
10:17:12 You'll be provided an opportunity to speak during public testimony. Thank you for being here. Before we open for public testimony, which we can take on Zoom Phone or in person,
we'll listen to the staff presentation.
10:17:23 So, is that gonna be Judy? Judy? All right. Take her away, some some big appropriations this this quarter.
10:17:31 So I got some feedback going on in. You join this meeting via phone.
10:17:36 Oh, I think you have AV capture on. You probably have to pause AV capture when we.
10:17:39 Okay.
10:17:51 Might be hard to see because it's a black screen, but likely would just be every time we paused the meeting and started again if you have AV capture it'll restart.
10:17:58 Yeah, I was like I thought I had it off. Okay, great. I'm gonna go ahead and share my screen.
10:18:05 Good morning everybody. How's everybody doing?
10:18:07 Good morning, Judy. Doing well. Good to see you.
10:18:11 Okay. So I'm gonna bring over the summary because I thought that was included in the resolution, but I didn't see it.
10:18:20 So let me just go ahead and bring the summary over for the third quarter of appropriations. So this is their quarter.
10:18:27 So we have one more quarter to go before the end of the year. And so this, fortunately usually is a like, appropriation, packet and indeed it is.
10:18:38 So just to kind of give you a brief overview for general fund, we're going to be asking to approve one-time revenues of 73,880 and expenditures of a hundred $85,052 for general
fund and then other funds.
10:19:03 Thank you.
10:18:55 We have some, we have the revenue for $930,819 and then one time expenditures of 884,969.
10:19:07 So that I just wanted to bring that up. Before we actually review. The appropriations and go through what these are.
10:19:15 So let me. Maximize here so you can see it.
10:19:24 Alright, so the first one we have here is for prosecuting attorneys office. And what this is is that they've been without a case management software and this is something they're
really needing to implement and it's been I guess part of their goals to also have this on board for them and as explained let me just kind of expand it here in case you didn't get
a chance to look ahead of time.
10:19:55 They need they're having to, you know, as most of us have more information available.
10:20:01 And so when it was done by paper, it was manageable and now it's not because it's all digital.
10:20:06 The digital world we live in. So to purchase this software, it's 75,200 and then they're gonna in their budget that we'll be looking at later this week.
10:20:19 They're gonna have the maintenance to maintain the software for 2425 and ongoing. So this is this is the quote here.
10:20:28 What I really like seeing is we've got a couple of these, this round of appropriations and I enjoy seeing the fact they've attached the quote.
10:20:35 So you can see exactly what this is. What, they're doing. It is a go live process, so they're going to be working through that in the fourth quarter of 2,023.
10:20:48 Right. And commissioners, if. If the implementation isn't fully completed before year end, then some of this budget might have to carry over and it might require a supplemental
in the first quarter next year.
10:21:06 Okay, so the next one we have up is for the sheriff's office. They have some. Grant funds that have come in that they're actually increasing revenue by 73,880 therefore they're
also then increasing their expenditures to use those grant funds that are coming in.
10:21:28 And this has to do with. It's an officer wellness program, Grant. So there's 3 different grants and then the so here's the wellness expenditures the navigator grant and then
an additional increase to upgrading law enforcement.
10:21:57 Hi, I do, I would, that'd be great. Did you have a question on that one?
10:21:53 And Judy, if we have questions as you go through, you don't mind. You'd rather have them as Okay.
10:22:02 N, nope, pretty clear. Thank you.
10:22:01 Okay, good. Alright, so this next one is for Superior Court and. As of the end of this year, the current jazz program will or software will no longer be supported.
10:22:16 We know what that feels like. We we seem to hit these off and on throughout the year. So with no longer having this support of jazz, they're gonna have to do some in, you know,
upgrade to the Jav system, superior court system.
10:22:32 The cost of this and it includes courtroom cameras, all of that. So it's a pretty late these proposal.
10:22:41 So here's the scope of work. What it's including. Various equipment, the cameras.
10:22:49 Integration with existing presentation equipment monitors, you know, all of that. So it shows what it's gonna be actually impacting right here.
10:23:00 Within the courtroom.
10:23:07 Here's some of the
10:23:10 Additional and again this was attached to the appropriations I don't understand I'm not gonna claim to understand to know what all this is except that it's needed to be able
to do it.
10:23:24 And it's all broken out in several different areas. So let me get to the bottom of it.
10:23:33 Well, there's the.
10:23:38 Yeah, there's a 54 right there.
10:23:39 Right. I knew it was here somewhere. There we go. Okay.
10:23:51 Okay, 4 H is doing an increase. I've got a donation 3,500 that came in and so they're going to be putting it towards the 4 H program.
10:24:04 So it's a it's a public health what they're calling a mini grant program that, for and the budget is being established for that and going to be going right into, it came from
the Port Townsend Rock Club.
10:24:16 Thank you very much. And that is going into these supplies for that after school program.
10:24:21 I think the grant was to the Rock Club from public health. And I, yeah, I'm familiar with.
10:24:27 Oh, I'm sorry, I read it probably. Yeah.
10:24:30 I'm familiar with the Rock Club. They're doing great projects out there and programs for kids.
10:24:35 Okay, great.
10:24:35 I, yeah, this is, this is great. They're rocking it. They're rocking it as commissioner.
10:24:39 Brotherton just said. Okay.
10:24:40 Okay, great. Thank you for that clarification.
10:24:47 I mean, how long have I been spinning the wheel at the county fair at the Rock Club? You guys probably have been too.
10:24:54 Oh yeah.
10:24:58 Okay, so I mean there's certain changes that are happening here with in. . So this is adjusting budget for spending for the WMRC grant.
10:25:14 So that was we originally appropriated this in quarter one. And it was those funds were spent on having hiring interns and along with those administrative costs.
10:25:27 So I did look at this and we've spent a lot of time looking at this course with 2425 coming up so this is to Basically appropriate for those funds being spent at this point.
10:25:48 Okay, so public health. So public health, as you well know, almost every year about the third quarter, they get adjustments to spending, they get adjustments to grants, they
get new grants, they get grants that renew through the state because of the state being on their own fiscal year ending in June thirtieth, 2,020, excuse me, June thirtieth every year.
10:26:15 And so, there's always a lot of work that goes into these appropriations in the third quarter.
10:26:22 So this is amendments to to their current grants. And then expenditures that are offsetting to that.
10:26:29 And there's 3 pages of them here.
10:26:33 Client fees that have been updated more fine-tuning of those fees for the rest of the year.
10:26:49 Okay, just like I said. More fine tuning that they have to do every third quarter. They do a lot of this in third quarter where most of our other departments are doing this
in fourth quarter because they have a better idea of what they're going to need through the end of the year.
10:27:05 So, but public health usually doesn't in third quarter.
10:27:12 Chemical dependency again is another one. Same. Okay, fine tuning the tops they've received, which is always good.
10:27:25 Accounting for an increase it looks like.
10:27:28 Right.
10:27:33 We're expenditures in chemical. 1 31 chemical dependency, mental health.
10:27:41 And some adjustments it looks like moving some money.
10:27:57 Okay. And. That's it. That comes to the end of it.
10:28:05 So as you can see, it's a fairly short list. This time.
10:28:10 Happy to see a small ask from the general fund. That's a good thing.
10:28:17 Let me get over back over to the summary.
10:28:26 There we go.
10:28:28 Great. Well, thank you very much, Judy. I think leaving that up is appropriate. And any questions from my seat mates before we open for public testimony?
10:28:36 No, appreciate the clear explanation Judy.
10:28:39 Okay.
10:28:39 Yeah, and thank you for the summary. I was missing that last night, so it's very helpful.
10:28:43 Yes, thank you. Okay. As your elected officials, we want to hear your testimony on this issue.
10:28:50 Your testimony will help inform our deliberations and decisions. I'll open the hearing to listen to your public testimony.
10:28:57 If you join the meeting via the Zoom link, please click on the raised hand button and you'll be brought over as a panelist and has to unmute and share your video if you wish.
10:29:03 Can be a short delay when transition to a panelist. Calling by phone, hit star 9 to raise your hand and then start 6 to unmute.
10:29:10 If listening to the livestream, you must mute playback so as not to create feedback. When called upon, please address your comments to the board, not to the audience.
10:29:17 Also, please be respectful of opinions by others that may differ from your own. This is a public hearing, so you need to identify yourself and where you live and we would love
to hear from you.
10:29:28 So. There's anyone with us in the Zoom room that would like to make testimony, please hit the raise hand or star 9.
10:29:45 Alright, Mr. Cheerish, we brought you over when you get yourself unmuted. You have 3Â min.
10:29:51 Thank you, Commissioners, for the record. Just Tom Tears, resident of Jefferson County.
10:29:57 Couple of comments on the budget requests. One is just an inquiry. Notice public health is spending 64 grand for a new car.
10:30:06 I hope it's an EV. I am curious as to where they intend to charge it. Or maybe public works.
10:30:11 I don't know. But one thing to be taken into account is you always have to have a place to plug in.
10:30:18 The other the other topic I want to mention in the budget request is this, upgrade for Javs.
10:30:25 For the courtroom. Jav is one of my favorite subjects. They've been overcharging Jefferson County for a long time and this quote is sort of along the same lines.
10:30:39 One item that caught my attention, for example, is page 11 on their quote. You say, $293 for a knit gear ethernet switch.
10:30:47 This is an off-the-shelf item, nothing proprietary. That same exact model sells for $131 on Amazon.
10:30:54 So. Jabs wants a hundred 25% markup over retail. If that's indicative of the rest of their pricing.
10:31:02 I suspect it is. Kind of in keeping with their their practices and how they treat Jefferson County and their business relationship.
10:31:11 Then there's another one toward the end of their quote. $3,500 to ship one cabinet of electronics.
10:31:18 Really? You cannot be serious. That's just outrageous. Last thing on that one.
10:31:26 They, they're not, they're not even quoting the correct sales tax rate and their quote.
10:31:31 There's 9% instead of 9.1% So much for attention to detail. Where's the warranty?
10:31:38 Is the first year maintenance included? It's not stated. And you know, I guess lastly, on the budget form itself.
10:31:47 I don't see any ongoing appropriation for the annual maintenance for this stuff, which I assume will probably increase as Javs want to do.
10:31:57 So a number of questions, number of comments. And. I'm just not happy with that vendor, so thank you.
10:32:05 Thank you, Mr. Teersch. But anyone else like to make public testimony? This public hearing on the third quarter appropriations.
10:32:16 Okay, now he'll make one more call. Anyone else that would like to make public testimony?
10:32:22 We would love to hear from you. The raised hand button, star 9, if you're on the phone, we have no one in the chambers with us.
10:32:31 Okay, thank you everyone. Hearing no further testimony, this public hearing is now closed. The commissioners begin will begin deliberations and make a decision or we could table
it for a future meeting.
10:32:43 I guess we can we have one bit of testimony. I'll speak a little bit to it. I just had some electrical work done and.
10:32:49 That net gear, rate. Over the retail rate. Is less than I paid to an electrician for something that I could just buy online.
10:32:58 So I think that is kind of. Unfortunately, standard contractor. Operating procedure. I don't know really.
10:33:07 I didn't dig into this too much. This is not so much a budget appropriation question as, you know.
10:33:13 This particular contract. Right. Yeah, this is not a contract negotiation. They're just simply requesting an appropriation which will enable them to fund the project and certainly,
if they're line items in the quote, we can take issue with, we likely will.
10:33:33 I remember a earlier discussion about the merits of javs. I mean, is there, but I also think we came to the place where.
10:33:43 We couldn't really switch away from that system. Based on how it's connected to other departments and the outside world.
10:33:52 So can someone refresh my memory on jobs? It's pretty much hardwired into our our system.
10:33:56 I think pretty much the entire state is linked up with jobs when I was in Clark County we Yeah, the 16 years I was there.
10:34:05 Jav was our vendor and I think it's integrated into our, our clerk system and, disengage, much like laser fish, it would be remarkably difficult to disengage.
10:34:19 And contract with another firm. And the budget request did say that 20 of the 39 counties in Washington state used jobs.
10:34:29 So half the counties basically. I mean, it's independent of what we're deciding today, how this particular contract is, but it is interesting.
10:34:38 Maybe we can get someone from spirit court or from the court side to come. Give us a briefing on how this this contract plays out.
10:34:48 I'm sure Judge Mack or Sophie Nordstrom would be happy to do that.
10:34:53 And Kate's hands up too. Oh, go ahead, Kate.
10:34:55 Yeah, I'm curious since those are identified as capital outlay. 2 different court prosecuting attorney in courts.
10:35:07 Requests this quarter. why, why have that come out of the general fund instead of capital?
10:35:20 I don't believe. That it, you know, their new rules for capital funds.
10:35:27 I don't believe this would qualify for capital monies.
10:35:31 Okay, thank you.
10:35:35 It's a little, a little confusing to refer to it as capital outlay then. Just might wanna.
10:35:42 Well, that's, yeah, we have to classify it as capital within the general ledger for the state auditor.
10:35:53 Hmm.
10:35:50 So, because it's not a normal expenditure. So therefore it both of these quotes are more than.
10:35:58 The threshold which is usually right around 5 or $10,000 for capital LA to hit that capital outline line
10:36:07 Okay, thanks.
10:36:12 Alright, any other questions or comments?
10:36:20 Oh yeah, thank you for bringing that up. Yes.
10:36:16 I did wanna comment about the vehicle for public health, I know. Yeah, one of them for sure.
10:36:23 I don't know about the electric part, but one of them for sure I know was a purchase with grant funding and so that That definitely is, I think there were 2 vehicles, but I
know one for sure was grant funding.
10:36:39 There's something we have to work at. I know that the public health path like the harm reduction van, right?
10:36:44 So you needed a van more than a car, which is a little bit more difficult to buy as an EV, but.
10:36:50 It is something that we should maybe work on messaging inally because I think we do share.
10:36:56 You know, it's a priority right now to start to. Electrify our fleet as we as we keep buying things and if we Every every choice that we make against that is really going against
our direction right now. Right.
10:37:07 And, you know, I'll just. Note for the board that You know, we have a central services director vacancy and a fleet manager vacancy and so.
10:37:18 Things in the fleet world are considerably more difficult for the time being. But you're a central services director now, so the hiccups in the direction towards electr.
10:37:33 So the hiccups and the direction towards electrification. So the hiccups and the direction towards electrification are right. Then I'll fit that in.
10:37:39 And Gail Shankar, for its electrification are. Right. Then I'll fit that in.
10:37:43 And Gail Shankar, foreman, is sort of Thanks. Kate, did you have something to add?
10:37:44 Yeah, just that, you know, we were going to be having a conversation. With central services.
10:37:52 And that's delayed now, but I do think we should. You know, probably start doing some research and prepare some language for a policy which we talked about for a long time and
which we did pass in that transit authority, which is, you know, laying out some criteria for.
10:38:10 Every vehicle purchase looking first at electric options and. You know, when it is appropriate to veer away from that.
10:38:21 But that, I, stuff, very committed to that, creating that policy, county wide.
10:38:25 Yeah, and so that Yep, I mean these vehicles are already purchased. Is that right, Judy?
10:38:32 Yeah, so hard to go backward on this, but yeah, making it clear that every. Yeah.
10:38:37 Every vehicle purchase goes through this process of, you know, and I'd say 0 emission, not just electric because some of our other vehicles, I don't know.
10:38:45 Beat my hydrogen fuel cell, a drum a little bit for some of the larger vehicles as well.
10:38:51 Gotta stay aware of the developments in the field. Yeah. Okay, great. Well, we have action to take on this.
10:39:04 Happy to move that we approve a resolution. An order, third appropriation, 2,023, budget appropriations, extensions for various county departments.
10:39:15 I will second.
10:39:17 Okay, we have a motion on the floor that has been seconded to approve the third quarter budget appropriations.
10:39:24 All in favor indicate by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed?
10:39:29 Hi.
10:39:33 Thank you.
10:39:32 Okay. Thanks for shepherding this process, Shepherd. Oh, sorry.
10:39:37 Thank you. Nice!
10:39:40 That one? Okay, Okay. I'll just set from the Peanut Gallery. If these 3 commissioners can't get electric vehicle priorities in place.
10:39:51 I don't know who's going to be able to Alright, we can do better. Thank you, Mr. Chair, for staying on the bandwagon.
10:39:58 Okay. Well, we have next on our busy agenda today. At 1045, we're going to be looking through the strategic, the final draft signed by so many people.
10:40:11 Why don't we take a little bit of a break, a recess until 1045 and we'll jump right into that.
10:40:16 Hey, Greg. Hey, Greg, can I jump in for just a sec? I have to go.
10:40:17 Yes. Oh yeah.
10:40:21 I have to go for an important appointment right now and I will join you back as quickly as I can, but I'm sorry I will miss a beginning of that.
10:40:28 Apologize.
10:40:28 Okay, anything you want to say before? Oh, she's gone. Okay.
10:45:38 I need to find an older picture to put on mine. I look like old man compared to you guys there.
10:45:54 Alright, we're ready to go.
10:46:11 And so, as well, are known ready as yes. Okay. But, rename my.
10:46:24 I can hear you.
10:46:22 Can Renee hear us? Oh, yeah. Could you? We're just hoping that Michelle has the opportunity to join us if she can as well and want to let her know.
10:46:34 Yeah, Carolyn was going to text her. And, so kind of if you standing by.
10:46:40 IT should have been responding. She so Carolyn tried to text her. I were just wondering if you might be able to double up for us.
10:46:47 I don't know.
10:46:48 I, I will try that as well here.
10:46:49 Thank you. All right, and I will call this Jefferson County Board of Commissioners meeting back into session.
10:46:57 Commissioner Dean has had to step away for a moment or she will rejoin us as we can but I know that she's reviewed the strategic plan that we are considering here and let's
let's dive into it.
10:47:11 So we're considering the final adoption of the Jefferson County strategic plan. Thanks to everyone's work.
10:47:19 Oh yeah.
10:47:20 Oh, great. Do you want me to start off? Are you guys, want to start off yourself with, with questions or comments, or how would you like to handle this?
10:47:28 Thanks. Sure. Yeah, commissioners.
10:47:32 Perfect. Perfect.
10:47:35 I'm really pleased. To share with you and the public. Jefferson counties, 20 I think it's 2,024 through 2,028 strategic plan.
10:47:49 The counties made a number of efforts at developing a strategic plan. And in fact, we had one that's been on our website for some time that was developed, I think, in 2,010.
10:48:00 And, you know, things in that 13 year period have changed substantially and having a strategic plan to guide the county into the next five-year period, I think was a worthy
objective.
10:48:17 I'm pleased to say that we had excellent participation by county leadership. By our community and by key stakeholders in the community and by our employees.
10:48:31 We sought input from those groups and we received substantial input from from all of those groups. And shared that input with our Board of County Commissioners during a full,
I think it was a full day retreat.
10:48:46 Where the board gave us their priorities and gave us guidance on how to formulate this plan. And we came back to the board with an interim product and received more guidance
from the board.
10:49:00 And what you see here is The final result. And I would also like to recognize Michelle Kennedy and Renee Bryant from Barry Done.
10:49:11 We knew that having a professional consultant help guide us through this process would result in a much better product than.
10:49:17 Had we tried to develop it on our own. And I think that It's hard to argue with that.
10:49:25 Looking at this, this final product. So, Renee and Michelle, if, if you would like to say a few words before.
10:49:34 We turn this over to the board for deliberation and maybe some public comment. I would welcome you to do so.
10:49:41 Thank you, Mark. Just wanting to really acknowledge the work that and the effort that was invested in this plan both by all of you as county board members.
10:49:56 On and by the team. The, the multi departmental multidisciplinary team that worked on this plan and and got it to the finish line.
10:50:04 Which is what you see in front of you now. We feel strongly that it's got all of the required elements.
10:50:14 In fact, one of the things that Barry Done feels very strongly about is making sure that plans can align with GFOA requirements and best practices, which this plan does.
