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HomeMy WebLinkAboutchat10:03:21 From carolyn@co.jefferson.wa.us : Executive Session from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. There will be a 2024 Finance Department Workplan at 11:30 a.m. The BOCC plans to adjourn by noon today. 09:12:25 Okay, it looks like we're both, recording, so that's good. Okay, sorry for the technical hiccups. 09:12:34 We've had 2 public comments in the room. I'll ask if anyone with us online or on the phone would like to make public comment. 09:12:41 You can hit the raise and button or star 9 if you're on a phone. I would love to hear about from you on any topic. 09:12:57 Make one more request. Anyone else like to make public comment this morning? I see one hand raised what we bring Miss Joannell over. 09:13:07 And I'm getting a texting, they only heard part of Gordon's comments. Oh, okay. 09:13:13 Maybe we'll bring Gordon back up. Thank you. 09:13:17 All right. You, we get yourself unmuted. You have 3 min for any public comment. 09:13:28 Good morning. I just would like to know if you could give us any information on, there's going to be a black point community meeting. 09:13:42 And I just wondered if there was any, information that the commissioners could give us any information that the commissioners could give us as to what the commissioners could give us as to what the status currently is with the county. 09:13:52 All right, thank you, Shelley. We'll respond to everyone after we get all the public comments, including that question. 09:13:58 And maybe just in the interest of the record, Gordon, can you, you hit repeat? 09:14:05 If we need your sheet of paper back. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. 09:14:13 We just want to make sure that it gets caught on the record. You're bigger for punishment. Yours was recorded. 09:14:17 Yes. Thank you, Maddie. I'm still Gordon King from Bell Street. I'm following with concern your deliberations on updating the SMP. 09:14:25 You seem to be showing difference to shine neighbours claims of the negative impacts of GUIDA farming and That attitude is spreading to other types of shellfish aquaculture. 09:14:38 Please again read and consider the submitted GUIDE farming impact research papers by Glenn Van Blair, Kum and others. 09:14:47 These papers provide a scientific research-based assessment. Of gooda culture, impacts and then compare this information with the implausible and accurate claims from the waterfront property owners such as a decline in marble muralid. 09:15:02 A decline in resident orcas, a decline in forage fish, a decline in salmon populations. 09:15:07 I'm sure that you're aware that good archaeological culture was practically non-existent 25 years ago, unlike the above list of disturbing marine ecological declines. 09:15:17 What science does tell us is that Waterfront property development with the clearing of trees and vegetation to the waterline, roads and driveways to the waterline, bulkheads to protect houses, roads with their associated runoff of tyre and brake pad pollution, let alone the fertiliser and selective herbicides that people apply to their laws have been and continue to directly or indirectly damage all 09:15:41 of these species. All these environmentally damaging problems exist in the Shine neighbourhood. Be very clear if these people had a real concern for the marine ecology of Jefferson County, they wouldn't be living in the near shore. 09:15:56 Their real concern is that they have to see farming in their marine view shed. Ask the commissioners to look at a Google aerial view of the shine area and see how development has encroached on the near shore. 09:16:08 Taylor Showfish along with dozens of other farmers grow. Oysters, guta, clams and muscles and Tottenham lit in the south sound. 09:16:17 Shelfish aquaculture and this inlet supports dozens of families as it has for over 130 years, yet Kennedy Creek at its southern end has one of the healthiest salmon runs in the South Sound. 09:16:28 Ask the commissioners. Do you follow W's initial SMP update direction and decrease the number of CUPs and that the commissioner Commissioners follow the science, not inaccurate claims about aquaculture. 09:16:44 Make it even more, making it even more difficult and expensive to get a farming permit will block many young industrious peoples access to the industry. 09:16:54 We need jobs and young people in this county. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. King. It was almost word for word the same, I think. 09:17:01 Yeah, very good recall, but a little help. All right, I'll make another call for folks that are with us on the on the Zoom room if anyone would like to make a public comment. 09:17:11 We'd love to hear from you. You hit star 9 or If you're on the phone or the raise hand button Okay, I don't see any others. 09:17:20 Will keep public comment open until 9 30 as is our custom. So if you hear anything that provokes a comment or if you are struck with one please hit raise hand up until 9 30 and I'll turn to Heidi and Kate any responses to our 3 public comments today. 09:17:35 I'm happy to start. 09:17:38 Oh, hey, Heidi, can I just ask for clarification? I certainly didn't hear the first one and anyone on Zoom didn't. 09:17:46 Oh. 09:17:46 Could you just give me a who it was and what was regarding. 09:17:50 Well, sure, I shouldn't, shouldn't we have the full comment captured? I, so you're saying Kate that you didn't have it, you you didn't have audio in the beginning? 09:18:00 Correct. Yep. 09:18:00 Oh, okay. Well, yeah, we'll give Mitmag another chance. Come on up, Maggie. 09:18:05 Let's go one more time. 09:18:05 Yeah, there was no audio until, after Mr. King spoke the first time. Thanks. 09:18:09 Okay. Thank you for that. Okay, in regards to Harold and having his ban, tow during a declared emergency, Herald, as you recall, was a 77 year old man. 09:18:24 And he went to the Warming Center and the real street team and the police and the fire department all said they were not going to tow his ban after the governor called due to the fact that he had applied for housing and been denied because of his little dog. 09:18:45 So his ban was considered his housing. So they were saying that, well, you know, it was legal for us to tow it, but we can't charge him because he's, homeless. 09:19:00 But during the declared emergency, the governor is the head of homeless housing and he is allowed to suspend or make new laws during that emergency the legislature gives them that temporary power. 09:19:18 And so he called and said, don't tell Harold Van, he's 77 and he was denied housing and they did it anyway they lied. 09:19:28 3 agencies lied which was racketeering. And regarding your budget. You got a hundred 10 million dollar budget and you have no housing committee. 09:19:38 If you have no housing committee, you have no housing policy. And you have no housing laws. I say that the tents and cars are tarps or anything that people are living on with on public property that qualifies as emergency housing and they can stay there because you people have qualified for housing they have money ready to go and in this town and they're they're just saying okay thank you very much that'll be 2 to 09:20:17 4 years so they have nowhere to go. So my housing policy is, you know, anywhere on public property they want it when they want to go and put their stuff down and lie down. 09:20:31 And sit down and sleep. That's okay because you you don't have a housing policy. Yeah, you don't have a housing committee, therefore you don't have any goals or any plans. 09:20:46 Richard, Harold, when they towed his band, there, there was no paperwork on, to do anything for housing for this 77 year old man. 09:20:57 We've got elderly people and disabled people out on the streets who have pneumonia. Who are sick who have limited mobility and you know they get special privileges. 09:21:10 To park so you know you can't just criminalize housing and and homelessness and say they're illegal just because they exist. 09:21:24 Okay, thank you. Thanks, Maggie. That was pretty, that was pretty good too, pretty close to your first one as well. 09:21:28 You didn't even have the the advantage of the script. So thank you for coming up again. Anyone else in the Zoom room that would like to make public comment before we respond to these 3. 09:21:39 Okay. And we did here. I got another text saying that they did hear Maggie's full. 09:21:44 The first time so I don't know which report is right in here. So yeah. All over the place. 09:21:51 Okay. Sound like she just got like, just as an attendee. Hello, Julia. Welcome. 09:21:57 You have 3 min to make public comment. 09:21:59 Hi. So on Friday, I ended up at a very large encampment in Port Townsend with a gentleman who owned the land who had a back home in a pickup truck. 09:22:15 And was clearing trash, not people. And he has a whole list of frustrations with the city. 09:22:25 So this isn't totally, this isn't actually, it's a little county. The little county is so I called around because I thought somebody from the city should show up and give this guy some type of encouragement because he's actually doing a good thing. 09:22:38 And, I got David Faber there and they actually knew each other. They were the same height in the same age and they knew each other and So they had a good interchange. 09:22:51 But one of the things is this guy's pay every time he does dump run. He's paying a hundred bucks. 09:22:55 He's a private land load owner. And, you know, doesn't have a whole huge amount of money to just be spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars. 09:23:08 He went away for 4 months because he's a fisher person, came back, his lands completely occupied. 09:23:12 And there's nowhere for these people to go. So showing them onward isn't really, it's not an answer for anybody. 