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Home My WebLink Aboutres2014-035 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL NO. 2014 276 CLEARANCES Initial Date Date Received in Council Office Agenda Date Assigned to: Orinator: Browne 7/15/2014 7/22/2014 Finance/Council Division Head: Dept.Head: Prosecutor: Purchasing/Budget: Executive: TITLE OF DOCUMENT: Resolution establishing policy for acronym use in documents submitted to Council ATTACHMENTS: Resolution SEPA review required? ( ) Yes ( ) NO Should Clerk schedule a hearing? ( ) Yes ( X ) NO { SEPA review completed? ( ) Yes ( ) NO Requested Date: SUMMARY STATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE: (If this item is an ordinance or requires a public hearing,you must provide the language for use in the required public notice. Be specific and cite RCW or WCC as appropriate. Be clear in explaining the intent of the action.) This resolution establishes guidelines regarding the use of acronyms in documents prepared and submitted to the County Council. COMMITTEE ACTION: COUNCIL ACTION: 7/22/2014: Substitute amended and approved, forwarded 7/22/2014: Substitute amended and approved 7-0, to Council for approval Res. 2014-035 Related County Contract#: Related File Numbers: Ordinance or Resolution Number: Res. 2014-035 Please Note: Once adopted and signed, ordinances and resolutions are available for viewing and printing on the County's website at: www.co.whatcom.wa.us/council. 2014 Res\Plain Language Resolution Clean SPONSORED BY: CONSENT PROPOSED BY: BROWNE INTRODUCTION DATE: JULY 22, 2014 RESOLUTION NO. 2014-035 ESTABLISHING A POLICY FOR PLAIN LANGUAGE USE IN DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC WHEREAS, acronyms (words or abbreviations formed from the initial letters of a name or phrase) are commonly used in business and technical writing to avoid repetitive use of long, cumbersome names or phrases; and WHEREAS, proper use of acronyms can enhance the reading process and foster greater comprehension and understanding of detailed information; and WHEREAS, improper or over-use of acronyms can cause readers to become confused, intimidated and disinterested; and WHEREAS, unidentified or confusing acronyms can lead to a lack of clarity, interruption of presentations, and may prevent citizens from becoming sufficiently aware of important issues, programs, and services; and WHEREAS, transparency in government cannot occur without the use of plain language in all communications; and WHEREAS, it is imperative that documents shared between Whatcom County agencies, departments, elected officials, and the public be clearly written and easily understood; and WHEREAS, the County Council wishes to encourage the production and submission of documents that are concise and readable by establishing guidelines for the use of acronyms for all future paperwork submitted to the Council for review and action or intended for public use. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Whatcom County Council requests that the Executive directs staff to prepare documents according to the following guidelines when the documents are submitted to the County Council or provided to the public: 1. Acronyms will only be used for words or phrases that will be repeated within a document. 2. The first in-text reference to an acronym will be written out, followed by the acronym itself written in capital letters and enclosed by parentheses. Subsequent references to the acronym can be made by the capital letters alone. 3. Acronyms will be presented in full capital letters (e.g.: DOH for Department of Health). 4. At the time of the County's website update, the County Council requests that the County Executive direct each department of Whatcom County to develop and maintain a list of Acronyms it uses. The list should be provided to the Executive's office, who shall compile a comprehensive list of acronyms used by the County Government. 4a. The list shall include the acronym, the meaning, and department that uses it. This list should be updated quarterly. 4b. The list shall be easily accessible by a link from the home page on the County website and from each department's individual public home web page. 4c. Each document produced by County staff for the County Council or the public shall include a link to the Acronym list on the County Website. 