10:50:25 We feel that we've done some work to prepare the county for implementation so yes you have the final product of the plan.
10:50:35 That we've been working with the team. To, begin putting together an implementation plan and making sure that the team is ready to regularly report on progress.
10:50:49 The schedule of which is included in the strategic plan. So I would just stop there, ask my colleague Renee if she'd like to say a few words and then we're here to answer any
questions you have about the final plan about the more about the process.
10:51:04 And the only thing I would add because I think Mark and Michelle have come to very well is simply that in addition to all of the internal work that has been done, your external
partners that we interviewed that we worked with.
10:51:18 Showed a high degree of engagement and confidence in the county plan. And so I think they're going to be ready, willing and able to help as you folks go forward, implementing
this plan.
10:51:33 Yeah, go ahead, Michelle.
10:51:33 Yeah, yeah, thank you, Renee and Michelle for that. And should the board adopt this plan?
10:51:40 We have Wendy and Michelle for that. And should the board adopt this plan? We have Wendy Davis, our communications officer here, Wendy Davis, our communications officer here.
10:51:45 And we will definitely, our communications officer here. We will definitely undertake some outreach. This will be, definitely, undertake some outreach. This will be posted on
our website.
10:51:53 I'm sure it'll, it'll be on Facebook. We'll also distribute it to the stakeholders and, and make it available.
10:51:59 To the public in a variety of ways. A press release and so on. But if, if I could ask the board, would it be okay if I just scroll through the plan?
10:52:11 I think that'd be great. Before. Deliberations. Alright, so table contents.
10:52:19 It's a substantial plan. You can see it, 23 pages in length. I will just scroll through these.
10:52:29 We begin with a message from our board of commissioners. You know, the board is a policymaking, the legislative authority for the county, and they're responsible to the voting
public.
10:52:41 For county operations and for adopting goals and objectives for the county and and we thank the board for.
10:52:53 Helping guide us through this process. Then a brief message for me as the county executive responsible. For implementing the plan.
10:53:02 A brief message from me. And then just to highlight the fact that this involved, this was the whole county effort.
10:53:12 You can see signatures of all the appropriate. County leaders here absent Judge Mac. It's common for superior court judges to participate in the.
10:53:23 Development process but not to sign the final document for conflict reasons and that happened in Clark County and Judge Mack declined to sign as well and for good reason.
10:53:36 But. The signatures here, I think should give the board confidence that this plan, meets the approval of all the leadership and that they are invested in implementing the plan.
10:53:49 As adopted. And either Amit or Brian had to cool a signature. I did spend a little time just looking at all the signatures.
10:53:56 Oh, did you? You know, yeah, mine was done by AI. Since I was in Italy.
10:54:01 Yeah.
10:54:03 So, here are, the articulated core values of the county. I'm very proud of these.
10:54:11 I sign up to. Every one of these and you know these are the values that we try to live every day as we serve the public.
10:54:19 And then this is a graphic of our plan. These are the 6 strategic priorities and they're not in any particular order.
10:54:30 I don't know if they're alphabetical. No, well, maybe they are. Yes, they are.
10:54:37 They're out looks alphabetical clockwise. And so each of these, these little roundles has a section devoted to it.
10:54:46 Beginning with community resilience and each of these strategic priorities has objectives and performance measures. And I think when Rene talked about accountability and reporting
to the public, these objectives in these performance measures form the framework of how we will report to the public progress against this plan.
10:55:13 And then also drive the implementation of the. Yeah. I mean, this is the roadmap for implementation.
10:55:19 Economic vitality. I think we all agree that the more vital our economy, the better it is for, for everyone.
10:55:30 Environmental stewardship. One of the reasons people like to to live here is because of the environment.
10:55:38 The natural beauty that we live in and taking care of it. Will help ensure that that that measure of quality of life here continues.
10:55:47 How's it? Scott Johnson, my emergency manager down in Clark County hired her. Part of the reason she was looking for employment elsewhere is because she couldn't find affordable
housing here.
10:56:09 And so. You know, obviously this is a strategic priority and we are making progress, but not enough.
10:56:16 We need to redouble our efforts. Organizational health. You know, I like to work in organizations that are healthy, where people feel valued and that they're rewarded for their
efforts.
10:56:32 And so this, this is a big priority of mine to just ensure that we can hire and retain top-notch talent to serve the the members of the community here.
10:56:44 And thriving people. What's not to like there? You know, we want everyone to be healthy and happy and to have rewarding experiences living here, both economic and quality of
lifewise.
10:57:03 And so, just a quick recap. What went into this plan? These are some metrics that help people understand that.
10:57:12 We created a social pinpoint site on our, on the internet and You can see we had a sizable number of interactions with our members of the community through that.
10:57:24 Social pinpoint site, 240 community responses to our survey. And 11 idea wall comments. 100 and 69 employee survey responses.
10:57:38 And that's a pretty good number. I actually got a lunch out of that. From one of our commissioners.
10:57:46 23 stakeholder interviews and, and so on and so forth. So, nobody can say that this plan was developed behind closed doors in a smoke-filled room.
10:57:59 It, had substantial involvement from our community and really happy about that.
10:58:06 So we began this process. Early in the year and right here it says adoption in September.
10:58:16 Today's the second of October. So we missed that by 2 days. And, and that's assuming that, that the board adopts the plan once I quit talking.
10:58:26 So. What's next? Reporting.
10:58:32 Progress to the public. And you can see some monthly quarterly twice a year in annual milestones there for those reports.
10:58:43 A lot of people involved at the county, you can see led by the Board of Commissioners, County leadership and elected officials and of course are very capable.
10:58:51 Consulting firm very done Michelle and Renee and Matty Powers, very helpful with data and Yeah, just keeping track of.
10:59:04 Social pinpoint site and other things. So. Anyway, thanks to all these folks. I just wanna add, oh sorry about.
10:59:13 How about you guys Renee and Michelle? I really appreciated how you guys showed up for this planning process with our team and.
10:59:20 Really brought your your heart and your heads to every meeting and every interaction that you had with us.
10:59:27 It was really a wonderful. We made the right choice, Mark. I was on the consultant selection.
10:59:32 Process and you guys did a great job and we're gonna we're gonna miss having you with us every week.
10:59:39 Well, if I could follow up on that, I did mention at our last, strategic plan team meeting that I will be exploring ongoing support.
10:59:51 From very done to help ensure that we stay on track with tracking progress and reporting to the public. They're a discipline group, imaginative, just a pleasure to deal with.
11:00:04 And, Anyway, those conversations will occur once the plan is adopted.
11:00:09 Well, I wanted to thank you for that. Those wonderful words and would like to just set pay the compliment back to say that it was a joy to work with the county.
11:00:22 So many committed people really dedicated themselves to this process and and Heidi, you, you were the glue from the commissioner's perspective because I don't think you missed
a meeting or maybe you missed one of the whole time that we've been working together.
11:00:35 Okay.
11:00:37 So, it was, it was truly a pleasure to work with such a dedicated and highly competent group of individuals, a real pleasure.
11:00:47 Yeah, yes. All of us.
11:00:55 Okay.
11:01:00 Awesome.
11:00:48 Okay, I would just, the only thing I would say extra is that I feel like I'm part of a family now and be on the lookout for me because I'm up in your area all the time in a
farmers market, you know, cider, so I'll be around, okay?
11:01:03 Great.
11:01:03 Well, when I visit Renee, I'll make her bring me to Port Townsend.
11:01:07 Okay, let us know when you're here.
11:01:07 Yeah. Okay, there's a great little restaurant and clothing. They have wonderful pies. Okay.
11:01:13 Okay. Right, both years commissioners. Great. All right.
11:01:20 Well, thank you all for the work. I guess my one question or, hmm, I don't know.
11:01:25 And maybe we Wendy hasn't had a chance to speak, but like as we move through these measurable goals, which is great, I think something that we all wanted.
11:01:35 Are we gonna put the outputs onto the website with the strategic plan? I guess I just I'm that's more of a comment than a website with the strategic plan. I guess I just, that's
more of a comment than a question.
11:01:44 I think I just I'm that's more of a comment than a question. I think we should put those, that's more of a comment than a question.
11:01:51 I think we should put those, measurements with the strategic plan on the website, wondering if there's an issue.
11:01:52 As we execute and implement. Yes, definitely to give context to the measurements having the plan and the measurements in the same place would make a great deal of sense.
11:02:02 We haven't broken the code yet exactly on how we're going to report. Yeah, but certainly, your suggestion makes a great deal of sense and I can assure you that all of that material
will be together.
11:02:14 Great. And I love seeing all the the images. I have to admit this is the one that I was I was curious about the choice of the The boat.
11:02:23 Yeah.
11:02:26 Okay.
11:02:26 The shipwreck to end it. Yeah. Well, that's another. Heidi and the way the way she takes care of him.
11:02:35 That 10, okay. It's a lovely photo. Oh, and it's up for Warden. Okay.
11:02:43 It's a historic. Yeah, okay. Good. Thank you.
11:02:47 Not really a nod to derelict vessels. Come on, guys. We don't want derelict vessels on our strategic plan.
11:02:51 Yeah.
11:02:54 I'm glad. I'm glad. It's really too humor. Yeah, no. Well, it's a lovely photo.
11:02:59 So I don't I don't object to it. And I give Windy an opportunity. I don't know if there's anything you want to speak to.
11:03:04 You could come up and join Mark. Because you've been involved in this process from the get go as well.
11:03:08 So I really appreciate your work. This career here. Yep. Honestly, I, commissioners, I would.
11:03:16 On the same page as Heidi, I really appreciated working with Barry Don and his excellent choice of a team that really Handled us well.
11:03:26 And we enjoyed it and consider them our friends now, so I hope we do get. Get to work together with them a little bit more.
11:03:31 Maybe in the dashboard creation. Maybe. Yeah. Great. Right.
11:03:39 So I hope it's ready for adoption. Yeah, no, I think it is. I'd love to add a public comment period in case we do have any public with us that that has input or sees something
that we miss.
11:03:52 So I will open, open this particular agenda item up for public comment if there's anyone with us who would like to make comment on the strategic plan.
11:04:00 Draft as proposed for adoption today. We would love to hear from you. You can hit the raised hand button or star 9 and we'll bring you over.
11:04:12 Pregnant pause. Who took the picture on the front page? That was my guess. Yeah, I'm sure you had some up for consideration too.
11:04:29 Okay, that's good. Well, I just look forward to seeing how we. Dot drill or use all of the performance metrics in our monthly strategic.
11:04:57 Tracking that we do. Like creating a spreadsheet or I don't know what we're gonna do to.
11:05:04 Mark has a plan. He's giving me the nod, the wink of the nod. We'll develop something suitable.
11:05:11 Okay. And when are we going to start those monthly meetings? 24, right? Yeah, right.
11:05:19 Yeah.
11:05:17 Yeah, you take a little break. February of 24. Yeah, the plan is it's a 24 to 28 plan.
11:05:26 So yeah, early in the next calendar year. Great. Okay, I'm glad we're rejoined by Commissioner Dean.
11:05:34 And we able to get back?
11:05:36 Oh, she's just getting in. So good. But we can, we'll pause for a moment for Kate to come on.
11:05:43 And see if she has any comments to make. We were, we've taken public comment. There was no public comment, Kate, but we were just to our presentation on the strategic plan.
11:05:53 Hopefully you got a chance to look through the final draft. Any.
11:05:56 I did, yes. Yeah, I know. Thank you, everyone. It's really exciting to see this come together.
11:06:02 This is something I've been wanting to see for 7 years. Do you like you really?
11:06:08 Synthesized well what I have heard. And just want to say how much I appreciate the amount of staff involvement.
11:06:18 I feel like this is a really inclusive vision. And I think that's something that's been sort of needed here and it benefits from the many voices that were involved.
11:06:31 So, a I'm excited to talk about implementation moving forward.
11:06:37 Great. Okay. Well, that's a Great. Coda on the discussion.
11:06:45 And if people are so moved, there's a resolution to adopt the strategic plan that I'm happy to move that we adopt a resolution in the matter of adopting a five-year Jefferson
County strategic plan for 2024 to 2,028.
11:07:00 I will gladly second.
11:07:02 Okay, it's been moved and seconded to approve the resolution adopting the 2,024 to 2,028 strategic plan for Jefferson County.
11:07:13 Hi.
11:07:10 All in favor indicate by saying I. Aye. All right, thank you again. All the staff that spend so much time on this, Windy and Heidi and and to Renee and Michelle and the rest
of your team at Barry Donne.
11:07:25 Thanks so much and I guess we'll be talking soon. So we'll see in 20.
11:07:28 Thank you. Good luck, guys.
11:07:29 Thanks a lot. Okay, great work. Our next item comes up at 1115. So we've been kind of just going, a pace today.
11:07:42 Do we, does someone want to kind of take us through their last week and Grab this 7Â min to hear about someone's last week.
11:07:50 I'm happy to. Dial back a week. Let's see. Okay.
11:07:59 So. Monday I was with you all day and then some of you into the evening and gardener for the community conversation we had there was.
11:08:10 Nice to meet so many of our community members in Gardner and. Here from them. Seems like a really cohesive subset of the Jefferson County family there that they really are.
11:08:23 Julia community. Then Tuesday. I went to a.
11:08:34 Olympic Peninsula Tourism Strategic Plan, one of their community stakeholder input sessions out of Fort Warden and.
11:08:43 Say there were about 30 folks there and for a lot of people, I think this was their first kind of look at the subject or look, not look at the subject, but look at the the strategic
planning effort, but.
11:08:55 I think they got some good input from that one and I. I haven't really dived into their reports from the other.
11:09:02 They had. 3 other community work sessions last week. So. They were traveling around the county middle of last week.
11:09:13 Then I came back for a Jefferson Community Foundation board meeting. Met with Mallory later in the afternoon to talk about our Trustland Transfer applications for for project
applications were submitted on Friday.
11:09:28 For Anderson Lake, Beaver Valley, Cape George and West Jacob Miller. Had a call with a constituent in Shimican who's been troubleshooting.
11:09:41 Community need in her neighborhood and. Felt like I was able to come up with a couple of tools probably.
11:09:49 Hopefully, hopefully helpful tools for and. I think I mentioned this to you and passing yet last week and I think she felt like.
11:09:59 Our ideas were good ones. Then we had a budget meeting on Wednesday morning. And then we had our last Jefferson County strategic planning check-in.
11:10:13 Just to finalize and get ready for the presentation we all just had. I met with a constituent who did not have adequate computer access to fill out the community wildfire protection
plan.
11:10:25 Printed it out for her and hard copy and she returned it to my desk so I will be entering her.
11:10:31 She had some really great comments about wildfire issues and her part of the County which is Cape George Road across from the golf course out there at Chevy Chase.
11:10:43 So she's got some concerns about all the trees in her yard, but of course does not want to cut any of them down around her house.
11:10:50 So what are her concerns?
11:10:53 Okay, the fire would come right up to our house. Oh, okay. Right. But she doesn't want to cut any of the trees down.
11:11:01 No. So trying to come up with other solutions. Yeah. To protect her home and access out of her home if she needs to.
11:11:09 Electroplate the trees. No, no, no, great. Okay, not that way. We look cool.
11:11:18 Yeah. Then I went out Wednesday midday for a regular monthly. Lunch I've been attending with a group of Chilacom folks.
11:11:29 It's really nice kind of informal, but just hearing from people in the community what they're working on, what they're hearing, what they're concerned about.
11:11:37 Been really actually a great. Convening. Then with Joel Peterson at DCD.
11:11:48 We interviewed a district 2 planning commission candidates and he seemed great. Lots of really relevant applicable professional experience.
11:11:58 And he lives I think on Marathon Island I'm pretty sure and anyway so I think we're moving forward with his appointment to the Planning Commission, which will be wonderful.
11:12:08 He's filling a partial term that was left when Lorna Smith had to vacate. Her term as a planning commission member.
11:12:19 Mark and I had a meeting about a chickadee contract for next year.
11:12:27 Thursday morning I facilitated a panel. For the Senate Democratic Caucus Legislative Assistance retreat at the Harbor Side Motel.
11:12:40 I'd never been in that facility in our community and didn't even know they had a meeting room so but it was a group of about 25 LAs and.
11:12:50 Colleen Mackillier from the EDC, Peter Steelquist. With And.
11:13:02 . I'm blank again
11:13:05 There was 4 of us. Sorry, I'm blanking right now. Anyway, it was a great panel.
11:13:10 I think that the LA has got a Pretty and not many of the LAs were from rural areas. And so I think they got a pretty up post and personal reality check.
11:13:20 Oh, I know it was. Karen Afel. A pretty up close personal look at.
11:13:30 These issues that they were talking about through the through the rural lens. So. There was a lot of talk about kind of the economy and workforce and housing, all the issues
top, the top top of the list issues.
11:13:46 But I feel like what I was struck by was kind of their lack of awareness of how. Rural. Side of issues is both similar to and differs widely from more urban areas.
11:14:02 Right. And Washington State. So. Anyway, that was a great conversation.
11:14:08 And then. Mental health field response team in the afternoon and then. Solid waste advisory committee meeting. And then I headed down to the boat yard barbecue, which I have
to say was one of the best parties in our town that I've been to in a decade.
11:14:24 Excellent. Yeah, and kudos to Aaron Berg for. That brainstorm, brilliant brainstorm and I felt like it was great to see so many of my friends and neighbors who work in the yard
and fish in Alaska and you know all the right people were there so.
11:14:41 And all reports from other parts of the team delivering that event was that they were overwhelmed by long lines at their boots.
11:14:51 And anyway. Super fun. And then Friday I went to the I had a lot of firsts last week.
11:14:58 I went to the Dungenes River Center for the first time. Stunning facility and that was where we had our straight ecosystem.
11:15:05 Recovery meeting this time and it was Great to have my co-chairs, Representative Deringer there.
11:15:13 And a good conversation with. Probably I think there were about 35 of us from the straight here in that day and One of the funniest things was that Kathy Lear from Clown County
had spent some time in the Netherlands in the last year and she brought back a presentation on how many people ride bikes.
11:15:35 And how many bikes each person owns in the Netherlands and it was really inspiring. It was just the way that they've accommodated, traffic.
11:15:45 And I was talking about our new lane striping in Port Townsend and. You know, all the scuttlebutt about that.
11:15:53 I mean, not living in Port Townsend. I'm not sure what Kate's hearing about all the lane striping and alternative lane structures, but.
11:16:00 From what I hear from my friends, they think it's great and there's more room to walk and read their bikes.
11:16:05 In town. So anyway, that was my weekend in that show.
11:16:12 Yeah.
11:16:08 Very very very controversial of course even even You know, road striping is controversial these days.
11:16:17 Yeah, indeed. Alright, well busy week, Heidi, thank you. We are at our next agenda item.
11:16:25 So I think we'll pause on our briefings. I appreciate you taking us to 1115 and we'll welcome Brent Butler, our Chief Strategy Officer from DCD.
11:16:33 What are we going to talk about, Brent? Or, you want to take that, Mark?
11:16:37 Yeah, if you don't mind, listeners, as you know, Brent transition from being department director to being chief strategy officer and he's doing all kinds of fantastic work on
major projects.
11:16:48 C pacer stock plans and others. What are you going to talk to you about this morning is the chip grant program connecting housing to infrastructure.
11:17:00 2 million and available funding and he's got a number of alternative ideas for projects that could qualify for such a grant.
11:17:11 And I think he's going to make a presentation to you this morning on those potential alternatives and then maybe seek some guidance from the board.
11:17:20 Great. Thank you. Are you good? You're on Mike, they're brand.
11:17:25 Thank you. Mark for that introduction. I do have a PowerPoint that sort of sort of lays out the framework and how I got here.
11:17:36 So first slide. And, And as I, as Mark indicated, we're looking at what is known as connecting housing to infrastructure.
11:17:51 And, and the applicant could be Jefferson County. And this is a briefing on approaches to submit and to DERMAN, determine partners.
