HomeMy WebLinkAboutchat09:24:15 From Chambers to Hosts and panelists : Hearing re: SMP will be January 8 at 10:30 a.m.
10:27:04 From Chambers to Hosts and panelists : Adiel confirmed that there was no written testimony received for this Hearing.
11:09:30 From Chambers to Hosts and panelists : Adiel noted that Coordination is at 11:30 a.m., not 10:30
11:15:21 From Heidi Eisenhour to Chambers(Direct Message) : Will we be having JPREP mtgs this year?
11:15:25 From Chambers to Willie Bence and all panelists : Is JPREP meeting regularly?
13:50:00 From Mark McCauley to Chambers(Direct Message) : Did you stop my share?
13:50:02 From Chambers to Mark McCauley(Direct Message) : Sorry Mark, not sure if you went to the resolution on purpose
13:50:10 From Chambers to Mark McCauley(Direct Message) : feel free to re-share
13:51:00 From Mark McCauley to Chambers(Direct Message) : I'll share again when we get back
13:51:08 From Mark McCauley to Chambers(Direct Message) : to the resolution
13:54:22 From Judy Shepherd to Chambers(Direct Message) : Can you have him step to the microphone please in the future if needed.
13:55:27 From Chambers to Monte Reinders(Direct Message) : You froze up
08:59:10 So.
08:59:18 Hmm. Yeah. I'm a little computer. Okay, That's of.
08:59:34 Yeah. Let me have a choice.
08:59:37 Wow. Nothing.
08:59:45 We just need I have not, I walk with them in the other AV captures.
09:00:01 That's perfect. Okay. And so the one that we're going to be reporting on, I'll have all the documents later.
09:00:15 So they she was, the test didn't have. Zoom, or so when, 9 pm, It's only did over your classroom, not Zoom integration.
09:00:29 So then we did before this meeting. Alright, they're pretty responsive.
09:00:43 Maybe I can get to these and then I've. So yeah, the most recent. Go to the oldest one.
09:00:54 Oh. Question I was waiting. Yeah, the newer copies won't have. I don't know why I might refresh, but there should be 3 iterations.
09:01:08 I see.
09:01:12 I've been joined. Oh, mine's down down just a one, so, so. Well, one would be better than 9.
09:01:29 Nice. Oh, fine. You're excited for the new year? I am.
09:01:45 Yes, and go away and have a good weekend. I'm glad the holidays are behind us.
09:01:50 Not a holiday person.
09:01:50 Hmm. It's just so much work. Oh, well, yeah. Bigger holiday, more Ti's.
09:02:05 Alright.
09:02:09 Thanks for at 9 o'clock. Karen, you ready? Alright. Good morning, everyone.
09:02:15 Happy New Year. I will call this. One January second meeting of the Board of County Commissioners to order.
09:02:20 It's nice to have people in the in the chamber this morning. And before we get to public comment today, a little bit of housekeeping one.
09:02:30 We've been trying to troubleshoot our AV capture and I think we've got it working but if you have trouble getting into the documents under the agenda, they will be populated
there later.
09:02:38 And there's also a link at the top that you can click on the documents as well, a separate access point.
09:02:45 The related docs tab. But first thing up as we traditionally do at the first meeting of the year is reorganization of the board so we'll have we'll talk about boards and committees
specifically a little bit later in the day but we usually yeah rotate the chair every year so Oh, whoops.
09:03:09 There we go. So, we were, we talked. When we were last together about Heidi sharing, but, maybe there's been conversation since then.
09:03:22 Mark talked with Kate and I over the holidays and I suggested that Kate should be chair because it's her turn in the rotation and I think it'd be great.
09:03:31 So, I would be happy to nominate Kate Dean for chair of the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners for 2024.
09:03:38 You accept that? I will accept the. I'm happy to second it. So one thing when you approve all the documents, you're gonna do so knowing that we're gonna have to change.
09:03:53 Okay, great. It's been moved and seconded to. To I guess, move Kate Dean to chair with the Board of County Commissioners for 2024 all in favor indicate by saying aye.
09:04:05 Hi. I'm not sure if I should vote or not. Oh yeah. Alright, it's been a few years since I've shared actually a little rusty but Happy New Year everyone.
09:04:52 Anyone have anything they want to share this morning before we jump in? Excited for 2024.
09:04:54 Yes. Same here. Yeah. I think, you know, last year our biggest consent agenda was on the last meeting and we have just as many items this week.
09:05:03 So it's good to see we're continuing to face. Yeah, yep. And I know I have been largely off the last couple of weeks and really appreciate all the work that was done last week.
09:05:11 Well, some of us were off. Pressure washing the house and doing other things like that.
09:05:17 So having more fun than that. And the warmest, Minneapolis Christmas ever, right?
09:05:23 Farmers Minneapolis, Christmas ever, 54 degrees. Oh my goodness. I look forward to hearing about your trip.
09:05:29 Yep. Alright, so we will start today with public comment as we often do. So welcome anyone. Let's start in the room who would like to provide public comment.
09:05:35 You'll have up to 3Â min. It is helpful if you say your name and where you're from.
09:05:38 Although it is not necessary. So, Michelle Walter, go ahead and then others if you want to raise your hand.
09:05:44 Happy New Year! I'm Maryland Show Walter. I want to refute a single point that you heard at the last meeting last year last month.
09:05:55 On SMP. In presenting the planning commission's recommendation. Both, yeah, your staff and consulting staff.
09:06:07 Use what I would call talking points, but said and I'm quoting. The recommendation that we met in the middle.
09:06:17 And another one we met somewhere in the middle. And I think that phrase is imply some kind of balance.
09:06:27 Here is what the planning commission recommendation does. 100%. Of existing. Shellfish operations.
09:06:39 Are subject to. A discretionary CUP. Should they propose.
09:06:48 An unknown percent or number. Of new would be subject to standard. So I, did a public records request and so you might be interested to know, well, What numbers are we talking
about?
09:07:09 I didn't, I requested applications for CUPs or. On the one side, we don't know how many.
09:07:19 Acreage. How much acreage is out there? We know it's at least 600 acres because a single operator.
09:07:26 Controls or owns that much, but there are other major operators. So it's it's a big number, especially when you think about PVC tubes at somewhat like 43,000 per acre.
09:07:40 It's big math. On the other side, you might be interested to know that in a decade, since January one.
09:07:48 2,014 just before the S and P took effect. There have been. 3 applications for any kind of shellfish.
09:08:01 One, it was in Debba Bay for oysters. It was a substantial development permit.
09:08:09 And it was granted. One was the second one also a substantial development permit. In headlock. For a pretty major operation of, shellfish and kelp.
09:08:25 That's pending. The third. Was. So there has been one application for GUI ducks in 10 years.
09:08:37 So this is like saying I'm gonna wrap a rope around my middle. When in fact you've got a little string about your baby finger and call that's a pretty fine line to hang this.
09:08:50 Notion of middle. It's not the middle. Thank you. Anyone else in the room like to provide public comment this morning?
09:09:02 Well, I'm not commenting on Okay. Hi, I'm Maggie. One of your homeless residents.
09:09:18 Can you hear me? Alright, so in 3Â min I cannot explain why the Jefferson County government takes money out of the homeless budget.
09:09:30 I assume from Olicap. To subsidize an engineer, an ongoing public health epidemic. Whereby giving money to the Legion they take money from homeless services, give it to the
Legion for their parties where they have beer and food and they feed and breed rodents.
09:09:54 Whereas we, are living underneath the legion and we are not allowed to have food. And so there's no rodent abatement.
09:10:04 And there's constant mice down there and in true government fashion you punch down on The homeless residents there and you blame them.
09:10:19 And you know those rodents. Have leaves and bed bugs and this is not the fifteenth century.
09:10:27 Although when I reported this when I first came in and got COVID there because you. You don't have any ventilation in there, so you caused a little mini covid epidemic in the
homeless shelter.
09:10:41 You, your response was to distribute flyers in the Jefferson County library that were from Scientology, a Canadian organ and a Canadian organization that donated money to Trump.
09:11:00 To spread misinformation about Covid-nineteen.
09:11:05 Okay, so. Many shelter residents are hospitalized because of these epidemics that are caused by the homeless.
09:11:19 Shelter money going to the legion. As I say, they get to cook. We don't.
09:11:27 We don't get to make food down there. We only get to sleep there and shower. So that means that the homeless dollars that you're giving to the Legion are going to spread disease
in the shelter underneath because as one staff member said, there are hundreds of them.
09:11:48 We can't kill them. Okay, alright. On to the next thing. I can't explain in 3Â min why Jefferson County and Clawland County are suing DSHS for money that will never go to house
mentally ill people that they repeatedly trespass one woman 28 times.
09:12:10 I can't explain in 3Â min why vulnerable. A vulnerable mentally ill woman was illegally exited from the shelter and then harassed by police before she apparently froze to death
or was beaten to death in a downtown park.
09:12:28 I'm sorry, that woman was known for here. as a resident of this county for a long, long time and why she never got housing.
09:12:42 I do not know. All you can say is that housing dollars, homeless, homeless service dollars need to go to housing.
09:12:52 Not to this fly by night. For decades that you've had going on at, I'm not finished.
09:13:02 I can't explain. I'm sorry. Megan, we're going to give everybody the same amount of time and we're gonna give everybody the same amount of time and we'll, buy anything.
09:13:13 Id was stolen by the sheriff's department. They hired someone to go around and steal people's IDs from Colum, King, and Pierce counties during election season.
09:13:27 It's a legal for the sheriff's departments and they know this to steal people's ID.
09:13:32 We don't say because they get it anyway. I'm sorry. And we can get copies of your notes if that would be helpful, something that we could read.
09:13:39 I think it's more important to have transparency in government where everybody can be can hear it on video that the Sheriff's Department hired somebody who is still in service
by the way.
09:13:56 And he's servicing elderly people now and he shouldn't be able to. Sit down now. If you don't mind.
09:14:05 I'll give everybody a sense that you know, I think we need, transparency and we don't get it when people write in because then people can't see what's being written and that's
the problem here.
09:14:15 Yeah. And, so, you know, sit down, agree with me. Happy to take your notes.
09:14:21 We need to move on. Happy to take your notes. We need to move on. I have everybody a fair chance.
09:14:27 So, I'm telling you the sheriff's department. Illegally, knowingly, illegally, where courts have already decided.
09:14:32 That it's illegal for them to do this and you have nothing to say about that. You have nothing to say to the Sheriff Department hired someone to steal people's.
09:14:45 We're not supposed to get security. We're supposed to recess. We're not supposed to get security.
09:14:49 We're supposed to get security. We're supposed to reset. You know, We do response after everybody gives public comments.
09:14:55 So. Field just hold type will give everybody a chance to speak and then we do public comment all at once.
09:15:00 Okay, I will be back. Next week for my additional 3Â min. And you're welcome to hang around for response.
09:15:09 Thank you. Alright, Mister Cowan, return the microphone. Hmm. And we do stick to the 3Â min mark.
09:15:22 I expect to be done in less than 3Â min. My name is Bruce Cowan.
09:15:27 I live in, Port Townsend and I've brought a few friends along. It's been a long time since we came.
09:15:34 To one of your meetings and we're really glad to be here. We just came to say happy new year to the commissioners and to everyone.
09:15:43 Mr. McCauley, Galloway. We appreciate everything we do here. We think you're a great team and we support you.
09:15:55 We appreciate everything that you do to keep this county working for us. Over the last 6 years, all 3 of these seats have turned over, 4 seats upstairs have turned over in elections.
09:16:07 And still we have continuity of government as we deal with old challenges and new ones. On housing alone, the county has made great progress in that time.
09:16:19 Markets don't care about people, but you have worked with nonprofits to make housing more accessible.
09:16:26 You established Caswell Brown Village with help from, Holy Cap and Greg's direct involvement.
09:16:32 Seventh Haven is a huge success, over 40 units of, of housing there. You helped habitat acquire 17 acres that will house innumerable people.
09:16:43 And finally, you after decades of trying and meeting all kinds of obstacles, we've broken ground on the port headlock sewer, which will allow higher density housing and in finally
in the urban growth area where it belongs.
09:17:01 Several other long-standing issues have been resolved like public gun. Ranges and parameters for the Black Point development.
09:17:10 A global pandemic was not on our bingo card, of course, as many say that was almost 4 years ago.
09:17:18 And it's not over. But you rose to the occasion working with public health and emergency management in Jefferson Healthcare.
09:17:29 Jefferson County was able to dodge the worst of the pandemic. And despite our aged population and because we embraced the science and got back.
09:17:39 There's a correlation. None of this has happened without opposition and controversy. Some of it quite passionate.
09:17:49 And the commissioners have considered all of it from the useful and insightful. To the distrustful and accusing.
09:17:59 I think we're very fortunate to have you here. Commissioners who have good hearts. Who take the high road and who seek the most reliable information.
09:18:09 There aren't many people who will come here to tell you this, but we did elect you. Because we trust you to make good decisions on our behalf and we have every confidence in
your integrity and your commitment to serve the best interests of all the people.
09:18:24 In the land of Jefferson County. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Kalin. I appreciate it.
09:18:32 Anyone else in the room? Alright, go to the Zoom room. Anyone is online would like to provide public comment, please hit the raise hand button at the bottom of your screen.
09:18:49 On Monday, the No, that's not. Another call. That isn't you, Heady?
09:19:07 You know I'm not shy about speaking. All right, last call. Anyone online?
09:19:21 Last call. Let's call in the room.
09:19:26 Alright. I will leave public comment open for another 10Â min or so in case anyone joins us late, but otherwise, commissioners, would you care to respond to our public comment?
09:19:40 Oh, great. Call her on the phone if you wish to provide public comments, you'll hit star 9.
09:19:47 That will raise your hand and then you would hit star 6 to unmute. Alright, seeing none responses.
09:19:54 Sure. I'll go first. Thank you everyone for being here.
09:19:59 I'm a show Walter. It's good to see you and I appreciate the additional information.
09:20:03 We'll have the hearing. So I will. I'm just listening really today. So I appreciate the additional information and we'll look forward to the conversations.
09:20:14 On the SNP hearing is which is one day. Next Monday. Monday day. Thanks so much.
09:20:36 Alright, and I was sorry, Maggie left and sounds like she's having some struggles down in the region and there's a lot of strings to unravel there.
09:20:47 I'm not sure how exactly to respond except that you know 3Â min is what we have. At this venue hopefully she'll watch and see that.
09:20:55 Love to engage with Maggie and call me at 3603 and 5 9 1 0 one and I'd love to spend some time and understand a little better what what the issues that she's struggling with
at the legion it sounds, you know, it's not easy.
09:21:10 Of course, we the rent that the American Legion charges Holy cap to operate the legion is gone up considerably and it's one of the reasons that we're working with Only Cap to
build a new purpose built emergency shelter that does have ventilation and is purpose built for the for the occupants and the, permanent support of housing that many of the people in
the shelter kind of get,
09:21:38 by default at our emergency shelter, but that there'll be, some, you know, kitchenettes and real permanent sport of housing at this, at this new shelter.
09:21:46 So. I hear some of the, yeah, I heard the frustration. I would love to chance to engage with Maggie a little more and to Mr. Cowan thank you so much for the kind words you know
it's often we do hear about the mistakes we make and not the progress that we've made as a community is in a county, but.
09:22:04 You know, we are. The policy leaders, but all of these efforts that have been successful are based on great community supports, great nonprofits to work with, and great staff
within the county.
09:22:19 So, you know. Spread that, praise around to all the people that do the real work.
09:22:22 So, I appreciate it then. Appreciate you guys being here. Thanks. Mr. Walter, I very much look forward to the hearing and made a pitch to have a hearing because I wanted to
hear from more folks about this issue.
09:22:39 I think our shorelines are incredibly important to the natural and human vitality of this area. You know that the the math on GUI duck beds is, astounding.
09:22:55 It's a big number, but I want to hear from more folks. So. I look forward to the hearing as well.
09:23:01 The, on the legion, I, you know, being the commissioner doesn't say, I don't know what the current funding situation is at the Legion.
09:23:08 I know that we increased our support via. The housing fund board is that correct or? We did an emergency appropriation last year, but last year they got significantly less funding
for the and do not have enough to run it all year long.
09:23:22 Okay, because of recording fees are significantly impacted and they're the the funding that we can use that we have to use is based on reporting fees.
09:23:32 Most of our funds are kind of explicitly funneled to a particular use and those funds are down 50% 60%.
09:23:41 Yeah, I know you guys had some challenges on the housing fund board dealing with the the funding. Disparity.
09:23:48 So. I just, you know, I'm sensitive to the folks who live, live at the Legion because of my time spent down town at the Maritime Center, which is Kitty Corner from the Legion
and spent a lot of mornings walking the campus and talking to the folks who I think they have to move out at 8 in the morning or and so they, you know, disperse themselves around
09:24:08 town and. Before there was a warming shelter, they often hung out on our property and at the Maritime Center and I've really had a lot of hard conversations with folks and it's
It's, you know, it's an intractable problem.