09:23:18 And, so I'm just wondering how he gets I don't know if the word is, but how he gets permission to be able to dump the stuff that he's dumping without having to pay a hundred dollars a truckload. 09:23:32 I think that waste thing is your guys' purview. And so David Favors working on it. 09:23:38 So I'm just encouraging you to get in touch with David and give you the details. I'm not comfortable giving you the man's name or the location. 09:23:45 In a public meeting. That's it. 09:23:49 Thank you, Julia. Anyone else with us online that would like to make public comment today? 09:23:51 Yeah. 09:23:57 Okay, well we'll keep it open for another few minutes and now we'll turn to, Heidi, are you, were you ready to share? 09:24:04 We talked about Harold's van last week. I think it's. Super unfortunate that the chain of events happened and I think we're gonna learn from this instance. 09:24:18 Okay, if there in fact was something done. Wrong. And I appreciate you bringing it. Continuing to bring it to our attention, Maggie. 09:24:28 And the housing committee is a good idea. I mean, I've, we've all kind of agreed to that, but we don't really have a plan for a path forward, but. 09:24:37 Something that we should be I think we said the last time we talked about this we should workshop So, Gordon. 09:24:46 I. Agree that waterfront development is part of the problem. And am I qualified to? Say what percentage of the problem it is. 09:25:00 No, but I will look at Google Earth. I love doing that. Check out the shoreline and shine and other areas we've been talking about. 09:25:11 And I also agree that jobs, we need jobs and the young people that will fill them in our community. 09:25:18 And. I've had a lot of conversations and inputs and the last time we talked about SMP and. 09:25:24 And you know interested in continuing the conversation but I think we're Coming to a place where we're comfortable with the policy going forward. 09:25:35 And that's where I wanted to have a follow up conversation with you. So I will reach out to you this week, amidst medical appointments. 09:25:42 Sorry for the delay. And then. I have seen a bunch of Facebook posts and emailings we've gotten about the Black Point neighborhood. 09:25:54 I don't really know. What this community meeting is. Maybe you know more, Greg. So I'm not really going to address that, but. 09:26:00 I know it's been a topic of much interest at the BOCC before I was a commissioner. 09:26:06 So I guess we're doing the redox on that television. So. and then, Julia, I think. 09:26:17 I think there is a way to do a waiver for solid waste but Not sure. We set it up. 09:26:25 Yeah. 09:26:27 That's about about public comment today. All right. Thank you, Heidi. Kate, anything to add? 09:26:35 Let's see, let me go in, reverse order. The. 09:26:44 I think I'd be interested in getting some more information about the, encampment and, you know, ideally there would be a nonprofit partner kind of involved in a cleanup. 09:27:00 Process and I guess somewhat the in terms of the waiver, but. I think we'd probably want to put. 09:27:08 Dcd or environmental health or solid waste depending on kind of the nature of the situation. On that to just, you know, ensure that we're have the right information and I can make that decision. 09:27:23 Gordon, I agree with you and. Interested in finding ways to have the SMT not be overly, burdensome to the shellfish growers. 09:27:37 I think it is a really critical part of our economy here and so still working on it and trying to find the spots where we can. 09:27:47 Move the needle a little bit on that. So more, more to come with ongoing deliberations. 09:27:53 And I feel largely unaware of other than what we've heard from Maggie about that situation in part because it's largely outside of our jurisdiction, city, city police, which we don't have any jurisdiction over and yet we're concerned and want to help a homeless. 09:28:14 Person who's home is no longer available to them and especially elderly population so hope that he is getting the resources that he needs and. 09:28:26 Okay. 09:28:27 Not sure our body is the right entity to be able to address that. And so I guess, Greg is pretty darn informed on that. 09:28:38 So maybe he'll have some ideas or resources. I'm sorry to pass the buck. But, that has been more of. 09:28:43 Greg's purview. Get a little bit more as well. So, I'm sorry, though that I'm not as aware of the resources and kind of what levers we have to. 09:28:56 Great. 09:28:53 Work with. And I would say I think we are probably due for some sort of update on Black Point as well. 09:29:04 So. I haven't looked, Josh with us by chance. Be able to. 09:29:11 Give a little update on. What's happening at that point. 09:29:17 Alright, I don't know if anyone If anyone, from DCD wants to give an update, I've kind of. 09:29:25 I'll start with the black point issue if you're done Kate and. I know I was not invited to the community meeting, but I might go down if If I'm able, I believe they are kind of going into the next phase. 09:29:38 I think they also made an application. I'm just really getting this from a letter from the Brendan Group's lawyers. 09:29:44 They sent us a series of documents that I've been going through. And it looks, I mean, we're removed from the specific applications that different applicants make, but I think they might have applied for a Oh, a PR DD, like a rural residential neighborhood in that. 09:30:01 According to the branding group to circumvent the the requirement to build recreational facilities first, you know, kind of the order of events that came from that hearing. 09:30:11 Also before my time, all of this was kind of dickered out before I joined the board as well. 09:30:17 More 1617 and 18. So I think getting an update on that is is timely because the game is definitely afoot. 09:30:24 So maybe we can arrange that for the next week. Or 2. And if anyone from DCD has something they want to report now, they can go ahead and raise their hand. 09:30:34 About to Julia you know, we did. Set up a system where people could get a waiver on fees. 09:30:44 Specifically in response to someone that was cleaning up marine garbage and that was not a nonprofit and but just like doing a public service on their land. 09:30:54 And I think it would certainly qualify. For this as well. So Julia, I can reach out to you. 09:30:59 Offline and. Offline and address that with you and give the right thing the right the path for this this gentleman. 09:31:13 I see the hand raised. We will give you an opportunity to make comment, Aaron. I'll just send it responding really quick. 09:31:19 And, you know, I'm aware of, of this, this encampments and, have heard some things about it. 09:31:27 I think pinkies that been out there once already is kind of a report I heard from someone else. So I will follow up on on the whole issue and we know that there are. 09:31:34 More unhoused than we have places for to Maggie's comment and You know, we do have housing policy. A lot of it comes from the state. 09:31:45 We are agents of the state here and We also have a funding board, a housing fund board that works on our 5 year housing plan and we are. 09:31:50 Embarking this year on redoing our 5 year housing plan that talks about I was in the unhoused as well as, you know. 09:31:57 Supportive housing and workforce housing and I invite you to be part part of that consideration as we go forward. 09:32:06 Not right now, but as we move those meetings forward, I'll make sure to reach out to you. 09:32:13 Maggie really is not a dialogue right now. It's just you had your chance to talk and now it's just you had your chance to talk and now we're responding and we'd love to see you again next week. 09:32:21 So the 5 year housing plan is kind of the document that outlines a lot of it and also our comprehensive plan outlines a lot of the housing policies for the county to heralds specific case. 09:32:34 I know that the real teams got Herald lined up with Richard, a specific case. I know that the real teams got Herald, lined up with Richard at Jefferson Associated Council, and that's really the best people to navigate this. 09:32:42 We have no one that we can wait and get was carved that much as I'd like and I agree with many of your of your thoughts. 09:32:49 I mean, I think the Ninth Circuit Court case, the Homestead Act does protect that as his home. 09:32:57 So I do feel like justice is on Herald side, but we are not. You know, we can't control the courts through this process as at the county about. 09:33:07 Actions that city. Officers took. So we are just observers to this particular situation as well, but anything I can do to help facilitate the you know, Herald getting his van back and getting his home back. 09:33:22 I want, I want to support. And to Gordon, I, I agree. I think I've been arguing to the same to the same point as we go through these deliberations. 09:33:34 And we continue to, will continue to in the next couple weeks. So I appreciate the. The report and I think that is it. 09:33:45 So I will turn to Erin and invite, will invite Aaron over to be a panelist and Aaron when you get yourself unmuted you'll have 3 min to make public comment. 09:33:59 Welcome. 09:34:02 Good morning. Can you hear me? 09:34:04 Yep, we can hear you. 09:34:05 Perfect. Thank you for the opportunity to. Speak this morning. I'll make it quick. 09:34:11 I just in watching the last commissioner meeting where you discussed the SMP I felt that there was quite a bit of confusion. 09:34:22 That remained and I'm concerned that substantive changes were made. To the SMP during that. 09:34:33 Meeting. And while there is opportunity for public comment, I think that some of it regarding where conditional use permit. 09:34:43 Applications, sat within particular shoreline environmental designations. Maybe perhaps was not. Presented clearly to not only the commissioners but also to public. 