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HomeMy WebLinkAboutM012609 ~1 COMMh._ ~~o~, STI.",~ 06;\ ~(g ~... ~\ ....~i I . I \~ ~/ '~!L!~ District No.1 Commissioner: Phil Johnson District No.2 Commissioner: David W. Sullivan District No.3 Commissioner: John Austin County Administrator: Philip Morley Clerk of the Board: Lorna Delaney MINUTES Week of January 26, 2009 Chairman David Sullivan called the meeting to order at the appointed time in the presence of Commissioner Phil Johnson and Commissioner John Austin. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD: The following comments Were made by citizens: a person stated that in his opinion the public should be able to review all the documents on the Consent Agenda online on the day the agenda is published and not have to wait until the Commissioner's meeting day to come into the Courthouse and look at the public packet; President Obama has directed federal agencies to make information more readily available to the public; an employee found out in December that she has to pay taxes on her partner's health benefits and she and her partner both stated that they feel they are being discriminated against and they asked the Commissioners to lobby federal Legislators to change the law; a person polled several businesses in the County and was told that business is down 20%, construction is also down, and what will be the impact to County reVenUe if the Port Townsend Paper Mill closes?; two citizens asked the Board to endorse actions to encourage the federal government to decrease the presence ofthe Border Patrol on the Olympic Peninsula; a person stated that he thinks the prohibition on camping needs to lifted because there is not a permanent homeless shelter in the County; and another person suggested that the Brinnon Motel which is owned by the County, or buildings at the fairgrounds or Fort Worden State Park could be used as a homeless shelters. APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT AGENDA: Commissioner Austin moved to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. Commissioner Johnson seconded the motion which carried by a unanimous vote. 1. HEARING NOTICE reo Proposed Ordinance to Increase Department of Community Development Fee Schedule; Hearing Scheduled on Monday, February 9, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. in the Commissioners Chambers 2. AGREEMENTS (2) reO 2009 Hotel-Motel Lodging Tax Funding; I) Forks Chamber of Commerce; and 2) Tourism Coordinating Council (TCC) 3. AGREEMENT NO. 1761111307-001 reO Transportation Forecast Model and Analysis; Jefferson County Public Works; Transpo Group, Inc. 4. AGREEMENT NO. XO-1813 reo Oak Bay Road Repair; Jefferson County Public Works; KPFF Consulting Engineers 5. AGREEMENT NO. G0900105 reO Coordinated Prevention Grant; Jefferson County Public Works; Washington State Department of Ecology Page 1 Commissioners Meeting Minutes: Week of January 26, 2009 6. BID CALL reo Publication of County Legal Notices; Bids Accepted Until 9:30 a.m. and Opened and Read Publicly at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, March 9, 2009 in the Commissioners' Chamber 7. 2009 Personal Property Cancellation; Macadoos, Inc. 8. Letter Regarding Permission to Use Structures and Property Located off of Appaloosa Drive in Brinnon for Fire Training Purposes; Fire Chief Robert Herbst, Jefferson County Fire Protection District No.4, Brinnon Fire Department 9. Advisory Board Resignations (2); Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SW AC); Port Townsend Paper Corporation Representative Kristin Marshall and Alternate Alice McConaughy 10. Payment of Jefferson County Vouchers/Warrants Dated December 24, 2008 Totaling $397,214.53 11. Payment of Jefferson County AlP Warrants Done by Payroll Dated January 16,2009 Totaling $95,095.22 and January 21,2009 Totaling $18,509.79 COMMISSIONERS BRIEFING SESSION: The Commissioners reported on the following items. Chairman Sullivan: . He plans to attend the public meeting on the IrondalelPort Hadlock UGA Sewer System this week. . He and Port Townsend Mayor Michelle Sandoval, PUD Commissioner Wayne King, and Norm McLeod will meet with Representative Lynn Kessler this week to discuss WRIA 17 and water bank legislation. He noted that the issue with creating a water bank is the funding mechanism. He attended the Peninsula Development Association (PDA) and RC&D meetings. They are reorganizing the PDA to make it more than just a pass through organization for economic development councils on the Olympic Peninsula. The PDA has received some planning grants through the Economic Development Administration. They Were able to hire a coordinator who has positioned the organization for federal economic stimulus funding for regional economic development projects. Commissioner Johnson: . He attended the Hood Canal Coordinating Council meeting, the Washington State Association of Counties (WSAC) Rural Counties meeting, and the WSAC Legislative Steering Committee meeting last week Legislation is coming forward to have the State Department of Natural Resources take oVer timberland that is restricted by Spotted Owl habitat in counties with a population of under 16,000. Another bill that was discussed would create a funding mechanism for public health from a five cent surcharge on bottled water. He talked to Senator Ranker who requested that the Board send letters of support to the Legislators asking that the shipping and cruise industries pay for the reSCUe tug at Neah Bay. The Puget Sound Partnership has suggested that a taxing district be created that would include all the counties on Puget Sound. The grant funding for a proposed Paradise Bay Large Onsite Septic System (LOSS) may have to be returned because the school lands where the septic system was to be located is part of a State Department of Natural ResourCes land exchange. Commissioner Austin suggested that possibly the funding could be used to hook up the Brinnon Hotel to the Dosewallips State Park