11:18:00 Next slide. Think it's really important to note that this arises out of first the look at UGA zoning and I wanted to explain that why so it's the agenda I'm as you might recall
I have 6 core projects and so this is a tangential to one of those 6 projects.
11:18:22 And then I'm going to go into the discussion of Chip. What are the parameters of approval?
11:18:26 Then I'm going to talk about the group of projects that we've looked at and then I'm going to seek a guidance from you as next steps.
11:18:36 So, when I, look at, UGA zoning. It is really critical to identify first what are the barriers for development and and I really wanted to point out that as you look up on the
upper left hand corner, up the right hand corner of the screen, that is affordable and below market.
11:19:00 And what I'm looking at there is well, what does work in terms of barrier. For first, the most difficult type of housing to produce is a emergency shelters and transitional
housing to produce is emergency shelters and transitional housing to produce is emergency shelters and transitional housing to produce is emergency shelters and transitional housing.
11:19:22 And that has the greatest level of government assistance followed by affordable or market. Are below market rentals and co-ops.
11:19:26 And so, those are typically for those earning less than the area median income. And then this purpose built market rentals.
11:19:35 And they have often a mixture of market and below market and then there's secondary market rentals meaning that rentals that aren't being are newly produced and the old process
of filtering said that if you've got a limited amount of money, you're going to go for the deferred.
11:19:56 Maintenance, the buildings that have deferred mate and they're less expensive on the market.
11:20:00 And so the approach was, well, identify those barriers and what of those, which of those barriers the community would support removing.
11:20:09 Because some of those barriers may be ones that the community says, no way, no how, not here.
11:20:16 And so then, and then understanding from those producers of those different types of housing, we call them tenure a lot.
11:20:24 So the different 10 years of housing or what performers work for them. Because if we don't understand that what's gonna work, we're not gonna get it. They're not gonna pencil.
11:20:36 We're not going to see anything. And so, so that is really the basis of the pro, being able to talk with those individuals that are actually developing the projects and making
sure they pencil because without that where we've seen this in many communities planning languishing for decades.
11:20:54 Because they didn't look at the performer. For members of the public when you use the term.
11:21:07 That in a lot of cases a person is they'll contribute funds but a developer even affordable housing developers have to pay their staff.
11:21:20 And so we have to be cognizant of that. And then, and then finally, when we start looking at the zoning, now we understand what the community supports, what the performers say
will work.
11:21:31 And then we start looking at what can remove, what barriers can we remove? Accomplish that and then we also have to look at well if we remove those barriers is it going to trigger
something from a SEPA standpoint.
11:21:44 And so that we're gonna have to move that lock and step. And so in this process, I started meeting with different team members and I realized, well, there is in the period of
time that I've been active in this field over 20 years.
11:21:59 I've never seen so much money. Available for for housing. And at the same time, in the period of time that I've been here, I've never seen a crescendo of need in our community.
11:22:11 The the center for a real estate which is retained by the state of Washington the legislature to publish the annual statistics.
11:22:19 We are now at least the city of Port Townsend is now the least affordable city. In the state of Washington outside of San Juan Island County.
11:22:29 And we're also seeing more significantly that as a county. We're now of the least affordable of the contiguous counties.
11:22:38 So it's been quite a crisis right now. Next slide. So what is the CHP description?
11:22:47 How do we deliver on that? One is the project has to deliver new affordable housing. So this is really critical.
11:22:55 You can't connect. A project. That is already been approved, that's already delivering that need.
11:23:04 Their goal is to add to the supply. Another is that 25% of the units have to be affordable.
11:23:12 At 80% or less of area. Median income. And then the funding is available to connect water, sewer, stormwater, and other rights of way needs.
11:23:25 And then the community must have a waiver of system development charges for affordable housing. And I know that's in our draft ordinance and the city already has that.
11:23:37 Okay, so it's really important. There are some other parameters but in like the sales use tax we already have that so we've met those I'm only putting the ones that are important
for us to note.
11:23:48 The maximum award is 2 million dollars. It's really critical to note this no match required. That's amazing, no match.
11:23:55 And then the construction has to start by December of 2025. Okay, that's an important milestone that must be reached.
11:24:04 And then the applicant could be the city, it could be the county, or it could be a public utility.
11:24:10 And then today is the first really official business day of the month. This is due at the end of this month.
11:24:17 Brent, can I ask a question on that side? Yes. Is 2 million the total amount available or is it the map?
11:24:25 It's the maximum per application. And how much is how much is available in total? I thought it was 56 million and but I have to double check.
11:24:34 That's just my recollection. It's been, yeah.
11:24:37 Yes, 95. Thank you. No, no, I'm sorry. I shouldn't, You're right, it's 55 million.
11:24:48 Okay. 55 million is the total available funding. Thank you. Thank you everyone.
11:24:57 And then, there are different approaches, to the, how do we select the project?
11:25:04 One is typically when I've done this in other governments, we do a notice of funding availability.
11:25:08 Unfortunately, we would have done that like. 9 months ago so that project applicants are ready and are gearing up so that so that we're partnering with them.
11:25:19 So that is the standard approach that I've seen and then often if you're really good at it, you know, you're doing a lot of these, the, the applicant pool, they know that you're
doing this every year.
11:25:31 So they're they're getting geared up. They know it's a regular and so the other approach is direct contact with developers.
11:25:39 And then the third approach is a hybrid, direct contact and also doing a notice of funding availability.
11:25:45 And so I've tried at this point because of the timeline to reach as many of the developers. In the community as possible and partners.
11:25:53 Knowing that we don't have that. We didn't send it out 8 months ago. And next slide.
11:26:03 So I'm gonna go through the specific projects. And so the first project is the Mason Street project.
11:26:10 And everyone is aware that we've contributed and there've been receiving a habitat for humanity, significant philanthropic support.
11:26:20 It's really heartening. To see that. And so there would be some questions as to, well, if we provided money here, would that help the scope of the sewer project perhaps connect
other areas?
11:26:34 And so one question. So it's kind of just infrastructure. Stormwater, sewer connections.
11:26:40 Storm water, sewer, yes, water, roads, and then rights away if there's some issues about rights away.
11:26:48 Thank you. Next project. Is the old alcohol plant. They had had hoped to build on their original site another building for affordable housing.
11:27:04 But we have a technical memorandum that talks about the costs and it was more than what the 2 million dollars in our grant would provide.
11:27:11 It was almost 5 million and I've started going through the technical memorandum but that would get us closer.
11:27:18 Okay, so that you can't just rule it out and get get us so closer. Next project.
11:27:25 And I typically don't point out by pictures. housing units that are affordable. But we do have an existing what we call South 7 and the phase one really is providing what is
so critical for our county because we have the oldest median age in the state of Washington.
11:27:46 And so this project delivers by providing housing for our older adults. The phase 2 is envisioned to do the same.
11:27:57 And I believe that the project applicants only cap had sought to access those HUD funds for our older adult community.
11:28:07 The next project is, been, it's right now before the hearing examiner. We've provided all of the documentation, everything that's needed.
11:28:17 And we've recognize that this project also envisions roughly a quarter of a million dollars sewer. But right across the street, and we do have a the person from the city of
Port Townsend who is responsible for the sewer lift station, we do have a unique opportunity to connect and provide funding.
11:28:40 We may not need that much to connect, but the project itself might benefit from the remainder, the lion's share of the funding.
11:28:49 To develop that lift station. And there are prohibitions already in place we did require and I have to say that the conditional use permit has not yet been signed by the hearing
examiner.
11:29:02 So we don't know what's specifically stated there. But we did have in that a cap based upon the capacity of the sewer.
11:29:13 And I believe the sewer was roughly 220,000. There might be another 6 figure. The septic. I'm sorry. Thank you.
11:29:21 I meant septic. And there might be an additional 100,000 to decommission it if we do eventually get sewer to connect.
11:29:27 And so what we were thinking is there a way to to Avoid that cost. And connect direct.
11:29:36 And so this is project number 4.
11:29:39 Let me project number 5 and I should have pointed out Peter's place. There's also some, ability or desire by the, United Methodist Church to connect the parsonage, which is
also a project with Olicap to try to help incentivize housing there.
11:29:59 And Peter's place exactly where the addition to South 7 would go. Yes, so there is some discussion.
11:30:07 They were gonna move that. And so that would trigger the, we're going to need to permit that.
11:30:13 So it, it is. Well, and there's another issue here that's really critical to note is that the project, meaning the chip grant does not allow for funding for temporary housing.
11:30:26 So it has to be permanent. So permanent supportive housing like for Caswell Brown is a viable option.
11:30:35 But if there is no permanent supportive housing associated with this, we do have a problem.
11:30:43 And then the last one is also another project, but there are problems associated with this because when I look at this Who is, what is the project?
11:30:56 And so you have to have one project. You can have 8 projects. And so if you look at my, A gender request, you'll see that I listed about 6 projects that I call the Chimican
Road projects.
11:31:10 And so I am still in discussions with the Department of Commerce saying that, well, could the project be the sewer?
11:31:18 And then that sewer, meaning that we're gonna deliver like. Expansion of garden cart apartments and expansion of the mobile home parks.
11:31:30 And so this could be a big win because it'll be a whole bunch of different projects, smaller ones that will, but, but there is still a question as to whether or not that would
be a viable application.
11:31:43 And so, and the last is we're going to move on to start. We've got this question.
11:31:53 We're actually at the at the end right now anyway so that was questions and and I know that, so we're actually at the, at the end right now anyway, so that was questions and
I know that, like for project 4, which was the Caswall Brown, anyway, so that was questions.
11:32:05 And I know that, for project 4, which was the Caswall Brown. One of the big questions is how long I take that lift station and, when does it have to be, you say, 20,000, and
25, is that?
11:32:13 2025, Awards. When did they have to be completed? The project? So they just have to be started. Construction started by 2,025.
11:32:15 Okay, okay. That's good. And so, so I know that at least for project 4 we do have someone here that if the board wishes them to chime in on that they they could talk about if
that's feasible for the listation.
11:32:27 And we also have, I see another representative of Bayside and we had a couple of projects mentioned in the in the list and and so if it's the board may wish to hear from them
to see if they have any.
11:32:42 Let's take a moment and hear from our project proponents. Maybe, I don't know, take a moment and hear from our project proponents.
11:32:46 Maybe, I don't know, you guys will need a microphone, but maybe. I don't know, you can either.
11:32:49 Why don't you slide up? Just bring a chair up there.
11:32:51 Oh no, Alright, yeah. So my name, please pull the chair up so we can, so Kate can hear you and others on my microphone there.
11:33:06 Thank you. My name is Andre Harper. I am a project manager with the City of Port Townsend.
11:33:12 I am a resident of Port Townsend. I joined the city 2 months ago. I have a background in mechanical engineering and I've been in the engineering field engineering world for
about 25 years.
11:33:25 Currently I am tasked with the Mill Street listation project. It is at its early phase.
11:33:34 We the city has been awarded 1.7 million dollars through chip funding. And I am currently looking at.
11:33:45 Partnership with the county. I wanted to thank you for inviting us out today. We are also, We'll be speaking with the with the mill and finding out their interest because the
the lift station will could potentially service the mills a waste stream as well that's their their their Bye, biological way stream.
11:34:09 So, that's all I have for now. I didn't come prepared with a PowerPoint or anything, but I just wanted to give you That's synopsis of of where we are with with that particular
project and it is active. Great.
11:34:21 Thanks, Andre. Thank you. Alright. Wanna come up?
11:34:27 You know, My name is Bill Rucker. I work for Bayside. Can you hear me there?
11:34:37 And I work for Bayside.
11:34:39 And I just wanted to. Let you guys know how. How important this kinda funding tool is for for nonprofit like us.
11:34:50 It could literally provide about 10% of a project's cost. And the way that. You know, laws have recently changed.
11:35:00 We're seeing really huge increases in what it takes for infrastructure of 24 unit apartment building with.
11:35:06 With the stormwater and you know we know we have to do this. And it's important for other reasons but It's really critical for financing purposes.
11:35:16 So just wanted to let you guys know that I appreciate you considering. Kate is Kate still with us.
11:35:27 Kate, Heidi, thoughts, questions? Oh, oh, let's bring, let's bring, Kathy over we have one more kind of project proponent with us and we'll If Kathy wants to add something.
11:35:42 Good morning, Kathy.
11:35:48 So thanks, Brent, for bringing this before the commissioner. So we discuss this with warrant last week.
11:35:56 And for the Castle Brown Shelter and Permanent Supportive Housing Beds, we are short in our funding.
11:36:06 From the time that we had our bids go out to what it was going to cost. Then get the funding until now.
11:36:14 We're about a hundred or a million 7. Short. This would help bridge that gap considerably.
11:36:23 And as Brent explained, it would also prohibit from us having to spend to decommission it after we've just spent so much money in putting it in if it were to go forward in the
next say 5 to 10 years.
11:36:39 I think I heard you say that, Greg. So if we were able to do this ahead of time, that would be fantastic.
11:36:44 I know we already had a chip grant. That we were trying to use for seventh haven and for some reason it didn't qualify.
11:36:51 So that chip grant was never used. So this chip grant would would benefit Castle Brown being able to move forward.
11:37:00 And I would appreciate, you know, the support from the commissioners in that.
11:37:05 Thank you, Kathy. Alright, Kate, look like you were getting ready to ask questions or share comments.
11:37:13 Yeah, and I'm learning about this grant opportunity for the first time. So still kind of getting up to speed on it.
11:37:23 I guess I'm curious at what stage of. completion, funding.
11:37:33 Does a project need to be at, and I don't mean completion in terms of project almost being completed, but like how certain does a project have to be in order to be eligible
for this funding and Maybe a question for Andre that sounds like the city was awarded this already.
11:37:51 And just love to understand for, which project and. I just and I'm thinking bread that you're asking us to you know decide if we want to move forward with some of these projects
and I'm just I still don't quite understand where they need to be because in this there's a wide range and the ones you have proposed.
11:38:14 Hey, how are you today? So I, again, I'm new with the city and I did sit in on a a webinar concerning the the chip funding.
11:38:29 I do know for certain that the city has been awarded the funding. I am in the process of filling out the application in order to have the funds available to the city.
11:38:42 I'd be happy to circle back with with more information as I move forward. And again, I Do you understand that the project must be active and active by, 2,025.
11:38:58 I'm not sure what month of 2,025. December. Yes.
11:39:01 So is that that's for Evans vista?
11:39:06 Yeah.
11:39:05 So the, the sewer. Stormwater and water utilities for the Mills Mill Street lift station or Mill Road I should call it lift station is for the evidence vista.
11:39:21 So in that case, it's.
11:39:18 Community. Yes. It's not exclusive. But not exclusively, no, that's that's the.
11:39:26 Yeah, we can tie in laterals. Yes. And I'd point out that
11:39:26 Okay. But. Go ahead, Ben.
11:39:31 And I just want to point out that the project would be if the board were so to choose project 4, then the project would be the Caswell Brown.
11:39:45 Now it doesn't mean or negate the possibility of applying for 2 grants. But I'm saying that specific to the Caswell Brown, I think we have all of the elements in place to be
able to apply.
11:39:59 We have the sales and use tax as long as we get the ordinance approved by the board by the signing, I think the signing has to occur by the end of the spring where good with
that because we don't have, oh, in actuality, we may not even be worried about that because, well, it's this is one of those unique situations.
11:40:20 Because the city of Port Townsend has that deferral. The county doesn't. But, it's hooking into the city system.
11:40:27 So it would be the city's deferral, not the counties. So, so we would actually apply.
11:40:33 We'd actually be okay on that factor. The other projects would need us to have that, deferral for affordable housing already adopted.
11:40:44 Does that, does that help you, Kate?
11:40:46 Well, if I could just follow up. So, in and granted I've been a little bit out of touch working part time right now.
11:40:57 But in I so just trying to understand what is our you know, whatever most attractive projects we might push forward.
11:41:06 So the city already got ship funding before there's a developer. Or a specific project for Evans Vista, is that correct?
11:41:15 So that's an eligible use, even if there's not a a developer.
11:41:21 That is correct. The funding is for utilities to service that that community and potentially other communities or other.
11:41:30 Needs
11:41:33 Okay, that's, thank you for the clarification and so it sounds like there really is a, we can think very broadly about use of this if there doesn't need to be a specific project.
11:41:43 And I'm not suggesting we take the scope any wider, all of these projects are. important and underway to some degree.
11:41:54 And I just want to clarify that in looking at the project materials, the guidelines it looks like, I mean, just want to clarify that in looking at the project materials, the
guidelines it looks like, I mean, and I would assume that that Evans Vista is a huge project, 150 units, that it would seem to me that that would have been the linchpin for approval.
11:42:12 And I'm thinking that we could hang our hat on Casual Brown Village as the linchpin of approval.
11:42:18 That's the project that's generating approval. That's the project that's generating the affordable housing because there must be a generation of affordable housing because there
must be a generation of affordable housing units.
11:42:26 Because there must be a generation of affordable housing units, otherwise we would not qualify.
11:42:29 And is the only stipulation that, 25% AMI, 80% AMI, is that the only restriction on the types of housing.
11:42:40 You have to have that referral. There's a bunch of different things. Yeah, you have to have, I'm gonna go back to it.
11:42:46 It has to deliver new affordable housing. So it can't be connecting to something that's already existing.
11:42:48 It has to have 25% of the units are affordable at 80% or less. Now what I should point out Is that what makes Casual Brown particularly attractive is that you get greater scoring
if you're serving less and like the lower end of that 80%.
11:43:06 So if you're serving persons or that are at 30% which is known as extremely affordable. They then you get greater scoring and so because this is permanently affordable.
11:43:16 I think they would score well in that category. And then the funding connects. I know that they need water connection as well as sewer.
11:43:25 So they would have multiple areas that they could provide. Another aspect that really is helpful for Caswell Brown is that they do have local capacity within the organization
to help draft the the agreement.
11:43:38 So it would be a partnership in the drafting because of capacity issues. I think that's something to recognize.
11:43:47 I think we've covered pretty much the other components. Okay. I see Maria from Habitat.
11:43:54 We've brought over as well and Kathy had her hand up too and put us some clarification I think in the in the chat won't we go to Kathy and then Maria love to hear from you too.
11:44:01 Yeah, I just wanted to add that we already have to bring in another waterline, our water line that we brought in for Castle Brown phase 2 is not large enough for the entire
village.
11:44:15 So that could also be covered. Under the chip grant, we were going to try to use the chip grant for that as well anyways.
11:44:23 So, so that just helps us out because that would also be covered.
11:44:28 Great. Thanks, Kathy. Let's also, oh, and I just want to read Kathy's chat into the record as well that the chip application asks if you don't have the deferral, what timeline
do you propose to have that enacted?
11:44:39 So. Thank for that clarification. Maria.
11:44:43 Good morning. Thank you for, including me without being on the agenda. And I really want to thank Brent for the presentation and the commissioners for for this update and we
met with Amanda.
11:44:58 Brent I believe she is on a part of your staff, right, I believe she is on part of your staff, right?
11:45:03 Well, last Thursday to talk about this and. We are so tempted to join you in this year's funding cycle.
11:45:12 However, we're in the midst of we've named our master planner for Mason Street and we are doing some of the master planning and feel like we want to be a little bit further
along and capturing our needs and our budgets.
11:45:24 Really I'm excited about the Caswell Brown project being a potential candidate for that. And if it was helpful, I could, I could show you a slide of our, of our, timeline on
the Mason Street project, but I don't want to take up.
11:45:39 Too much time. I really just want to say that we would like to continue this conversation about how to make sure we have the right.
11:45:49 Components in place with the county in order to qualify for chip funding for Mason Street and really, would love to after you know this deadline really talk about what other
possibilities in the county could be candidates.
11:46:03 Thank you, Maria. So it sounds like the Mason Street project isn't quite ripe right now.
11:46:09 But yeah, that's not and we would love I appreciate we would love to hear you know anything about Mason Street honestly so let's schedule some time in the future that we can
have a little bit more leisure time to just chat about it and understand the the process to date and the timeline in front of you.