09:24:25 Unless we can figure out a solution. So the shelter that Only Cap is working towards. Seems like it's gonna be an awesome solution for our community, but I know it's a way out.
09:24:36 And there's spending gaps. Yeah. Well, get her shovels out. Start telling folks.
09:24:45 Yeah, and then it's always refreshing to hear positive feedback and you know, I Spent a lot of time over the holidays, rolling tamales, which I do every year.
09:24:56 And In doing that, I find myself having time to think. Hours and hours by myself to think and I spent a lot of time thinking about the work of this team.
09:25:08 And this is an incredibly hard working team of people and it's it's Amazing how many people accuse us of, you know, not.
09:25:16 Working hard and I can't say how many weeks last week I worked more than 70Â h. And spent a number of 12Â h days because we're on a lot of committees that require us to work
well into the evening.
09:25:28 And then wanna have meaningful conversations after those meetings with folks on specific issues. So. It's hard work, but it's really good work.
09:25:36 And I appreciate you being here. George and Bruce and Deborah. To recognize that because it is, something that we're all committed to.
09:25:48 And look forward to doing for the next year. At least. And Brian and Linda. Yeah, ditto somewhat, but these 2 have said, did want to just clarify that shoreline master plan
hearing is January eighth.
09:26:10 So a week from yesterday at 1030 am very important issue. Our SMP is something that gets updated.
09:26:16 Is it on the 8 year cycle now? And you know, really important documents, a great example of the work that we do.
09:26:27 Not in a vacuum, of course, but with a lot of help and a lot of public input.
09:26:31 So that'll be a good opportunity to weigh in on one of the most important land uses that a set of land use issues that we work out in the county and we are at one of the most,
Kennings with the most amount of shoreline.
09:26:44 So. Critically important. Yeah.
09:26:50 Distressing to hear some of Maggie's concerns and hopefully we'll be able to track her down and see if she needs some help navigating some challenges, the shelter.
09:27:02 You know, one of the issues that came up with the shelter this year too is that their costs doubled or tripled.
09:27:09 Many organizations are seeing due to, you know, cost of goods and labor increasing. So there is a real kind of structural funding gap there that, you know, the new facility
you'd like to think would be able to address some of those, but it's it's still going to be a challenge to support operations and that is one of the issues we have.
09:27:31 Woven into some legislative priorities continuously saying, you know, it's one thing to have capital dollars.
09:27:37 It's a very different thing to have operational dollars. We desperately need both. And thank you to Bruce at all for being here.
09:27:48 2024 is going to be a big year. And you know, we, do a great job of having, fair and secure elections in this county and having a very engaged populace and having the dialogue
be consistently positive and just look forward to working with all of you.
09:28:13 In this room included to continue to do good work in this county and part of what what makes this county in this country great is that we work together and that we ensure that
we have.
09:28:26 With a fair election. So Big year and looking forward to it. I would just add one thing, Bruce mentioned the COVID pandemic and I mentioned it after we had our last agenda item
dealing with the shoreline master program when I said we should we should have a hearing and And I said something about, you know, I'd like to normalize people participating more.
09:28:47 I would really like to see more people. Coming and participating even if that's us airing on the side of having more opportunities for public input.
09:28:55 I feel like. That's important right now in this time when we're kind of trying to get off the the tarmac of the pandemic, you know, that all the quieting the pandemic did in
terms of conversation in our community and.
09:29:08 I feel like it's really important that we kind of double down on that a little bit and Air on the side of, you know, more opportunities for people having access and the ability
to speak.
09:29:21 At these meetings. Even if it feels laborious or tedious at times to to some of us it's because we're hearing about We're reading all the public comments we get every week,
you know, and I was gonna say to Maggie you know we the public your if you give us your written comments they'll be there we'll see them everyone will see them because they're all available
for anyone to see.
09:29:42 So I just think that it's. I want to just restate that I think it's important that we do as much as we can to have opportunities for people to participate.
09:29:50 And I hope that we see an upswing in that this year and in future years. Yeah and the the count plan is a great opportunity for that engagement to and I feel very committed
to working with DCD to make sure we have a meaningful process where people can plug in.
09:30:10 Alright, it is 9 30 on the nose. So close public comment and we do have a robust consent agenda.
09:30:18 Anything anyone wants to call out the 10 million dollar item number 2 I think it knows so close public comment and we do have a robust consent agenda anything anyone wants to
call out the 10 million dollar item number 2 I think it is.
09:30:26 I mean it's not very often that you click on the links and the consent agenda and you see 10 million dollars.
09:30:28 So I just want to big kudos to our. Team over at Public Works to getting getting us to this milestone with the the port headlock wastewater treatment plant and.
09:30:39 Awarding the contract for the MBR, the actual physical plant that'll do the purification of the water and get it ready to go.
09:30:49 Just, Put a pen in that one, cause it was, I was like, oh my god, that's right.
09:30:56 It's 10 million dollars. I know, and it's almost too. Too long to, it's funny how the others had the amount in the title and that one is just thinking.
09:31:11 Yeah. Yeah, but still to be expected. I mean, everything seems to have cost increases like that.
09:31:19 These days. And then number 19 might have caught some eyes on the Sims Gateway Project and Boatyard expansion and.
09:31:26 That was a public infrastructure fund allocation for. Increase class they got into that project and it was just more expensive than they had initially anticipated so port came
forward with a good Proposal for that.
09:31:43 So I just didn't want anyone to wonder why there was an additional 300,000 there. Things are costing more than.
09:31:49 We originally thought at every turn of the crank. Also, I went to the Swack meeting the last SWAC meeting and met Don Rod and just really grateful to have such qualified folks
in the community stepping up to serve in these volunteers, citizen positions.
09:32:06 He's got Yeah, decades of solid waste experience. I'll send to me. He can have my job.
09:32:12 I'm like, no, I can't. But, anyway, just really grateful for.
09:32:15 Housing Fund Board members as well and but just 2 really strong housing board members that add a lot of a lot of skills and a lot of that elbow grease they both put in hours
and hours for that.
09:32:29 So I'm really, really gratified to both wanted to reapply. Yeah. Also really like seeing the, the Epi services coming in in house, you know, we've had epidemiologists and now
as they take more and more of those duties.
09:32:43 I think that is. I mean, I don't know. It's like we have a lot of navigators.
09:32:48 I feel like we need a lot of in different areas. Epidemiology, it's, it's really exciting.
09:32:56 An epidemiologist to make us understand the work of the navigators, right? You know, so really important to have.
09:33:00 Someone on the team in the family doing that work. And good to see the. Agreement for the detours for the roundabout work.
09:33:11 I think that means it's really going to happen this year is the Beaver Valley and Paradise Bay road roundabouts on 104.
09:33:20 So I think A long time coming. That'll be an interesting one to watch unfold. It will.
09:33:27 That nice to have the states well in advance. Yeah, better organized than we've seen previously from Washington.
09:33:36 And also, yeah, great to see the overlay project for center road. That's huge. I heard from a lot of the residents down there as the road. That's huge.
09:33:46 I heard from a lot of the residents down little pot holy and this is a pretty substantial replacement all crab dollars too.
09:33:51 So exciting. I'm happy to move that we approve and adopt the consent agenda as presented. I'll second.
09:34:00 Any further discussion? All those in favor say aye. Hi. Hey, you sent agenda is approved.
09:34:07 Alright, we, have our monthly public health update in about 10Â min, but we have some time for commissioner briefing.
09:34:17 Which might not take that long. I told you I was rolling to Molly's for the last 10 days.
09:34:26 We are a little shorter for the, health updates this week, right? Cause we have a hearing at 1015. Yeah, so we will go for the, health updates this week, right? Because we have
a hearing at 1015.
09:34:39 Yeah Alright, anyone care to start? Sure, I can start. I didn't do too much.
09:34:45 I was. Yeah, last. 18.
09:34:56 Let's see. Jeffcom special meeting on Thursday. It was only a special meeting to read because our director was out of town, but hiring continues to be really strong actually,
you know, raising the compensation significantly was identified as the real successful.
09:35:18 Trigger but we have It takes a couple months to get people through the, the psychedel and training everything, but we have as many people as we can manage coming into the pipeline
right now.
09:35:29 So we're gonna be. Police staff here pretty soon, but it's still real struggle and our 9 1 one services are.
09:35:38 Successful and staying, you know, 24 7 on the backs of a lot of people volunteering to take a lot of overtime still so it's It takes time to get people in.
09:35:49 Some don't make it through. So. I can't say how many vacancies there are. Sorry.
09:35:54 I didn't. Right, cause some people are coming back from FMLA. I can't remember exactly how many vacancies there but we have one person coming back from FMLA.
09:36:04 We've for the last month someone that left to go to North Carolina for family has been coming back because they couldn't find a good 900, and one position there, but they have
found one.
09:36:14 So we're kind of transitioning, but we're still relying to on a couple of sheriff's deputies doing extra hours over there and doing over time.
09:36:22 I think we have At the end of the month, we'll have 6 with 2 training.
09:36:27 So. Good. Coming up. I was with you guys for the transit authority board.
09:36:33 I think the high point there is, you know, Nicole has been a, a great, CEO.
09:36:42 You know, it's great when you have someone come from within and, and demonstrate the kind of leadership and.
09:36:48 And. Yeah, just leadership that she has. She's been really strong, I think. Board health with you all as well.
09:37:00 On the nineteenth, we had the first only cap. Training slash holiday gathering and since COVID since our since Chairs joined as ED, the time we said we I joined at the 7 Seaters
Hotel and we had hundreds of people.
09:37:18 Well, a hundred 30 people. I guess not hundreds. And it was really great.
09:37:24 I was there for half the day and they had all sorts of, you know, little updates from the different departments because many of them you know the housing doesn't have a lot
of interface with early childhood services and everything.
09:37:34 So it's great to get. Interface between people and do group building exercises and you know it was was good was a lot of fun.
09:37:45 Any surprises, any things you didn't know that you learned?
09:37:51 You know, I met a lot of new people. Yeah, I mean, that was the big, the surprising thing. I thought I knew everyone.
09:37:57 And you know, we had folks come over from forks that I, some I had met and some I hadn't met.
09:38:02 So not just the seeing the family together was great. Met a new constituent down on at coffee shop on Saturday the 20 third as well is a They bought a little cabin down there
and he's a city counselor and Michael Teo.
09:38:21 So, good to have another. Okay, yeah, Mr. Moon. But we had a lovely just kind of catching up on, issues down there and a lot of talk about.
09:38:30 Septic consumers and you know pretty pretty key to already on some of the issues down there. And then the following week.
09:38:38 I was out of the office for most of the time. With a little family trip to Minneapolis.
09:38:46 Oh, but I will say I don't think we reported it here, but we, add a 565 applicants for the recipe grants.
09:38:55 We, add a 565 applicants for the recompete grants. We were, our coalition was one of 2,000 $500,000 strategy grant and an invitation to apply for.
09:39:06 The phase 2 grant in early April. So we're keeping the band together and talking about expanding the table and and we'll be Lots of updates coming as we kind of dive into that.
09:39:20 So yeah, it was really gratifying to be chosen. I think it's, you know, the The coalition has not always been an easy.
09:39:27 Easy path, but it's been very fruitful. And I look forward to, digging in more.
09:39:35 Congratulations. Yeah, I'm talking about it for years. Yeah, I mean, great. I wasn't talking about it for years. Yeah. Huge news.
09:39:42 Yeah, no, it's It's nice. I, let's see, the week of the eighteenth.
09:39:48 I mean, did it to what Greg said about. Transit and board of health. I mean it was gratifying to work with the board to complete board staff and the volunteers for transit on
completing Nicole's evaluation really good participation and really good.
09:40:09 I felt like a lot of unity and positive feedback for Nicole. So, It was, it was fun to lead that process.
09:40:18 And I was motivated to make it a good one for her. So. Tuesday morning I met with a group of forest activists with a visitor who came to our area from.
09:40:32 I can't even remember where he's from in the country, but he's a forest conservation leader and he was visiting at the behest of Ed Chad invited by Ed Chad out to Klow and was
on his way back to the airport and made a stop here and we had to.
09:40:47 Had coffee with him in Aldrich's and was a really good conversation. There's A lot of good.
09:40:56 Conversation going on about our work on forestry and and the work that we've achieved and what's what's ahead.
09:41:04 So I think it'll just continue. Then the holiday season officially started. I think there was a family dinner every night last week.
09:41:15 I attended the perk meeting on the 20 first and volunteered to. Do at Tamali's for perk.
09:41:24 So the week the week of May early week, you know, the week of Sinco de Mayo will have a a tamale lunch.
09:41:31 We'll be shuttling T Miles all over the county for to raise money for perk, which They were looking for, you know, new ideas and that like last quarter of last year and I said,
I have an idea.
09:41:43 So. Here I am. Butterfingers hiding.
09:41:50 And then, nope, I use better. Wow. And my eyes dilated, you know, that's always the thing.
09:41:57 Isn't it been years on Friday? I'm like, oh, I just have a high. I'm like, oh, I just have a high doctor point.
09:42:02 I went in there and I'm like. As for the whole day, I was like, oh my God, I forgot.
09:42:06 Debilitating this is. And then let's see, the only thing last week is I did the KPTZ.
09:42:16 County connections on Friday with Monty. We did a sewer update. I had Voxura update and that was fun.
09:42:23 Monty and I showed up and What do we play? What's that song?
09:42:28 Oh God, I know I'm gonna forget. I was gonna start singing it for you guys. You don't want me to sing anyway.
09:42:39 I don't know what you played though. Splish splash, I will take an event.
09:42:41 Yeah. So anyway, that was it. And, had a little bit of fun for a couple days last week left the country for a hot minute.
09:42:48 And we're not gonna look forward now, right? Right. Okay. A few minutes left.
09:42:55 Okay, that's me. Alright, I'll quickly go. Good canal coordinating council, board directors met on the night, twentieth and, interviewed finalists for the executive director
position.
09:43:12 And I will announce this because it was had to be talked about in public session. The, we're offering the position to David Dix, who has a long history on hood canal.
09:43:26 And including being the son of Norm Dix, representative Norm Dix and so they have a lot of family history there and has been very involved in environmental law.
09:43:36 In the region. Was one of the founders of the Puget Sound Partnership and the Udub School of the Environment.
09:43:42 I know. And I, when you said, I'm like, oh, that is awesome. Yeah.
09:43:51 Yeah, I think it's, that organization is in a challenging place where, you know, I think it's, the organization is in a challenging place where, you know, Scott Brewer has been
doing things like payroll and, organization is in a challenging place where, you know, Scott Brewer has been doing things like payroll and administrative work because of workforce challenges
and funding shortages.
09:44:05 And so it's, you know, I think trying to dial in the position to be a good fit is going to be the challenge.
09:44:09 So what a negotiation there. But exciting to have, you know, a good potential to be negotiating with.
09:44:20 Ongoing pains at the fairgrounds just wanna keep you in the loop that there's you know, as more.
09:44:29 As kind of the profile, the public profile of the fairgrounds. Is is being raised.
09:44:39 There's requests for new uses at the fair grounds and there are a lot of kind of historic uses there that are largely.
09:44:47 Yes, acting the same space largely on, you know, no leases, that kind of thing.
09:44:53 You know, no leases, that kind of thing. You know, there's still a lot of kind of cleanup work and so if you hear some rumbling about the displacement of a lot of kind of cleanup
work.
09:45:01 And so, if you hear some rumbling about the displacement of a organization, please know that it's something that's being worked on, there's desire to try to find other uses.
09:45:03 But you know, really trying to have the fairgrounds generate enough revenue so that it can do the capital improvements that it needs and you know kind of have higher best use
of those facilities is important and you know I'm thinking there things like both NRV storage that has taken place there for years and people get upset when we say, yeah, you would
actually like to do programming in that.
09:45:27 Building instead. And so, you know, I think that's just gonna inevitably be a challenge, but.
09:45:33 The board is really trying to, navigate it gently and, not create. displacements.
09:45:44 You see that public comment we got about the camper out there? Follow but yeah there's I need to learn more about what happened there.
09:45:55 That said there was the solstice party at the fairground. On the 20 first and fantastic.
09:46:02 Yeah, I mean, somebody said they thought 500 people were there. It was, yeah, there was soup for 300 and it sold out.
09:46:10 Immediately. A 1,000. That rumors, you know, between 4,000 and a half block numbers grow.
09:46:16 Yeah, but great events. Let's see, and then largely off the week.
09:46:23 Between Christmas and New Year's, a couple of small things, but nothing to report out.
09:46:29 And it looks like we are at time to, welcome Dr. Barry. And Willie Benz.