09:34:58 And I think that, there is an opportunity to maybe slow down, be able to provide that information again to the growers that are working within Jefferson County and providing those jobs. 09:35:13 Would be very helpful to bring that conversation back. And so. I would just like to. 09:35:22 I will follow up with a letter that doesn't RAM so much, but I I really am concerned with. 09:35:28 It seems like there was enough confusion on the last between the planning department and the commissioners. And where the S and P was at. 09:35:38 That. The brakes could be applied very well here. 09:35:43 Thank you. 09:35:46 Thank you, Erin. I'll make a last call for any public comment. Anyone that hasn't made public comment now, we'd love to hear from you. 09:35:55 And if you're on the phone, you can hit star 9 to raise your hand. Okay, seeing no one else. 09:36:05 Oh, we do have one. Alright, we'll bring you over when you get over, with phone number in again 6 9 8 you can hit star 6 to unmute yourself 09:36:17 Hello, we can hear you. 09:36:16 Hello? Hi. Yeah, hi. Thanks for letting me comment. 09:36:23 I have a question about all the trashes accumulating on the side of the road. I've noticed more and more litter. 09:36:31 I've been, I live off of Cape George Road and I'm Saturdays I'm going and picking up all the litter that I can I spend about 2 h every Saturday doing that, but I can't do it all and I know there is a another organization of volunteer organization that also does trash pickup on Sundays. 09:36:53 But I was wondering what the county is doing to address this problem. 09:36:59 And I'm hoping that, you know, that they can do something, put some funds towards, towards picking up, keeping the streets clean. 09:37:09 Because my understanding is our taxpayer, our tax money pays for for that sort of thing, you know, keeping the streets clean. 09:37:16 And so I was just hoping that the county would address this. That's all I have to say. 09:37:22 Thank you very much. Okay, I'll make one last call for public comments. Anyone else that's with us can hit raise hand or star 9. 09:37:31 Oh, Mr. Y, let's bring George over. 09:37:38 Can you hear me? 09:37:39 We can, welcome. You have 3 min. 09:37:42 Thank you. It's not going to take 3 min. I really appreciate. The comments from Gordon, he has been along. 09:37:51 Long student of Jefferson County shoreline management. And, he makes some very, very important points about the near shore development. 09:38:06 The other thing is, I could have called you directly, I suppose on this. Do you folks have your hearing aid system back up on speed. 09:38:18 Cause I'd really like to attend the meetings, but I just can't hear you. 09:38:26 Thank you, Mr. And I'll just, go out of turn here to say that we are still working on it, but we do not yet. 09:38:32 So I'd say probably still best to attend. Hi, virtually so you can actually hear us, but we are working on it's a priority. 09:38:41 Thank you for that. And any other responses to the last 3? From Aaron, George, or the, the phone call. 09:38:51 I would just say on the person who didn't identify themselves. The Cape George. That I've had similar questions. 09:39:01 I've from other constituents and have followed up with public works. And told that times we've had cruise, roadside trash pick up but I don't think there's a formal program for that. 09:39:17 In the budget. So. Might be something the look into like what are what are the state resources because a lot of roads are state roads. 09:39:27 I know this one is a county road. But also folks often don't understand the differences between the state roads and the county roads and I get lots of calls about potholes too and One wonderful kudo to public works is they've just done a huge. 09:39:43 Fix of a massive pothole that was on. And like, oh, and you got them out there. 09:39:53 I was getting multiple phone calls about it and Eric said, well, it's this is where I got it. 09:39:58 Getting multiple phone calls about it and Eric said, well, it's this is where I got all the phone calls about it and Eric said, well, this is where I got most, schooling on the jurisdiction issues between. 09:40:00 State and county roads and The runoff from that because that pothole was largely state runoff. 09:40:09 Right. Coming up, Roadie Drive, but it detrimently impacted Anderson Lake Road and so Somehow there was an agreement made then. 09:40:18 County went out and did that repair. So looks good. Yeah, looks great. But There are more instances of those kinds of issues around the community and oftentimes it comes up to jurisdiction in terms of how. 09:40:30 Quickly we can respond. Same thing with traffic on the side of the road. But with county roads, we'll look into it for sure. 09:40:38 I'm happy to. Carry that football and ask again. 09:40:43 As the newest commissioner. Great Kate, anything else to add? 09:40:53 Let's see. Terms of the trash, you know, it's it's Just so frustrating that they're. 09:41:01 You know, some problems that are direct result of human behavior and, so wish we could get a handle on this. 09:41:10 Degrades the morale of communities to have to have trash accumulate and there's not a dedicated funding source. 09:41:17 For collection of trash on the side of the road. Really appreciate the trash task force. 09:41:24 It's Stephanie Moran has been heading up. And just really love for there to be a community wide effort to try to keep. 09:41:36 Trash from getting thrown errandly. I know sometimes, you know. Garbage gets blown and it's not always the director's result of human activity, but it often is and it's. 09:41:45 It is frustrating because we don't have the human power or the funds to be collecting it. 09:41:53 To Miss Ewald, I would, love to see, kind of specific concerns. 09:41:59 Aaron, if you're able to, and you said you're going to be following up with a letter, great to see kind of. 09:42:05 The specific areas where you feel, that substance of changes were made. I feel like we didn't come to a lot of decisions actually. 09:42:14 But more item for discussion. So, But I'd love to know where your areas of concern are. 09:42:20 Hmm. And, yeah, hope we can get the hearing assist devices working. It's now a complicated web of 3 different audio systems. 09:42:31 That play in the chambers and having them not interfere with one another is challenge, not my area of expertise, whatsoever, but, that is important for access. 09:42:43 So. Appreciate it. 09:42:46 Yeah, thanks. I'll do that. I'll take it on my shoulders. Make sure we continue to work on that and get the the hearing assist functional in our chambers. 09:42:55 That is a critical accessibility issue. So thank you for reminding us that is a critical accessibility issue. 09:43:02 So thank you for reminding. Yes. And the quote that we had was for our current AV capture system and if we decide to switch systems. 09:43:04 That might take more time. So I'll try to do what we can. We, we're struggling with our existing system. 09:43:11 So having existential questions about it, which would. 09:43:14 Kind of throw getting our hearing assist back online back to the beginning, but we'll. We'll move forward on it as fast. 09:43:23 Interestingly, having spend a lot of time in hospitals over the last couple of weeks everywhere I go there. 09:43:26 Hearing is this devices available and I'm like, I should go ask somebody what they use here. 09:43:32 They probably use Bluetooth in areas that are less functional. You can do a Bluetooth one that ties back right in. 09:43:38 And that I see a simpler solution for us too. We're using that. Like the wire that goes around up there and everything. 09:43:44 Complicated to interact with our AV system, my understanding. But We can do better. And to the trash pick up comments. 09:43:56 Yeah, I mean, you know, I live in a rural road to one of the over 400 miles. 09:44:01 County roads that we have and I have to pick up garbage on my side. The side of my road too. 09:44:06 People, yeah, and I, you know. I think Commissioner Dean is being kind. I think most of it is people being disrespectful to the land that we live in. 09:44:15 So. Unfortunately, I mean, we don't have the capacity. Our noxious wheat board can't. 09:44:18 Begin to deal with the noxious weeds on our roadsides either. So, I think it is going to. 09:44:26 Fundamentally rest on the shoulders of our community to You know, if we keep, I'll keep our. 09:44:31 Curbs and I have, you know. 500 feet of of shoulder that I, you know, will pick up garbage on whenever I see it and It's, I don't have to do it 2 HA day. 09:44:42 So I'm sorry that that is there and yeah, could find out more, but I think it is just beyond the capacity. 09:44:51 We don't have staff that can do that. We are struggling to just keep the roads functional with less staff capacity and more roads every year. 09:45:01 So it's it's a challenge for sure. And who drinks all that? What's it called? 09:45:05 The cinnamon, fire fireball. The fireball bottles are everywhere. Yeah, and I pick them up all the time. 09:45:16 But I like, seems like there's a run on fireballs and streets. And I pick them up all the time. 09:45:20 But I like, seems like there's a run on fire Or maybe there's a correlation between people that drink fireball and people that throw their entries out their window. 09:45:26 Oh, he's marveling at how many of those little bottles there are around. Yeah, it's ugly. 09:45:32 And then, who is the third? Oh, and to Aaron, I look forward to the letter from, Miss Ewald where, you know, trying to get this right and I would say. 09:45:43 You know, we're pumping those breaks already. That's what it feels like to me as we're going through this process. 09:45:49 But yeah, we're trying not to rush it, trying to get it right, and it is a definite. 09:45:52 You know, you're trying to draw a regulatory line in the sand and we're, you know. 09:45:57 Trying to make it easier to build and as Mr. King talked about, reduce the number of CUPs and we're also trying to protect this delicate environment that you know, is a part of why we live here. 09:46:09 So. Onward with that process. Okay, so I think unless anyone else has anything that concludes public comments. 