11:46:24 So thank you.
11:46:24 Sounds good. Thanks for your time.
11:46:25 Okay, looks like Kate. Has. Okay, so, Heidi questions or comments or thoughts I mean, you know, the questions that come to mind are like.
11:46:39 Where's the most? How does this opportunity leverage the most housing of diverse types of possible? I mean, we need.
11:46:47 We know we need workforce housing. We know we need homeless housing. We know we need supportive housing.
11:46:51 We need all mixes of housing, but I'm really, I've been really feeling focused on workforce housing and so I would lean towards projects that had a strong component of workforce
housing.
11:47:05 I mean, I'm just hearing again and again about People not taking jobs here, people leaving jobs here, people we are losing good people every day.
11:47:10 And Jefferson County because of workforce housing issues. And so I would really lean towards a project that had a strong component of that.
11:47:20 Do you have a? A feel about which of these projects dovetails with that that idea? So that I think would be and I'm not sure if it's eligible.
11:47:30 Would be what I considered project 6, the Chima Conroe sewer connections because if you look at the gender request I've listed about 5 or 6 projects that that could benefit.
11:47:41 And so, but that doesn't negate the opportunity of applying for 2 chip grants. But, but based upon that specific statement, I would say that the Chima Conroe, we have the BNR,
and if you look at the, that slide, it's a little difficult to see, but I like that slide because it did show quite a few of the types of developments there.
11:48:05 We have the garden court apartments, which is a part of the Peninsula Housing Authority.
11:48:10 We had the Hadlock Village mobile home car, which could increase and expand. We also have the Bayside housing, port padlock motel and their proposed expansion.
11:48:25 And so, I do see, a cluster of opportunities there.
11:48:32 I see another one that maybe because of my own work I'm I'm working on but I you know we are submitting our week compete grant to EDA on October fifth.
11:48:42 And that is all about It's dovetails with the partnership with the city on creation of the lift station.
11:48:50 EDA grants, of course, can't be about housing at all. But that's sewer would have to go through undeveloped rural residential area.
11:48:57 That includes 5 parcels, 4 additional parcels that we bought with the Cosmo Brown, and that could be put into affordable housing, could be put up for, you know, housing trust
or habitat or Bayside or any of these other project.
11:49:11 Developers of, of workforce housing, I guess. My initial, all of these projects are super worthy and I want them all to succeed, right?
11:49:21 But the infrastructure, aligning it with the recompete grant to not only be able to develop.
11:49:26 The Cosmo Brown permanent support of housing, but also the county owned properties just south of that that could be used for multi-family housing as well as connecting with
that other drive to.
11:49:41 To work with our periodic update of the comp plan to. Create more kind of a new a more dense housing neighborhood in that area.
11:49:53 I'm really excited about. So of these projects, that one is the one that To me, it could really benefit from additional infrastructure match to go with that other goal.
11:50:03 I think it also dovetails with the mill. I mean, I'm not sure. I haven't heard much about them connecting their system, but Just the opportunity to develop those additional
5 partials that the county owns.
11:50:16 Sorry you talking about project number 4 for that opportunity, which is the Gaswell Brown. Connection?
11:50:23 Yes. Yeah, and I would point out that through the chair, that, We at this point because we anticipate the designation of the Caswall Brown Village as a public purpose facility
that we would be able to extend through that carve out.
11:50:40 That the growth management act allows and so so with regards to the other areas, it may benefit at a later date and I think clearly they would so long as the urban growth area
expansion occurs without that would not be permissible. Sure.
11:51:00 No, absolutely. Well it wouldn't be permissible at a higher density but it would be permissible.
11:51:05 To put it into workforce housing even at the lower density aloud and possibly with some another carve out like, you know, if it is going into public benefit, you know, housing.
11:51:16 Right. And what I see is I think that there were 5 parcels and so we'd be looking at 10 units of housing as opposed to if it were more dense if they were part of UGA.
11:51:27 Yeah, no. So, so Mark, did you have something to add? I don't know.
11:51:33 I thought you were. Okay, go ahead.
11:51:37 Yeah, if indeed we are today hoping to get to, a narrow down or prioritized list.
11:51:46 I know the first place I would want to look and admitly have not but is the criteria for the grants.
11:51:55 And so just curious if that's something that anyone has handy or we could bring into the conversation.
11:52:01 Yes, I do and I have looked at the criteria for judging and as I indicated one of the criteria is the sales and use tax that was adopted and then they have a charts and use
tax that was adopted.
11:52:16 And then they have a chart that discuss that was adopted. And then they have a chart that discusses how you become a more competitive.
11:52:19 And then they have a chart that discusses how you become a more competitive. And so one of those that discusses how you become a more competitive.
11:52:22 And so one of those I did mention is that the more deeply affordable the project is. And so one of those that I did mention is that, the more deeply affordable the project is,
competitive.
11:52:31 And so one of those I did mention is that, the more deeply affordable the project is, the greater you score. That's a pretty significant one.
11:52:33 And I could pull up, there were some other, but I, that I looked at that might help inform that.
11:52:36 Okay.
11:52:36 Yeah, I think we we would want to be putting forth our most competitive projects.
11:52:41 Agreed. Yeah, like the concept commissioners was that this was going to be an information briefing. More than a decision briefing.
11:52:51 Just to introduce the concept of the grant and our hope was that we would come back on the ninth. For a more in depth presentation on this.
11:53:04 And at that time, ask for a decision. And so some of, you know, what Kate's asking for now, that would be something that would be presented next week.
11:53:14 But the grant is due at the end of the month. Right, but Brent's a prodigious producer and I know that he won't have any trouble meeting that deadline.
11:53:25 With approach number 3, I see that's the recommended approach. Would So if you did a note, NOFA, how long do we need to advertise?
11:53:38 We would, put it out and You know, it can only be, you know, we would also have to accompany that like approach number 3.
11:53:48 So we would get it out and it'd probably be good just to have like an article about that.
11:53:54 In the newspaper. That we're looking at. Because what I'm finding is that in I hear this a lot, because it's not real requirement for us to do the classic NOFA, but if we can
encourage there to be publicity either by our newspaper record or the PDN that would do the same.
11:54:14 Yeah. We don't really have time to do one doing. It doesn't sound like it doesn't sound like it to me.
11:54:21 Yeah. Well, I certainly agree with Commissioner Dean that the most competitive application is the one that we do.
11:54:28 I really appreciate you bringing this forward. I know the timeline is short, but I feel like Absolutely, we should apply.
11:54:37 I'm definitely inclined to the one that dovetails with other infrastructure projects. We're trying to move forward right now, but whatever is the most competitive one is the
one I would back.
11:54:45 So. I guess that's when no decisions required today or requested. Yeah, so and it's sort of moving forward.
11:54:52 We did hear from Mason Street that they're not ready. So this this briefing is helping us narrow it.
11:54:58 So I really wanted to thank the community and the commissioners for for agendaizing this item. Okay. Great.
11:55:04 Well, thanks all for being here and for your contributions to this, you know, existential problem that we're dealing with.
11:55:13 Great. Well, we have. 5 more minutes. I don't know.
11:55:17 Kate, do you wanna take us through? Last week real quick.
11:55:23 Okay.
11:55:22 Yes, it will just take me a minute to get there. Sorry, I had to switch to phone.
11:55:29 It's a little funky.
11:55:35 I am not planning to.
11:55:29 Are they doing? Just the one it looks like. It's MRSC today. Thank you.
11:55:43 Oh.
11:55:40 Oh shit, I should then. Yeah, let's keep it posted, Caroline. I'm not sure if I'll be there the whole time, but.
11:55:49 I would like to be able to turn part of it.
11:55:54 Can you still hear me all right?
11:55:54 I went out so at 1 30 we're gonna do our planning our planning proclamation so we'll start off at 1 30 with with Josh from DCD.
11:56:03 I think we're gonna push the other one to next week because we had some other guests. Okay, sure.
11:56:11 She wants the first one. Okay, we had also told the other people they could be at 9 30 so we should just, yeah. Okay.
11:56:19 Alright, Kate, take it away.
11:56:20 Great. So with you, and Monday virtually and was able to attend the first half of the Gardener Community Center community conversation.
11:56:32 Sorry that I I wish I could have flipped it and been around to hear more from the public.
11:56:36 Yeah.
11:56:39 But nice to see a decent turnout there. Tuesday like Heidi, I participated in interviews for the district one seat above the planning commission or 2.
11:56:49 Applicants and it's gonna be a tough decision. They're both very qualified. We will be bringing a recommendation to the board on the sixteenth.
11:57:01 Of October and 2 weeks. Had a number of climate related meetings last week. I met with our Board of Health subcommittee where we plan out our upcoming topics for the Board of
Health related to climate and We identified 6 or 7 different times.
11:57:20 Topics that we'll be exploring next. 6 months or so. Had a meeting with the Northwest Straits regarding a panel that I'll be speaking on and climate resilience in November.
11:57:33 And that's gonna be a really good panel. They're doing a great job of Just putting a lot of thought and tension into how that panel is structuring the questions they're asking.
11:57:44 Wednesday. I had the shortest ever budget committee meeting with you all. Because like we're working like a well oiled machine right now, which is always gratifying.
11:57:55 Greg, let me play hooky from the housing fund board. To participate in our child care. Team meeting, which is important because I haven't been able to attend for a while.
11:58:05 We have some new. New designs for that that are getting close to pre permitting so architect is starting to meet with the city to start permitting.
11:58:18 Sounds like it's gonna be a slightly more complicated. Permitting process than we hoped for.
11:58:25 For example, it sounds like a traffic study might be required. Due to not sure if it's the larger footprint of the building.
11:58:31 Perhaps triggered that, but. Always, I'm surprised we get into permitting, of course.
11:58:38 Thursday, I had a meeting with Susan O'brien and Melinda Bauer about our upcoming.
11:58:45 Radio show about political services that public health provides. So I'm looking forward to that October 6 this Friday at new.
11:58:52 1230, sorry, our usual radio time. Let's see, was not able to attend the NDC meeting Thursday afternoon, unfortunately, although it was Wendy Bart talking about childcare, which
is topic I'm pretty familiar with.
11:59:08 Having worked with her on that project. Let's see. Had a meeting with our lobbyists Friday morning.
11:59:18 Just as a reminder, maybe tomorrow we are gonna need to put up another RFP for lobbyist services.
11:59:25 So. We, we probably should be. Starting to think about that and then since WASAC isn't doing a legislative agenda this year, I do wonder if we want to be more intentional about
our priorities.
11:59:40 And our long term priorities of funding with sewer and the point 9 you know we've largely completed those so maybe that's the agenda item we wanna look at as well.
11:59:53 Friday also did, KPDZ segments with city chain on climate change, which went really well.
12:00:00 I did have a song this time. Greg, Johnny Mitchell's big yellow taxi, which is Perfect.
12:00:02 Okay. Nice.
12:00:08 And that was my week. If I could.
12:00:24 Hmm.
12:00:13 Just interject. I'm really sorry that I have a conflict next Monday. There's a public health leaders summit in Wenatchee next Monday and I'm going to have to miss our public
session.
12:00:29 And which I don't I don't take lately. There's also a state board of health meeting in conjunction with that.
12:00:34 And I'm really sorry to miss it because it is on Indigenous People's Day, which is one of my favorite.
12:00:39 Days of the year in the courthouse. I spent quite a bit of time last week, you know, getting ready for that.
12:00:48 For the proclamation, so I'm still getting that teed up for next week.
12:00:49 But I will not be present for it, but I'll make sure that staff has the. New proclamation, I always run it by the tribes to get their approval.
12:00:58 So working on that right now and trying to get some folks lined up to come and speak and maybe do some singing as usual so working on that and we'll be really sorry to miss
it.
12:01:11 And sorry to miss some important business, that I know is on the agenda next week.
12:01:16 Okay, well, board health is important as well. So we'll be sorry to miss you, but thanks for letting us know.
12:01:23 And I guess, seen as this noon. I just had one correction to my report earlier report.
12:01:30 It wasn't Karen AFFELD on that panel with me. It was DUNIA from the hospital.
12:01:35 Okay. Our largest employer. So. Yeah, that was that was the crux of that legislative LA panel was.
12:01:43 Employment and housing. So. Great. Okay.
12:01:47 Well, a busy morning. We got a busy afternoon too, but we will recess until 1 30 and the WASSAC meeting will stay noticed as both Heidi and Kate will be there at least for some
time.
12:01:56 All right, see at 1 30.
13:31:04 Great. Alright, good afternoon all. I will call us back in the session for this October second meeting, I will call us back into session for this October second meeting of the
Board of County Commissioners.
13:31:14 And we are going to start off with one of the proclamations that we didn't get to earlier.
13:31:21 If I can get to the right place here.
13:31:26 So, what we bring. TCD director Josh Peters over. Oh, great. Oh, hi, Josh.
13:31:36 No.
13:31:35 Sorry, I am running a little We would have thought that an hour and a half wasn't enough for lunch.
13:31:42 Okay.
13:31:43 Alright, so we don't have, we do have K, great. Okay, so we're going to start this afternoon off with a proclamation about.
13:31:54 Okay, so we're going to start this afternoon off with a proclamation about community planning month as our is our practice we will I will read the proclamation, presumably adopt
it, and then we'll turn to to Josh Peters for a few words on what this really means.
13:32:05 So why don't we revert the order from this morning. I will go first followed by Heidi followed by Kate.
13:32:12 And you guys ready to get into it? Yeah, ready. All right. Case flashing a new mass.
13:32:19 That's great. 2 masks today. All right. So, community planning month, whereas change is constant and affects all types of places and Whereas community planning and plans can
help manage this change in a way that provides better choices for how people work and live and.
13:32:37 Where else community planning provides an opportunity for all residents to be meaningfully involved in making choices that determine the future of their community and
13:32:46 Where as the full benefits of planning require public officials and citizens who understand, support, and demand excellence in planning and plan implementation and.
13:32:55 Whereas the month of October is a designated as national community planning month throughout the United States of America and in its territories and
13:33:05 Whereas the celebration of National Community Fronting Month gives us the opportunity to publicly recognize the participation and dedication of the members of planning commissions
and other citizen partners who have contributed their time and expertise to the improvement of Defence and County. And
13:33:20 Where as we recognize the many valuable contributions made by professional community planners in Jefferson County and extend our heartfelt thanks for the continued commitment
to public service by these professionals.
13:33:33 Now therefore the Jefferson County Commissioner is hereby proclaim October, 2,023 as community planning month in Jefferson County in conjunction with the celebration of National
Community Planning Month proclaimed this second day of October, 2,023.
13:33:51 Okay.
13:33:47 Excellent. I'd welcome a motion. I'll move to I'll adopt October as community planning month.
13:33:56 Alright, 1Â s.
13:33:57 Great, it's been moved and seconded to approve this proclamation recognizing October as community planning month.
13:34:06 Hi.
13:34:04 All in favor indicate by saying aye. Aye. Alright, we'll pass it off to Josh for a few words and about both the staff planners and also our dedicated volunteers and about both
the staff planners and also our dedicated volunteers in the planning commission.
13:34:18 Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yeah, thank you so much for reading the proclamation.
13:34:23 A lot of these the way that these phrases are derived comes from a template that we.
13:34:29 Borrowed from the national, I'm sorry, the American Planning Association or APA. And, so they help communities.
13:34:37 Celebrate national planning. We borrowed some of that language for them and tailored it to make it our own.
13:34:42 And community planning, you know, fascinating career path, like in a test myself. And I think people approach it from different angles.
13:34:49 You know, I came out from a certain perspective. Others have ended up being involved in planning, whether it's as staff members for the county or other local governments or
we're planning to commissioners or just folks who are engaged in other committees like the Marine Resources Committee is essentially community planning just for a very specific subject.
13:35:05 So I think a lot of people come out from different angles. It's sort of a catch-all.
13:35:09 I mean, it's We call it the comprehensive plan, right? And, and in a word it is comprehensive.
13:35:13 It tries to tackle anyway a lot of different things. So it's sort of a way to pull it all together.
13:35:18 And this provides endless. Challenge and interest and fascination. In that regard so when you're balancing interests like that individual property rights for example versus
the communities welfare you know just i don't mean versus in that classic sense because sometimes it doesn't have to be pitted against each other, but sometimes there's a balance to
strike and I'm sure I know that all 3 of you have dealt with
13:35:43 that in your 10 year as county commissioner so If folks are interested more about community planning and what what it all entails.
13:35:51 Of course we have our own comprehensive plan. And our own growth management act. You can go to the Department of Commerce website.
13:35:56 Under the Growth Management Services Program, and there's all kinds of information there. We have our municipal research and services.
13:36:03 Organization MRSC You can Google them and that's also a Washington based organization that provides a lot of different information about a variety of subjects that all seem
to come together under the rubric of community planning and then on the national scale as I mentioned APA so it's planning.org or can easily Google that American Planning Association.
13:36:24 There's all kinds of information there. There's a Washington chapter of APA that, I've been involved with over time.
13:36:31 There's even a peninsula section, about, of APA of the Washington chapter.
13:36:34 There's also the Planning Association of Washington, PAW. And. And what else? And they were saying they're even some other national organizations such as Planetism, which is
sort of a, I guess, a spin on being a citizen of the planet.
13:36:49 And also planning. So Planet is an interesting organization as well that offers. Good tools around planning so that's I think all I had to say about at the moment unless there's
any questions or other thoughts
13:37:01 No, thank you very much, Mr. Peters. Hi, IT, KAY, go ahead.
13:37:05 Not just saying. I have a pleasure of sitting here right now with 2 planning directors. Of course my husband's planning directors.
13:37:13 So, I very much like planning and planners apparently. And I'll just say 2 right before I move to Jefferson County.
13:37:23 I lived in Ashville, North Carolina where they don't. I actually work for a planner there, but they don't have zoning.
13:37:27 It was it was crushing to see the land use and sprawl that occurred there and really.
13:37:35 You know, just made me double down on my interest in good planning. And so thank you for the work your department does, Josh, all the staff.
13:37:42 Really appreciate it and sorry that my interest probably means I dabble more in your work than you would like but you're doing a great job.
13:37:51 Thank you. And no, no, the dabbling is always invited. In fact, if people are, if the commissioners didn't care at all or were quiet about it, then I get even more nervous than
if you're engaging and asking questions.
13:38:00 Hmm.
13:38:02 And Getting involved.
13:38:05 Well, I probably say it more times than I need to, but I was on the planning commission when I was 25, which is a little nutty for a 25 year old.
13:38:13 So I pretty much have always geeked out on planning issues as well. And the only one of the disappointments in being.
13:38:22 County commissioners. I don't have the time or the you know, the meetings on my agenda that allow me to spend as much time maybe I'm planning as I would like to.
13:38:34 So. Yeah, I appreciate all the work you guys do and I enjoyed. Interviewing our potential new planning commission member from district 2 the other day and He's spoke of his,
you know, experience with civil engineering and planning and I was just like, how do we, it's like once it gets in your blood, even after you retire, you still want to be in the game,
right?
13:38:55 So I think. I think we have some good new members coming on our team as well.
13:39:01 Yeah. Thanks, Josh. And all. I mean, planes critical.
13:39:05 I appreciate you highlighting kind of the tension that exists between you know the desire to get something done and the desire also to to have a plan for how things get done
and what it looks like when we're complete.
13:39:19 I've traveled in a lot of countries especially that don't have any planning and And they're worse for it.
13:39:26 Absolutely. You know, sometimes some of the most beautiful places in the world that I've been, Bali, comes to mind, you know, beautiful place and it's just.
13:39:36 Unkempt and it's in its growth and sometimes the, the real beauty and, and specialness is.
13:39:42 Being compromised for that unrestricted growth. And I really appreciate that the tension that exists and the importance of you know, that tension itself I think is really an
important tension and something that is sometimes a challenge to work with.
13:39:57 That you know customers on. But is always worthwhile. So thank you very much to you and your staff and all the volunteers that dive into this too with.