09:46:36 And our KPTZ listeners, give everybody a second to get acclimated. Welcome and happy new year, Dr.
09:46:44 Barry and Willie. I'm glad to have you with us today and I suppose we'll jump right in. Dr.
09:46:50 Barry, nice to see you on the ice skating rink in Portangelis.
09:46:52 That was super fun. Thanks for coming out. Happy to hear everyone. Nice to be here.
09:46:58 That was for Dangelis ice skating rink, which it's last day. It's open is today.
09:47:05 So if you want to get some ice skating in, it's a jolly spot. So unfortunately on the respiratory front the news is not as good.
09:47:13 That we are seeing a rise in multiple respiratory infections all at the same time. Nationally after a decrease in COVID-19 rates we are actually starting to see a rise in COVID.
09:47:24 19 hospitalizations again. We're also seeing influenza RSB and strap on the rise as well in all of our communities.
09:47:33 And I'll go through each of those in order so we can talk in a little bit of detail about them.
09:47:38 So COVID nationally on the rise as far as severe disease goes. Interestingly, in Washington state and in Jefferson County, we are not yet seeing a rise in severe disease, hospitalization,
or emergency department visits.
09:47:52 And that's very hopeful for us. It could be that it just hasn't come here yet, but it also could be that our higher rates of vaccination are protecting us.
09:48:00 Against those severe outcomes, but we are likely to see more COVID in our community just like we're seeing.
09:48:05 And the rest of the country in the coming weeks. So if you haven't gotten up to date on your boosters yet, now is a good time to do so.
09:48:14 There are probably a couple different things driving that rise in Covid-nineteen transmission and severe disease.
09:48:20 One is certainly just the holidays, lots of travel, lots of gathering. We normally see a spike in respiratory illnesses after the holidays and this year is no different.
09:48:30 But we are also seeing a new variant starting to, strain to rear. It's ugly head and that's J and one.
09:48:38 That's a sub variant of Omicranz. It's in the Omicron family.
09:48:42 And it is now it's really rapidly overtaking. It's now just under half of the variance that we're seeing and that really is up from about 7% in the last month.
09:48:54 That's that's a big rise. So that's likely to become a far and away almost dominant.
09:49:00 Some variant in the coming weeks. That one is more transmissible than anything that's come before it and likely shows some more immune evasion.
09:49:09 So ability to get around immunity from prior infection and potentially from vaccination as well. One good news piece there though is that we have seen early data, on antibody
responses to the vaccine and it looks like they are still effective at a new at generating neutralizing antibodies against J and one.
09:49:30 So that's very hopeful for us. We likely are not seeing a lot of benefit from that in the country as a whole.
09:49:35 Because only 18% of Americans have gotten their updated booster. But here will almost a third of us.
09:49:43 So 31% of Jefferson County. Residents have gotten their booster. That's still a lot of us that are not that well protected against the variance that are circulating right now.
09:49:53 So if you haven't gotten yours, I encourage you to do so. So I would say there's a lot of news coverage of J and one.
09:49:59 It's not something I would be super afraid of, but it is likely to see, lead to a bump in infections locally.
09:50:04 And it could lead to severe disease, especially if you're at high risk, which is those at both ends of the spectrum.
09:50:10 Those who are elderly, those who are very young. Those who have chronic conditions in immunosuppression and and those who are pregnant is another group we often forget to list
as high risk for COVID.
09:50:21 If you're in any of those groups in particular, really important to stay up to date on your vaccines.
09:50:27 Influenza is on the rise. It is at a higher rate of transmission in most of the country.
09:50:33 In Washington state, we saw a 25% rise in influenza cases in the last week. So it's definitely coming on board as one of the restaurant infections we need to protect against.
09:50:43 We're still seeing relatively low rates of transmission locally, which is very hopeful. We again have the highest rate of influenza vaccine uptake in Jefferson County.
09:50:54 And I think that is doing a lot to protect us. But it is it is on its way to our area and so if you're not protected yet by the up to the most recent flu vaccine, definitely
be sure and get that on board as well.
09:51:07 RSV continues at high rates of transmission locally and is really rapidly on the rise nationally. Though it looks like it's about to peak in the south where it hit first.
09:51:16 So 3 different respiratory viruses all joining us at once. Really important that we do what we can to protect ourselves and others.
09:51:25 That means Get up to date on your vaccines, flu, COVID, RSV if you're eligible and consider wearing a mask and crowded indoor spaces or if you're visiting high risk folks, especially
newborn infants right now.
09:51:39 That's a group we want to take particular precaution around. RSV vaccine we talked a little bit in the Board of Health about the critical shortage of the RSV vaccine for children
or 7 mad.
09:51:48 There's not a shortage for elders or pregnant folks, but there is a shortage of near 7, for kids.
09:51:55 Thankfully, we've been able to get a little bit of an. Mab into Jefferson health care and so we do now have some for infants in our community.
09:52:02 So if you have a child in your life who's under 18 months of age, definitely call your primary care provider and try to get in to get one of those while they still are available.
09:52:11 We do have some now. And we want to make sure we get our kids protected as soon as possible.
09:52:15 It's not a lot, but we do have some and particularly if you have a kid who's high risk so who's under 18 months and especially anyone under 18 months who has already conditions
on board, like cardiac conditions, pulmonary conditions.
09:52:30 Those are kids we really want to protect as soon as possible. And last but not least, we are seeing a rise in strap infections in our community, particularly among the very
young.
09:52:39 Stp can affect anyone of any age, but particularly we're seeing it in very little kits.
09:52:45 If you see, if you see a child who has a severe sore throat and particularly doesn't sound raspy.
09:52:50 They just say it hurts, but they don't sound different. That's classically something we see with strep because of where it affects your throat.
09:52:57 Also we're seeing a lot of abdominal discomfort and nausea in kids headache and fever.
09:53:02 If you see that combination and it's not getting better after a couple of days, definitely go in and get tested.
09:53:07 That's something that needs antibiotics if they have strap. And we want to make sure and take care of those kdos.
09:53:13 Not the respiratory update for today. Do we have any questions from our commissioners?
09:53:23 Yeah.
09:53:18 Actually, have a couple of questions. I the couple of weeks off. Is that leads to an accumulation of questions, right?
09:53:27 So over the holidays, had someone reaching out to me about the lack of Paxlovid.
09:53:34 Hmm.
09:53:34 And I just wonder if you have an update on someone who got COVID and wasn't finding access to Paxloven.
09:53:41 I think I told them to call the. Public health department, but I, I don't know if you have any updates on Pax Slow with the availability.
09:53:49 We haven't heard of the critical shortage of Paxlovid right now. We'll definitely look into that if we're hearing reports of that.
09:53:57 Generally the most the best way to get it is to contact your normal primary care provider to get access to it and have them send the prescription.
09:54:07 If you have to double check and see if the state packs COVID prescribing is still available and for it's right on the edge of when that was going to get cut off because we unfortunately
are seeing a drop in funding for a lot of this work but your best shot right now is probably contacting your primary care provider.
09:54:28 But your best shot right now is probably contacting your primary care provider and we'll take a look and see if there is a lot of this work.
09:54:31 But your best shot right now is probably contacting your primary care provider and we'll take a look and see if there is a shortage at pharmacies but that's not something we
had heard of yet.
09:54:33 Pxolo is a really good drug, particularly for those who are at high risk of severe disease.
09:54:36 And we've also seen it. Reducing long COVID symptoms and people who access it as well.
09:54:43 So if you're someone at high risk, and particularly if you're starting to get symptoms that are looking like long COVID, we've seen people with significant brain fog with COVID
recently.
09:54:51 We've seen a significant benefit when they get access to Pax a little bit. So we'll check into that today.
09:54:59 Well, and in terms of this case, they were able to receive a prescription for Pax Loved.
09:55:04 From the state health system, but then they couldn't get tax loaded. Couldn't get it filled.
09:55:04 Oh good. Perfect. They couldn't fill it at the local pharmacies. Okay.
09:55:11 Yeah, they couldn't get it. And I guess that QFC told this person that they haven't been able to get it told this person that they haven't been able to get it since August or
September.
09:55:20 So.
09:55:23 Gotcha.
09:55:18 So anyway, just. It was a holiday gap in the system that I wanted to. Try and troubleshoot if I could.
09:55:26 Absolutely. We'll take a look and see if we can figure out who has it.
09:55:29 Great. Thanks, Dr. Barry. Anything else?
09:55:31 Thank you. Yeah, and we had, you know, it is a change in some of the resources we had in the pandemic.
09:55:38 We used to have this like map where you could put in what you needed and then the pharmacy where you could find it.
09:55:47 And unfortunately, a lot of those resources are going away, which is making it harder for people to access the care that they need.
09:55:51 So if somebody, you know, in in this instance, if somebody's doctor is on vacation and I mean, is there any, is there any?
09:55:59 Workaround available through public health. To get people what they need.
09:56:04 Not generally through public health for prescriptions, but as the, so I'm primary care doctor.
09:56:11 At my office, if I go on vacation, there's always someone who's covering for me.
09:56:15 Huh.
09:56:16 And so usually a lot of people don't know that they can call their doctor's office after hours and there's usually most you know any big doctor's office there's a call system
that can help get you taken care of and I really encourage people to use that often I would find my patients were surprised that they can call after hours and speak to a doctor if their
kid is looking too ill or if they need
09:56:37 a doctor if their kid is looking too ill or if they need a prescription. And so for most clinics, looking too ill or if they need a prescription.
09:56:46 And so for most clinics, I'd recommend just call that main office and there's
09:56:47 That's a good reminder. Thank you. I just wanna say. Dr.
09:56:54 Mary, what are you doing up so late?
09:56:47 No worries. Yeah, people are always surprised to hear me at night come back. Yeah.
09:56:57 I wanted to point out that, I can't remember if it was you, Dr.
09:57:20 Yeah.
09:57:02 Barry that said a few weeks ago, or something I read just that, you know, our case loads for COVID weren't very high going into the holiday, but we're expected to surge in January
and sure enough in the last 3 days I probably have 10 friends who have COVID and you know no coincidence with large gatherings and but it was I'm just impressed how dialed in the
09:57:23 epidemiology is now that that can be predicted with such precision.
09:57:27 Oh thanks, appreciate that. Yeah, thankfully over COVID we have learned where it tends to hit first in the country.
09:57:36 And so once we see it hit other places, it usually comes here within the next couple of weeks. And yes, holidays are a common driver because we gather in doors and we eat.
09:57:46 And so it doesn't lend itself to masking and we tend to see more spread from that.
09:57:50 Okay. Alright, Willie, nice to have you with us today. Oh, did we?
09:57:57 Oh, sorry, we had listener questions.
09:58:00 Okay.
09:57:57 We do, yeah, we have quite a few with their questions today and I'll try to make sure and save time for Willie.
09:58:04 So
09:58:03 And we do a hearing at 1015 Dr. Barry. I don't know if you. So, we will.
09:58:07 Okay, I will make sure to save a little time from Willie. So we have, quite a few questions today.
09:58:23 One person was asking, some interesting questions about long COVID in particular, on our last broadcast, we talked a bit about long COVID and how your risk of it increases with
each subsequent infection from COVID.
09:58:30 19. We don't think we think that's just an additional risk of each added time.
09:58:36 It's not synergistic. It's not exponentially worse every time you get COVID, but every time you get COVID, you're rolling the dice on your risk of getting long COVID.
09:58:45 And we're seeing about a 7% rate of move to significant long COVID after getting COVID. So it's worth avoiding.
09:58:53 It's certainly avoid a worth avoiding getting it multiple times. This person asked, one of the things we talked about there was that, vaccination reduces that risk.
09:59:01 It roughly halves your risk of long COVID with each subsequent infection. So you go from 7% risk to about 3 3.5% risk of long COVID.
09:59:10 It's not 0. It can still happen. But it's worth doing what you can introduce your risk of it because long COVID is significant.
09:59:16 People who have it will tell you it can be debilitating and it's worth avoiding if you can.
09:59:23 This listener asked a very steep question of why you don't get that same level of protection from COVID from getting COVID and while we're still learning a lot about long COVID
and exactly what makes that happen, one of the biggest likely sources is actually damage from the virus.
09:59:44 And so Part of why we see, ongoing risk of long COVID is each time you get COVID, you get more damage to your body from that virus.
09:59:53 And you don't get that from vaccination. You just get the immune protection from vaccination.
09:59:58 So that's the biggest difference we see there. Certainly getting kovat does confer some protection against subsequent infection, but if you're getting it multiple times.
10:00:09 You are one, you are a person who is at who is at risk who is not getting the level of protection they need from their prior infections.
10:00:16 And each time you get COVID, that you have a higher risk of ongoing damage to your body, to your lungs, to your nervous system.
10:00:23 And it's worth doing what you can to protect against that. And that's why we get backated is to reduce that risk.
10:00:29 We don't have many tools in our arsenal that are 100% effective, but it's worth using the tools that we have.
10:00:36 Getting vaccinated, wearing masks in place masks in places and times where that makes sense to reduce our risk and to reduce the risk of the people around us.
10:00:46 A follow up within that question was, that They have a child in their life that's had COVID multiple times in a row.
10:00:53 And, they were wondering how common that experience is. And in this case, they talked about a person who had had COVID multiple times in a very short period of time within a
couple months, which To me, always raises the question of whether or not those are really true new infections or if that's just persistent positivity from an old infection, not knowing
this kid's story, I
10:01:16 wouldn't diagnose that over the radio, but it's something that always raises a concern for me.
10:01:23 It's worth talking to their doctor about and make sure that you really think this person has had discrete COVID incidences multiple times.
10:01:28 But we are seeing kids getting COVID over and over again. Not necessarily quite that frequently. That is a typical, but what we do see is kids get COVID when we see spikes in
community levels of COVID.
10:01:41 Whenever we get a rise in COVID infections, we get a rise in pediatric cases.
10:01:44 And the primary reason for that is that we have very few protections against protections for kids right now.
10:01:50 There's very little masking, almost none in schools. And we gather large numbers of kids indoors.
10:01:57 And so that is a place where a lot of kids get COVID. Thankfully, our kids are less likely to get severe disease, though it can still happen, and they are less likely to get
long COVID than those of us who are older.
10:02:09 But it does still happen. So doing what we can to protect our kids to protect ourselves is worthwhile.
10:02:16 The biggest thing that staying up to date on vaccines. A lot of kids are not going to be able to tolerate masking if their friends are not at school.
10:02:23 But we in the community can reduce our rates to community transmission to protect the kids in our circles. And definitely if you have a high risk kid, which absolutely exists,
we unfortunately do have kids in our community who are facing a cancer diagnosis.
10:02:38 We have severe immunosuppression and remember that not all kids are low risk for kovat and so we have to do what we can to protect them and it's worth having that conversation
with your kids friends, with the other kids in your class to make sure that we do what we can to protect our highest risk kitos.
10:02:56 And we talked a little bit about the risk of developing long COVID. If you are vaccinated, so it's roughly half the risk if you're not up to date on your vaccines.
10:03:07 Another person asked about, they ran in recent New York Times piece that we are seeing that rise in hospitalizations for COVID.
10:03:16 19 and they wondered how many of those are are ventilated. And so first I would say the quality and quantity of data we have on COVID is dramatically lower now than it was with
all of the funding cuts related to loss of the declaration of emergency.
10:03:31 We have much we have a I'd say a hazier view into what's going on with COVID.
10:03:36 We have little bits of data. And nothing like the granularity that we used to have.
10:03:41 So I used to know exactly how many people were on ventilators for COVID in the entire country because I had access to that data.
10:03:47 I don't have that anymore. What I do have is access to our local data. I would say that we do still seek people end up on ventilators for COVID, but it is a very small proportion
of the cases most of the time when we're seeing people hospitalized for COVID at this point, they get better.
10:04:04 We have a lot more tools at our disposal for treating them, but that's not universal. We still have some folks who get very sick and die and that's particularly those who are
very high risk.
10:04:15 So those who are. Meadows pressed in our community. Those who are elderly with multiple chronic conditions and we do see little tiny people get hospitalized so kids for whom
this is their first rodeo with COVID.
10:04:26 And this is their first year of life, they can get severely ill and pregnant folks can too if they're not vaccinated.
10:04:33 Most of our hospitalizations are in people who vast majority are in people who are not up to date in their vaccines.
10:04:39 So the biggest thing you can do to avoid getting hospitalized for COVID to stay up to date on your vaccines.
10:04:46 And then, we talked about the percentage of folks who have gotten the newest booster.
10:04:51 31%. We are still seeing some demand at our pharmacies, but it has lessened from where it was when the vaccine first came out, which is common.
10:04:59 But we are still seeing people getting their vaccine. If you haven't yet, it's not too late.
10:05:05 Go ahead and get your updated COVID booster to help protect you against this next wave of infections.