09:46:21 We have a 10 o'clock meeting and executive session. So we have time to look at our. Consent agenda one note on the hearing. 09:46:34 Item number one. There was a Scriveners error in the title where it said the hearing was going to be on February second. 09:46:39 But it's actually February, 20 sixth as the document clearly indicates. It's always good for an exit. 09:46:48 So February, 20 sixth and it's correct in there. So we'll just correct that February 2 on the title. 09:46:56 Any other? Comments, concerns, and then you want to call out on the. Consent agenda. 09:47:01 Hi to your Kate. Just grateful for all of again, all the folks stepping up for advisory boards. 09:47:09 Reappointments and, you know, solid waste is. Is playing big on this on today's agenda and 09:47:18 Great to have so much leadership on that committee. As we just were reminded it's a big issue in our community and I think we've got the right heads at the table. 09:47:28 So. Let's see. Nothing else. 09:47:37 When I saw the words, but Looks like a lot of good work again. Every week we see a lot of good work by all the staff of the county. 09:47:47 So. Being the week of love, I just want to express my appreciation for all of our team members and all the work that you do today. 09:47:56 Bring us all of these. Items for our consent agenda. It's feels sometimes like we're Not giving some of this stuff enough, do, but. 09:48:05 Collective bargaining agreements. That's huge. Yeah. That's really big. 09:48:11 A lot of road work. Maho River word. 09:48:17 Just so much good work and then. Okay, anytime you wanna hit some calls, please, so I think that's it for me on consent. 09:48:28 All right, Kate, anything else? 09:48:32 Just interesting to see, you know, 3 different major rivers systems, the Peninsula, and Jefferson County getting. 09:48:39 Work done and thanks to Timmy the corny for her work on those projects it's it's really complicated you know rivers are Wily living creatures and. 09:48:50 You know, we want to think that we can control them, but they have been here a lot longer than us and we will continue to be and you know I think accepting the fact that they are that they are changing and they sometimes come in conflict with human uses is a real challenge and so I'm glad that we're hanging in with the hard work of trying to You know. 09:49:13 Predict how they're going to move and decide how we want to respond and of course with climate change that becomes even. 09:49:21 Less predictable. And risky. So, it's important work that we're doing to try to strike the right balance there too. 09:49:31 Great, Lots of good work. Happy to. Oh, yeah, I just like to say that number 2, the bargaining agreement with Teamsters Public Works. 09:49:41 I think that agreement figured prominently in allowing Monty and out of fully staff the transfer station. After months and months of difficulty. 09:49:52 So Hopefully you'll approve that this morning. I'm happy to on that note I'm happy to make a motion to approve the consent agenda for February twelfth. 09:50:02 2024. 09:50:03 I will second. 09:50:05 Okay, it's been moved and seconded to approve and adopt the consent agenda as presented with Scriveners Corrections. 09:50:15 Hi. 09:50:13 Call in favor and you keep by saying, hi. Bye. Okay, so we have 10 min more before our hour long executive session. 09:50:24 Do folks want to try to quickly run through last week maybe? Can you do, can you do a 3 min review? 09:50:31 Heidi? Okay. 09:50:38 Sweet. Was here with you on Monday. 09:50:48 I. Tuesday I attended the regular Jefferson MRC monthly meeting We have some new members of the MRC. 09:50:58 I feel like we're going through a reforming phase where The new members who are super knowledgeable like. 09:51:03 You know, I wanna say I'm not qualified to sit at the table anymore. Are just getting up to speed and Gordon is our chair this year. 09:51:16 Of the MRC, so he's doing a great job at that. And I always appreciate the discussions that happen there. 09:51:23 On Wednesday. Met with Commissioner Ozias to get his input on. Sailors BHAS O and we also talked about some forestry issues. 09:51:36 Mike French is the chair of the board over there this year and I'm gonna reach out to him this week about. 09:51:41 Our work on forestry and what they're you know cause we kinda offered them some of our natural climate solutions acreage allocation. 09:51:51 So just wanting to collaborate a little bit on that. In the afternoon I'm Wednesday, I went out to Chima come and attended the short, far more group meeting, which was a tour of the farm and that was great. 09:52:07 There was All of the steering committee members were there and then just 6 farmers and then Eric King Fisher and I are there kind of as resource people, community resource people and then. 09:52:17 Eric and Erin from the port. And then there was a number of members of the public who are just interested in how this unfolds and You know, some of us have watched the short farm. 09:52:29 Go through various permutations over the last. I mean, essentially one permutation, but a lot of conversations about. 09:52:39 Stream flow and Shimicom Creek and Just I think being on the farm and continuing those conversations is pretty. 09:52:48 It's, you know, the the fact that the valley floods there on the short farm where the elevation is so kind of consistent and not, we don't lose elevation on a shortfront much. 09:53:03 Is gonna be an interesting project for the steering group to grapple with. And I think everyone was eyes wide open and I heard a lot of reflection of that. 09:53:12 So I look forward to being part of that. Work going forward. I miss the Jefferson Transit Finance Committee meeting, but Ben was there to. 09:53:23 Handle it with the staff and I'm gonna get a little update from Miranda this week, but I think Ben will be chair of this year. 09:53:30 So. Let me, I guess, have our next, we already decide that I think. We talked about it, but I'm not sure we. 09:53:37 Formalized it. Thursday morning ahead the my third meeting of the Department of Ecology Model Ordinance, group about organics management, the bill that came out of the last session and it got a draft ordinance that has lots of options in it. 09:53:55 So we just kind of. We did through that a bit. Mark and I met with Mallory to go over her monthly reporting and monthly meeting kind of. 09:54:04 Structure that we're gonna have and she'll be submitting more detailed monthly reports that we'll all be able to see so we know what Mallory is working on. 09:54:14 Attended the beginning of the Clean Water District meeting on Thursday and then transition out of that to attend the Jefferson Timber Collective Meeting at the old alcohol plan, which is super inspiring gathering of people working in the wood products industry and Jefferson County about. 09:54:30 30 people that Scott Freeman largely organized along with some other members of the timber collective and Mallory I think helped quite a bit there too and A really good beginning of a new table at which that conversation can continue in the future and that comes a little bit out of that fifth application we got about the eco and industrial park and the airport and providing some capacity or place for them to maybe start that work. 09:55:00 That's one option that's out there. And then finally I was in Seattle with my mom all day on Friday for an appointment and I dialed into an encumbered lands, provide a, provides a discussion. 09:55:13 Pajul is working on another proviso and legislature this year. It's smaller than the one last year, the 83 million dollar when we saw last year it's now. 09:55:21 Getting at 34 million dollars and trying to get that over the finish line and there was a good conversation. 09:55:29 Amongst uncovering lands, which is us in Kalam and Pacific, Wakayak and 09:55:37 Yeah. 09:55:35 Hey, can I ask you a question about that? Was a hearing that, DNR was feeling less supportive of the Okay, okay. 09:55:48 Okay, great. That's good. 09:55:45 No. I didn't like that. No, Dwayne was there and no, there wasn't any sense of that. 09:55:53 It was just. There was some questions about from other other encumbered lands counties about. About all this in CS the 2,000 acres and how they're feeling like they got the short end of the stick this time around and more people want the stick? 09:56:10 I thought they well they want more acres in their county. To compensate for encumbered lands. Right. 09:56:14 And so that's Paul, Joel talked about that being more the focus of the Sears proviso. 09:56:19 Is weighted more towards and covered lands counties and less towards the climate solutions. So. Cool, busy week. 09:56:31 Alright. 09:56:30 Although that would still be funded out of natural climate solutions, right? Okay. 09:56:35 Some of it, yeah. And I also did announce that I'm running and tend to run for reelection last week. 09:56:44 So I think I can officially say it here now. Sent a press release to the leader and the Democrats picked it right up and put it right on Facebook, which kind of, man, I'm like, wait, that was, you know, that wasn't supposed to happen, but. 09:56:55 I am juggling so many balls right now that I am just grateful for whatever assistance I can get and I look forward to doing this work for a long time. 09:57:04 Excellent. Yeah, happy to hear it. Yeah. Alright, good tough, tough to beat, Kate. 09:57:10 You wanna quickly go over your week? 09:57:11 Yeah, I can go relatively quickly. Obviously with you all last Monday, it was at Tuesday and Wednesday with my mom and medical. 09:57:22 So you get for having 3 middle aged commissioners. Taking care of teenagers and parents. 09:57:29 Let's see, was able to join the child care, project team meeting and, that project is moving along pretty well. 09:57:40 Still working on getting the, USDA application. Complete. Really glad to have a Mandra. 