13:40:09 With a lot of love and care for the the end result. So. Yeah, and I'd like to point out that we're celebrating.
13:40:19 Planning month by bringing on some new planning talent. Excellent. Yeah, they're starting today.
13:40:26 A couple of new staff members. And Josh can give us a rundown regarding who's starting when, but, but we have a new senior planner and, you know, run us through that Josh real
quick.
13:40:37 Sure. We've got our permit center coordinator starting on Monday. A week from today.
13:40:43 And then the Monday after that, we have. An associate planner joining us from a neighboring county.
13:40:51 And then halfway through next week, we'll have that senior planner that Mark mentioned actually somebody coming back to service in Jefferson County and who was also been a planning
director for another county in Washington.
13:41:02 So it's a double score there for us. And we also have a permit tech. Starting towards the end of the month and she comes from a county family if you will or has a parent who's
been a longtime county employee.
13:41:14 So that's exciting for us as well. And they were still on the hunt for a couple more positions.
13:41:18 If all goes well with the budget that is and we'll be talking later to you about that this week.
13:41:23 So yeah, so we're bringing out some more talent, which is just in time too, because we've lost a lot of talent over the past a year or so.
13:41:33 I think I was doing crunching the numbers. I probably said this before, but since I rejoined the county last June, I think it's 13.
13:41:39 Left the department of less of about 20. So it's a lot of people and a lot of those folks have been here for a long time, some of them not so long but Nonetheless, we're building
the team back up.
13:41:48 We're excited about it. And we've also got that consultant assistance. That you've helped us procure.
13:41:52 So. It's all coming together and thank you for your patience and all your support this year too.
13:41:58 I know it's been a tough year. I know it's been for me and I know that you know it's been for customers too.
13:42:02 So we realize that and we're working on it.
13:42:06 Great. Okay. We'll leave it there, Josh. Thanks for being flexible today.
13:42:11 Sorry, our morning got pretty packed, but really appreciate taking the time to pause and and honor the planning that happens in Jefferson County.
13:42:18 Thank you.
13:42:19 Have a great day.
13:42:22 Okay, well, we're gonna go into executive session at 20'clock up until that point.
13:42:29 I can do my briefing. We haven't done any calendaring. We've got 2 letters to consider as well.
13:42:36 Are there other things that we need to address this afternoon? I'm afraid we're going to just run straight to the end of the day when it gets started.
13:42:44 So this might be our only time to really address anything that's Not already on the agenda. I have a meeting at 4 in my office.
13:42:51 You have a meeting at 4 in your office. All right. Got a workshop starting at 3 45.
13:42:55 Oh, well, you can always step away if you have to. Okay. Well, I will go into my briefing hearing, no other critical things to address.
13:43:08 Let me get back to my. Okay. I don't know how to. Get out of there.
13:43:16 Yeah.
13:43:19 Sorry. Doing a public records request, I got the calendar all.
13:43:25 Okay, there we go. So.
13:43:33 Last week was with you guys of course on Monday and the Gardner community conversation was great. You know, we'd love to see more people, but I would say it's probably our second
or third most attended community conversation.
13:43:49 All in district 3 of course I think yeah excellent good good attendance by district 3. You can read that a couple different ways.
13:43:58 Yeah, you could. You could. Right. Maybe there's more issues.
13:44:02 Yeah. Maybe they just really appreciate us. But I'm not sure if they're big takeaways, you know, still frustration about the Fourth of July and I think I agreed to go back and.
13:44:15 Crediting the the sheriff's office and and some of the fire professionals back to talk about. The plan to prevent you know out of town folks from having Fourth of July parties
down there at the port property which the port doesn't want either.
13:44:29 So it's but they're very you know appreciative and a little scared as we often get about the ports improvements at the Gardener boat launch down there. That was one of the big
takeaways.
13:44:41 There's a lot of concern that, you know, if you build it, they will come and maybe too many people will come.
13:44:46 So it's something that I don't think was very common until a couple of years ago about you know, as We get, you know, over tourist in some places that the impacts on the local
neighborhoods are sometimes, and welcome.
13:45:02 On Tuesday I participated in the O 3 A exit interview for our audits and it went very well. 100% clean audit.
13:45:11 And then I participated in the Jefferson County exit interview. Also a clean audit. So bravo, Judy and the team, Stacy, Brenda, everyone contributed to.
13:45:25 You know, we had some issues last year and the year before. And the year before. So this is a real improvement and a great report all around from the SAO.
13:45:35 So kudos to staff for getting it done and making it clean. We had a housing fund board community conversation committee meeting Tuesday morning.
13:45:47 We're talking about the Glen Cove project again and having a community conversation in, a first quarter in January to talk about the potential housing impacts.
13:45:59 In a positive way, I hope, but also considering the negative ones. I'm looking at the Heel Act and what are the impacts of, you know, trying to add a denser housing proximate
to an industrial area, which we might also be trying to make more.
13:46:14 Dense. So good conversation. I think Housing Solutions Network is interested in partnering on that community conversation.
13:46:20 It will be in January, and we're looking for so yeah, a housing fund board the following day supported the path that we're on.
13:46:31 Oh yeah, it was going well. Then we have the intellectual and developmental disability advisory board always a well-managed meeting with Anna Mchenry and moving a pace I don't
think there's anything particular to I'm approved there.
13:46:45 You guys did see the notes from Trinity Methodist though. More ACAC saying, pulling back their consideration for that grant that we had.
13:46:56 Questions about. I think they plan on coming to our meeting next week or ACACC meeting? No, no, the BOCC, they plan on coming to our meeting next week or HCC meeting. No, no,
the BOCC meeting. Okay. Talk about their letter.
13:47:09 Okay. Yeah, no, I understand. I'm pulling back. Obviously we had some reservations.
13:47:15 Met with P or the budget meeting on Wednesday and then. Amanda Christopherson and Josh Peters join me.
13:47:24 With Kevin Streets and. And Commissioner Tooper out of PUD. To talk about the Brendan Sewer on Wednesday and we're committed to pretty much putting a little one-page white paper
out talking about the path.
13:47:42 Seems like Department of Ecology has a big role, as of course state parks is a big role, but really it's I think Like the GMA issues are according to Josh's conversations with
Dave Anderson out of commerce pretty resolved or at least right now it's clear that we could at least for the existing commercial businesses it wouldn't be a GMA violation which is
I think something we
13:48:09 had heard it probably was before, so. But we'll moving forward with clean water and, you know, whether it's clean water and also, flood planes and, you know, what's the best
thing to do?
13:48:20 So no answer there yet, but a commitment to. To just laying it out. Housing fun board? What did we do?
13:48:30 We had a good report about data. We're talking about. Financing of workforce housing and the challenges there and we're going to try to.
13:48:40 Try to work a little bit more on understanding that. And then we clarified the budget. Oh, I don't have the numbers right here, but I had met last week with the week before
with Judy and Carolyn and we kind of rejiggered some of the 23 awards in from 149 into 148 so we could get a little bit more 140
13:49:04 9 the homeless housing fund. So we ended up with roughly 350, to award for 149 homeless housing or.
13:49:14 53 76 and 950,000 to award through the 1590. So. I'm still pretty robust awards and the applications are in.
13:49:25 I think we had 8 applications, right? 8 applications, at least one, you know, organization we haven't been able to find before.
13:49:32 So we'll. You know, have the same fun that, LTAC has. That, Then I was able, we got out done pretty early, so I was jumping able to jump onto the Recompete task force meeting,
which is happening every day this week as well.
13:49:47 You know, moving forward.
13:49:51 Well, yeah, I don't know. You want to guess what the ICR on that 50 million dollars recompete grant would be going to Cleveland County?
13:50:00 I see. Administration 34% oh So ongoing communications about that where nothing's quite resolved but it seemed a little high on a 50 million dollar award but you know such as
life.
13:50:19 Is that, do they have a federally? A federal rate already is that why it's that high?
13:50:26 I can't exactly recall. Honestly, I'm trying to just move everything forward. So not really arguing through things and just trying to get to the finish line.
13:50:38 We'll continue. I mean, the $500 strategy award will go you know $150,000 to a recompete administrator that is a required position and then another $50 to finance services within
Clown County, you know, which leaves.
13:50:56 Not much for the actual planning of the projects, but if we have time later or next week or so possibly the following week I can go through all the projects and detail but this
week again we're just going to be pushing it through and it really is just about getting it in.
13:51:16 Thursday.
13:51:12 So I'm trying at the end of the week, right? On third the fifth. We only got our first draft of the 8 page phase 2 application last night.
13:51:23 So. You know, I'm really kind of just doing everything I can not to slow it down and I can certainly slow things down sometimes.
13:51:30 So. But you know, we're moving through it and we've lots of good partners on there and, and I think everyone's.
13:51:38 On the same page that we just want to make the most competitive grant we can. I might echo Kate's question.
13:51:46 That's a very important question because if a grant application is submitted with an overhead percentage that Doesn't jive with what's been approved for the jurisdiction, then
that's.
13:51:56 That doesn't support a grant application. I'll double check that. We have another meeting today and okay starting at 3 30 so many opportunities to ask the questions.
13:52:09 Let's see, Jeff Calm on the 20 eighth, we approved our budget.
13:52:17 Everything is going well, though even some of the new staff that we had, you know, talked a little bit about the.
13:52:21 Kind of the law enforcement process to go through the boards and polygraph tests and all these different things that you have to do to get people even able to offer them the
job.
13:52:35 And the first person that went through all that process lasted a month and has now g10, jeez.
13:52:38 So you don't have to do the polygraph and the additional psych exam. For Jeff Calm operators, but it is a stressful, trauma-filled job.
13:52:47 So that's kind of the normal practice. But, I don't know, considering.
13:52:51 Lowering the thresholds we put in front of hiring folk for that position. But, but it's but it's strong, good work by, No, not just Matt who, you know, we all know, but also
Lisa Johnson who, It's kind of, I don't know, struggled, I would say, with administration.
13:53:12 There's been tension in a way that was probably counterproductive and I think they had a really collaborative process to to get to this budget and it was good seeing.
13:53:19 Strengths embraced and and and utilized and leveraged for the for the good of the organization.
13:53:25 Thursday afternoon, I got a tour of Atlas Technologies in Glen Cove, fascinating. Fascinating vacuum technology. Super cool.
13:53:35 I mean, just fun stuff. I got I got stuff in space, they got stuff making, you know.
13:53:41 Artificial diamonds. It's just like some of the coolest projects come through there. Then I was also at the boat yard barbecue.
13:53:51 Had a great time, excellent music. I was there at the beginning with L criminal, some Cajun music, and excellent food.
13:53:57 I got the SAM and I should have had the link caught. So good. Right. The salmon was good.
13:54:04 The salmon was good. The ling cod was sublime. Did you try both? Okay.
13:54:08 Well, they were both good. It was all good. Friday morning met with Brennan resident down in Quill scene to talk about some of the issues.
13:54:19 One of which I'll bring up with our information briefing with workshop with Wendy later, you know, they're just galvanized and really want communication and I think at this
point blanketing them with communication would be better than making them search for it.
13:54:36 So. Think maybe distributing social media stuff to a wider, you know, to the community pages would be.
13:54:42 Advantageous. Another recompete meeting. It's letters of recommendation week. So.
13:54:50 That's my, you know, weekly AI update is, I wrote individual letters for every organization I asked for a letter of support with the help of Chat GPT.
13:55:01 So excellent use. On Saturday, I went back down to Brennan for the Dosi Wallace River Collaborative with Tammy Pcorny as well as Brent Butler and Barb Jones, Barb Jones.
13:55:15 That the chip coordinator. For a good workshop with the community. It was, it was interesting.
13:55:26 I think.
13:55:28 Yeah.
13:55:32 Nothing learned there that we haven't learned before. Let's say that. But they're interested in the process and I would say they're engaged in the process right now.
13:55:40 The lazy sea community is especially engaged and they really are of course probably most at risk from the dose wallop.
13:55:47 So, I'm glad that. The galvanized community has dovetailed with the dosi wallets project to engender more communication.
13:55:57 Same like that. And that was my week. So Mark, well, actually, maybe we should look first.
13:56:06 Are there any conflicts on? Calendar this coming week. We have a lot of budget stuff coming up, but let's maybe just we don't have a lot of time before our executive, but are
there any?
13:56:17 Conflicts that we need to resolve.
13:56:20 Oh, I mean. We're just gonna miss things that we're. Scheduled at the same time as the budget meetings.
13:56:27 Yeah. Cause none of us can cover for each other, right? So. Yeah, I am.
13:56:34 Wednesday is going to be a challenge for me because I of course have. In person class in Tacoma at 60'clock, so I'm probably gonna have to.
13:56:41 Leave at lunchtime. I'll be here in person in the morning and then maybe someone else can chair I assume Heidi or you gonna I assume Kate you're not gonna be here physically
13:56:53 Correct. Yeah.
13:56:55 So maybe Heidi can manage the in person meeting as the one commissioner here and I'll be.
13:57:01 Participating but remote for the second half of Wednesday. I have a conflict in the afternoon on Thursday for an hour, but I think I'll just let Eric Johnson know that I need
to miss that.
13:57:14 Yeah, the Parks and Parks and Rec Volunteer Appreciation is that and it's a conflict as well, but.
13:57:20 Yes, yes.
13:57:21 So none of us can make it to that. Huh?
13:57:23 I'm hoping we get done. I mean, I don't know if Carolyn, I mean, we've got She, I know that she adjusted the, the, the calendar so there's not timed items so we can make through
it as fast as we can.
13:57:37 So yeah, hopefully. Yeah, I can't make any predictions, but yeah.
13:57:47 That's the goal. Don't yet. You just did. Yeah And of course we have our West End outreach meeting Friday, Friday evening, 6 p.
13:57:59 M. At the hotel centers. Really looking forward to that getting out on the West End is always a pleasure.
13:58:04 I am not gonna be able to make it to that. I think we're getting charged that day, which is very exciting.
13:58:11 I think.
13:58:11 But it just be impossible to make it from Seattle all the way out there.
13:58:22 I am.
13:58:14 Yeah, well, we will miss you and, give your apology. It's doing KPTZ on Friday.
13:58:28 I's doing KPTZ on Friday. I respond to do a note from Jim. I, I only identified Susan.
13:58:29 I forget who else you
13:58:29 Have you chosen the song?
13:58:33 I've not, no I asked Susan and Moondeta try to come up with one.
13:58:35 Okay, great.
13:58:40 Okay. Well, anything else critical? And we won't try to make Mark report his last weekend.
13:58:47 A minute. Okay, well, Mark, you got 2 or 3Â min. Oh, yeah, go ahead, Kate.
13:58:50 Just, and actually if I could just say, you know, I'm very much at the mercy of, doctors who show up on wanna show up.
13:59:01 And so, Wednesday and Thursday, it might be in and out a little bit.
13:59:03 Okay, thanks for the heads up. You want the speed version? Beat version. Okay, Monday the 20 fifth with the board for most of the day and then I had to punch out to go to our
preop appointment at the hospital and then the Gardner community conversation meeting out and Gardner at 60'clock.
13:59:20 Then on Tuesday. Had a, with Judy on the fund, 123 budget to reconcile ARPA projects and at 100'clock the financial audit from the state auditor.
13:59:36 Exit and, So the audit team, I'm taking a lunch tomorrow. To celebrate the very clean report that they, they work so hard to achieve.
13:59:47 And then I was out for surgery on my hand. The bulk of the afternoon. On Wednesday, budget committee at 8 30, met with Sarah Mellenson after that to talk about the public works
teamsters negotiations.
14:00:03 And then the strategic plan project team meeting and then a circle back with Judy on the ARPA budget.
14:00:10 Reconciliation. Then I punched out for a dental appointment and then met with Heidi to talk about.
14:00:17 The chickadee forestry contract and I work that has to be done there. And then on Thursday, I met with Brent at 80'clock.
14:00:25 I checked in on Jeff Calm admin board for a few minutes, then I had to go upstairs to the.
14:00:32 For a conference room and negotiate with public works teamstairs, which took most of the day. We adjourned at about 3 30 and then I went to the boat yard barbecue for a while
and quite a event.
14:00:45 Erin Berg's been good for the port. And then on Friday. My weekly with Josh.
14:00:54 Then I met with the IT staff. I'm in the director role. To try to get a handle on the issues they're facing and I thought that was very useful and I'm taking the IT.
14:01:05 Group to mochel and barbecue in 2 weeks just to thank them for the Herculean effort they put forth during the email debacle.
14:01:13 And then I had a discussion with Ahmed Sharma and Sophie the Guru regarding the noxious weed truck.
14:01:21 Discussion. I think the board remembers that during the second quarter of appropriation you bumped up the funding to buy an electric truck but the noxious weedboard is dubious.
14:01:31 And they're thinking rather than getting a brand new truck, they're gonna want a couple of retired vehicles for which they don't pay monthly rent.
14:01:39 That fits their budget better than a brand new truck. And so I've committed to them to work to try to find them at least one truck coming out of the fleet that they can employee
because they have a tour sedan that just isn't functional for them.
14:01:55 So that wrapped up my week. All right, well it is 20'clock now, so we will we're gonna go into an executive session as posted and we're going in to review the performance of
a public employee, no discussion of salaries, wages, and other conditions of employment to be generally applied within the county.
14:02:14 No final action on the hiring, setting the salary of the individual employer or class of employees or just charging or disciplined disciplining an employee.
14:02:21 Exemption as outlined in the Open Public Meetings Act, RCW, 42 dot 30 dot 1 10 parentheses one parentheses G.
14:02:28 We're going in from 203 to 2 33 for 30Â min. We joined by the county administrator chief civil deputy prosecuting attorney and HR director.
14:02:40 Is that right? Should be. Yep, okay. So, we will be back at 2 33.
14:34:50 Hey.
14:34:58 All right, we will. Coming out of executive session. As a reminder, we were in there with chief civil deputy prosecuting attorney, county administrator.
14:35:10 HR director discuss the review and performance of a public employee under RCW 42 dot 30 dot 1 10 parenthesis one parentheses G We are coming out and we do not will not take
public comment as we are taking no action.
14:35:27 So look at this, we do have a little more time. Maybe we should take a look at the 2 letters that we don't forget those.
14:35:38 You guys have a chance to look at the, the draft of both letters. Then you haven't looked at upcoming calendars.
14:35:46 You there? Have you? No, we'll get to that too. Yeah, thank you.
14:35:49 I did glance at them and see. Take moments.
14:35:57 I think we've actually sent a letter. Oh, I or we didn't quite get one in as they applied for this 1 one other time.
14:36:12 Thank you.
14:36:29 Yeah, you're taking a moment to maybe we can. I'll share my screen, I guess.
14:36:35 I mean, yeah, and that's. No brainer.
14:36:47 You guys have Kate's digital signature here, yeah? Can you get on a letter?
14:36:54 Talks about either letter.
14:36:58 Sure.
14:37:04 On the agenda, we don't need to take public comment for it, but we will. Throw it up on the screen.
14:37:11 Yeah, both letters are great.
14:37:13 I can't say for sure that the Mason PD was written on
14:37:19 An artificial intelligence. Platform, but it still looks fine. You can say that it was? I can't say it for sure.
14:37:27 I can say the other one was definitely written by chat, GPT.
14:37:33 And modified. I mean, not entirely. Right, letters. What's that?
14:37:39 Like, 20 letters of support that were all, you know, fairly unique. It's a lever.
14:37:46 So which one are we looking at first? The Mason PD. That's what I've got up on screen.
14:37:52 Okay.
14:37:53 I'm moved that we approve, signing and sending the, support, for, for, for, the, the, for the, for the, as submitted.
14:38:02 I'll second that. And then I have a question. Oh, yes, it's a question.
14:38:11 Is do we have a sense of how much funding is available under this?
14:38:14 Gonna stop sharing and see if I do see that anywhere in your I mean I got this from research with chat changing I wasn't looking at this one where just sent this one from.
