HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources May 31 2016WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Natural Resources Committee
May 31, 2016
CALL TO ORDER
Committee Chair Carl Weimer called the meeting to order at 9:30 a.m. in the Council
Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
ROLL CALL
Present: Carl Weimer, Satpal Sidhu and Todd Donovan
Absent: None
Also Present: Barbara Brenner, Barry Buchanan, Rud Browne
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION
1. WHATCOM COUNTY ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
SEEK GUIDANCE ON A PROPOSED INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT COMBINING
THE FUNCTIONS OF THE WRIA 1 WATERSHED MANAGEMENT JOINT BOARD
AND WRIA 1 SALMON RECOVERY BOARD (AB2016 -180)
Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, gave a staff report. The stakeholders have
reached agreement in the interlocal agreement, except for the Planning Unit. The Planning
Unit is not mentioned in the existing agreements. The County prefers to indicate in the new
agreement that the Planning Unit role will not change. A majority of the other Joint Board
members prefers that the agreement be silent on the Planning Unit's role. Legal counsel
stated either option is fine. The Joint Board requires unanimous consensus. Today, the
administration is seeking direction on how to proceed with the agreement. The full
agreement will come back to the Council for approval later.
Dan Gibson, Prosecutor's Office, stated there is no intent to change anything about
the Planning Unit, whichever option the Council chooses.
Stoyka answered questions about the difference in the charts on Council packet
pages 10 and 17, how programs would be funded, what happens to the Salmon Recovery
Board if the County doesn't sign the agreement, exclusion of other water purveyors from
the agreement, the past budget for the Joint Board, administrative costs of the boards,
whether all the meetings are open to the public and recorded, why it was decided to include
the small cities but not other government entities, whether they should include water
districts, whether other counties are continuing their water resources inventory area (WRIA)
interlocal agreement efforts, and the process for reaching consensus agreement.
Natural Resources Committee, 5/31/2016, Page 1
1 Weimer stated he prefers Exhibit A, which doesn't mention the Planning Unit, with
2 the Chart on Council packet page 17 that is now attached to Exhibit B, which does
3 specifically include the Planning Unit and County water advisory committees.
4
5 Brenner stated she wants to know exactly if there are any counties in the State that
6 still have a Planning Unit.
7
8 Weimer stated he would like to know how other water users and systems, such as
9 the agricultural community and the private wells, are represented on this board. Stoyka
10 stated the Water Supply Coalition will represent some of those users. The County also
11 speaks on behalf of those groups.
12
13 Ellen Baker referenced Exhibit A and stated it includes language about existing
14 confidentiality and other agreements that Exhibit B does not include. She would like to
15 know if the agreements entered into by the Joint Board will dissolve or carry over to the
16 new board. Under the new agreement, Whatcom County's role will be reduced from its
17 position as lead agency. Review the termination clause carefully. Make membership in the
18 two caucuses proportionate to the population of each jurisdiction.
19
20 Linda Twitchell, Planning Unit Land Use Caucus, stated State law requires certain
21 water quantification be completed before concurrently dissolving the Joint Board and
22 Planning Unit. Gibson stated they aren't seeking to change State law or the Planning Unit.
23 There is no conflict with State law.
24
25 Skip Richards stated they are circumventing Revised Code of Washington (RCW)
26 90.82. He described the history and original purpose of the Planning Unit and Joint Board.
27
28 Max Perry stated include agriculture, forestry, and mining interests in the new group.
29
30 Carol Perry stated there is no real authority structure. It's confusing to the citizens.
31
32 Stoyka answered questions about whether the new group can force one of the
33 parties to do something such as spend money on a project, whether it's subject to the Open
34 Public Meetings Act, who is the lead entity, and the need for an overarching body to deal
35 with water use.
36
37 Weimer stated he is interested in moving forward with Exhibit A with the
38 organizational chart in Exhibit B on Council packet page 17. The councilmembers are
39 concerned about the County's seemingly smaller role and how all the water interests are
40 represented.
41
42 Sidhu stated this is an opportunity to revisit the entire organizational process.
43
44 The councilmembers continued to discuss the Planning Unit and how to include all
45 water interests.
46
47
48 OTHER BUSINESS
49
50 There was no other business.
Natural Resources Committee, 5/31/2016, Page 2
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2
3 ADJOURN
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5 The meeting adjourned at 10:50 a.m^
8 ATTE$T: , ", I j
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10
12 _
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14 Dana--Prowr }= Day is, Council Clerk
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19 Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Carl Weimer, Committee Chair
Natural Resources Committee, 5/31/2016, Page 3