09:57:48 Christoperson working on that. And see if they are getting work done. So those are required before application, permit building application is submitted. 09:57:56 So, but moving along, I had a quarterly meeting of the state. Board of Health Environmental Health Sub and, we just pass the new statewide on site septic code and have to open it up. 09:58:10 Already for an amendment, there's a, Wow, way of treating, fogs, that oils in Greece that, couple different ways to do that and, there's some question as to which is better and so the new code includes one of those processes and we've been asked by industry to include the second and allow both of them to be used in the code. 09:58:36 So, opening it back up for that purpose to make it more flexible for our handlers. Sewage to have more options. 09:58:47 Had a board meeting of the fairgrounds and we're gonna be Hi, hiring some additional support for the manager. 09:58:59 Trying to just get ahead of the enormous amount of work there, whether it's capital projects, maintenance policies, you know, building a board capacity. 09:59:11 Kind of need. So to bring in some more help there. And then, probably forgetting something here but Friday it was mostly traveling blue to DC that. 09:59:29 That day and have been here at the National Association of Counties. Conference since, not with our lobbyist on Saturday, number of good workshops, which I'll refill on when I get back. 09:59:41 Meeting with our federal delegation tomorrow before. 09:59:47 Sorry, make it in 3 min. 09:59:48 You were quick. And let's see, I've got 2 min for mine and I'll hit the high points. 09:59:55 I went on KPTZ for our community conversations with our new central services director, Tracy Coleman, and she was fantastic. 10:00:01 She chose, tears for fear songs. Everybody rules the world. That was fun. Oh yeah. 10:00:10 So she likes the eighty's music, which both Gem and I approved of. Interesting special board meeting, for the housing fund board to hear from the, kind of the the department that manages the data, talking about the homeless management systems and that was really it was more for the providers but it was really educational for me as well. 10:00:30 Kind of a high point was, you know, I think I told you the skate park that we funded the $20,000 ARPA grant they got denied in their their application with stronger towns for the RCO grant as not having athletic experience. 10:00:44 Still looking for a solution. I think they might have a. Another nonprofit with more athletic experience that they're trying to do. 10:00:52 So they're still trying to get that in, but there were 2 meetings on Tuesday, one with the grind line who they're hiring with that 20 grand and then a public meeting with Brian Lyon as they did a chorete kind of getting community input and it was super well attended the public meeting. 10:01:11 We had 35, 40 people there hot for a skate park. And, line really, I know they impressed Matt Tyler when we met with them earlier in the day and they really managed that shredded adroitly I would say and you know they even had a 10 year old girl who was there writing down all the ideas. 10:01:28 So it was really engaging. Fun process and you know just skaters are so inclusive. I was always a little afraid of him when I was in high school but Pretty inclusive group. 10:01:38 So now I own a skateboard shop for 10 min in Port Townsend, right? The paved wave. 10:01:42 The paved wave. That's good. I'm sure it would have, I would have had a different impression than, I was just, that was me as a high school student, not to say that skaters weren't always inclusive. 10:01:53 And then also met with, the folks Mclain Sprung and Lynn from Sprung that were coming out and doing a road show on their stuff, met with them in a private meeting when they were having lunch briefly and Mark was there and then also attended the city council meeting. 10:02:08 And that was city council. There were no city council members, but they made a presentation to the city and the consultants as well. 10:02:14 Several members of the steering committee were there and Jack and Pretty impressive, you know? Yeah. 10:02:22 So I've, I've got more, we can dive in deeper if with a little bit more time. 10:02:27 But, you know, it's a real option and even consultants where, you know, scraping 10 million dollars off their estimate, you know, as we're sitting there. 10:02:35 So, positive meeting. All right, with that we are at 10 o'clock so we are going to go into a private executive session for 1 h and we are going in with the county administrator, the chief civil deputy prosecuting attorney, the environmental public health director and natural resources program coordinator regarding a potential litigation. 10:02:55 Exemption is outlined in the open public meetings act, RCW, 42 dot 30 dot 110 parentheses one parentheses I and when we come out at a 11 o'clock where we'll be potential discussion potential action if we do take any action we'll have public comment regarding the topic of the executive session before taking that action. 10:03:16 So with that, we will, move into a separate Zoom room and, and, yeah, we'll, we'll see you in an hour. 11:03:04 Sure. We are coming, well, we're not coming out of exact. We need to extend. 11:03:11 I see one hand raised. Is there a technical issue or anything, Mr. Cheers? That's going on. 11:03:17 We, we can bring you over to. Address the issue. 11:03:24 Lord his hands. Okay. 11:03:29 Okay, what we are going to extend for 15 more minutes. We're coming out here at 1101. 11:03:37 We'll go and tell 16 past. It's a reminder we're an executive session with the County Administrator Chief Civil Deputy Prospecting Attorney, Environmental Public Health Director, Natural Resources Program Coordinator and our Environmental Public Health. 11:03:50 Code compliance officer regarding potential litigation exemptions outlined in the open public meetings act RCW 42 dot 30 dot 1 10 parentheses one parentheses I we're going back in at 1102 coming out at oh let's say 17 after. 11:19:08 Let me do it. Right. Testing testing, 1, 2, 3. Can folks hear us out there? 11:19:16 I need to get back over to. 11:19:20 Alright, I we're coming out at 1117 and that no action taken on the executive session. We do have an 1130 presentation coming up to go over the finance departments work plan And before that, we all made it through our last week except Mark. 11:19:45 How was your past week, Mark? Let me call up the calendar real quick here. Hmm. Hey, Monday the fifth was board meeting day. 11:19:55 Then on. Tuesday the sixth. We hosted a welcome reception for our new central services director, Tracy Coleman. 11:20:06 I thought that was a great little event. 11:20:10 Then at 1030 risk committee met. And. And then 2 o'clock in the afternoon, a team meeting with. 11:20:19 Okay, Kevin Street, Aaron Berg, and John Morrow. On Wednesday the seventh I had a one on one in the morning with Brent Butler. 11:20:29 Then I attended the spring lunch at Jefferson County International Airport and followed up by the 2 o'clock meeting at City Hall was sprung. 11:20:39 Pretty impressive technology that they shared with us and they actually showed us their headquarters building in Alberta, Canada. 11:20:49 Quite impressive. That's a strong building. Yeah, so they walk the talk. They use their own technology in their own headquarters. 11:20:59 Then on Thursday, Cindy Brooks. Hosted the CEO breakfast. That's always a very illuminating meeting, I get to hear from other leaders in the community about what they're doing for the benefit of our community. 11:21:16 Just characterize how many people attend that and it varies. I think this last time there were 6. 11:21:25 And then, the meeting with, with Mallory. That Heidi talked about to go over the monthly reporting requirement in the new contract. 11:21:35 And then I did a gender review with Kate at 3 30 and then met with Philip Hunsucker. 11:21:40 To discuss the The new process for reporting conflict attorneys. 11:21:50 On the twentieth I'll be bringing to the board an agenda request asking for the board to delegate contract approval authority for when we appoint those contract attorneys. 11:22:02 And the the contract that we propose to use will be attached to that agenda request. Simply so that we can appoint attorneys quickly so that they can begin representational duties immediately rather than waiting for a Monday or, you know, 9 or 10 days. 11:22:21 For the board to consider those. And then on Friday, I met with Josh Peters in the morning and then Linda Ferris with Gathering Place. 11:22:31 Came to visit to talk about the fairgrounds and they were interested in other county properties. Where they might locate their facility and they were particularly interested in the 6 parcels at the Port Townsend Business Park and I told him that the county had already given away one ideal expansion site for county facilities at Castle Hill for the affordable housing project and we didn't want to give away another the high potential site for, you know. 11:23:03 future county administration building or law and justice building. And so they left disappointed. But I really had nothing to offer them. 11:23:11 So that was my week. Alright, thank you for that. You wanna just go ahead and let us know what is on your calendar. 11:23:20 Okay, obviously today we got half a day. With the board and then tomorrow, security committee for the courthouse's meeting. 11:23:32 We'll have Tracy Coleman at that, introduce her to her responsibilities for building security. 11:23:38 Then an AT meeting at 2 o'clock and then I'm I'm going to meet with Chief Black and Steve King from the city to talk about the community wildfire protection plan and the issues that the city and the chief had with with the way the plan was looking to wrap up The city had objections to using the DNR Wooy Map and So anyway, hopefully we can we can all agree on. 11:24:09 What our consultant needs to do. To wrap that plan up and If we can reach agreement on that, then we'll get a. 11:24:19 Statement of work condition from the consultant and and a quote for how much that additional work might cost and then I'll bring a contract amendment to the board. 