10:05:09 And a little bit more details questions about J and one. So we are not seeing any evidence that J and one is more severe.
10:05:18 So particularly this person asked about people who are 25 to 40. We aren't seeing any reason to believe that this is gonna be as severe as some of the other new variants that
we've seen in the past.
10:05:29 But it is certainly more contagious and it likely has more immunization. That's why it's taking over that's how that happens.
10:05:36 And so it's worth doing what you can to protect against it. Great last 2 questions.
10:05:42 We're about deer. So this person has read that, that deer can be, can be vectors for kovat 19 isn't that true and it absolutely is actually.
10:05:56 So, a deer can get COVID. Many of them have. They're known as a viral reservoir for COVID.
10:06:04 19 and so there's been a lot of study of whitetail deer in particular and how many of them have gotten COVID.
10:06:08 19. The concern when it comes to a viral reservoir is that the virus can live in that population and can mutate and then potentially come back into people.
10:06:18 I would say while it is absolutely true that deer can get COVID, the most likely source for kovat for you is other people.
10:06:26 It's not dear. So I don't want anyone to fear our neighborhood. Dear as we have in Jefferson and Calm County, honestly, but do exercise reasonable precautions.
10:06:36 So don't feed the deer don't get super close to the beer that's not recommended generally and it's still true in COVID.
10:06:43 There are some special precautions if you're a hunter. So if you're gonna get very up close and personal with that dear.
10:06:49 When you are, when you are dealing with the carcass after, assuming that you've successfully gotten one.
10:06:55 We recommend wearing gloves and a mask because actually the processing of that carcass can create aerosols.
10:07:02 And so we have had cases of dear to human transmission for hunters in particular. They should documented that in Ontario.
10:07:09 So extra precautions if you're a hunter and gonna be getting up close and personal with deer.
10:07:14 We use extra precautions for those who work at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. We're interacting very closely with these animals.
10:07:20 But for most of us, common sense, don't get super close to deer. Don't interact with their excrement any more than you need to and wash your hands if you do.
10:07:30 Someone did bring up that there's a deer. A crew of deer who hang out by the high school and the possibility of kids getting exposed through their feces.
10:07:40 I would say that when it comes to COVID, human pieces at least does not have transmissible, COVID.
10:07:47 19 to can get it from the stool. And we haven't studied that as heavily when it comes to the deer, but I'd say low likelihood that the feces itself is a problem.
10:07:56 Just. Wash your hands. Don't get too too close to the deer. And Zoanonic infections are fascinating.
10:08:03 And that's the end of my answers and I can pass to Willie.
10:08:08 Thank you, Dr. Barry. Thanks for being here, Willie. And, mild winter so far, but what do you have for us?
10:08:16 Yeah, so as you said mild winter thus far knock on wood. No major updates. As a result for me nor any KPTC questions but last month and when I wasn't able to make it there was
a question regarding warming resources here in the county.
10:08:30 I'm so wanted to let folks know that the winter welcoming center at the Pope Marine building in PT is open 7 days a week.
10:08:39 8 30 to 1230 every single morning so that is a great resource for folks to go in during the cold cold winter mornings and go to the winter welcoming center there during cold
snaps they do expand their hours on a case-by-case basis so They're open 4Â h every single day and maybe open longer again on an as needed basis.
10:09:00 But thankfully it has been a relatively mild winter thus far. And long term the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center does suspect that to continue over January
February and March we are looking at a winter that might be a little bit wetter than average so slightly more rainfall than we are used to, but they are looking at it being much warmer.
10:09:23 So it is climate that is overall, much warmer. That doesn't necessarily mean that we won't experience cold snaps, of which we are in a slightly colder than normal snap.
10:09:32 I'm just for about the next week or so. So there may be still events, in that time period that may see extreme cold, or even snow where we do typically see it seems like a late
late winter snow burst on late January or definitely into February.
10:09:47 So folks should continue to keep an eye out for that. But all told we are looking at a warmer than average although wetter than average winter over the next 3 months or so.
10:09:57 So folks should continue to plan. Definitely take a look at your emergency kit make plans for being potentially stuck at home.
10:10:05 If there is a large snow event, I'm gonna folks are having trouble staying warm in that winter welcoming center.
10:10:12 I'm as open every single day in the morning. PUD, Holycap, others may offer, utility assistance. So don't hesitate to reach out.
10:10:20 You can always call us if you have any questions. I'm gonna need help navigating resources that way.
10:10:26 Other than that, that is it for me. I'm barring any questions.
10:10:29 Any questions for Willie? I have one question for you, Will. It's good. Good to see you.
10:10:35 I got a note from, from some concerned citizens about Nixon and I, you know, you talk about Nix a lot a lot and I'm just wondering if you can, this is just kind of repeat for
my benefit in the public's benefit.
10:10:50 The the purpose of Nixon, why people might get Nixon, alerts why they might not get something that they expect on Nixon as well and and how people can sign up for it.
10:10:58 Yeah. So Nixon is our subscription based text alert system. So, you know, we have access to a program through FEMA on the wireless emergency alert system that publishes push
notifications to people's phones.
10:11:11 I mean that doesn't require a subscription. I'm Nixel is you go in and you you sign up you subscribe to our list and you opt in to this text alert system.
10:11:20 We have about 8,000 a little over 8,000 folks who subscribed, to Nixon here in Jefferson County.
10:11:29 And we use Nixon to alert folks of ongoing situations that may require their attention or may require some action, but that aren't necessarily life-threatening.
10:11:39 So if it is life-threatening, like a wildfire evacuation would be the best example.
10:11:44 That's when we would use the wireless emergency alert system. A Nixon is primarily for things like road closures and traffic accidents, where you may need to seek an alternate
route where you may need to avoid the area due to law enforcement or fire activity, etc.
10:12:01 We've also used Nixon to alert for things like a tsunami advisory where we were, you know, wanting folks to keep, their head on a swivel, maintain a little bit more situational
awareness when being near the water but we weren't necessarily evacuating the beaches.
10:12:16 So we send Nixel alerts, really only when requested by law enforcement or firing when we know of an accident that's going to close a major road for about 30Â min or more.
10:12:30 I'm so we don't send Nixon's when a side road has been closed.
10:12:31 I mean, we're talking 100, and 4, 19, Sims way. I'm the major arteries that are going to impact a pretty good deal of people.
10:12:37 And we make sure when that closure is going to be, again, impactful, 30Â min or more on anything less than that, it's not gonna cause enough of an impact to traffic to the commute.
10:12:48 I'm where we typically send a nixel. And we also try not to send them between the hours of about 8 a. M.
10:12:54 To 9 PMI know many of you were on the road earlier or up later, but that's typically where we've gotten feedback that anything earlier is a little bit too early.
10:13:03 And anything later, folks are typically in bed at least in this county. When you subscribe for Nixon's, it's really recommended that you, you can do that through our website
or you can text Jeff Coe EOC to 8 8 8 7 7 7.
10:13:19 But it's really recommended you go to the Nixon website and look at your account preferences.
10:13:25 There are a couple of different levels of Nixon, alerts everything from our regular advisory which are things like road closure to a little bit of a higher level the alert things
like that tsunami advisory.
10:13:37 I mean things a little bit more impactful that we wanna a wider scope of people to know about so you can choose exactly when you get alerted and for what.
10:13:47 You can get alerts via both your phone via text message that the primary way most folks are notified or via email as well.
10:13:54 We unfortunately at, DEM here don't have direct access to your account settings.
10:14:00 So any issues with that do contact on the Nixon on Everbridge is the company that owns it directly.
10:14:07 But if you have more specific questions, if you have feedback. I don't hesitate to reach out to us and we can definitely walk you through it.
10:14:13 I'm a lot of our policies and the way we craft messaging is based on community feedback. So don't hesitate to reach out.
10:14:21 We can walk folks through through Nixel in a little bit more detail. I'm here about your experiences, help you work with Everbridge to get your account fine tuned, things like
that.
10:14:29 But otherwise it's a, if not life safety, life-saving, service, at least hassle savings service, you know, folks getting notified over road closures, where to avoid, when you
expect delays, can save you at least a little bit of headache.
10:14:43 So we think it's a really valuable community service and again one that we're always trying to make better so happy to hear additional feedback and answer questions.
10:14:49 Thanks much. Thanks, Willie. I was just going to say it was an exciting day in Japan yesterday and definitely I you know steady geology in college and I just get, I geek out
and I just got online and I was online most of the day, but, it drove home, you know, that we live in on a triple junction that, you know.
10:15:12 And that. I spent some time over the holidays getting my go back and stay hit together.
10:15:19 Thanks to I'm always, in there. Thanks to, you know, the picnic last year and getting my lists from folks.
10:15:28 So. Just another shout out to folks to, you know, be prepared because. It could happen on this side of the ocean just as easily as it happened on the in Japan yesterday and
Kind of it just makes.
10:15:42 Rock in my stomach every time there's a big tectonic event because I'm sensitive to how.
10:15:49 Threatened we are here. So. We do have a 1015 hearing. Can I just put in a quick plug?
10:15:58 Great mild weather, but. Desperately need snow pack. So we put in a request Willie for snow in the mountains please.
10:16:06 See what I can do.
10:16:06 Thank you. Okay, thank you, Dr. Barry. Thank you, Willie.
10:16:10 We'll see you next month. And we will get set up for our 1015 hearing on conservation future.
10:16:17 So, welcome everyone and Tammy if you want to get set up. Do you think you need a couple of minutes to get, PowerPoint and such or?
10:16:31 No PowerPoint. I just would like to deal that I understand if I plug in with my computer, I'll be able to see who's looking to be promoted.
10:16:37 Okay, great. So should recess for 2Â min while they get set up and. Then, So we'll be back at 10 at my devices are totally totally different times.
10:20:49 Okay.
10:20:53 We all ready? Great. Okay, call us back into session. We have a hearing.
10:20:59 Conservation future. So welcome to Tammy Pcorny. And if you don't mind introducing your guests and this is Ross Harbor.
10:21:06 He's the acting chair of the conservation futures fences and oversight committee and I think he'd like to provide some opening comments from the committee and I can follow up
with any questions.
10:21:18 Well, hello again. It's good to see you. I guess there's not a lot to do.
10:21:26 Received your packet. I won't read it to you, but it was a pretty nice year because of the fact that we didn't have to make It's kind of nice.
10:21:37 In terms of 2 things though one is you know the available funds but also the fact that we did have 3 really solid projects at the Land Trust brought to us.
10:21:48 So they were the sole sponsoring partner. This year then it worked. We did a good job with.
10:21:57 Pretty easy.
10:22:01 And maybe that's it for now. And then if we have any discussion time. Move on from there.
10:22:07 Hey, like to add that you've been provided with 3 draft resolutions for your consideration. Those obviously could be changed, however you would like, but they reflect the recommendations
of the committee.
10:22:20 To fully fund each of the 3 projects, including each of them requested $5,000 in ONM reimbursement funds and the 3 projects are the lower Chimican Creek main stem acquisitions,
the North Berry Snow Creek Project and the Schmidt Farm.
10:22:38 And so, we're. And one requirement is for DCD to make a finding as to whether these projects were preclude the county being available to accommodate.
10:22:49 Projected growth and. That should be no trouble. And otherwise, I believe the committee has fulfilled all its obligations in bringing forward its recommendations.
10:23:00 So. That's all I have to say unless you have questions. And then of course Sarah Space is here from the Land Trust and Tom Ehrlichman from recent new committee member and Cheryl
Lo is online.
10:23:13 She's also a newer committee member. So. Really happy to see them. Great.
10:23:18 Thank you. My computer is rebooting. I apologize. I'll be flying blind or you know, shoulders, but any questions for the committee or staff?
10:23:27 Just gratitude for the committee. I've watched. Decades of. The conservation community, conservation features committee and.
10:23:35 I just don't appreciate the thoughtfulness and the commitment to the work. It's in my mind some of the most important work in our community and kudos to Sarah and the Land Trust.
10:23:46 This is over a thousand acres down in Chimican Creek watershed, a project area I'm in love with and grew up in and I'm super thrilled to see us protecting in just over 3 more
acres.
10:23:57 And just really glad that all 3 of these projects have, there's funding for all 3 of them.
10:24:03 This time. I hate it when it's the hard choices version of the story and I'm glad we don't have that person this year.
10:24:11 Yeah, no questions. Appreciate the work of the Constitution, conservation futures, committee and the new members.
10:24:19 It's great to have Mr. Erickman in the group too. So yeah, thanks for all the work and it's, it is gratifying when you don't have to say no and when you have solid projects.
10:24:28 So yeah, appreciate it. Yeah, and, the packet was very helpful. Thanks for including a lot of information.
10:24:37 So. All right. Well, should we consider the resolutions? We. Oh, sorry. Hearing. Yes, sorry.
10:24:45 First time being chair for a few years. That's why I thought it would be good for you.
10:24:48 I know you lose these skills. And of course my computer is dead so I don't have my hearing script but I will open up this hearing script, I don't have my hearing script, but,
I will open up this hearing, but, I will open up this hearing the commissioners appreciate and put from the public.
10:25:10 Anyone interested can testify for up to 3Â min and, we ask that all testimony pertain only to the item that is before us today, which is 3 resolutions to use conservation futures
funding as described.
10:25:16 So, if I look over your shoulder and see if there are any hands in the, attendees list to it.
10:25:25 So anyone in the room who would like to provide public testimony first? Sara's faith, please come on up and we'll need to share a microphone.
10:25:34 Thank you. Yes, thank you. My name is Sarah Spaith and I reside at 1 1 7 Flicker Road in Port Townsend and I am here to also thank the committee for the deliberations and Tammy
for really.
10:25:51 Helping shepherd these through and the commissioners for this. Ongoing support that is so critical. We know it's not a lot of money, but it really demonstrates local support
of these projects and so critical for match.
10:26:04 For the state or federal grants that we require. For the other side of the equation. I just wanted to let you know that.
10:26:14 There are always timing considerations when we're doing these projects. And I know Tammy's been working really hard to move this process forward as quickly as possible.
10:26:26 This year it has taken the longest. Of a number of years and we've got a couple of projects that are Pretty ripe to go.
10:26:35 And so hoping that we can get the contracts in place really soon and that. But in the future we can maybe expedite things a little bit better.
10:26:45 But really appreciate all of this effort and support and. It's critical for our work. So thank you so much.
10:26:54 Thank you. And congratulations on Chima Ridge. Thank you. Really exciting. Big winter there.
10:27:04 Yeah. Really? Thank you. Anyone else in the room like to provide public comment?
10:27:08 Hey, how about in the Zoom room? Anyone would like to testify, please hit the raise hand button.
10:27:14 If you're on the phone, hit star 9. It was in chat from Calum that there was no written test.
10:27:22 And no written testimony was received for today's hearing. Alright, last call for testimony.
10:27:28 Okay, hearing none, I will close testimony. And commissioners. Open for deliberation. I'm happy to make a motion to approve these 3 resolutions in support of.
10:27:44 These 3 projects in the Chima Gum, Snow Creek, and Quilcene Waat River watersheds.
10:27:52 Expect you to do one at a time. Do you? I haven't handy. I'm happy to.
10:28:06 Move to approve the, I haven't handy. I'm happy to. Move to approve the resolution regarding dedication of conservation futures funds to the lower Chimican Creek main stem acquisitions
project is authorized by in accordance with the Jefferson County code section 3 dot o 8 dot O 30 parentheses 7 to provide a system of public open spaces.
10:28:19 To do all 3 at once. And each one individually, each different number. Okay, and, we're gonna buzz on the stop light here and then. Okay, 15Â s.
10:28:31 Sure. Happy to second that. Okay, any discussion? All those in favor, please say aye.
10:28:35 I passes unanimously. And I'm happy to further move that we approve the resolution. Regarding dedication of conservation futures funds to the North Barry Snow Creek project
as authorized by and in accordance with Jefferson County Code, section 300.
10:28:50 And, 100, and, 81, THAT, O, 3, OPEN, to provide a system of public open spaces.
10:28:55 Happy to second that. Any further discussion? Oh, those in favor please say aye. Hi.
10:29:04 And I am further happy to move that we approve a resolution regarding a dedication to move that we approve a resolution regarding a dedication of conservation futures funds
to move that we approve a resolution regarding a dedication of conservation futures funds to the Schmidt-farrer.
10:29:13 Happy to move to the Schmidt-farming resolution regarding a dedication of conservation futures funds to the Schmidt Farm Project as authorized by and in accordance with Jefferson
County code section 3 dot o 8 dot o threeo parentheses 7 provide a system of public open spaces.
10:29:20 I'll second that. Any further discussion? All those in favor please say aye. Aye.
10:29:28 Passes unanimously. Nice. Up on geographic distribution, to. Equal distribution around the county and really critical areas.