LOSS instead. WSAC supports a proposal by Kitsap County that would increase real estate filing fees to $20. The fee would be used to help fund housing authorities. This legislation would have a direct impact on the County because the Bremerton Housing Authority administers the functions of the Jefferson County Housing Authority under a management agreement. . . . . . Page 2 Commissioners Meeting Minutes: Week of January 26,2009 Commissioner Austin: . He attended the Citizen of the Year A ward ceremony this weekend where he learned that all the hotel rooms were sold out. The Lodging Tax reVenUeS have not suffered despite the downturn in the economy. . He reviewed statistics on the yard waste fee that was implemented last October. This included yard and solid waste statistical comparisons for October, November, and December 2007 and 2008. The amount of yard waste has decreased which was part of the reason for the fee because the yard waste facility was near maximum capacity. There had been comments when the ordinance was passed that a fee might encourage increased illegal dumping or burning but an increase in these activities has not been reported. . He noted that there will be a Drug Court graduation this Thursday. County Administrator Philip Morley: . He stated that there was a discussion at the Law & Justice Council meeting last week about cutbacks on funding for drug, alcohol, and mental health programs at the State level. The concern is that this funding helps keep people out of the criminal justice system. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Commissioner Austin moved to approve the minutes of the December I, 2008 meeting. Commissioner Johnson seconded the motion which carried by a unanimous vote. Commissioner Johnson moved to approve the minutes of the December 3,2008 Special Meeting with the Planning Commission. Commissioner Austin seconded the motion which carried by a unanimous vote. County Administrator's Briefing: The following items Were discussed. . State Legislation. The Board discussed legislative bills and lobbying efforts. Philip Morley distributed an information packet on the 24th Legislative District delegation and their sponsored bills, and a second packet on the delegations from all Districts and the membership of all State Legislative committees. Chairman Sullivan reported that Representative Kessler may be proposing amendments to HBl580 and HBI494 that would enable a water bank in the greater Chimacum area. Another vehicle for enabling a water bank may be an amendment to the draft instream flow rule proposed by the State Department of Ecology (DOE). The County Administrator noted that staff has prepared a comment letter to DOE about the draft instream flow rule and will be discussing the draft rule and the comment letter at the Board's meeting on February 2. Commissioner Sullivan noted that the draft rule allows for rain catchment, but there may be a legal challenge on including this provision without authorizing legislation. Legislation on rain catchment has been proposed in prior years. Commissioner Sullivan said he will request that Representative Kessler resurrect one of these bills and include possible improvements. Commissioner Johnson described efforts to find sponsors for, and lobby for, passage of authorization for counties to establish a mineral extraction severance tax. Philip Morely noted that Assessor Jack Westerman is in Olympia this week and intends to mention the bill when he meets with Representative Kessler. Other legislative priorities discussed were: preserving Old Fort Townsend State Park which is on the State Parks potential closure list and continued funding for mental health and substance abuse programs. Page 3 Commissioners Meeting Minutes: Week of January 26,2009 . Economic Stimulus Packages. The Board also discussed the emerging federal and state economic stimulus packages and Philip Morely distributed an information packet about the stimulus plan and potential projects by Jefferson County and the City of Port Townsend. He noted efforts to identify a short list of priority projects that could be supported by all jurisdictions within Jefferson County. The goal is to select projects that promote sustained economic growth, in addition to some that may present short term opportunities for immediate jobs and project funding. There may be additional projects not currently on the County list, such as solar panels on County rooftops at Castle Hill and two road crossings for the Rick Tolefson Trail in Chimicum. . Miscellaneous Items Discussed: a) Potential dates for future joint meetings of the Jefferson County Commissioners and Port Townsend City Council; b) Response to Yakima Human Services offer for an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on involuntary treatment analysis; c) Status of a potential land exchange between the State Department of Natural Resources and Pope Resources; d) Possible letter to the federal delegation about a potential community forum on Border Patrol activities; e) Potential letter to the federal delegation regarding federal legislation on tax on health benefits for domestic partners; and f) Upcoming WSAC Legislative Rally in Olympia and setting up special meetings with Representatives Kessler and Van De Wege and Senator Hargrove. NOTICE OF ADJOURNMENT: Commissioner Austin moved to adjourn the meeting at 3:45 p.m. to the next regularly meeting on February 2, 2009. In the temporary absence of Commissioner Johnson, Chairman Sullivan seconded the motion which carried by a unanimous vote. ,;.>-: /. ..-~-. ~'," ~'I" {" '" MEET~~<l~BD, '. ","' ., ...... . . -'>, , SEAr:\- t': (, . '\~, ""', :1 '~i':V" ~.. \ l~;lI 'J ' ..:t~.. _-~ < ,~ .. " ATTEST>';) ':~.., ~ , .. "" ' ;'. ''; JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD ~F COMMISSIONERS I; /! ./ /.1 .l#Jj / 41 ({fz~ 'It/..Ai;.fl~ David W. Sullivan, Chair f"Yr:' / , /i:1 g Phil Jo son, Mem~r Austi~ rf1a~j Julie Matthes, CMC Deputy Clerk of the Board () (f'l C Page 4