14:38:24 Okay. I just wonder how.
14:38:35 How little money there is for these kinds of important.
14:38:40 They scored very high in round one, California, other it's a national thing. We're funding first round 2 is now open.
14:38:50 We have a good shot at getting funded. So I don't know how much funding there was, but they just missed out last year.
14:38:55 So they feel pretty confident. Thanks. Okay. It's been moved and seconded that we approve signing the letter of support for Mason Pud's USDA grant signing the letter of support
for Mason Pud's USDA grant application.
14:39:08 All in favor indicate by saying a Hi. Any opposed? Okay, that is unanimous. I'll put the other letter up.
14:39:19 Right. Any thoughts, concerns? Notifications. So I think everywhere I go I get comments about the Glencove.
14:39:34 Oh yeah. Probably mostly generated from a few folks, but I'm just wondering a little backstory on that.
14:39:41 I mean, are you are you hearing a lot of support from businesses in Glencove? Yeah, yeah, more support than.
14:39:47 I have, I have a survey out and, and most are supportive. Many are definitely feel whatever you do, don't let the city an access.
14:40:02 That is a kind of a resonance concern. And the cities, you know, aligned with us and making sure that any decision on anization would be.
14:40:14 Based on a petition of 60% of the property. So the idea is to create a separate urban growth area, not to.
14:40:22 Okay. Probably extend the urban growth area of the city, but it wouldn't be part of the city.
14:40:30 What are the concerns that you're hearing? No, no, you just said that you're hearing.
14:40:35 People don't make us part of the Port Town. We're in growth area. So I'm mean that's well no don't make it part of the city the city yeah so don't let us get annexed and I you
know there are some historical precedents for that and you know among other things there was when they brought city water out there, there was an assessment for the roads as well that
they
14:40:57 were charged for years and I think there might be some political, you know, distinctions or some political animosity between some of the property.
14:41:07 Owners and the city, but. You know, even people that have said we don't need the improvements. We're not, you know, we're concerned about increased costs.
14:41:18 I mean, these are still things that have to get fleshed out. So there's no fate a company with this, you know, it's like starting a planning process.
14:41:24 I mean, you wouldn't started if you didn't think it was worthwhile, but, It's
14:41:33 I mean, I've got a lot of information from the assessor. I can tell you that out of the basically 200 acres there half of them are vacant right now.
14:41:42 And many of the property owners are struggling to expand. Eden saw estimated they'd add 20 jobs.
14:41:50 Frederick School and Electric would add 26 jobs. That list, that can add 74 jobs.
14:41:58 So I mean, significant improvement. Others are dealing with infiltration issues. You know, the adding stormwater facilities even.
14:42:08 I mean, like there's a couple of different steps, even if it gets added to the comp plan as an urban growth area, managed to get the sewer out to it.
14:42:16 Creating you know the 55% impervious surface maximum of 55% impervious surface is something I've heard from property owners there as a real obstacle and barrier to economic
development and their own personal development of their property for years.
14:42:39 You know for instance I was first elected from a former commissioner in fact who was a property owner out there.
14:42:41 There are other people who have Develop within the envelope that's allowed and they don't need to do anything more.
14:42:51 So like there are a lot of people that are like, yeah, no, we're good. I'm good.
14:42:54 And you know, that's undeniable. And the fact is that those people that are standing paths, there's a real in potential impact of their costs going up to own property.
14:43:05 I've asked the assessor about what are the implications to property value that value is property.
14:43:17 The properties are valued at about 44 million dollars right now. And he's unwilling to speculate because he doesn't do speculation, does it based on comparables.
14:43:25 So it would have to be. You know, you gotta see what the development pattern is and what properties sell for.
14:43:37 Yeah, I don't know. I'm happy that. Any specific questions? You've been taking the lead on this.
14:43:44 I just haven't. I've. I think I only hear the disgruntled people.
14:43:49 So I'm just wondering for I wanted a fuller picture of what you're hearing when you're out talking out there in the community.
14:43:53 That's all. And you just. Did that. I mean, yeah, there's
14:43:56 Well, I would, I would love to know something I don't know anything about, is, you know, what is the political feasibility of expanding an urban growth area without annexation.
14:44:10 I would assume that triggers the same kind of sprawl fears, and future wise and environmental groups.
14:44:18 Do you know how? Is that common? Is.
14:44:20 Yeah.
14:44:23 What's the reality of that happening?
14:44:23 In talking with Emma Bolan at the city, she believes that the best process right now is that it wouldn't just grow but the other urban growth area would also shrink.
14:44:36 So you'd have to look for a commensurate land and that is in the poor towns and city limits that's not being, you know, that doesn't have the urban level of infrastructure.
14:44:43 So, you know, off Hastings or something, you'd have to shrink. It to the same to the same size.
14:44:51 So really what you'd be doing is saying, this is a better shape for the urban growth area.
14:44:55 I have a Again, with chat GPT very helpful and I there's a hundred page, 150 page MRSC.
14:45:04 Document that really goes into the the current landscape for that and I've been asking it questions through chat GPT an awful lot and I would be happy to ask any questions through
Chat GPT an awful lot and I would be happy to ask any specific questions, yeah, it's very possible to expand the urban growth area without annexation being automatic.
14:45:25 And would be a separate process. And I think we'd have to do that to make it politically feasible with some of those folks that.
14:45:31 You know, might object to any, Change in the development pattern. The city I know is also very interested in being able to connect their sewer to the other side of Highway 20.
14:45:43 You know, on Discovery Road, they've got a lot of areas inside the city that aren't.
14:45:48 Accessible by the sewer. We've had some issues that I've heard about raised by Planning Commission members about some of those industrial properties and commercial properties
on the west side of Highway 20 that are you know, run into, you know, often our in rural residential property, like the A one rental, I think, or as you go farther up.
14:46:09 That are. Underdeveloped as well but I mean you know each Each property owner is going to want to do different things.
14:46:22 And, you know, a lot of people like, if you have a storage facility on the property, you probably don't.
14:46:25 Need it? How's you want to double the size or something?
14:46:31 And, in the case of a, it is still stay on our tax roles. Account is, right?
14:46:39 Yes, though one of the critical pieces if we're funded through the Ed's grant opportunity would be creating a revenue-sharing document with the city that Probably, I mean, usually
with an annexation, it's like a almost depreciating a capital asset and so you're slowly kind of paying it out.
14:46:59 But I've you know, it talks with the cities that we want to make sure that we can.
14:47:06 Work this out whether or not it's annexed and that's part of the reason they're amenable to not really having that as an absolute in line is.
14:47:18 Yeah, there we probably have to look and have some hard conversations about revenue sharing. In either case.
14:47:25 I don't know how that works.
14:47:28 Okay, thanks.
14:47:32 Okay. Okay. This letter of course is Mostly in support of the recompete application as a whole, though I do call out the boat yard expansion and And, the, the Glen Cove project
explicitly.
14:47:47 And also I'd say if anyone wants to talk about this that you come across and they're, you know, looking for learning or conversation or just advocacy.
14:47:59 I'm happy to engage with them too. What about the airport? I've heard mention of that.
14:48:05 The airports other there well yeah I know I mean that's a fine part of it is it in the recompete application no, but it is kind of held as a card behind ours because it essentially
does the same thing.
14:48:21 They have no guarantee. I mean, the people that they in their case study that would come over there are people that are currently in Glen Cove.
14:48:28 So. One would assume that really if the development pattern, Glen Cove, was allowed to go, but basically what they want to do is create a new.
14:48:36 Industrial park. So yeah, that's great. But I would rather see that in private property owners hands and have it developed naturally rather than.
14:48:45 In the ports and the ports is 24 acres. This is 200 acres. They would build a 10,000 square foot, facility that they lease out but you know, so would, if this happened.
14:49:01 So I think it's right now we have it just Not listed explicitly. We do have the boat yard expansion listed.
14:49:08 But we have this kind of behind that in case this does run into a problem. We can always bring that forward in the phase 2, the year, 18 months that we have to move forward.
14:49:18 So they're just to. I just had heard and mention of it. So I. It's an interesting project.
14:49:23 I have their project proposal and they did do a feasibility report and yeah, you know, it'll cost.
14:49:28 Millions of dollars and I've heard the port commissioners were more It was more appealing to them than the boat yard expansion expansion because of the significant costs involved
in the wetland, delineation and dealing with the wetlands that they would have to deal with.
14:49:42 And the westward expansion of the boat yard. So yeah, I think it just does the same thing and we're already fighting with Calm County that doesn't have as many infrastructure
projects in that recompute project.
14:49:53 So we had to. Drop something in that and the Brennan sewer drop and the bookyard expansion was the funding the request was cut half as well.
14:50:02 So, significant concessions. Not enough, but significant.
14:50:08 I think Greg, one comment on the letter. Is it, and the second paragraph, second sentence, we are particularly excited about the project to explore.
14:50:18 Creating an urban growth area in Glencoe. I wonder. Like it's almost impossible within breath management to create.
14:50:32 Right.
14:50:30 An urban growth area. So I wonder if that language could just be cleaned up a little bit to.
14:50:37 Including And then COVID and urban growth area or expanding, the growth area to include.
14:50:47 Yeah, and like that we were particularly excited about the project. Exploring expanding an urban growth area to include Glencove.
14:50:57 That sounds good.
14:50:58 Okay. Great.
14:51:05 Okay. Well, we have a modified letter to consider.
14:51:12 Do, do we know where these are gonna be reviewed? Is there a regional? Alright, the view team is it all go into the national pot.
14:51:24 Oh, I'm a level removed from that. All I know is that the Phase one applications and phase 2 applications have a different review process going up the pipeline.
14:51:35 I assume that it's Excuse me all on a national level. I don't think there's a state by state pot, but I don't know that for sure.
14:51:44 Just wonder if that, would, make sense to somebody who doesn't live in Washington state. Should add a, you know.
14:51:54 Necessary. Tool in order for you know, existing late industrial manufacturing businesses to expand or something.
14:52:06 Let me. Let me bring up the Word document and we can actually look at it.
14:52:14 Thank you.
14:52:26 Share my screen so we can do that.
14:52:37 Let me first go to the other question. Project 2.
14:52:46 Project.
14:52:52 Exploring.
14:52:58 Okay.
14:53:14 That what we talked about before.
14:53:23 Okay. And then what was your second or your muted gait if you're talking?
14:53:31 You talked about.
14:53:34 Yeah, maybe just a comma there. Necessary step in order. To allow for business expansion.
14:53:42 Just let me explain why that matter, why we're excited about it.
14:53:48 After industrial park.
14:53:49 Yeah.
14:53:52 I'm sorry, say it one more time. Your, is good.
14:53:54 A necessary step in order to allow. For expansion of light industrial manufacturing businesses.
14:54:18 Okay.
14:54:27 How's that look?
14:54:30 Maybe exploring expansion. Do not have 2 I and G.
14:54:35 Exploring.
14:54:43 Of
14:54:47 Hey, I'll say growth instead of expansion.
14:54:50 Yeah.
14:54:56 Yeah.
14:54:59 Save this. Alright, if we, let me stop my share. Oops, the next paragraph.
14:55:25 No, yeah, I'd welcome a motion. I'll send
14:55:33 Hi.
14:55:33 I need to that we prove the letter of support, that recompetes regional application as edited here today.
14:55:42 I'll second. Okay. Since we did make modifications, I'll open up for any public comments that folks have on this particular letter.
14:55:51 So. We don't have anyone in the chambers with us, but anyone online, if you'd like to make public comment on this letter we'd love to hear from you.
14:55:59 Can hit raise hand or star 9.
14:56:04 Okay, is that no one's there yet?
14:56:10 Okay, all in favor of approving and signing the letter as amended here today to support the recompete grants indicate by saying aye.
14:56:21 Aye. That motion passes, I'll send Julie the updated letter.
14:56:29 Okay, back to the agenda here. We still. Have a few more minutes, so perhaps we can go to.
14:56:39 Calendaring. I mean, we talked about it a little. Maybe we'll Mark, you want to start anything going on with your calendar?
14:56:46 You want to share this week? Busy one. First today with board.
14:56:55 Tomorrow I have senior management meeting with. My senior managers and a risk management meeting at 1030.
14:57:02 And the audit team celebration lunch. Over the lunch hour and then a 18 meeting with the port PD in the city.
14:57:13 Then on Wednesday, pretty much all day and budget briefings by. Department directors or elected to the board.
14:57:22 Same thing on. Thursday. And then on Friday. And meeting with Josh Peters in the morning and then.
14:57:34 Fair amount of the day traveling out to the West End for the community outreach meeting in 6.
14:57:41 Alright, yeah, like everyone's schedule is going to sound pretty similar this week. Yeah, we're rolling together. We're hanging together.
14:57:50 I've been meeting with Brent this afternoon. And then, tomorrow, most of the day I'm in Marine Resources Committee recruitment interviews.
14:58:00 We have some. A bunch of great applicants. So I'm participating in those. And then I have an MRC meeting in the evening.
14:58:12 And then in the budget. Sessions with you guys on Wednesday and Thursday. I do have a conflict Thursday afternoon with my Wasack Federal Issues Committee.
14:58:23 From 3 30 to 4 30, but I can. I'll tell Eric, there's a Almost a snowballs chance in hell that I'll be there, but And then.
14:58:34 Later on Thursday I have the Jefferson. Cohort of the Olympic Peninsula Trails Coalition.
14:58:43 Wednesday morning I have a meeting with DNR around the future day Bob natural area expansion or the current expansion and kind of what the plans are and where the funding is
to achieve those.
14:58:56 And then I will also be headed out to. Kl. Alright. And the community outreach meeting that evening.
14:59:07 Yep. Good times. Kate, how's your week look?
14:59:13 Let's see. We have a meeting tomorrow with. .
14:59:19 Partnership and a number of the integrating organization directors. And long standing concerns about how LAOs are used and funded.
14:59:32 I guess it's a week challenging conversation. So speaking off at that one. Of course budget meetings on Wednesday and Thursday I'm a little concerned about missing one subcommittee
in meetings.
14:59:51 It's just, you know, it's kind of, you know, stay together.
14:59:54 Are we preserving the union or not? So. Have to, but it's a 3Â h meeting.
15:00:03 So, you know, we have to look at the agenda and see if there's a It's more important than those, but I'm sorry to miss that.
15:00:10 They say of course with you guys budget meetings. Missing a couple of things for that.
15:00:19 And then. You're doing the radio show on Friday and then hopefully, home across the water. Very exciting.
15:00:30 And that will be missing the community at which meeting, unfortunately. I, see how it goes, getting back on, but I said recovery today is having a benefit on but it's a recovery
today is having a benefit on Saturday afternoon.
15:00:49 I'm sorry, who's having benefit?
15:00:52 Nice.
15:00:50 Recovery cafe. Yeah Alright. Yeah, and then, this, like I said, we'll be here next Monday, unfortunately.
15:01:02 For a couple of important public health meetings.
15:01:07 Right. Alright, well my week looks, remarkably similar. Here today, I have a recompete meeting today and tomorrow on the next day and the next day.
15:01:20 So just kind of getting letters to letters of support is the big the big work there now and try and not look over the shoulders of the actual grant writers.
15:01:31 And then with you guys on Wednesday and Thursday, as I said, I'll probably be remote for the second half of Wednesday as I have to rush down to Tacoma for 6 p.
15:01:40 M. Class so well. All together. Hope that we can wrap up in time on Thursday that I can join at least part of the parks, parks and wreck volunteer appreciation open house out
at HJ Carroll Park.
15:01:57 And after that meeting with a community member with some. Accessibility issues, I think maybe. I'm not exactly sure.
15:02:06 Maybe more with Jefferson Healthcare than the county, but I said I would go and meet with them.
15:02:10 And then looking forward to the community outreach on Friday, another recompete meeting. I might pass on that one that was since.
15:02:18 You know, what's done is done at that point.
15:02:22 And then, we'll make sure a couple things on the following Monday. We're gonna push.
15:02:28 Push a couple weeks to make sure that we can get our full board to consider them. That's it for me.
15:02:36 Okay.
15:02:36 Hey, have a question on calendars. And I, did, reach out to IT this morning.
15:02:42 I haven't heard back, but anyone found any workarounds for the. In, meeting invites that are still in the wrong time zone.
15:02:52 Asking them to send them again. I mean that. Huh. It's so random.
15:02:55 Somebody's where. Start still coming in the wrong time.
15:03:02 I, it's good that I have always something I can blame. I think I don't have enough meetings in other time zones.
15:03:13 No, this is, I mean, they aren't, they aren't until the time zones.
15:03:11 Have less meetings in other time zones. Oh, no. Right.
15:03:19 It's, I mean, even coming from other county staff that are still coming in and Laura.
15:03:26 Okay.
15:03:21 I noticed that happening. I noticed that happening initially like in the first couple weeks after the Meltdown and then I haven't had that problem kind of fixed itself.
15:03:32 Yeah, ICG I just had last week and the same thing new meeting and it just came in the wrong mountain time. Weird.
15:03:41 I haven't had that happening.
15:03:42 That you've noticed. I haven't shown up to meetings at the wrong time. You know, I'm trying to find it as a feature instead of a bud.
15:03:54 Well, it's frustrating that we can't even edit. Outlook. I'm going to that mostly been on my phone because my computers will not connect to network remotely still.
15:04:05 Oh really?
15:04:06 So. In the desktop outlook application, are you able to change the, the times of, you know, the ones that are in the wrong times?
15:04:18 I mean, let me, Try Jeff Connors every every
15:04:26 I can, it won't change the original meetings since I didn't call the meeting, but yeah, I, I can change it in the desktop.
15:04:33 On your own calendar.
15:04:35 On my own calendar, but it doesn't reflect back to the organizer. Because of course the organizer.
15:04:39 Did it at the right time. I mean, it's not like they did it at the mountain time.
15:04:44 It's origin time.
15:04:47 Yeah, frustrating and your computer won't connect to any network. Okay.
15:04:51 No, and I've tried a number of times to get, I, IT and worked on it and, you know, they can, they've had trouble getting it to connect.
15:05:03 But then when I'm over here,'ve had trouble getting it connected but then when I'm over here it's still not connecting.
15:05:09 So I'm having to do everything
15:05:08 Hmm. I'm sorry. I wish I could figure.
15:05:15 Yes.
15:05:09 Okay. I prefer my personal Mac anyway. But it's, not a deal.
15:05:19 Yeah, sure. Okay. Well, we have 10Â min before our scheduled, workshop on communications and glad to see Wendy again twice in a day, quite an honor.
15:05:35 Other thing I feel like we were like, you kind of left one thing out there, Kate, about a legislative agenda and whether or not we want to come up with our own legislative agenda
absent to WASSAC agenda.
15:05:46 And because of the success of our previous legislative agenda.
15:05:53 Yes, you know, we still have our lobbyists get, monthly. Allocation from us.
15:06:02 Regardless. And so, you know, if we don't have really clear priorities, which you know, we did do some priority setting.
15:06:07 A few months ago identified some issues but I don't know that they were necessarily targeted towards the upcoming legislative session.
15:06:16 You know, they're kinda broader funding ideas, which in the DC office is especially good for that, but you know, do we want to identify any particular?
15:06:29 Legislative policy asks this session. There's a few reasons we that I bring this up One is.
15:06:41 You know, we have this kind of leaf slammed proposal that I'm still doing some research on.
15:06:45 I don't think it's ready for this upcoming session. I don't think it has the support.
15:06:51 I think it's going to be a longer term. Issue as I think I've mentioned.
15:06:55 But, we have the national legislative. Hey, what's that you stand for?
15:07:04 Yeah.
15:07:04 Alliance. And you know, They, we are hoping to, you know, pay for that.
15:07:14 And if we don't. Bring something to the table. I'm not sure that our interests will be well represented.
15:07:21 Part of the trouble is just that everybody is saying this is not gonna be a very productive session, short session.
15:07:27 Everybody's up for election. You know, all the ways we've talked about before. So, Yeah, it's not, not being, for, for, for, And yet, like, I think it would be us to try and
narrow down on a few things that were.