11:24:28 Thanks for, in that, Mark. 11:24:32 And then on Wednesday, nothing much on the calendar except the North Olympic Peninsula City Manager County Administrator Zoom catch up that occurs every other month. 11:24:44 Then on Thursday. I'm gonna donate blood at 10 o'clock. And, do a gender review with Kate in the afternoon. 11:24:54 And then of course I, ICG meeting and at 5 o'clock. And then on Friday, the weekly with Josh and then County Coordination Meeting. 11:25:03 And. So Kate will need to collaborate on agenda items for that. Hey Mark, I have a question. 11:25:14 I guess it was from you, Carolyn, a agenda request for an 8 a. M. 11:25:19 ICG meeting. Oh, I think that was a placeholder or something. Well, there was so I'm still finding issues with the Outlook calendar invite. 11:25:29 By times, although it looks fine to me, does not look fine on other people's calendars. 11:25:32 So I should just decline that one. I have both. Yeah, I had both. Yeah, I had both also and I deleted, I deleted the 8 a. M. One. 11:25:46 I prefer the 8 am. I have both. Yeah. I had both also and I deleted, I deleted the 8 a. M. 11:25:54 When I prefer the 8 am. I didn't see it going on. Otters playing Pokemon Go. 11:26:03 Okay, great. Who else would like to look forward? We have another 5 min. It'd be great to work out any conflicts as well. 11:26:14 This week. I could just say I'll be out tomorrow. I have a DNR, carbon and forest management work group on Wednesday for much of the day and then Stacey and I are going to the Jefferson County Library District to do a presentation on timber tax revenues. 11:26:37 And the middle of that carbon and forest management work group meeting, but I'll just bop out for a minute and then. 11:26:44 Thursday of course Board of Health and ICG with you. All. And Friday I'll be in at 7 seaters for the sailors. 11:26:55 Be, executive board meeting. In the morning and on KPDZ. Middle of the day. 11:27:04 I'm talking about empowered teams coalitions. Nice. Alright, Kate, how is your week look? 11:27:11 Are you able to talk where you are right now? 11:27:14 Yep, I can. Sorry, get back there. 11:27:21 Alright, so, I lie back tomorrow after meeting with our federal delegation. Then Wednesday I'm gonna go right to Olympia for legislative steering committee, which is Wednesday and Thursday. 11:27:37 Be back Thursday for board of Health and ICG. Friday. 11:27:52 Let's see a, maybe the county coordination meeting and, yeah, Mark, we need to connect on that. 11:28:00 The draft agenda has Heidi talking about strategic plan implementation again. So, I'm guessing. 11:28:05 Yeah, radio, typically sends out the last approved agenda and then we just mark it up and send it back. 11:28:13 Okay, so we're not. Just wanna make sure that is not something that's arranged for ID to do that. 11:28:20 Unless Heidi and I can huddle before then. 11:28:23 On Friday. 11:28:27 Okay. 11:28:25 She's on KPTZ anyway, so I don't think it's practical. Well, no, I mean, yeah, Heidi and I need to chat because we have an idea on how to proceed that we need to agree on that we could then breathe. 11:28:37 You would have to bring it Mark because Heidi can't be there. 11:28:40 Correct, correct. I just need to meet with Heidi prior to that. 11:28:43 Okay, great. 11:28:45 Yeah, I think, yeah, I think Mark and I are in agreement. So we don't have to agree to agree again, but we don't have to agree to agree again, but we can connect on it for sure. 11:28:53 Okay. 11:28:53 Okay, so I've got a PRTPO meeting and followed by the county coordination meeting and that is it. 11:29:01 And I think I will be exhausted at that point. And ready to be done for a weekend instead of working all weekend like this one. 11:29:11 Alright, thanks. I'll be really quick. So I see Judy Shepherd has Walked into the, end of the chambers. 11:29:20 It looks as good walk freely in. I love to see it. Let's see. 11:29:25 My week, tomorrow. With you guys of course today tomorrow there's a virtual summit for recompete that is all day that I'll be at for much of the day. 11:29:35 Virtually except for the finance meeting of EDC and stepping out for the quilting Brennan empower teens coalition. 11:29:43 Oh, I think there's also actually a simultaneous, TCC meeting that, We are looking at. 11:29:47 Okay. 11:29:50 Look, looking for new dates for the Kelsey and Brennan, I'm Power Teams coalition. 11:29:58 I'm not the only one with, an ongoing conflict. On Wednesday, we have our weekly, you know, local Jefferson County Recompete meeting. 11:30:05 It's like Mark's trying to, the promotion. And, orca meeting and then, meeting with the city. 11:30:14 Manager. Housing fund board one of the committees is meeting this week. And then on Thursday another the jobs job creation subcommittee of Recompete has its first meeting Thursday morning virtually. 11:30:30 I'll be at the board of health meeting. I'll be at the first hour of the ICG meeting, perhaps remotely because I'm also taking care of the farmers. 11:30:39 The rest of my family is abandoning me today. But then we have a, you know, only cap meeting. 11:30:46 Starting also from 5 to 7 and I am really required to that too. So I'll be going to ICG where I think I'm updating everyone on recompete and then I will be leaving it 6 to go to the only cap meeting virtually. 11:31:00 And then on Friday, I will be at the, level consortium board meeting. And, not the counts. 11:31:10 Yeah. And that's, it on Friday and Yeah, that's my week. Okay, well, I think that 11:31:21 Yes. 11:31:19 Any Greg, can I ask you one question real quick? If, are there any, talking points and recompete that I should be aware of. 11:31:28 I'll meeting with our delegation and also be meeting with EDA. Is that something you could have someone send me or? 11:31:35 Perhaps it doesn't exist currently, but. 11:31:39 Like what sort of what would be helpful? 11:31:40 Just I know there was didn't Kilmer have some concern about a. I don't know, is it a claw back of some of those funds or? 11:31:48 Well, there's been talk at many of the meetings that we have to be advocates for it as well as applicants to make sure that not so much fearing clawbacks as a cessation of future funding. 11:32:02 But I think we're a little too early in that. Period. I can I can I can come up with a couple bullet points for you. 11:32:11 That's by Wednesday by legend. Ledge. Wait, when do you need to buy? 11:32:16 Wow. 11:32:15 I'm going tomorrow. But if it's just helpful to be an advocate and talk about, you know, the enthusiasm we have, that's fine too. 11:32:22 I would talk mostly about how, you know, I mean, I think you can even use Blind Cove as an example about how the teamwork is really strengthening relationships on the North Olympic Peninsula and that the ancillary benefits are really showing and how projects are getting are moving forward even parallel with the recompete process, you know, that the process itself is, creating teamwork on 11:32:50 the nor in our in our region. And Kate, you could mention the meeting we had with the forestry cohort. 11:32:57 I know Amanda organized our participated in competing in that with Recompete in Mind and it was a super successful event. 11:33:05 And a lot of energy about. Collaboration on forest processing and wood product storage and yeah, just I left. 11:33:17 I mean, I have more inspired than I've been in a really long time, that meeting. That's great. 11:33:20 Great. Okay, thank you. 11:33:22 Yup. Okay. With that, we will turn it over to Judy and we have. Our auditor hunting for it as well. Good to see you. Is that what you were popping in before? 11:33:34 Okay, great. Well, we're ready for you now. Alright, take it away, Judy. 11:33:39 Well, thank you for this opportunity to share my work plan for 2,024. But first before we jump into 2,024, let's do a look back on 2023. 11:33:51 If you'll do the next slide for me please. So Mike's gonna be my driver for since I always have issues with connectivity. 11:33:56 So, these were my 2,000, and 23 goals. The first ones was to build a strong accounting team. 11:34:05 And honestly, I little did I know. It would take an entire year to get there. But I feel like with the last person joining our team, Tamara Montgomery, or accounts payable or accounting technician accounts payable. 11:34:23 We really have a strong team now. So really excited about that and what it's going to bring. 11:34:29 So the next item was employee self-service and the next one Munis grants management. So the challenge with this when you have new staff or you don't have staff. 11:34:38 It's really hard to add additional things that you want to accomplish. So stay tuned. They're coming. 11:34:45 All right. The annual report and the SEO audit. Yes, we did it. Have to do the happy to. Okay. 11:34:53 We did it. You know, it takes a village to do this these days. I remember when I started here 7 years ago. 11:35:00 I primarily did it all on my own. And so now there's so many moving pieces, they're adding new things all the time. 11:35:09 Noimy Riddle is completely trained now. So that is awesome. We're balancing better than ever between bank statements in the GL, which is, is makes me happy, makes our auditors happy. 11:35:22 So it's, it's. Things are happening. Well, they and team. Stacy played a big role in doing the balancing. 11:35:35 Stacy played a big role in doing the balancing. Barb Ferguson as well in the treasurer's office. 11:35:36 So, Stacy played a big role in doing the balancing, Barb Ferguson as well in the treasurer's office. 11:35:40 So a lot So lunch and learn financial topics. The only one I was really able to pull off was the budget and it wasn't done in a lunch and learn format. 