5. All County staff writing documents intended for distribution are encouraged to follow the "Federal Plain Language Guidelines" available at www.plainlanguage.gov. BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that a list of acronyms commonly used by WhatcomAkyity,,ik attached as Exhibit A to this resolution as reference (list not all- inclusi,�e'}' G D U� 1/// PP pW day of , 2014. ATTEST GO WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL ~ - WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON ei Dan--B row n°Dsys, ale ` of the Council Carl Weimer, Council Chair APPROVED AS TO FORM: Civil Deputy Prosecutor EXHIBIT A ACRONYMS 1 I ADA Americans with Disabilities Act CERB Community Economic ACIR Advisory Commission on Redevelopment Board Intergovernmental Relations CFHMP Comprehensive Flood Hazard AFW Agriculture, Fish and Water Forum . Management Plan AGO Attorney General's Opinion (state) CFO Conservation Farm Option AICP American Institute of Certified CFR Code of Federal Regulations (federal Planners agency rules ALS Advanced Life-Support System CFS Cubic feet per second APA American Planning Association CIAW Cities Insurance Association of APWA American Public Works Association Washington AS Whatcom County Administrative CIP Capital Improvement Plan _ Services Department CJTC Criminal Justice Training Commission ASPA American Society for Public CM Council Member Administration CMC Certified Municipal Clerk ATSDR Agency for Toxic Substances and COE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Disease Registry COG Council of Governments AWB Association of Washington Business COM Department of Commerce AWC Association of Washington Cities CPI Consumer Price Index AWC RMSA Association of Washington Cities CRAB County Road Administration Board _ Risk Management Service Agency CREP Conservation Reserve Enhancement B&O Business and Occupation Tax Program BA Biological Assessment CRP .Road Proect BARS Budgeting, Accounting, and CRP Conservation Reserve Program Reporting System (state CTR Commute Trip Reduction (state law) requirements) CWA Clean Water Act BAS Best Available Science CWSP Coordinated Water Supply Plans BBLENS Birch Bay, Blaine, Lynden, Everson, CZMP Coastal Zone Management Program Nooksack, Sumas DASA Division of Alcohol &Substance BIA Building Industry Association Abuse BIA Bureau of Indian Affairs DCTED Department of Community Trade BLM Bureau of Land Management and Economic Development _ BLS Bureau of Labor Statistics (Dept. of DD Developmental Disabilities Labor) DEIS Draft Environmental Impact BMP Best Management Practices Statement _ BO Biological Opinion DFW Department of Fish and Wildlife BOE Board of Equalization DNR Department of Natural Resources - BPA Bonneville Power Administration DNS Determination of Non-significance CAO Critical Area Ordinances DOA Department of Agriculture CCA _Candidate Conservation Agreement DOE Department of Ecology CDBG Community Development Block DOE Department of Energy Grant DOH Department of Health • CDs Conservation Districts DOT Department of Transportation CEDS Community Economic Development _ DRS Department of Retirement Systems Strategy Rev 7/8/2014 EXHIBIT A ACRONYMS 2 1 DSHS Department of Social and Health GCNR Government Council on Natural Services Resources DSS Decision Support System GFOA Government Finance Officers E-911 Enhanced 911 Communication Association System GIS Geographic Information System EDA US Economic Development GMA Growth Management Act Administration GMA Growth Management Act EDC Economic Development Council GMHB Growth Management Hearings EDI Economic Development Investment Board (Board) HB Hearings Board EFH Essential Fish Habitat HB House Bill EIS Environmental Impact Statement _ HCP Habitat Conservation Plan EMS Emergency Medical Service HIDTA High Intensity Drug Traffic Act EPA Environmental Protection Agency HPA Hydraulic Project Approval ESA Endangered Species Act HUD Us Department of Housing and ESD Employment Security Department Urban Development ESHB Engrossed Substitute House Bill IAC Interagency Committee for Outdoor ESU Evolutionary Significant Unit Recreation FAA Federal Aviation Administration ICBO International Conference of Building FCAAP Flood Control Assistant Account Officials Program ICMA International City Management FCC Federal Communications Association Commission ICT Interjurisdictional Coordinating FCZDAC Flood Control Zone District Advisory Team Committee IFIM Instream Flow Incremental Method ' FEIS Final Environmental Impact Statement FEMA Federal Emergency Management IIMC International Institute of Municipal Agency Clerks FEMAT Forest Ecosystem Management IMLA International Municipal Lawyers Assessment Team Association — — FERC Federal Energy Regulatory IPSW Interagency Permit Streamlining Commission Workgroup FLSA Fair Labor Standards Act (federal IRT Interagency Review Team law) ISAT Interagency Science Advisory Team _ FMHA Farmers Home Administration ISIS Integrated Salmonid Information FMLA ' Family and Medical Leave Act (state , System and federal laws) ISP Independent Science Panel FOTG Field Office Technical Guide ISTEA Intermodal Surface Transportation FPB Forest Practice Board Efficiency Act FSA Farm Service Agency IT (Whatcom County Division of) FTE Full Time Equivalent Information Technology FWS Fish and Wildlife Service JARPA Joint Aquatic Resource Permit FY Fiscal Year , Application Rev 7/8/2014 EXHIBIT A ACRONYMS 3 I JFE Jobs for the Environment _ OAC Office, Administrator of the Courts JNRC Joint Natural Resources Cabinet OFM Office of Financial Management L&I Department of Labor and Industries OPMA Open Public Meetings Act LCREP Lower Columbia River Estuary