10:29:36 Alright, anything else for us, Tammy? Oh, no, they don't. I was just telling Tammy that I used to chair on all 3 of them.
10:29:50 I was just telling Tammy that I used to chair on all 3 of them resolution so that we'll have to wipe that out.
10:29:52 We're just full of surprise. A month or 2. That's good. That's good. Thank you. I've got some in my desk.
10:30:06 Thank you. Thanks you guys. Okay, I'm sorry. I'm totally flying blind.
10:30:17 On my internet is not.
10:30:22 Yes. I think we'd finished commissioner briefing, but we had not heard from Mark who actually was in the office.
10:30:33 So yeah, that's how I was doing those 24Â h. Okay, so let's go back to the nineteenth.
10:30:40 Okay. I did take advantage of the time to to get work done that I sometimes don't have time to do.
10:30:52 But light on. Formal meetings on the nineteenth. I met with Shannon Burns.
10:30:57 She had a bunch of contract questions, so. They alter with those on Wednesday. And met with the state military department and the port of.
10:31:08 For Townsend to talk about their BRIC project. There was some concern that our hazard mitigation plan had not been updated.
10:31:34 Well, that's the. The armoring of the seawall. To protect the port and downtown Port Townsend. Okay.
10:31:45 The South Jetty? No, no, that's the big the big sea wall project. The River Walk.
10:31:48 Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah, sorry. Water wok. Yeah, water walk. Gotcha.
10:31:52 Thank you. And so, we'll have the hazard mitigation plan done in plenty of time for that.
10:32:02 And so I'm just grateful that we're not the cause of them not submitting this year.
10:32:07 And then I think Greg mentioned the Jeff KOM special board meeting. I'm so glad we have mature leadership there.
10:32:14 And Matt Stewart. How's he doing? What's the what's the report?
10:32:20 Is he enjoying his? He's great and he's, you know, enabling, you know, administrative staff to be better than they were.
10:32:28 I mean, I think he's really. To sum up what he's done there. He had a photo of computer equipment with wires going around which way and a photo of it now just super neat and
tidy and to me that sums up.
10:32:48 And then at 1 30 I met with Judy Shepherd and Amanda Kristoffersen to go over.
10:32:54 They've heard some guidance on some very large, grant opportunities and that I I think we're going to bring to the board in the workshop format.
10:33:05 Okay. Just to make sure that Amanda's efforts are focused in the right direction. Later that afternoon met with Brent.
10:33:15 And then on Friday, Josh Montgomery, our new fleet manager, came to see me. With his wife and his 2 kids, a nice family.
10:33:25 His wife has applied for a job in auditor's office. Oh, yeah. That's not.
10:33:32 That's an attractive candidate. So we'll see how that turns out. You know, if she gets that job, then they'll be an attractive candidate.
10:33:42 So we'll see how that turns out. You know, if she gets that job, then they'll be able to afford a house. They're renting in Discovery Bay for 6 months. Okay. Highway 20.
10:33:45 Nice. And then of course we had the special meeting to approve the public hearing notice for the emergency appropriation on January eighth.
10:33:53 And then I met with Josh Peters for 45Â min and then I got on a road to Maple Valley.
10:33:59 And then the next week, Christmas week. Tuesday, nothing on my schedule at all. And.
10:34:07 And then we had the Troy retirement celebration, and no other meetings scheduled.
10:34:16 Oh, wait a minute, I'm in the wrong week. I'm gonna jump to January somehow.
10:34:26 So Wednesday the twenty-seventh, Tracy Coleman, our candidate for the Central Services.
10:34:32 Position came up to meet with staff. She met with staff from 11 to one. And staff were unanimous and giving Tracy the thumbs up.
10:34:43 I'm hoping to hear from her today regarding nothing yet. Tracy, come on. On down.
10:34:55 Yeah, well, she had another interview that same way. I think, very nice day. And so, we're probably going to get into a bidding war.
10:35:02 Then on the 20 eighth. I met with Brent and Josh. And then on the 20 ninth, met with Josh and then I took Brent out for lunch to celebrate his success this year.
10:35:15 He's not something big projects down and a couple of home runs. Really, proud of his work.
10:35:23 And then I met with Heidi to talk about a number of things, one of which was The chair position.
10:35:30 Hmm, alright. I still can't get online. Yeah, well I have a, then we don't have anything.
10:35:42 So, want to do some, calendaring. We're going to talk about next week or this one.
10:35:48 Yeah. I'm happy to go. Great, cause I have a bunch of stuff. One thing I wanted to, I was, could have mentioned it in briefing, but in calendaring.
10:36:00 Amanda and I have been talking about recompetes. And the potential for some.
10:36:08 4 workforce development in Jefferson County and so We're gonna meet with Scott Freeman and the Land Trust.
10:36:17 To talk about the eco industrial park at the airport and some other kind of emerging opportunities. Okay.
10:36:29 To see if there is a a node, a note of the recompete can't grant that could be about workforce forestry workforce development.
10:36:35 Jefferson County. So just wanted to say that out loud. So. You knew what was going on.
10:36:40 Yeah. And then. The natural climate solutions funding that enabled protection of 650 acres at Deba Bay and And then those additional acres that we're tacked on, we're still
trying to find out how that Mount Walker portion and not're still trying to find out how that Mount Walker portion and notch password.
10:37:04 How that Mount Walker portion and notch password chosen. In terms of really having the climate impact that that funding was allocated for.
10:37:10 And so. I know there was a meeting with DNR today. That some of the conservation and forestry work roundtable group we're going to.
10:37:19 So we'll get a report from that. But where you know not sure that those are the best additional acres and DNR in their letter to us said if you've got other ideas.
10:37:28 You know, send us your other ideas, but I don't have, I'm not coming with a set of additional or other ideas to propose.
10:37:36 I'm just saying that there's some conversations going on about or those. If we do actually have an additional 281 acres.
10:37:42 In Jefferson County. Are those the best acres? And So stay tuned on that front.
10:37:50 And then I am just letting you know on the calendar I'm out on Friday. Have a personal appointment in Seattle and then.
10:37:59 Old, hold the phones folks. I might go away for a week. The last week of the month, cause it's the fifth Monday.
10:38:09 I have the opportunity to. Actually, go away. So for more than 2 days. Nice.
10:38:14 Although is that when we have the Oh no, sorry, different retreat. January twentieth. Twentieth is our planning commission.
10:38:22 I retreat for the fair grounds on 27. I don't see anything that would I can call in for the budget meeting and that's the one meeting I have that.
10:38:30 Anyway, so I'll miss a couple of walks with Stacey. Stacey, I see you there, but that week, but I.
10:38:39 Anyway, so that's just putting a PIN in something. And then in terms of the coming week.
10:38:45 I have an MRC meeting tonight. Having coffee with Aaron Berg tomorrow just to get updates on what's going on at the port.
10:38:55 We do have Troy's send off tomorrow, which is going to be sad for me. It was fun to talk to him when he first took the job here and he said it was always my dream to work in
the courthouse.
10:39:04 So I finally got my dream job. So it's I know he's leaving a little earlier than he originally intended, but, I think that there's a good transition in place and I saw.
10:39:13 Gordon out there this morning, so. and then let's see, Thursday evening I have the.
10:39:21 Jefferson County Peninsula Trails Coalition cohort meeting. And then Friday I'll be out.
10:39:27 So that's the week ahead. Great. Yes. So of course with you guys today, not sure if I'm gonna be in the office to say goodbye to. Not sure if I'm gonna be in the office to say
goodbye to Troy.
10:39:42 I might have to take him out to lunch have a special meeting of the housing fund board to look through our supplementary applications.
10:39:48 $1590, the 60% that we had extra dollars. And then we have a strategy meeting for the North Olympic.
10:39:57 Recompete coalition since we're, you know, keeping the band together. Also tomorrow on Thursday there's a couple recompete meetings.
10:40:06 It's gonna be a chat. I have some conflicts to go to because they are the national meeting kind of the you know kick starting of the program.
10:40:16 So there's 2 of those, one for the strategy, one for the phase 2 applications at 10 and 1130.
10:40:22 Conflict conflicts with the O 3 A meeting and then I am meeting with the new executive and I believe first.
10:40:30 Executive director or fully funded executive director of the food bank. Meeting Patricia for lunch on Thursday.
10:40:37 Also I believe that Brennan they're trying to, kind of purchase a building to have a kind of purpose built food bank and or pre pantry in Brandon as well.
10:40:49 How they trying to build a building? No, no, they've got a couple they're looking at.
10:40:54 I think they're gonna buy the building, but it would could be a pretty significant remodel in making sure.
10:41:01 We did a ground breaking on them. First, oh, that was, you know, moving along and now we're talking. Brennan.
10:41:05 So that one's, you know, moving along and now we're talking. Brennan shares a space. That's great.
10:41:10 I forget it's like the neighborhood community center. And then my, little, AI, salon inter-county, AI salon is kicking off on Thursday as well.
10:41:21 So we'll. We go in person or we just have a go for you. Well, we'll do it virtually first, but we'll do it virtually first, but no, we'll do it virtually first, but no, we'll
do it virtually first, but no, we'll do it virtually first, but no, no, we're, talking about AI.
10:41:41 We're not, we're talking about AI. We're not, we're not, we're talking about AI. We're not, we're not just letting them take over yet.
10:41:51 You know, we're talking about challenges and opportunities. I think I'll probably do my, next week.
10:41:59 My presentation, if you guys wanted to see it too, part of A lot of AI went into it though, creating images.
10:42:01 And then meeting with the PLVC for their monthly meeting to represent the county. Meeting with some folks that have some questions about assessments in the senior discount,
senior property taxes on Friday, meeting with one of the assessors.
10:42:19 Staff members is joining me for that. Then meeting also on Friday with Mark and Josh to talk about grant coordination.
10:42:27 And I think I have another meeting, another recompete meeting for our kind of Jefferson County, Getting us getting the band together.
10:42:36 So a lot of lot of different coordination meetings for the recompetes, you know, and I think on Friday our meeting is largely because we have piff dollars that we approved today
to go into the Glencoe.
10:42:48 Planning that infrastructure and then we have $50,000 from the strategy grant that goes into this and we also have our, of course.
10:42:57 We applied for the middle housing grant that might go into it. So there's a bunch of different.
10:43:01 Strings that we need to unravel and just understand what's gonna do what. So coordinating with DCD that will, I believe shepherd that process.
10:43:09 Can I, interject just for a second that, in looking at the PIF agreements in the consent agenda today.
10:43:18 I was reminded that we really need to follow up again with ecology or the CDC on this.
10:43:24 Air quality. Yeah. Concerning the Heel Act and all that. Yeah.
10:43:37 Just, I mean, even before COVID, the CDC had started a study about, air quality in that area for residences and it was put on hold during COVID but I think before we get too
far down along a housing track we need to see the where that study is.
10:43:47 And try to get a definitive green light or not for housing there. Right. So CDC had a study that was started.
10:44:06 Who had been tasked with doing the study specifically on. Whether residential is appropriate. In the main kind of Bloom path of the mill.
10:44:17 When I tried to contact that researcher, she was, she'd been reassigned during COVID.
10:44:23 And there was no pathway to even track her down. So, and there was no pathway to even track her down.
10:44:30 So, I'm forgetting the name of the same guy has been assigned to our paper.
10:44:37 Yeah, and I'm forgetting the name of the same guy. Yeah. And I'm forgetting the name of the same guy has been the Japanese name and I'm blanking on, contacted him for a few
years but you can find out I'd be happy to bird dog that.
10:44:45 Okay great yeah yeah I think it's really important. Okay, great. Yeah, I think it's really important.
10:44:55 We. Oh yeah, no, it's critical. I mean, we wanna figure out earlier rather than later, right?
10:45:00 And yeah, although the State Department of Health was tasked with doing report not specifically on residential but on the air quality impacts of the mail that was published
recently and it's funny I found it like somebody I didn't even know posted it on Facebook.
10:45:06 Somehow it didn't come through official channels. And it was really inconclusive, like there was no, evidence that, that deleterious impact.
10:45:18 Correct. Yeah, to help to human health. But it would be different in, obviously in residential, right, living right in the most concentrated area.
10:45:29 So. And especially environmental justice and the Heal Act. And I'm like, yeah, no, I appreciate that.
10:45:37 On ecology's website, the contact information for port downs and paper is, the contact information for port dunes and paper. On ecology's website, the contact information for
port down and paper is Emily toffle.
10:45:45 Okay.
10:45:45 And that's my week. Alright. My. New Year's resolution is to get my calendar working.
10:45:56 So what I think my week looks like. Unfortunately missing, Economic Development Council.
10:46:05 Finance Committee meeting today with our unusual Tuesday meeting. I need to see if I can jump back into the, the riparian roundtable.
10:46:17 The group that's been working on some policy recommendations, I did not participate last summer. I'm just, I was out from some medical leave.
10:46:28 So depending on how our conversation goes this afternoon on committee assignments. Hoping to be able to jump back into that, which starts again tomorrow.
10:46:36 We do indeed have a housing fun board special meeting tomorrow. Then have a meeting on the, new draft on site septic code with Department of Health tomorrow afternoon and then
a transit advisory group meeting tomorrow evening.
10:46:52 Thursday have an EDC meeting in the morning. So probably have to take virtually on my way to Olympia to the legislative steering committee.
10:47:00 We have a all afternoon session getting ready for legislative session and and get ripped back into sharing. It was really nice.
10:47:09 Yeah, you just you were out for like a week. Yeah, they pulled me back in. So, that will, you know, you were out for like a week. Yeah, they pulled me back in. So, that will,
you know, it gets easier.
10:47:21 It's my third year. But so, hopefully not too much effort. So gone most of Thursday.
10:47:25 Yeah, yeah, exactly. It's not going to be a big year then Friday have a fair grounds executive committee meeting and then plan to attend the centrom open house at Fort Warden.
10:47:36 And that is my week. Mark, you wanna report out on your week? Yeah, my week's pretty open.
10:47:46 I know scheduled appointments. Tomorrow other than Troy's retirement. What time is on Thursday?
10:47:55 Except I got I'm having surgery on this hand on the nineteenth. At the hospital on Thursday and then.
10:48:04 Meeting with Apple in the morning on Friday and then with Josh at 11. And then the grant coordination meeting that Greg mentioned.
10:48:14 With Josh. One o'clock. So simple week. And, was it noon tries?
10:48:25 1 30. Tomorrow? Okay.
10:48:31 Troy? Yeah. Send off. Okay, hope I can make it.
10:48:37 Alright. We are obviously Burn and through our agenda pretty quickly. An efficient chair.
10:48:47 That's right. What's the, we could dig into board and committee assignments this morning.
10:48:53 There was an appetite for that. Or we could do some. Discussion of, you know, if we want to do any work planning for the year.
10:49:10 As a board, you know, set any, goals or we could adjourn early. Or recess early for lunch.
10:49:19 I haven't thought about work goals for the board yet so I could brainstorm but I don't have any real.
10:49:24 Ideas. I don't think we need public input for the boards and committees, so I'd be happy to dig into that if you want.
10:49:30 Okay, great. And maybe, we could. Have a conversation next week or the next couple of weeks about board goals for 2024. Good.
10:49:43 Last year we had department work plan briefings to the board. I talked to Heidi about that on Friday and she thought that that was valuable and so am I free to schedule those
again.
10:49:57 I'd like to do a earlier this year. That's great. And I think it would be good if they.
10:50:03 Took a review of the strategic plan as part of that briefing so that we're you know, in part in the spirit of implement, effectively implementing our strategic plan is just
making sure that the departments that are overseeing different strategic plan goals and strategies are.
10:50:20 Yeah. Yeah, I think it would be great. Thank you. Yeah, and maybe I wonder too if maybe I really like that idea of some having some.
10:50:28 Context. And then to maybe I really like that idea of some having some, context.
10:50:33 And then to maybe just some guidance, you know, I don't want sometimes we get, you know, departments doing a ton of work and then others not doing much and you know maybe trying
to put some guardrails on, you know.
10:50:43 10Â min presentation and then followed by a discussion. Knowing, you know, having just done the budget. Presentations and that budget season will be upon us again before we
know it, you know, just how to make it not too much work for the departments, but so give us an idea of their priorities and goals and.
10:51:04 Particularly as they pretend to this, strategic plan. I think it's a great idea. But I'm just hearing.
10:51:11 Out my opinions to folks have. Other feelings that any guidance we want to give departments? I think giving.
10:51:18 In a containment, you know. So that they're all kind of consistent is good. Yeah, we don't need to know every single thing every department is doing, but.
10:51:28 Primary goals. Did you plans great context for the presentations? Great.
10:51:33 Alright, can I go back one bit? Just a calendaring. I'm not sure. I don't think or remember I had forgotten the save and then we didn't have a recording but I don't know who
was supposed to do county coordination this Friday.