11:35:48 It was more, this is how you, we have a lot of new people that were in our budget process this last year. 11:35:53 So we're able to do a couple of webinars where they I walked them through the process, answered questions and did that for a couple of times before they submitted. 11:36:05 And I think it was really helpful. So that kind of spurred me on to do a little bit more. 11:36:10 We have a lot of new people in the finance area in other departments. So my hope is that, well, we're going to do some other training. 11:36:19 I'll get to that in a minute. We got really good feedback about that training through the budgeting process. 11:36:24 I mean, throughout our budget presentations again and again, that was a, that I remember. Oh, good, good. 11:36:29 So personal goals. So. Professional development. So I work through the budget projections, 2,02425 budget, went to WFOA. 11:36:44 That was the first time I'd been able to go since before COVID. So that was great to go. 11:36:48 Did a lot, learned a lot, advocated for no findings with SAO. So, you know, it was it was great to be there and be out there again. 11:36:59 I improved our onboarding for new staff because once you do it enough times and realize you're not doing a very good job. 11:37:05 You want to do better, right? And so I feel like even with Tamra now we've. 11:37:10 You know, we actually had a schedule for her on her first day. And just when I just say onboarding, I think it's important for departments to onboard their new employees, not just, I mean, there's an expectation for HR to do what they do, right? 11:37:24 But there's also an expectation should be an expectation from management to onboard an employee. Okay, what are they getting into? 11:37:32 They applied for the job. They got the job. They, you know, all that, what is it going to look like? 11:37:37 And so that's, we just mapped out the first. First month and you know, she had a clear, clear understanding of what it was going to look like. So that was a big change. 11:37:47 So hopefully we don't have to do it for anytime soon though, right? And I have to say I have grown as a manager. 11:37:57 I had to dust off my management tools mainly because when I came to the county I was not a manager, but I had been a manager or vice president in the private sector. 11:38:07 And so when I came, I was able to, so when I got this role, I dust off those tools, realized they were little out of date. 11:38:16 Okay. And learned a better manage. During this time of state stopping coming and going, learning how to encourage. 11:38:26 Really help people to grow. And that's where my passion is, to help people grow. 11:38:32 That's, I love that. You know, that just gets me fired up. So, and also improve communication and also really plug in to building a team. 11:38:42 Cause that's what it comes down to. So personally, I had a very interesting year. And I have to say it didn't go the way I had thought planned either that I had planned either. 11:38:55 However, one thing I've come to realize that even though sometimes we physically want to get healthy. You have to get healthy mentally and emotionally first. 11:39:04 And so that was my 20 and 23, my 2,023 is getting more healthy and having better healthier attitudes, taking care of myself in other ways and so I'm excited for 24. 11:39:18 So there's more of that in 24. So yes, please. So these are collaborative. 11:39:28 Back one more. There we go. So there was some collaborative accomplishments and that's why I asked Brenda to be here because we collaborate every day on just about everything we're doing at the annexe for the finance team. 11:39:43 And one of them is we weathered the storm of following a payroll implementation. And let me tell you, it was very challenging. 11:39:51 Okay? But we weathered it, we got through it. We're better for it. Okay. 11:39:56 The next thing worked with HR and also other people within the county on a new travel reimbursement policy. 11:40:04 And we do this for me. I brought some of these. Thank you. We, just, I just finished a new travel brochure, so it's hot off the press. 11:40:14 And this is a condensed version of the travel reimbursement policy. And so it's something that's gonna make it way around the county this week. 11:40:25 In this format and it's just to give people that have never traveled before a snapshot of what travel looks like for the county employee. 11:40:39 You mean the, are you talking about the mileage? Point 6 7. Yeah. I know. 11:40:49 Isn't it crazy? You're talking about the mileage? Point 6 7. Yeah. I know, isn't it crazy? 11:40:58 I need to start driving places. Okay. And then, we increased our payroll team from one employee to 3 employees. 11:41:01 That really just came all to fruition, from one employee to 3 employees. That really just came all to fruition January first. 11:41:05 That really just came all to fruition January first. So we're excited about that and we're already reaping the benefits of that. 11:41:09 That has been huge for our team. We cross trained additional staff for accounts payable because when you lose somebody, then you've got, okay, now what? Right. 11:41:19 And so we had, Noimy Riddle took the brunt of people coming and going in accounts payable and and she's a trooper. 11:41:25 However, we knew we needed to do something else so we were able to work on that. We improve communications between our HR and payroll teams. 11:41:33 We're working really well together. And then, assisted, I assisted other departments with some hiring and training. 11:41:40 So that. That was some collaborative accomplishments for 2,023. 2024. 11:41:49 So go ahead. 11:41:53 Well, nice transition. Wait, I got a real cool one. Okay, so, strong accounting team growth. 11:42:02 You know, our finance team is comprised of 6 that have a responsibility for a lot. And Mark has gotten tired of me saying this, but you know, we're really the hub of all the financial transactions that happen in the county between payroll and accounts payable. 11:42:19 Of course, you know, treasure has their hub as well. But for all the transactions that go through the county, I mean, Public Works alone submitted 6,500 invoices last year. 11:42:31 That's huge, right? And then you've got public health submitting another 15 to 2,000. 11:42:37 So then, you know, these this is what's flowing through our team on a monthly basis, you know, and that's those are annual figures. 11:42:44 So they represent A lot of activity and they accomplish a lot and currently our AP is one person still and with the help of 2 to 3 others that have other full-time jobs. 11:43:01 So we're going to, so I said all that is that one of the important things that as a manager I feel that it very strongly about is continuing to promote well-being among the team because they do so much. 11:43:14 And when the rubber meets the road, they're going to do whatever it takes to get the job done. 11:43:17 And so, you know, it's something I'm always talking to them about. Okay, what did you do to take care of yourself this weekend? 11:43:25 And, and you know, as managers, it's important that we're taking care of people because we value them. 11:43:29 They're one of our value assets. Okay. So the other thing is continue to develop staff to foster relationships throughout the county and continue to build trust. 11:43:40 Trust was, was kind of an issue at the beginning of last year for payroll and one that we really don't want to ever have to go back into, right? 11:43:50 So one thing I did is worked with them about. Have you ever read the book Dare to Lead or you heard about it? 11:43:58 There's an acronym in there or an acrostic in there that is says Braving Trust. 11:44:04 Embraved braving is it talks about boundaries, reliability, accountability, the vault, integrity, non-judgmental and generosity. 11:44:16 That's it in a nutshell. So we work through that. So we're going to continue to do that because we have half of our team are brand new. 11:44:22 So we're going to continue to do that and encourage that. The other is to focus on professional development. 11:44:29 Last year, we weren't able to do that. Knowing they didn't go to any conferences and she really needs to. 11:44:39 We've got some things and we're already starting to put some things on. DEC for for grants and for accounting. 11:44:47 So we're already starting to put some things on deck for for grants and for accounting. So and then also payroll because we have 2 fairly new people in payroll. 11:44:52 Alrighty, next slide, please. 11:44:57 Munich modules, Mark's favorite, the employee self service. It is on there and I've already talked to Sarah on our payroll team. 11:45:07 I think she's going to be taking the lead on that. So we're going to start strategizing on how to get that done. 11:45:12 So we're excited about that. Contract management. I'm already working on that. I'm going to be working with Carolyn and ADL. 11:45:21 Possibly as early as this week to start putting our contracts into Munis. So yeah, so. 11:45:27 I know, right? And it's one of those things that, we, refer to the paper copy or a scanned copy all the time and then you got to search through the paper copy or scanned copy all the time and then you got to search through find the paper copy or a scanned copy all the time and then you got to search through, find the money. 11:45:41 The nice thing about contract management, you enter an AP bill and if it goes over the contract management you enter an AP bill and if it goes over the contract it'll stop you and so or give you a warning. The nice thing about contract management, you enter an AP bill and if it goes over the contract, it'll stop you. 11:45:48 And so, or paperless contracts will be no more. Well, as far as I'm being scanned in the laser fish, they'll be there, but they also be attached in our contract. 11:45:59 Oh, I'm sure they'll, I'm sorry, digital contract. Every content will be digital plus whatever. 11:46:06 Yes. Plus what we need to manage it. Yeah, exactly. Grant management. 