OSHA Occupational Safety& Health Program Administration LCSCI Lower Columbia Steelhead OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Act Conservation Initiative (federal) LEED Leadership in Energy& s PAW Planning Association of Washington Environmental Design _ PDC , Public Disclosure Commission LEOFF Law Enforcement Officers and Fire PDS Whatcom County Planning& Fighters Retirement System Development Services Dept. LGPI Local Government Personnel I PERC Public Employment Relations Institute, AWC ! Commission LID Local Improvement District PERS Public Employees Retirement LWD Large Woody Debris System MOA Memorandum of Agreement PFC Properly Functioning Condition MOU Memorandum of Understanding PFH Properly Functioning Habitat MRSC Municipal Research and Services PFP Properly Functioning Population Center PHAB Public Health Advisory Board NACO National Association of County PHS Priority Habitat Species Officials PI Priority Index NAHRO National Association of Housing and PRIMA Public Risk Management Association Rehabilitation Officials (state and national) NAS 1 National Academy of Science PSAT Puget Sound Action Team NATaT National Association of Towns and PSRC Puget Sound Regional Council Townships PSWQAT Puget Sound Water Quality Action NEPA National Environmental Policy Act Team NFPA National Fire Protection Association PSWQMP ' Puget Sound Water Quality NLC National League of Cities Management Plan _ NMFS National Marine Fisheries Services PTBA Public Transit Benefit Area NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric PUD Public Utility District Administration PWS Public Water Systems NPDES National Pollution Discharge PWTF Public Works Trust Fund Elimination System RCO Washington State Recreation and NRC National Research Council Conservation Office NRCS Natural Resource Conservation RCW Revised Code of Washington Service REET Real Estate Excise Tax NSRSN mmNorth Sound Regional Support RFP Request for Proposal Network RFQ Request for Qualifications NWAPA North West Air Pollution Authority ROW Right of Way NWIFC Northwest Indian Fisheries .SAO State Auditor's Office Commission SaSI Salmonid Stock Inventory' Northwest Power Planning Council ry SASSI Salmon and Steelhead Stock NWRC North West Regional Council Inventory Rev 7/8/2014 EXHIBIT A ACRONYMS 4 I SEPA State Environmental Protection Act WACO Washington Association of County _SEPA State Environmental Policy Act Officials SMA _ Shoreline Management Act WAFEF Washington Agriculture and Forestry SMP Shoreline Master Program Education Foundation SMSA Standard Metropolitan Statistical WAPELRA Washington Public Employer Labor Area Relations Association SOS Save Our Wild Salmon WASHPIRG Washington Public Interest Research SRFB Salmon Recovery Funding Board Group SSB Substitute Senate Bill WASPC Washington Association of Sheriffs SSHEAR Salmonid Screening, Habitat ' and Police Chiefs Enhancement and Restoration WAU Watershed Administrative Unit SSHIAP Salmon and Steelhead Habitat WCC Whatcom County Code Information and Assessment Project WCC Washington Conservation Corps SSRS Statewide Salmon Recovery Strategy WCIA Washington Cities Insurance TDM Transportation Demand Authority Management WCMA Washington City/County TDR Transfer of Development Rights , Management Association TFW Timber, Fish, and Wildlife WDFW Washington Department of Fish and TIB Transportation Improvement Board Wildlife TIP Transportation Improvement WFOA Washington Finance Officers Program Association TMDL Total Maximum Daily Load WGEP Washington Governmental Entity UBC Uniform Building Code Pool UFC Uniform Fire Code . WHIP Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program UGA Urban Growth Areas WID Watershed Improvement District ULID Utility Local Improvement District WISHA Washington Industrial Safety and USBR United States Bureau of Reclamation Health Act (state) USC Unite States Code (federal law) WMCA Washington Municipal Clerks USCE _United States Corps of Engineers Association USDA United States Department of WRIA Water Resources Inventory Area Agriculture WSAC Washington State Association of USEPA United States Environmental _. Counties Protection Agency WSAFC Washington State Association of Fire USFS , United States Forest Service Chiefs USFWS United States Fish and Wildlife WSAMA Washington State Association of Services Municipal Attorneys USGS United States Geological Service WSDA Washington State Department of USGS United States Geological Survey Agriculture WA Washington WSDOT Washington State Department of , WABO Washington Association of Building Transportation Officials WSHRC Washington State Human Rights WAC Washington Administrative Code Commission WACD Washington Association of WSP Wild Salmonid Policy Conservation Districts WSRDC Washington State Rural Rev 7/8/2014 EXHIBIT A ACRONYMS 5 I Development Council WSU Washington State University WTA Whatcom Transit Authority WTSC Traffic Safety Commission WUTC Utilities and Transportation Commission WWTP Wastewater Treatment Plant Rev 7/8/2014