15:07:42 We are paying lobbyists and we should be sure that we are, you know, asking something of them.
15:07:48 I mean, are there bills that are coming back rather than, you know, get not going to be able to reinvent the wheel, right?
15:07:51 Okay.
15:07:54 So what are some of the like it seemed a possible strategy would be identifying some of those things that have languished the last couple years and even if it doesn't mean bringing
them over the finish line this year it seems like a lot of our successes in the past have been about just sticking with it, you know, playing the long game on some of these things that
seem to fail but continue to come back.
15:08:15 Yeah, yeah, I think there's something to be said for that, although I think anything that's not really pressing isn't going to get.
15:08:21 Considered the session. So, you know, maybe it's if we don't have something that comes to mind immediately, you know, maybe that's it's not worth putting a lot of record in
because it's, you know that they're largely gonna be.
15:08:37 Okay. Issues or, you know, things that are on fire.
15:08:46 I mean, a lot of the state and federal funding. Opportunities seems like the, the, you know, they make a rural bucket and an urban bucket and the rural bucket gets really marginalized
and Kind of gets put below.
15:09:02 Urban and tribal projects to the point that we struggle to compete. I don't know what the mechanism is that we want to straighten out there, but is there, I guess, where I,
my mind goes first.
15:09:16 Yeah, it's a little hard to prove that because, you know, naturality, rural communities get much more per capita than urban.
15:09:29 Makeup of our legislature. There's not a lot of support for that argument, but And I do think continuing calling out the need for Laurel, how about, is valuable.
15:09:40 One idea we talked about is, supporting changes to how AMI. Or how, you know.
15:09:48 Funding. The decisions are made. They're currently based on AMI, should that they get a different standard.
15:09:54 For certain communities that are, you know, housing distressed communities like Brent was talking about earlier.
15:10:00 And so that's one initiative we could support. so potentially interested in clarifying, bill, 1152, which, the expansion of the local boards of health.
15:10:15 Which are, you know, almost every county has had a hard time complying with, including us.
15:10:23 So that's, one we could potentially get involved in. The funding for environmental justice for schools or environmental health.
15:10:33 And therefore justice concerns around schools. Although that's largely more, targeted at school districts, but it is local health jurisdiction.
15:10:43 So they'll be, they'll be very involved in inspection, but it is local health jurisdictions. So they'll be very involved in inspection and.
15:10:46 So.
15:10:47 Identifying most special. These are few ideas that we could explore.
15:10:50 So a number of these things are funding tide, which will be the next legislative session. So will there be?
15:10:56 Conversations in this session and putting those. Putting the side bars in place for the funding decisions or?
15:11:07 Well, there is a funding path to the schools, through the, climate commitment act.
15:11:18 Environmental justice council gets a certain amount of funding for environmental justice. Through the CCA so that is separate from the budget process.
15:11:29 Right, right, right.
15:11:25 The calculating AMI that is would be a policy. And, and, look forward to health and policy.
15:11:38 Okay.
15:11:35 So none of them are funding, to new funding. Or something that is outside of the state budget process.
15:11:42 No, I didn't. Okay.
15:11:42 That was one question I had. Had around the climate commitment act of what you know what timeframe but
15:11:52 It's good to know that it's not tied to the budget cycle.
15:11:58 So, you know, I know we're not gonna come to any conclusions today, but.
15:12:04 You know, certainly happy to bring some ideas forward that we could consider that we touch on. And I do, this won't be legislative, but I do think that we should be taking close
look at this.
15:12:21 I'm say, that code when it comes out. And you know that's a policy that was gonna impact us pretty seriously.
15:12:27 So. And you know, we could actually have lobbyists work out into that too. But.
15:12:36 No, I'm so few things to consider. I think we can get that on our agenda at an upcoming meeting.
15:12:41 Yeah. Yeah. It would be interesting to know around the climate commitment. Carbon options keep coming back higher and higher, you know, as how are they gonna I feel like that's
such a fresh pot of funding that there's a lot in play there.
15:12:59 And. Yeah, I don't.
15:12:57 And so I don't know, I feel like that's. An area for focus.
15:13:05 Yeah, a lot of people are have their eye on it for different purposes. It is. Mostly divided up for transportation projects and environmental justice products and, then I think
there's kind of a more general.
15:13:20 Pot that probably many people are. I mean, I know even boards I sit on. They're, they deserve a share of that pie.
15:13:29 So.
15:13:30 And there's still some clarification. It's to happen on how all especially the surpluses, you know, the.
15:13:36 Because they're kinda, tens of millions of dollars higher than we anticipated. How that should get prioritized.
15:13:47 You know.
15:13:47 Well, I think it'd be great if you. I think it'd be great, Kate, if you came out like came up with a short list and so we could under like Cause you're the ones flying closest
to this stuff.
15:13:58 So that we can help. Research things or vet things or, you know. Come up with a list of policy issues that maybe we could each take one and work on it so that you don't have
to.
15:14:10 Carry all these issues. I also volunteer Kate. Yeah.
15:14:16 I'm glad to, but I do think there are some areas that you both might have. You both might have more expertise on, you know, like ID if they're forestry.
15:14:28 I know that there's because last year was such a big year. There might be less of that the second.
15:14:33 But, you know, horrible housing here. Like, would definitely take a look at associate, you know, Washington cities and the portal housing.
15:14:42 That group, but you know, see what's on their, grow ourselves behind.
15:14:47 Happy to dig into those. Absolutely. I did get assigned or, you know, I'm on that.
15:14:54 DNR work group that came out of the 83 million dollar proviso so that will probably provide.
15:15:01 Discussion topics for the next couple of years. I'm sure.
15:15:09 Okay, well this, segue is pretty gracefully into our 315 topic.
15:15:16 We're joined by Wendy Davis and I think Kate also kind of helped see this up to get an update on how the communications is going and set some priorities.
15:15:24 So you got is Mark sharing a slide deck for you. Alright, do you want to say anything to to tee this off gate?
15:15:32 No, but I did a check in few weeks ago and, you know, it, I think, you know, in our spirit of continuous improvement and supporting.
15:15:42 Staff that we should you know take good listen to what's working and recommendations Wendy might have and any direction that she might want.
15:15:55 To make her work more effective. So. Thanks, Wendy. That's a beautiful slide.
15:16:05 Thanks for your time commissioners. I did ask Kate a couple weeks ago if we could just sort of.
15:16:11 Check in and not necessarily reset, but just sort of let's go over what we think is working and what might not be working so that.
15:16:18 Since I'm kind of part-time, what where should I be focusing? I don't want to.
15:16:23 Get off the rails too much in any particular direction. So I just put together a very short little presentation here.
15:16:31 Next slide, please.
15:16:35 And, you know, we'll go over this. It's just an, I will give an introduction about myself just for people that who might be listening kind of where we started.
15:16:43 Kind of where we may have improved and where where we may not have improved and then I'd just love to hear your impressions of these these topics as well and then where should
we be going?
15:16:54 Just briefly not. As in depth as you'd like actually. Yeah.
15:17:02 So I'm Wendy Davis and I began in this position in February of this year, so it hasn't been too, too long.
15:17:10 I know we had a lot of ideas in the beginning about what we might want this position to do and so let's just a chance after 9 months to check in about what you see is working
maybe what you've heard is working and the same what might not be working.
15:17:31 So I would say that initially for my impression was to increase citizen interaction, deliver information in a quick manner.
15:17:44 Basically right now we generally use press release and I'd say Facebook. So I think that's our 2 main.
15:17:52 Methods and I have a couple of ideas about where we might go. To find some more folks. Can we use a homepage on the website?
15:18:02 Notice, yeah. Go ahead. So that. The biggest impressions, as you can see here, I just screenshot our top 3.
15:18:14 Post just on social media. You can see there's sort of a trend there, which is Fire discussion, traffic and traffic.
15:18:24 Those are definitely the posts that get the most interaction and observation. So kind of makes me think, okay, should we really embrace that?
15:18:34 Since that's what people are already listening to and Ticket and run or is it just more for, okay, that's what people really tune in for.
15:18:43 And noted and move on. That's those are our top 3 so far.
15:18:48 Pretty good numbers. So, so far we have grown our followers on Facebook by a few 100, kind of one by one just getting them on there.
15:19:00 We started employee newsletter. I feel like we've been working pretty well with developing not only agency relationship but departmental relationship which has been pretty helpful
I think for those who partake in communic and wanting to communicate outside of the the building out into the world.
15:19:24 We really started to work on a process for that. It's still pretty informal, but it works for those who partake.
15:19:38 I ask about fostering departmental relationships. Are you having many departments reach out away from like, are you having many departments reach out with like, are you having
many departments reach out?
15:19:54 Are you having many departments reach out away from like, are you having many departments reach out with like, can you help us communicate this or can And, even just a couple
weeks ago, I had to share with department reach out for a bigger project that they won't have time to do.
15:19:59 So they don't lean on us me very often. So they don't lean on us me very often.
15:20:05 So you know here and there will be folks that reach out. So we worked on the strategic plan, which took up.
15:20:08 Quite a bit of time since February. Which is signed in, signed in today, which is pretty exciting.
15:20:15 Yeah. And I feel like our our press releases have been effective. We're not getting a lot of Negative traction of those.
15:20:26 So. And, and then also just to circle back on the fostering relationship, I think one thing that we really learned in this.
15:20:37 Really since I've been here is. Department Emergency Management and East Jefferson mainly Chief Black and we've really.
15:20:46 And with Washington Department of Transportation, we really figured out a way to communicate effectively and quickly. So it was not so effective and quickly in the beginning
when we had a few other.
15:21:01 Needs that we could have been really helpful to get information very quickly, but I feel like that's smoothed out now and I get a lot of quick communication, especially from
washed off. That's great.
15:21:10 Yeah.
15:21:14 You bet.
15:21:12 Sorry, can I dig in a little bit on that question? So given that traffic was to over the top 3.
15:21:21 How is going with with roads public works like is that are we generating our any of our own?
15:21:30 County content or is it more?
15:21:33 It's more from wash dot.
15:21:39 So is that an area?
15:21:39 Which actually has. Yeah, it does. That could use a little more work, mostly on my end.
15:21:48 Now the maps move on that's he definitely was someone that utilized. This resource more often.
15:21:54 So. It's time. Time to check in with that department and I'll put that on top of my list.
15:22:08 Especially storm season coming up.
15:22:08 Okay. For. Snow plowing as well. Yeah.
15:22:16 I was listening to your discussion earlier on. You know, now we're switching off fire.
15:22:19 Sort of and switching into weather and. It's, you know, it's time to move on to.
15:22:27 It's hard to believe it's already been. We're already almost default or winter again.
15:22:33 Something I think is. Necessary is needing to reach more citizens across the board, different age groups.
15:22:43 Kate and I had talked about Instagram, which I started, but I haven't really rolled it out effectively yet to try to reach just a different sector of folks around here to get
information out.
15:22:53 . Pardon? Those kids with the kids and then. You know, whatever input you may have about that.
15:23:03 My next, I think on my next slide I talk about. Probably needing a to jump onto next door and really.
15:23:10 I don't know. Okay. Gotcha. I have my own biases, I think.
15:23:20 Well, it's. I'll try it out. Okay. On a small scale.
15:23:28 I feel like we learned a lot with the strategic plan as kind of a space in which to try communicating and.
15:23:35 Well, we initially wanted to push that survey out, we just like collected email addresses from everyone we could and we developed a pretty good list and and then we Use that
list again for the wildfire protection, but we never really formalized that.
15:23:49 List or created a.
15:23:54 Somewhere where it lives or. You know, ask people if we could send them, we didn't ask people if we could send them, for further communication.
15:24:03 Right. We just sent them a couple of surveys. Right. And I didn't get I sent a couple of them out.
15:24:10 I didn't get one piece of pushback. Like, why are you sending this to me? No.
15:24:17 For boat from both those and it was like 700 people on the list. So I just feel like we might want to consider formalizing that list or telling people we're going to send out
an, you know, quarterly email or I don't know, something, but.
15:24:28 Feels like that's that's a valuable. Subset of the community and it could grow over time.
15:24:34 Right. There have been times. Go ahead, Kay.
15:24:35 We do have. I will say we do have, within our. Website capability during the newsletters and you know there are only a couple of departments that take advantage of that.
15:24:46 But I bought the thought that we should have one at the commissioner's office just to matter who, you know, who writes it.
15:25:03 Okay. We can show you.
15:24:53 But I think that is, some low hanging fruit, to get a, an email list, you know, Yeah, I'm your phone, we already do, but you can do a deeper dive on things.
15:25:08 Yeah. And people can always opt out of one of those lists. So yeah, a big distribution list makes a lot of sense.
15:25:13 So usually since you already have one. Yeah, there have been a time or 2. I can't recall for why where I wished I could just email out.
15:25:21 It seemed like the best way. And I know at 1.1 of our lists we discussed this is like one use only.
15:25:28 So yeah, definitely exploring. That as a way to get our information out quickly for some of these things.
15:25:39 And when we send things out directly, we get a lot more React response. I mean, we've had, I forget if it was over a thousand for the strategic plan or close to a thousand,
2,400 or so.
15:25:53 I just got today from the community wildfire protection planning process that almost 800 people have completed the survey.
15:26:00 About that. So we're getting really good by pushing things out directly to people. We're getting really good.
15:26:08 Response rates. So that's just that's currency. It's valuable. Definitely.
15:26:15 Okay, and we could ask people to share things too. So they go even farther. Right. I'll share one thing I've heard, you know, especially from the South County people, you know,
they want more communication. They absolutely do.
15:26:26 And I'm wondering about distribution lists that are already on on Facebook and I assume it's still kind of one way but then I've heard of Quill scene or the Brennan Cryer, you
know, these are kind of distribution lists and I'm wondering if you've.
15:26:40 Thank you can use Hoot Sweet for those, but as you get into Instagram and potentially next door and everything, some sort of aggregator that you get into Instagram and potentially
next door and everything, some sort of aggregator that you can make one post and send it out to your distribution list and to Facebook and to Instagram with one fell swoop and manage
that process and have you explored Hoot Sweet, which I think public health
15:26:59 uses. Yes, I have it in for a couple of different partner directions. There's usually and a small fee for those.
15:27:08 So that could be something we could talk about. And also on a small fee discussion. Being able to boost some of the posts, 5 or $10 here and there.
15:27:20 People are hearing us talk about these surveys and they want them now. It would be great to see the effectiveness of that.
15:27:28 That's been encouraged. So can be really effective. Right. And I learned that in the social media conference, those kinds of little bits of getting just a few more, or thousands
of people, they'd be able to hear something.
15:27:40 Followers just on that one social media. It's not a huge amount of our population. You can geofence those too, so you're just sending it to people in Jefferson County too.
15:27:49 I think I think it makes a lot of sense. And in and I know they said they, how can we hear more about these things?
15:27:55 I think maybe even in. so I've been. You know, including Brennan Community Center and anything I can find Brennan and anything I can find Gardener and anything I can find in
some of the smaller areas that I think they want everything though.
15:28:13 Like if something goes on Facebook. You know, it should be distributed to the, you know, the Quill scene and Brannon and Gardner, Facebook feeds or the Gardener has a distribution
list, you know, but just these communities want.
15:28:25 More information let them let them tell us when they like we start giving provide them too much information I would argue.
15:28:33 But do you have any suggestions for the West End? I had someone call and He said there's no community groups, no Facebook pages, nothing.
15:28:42 And I was wondering how you might reach out for this Friday's meeting. Well, tonight I am going to.
15:28:50 I'm gonna really infiltrate that area the best I can. I'll probably be able to find some kind of Facebook group.
15:29:01 Right. And if you want to forward that person to me. If you still have the name, I'd be happy to check in with them.
15:29:08 Because maybe they have some suggestions. Right. Okay, well you can talk later. Got it.
15:29:17 Would think I would think Rob's left might be a good source for that too, but I get enough you're gonna be seeing him.
15:29:24 Yeah, so the attorney.
15:29:22 Same. So, Lizzie Andros, the, Alyssa Andrews at the, chambers chamber information center okay She's got a really expansive distribution.
15:29:38 Okay, great.
15:29:41 Let's see.
15:29:44 Okay.
15:29:48 Depends on what community that you live in, I guess. Moving on, move along. Okay.
15:30:01 So right, where are opportunities and where would we like to be? I think that's what we're talking about right now.
15:30:08 Carolyn sent me a video or sent us a video that the city of Port Townsend did or they did a series and It was pretty simple but but very effective just a voiceover of their
communications person.
15:30:23 Would, do we want to do things like that? We would have to decide what are we, I use the term market or quote, what do we want to promote and is it the strategic plan or do
we want to promote things?
15:30:35 That's kind of a whole other meeting in itself. Right. Yeah, that's interesting.
15:30:42 Right. It's been very clear to me that emergent type situations are the. People, people flock to Facebook for when they want information.
15:30:53 So that's been our biggest. No, I've seen before our biggest response.
15:31:04 I wanted to Wendy and I know that it doesn't necessarily happen to just be throwing out ideas but I wanna.
15:31:10 No, be sure that we're covering the basis. You know, I think one of the Need to have, Tony, why this to help filling gaps, some departments don't have the.
15:31:23 Ability to, you know, really do their own communications or like, I was clustering for Apple last week.
15:31:31 Because with this surge in COVID, public health doesn't have any thing up about the, you know, just like.
15:31:38 What do you do if you have COVID now? Like what's the testing protocol? What's the isolation protocol?
15:31:44 Hmm.
15:31:49 Right.
15:31:44 None of that is on the public health website. And, you know, It's a real, and they're, they're down one, and the other one is on vacation and It would be great if there was
some.
15:31:55 If your role could also help fill in gaps, but I don't know if that's too complicated.
15:32:02 Do that, but I, it just seems like there's, there's.
15:32:07 Sure.
15:32:05 Opportunities like that that come up that just be really great if we can be helping to fill some of those.
15:32:14 Right, I'll reach out to Alfie. So generally Wendy, do you feel like you get the support you need?
15:32:21 I mean, do you, When you. Something comes up, you know where to go. And I mean, cause you're still in your.
15:32:28 First season, her first year. Yeah, I do. Okay. And all of the above, yeah.
15:32:37 I mean, I think are we all in favor of expanding on the other platforms into figuring out a budget for some boosting.
15:32:48 I mean all of these I'm like yes and Yeah, I think that. We should.
15:32:56 Maybe put together a whole like when you put together a proposal or what, would expansion look like? Maybe a strategy for 24?
15:33:05 Yeah, I mean, how many hours are you? Are you like 20Â h? So I mean that's you gotta be.
15:33:09 Judicious with your time budget, right? Right. And that's where things like Hoot Sweet or some one-stop shopping will help.
15:33:18 Yeah. If we decided to go any farther. I mean, we can add to your capacity by, you know.
15:33:27 So I'll look up some of those things and see what they're. Kind of minimal costs are and see if that's something we want to do.
15:33:33 And next door I'm just I'm scared of I mean I don't I'm not a social media person at all but I maybe would look around to see how some other municipalities are handling next
door.
15:33:43 It just, I mean, one other thing that we and dealt with a lot when we were coming up with social media policy was, is this two-way communication or is this one-way communication?
15:33:53 And it sounds like it's been mostly one way communication right out and I guess I think that's probably good, but I'm curious your thoughts on that.
15:34:02 Dynamic between one way communication and 2 way communication. Well, it's certainly simpler.
15:34:08 It takes less time. I'm a little surprised there isn't more communication. I'm so I'm not sure what that reads.
15:34:13 That means. But interaction is measured by interaction. Actually, so.
15:34:22 It would be good to get more people involved. That those are more successful sites. You didn't mention Twitter on that or whatever it's called.
15:34:32 I think that's getting a. Yeah. Oh really? TikTok, what's the blue blue sky?
15:34:40 Or what's the, Facebook one? Tides or I don't even know. Oh threads.