11:46:09 We're still working on this. We're trying to right now decide maybe we ought to use contract management for grants instead of grant management. 11:46:19 So we're kind of in this place of trying to figure that out. So there will be more to come on that. 11:46:24 It's more just a tool to create what we need for the annual report. We're already doing that pretty well. 11:46:29 So, you know, we have to weigh the importance of it. Is it worth the extra time? Is it an extra cost to? 11:46:35 I mean, it's in the program. Yeah. With what we got. Okay, next slide please. 11:46:42 So with the state auditor, we want to continue what we started with no findings with the SAO, complete our audit by the federal deadline of 9 30, which we did last year. 11:46:54 And again, just continue to work on the cash balancing component with bank statements and all the ends and outs and yeah just continue doing a lot of the same work we're doing in that area. 11:47:10 Workshop training is of course this is what I was going to talk. We were going to talk about this in a little bit. 11:47:17 Munis training workshops. We do have a lot of new people that just don't know how to navigate their way around Munis. 11:47:23 We've added some users to Munis because we need to give people. Some freedom to be able to get in there and pull reports. 11:47:31 And that leads to. One of my other goals that I'll talk about in a minute, but, we just have some training to do. 11:47:41 Travel policy workshop, like to do a couple of travel policies because it has changed. We have people that are traveling for the first time also that don't really know how to travel for the county. 11:47:52 So want to do something there. Good. There my first year. The AP workflow approval workshop. 11:48:05 This is we have which are directors and managers, but they may not really know what they should be looking at it to approve something. 11:48:12 So we want to do some training in that as well. And then of course we'll do more budget workshops for the amendment. 11:48:19 Personal goals. I'm going to look into, I mean, an improved budget presentation that will tell more of a story versus an improved budget presentation that will tell more of a story versus just putting numbers out there. 11:48:31 This is something that is kind of been I know Mark has wanted to do and so I'll be working on that too. 11:48:38 Either it's a third party, way of dumping our data in there and and then producing something that The public can easily understand as well. 11:48:50 Or it could be coming out of Munis, which is the next time I'm on there as Munis cubes and SSRS proficiency. 11:49:00 I've just barely gotten into that and that's the reporting. That's beyond. I don't know what it stands for, but it's beyond. 11:49:12 We have some up policies and new policies we need to work on. You know, as you do the work, sometimes you realize there's more to do and where there aren't policies and there should be policies kind of thing. 11:49:24 And then, personally, is to improve health and wellness. Of course for myself and then have more fun. 11:49:35 I need more fun in my life and then have more fun. I need more fun in my life. So I want to have more fun. I need more fun in my life. 11:49:38 So I want to have more fun. Not sure what that looks like. I've never had too much funds. Not sure what that looks like. I've never had too much funds. 11:49:41 Yeah. Well, you know, one of our strategic goals is organizational health. So this all fits right in. 11:49:46 Oh good. Good. I did. We have pizza paid days in our office. I did. We have pizza paid. Oh, nice. 11:50:05 And it's actually an opportunity for people to personalized we don't talk about work unless somebody tries to talk about work and then we switch the subject to something else. 11:50:15 Okay. And then, okay, wait for it. Oh, I didn't do my transition the one I wanted. 11:50:21 Okay. Is that it? Should I go backwards? No. 11:50:26 It was an origami think bird. Oh well, it's okay. No worries. Oh, well, it's okay. No worries. It's a cool line. 11:50:34 So this is just us in summary strong accounting team grow. So this is just us in summary, strong accounting team grow, continue what we're doing with the SEO in summary strong accounting team grow continue what we're doing with the SEO in 2024 workshop trainings the modules in M And so I am very hopeful. 11:50:45 For 2024 2023 was very challenging was very challenging and but we made it it's in the past. We made it. It's in the past. 11:50:57 We learned a lot from it, but we made it. It's in the past. We learned a lot from it and I'm very hopeful. 11:50:59 For 2024 so that's what i have for you I'm taking a challenging this year, Judy. 11:51:05 Yeah. So your year is gonna be. That's on Scrambles. So, if you, are, what, the, the, game, those are from. 11:51:11 Oh, right. Because I was only with 1 point. I have no idea. You're a Scrabble player, huh? 11:51:19 Okay, IS really worth 6 points. Alright, great stuff. Awesome. Any questions for Judy? 11:51:38 No, I don't have any questions. Well, an inspiring and hopeful presentation. She covered it and I do think, last year we, did learn lots and I think we We. 11:51:56 We came in. Really charged and then, you know, we had lots of hills and mountains to get over and I think that's what builds a good team. 11:52:05 So. Yeah, I think. Yeah, we've become just accomplished a lot. We started writing it all down. 11:52:12 And I, yeah. I'll be a part of it. Awesome. Alright, it's exciting. 11:52:19 Thanks so much. All right. Thank you. Yeah, great to see you up and around too. 11:52:23 I know I'm walking faster. Did you know? I'm walking faster. Did you know? I did. 11:52:33 Yeah, yeah. It's all right. Great. Well, we have a couple more minutes left. 11:52:36 Oh, one thing I didn't mention when I was doing my calendar, that's it. 11:52:37 Alright, great. Well, we have a couple more minutes left. Oh, one thing I didn't mention when I was doing my calendaring is that we're gonna with the skate park folks, we're gonna schedule a workshop. 11:52:42 This is Matt's they've just come a long way with the presentation. So try to get Matt and, the skate park advocates out for a meeting. 11:52:49 Maybe grind line as well. 11:52:51 Okay, well we have just a few minutes left where again to remind the public we're gonna end at lunchtime today. 11:52:59 So anything else? Thanks guys. That we need to address, want to address? I was just gonna mention in reading the leader last week there was a letter to the editor and It stated a lot of what I've been saying about they had lucky GA and you know how my neighbors are wondering what it's going to look like once the sewer goes in so There was a great letter. 11:53:24 From, I, I do not yet know and had luck, basically asking what is headlock gonna look like in 5 years. 11:53:30 So I look forward to. Digging into some of that planning or visioning with DCD at some point. 11:53:36 Yeah, absolutely. And when, you know, as we get it. You know more refined like we'll try to get it out there. 11:53:43 You know multiple workshops there are you on that develop plan. Oh, one thing I was. 11:53:48 Well, it might be worth pointing out just I don't know how much of the public we still have listening but that you know we will first go to the underlying. 11:53:57 Zoning once the sewers completed that was done 20 years ago as part of our. You know, creation of the urban growth area, but the intention then is to at that point take a closer look. 11:54:11 We really didn't want to start changing that zoning for fear that it would delay the sewer project. 11:54:19 Right. 11:54:19 No, you can we have some idea of what it's gonna look like in the near term and then, then the conversations will start as to what What other changes we might like to kind of update that with, but it'll probably be a year or so before we can start that process. 11:54:35 And you've obviously had more conversations with the players. About it than me, Kate, so. No, excellent point. 11:54:40 Yeah. 11:54:40 Yeah, we've got, yeah, look at that. UGA overlay and in the GIS and you can you can get a good idea of what the Phase one, we'll really do in the short term. 11:54:50 Okay. 11:54:51 I, I got an invitation. I think I saw both of your names on it too for a peninsula housing authority strategic planning exercise on the eighth of March in the morning. 11:55:02 I said I would go but I would check with you guys. I have a good time my calendar but if someone else is buying to go I usually Ignore things with housing and because you guys both sit on housing so yeah, I, did not copy that one into my calendar. 11:55:20 Okay. 11:55:21 That's fine. I've got an MRC board retreat all that day, so I'm glad you can go. 11:55:25 Okay. I will confirm that I can go. Great. Okay, anything else, calendar wise folks need to get worked out before we break? 11:55:35 Just again, I'm not gonna be here next week. I screwed up thought I was scheduling stuff on an open Tuesday which So of course our actual meeting day so I apologize for that. 11:55:48 Okay, we will just, we'll soldier on. We'll still have the meeting and enjoy the time. 11:55:54 As I said, the First one in April, I think I've done a similar thing, so I will be gone, though I could probably come for the morning if there was important work. 11:56:05 Happy to. 11:56:02 And, Greg, do you by chair again next week? Okay, thanks. 11:56:08 Okay, anything else for the good of the order? Nope. All right. Well, safe travels, Kate. 11:56:19 Yeah, maybe Friday. 11:56:16 We'll see you, you know, at least we'll see you soon. Yeah, have a good week and we are adjourned. 10:03:21 From carolyn@co.jefferson.wa.us to Everyone: Executive Session from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. There will be a 2024 Finance Department Workplan at 11:30 a.m. The BOCC plans to adjourn by noon today. 11:04:34 From carolyn@co.jefferson.wa.us to Everyone: Executive Session extended: 11:01 a.m to 11:16 a.m.