10:51:45 I'm sorry. Counted connections on the KPG. Oh, I wondered about that too.
10:51:49 Well, I know it was one of you because I know I put my my name on my calendar when I have to do it.
10:51:55 I'm on for the nineteenth. Okay, so yeah, I did maybe with me. I don't know.
10:52:00 And I knew that I was out when we talked about it last. Why don't I do this week unless you're eager to do it, Kate.
10:52:08 Yeah, I'm scheduled for the twelfth. Okay. The next week. So.
10:52:14 Well, is Kate. I was thinking about doing an MLK theme. Nice.
10:52:21 19 is Heidi. Alright, I'll just hit see right now. Great.
10:52:29 Yeah, that's enough for now. I don't want. I'll be doing that also on Friday.
10:52:36 Hmm. That works for your schedule. I have a conflict. No, I have the grant coordination.
10:52:42 Right after that. But it'll be fine. Some point. It probably is time for the recompete again.
10:52:49 Yeah. Yep. Alright, actually take a look at. Just a shout out to Wendy housekeeper, our new dear Wendy.
10:53:00 She did a great job of. Getting her head around the boards and committees. That's a great one for her to learn.
10:53:06 That's high felt like cities. She go right in and made it. That's great. All right.
10:53:13 And so we sent it up in a word, documented. I only have this PDF.
10:53:20 Oh, maybe it was PDF. Yeah, it's the one I want to test our agenda.
10:53:24 I think that's someone out too. Be nice. Of one week. Oh, she did.
10:53:30 You're right.
10:53:32 Hmm.
10:53:36 Alright, how do you wanna? Wanna walk through. I'm happy I could share my screen.
10:53:46 Sounds good. Good already move except 3 points right over the account. Oh, do you want me to do it?
10:53:54 That's okay. I can. Get there. I'm just not, I want to get kicked out of my.
10:53:58 Computer. I lost my zoom.
10:54:02 Oh.
10:54:05 No rush this morning.
10:54:13 Caroline, if you don't mind, bring me over.
10:54:40 Okay.
10:54:55 Hmm.
10:54:59 In there.
10:55:04 Alright. They need to move the chair points right over to you. Hmm.
10:55:21 Right. Just go down the list. Sounds good. Happy to stay as behavioral advisory community.
10:55:30 Chair and, you know, we will likely see. And Anna keeps threatening to retire, so I feel like it's growing more and more imminent all the time, but.
10:55:41 And I have talked about it and she just thinks it would be good for continuity sake for me to stay in the chair.
10:55:47 As she potentially transitions out. I'm not sure if it's this year next. Sounds good.
10:55:53 And 2 points still. Yeah, that's, yeah, it's pretty. It's bigger than one lift for sure.
10:56:02 And sometimes even bigger than that. Depends, but. I'd say too is good. Behavioral health consortium.
10:56:11 I'm happy to keep that. It's, you know. Where we should we don't have a regular meetings right now but there's still a lot of kind of organization and say one is appropriate
and happy to keep it.
10:56:23 I wish to check and make sure that times are accurate on here too. We can just say TBD on that one.
10:56:32 It's not. Not accurate right now.
10:56:37 And, are yours accurate there? I do the, they are and behavioral health and It has a hard conflict with tourism coordinating council, so I'll be looking to shuffle out of that
one.
10:56:52 Okay. Cause it come and conflicts every single time. Budget committee we all sit on obviously. It's hardly even a 1 point.
10:57:05 It should become drainage district. It's still me. I think it might be a 2 this year.
10:57:16 Cause there's 3 things going on. There's the port short farm committee. I'm gonna be on that.
10:57:21 There's the contract with our consultants. To continue work with us on the Greenage District and there's the conservation districts.
10:57:30 Jim become watershed planning process. So I think that's a 2 this year. Okay. Do you wanna add those or, add them to the?
10:57:42 Special appointments maybe at the end. Let's see. Let's just see how it goes.
10:57:50 Okay. Let's in in medicine as PRN as needed. I tend to think how to signal as needed.
10:58:03 Alright, and Quinn, I'm not sure if Quinn still online, but she already started sending me calendar.
10:58:17 Elections. No, she's not on there. So I'll forward the one that I got.
10:58:22 Okay. I'll be in touch with her. Alright, Chip youth advisory board is, it's been kind of re activated with Barbara Jones.
10:58:33 And it's gonna be Cha this year too, right? Yeah, I don't think we will get an update a little while, have we on board of health and.
10:58:42 The Cha. I mean, I should I know that Barr's been doing a lot of lot of that work down south end.
10:58:49 I'm not, yeah, I'm not sure. I think it's it might ramp up this year.
10:58:53 Yeah, no, I would think so. I think we're required to do it this year, aren't we?
10:58:59 But we don't have it yet. So, right. I'm trying to think it would it be more appropriate to ask for briefing from any board of health?
10:59:07 Good. Good. Start there, you know, it impacts everyone. So I feel like better to share the wealth.
10:59:16 Alright, but just leaving this like that is seems as you are and you say it is. Spinning up.
10:59:26 Yeah, although I do feel like I have had a number of conflicts. But I imagine I could see this changing then with the child work.
10:59:34 So happy to leave it as is. Climate action committee. Happy to stand in that role.
10:59:43 I know it might be something of interest to other people though. And
10:59:48 Anyone have? As you like, I mean, I'm. Got my own some of your committees, but not necessarily that one.
10:59:55 Is there any I mean, I've done a little bit of climate stuff with all the forest stuff.
10:59:58 Is there any? So like a good time for transition. I know the climate action plan just got completed, right?
11:00:08 Climate action, what was something was just that? I don't know. I just don't know if it's a good time for.
11:00:15 Oh, and it's also Tuesday's. Yeah, after now. Day for you. Oh yeah, that's like multiple conflicts.
11:00:22 Okay. County coordination meeting Usually goes to the chair, but yeah, is that something we want to?
11:00:35 Has that been beneficial to keep doing that? Oh yeah, I think so. I mean, it's great for, definitely.
11:00:41 It's a good just Nexus point for County leadership to come together. I think a strategic planning gets implemented a little bit.
11:00:51 Way downward. It is Wayne, but we have 10 people there. Last time. Wonder if it's worth.
11:00:58 Considering if that could be more. Valuable or is it? We talked about it as an important opportunity for strategic plan implementation.
11:01:08 So.
11:01:09 An opportunity to check in on. To share.
11:01:19 Just thinking like would it be worthwhile to consider? I don't know, other structures like a kind of the old model of our quarterly meeting but more of a casual brown bag on
Mondays.
11:01:32 Yeah, no, no one ever brings the brown back. But. I know. And then we're the only one it's eating.
11:01:44 We have to. Okay, well, maybe, maybe at the. First of these this year I will pull the group and see what is what's valuable about it and see if there's a way that we could restructure
it.
11:01:58 You know, I think there's some. There's a lot of benefit to having all 3 of us there.
11:02:04 But I also know that it's, you know, that complicates it and requires a lot more staff to, so I'm thinking something like a brown bag when already in session, you know, just
so happens the one on the nineteenth is.
11:02:16 Okay, so we can talk about it there. Be nice if it was in person. I guess we could set the room up.
11:02:28 I'm just craving in person. Just wanna make sure it's, We can give you the contract.
11:02:38 You schedule meetings with, courtrooms. It's in that really don't go.
11:02:39 That's why it's almost more important to find the room first. Okay. And it looks like everybody should have that on their calendar.
11:02:48 Hmm, alright. Hmm.
11:02:58 My H.
11:03:07 First Thursday is 9 to 110 yeah, this is one of the ones I had my eyes on if you were interested in letting it go just because.
11:03:18 I think it ties in with recompete. I'm working with the EDC. And so, yeah, no, I'd be happy to.
11:03:27 I often have complex and feel badly that I can't attend. Yeah, no, I'd be happy to.
11:03:30 I often have complex and feel badly that I can't attend. Yeah, this week is it this week? It is.
11:03:31 I do have a Oh yes, is it third? When is it? First Thursday, 9 to 11.
11:03:41 First Thursday, 9 to 11. So that does conflict with OH 3 A. I don't know if anyone is interested in.
11:03:47 Yeah, yeah, one's just the recompete meeting of this week. How, heavy a lift is Oh, 3 A.
11:03:54 It's not that heavy. I mean, I don't have a lot of it's very.
11:03:58 Policy centers very, you know, professional staff. It's an hour long meeting usually and it's we get updates but they're not.
11:04:08 Yeah, I'd say it's a one, definitely. Monthly. Okay, it's contents with LSC, which there would only be, depending on the.
11:04:18 Thursday. It's the, I mean, it's this week. It was first Thursday. It's every So it might be 3.
11:04:25 Oh no, just February and March conflict this year. Virtual. If there's one meeting in person per year, maybe 2, but so it's almost always virtual.
11:04:33 I don't have a conflict ever. I could do it.
11:04:39 If you want. Yeah, I would, I would, sounds like you have LSC.
11:04:46 Yeah. Few months of the year. Okay, okay, I can do that one. Okay.
11:04:52 Sorry everybody, look away, I have to scroll.
11:05:00 Yes.
11:05:09 Remember the first year we did this. I'm still the new commissioner. I was like Oh, let me just be flexible with this.
11:05:18 And I'm like, no. Hey we all do our quarterly meeting. Empowered teams each doing those.
11:05:28 Yep. Yep. Okay.
11:05:37 We're an advisory committee. Does that really Every month now? I know.
11:05:47 And, I mean, it hasn't met in ages that I know of, so let's maybe put this one on hold. Sure.
11:05:56 Then we have you for finance. Okay. And we probably should add the fairgrounds if it's not on here. Okay. And, we probably should add the, fairgrounds if it's not on here.
11:06:07 That seems like it Yeah, yeah. That's a good idea.
11:06:15 I don't know.
11:06:31 It's easy to just insert. Come on. On the road. Hmm.
11:06:46 Where are we at? She's putting in the fairgrounds. Hmm.
11:07:01 Might might wanna move that. Yeah, I'm just it is that their association.
11:07:20 We'll come back to it. Just wanna put a place holder in before I forget. Okay.
11:07:28 Good luck, sewer project, Heidi. Still. Still tracking with the sewer. Right.
11:07:38 Board of Health. But now coordinating council. I'm happy to.
11:07:47 Take the leaves about maybe wanting to. I mean, it fits with other things I'm, you know, with I'm straight at year in and.
11:07:55 Subject. And keeps that in the cluster. I don't know. Would it be, I'm just thinking with the new executive director and, newly, yeah, longest standard.
11:08:12 Yeah, remember, I wonder if could we put that off maybe? And I think. I think the scoring is probably not accurate.
11:08:23 Just do it. I'm happy to just have it be a one. It indicates all of us as a one and we certainly aren't putting that in.
11:08:29 I would take them off of ours.
11:08:33 Alright, Keep that. And at some point you might want housing. Yeah.
11:08:47 I mean, like that was the first conversation we had as commissioners together. You guys were really excited.
11:08:53 So I. Don't with. I mean, I feel like the funding boards take more. Work.
11:09:00 And so if I hold PIF and behavioral health, I feel like that's. Enough.
11:09:13 Okay, Greg, I wonder, I feel like I should maybe be a one here and you 2 as chair.
11:09:13 Sure.
11:09:21 I was just, IS that Rennie, I'm thinking of that ready. It's intellectual developmental disability board.
11:09:29 Happy to keep that unless someone's eager for it. Often there's a Fourth Tuesday.
11:09:36 Yeah. Often slight conflicts, but usually I can make it. Yeah, that would be another problem with.
11:09:44 Oh no, no, Baba, It can't be at the same time as B. Is what How are we?
11:09:58 Well, let's, I'm happy to take that if. There's any interest, but.
11:10:02 I mean, yeah, I feel like right now I'm need to get stuff, not lose stuff, but so it's a Slow impact, happy, we can come back to it.
11:10:14 I just feel like in terms of behavioral health, it's good to get as much kind of subject matter.
11:10:21 Reason for. Transition to work programs. I mean, it's going to ramp up a little bit this year.
11:10:32 It might might be a little more impact. It's still a one, I think.
11:10:36 Okay, let's leave it for now. I'll highlight stuff that we might wanna return to.
11:10:45 Oh yeah, it was on there at 1030. Thanks, No, good catch.
11:10:56 Mmm. 1130 to 1230.
11:11:02 Although that always conflicts with radio show. You know, I just leave a little early if I do it or virtually.
11:11:11 I mean, you, you can spin off. It doesn't just, you know, it takes 5Â min to get, so it's not, it's not that much.
11:11:17 Okay. Yeah. Well, I'll believe it when I see it. I've been talking, I, I listen to the entire New Year's Eve show and it was mentioned more than once.
11:11:27 Okay.
11:11:30 And I see. All of us. Happy to keep the left one. Okay, great.
11:11:38 Is accurate. 9 1 one admin. Happy to keep that. We've got actually a lot of special meetings for the disability left one, but it's not, they're short.
11:11:48 Okay, and 2 points still good for 9 1 one. Yeah, I guess.
11:11:58 Fair grounds. I don't know how to classify the department. I mean BOCCCCCC.
11:12:09 Yeah, I think BOC. Subject to OPMA. I mean, what would the art will be?
11:12:17 Yeah, maybe BOC, maybe agency because it is a Sounds. I would take as we contract, right, with them?
11:12:26 Or yeah, but it's good to note that they aren't. If we put BSC.
11:12:29 Right. Yeah. Okay. Sorry to scroll.
11:12:40 I don't know what these. I don't know what you're going to. No.
11:12:49 This one's a little bit. Unique. The next the X is county administrator needed.
11:12:59 Gosh, we're in this like still building the ship.
11:13:06 Good. So, there will be more. No, but, there's gonna be a lot of review of county.
11:13:12 I have policies and leases and stuff. So yes, you're roped in. Mark. Hmm.
11:13:21 Yes. Yeah. Does that have a regular meeting? It does.
11:13:28 I have to think about what they are first and All of your times you're in here at mountain time, right?
11:13:33 Right. No, she's just trying to fix her now. They're not break it, right?
11:13:45 I'm just, yeah, I know, throwing wrenches everywhere.
11:13:47 Realistically, this really is a 2. A lot of now. I'm hoping it's less, but.
11:13:53 That is probably unrealistic. For little while. Jabad is not meeting regularly, you know, kind of, but this and I've not been, Yeah, just, yeah, on hold.
11:14:08 Is it a 2 or? I'd say it's still one just because there's often.
11:14:15 You know, the WASAC committee and stuff, but there's not.
11:14:23 Hello. I'm fine sticking with that. Shape prep. Oh.
11:14:34 The whole board, right? I don't think it's been meeting still. I, I can't remember the last week, but I don't think it's been.
11:14:42 Shall we say it's on hold?
11:14:46 Who would know, Willie?
11:14:48 Willie Hello. We're gonna we're gonna have some Jay prep action this week, Willie.
11:14:55 This this year, I mean.
11:14:59 No, he's not. He's not. A chance of somebody actually listening. He's not. Oh, he is on there. He is up there.
11:15:10 Yeah, his computer is. Right. I'm chatting with them. I mean, if it's a, I mean, we all have it the same.
11:15:16 So it's just, it's a wash either way, doesn't matter. Hmm.
11:15:23 Although I mean, oh, I send it to you, Caroline. That's alright. I haven't.
11:15:30 Be fine to designate someone but I mean, I'd be happy to take it. To be the lead of it.
11:15:41 Yeah, I mean, I keep being the lead. Yeah, I've never been to.
11:15:59 Transit. I would have said if I'd known this last year that it's 2 or 3.
11:16:05 But you're gonna cycle out of chair. Ben is chair this year, so. But it's when your chair is definitely more than a one.
11:16:13 Especially if we do the whole 3 60 review yourself. Wow. What else would we have done?
11:16:22 No, I'm giving you props. I'll take. I'll tech was one I was.
11:16:28 Contemplating Kate's taking. Cause she's never, she said, I've never served on that one.
11:16:34 So, and then just as needed. It's scheduled as it's like a funding cycle and so it's Mostly fall September stuff.
11:16:46 That's a good time. And checking in with Mark. I mean, Mark works on LTAC a lot, so it's coordinating funding amounts with Mark and Judy and then.
11:16:54 Letting up the calendar for. An underrepresented. Do that one too. I think you can also go to the PCC naturally so when we about that.
11:17:09 And I would love to workshop LTCC naturally. So when we about that, and I would love to workshop LTAC and TCC soon.
11:17:12 Cause I have some thoughts coming out of the last funding round. I'd like to pass along to you all.
11:17:26 It was just more work last year.
11:17:32 I wonder if, I should. Add any points for the Board of Health Chair. 2 additional meetings with the chair and then the climate.
11:17:47 Feels like it at another point. Yeah. Are you chair this year? Okay, you're gonna have like 40 points.