15:34:47 It seems like in my social, the government social media group that I'm in that people are just saying just don't.
15:34:51 Don't go there anymore. Okay. Unless I think it's a really big municipality and you have a lot of followers, then you can get out information still very quickly, but.
15:35:01 Building it right now? I'm not sure. Is that, time? Gotcha.
15:35:05 But I'm happy to try. Yeah, I don't know. Yeah. So you've got strategy question mark there.
15:35:13 Yeah, that was more just for We're talking about it. I wanted this to be a. What are your impressions conversation?
15:35:22 Yeah, community groups. That's my biggest contribution and happy to sit down with you any time too to talk, talk through any of these issues.
15:35:31 I just don't use social media so it's hard for me to interpret how effective it's been.
15:35:35 Right. I think, do you do very much? That kind of the Kate's point about public health boosting of, you know, public health to the sheriff for emergency management.
15:35:45 I mean, I know you, some of you work with more. I can tell that the Sheriff's Park is pretty busy.
15:35:50 They're not doing a lot of posting. But aside from that, public health, we've had a routine where they asked me to boost or share or something like that.
15:35:59 They asked me very specifically and with one person out right now, and now that you mentioned it, they might just be so busy over there that they're not reaching out at all.
15:36:10 So I'm happy to. Lent a hand there if that's what they need.
15:36:19 When you. Instagram is very visually based though, right? So it's like a different sort of construction that you'd write to.
15:36:29 But we thought about Kate and I thought about maybe that would be a good
15:36:31 A good format for just a different section in our community. I feel like a really good email list would get out a lot of making sure the right people are getting the right information
in a speedy way.
15:36:44 Yeah. So I feel like We should talk about how we wanna. Solicit membership to our email list.
15:36:51 Okay. I agree. And it might be more effective way to get into next door if you have Mavens in different communities that, you know, this person's really tied in and has a bunch
of, you know, connections already.
15:37:02 Locally a straight distribution list gets it to them if that what you're distributing on the email list is kind of ready to post on social media, you know, and courage to share.
15:37:14 I think you might be able to cover a lot of bases by. Yeah, I'm hidden Maven's in a direct distribution list.
15:37:22 I get it. Okay. Yeah, keeping it. Napkin list of.
15:37:26 Community contacts. Yeah. Okay. Like building a giant tank with a bunch of squeaky wheels.
15:37:35 Right. Okay, And that was kind of it for now. What do you think, Kate? Do you have any?
15:37:47 Other impressions?
15:37:47 Yeah, a few thoughts. Yeah, I, do think. Especially because we've paid for this service on our website but the email list, that would be that's an easy one to to grow and you
know we've had no trouble feeling our radio shows.
15:38:07 What if we could create a schedule and he's gonna create contents and how do we do we approve it or is it just for more commissioner or you know what?
15:38:14 What is it just from you, Andy? And, so I think it'll take some, thought and intent, but.
15:38:19 We should start trying to grow that. It's interesting. I have dabbled a little bit in next door.
15:38:27 And to try to provide information from. I can't see this perspective, which I know is risky.
15:38:40 Hi.
15:38:36 Well, find is that it very quickly devolves and you know I mean there's just no point so yeah that's just saying to contact me if you want to talk about for any number of reasons.
15:38:43 Right.
15:38:55 Okay.
15:38:47 It seems like the bad idea. So I do. I, people engage a lot there, but the quality of it is, more risk than it does benefit.
15:38:59 But I do, if you think things right that if we had a engaging Let's serve basically that.
15:39:05 That the people who love next door are gonna quickly. Run with, something that, you know, we send out.
15:39:15 Right.
15:39:13 They're going to repost it. They're better in for worse. Make the mistake. It was totally used against us.
15:39:18 But, But if you think in terms of kind of prioritizing, that's a great, place to start.
15:39:26 It would certainly consider. Giving your position a small budget, discretionary budget to to try some things out.
15:39:36 And so let's keep that. In mind as we look at our.
15:39:45 Great, yeah. I'll do a little work on both of those things and I'm gonna port back 2 3 and maybe collecting data if you can.
15:39:57 Within the next couple of weeks, we have a meeting with, where I can get some stats from.
15:40:03 Who's going where and how many hits to our website. So I, that's the first time I've been able to do that.
15:40:09 So I think I'll be, that'll be great. I think I'll be, oh, that'll be great. I'm back with some actual data.
15:40:15 And that's Civic Plus or whatever that platform is. It does have a lot of tools and we're not using to Kate's point as effectively as we can.
15:40:20 So commissioners, this is on our website where we've got this thing called notify me where people can actually create an account.
15:40:31 And, sign up for messages, but you can see. The headlock sewer Jefferson public health water quality and yeah, but you can see a lot of blanks where nothing has been sent out.
15:40:48 So this is a useful tool that. Really hasn't been exploited to the full extent possible.
15:40:56 And it may be that people in the community aren't aware that you could sign up, but we'd have to have content prepared to share.
15:41:03 In order for people to sign up, yes, plug in the content we're already making and is the first step, right?
15:41:12 I mean, I remember that, Carolyn's probably going to, that Bob. The Bob newsletter, the board's official business.
15:41:23 I kind of liked that. It was a summary of what was going on. Was it weekly, I think?
15:41:27 It was probably a lot of work for somebody. Carol. Well, so we did that definitely had, minutes minutes for ever because they were detailed.
15:41:37 And the hearing testimony would take. For one person and take half a page through, so, so as a result of that, because I missed so long, I did a 3 summer in action.
15:41:54 But our minutes are basically actually anyway. So it didn't seem to make sense to have both. Even though I was able to add a with the yeah, and with all the video of our meetings
posted.
15:42:08 Working properly. Not move Bob the big ball down at Evergreen too. I don't remember.
15:42:24 Was that Baghdad Bob? Okay.
15:42:27 But I do think that, you know, really curating what is other just to the public and you know like It's important to ensure that what we're putting out is of interest and not
just overwhelming people with.
15:42:40 Right.
15:42:41 You know, what we're doing, which might not be a lot of what we do is democratic and not.
15:42:47 Not interesting to a lot of people. Sorry guys, if that's me too.
15:42:49 Well, the great thing about an email newsletter is you can put links, right? So you could put links to our.
15:42:56 You know, our board meetings and people. Only only those who click on him are gonna get subjected to them, right?
15:43:03 So, you know, I mean, I think that. You can curate and format an email newsletter so it's not overwhelming for the recipient and it shouldn't be.
15:43:15 You still got to get that straight now. That is not a good solution public public. It's like spam bots are gonna get right on that too.
15:43:30 Yeah, we have to get that figured out. But even using now using, Being allowed to use the email list for.
15:43:38 Urgent matters would be great. So. I can work on that. Maybe with you hiding just real quick, put our heads to the other end.
15:43:47 Getting permission granted. I did copy that list back off of our strategic planning Sharepoint so we add it.
15:43:55 Good. Great. Right. Okay, that's all ahead.
15:43:59 Well, thank you so much, Wendy. Really, really great to have you on the team and appreciate what you've contributed so far and glad that your interest in improving it.
15:44:11 So yeah, absolutely. Yeah. It's a two-way street and so let us know what we can do to support you.
15:44:17 Definitely. Appreciate it so far. Okay. Great.
15:44:21 Thank you. All right. Thanks, Wendy. Have a lovely day.
15:44:25 And we will ride straight into our next agenda topic, which is, 3 45 where we are now.
15:44:34 We're going to do a workshop with potential action regarding authorization and concurrence for the peel property on the big,ilson river flood plane.
15:44:39 Come on up, Tammy.
15:44:41 Good to see you again. Yes.
15:44:47 Do you have anything you wanna share on screen? Plug into it.
15:45:01 The, what else? You just try in the agenda item the 27 page document. Oh, just I was just going to show a map of where the Okay.
15:45:18 Which is which is in the . Yes Do you know what page it's on?
15:45:27 So, so, subject match page 5. That would probably work.
15:45:37 Sorry, progress bar. Trying to download There we go.
15:45:50 Okay, it's not as. You're driving the aerial photo. There we go.
15:46:05 Hi, Wendy.
15:46:12 How about that? Oh, quicker than I am. Is that the one? No, that's one of them.
15:46:20 This one. It's fine. Okay. Sure.
15:46:28 So. What I'm here today about is the peel property, which, the acquisition of which on the south side of the Big C.
15:46:37 River which fill a gap in ownership. On the flood plain between public works of choir and county lands.
15:46:42 To the West and who can also have in the House with group. Allowing for a range of options on that property, the minimal hope for is of for for the south side of the river.
15:46:57 It could be the location. If all. Necessary requirements are not to. Put in place some sort of the property is 1.0 4 8.
15:47:12 And it went to the site development review process and was found to be. Recreation only. So outside of.
15:47:20 Permit review and eligibility. And currently it's vacant except for one older RV. How pretty dilapidated one too.
15:47:34 And so, I'm requesting signature on an authorization and concurrence document that.
15:47:39 The public works director has already approved or in partnership with Public Works on these acquisition projects. Is necessary to meet all of the requirements for the process
itself.
15:47:52 And, it shows that the
15:47:57 Just compensation value based on the the review appraisal. Is $45,000 for the both partials together.
15:48:07 And both parcels together are considered by the appraisers to still be recreational. And not eligible for services or anything like that.
15:48:18 Everything is, fun, given the okay to proceed. My next steps would be to contact the peals and provide a couple of letters that are required by the RCO, which one of which very
close states that this is on a willing seller basis.
15:48:33 And there's no require not whatsoever to proceed at all. If they decided to proceed, we would help would hire.
15:48:41 An environmental side assessment phase one. And, also draft the producing sale. The grant for this property expires.
15:48:51 And of December. So we're in pretty good shape, especially if knowing that. Taking on willingly I'm sure just the restoration that's necessary as part of their larger project.
15:49:07 So if we. Don't have time to say maintain planting or get all the plantings in.
15:49:13 Do that. That sort of thing. Okay. Hey, can you talk a little bit about the proximity to the big raise grant, the bridge that's going up?
15:49:24 It's just downstream. So just one that parcel to the. To the west of the subject parcel is right at the intersection.
15:49:34 Along the road. And so they'll be taking like the north side levees down, right?
15:49:40 So I mean, there actually is more chance that that the Water is going to come on to that this land that we're talking about the peel property.
15:49:51 By opening up the North Side floodplain that would allow for the river to spread out to the north and oh I'm not sure what the vision is or if it's even been decided or proposed.
15:50:03 On a technical level. But it could become a side channel. With restrictive flows using an LJ or RAM ELGs or that sort of thing certainly the desires to see the rivers spread
out and the the established habitat that's been lost by channelization.
15:50:21 And otherwise, of the river. Of the time. So, but. It would be good for the, processes to have a forested buffer if that's feasible.
15:50:33 Let me just see. Part of the property is in the flood way with the average depth of 22 feet.
15:50:42 Water. Stage and then in the flood. Playing, 2 foot of. Of water potentially so.
15:50:51 In that vicinity, you certainly. About kind of flooding has been probably not
15:50:58 Like racially and if they are at home sites. Okay, but hopefully it won't be at all worse.
15:51:06 Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's kind of the point of the project in the discussion. It seems like a logical move to me.
15:51:13 Yes, I mean, continue as a plan that's been going on since the nineties, right?
15:51:20 Any other? Okay, did that is that? Yeah, did you anything else you wanted to share before we asked?
15:51:28 Do you have questions? Yeah, no questions, comments?
15:51:32 I'm happy to move that we. Authorize. And environmental public health to undertake acquisition of the peel property on the big quilting river flood plain.
15:51:50 And all the necessary steps that come before acquisition.
15:51:55 And I will second.
15:51:57 Alright, it's been moved and seconded to really approve the authorization and current document. To really approve the authorization and current document.
15:52:07 For the fuel property and the current document. Yeah. For the authorization and current document. Yeah.
15:52:09 For the fuel property and the big quilting flood plane. All in favor? Oh, sorry. All right, before we moved in second and now we'll take public on.
15:52:18 Right. Yeah, sure. We can take some. Yep, sure.
15:52:23 Well, anyone with public comment on this motion? And action, we would love to hear from you. You can hit raise hand or star 9 if you're on the phone.
15:52:36 Alright, seeing no public comment. I'll call the question. All in favor of the motion on the floor.
15:52:41 Indicate by saying I. Hi. All right, that passes. Thanks so much, Danny.
15:52:53 While you work. Yeah. So yeah. Have the tour out of the lazy C go. It was fabulous. The weather was beautiful.
15:52:58 It was a nice day for it. It was fabulous. It was a nice day for it. It was fabulous.
15:53:10 It was a nice day for it. It was a nice day for it. Good. I was.
15:53:16 Sorry I couldn't join you for that but I thought it was a nice day for. Good. I was sorry I couldn't join you for that but I thought I thought it was a good constructive conversation.
15:53:23 Yeah. I was just hoping to talk a little bit more about the healthier together. Just.
15:53:35 Had quite a few conversations with folks down in South County and you know, I think there's the political opposition campaign is already starting up.
15:53:47 There's a big meeting down at the Kelsey Community Center on the nineteenth. Even the people that didn't understand the situation when I explained it to him, the general response
was, hell no.
15:53:58 So I just, is this PFD? And this, I just, I am. I would lay odds now that it is not going to be successful.
15:54:09 Yes, I'm looking at UK.
15:54:13 Yeah, I mean there is no, there's no good solution. And I think this is response to, the public that thinks that this is a pretty basic amenity to wants.
15:54:29 Or need in a in a community, especially a maybe surrounded by water. And so there's, you know, there's just been a push for years to try and get something built and this seemed
like the most feasible.
15:54:44 Respond to that. Does that mean it's feasible? I agree. I think it has a really steep.
15:54:54 Hill to overcome. And so, you know, we are in a position of deciding whether we put that in front of whether or not we could.
15:55:02 Go back to the group and say that, you know, we'll just, we need to get other options that is fully within our authority.
15:55:10 Like the, I mean, why didn't the MPD ever go further? I mean, you could do the NPD and you wouldn't need 2 votes, right?
15:55:17 And one of them being a super majority. So it's more challenging, but it addresses some of the objections that I'm hearing from folks that don't feel served by a pool, you know,
in, in Port Townsend, you know, whether That's true or not, you know, a lot of them feel like it's.
15:55:35 You know, we hear it all the time. Every time I'm down in Brenton, all the services go to port towns and then.
15:55:40 The insult to injury is now you want us to pay for a full in poor towns and that's it's a real hard road to hoe.
15:55:48 Hello.
15:55:48 And I would say the character of the objections that I've been hearing from district 2 are. More open to the PFD than an MPD.
15:56:01 Oh, because it's a sales tax, not a property tax. And a certain percentage of the sales taxes paid by visiting visitors to the county.
15:56:11 So it's not as much of a direct fiscal hit to the residents of the. I'm getting I'm keeping my acronym straight right in the MPD is just a sales tax to everyone and districts
one and 2, I think.
15:56:27 Property for the text.
15:56:27 Well, I mean the exact Property sorry property. So, that's still the, the shape of the MPD is an open question too, you know, whether it has to be, I mean, it could, they could
start with an NPD.
15:56:43 We could start with an NPD in the city limits that's really, you know, the primary service area.
15:56:49 And then, you know. Add on other funding things after that. It would just be so much more palatable to know that.
15:56:57 The folks in the primary service area. Have skin in the game before you know you're coming to Brennan and Port Ludlow and Calapoint that has a pool to get their skin in the
game.
15:57:13 And Cape George and Kick Jorg. And hearing all of those neighborhoods. Yeah.
15:57:15 Yeah, it's I mean, I hope there's a plan B. Because it seems. You know.
15:57:26 I mean, as I said, when they were here last week, it's like, yep, this is in my mind a good thing for the community because All of our recreational activities have slowly been
taken away over the decades I've lived here for kids, and so this is something for our community.
15:57:42 And I'm more, I'm supportive of the idea of a PFD.
15:57:47 Because the property tax issue I think I think one problem I think is that people got the property tax idea stuck in their head.
15:57:55 And there's really stuck in their craw, right? That they, I've had to explain the difference between the NPD and the PFD so many times.
15:58:03 And when I do, people go, oh, okay. I didn't know that, you know, so I.
15:58:12 Yeah.
15:58:14 Yeah, I mean it's I did like, good, your brainstorming around like.
15:58:21 You know, show the skin in the game first. And that makes a lot of sense. And that is something we could go back to the group with.
15:58:31 You know, I, I had, I had my first child when I was living in Kilstein and drove him all over creation teaching him to swim, including to the, teaching him to swim, including
to the pretense and full, but this is and more often to to the And like I think it's a little disingenuous to say that people don't wanna use this facility.
15:58:55 There are people who are using these facilities. It doesn't make sense to build them elsewhere in the country.
15:59:01 I agree. Yeah.
15:59:02 And, so it's, You know, maybe people will choose to. To vote it down and we'll continue to travel for that.
15:59:12 But you know hearing Wendy Bart City and 50 kids show up to swim that didn't know how to swim.
15:59:16 You know, it's discouraging and I think, you know, staring the cost of our even if it's not in your backyard is the only way to build these things.
15:59:29 Okay.
15:59:31 I took it with our, be more expensive, perhaps, cool, but don't live in a service area if this port towns in order to build it and then have a much higher cost per visit to
build it and then have a much higher cost per visit for people who live outside of it.
15:59:42 You know, what do they say to about $10 per person in sales tax revenue? At to build this you know.
15:59:51 That's very little and it's said to me that can't kind of see past their immediate interest to, think about having a benefit.
16:00:03 That a lot of families do want who don't live in Port Townsend.
16:00:07 Yeah. Okay. Well, you know, in November there's a 3 tens vote. For transportation in the city.
16:00:14 Sure. At TBD. Transportation benefit district. And should that fail?
16:00:21 And then a city council is going to counsel Madic for one tenth. But that's a barometer, you know, for 3 tenths for 3 tenths for streets, which most people will say is a huge
need in the city.
16:00:34 That'll help us gauge the appetite for the sales tax. And Kate, I don't know whether we'll have time.
16:00:41 After November to shift gears and maybe look at, you know, the MPD instead of a sales tax through a PFD.
16:00:52 I think what you'll really assess is Port Townsend's appetite for additional taxes.
16:00:58 I'm not sure sales tax versus, I mean, people are more resistant to property taxes than sales tax usually.
16:01:04 I don't know. Well, that's what I'm discovering in my conversation. And you know, East Jefferson just got a pretty sizable.
16:01:10 Increase about a year ago.
16:01:15 Sorry, I just I've had a lot of conversations since our meeting last week, so I wanted to share the tenor of them and it's not positive.
16:01:23 Yeah, no, I'm definitely hearing that too.
16:01:26 Me too. Let's not vote on it right now. And I also, I mean, I think the pool would be a huge community.
16:01:37 And I also, I mean, I think the pool would be a huge community asset. So I'm not speaking against the project or against that.
16:01:39 I just see the. If you're, if we're gonna have a rich and a local aquatics group started a campaign.
16:01:49 They are they're behind so far.
16:01:52 Okay, it is 40'clock. I know you got, you got as soon as despair.
16:01:57 Anything else for the good of the order before we adjourn for the day?
16:02:05 No. Okay, great. Well, we will see everyone Wednesday and Thursday and Friday. So it's only the beginning of our week together, but we will not see you next next Monday, Kate.
16:02:18 So all goes well with the Board of Health. And with, you know, coming back to the beautiful Jefferson County that might.
16:02:25 Blood pressure always comes down a little bit when I get across that bridge and come back to the The the land of the mountains and and the bay so Yes.
16:02:34 Yeah, no, I'm appreciating Jefferson Kelly more than ever right now. Okay.
16:02:38 Okay. So do you are you really coming back? I mean you come back and you come back? Good holiday coming up.
16:02:44 Oh.
16:02:44 Yeah, the in your plan was right now that we go get discharged. On Friday and we'll be home on Saturday.
16:02:52 That's awesome. Alright. Good to know. All right.