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HomeMy WebLinkAbout080124MPage | 1 MINUTES Ninth Meeting - Healthier Together Task Force – Jefferson County Findings and Recommendations Minutes for August 1, 2024 – 6:00 p.m. Jefferson County Commissioners Chambers In-person for members – The public is not allowed – Zoom available Task Force members in attendance: District 1: Todd McGuire District 1: Nancy Speser District 2: Celeste Schoenthaler District 2: Jim Scarantino District 3: Adele Govert District 3: Lynne Hovde At Large Member (Jefferson Aquatic Coalition rep): Cray Henry At Large Member (Jefferson Aquatic Coalition rep): Mary Rothschild Additional attendees included: Commissioner Greg Brotherton, Facilitator Diane McDade, JeffCo Aquatic Coalition President Wendy Bart, CEO, Olympic Peninsula YMCA 1. Commissioner Brotherton called the meeting to order at 6:04. 2. Task Force members were asked to share in an “icebreaker” question what assumptions they had coming onto the Task Force and whether those assumptions had materialized. 3. Commissioner Brotherton asked members to: a) Discuss the topic of whether to site a pool in Port Townsend or mid-county with two different associated administrative & funding mechanisms - either a Metropolitan Park District (MPD) or a Public Facilities District (PFD). b) Provide feedback on the summary document and PowerPoint deck Commissioner Brotherton forwarded to the Task Force, and c) Participate in two group exercises to ensure that all Task Force members’ voices are heard prior to ratification of final Findings and Recommendations. Page | 2 4. Greg noted that, if necessary, another Task Force meeting could be scheduled if there is not unanimous support for the conclusions put forth in the two draft deliverables. 5. It was noted that for the purposes of building a consensus, only citizens appointed to the Task Force would be making the official findings and recommendations. Task Force advisors’ views would not be counted in a final tally. 6. Celeste Schoenthaler led the first group exercise asking Task Force members to focus on the pros and cons of an aquatic center sited within Port Townsend vs an aquatic center sited in mid-county. 7. At the end of the first exercise, it was agreed that all Task Force members favored a mid- county site administered by a PFD. It was noted that if the City of Port Townsend were to choose to build a new pool or invest in a substantial expansion project at Mountain View Pool, that would foreclose the option for a new pool to be located mid-county as two public aquatic centers supported by taxpayer dollars in Jefferson County are not viable. 8. In the second exercise, the group discussed the (10) Key Findings posited from the slide deck. There was a group consensus that all (10) were supported with many suggestions for improvements in wording to clarify various topics, and add missing elements to further elucidate the reasoning behind the findings. 9. The Task Force reviewed the recommendations as written in the draft slide deck and agreed to modify language in them but agreed on the substance of the findings. 10. There was discussion on how the output of the Task Force would be shared with the community and public. It was agreed that the first step would be a joint meeting of the Healthier Together Steering Committee with the Healthier Together Task Force. This would be a public meeting. Next, presentations to the Port Townsend City Council and the County Board of Commissioners, possibly in a joint session. Commissioner Brotherton to take the lead in scheduling those meetings. There was discussion about presenting to the JeffCo Aquatic Coalition who open all of their meetings to members of the public. 11. The group then joined in singing together The Swimming Song, accompanied by Commissioner Brotherton on banjo and Jim Scarantino on guitar. 12. The meeting was adjourned at 8:06.