11:17:55 Yeah, totally. And then some things out of our hands. Okay. Oops.
11:18:05 Okay.
11:18:19 No. You do want to take out tech? Sure. Yeah, I feel like that's more natural.
11:18:30 And complex. And there is a meeting next week. I know the TCC,
11:18:36 It's funny the way the columns read. My column is G and Heidi's column is H.
11:18:44 Thank you. No, the Isn't the total column? Oh, I see. And that's too for real tech.
11:18:55 I think Heidi's eye. I think, age might be. I think she is the Total, right?
11:19:01 Oh, total. Okay. That's why I was going. But I don't think that I is.
11:19:07 Me, I think. District 1 2 3 yeah should phrase the top I know. Just afraid of screwing up.
11:19:18 Too much with it. Marine Resources Committee. Happy to keep it. Mental health field response team.
11:19:28 It, yeah, very infrequent. And let's see, and is it still meeting?
11:19:35 Yep, and I had the I had a conflict with the last one, but it was just as scheduled.
11:19:39 So. That would be something I would just check in with. During calendaring.
11:19:46 Niko? Happy to keep that. Still been. Tracking with that one.
11:19:54 And ODC. I take that one from you if you let it go. Just to kind of.
11:20:00 Learn more about the workforce. Development, but not a big deal. I would. There's some question as to.
11:20:07 The chair for this year because. Mark and I, Mark, Osayis and I both are on legislative steering committee, which flicks with this during, legislative session.
11:20:18 So if that's a good time for you. It might mean rolling into the share role. Yeah, yeah, of course.
11:20:27 Fourth, fourth. Thursday and it's pretty easy. It was something else that was for Thursday.
11:20:35 Oh, what else? Third Thursday. Yeah, no, I think. That's where in the morning.
11:20:42 Yeah. That works. Great. Hmm.
11:20:47 Nola, I'm happy to keep. That makes sense. Hi, you've got Olympic area on aging.
11:20:55 And then, And is that first Thursday? Yes. 10 to 11, really. 10 to maybe 1130, but 10 is really 10 to 11.
11:21:15 And I'm just I was chair this past year but we'll have a new chair. Okay.
11:21:22 Send you a note. It makes sense because I'm the oldest. Right. Yeah, and get the aging one on there.
11:21:33 Oh, just about ready for our AFP membership. Happy. It's still in my forties. I got me. Still in my forties. I keep going.
11:21:42 I'm like, I just keep throw recycling in. Some real perks I think. Okay, because National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Board.
11:21:52 Very long title. Happy to keep that one. I mean, if you're driving, just cause it's like a 2 day thing.
11:22:02 And then if I wanted to name one as well. Have they been in person? That was the travel was why it was in person.
11:22:11 No, we're doing them in person now. Only cap is second, Thursday at 5 30 now.
11:22:18 Happy to keep that since they. Shift to the schedule partially because of my I wasn't the only person that struggled with apparently, but I was the one.
11:22:25 Great.
11:22:29 That's probably a 2 now. You know, there were times when I Yeah, it's 2.
11:22:35 I'm not the chair now.
11:22:38 Hmm. Olympic consortium board, that is workforce development. Hmm.
11:22:47 Have they been meeting regularly? They do. There comes all your canvassing board things from. Yeah, yeah, I'm happy to take it if you want for consistency across that, but I
don't.
11:22:59 I don't know anything about them. I often have conflict. Okay, well yeah, I'll take it.
11:23:04 Yeah, happy too. Giving ones up I've had for so long. Look at our tallies to see how Okay.
11:23:15 And it's Friday's 9 am to noon. Okay. Does that work?
11:23:22 Yeah, I think.
11:23:25 It depends on which Friday of course.
11:23:31 Olympic discovery trail. Oh, I could do you want to know which Friday? Yeah.
11:23:41 We have had a number of. And challenges with the this calendar. Oh yeah.
11:23:49 Hmm.
11:24:01 Like the third Friday. Good. That does conflict with.
11:24:07 Say English BHS.
11:24:12 Hmm. And it looks like PRTPO.
11:24:27 Right, which one is talking about? Here at APO. I started to look for. The Olympic Consortium Board.
11:24:36 Yeah, which is about. Oh, see, I don't know. They sent up calendar invites and then they, but then they all say canceled.
11:24:45 Oh, yeah. Just super helpful. Yeah. I've been emailing with staff trying to get it figured out.
11:24:51 Hmm. Well, maybe highlight that one and come after we look at their TPO. Does seem like they're all at the same time.
11:24:59 You can always try that. Yeah, I also am I going to see meetings at the same time.
11:25:08 No cancel them. This is this is Olympic consortium board. Yeah. 2 months.
11:25:18 Fridays are generally pretty good for me, but it's not really. Greg's trying to consolidate.
11:25:24 So that doesn't help with that. The first. 20 months you're just reading that whole acronym page the whole time.
11:25:34 Like what are we talking about? But happy to share it.
11:25:39 Yeah, I can. It's in behavioral help. There's a lot of interface for BHC.
11:25:44 Okay, so we have all at the same time is PRTPO Olympic Consortium Board and Sailors.
11:25:54 Yeah, so. And I have another conflict, but maybe, maybe it's different. These are all third Fridays.
11:26:04 I think so.
11:26:05 Just double check the schedule.
11:26:39 That looks like MRC isn't a conflict. It's more. Hmm. Okay.
11:26:48 First and second. So I should be able to do one of these. Okay.
11:27:02 Sounds like one of us needs to do each of these. So I'm happy to do Salish behavioral health services organization.
11:27:10 Greg, I love both PRTP and OCB, so. Well, I'm there.
11:27:20 I think they're both appealing too, but. Like if I'm jumping into the workforce development, I could see doing the Olympic consortium board.
11:27:30 Bye. It was on my wish list too, but happy to keep OCB a few. I mean, it would be nice to have that synergy with.
11:27:43 I think it makes sense for me to do that. And I, yeah, I think it makes sense.
11:27:47 Okay. Hmm. So Greg's doing no CB. Okay.
11:27:54 How do you said you're, I am scrolling.
11:28:05 And then it, it remains to be seen once we throw up our calendar. Right.
11:28:15 Okay, so they'll let me discovery trail. I'm happy to keep it and it's 2 meetings now because I do the Jefferson County meeting and the
11:28:29 So, you know, it doesn't mean it's a 2, but it's too, I'll put the other meeting on here.
11:28:35 Okay, when is that? It's yeah, it's and you're happy to keep this the first Thursday, I believe.
11:28:43 I can keep them. It's the first Thursday. Also in the evening. I have a conflict this week but I'll just let them know they're.
11:28:55 Usually. Okay, it was filling in and merely now is the. Jefferson County Chair now. Oh good.
11:29:03 Yeah, I heard great. Upsilby stepping down. He's still on the board.
11:29:07 He's so glad that Jefferson County Lee, but he's contributing a lot. Good to all the meetings.
11:29:13 Orca? Happy to keep that. Gosh, so 2. Why is it that you?
11:29:25 You had to go in person. Yeah, yeah. We're going, it's a one really because we're doing it. We do one meeting in person.
11:29:41 So yeah, the driving to Olympia once in a while was a hassle, but it's really just some of the stuff we haven' Parks and Recadvisor.
11:29:44 Yeah, that's now. It's this first Thursday at 3 30. I often have a conflict with.
11:29:58 But it's only, it's not. Let me see if I have the schedule for that.
11:30:04 I also. End up with getting the calendar invite the week of it the meeting usually I'm like oh right I have that too.
11:30:11 I know I really hope. We can get departments like really good about calendar invite with zoom link. Yeah.
11:30:18 And agenda. First Thursday at. 3 30, I think. I mean, I love that committee, so I'm happy to take it back.
11:30:28 Well yeah, I always, you know, either running out of PLC and feel like I give them short shrift or.
11:30:34 Order late. Alright, let's let's put the height down there.
11:30:43 I'm still a one. Yes.
11:30:51 And we're gonna keep you at PRTPO, right? It's gonna be good to see what our, I'm dying to know.
11:30:59 Okay. Okay, so one.
11:31:07 Happy to keep this. I feel like. It's more of a one than a 2. I think we have all the boards at AM.
11:31:18 That piff is kind of a one time thing. Yeah. Not as many applications as El Packer.
11:31:25 So I give that a one.
11:31:28 Straight. Happy to keep it. I would say.
11:31:35 I feel like there's so much up in the air with LIOs that I feel like it probably is still a 2 because I feel like I worry about it more than the stress level.
11:31:45 But quarterly meeting. 1.5. I mean, Do you chair? I do.
11:31:55 Yeah. I co chair with Steve Deringger and he does show up sometimes which is great but I Do all the meeting planning and coordination with Kara.
11:32:09 Solid waste advisory committee. I would not give that over my dead body. That was kidding. So my I don't know why I gave it away the first time.
11:32:21 Sorry, I'm Can I go back to? So is that 9 am to noon Pretty much.
11:32:34 Okay. And solid waste advisory is still Thursday, 3 to 5, 4 Thursdays, 3 to 5.
11:32:40 Did I just take some other fourth Thursday thing? Yeah, I think it was a third Thursday. Second.
11:32:50 Yep, so far. Oh, and the other thing with that, solid waste. Is that Alice trying?
11:33:02 Solid waste advisory committee meetings with a capital planning committee. So the request to you as can I just be the commissioner working on solid waste and And the capital
phone?
11:33:14 Yeah, cause it's gonna happen. Okay. I was holding on to that was my friend and else, but the delay, it's hard to hurt the, It's changing.
11:33:24 So the plans changing. Okay. We've got a lower one. Josh Piers will be talking to you, in the future meeting about potentially a.
11:33:38 I'm in the meeting. So we don't have information on that yet, but does coming down.
11:33:46 Okay, good. Okay, that will be. Big number.
11:33:55 Should put a placeholder in is that gonna be just one of us on that? So Josh has a whole plan to talk to you about this at a future meeting.
11:34:04 But it's, being tossed around one commissioner or 3. And we're trying to move 9 meetings at 5.
11:34:10 And what's ICT for all? I don't think we were at all that feels like it to be coming.
11:34:17 That's why I'm kinda jumping the gun, but I just want you to be aware of that.
11:34:19 Probably all 3 of us. Hmm. Should put a placeholder in. I'm wrong.
11:34:35 I know. Oh, it's gonna be obvious. Okay.
11:34:51 Hmm.
11:34:58 Hmm.
11:35:02 Tourism gardening in council. I asked Kate if she would do that if she's going to do LTAC because it's a real good.
11:35:10 Does that look very well? Between those 2. And, but I think you put it on me because you've got too much time.
11:35:18 I feel I think I ended up with LTAC. I could take a TCC as well.
11:35:25 Hmm, great.
11:35:34 What's that, coastal caucus?
11:35:38 Happy to keep serving that role. It's very minimal. And I like going to the meetings when they're at, you know, the conference and stuff.
11:35:48 If you ever need a backup, I'm happy to. Okay. I'm stuck with LSC,
11:36:04 Happy to stick with. Denver, The work continues. Is it a 3 or 10, it was the total line was at 3, but.
11:36:17 That's weird. Yeah, I think this should only be a 2, especially in a short session.
11:36:24 Bye, Timber counties is a one. Okay, there's probably more timber related work in special assignments.
11:36:31 I'm on the broadband WASSAC committee, but I rarely go. Because it's, you know, just to fill out the bead.
11:36:38 Application. Up in my list in the WASA. Mossack federal issues committee.
11:36:51 Heidi. Happy to keep it.
11:36:54 What are utility coordinating council? Not has not been active all it sounds like we might but it will be soon.
11:37:02 Right. So I don't know if you want to choose a commissioner. Where are the utilities located?
11:37:12 Is that the smaller water district? Or this is the PD the city. And then all the class A water system.
11:37:23 And so that project is ramping up. Public health conference and sound like. I say water systems are.
11:37:31 Increasingly sticky wickets. Big problem in Brandon too. You can put my name on it if you want.
11:37:38 Yeah, happy to do it. A lot of South County stuff in there.
11:37:47 Yeah, It was a Phil that. Was was presenting to us where we talked about the need to start this.
11:37:56 There's some new legislation required as part of the the new climate resilience element and growth management where we're required to plan for water.
11:38:08 So.
11:38:11 And probably count plans. Also.
11:38:17 You're a man, Greg. You know, recompetes the way I have like weekly meetings now.
11:38:25 I think probably there should be a recompete entry. Our Jewish this year. Okay, I can find our reports coming from here.
11:38:34 Other people. No, no, it's all. Additive, right? I hope so, yes.
11:38:43 The plan. 2, Greg, you think? Yeah.
11:38:52 Oh, there's our totals hiding.
11:38:55 Wow, they're pretty close. Yeah, not bad.
11:39:00 That's astonishing. We're good. So. What about, let's see, anything Kate's keeping.
11:39:13 Yeah, I'm not. I'm not doing it's not TLT work anymore, but now it's the Climate commitment act funding.
11:39:24 That other DNR work group. I'm still on the rack though I haven't gone.
11:39:31 But I'll if I'm not chair I can go to their Monday meetings since they always seem to do that.
11:39:38 Hmm.
11:39:41 Oh yeah, is that? You can just take a rack is there. You can just take a rack is there.
11:39:49 You can just take, transfer out of the DNR one.
11:39:51 Okay, but you still have your I'm on that the proviso work group now. Okay.
11:39:59 Sorry, you were saying that I missed it.
11:40:03 Hmm.
11:40:07 Shoreline hearing board. Boy that. That proved to be challenging this year. Cause they want you for a whole week.
11:40:13 And I just, there was no way and I had to pull out at the last minute and it was, that was.
11:40:19 I didn't feel like that was a good thing. But. I don't really know how it would be different for any of us to serve on that.
11:40:26 And I don't know how that we could. I'll have someone else. Right. But still, I mean, it's just, I don't know how you do you have.
11:40:36 Okay, do you have boards that ask for a week of your time? And then it was just. Because we are in budget writing season here.
11:40:45 I was like, no, I, I can't. No, I wonder. Cwp and strategic plan implementation.
11:40:54 Are we gonna dedicate one of us to working on those? I've been working on.
11:40:59 And are there just Other things, I don't know. Other duties are assigned. Well, the the community wildfire projection plan should be completed soon.
11:41:13 And I think comments or do what. January sixteenth? Lots of people that worked on that. I mean, how do we wanna accommodate strategic plan implementation?
11:41:25 How do we wanna acknowledge that work?
11:41:28 Just have you be the board rep? And that's what's that's what happened all last year.
11:41:35 What's the score? Are we within one right now?
11:41:46 And I'm happy to stick with strategic plan. Implementation if you want to add a line for that.
11:41:55 The special assignments I guess. I'll be. Oh yeah. Gonna work it's water utility coordinating.
11:42:32 No, Make sure you guys are counseling. On.
11:42:42 The Olympic coast.
11:42:49 That's my sanctuary.
11:42:53 Okay. Oh, council. Not bored.
11:43:07 Was there another one that he had? That was already on there. Okay. Make sense?
11:43:21 Eagle eyes. Thanks Josh. Yeah. Hmm.
11:43:27 So we still had IDD. Fourth Tuesday, 3 to 5. I can keep it.
11:43:42 Hungry for it. He might have to give up something else. No, I'm fine. Looks like we're.
11:43:48 Well, balance. So.
11:43:52 I'll hold on to it. All right.
11:44:06 Still be outstanding. I think we all are interested in it. So I'm guessing we're all interested in it.
11:44:15 So I'm guessing. Yeah.
11:44:21 Hmm.
11:44:24 Great shading.
11:44:32 What's it? It was agreed. Was it?
11:44:40 Like that.
11:44:45 Alright.
11:44:50 Do we maybe share this round and kind of finalize it this afternoon? Yeah, yeah, go work on our calendars.
11:45:12 Anything else we want to train? Accomplished before we break for lunch. No, correct. I mean, productive morning.
11:45:22 Yeah. I was, I'm, it's a miracle that it all kinda even out.
11:45:27 Yes. Have faith, Heidi. So this afternoon.
11:45:34 We come back to talk about the. Debts for the, have executive session from 2 to 2 30.
11:45:41 And that's all we have on the agenda for this afternoon. So excellent. Have a good lunch.
13:31:51 Time. Okay.
13:32:01 Good afternoon. I'll call this meeting back into session. Stacy, shall I hand it right over to you and introduce our guests?
13:32:12 Thank you. Stacey Creator, Jefferson County Treasurer. And I have with me.
13:32:17 Jim Nelson of DA Davidson. Who has worked on previous. Refunding of other debt with me.
13:32:26 And Mark Greeno Bon Council who has been appointed by James Kennedy prosecuting attorney. And, Tommy Sandstrom.
13:32:37 Okay, Tommy Sandstone, who is also with Mark Greeno. And so we can go through this information if there's any questions you have before we start that's great or we can just
roll with it.
13:32:50 Okay. So did you say, Monty might be on line? Okay, great.
13:32:59 Excellent. So more than a year ago, maybe a couple now, we talked about wanting to have a line of credit to address the sewer construction of Pretty much all paid for, but it's
reimbursement and so we need the cash flow to pay for the work and then get reimbursed.
13:33:23 And I see Monty's there now. So, we
13:33:30 Came to you and you agreed that we could go out for looking for a line of credit. We engaged with DA Davidson, Jim Nelson, and Bond Council, again, appointed by our prosecuting
attorney's office.
13:33:45 And, They did the RFP, they came back, I'm gonna let Jim give that.
13:33:51 Full presentation, but we have done some analysis and Monty, is there anything you want to say before Jim?
13:33:59 Kicks it off.
13:34:03 You know, not really other than you just again, the intent here was that, the project is funded through grants, but they're reimbursable grants.
13:34:13 So we have cash flow issue while we wait for reimbursement. From those grants and so this loan.
13:34:22 Is intended to deal with that issue. We'll have a lot of construction going on the next 18 months.
13:34:30 For sure. Multiple contracts open for you know, close to 30 million dollars worth of work.
13:34:39 So, Anyway, that's what this is all about.
13:34:44 Okay. Maybe you could come up so you can be on the microphone for, the audience online.
13:34:54 Great. Nice to see you all again for the record. I'm Jim Nelson, and I've served as bond underwriter.
13:35:00 Or placement agent to the county for a number of years going back working with Judy Morris and yeah, worked and we've done new money projects too for the county.
13:35:11 So glad to be here today. So yeah, we sent the RFP out to the banks and it was really interesting on the responses.
13:35:19 If you turn, and I guess before I get too far in what I want to thank. Stacy, her staff, Monty for all the great information.
13:35:27 Cause it was a complete package that was sent out to the banks that makes the bank's life easier and then they're more likely than to bid on it with a low interest rate.
13:35:39 So it worked out well. If you turn to slide one. You can see the results and we're recommending that you go with Kitsap Bank.
13:35:48 The key feature there is that it's pre payable anytime. With no prepayment penalty.
13:35:55 And so it's a three-year line of credit and it's up to an amount of 10 million dollars as Monty had mentioned I believe the county's receiving 33.2 million dollars.
13:36:09 As Monty had mentioned, I believe the county is receiving 33.2 million in grant monies.
13:36:11 And so you're only using this line of credit on an interim basis. So my understanding is, you know, the you'll all sudden there's a need let's say it's 500,000 a million dollars
you'll spend that it'll be outstanding for a few months.
13:36:29 And then you'll tap into the grant and then pay that off. And that's more cost-effective.
13:36:34 Webster Bank on the lower, there in fixed rate had a lower interest rate of by about 1%.
13:36:41 But it's not prepayable the first 18 months and then there's a prepayment penalty fee.
13:36:47 And so it just doesn't. We feel it doesn't fit in with the needs of the county.
13:36:53 So the Kids that bank. Proposal really worked out. Well, there's no what we call unused fee on the amount.
13:37:03 Whereas US Bank does have. An unused fee of 0 point 4 3%. So yeah, again, it's, it's cost effective.
13:37:12 Any questions on? Oh, sorry. I had a question. Oh, yes.
13:37:17 Talk to me a little bit more about what an unused fee is. I don't think I've ever heard of that.
13:37:21 So they approve it for up to 10 million dollars, but like let's say that It turns out that Monty and his team only use 5 million, then they're gonna take 5 million times.
13:37:35 Oh, and or 3%. Add it and charge that. Got it. So it's, you know, I try and steer away from preayment penalties, unused fees and things.
13:37:47 And the key is to have the most flexibility. And this Kitsap bank bid does. So now we turn to slide 2.
13:37:58 This just gives you a quick overview and, and Mark will talk. Mark Green will talk more on the note resolution.
13:38:06 But again, this for this line of credit, also known as a grant anticipation note, it's up to a maximum of 10 million dollars so it cannot exceed 10 million.
13:38:15 It's prepayable anytime with no prepayment fee. The maximum term is 3 years.
13:38:21 You do have interest payments. That are due on June first and December first. Whatever has not been prepaid will be paid off.
13:38:31 By December first 2,026. And then for Monty's clarification. The fourth bullet point.
13:38:40 Draws are made in minimums of 250,000. If Matty wants the money that same day, he needs to submit the draw form requests before 11 am or else you'll just get it the following
day.
13:38:57 And again, key banks rate will float. With the bank's prime rate, which is tied to the Federal Reserve.
13:39:04 And so, you know, you'll see on the next slide on how the prime rate is forecasted.
13:39:12 But as you know from the news, the Federal Reserve is done raising interest rates and it's been a tough time.
13:39:18 Over the last year and a half with all these interest rate hikes and now you'll see how fast rates are coming down.
13:39:25 And so there is a forecast by trading economics.com and we'll talk about that in a second.
13:39:32 So again if we take 70% of 8 and a half percent which is the current bank prime rate, then that's how you arrive at the 5.9 5%.
13:39:42 So assuming the prime rate goes down, then that. 5.9 5% will also go down.
13:39:51 And, are we eligible for that lower rate because the grant is considered a very secure. Mechanism to be borrowing against.
13:40:03 Yeah, for the initial rate, the 5.9 5. Right. Yeah, it's good.
13:40:08 Normally you'll see that if someone is borrowing 10 million dollars, they might have a grant, say up to 10 million.
13:40:14 But the fact that you have, committed grants for up to 33 million essentially means you have like 3 times the coverage.
13:40:23 So risk. Yeah, that's certainly helped. And that's a credit to the county for how well you do financial management and your financial resources.
13:40:32 They're looking at your audits, they're looking at your unrestricted cash reserves, how you manage.
13:40:40 So that's, done a great job for the. I will do a shout out for a Judy Shepherd.
13:40:48 She is also someone who provided a lot of information that was in the packet and so she's on line as well.
13:40:55 Okay. Oh yeah, great. You know, and indirectly related to that, the county has had a bond rating grade, public rating grade by standard and pores when you had your outstanding
bonds of double A, and so that's a very good rating for a county of your size.
13:41:14 So this is interesting when you see. How the prime rate has gone up with regard to the federal reserve raising rates.
13:41:23 The prime rate has not, it has not started to trend down yet, but then that lower graph shows the forecast and they were this chart was published on November first, 2,023 before
the last action.
13:41:38 Yeah, before the last action the Fed took. So they were calculating a slight increase, which it didn't have.
13:41:45 So then you can see that mid, got to go on my notes here. Yeah, mid 2,024.
13:41:52 It's forecasted to come down. From 8 and a half percent to roughly mean no guarantees.
13:41:58 8% then we get into mid 2,025 it's forecasted to come down around 7 and a half percent.
13:42:09 And I'm sorry, Jim, you said it just pinned it 70% of the prime rate.
13:42:16 Yeah. So if you took 70% of. Say, 7%.
13:42:23 Then you'd be at a 4 90. So we'll keep our fingers crossed. The next slide.
13:42:32 And it's interesting. You see top slide to the right, you see the treasury market.
13:42:37 How that has come down. And then the Bottom slide is the one that I'm really familiar with.
13:42:46 We're always updating and checking this. We're actually starting to look at refundings now, but since October, the nineteenth.
13:42:53 Rates have really come down quite fast and that chart was just updated. This morning so rates are down another what they call 10 basis points, 0 point 1 0%.
13:43:05 So, we could see more refinance scenes in the market. We could also see for issuers that are looking at new money.
13:43:13 A long term where they're financing, say, 20 years or longer, they could be seeing lower interest rates.
13:43:22 And so this is the schedule going forward. The commissioners would approve the note resolution. Today on January fifth comments would be received on the draft closing memo the
final version of the closing memo would be sent out.
13:43:38 On January eighth. And then the line of credit would be available on January eighteenth.
13:43:50 And with that, I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.
13:43:55 Good questions. I have also 2 questions about. Finances now and like I don't know LGIP but this is pretty straightforward so you really you really laid it out very clearly.
13:44:07 Thank you, Jen. Yeah, thank you all. So I did, pull the LGIP and so we got the rates this morning.
13:44:15 So if you want them. I printed out copies. But so I have the LGIP that I do.
13:44:25 Normally and then. I download the, treasury rates one to 5 years and put those in a table and because it's a little bit
13:44:40 Tough with dailies, I do the average per month on these, but, I'll give you.
13:44:46 These. I don't know. Mark, if you want to come up at all.
13:44:58 No, just in terms of it.
13:45:02 How it's looking and It's reasonable to assume that we
13:45:12 We would benefit from the rate going down a bit during. Of course, this line of credit.
13:45:23 So. There's the normal LGIP which is monthly and they tell you at the beginning of the next month how much you earned in the prior month.
13:45:33 And so today we got. The notification that it was 5.4 2 9 9%.
13:45:42 The other one with the colors on it shows the green line of LGIP. And then basically what, the treasuries are doing and so just like.
13:45:54 Jim provided they're going down and so except the LGIP that stayed pretty flat. Well, yeah, I mean.
13:46:04 It'll come down at some point, but they. You know, manage it well and have. Other investments and trade things around.
13:46:15 They have other investments than just treasuries. Looks like that. So Stacey, are we looking at this because we would.
13:46:22 Let me understand the nexus here between this and the just to see.
13:46:28 So Greg, it said questions about the LGIP. So the Nexus on this really is the analysis I did to see what.
13:46:39 What each of these options would allow. So Monty provided a rough sketch of a cash flow.
13:46:49 Proposal of what it might look like in borrowing 250,000 at a time and when things would get paid back.
13:46:56 So I took that and then modeled it on the set rate and if you're paying an unused B.
13:47:04 And if the rates are coming down a little bit, I just did. My analysis was done back in October, I think, and so.
13:47:15 I found a source that said it might go down point 5% or 1% or this over the course of it.
13:47:21 So I did a few different comparisons. And to me, it really showed that the Kitsat Bank was the best fit for us.
13:47:33 It has the potential to go down as the other rates go down. And We aren't paying.
13:47:42 The reason to look at the one with the unused fee. Was to see if we would earn enough money to offset the cost of paying the interest and then you would deal with you know what
other types of things go with that.
13:47:58 Costs and Treasurer's Office time managing this and other things. So really I didn't provide the analysis with it because it was just a set of assumptions, but it really showed
that.
13:48:14 It was on par within a few, you know, 10,000. Between. Them. Anyway, we did a lot.
13:48:27 I did a lot of analysis on it and it really just seemed that kids that bank was the best one for our needs and was more straightforward.
13:48:37 So did you want to add anything, Mark? Not much to say, but I will make myself available.
13:48:45 Again, Mark Greeno with the Foster Garvey Law F in Seattle. We've been working with Monty and his team on this project for a very long time, so it's exciting to see it finally
getting closer and have also worked with treasurer Predo on other financing as well.
13:48:57 So the resolution before you authorizes the execution of the documents by your staff. And by the county treasurer.
13:49:06 We will be drafting all of the closing papers over the next week. We'll circulate those for the bank to look at and for Jim to look at.
13:49:11 But this from our perspective, this is a fairly straightforward transaction. Your County General Fund is not pledged to the repayment of this.
13:49:19 So the recourse that the bank has is your grant. The one of the one of the other points that I wanted to raise was, one of the reasons that the interest rate is beneficial is
because the bank will not be paying any taxes on the interest that they receive from you.
13:49:35 You get to borrow at a governmental tax exempt rate when you're engaged in a governmental project.
13:49:40 One of the hiccups with that is if you get a lot of money upfront and then invest it in the LGIP at a taxable rate and earn more than you're paying the bank, that can cause
accounting issues.
13:49:53 And so when we were talking about which proposal made sense, we thought that the reimbursement and no commitment fee rather than trying to squeeze out every extra dollar of
earnings even if it were possible and you had the staff to to keep track of it.
13:50:06 It's easy to slide into to tax trouble that way. And so as part of your part of our advice, as tax council, we would, we can think of the structure is, much easier to administer
and less likely to draw.
13:50:18 A question from your friends at the IRS. Okay. Can we talk a little more about internal controls?
13:50:25 So what will be the process by which public works requests funds from this? Are you involved in that?
13:50:33 Tree works? Yes, so their communications with us would go to our email treasurer accountant and that goes to 4 people in my office including me and point of that is so that
we have coverage for whatever is needed.
13:50:49 But, I know, Jim mentioned they could do a same-day draw. I think my office would really prefer they give us 2 days notice.
13:50:58 So that we know we're prepared and we're ready to book it when we get it and you know move funds as we need to because we need to invest everything that's not ready to spend.
13:51:11 So, Basically, they would. Notify our office. Internal controls, I guess, you know, we have our normal internal controls for any wires and, you know, money flowing through our
office.
13:51:29 But I guess, what would be So public work say they want to draw say half a million dollars.
13:51:38 So just curious what the what the steps are. Well, they'd notify us.
13:51:47 You go. And I think Public Works would be able to document, the need for a draw.
13:51:57 Like we, we have these invoices, or we paid them. And we'd like, we're going to submit a reimbursement in this amount.
13:52:06 And we'd like to draw so that we can actually pay these invoices and I'm sure Stacey would.
13:52:14 Reconcile the 2. Yeah, I mean, you're already, I guess I'm not seeing that it would be something going through the board.
13:52:22 Because you're already authorizing it up to the 10 million. But, we do have our monthly finance committee reporting that will be showing.
13:52:35 All debt and what's outstanding. I don't know if there's something. As any other revenue, you would treat it just like any other revenue.
13:52:48 Well. Any other debt? Yes. Okay, thank you.
13:52:57 What are the carrying costs just to have like say we never touch it at all? I mean, I know we have some costs and in Jim's time and Mark and Bond Council's time, but is there?
13:53:06 About $48,000. About $48,000. To close the upright fee with, placement agency on council and then to close the uproot fee with, placement agency on council and then kids have
banks, but they call they set up origination fee.
13:53:24 That tolls up to $43,295 so that'll be paid right up front and then kids that banks what they call bank setup origination fee that tolls up to $43,295 so that'll Okay, so which
is great.
13:53:32 And I guess that too, This money can only be used related to the port Hadlock wastewater treatment plan.
13:53:44 So I guess that's another control. You know, if you were thinking all due respect to Monty and his team.
13:53:49 You know, it's like, okay, now you can't use it like for road project.
13:53:55 We know for certain this will be audited by the state auditor. And then Monty's got a remarkably clean record when it comes to those grants and related audits.
13:54:05 Yeah, and I don't have any concerns about controls. I've just in my tenure here have not, have not worked with a mechanism like this.
13:54:11 So I just want to better understand the how it works. So when it comes in We're going to be depositing it into the sewer fund would normally be how it's done and then we would
have another.
13:54:27 Fun setup for paying the debt. Payments back.
13:54:34 Monty, maybe. Okay.
13:54:35 Right, our accounting staff here, Kathy Taylor and others, they're very familiar with.
13:54:43 Using you know different sources of revenues like Stacey said this would come into the sewer fund which means there's no chance it could get spent on some other project other
than the sewer.
13:54:57 And it would. You know, look like other revenue, but it would be bookmarked as something we have to pay back.
09:00:06 Hmm
09:56:25 Huh
10:31:17 Which was going going to. Make that project proposal ineligible. But the military department didn't think it was ready in any case for prime time and are recommending that they
submit 2024
11:03:01 Hmm
11:37:42 Hmm
11:42:45 Yeah
13:55:05 So we would be keeping track of how much of that
09:24:15 From Chambers to Hosts and panelists:
Hearing re: SMP will be January 8 at 10:30 a.m.
10:27:04 From Chambers to Hosts and panelists:
Adiel confirmed that there was no written testimony received for this Hearing.
11:09:30 From Chambers to Hosts and panelists:
Adiel noted that Coordination is at 11:30 a.m., not 10:30
11:15:21 From Heidi Eisenhour to Chambers(Direct Message):
Will we be having JPREP mtgs this year?
11:15:25 From Chambers to Willie Bence and all panelists:
Is JPREP meeting regularly?
13:31:21 From Chambers to Hosts and panelists:
Starting shortly :)
13:50:00 From Mark McCauley to Chambers(Direct Message):
Did you stop my share?
13:50:02 From Chambers to Mark McCauley(Direct Message):
Sorry Mark, not sure if you went to the resolution on purpose
13:50:10 From Chambers to Mark McCauley(Direct Message):
feel free to re-share
13:51:00 From Mark McCauley to Chambers(Direct Message):
I'll share again when we get back
13:51:08 From Mark McCauley to Chambers(Direct Message):
to the resolution
13:54:22 From Judy Shepherd to Chambers(Direct Message):
Can you have him step to the microphone please in the future if needed.
13:55:27 From Chambers to Monte Reinders(Direct Message):
You froze up