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Home My WebLink Aboutres2016-033WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL NO. 2016 292 CLEARANCES Initial Date Date Received in Council Off ce Agenda Date Assi ned to: Originator: Donovan /Br 9/21/2016 9/27/2016 Pub Wks / Council Division Head: Dept. Head: Prosecutor- Purchasing/Bud el: Executive: TITLE OF DOCUMENT: Res requesting reimbursement of costs related to Trump campaign visit to County 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 requests the campaign of Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. and /or national, state, and local affiliates of the campaign reimburse Whatcom County for public safety costs directly associated with the campaign visit to Whatcom County on May 7, 2016. It requests a letter requesting reimbursement be mailed to the agents listed in the resolution. (1. Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.; 2. Trump Make America Great Again Committee; 3. Reince Priebus, Head of the Republican National Committee; 4. Trump Team Washington State; an affiliate of the campaign of Donald J. Trump, Inc., involved with organizing the event; 5. Sen. Don Benton, Washington State Director, Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.; 6. Sen. Doug Ericksen, Washington State Deputy Director, Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.; 7. The Whatcom County Republican Party HQ, an affiliate of Trump Team Washington State.) COMMITTEE ACTION.• COUNCIL ACTION: 9/27/2016: Amended and forwarded to Council for approval 9/27/2016: Substitute Approved 7 -0, Res. 2016 -033 Related County Contract #: Related File Numbers: Ordinance or Resolution Number: Res. 2016 -033 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. _J PROPOSED BY: DONOVAN, BRENNER INTRODUCED: SEPTEMBER 27, 2016 RESOLUTION NO. 2016 -033 REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY COSTS DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE MAY 7, 2016, DONALD J. TRUMP CAMPAIGN VISIT TO WHATCOM COUNTY WHEREAS, presidential elections in the United States of America must provide opportunities for presidential candidates to hold public events across the country; and WHEREAS, major presidential candidates rarely visit Whatcom County; and WHEREAS, Whatcom County encourages and embraces visits from presidential candidates, regardless of party affiliation; and WHEREAS, the logistics of presidential campaigns are fluid and changing, and thus present myriad short-term scheduling challenges; and WHEREAS, any major presidential candidate's campaign event may present unexpected demands on local law enforcement in order to protect public safety. These include, but are not limited to, traffic control, crowd control, and security needs that exceed the capacity of a presidential candidate's Secret Service detail; and WHEREAS, on May 7, 2016, presidential candidate Donald J. Trump visited Whatcom County for the purpose of holding a public campaign event at the Northwest Washington Fair & Events Center, in Lynden, Washington; and WHEREAS, the May 7, 2016, visit by Mr. Trump created demands on local law enforcement to protect public safety; including traffic control, crowd control, and security that exceeded the capacity of the candidate's Secret Service detail; and WHEREAS, despite incredibly short notice, Whatcom County Sherriff Bill Elfo worked with other law enforcement agencies and coordinated an effective and successful response to local public safety needs that resulted from the May 7, 2016, visit by Mr. Trump; and, WHEREAS, the May 7, 2016, visit by Mr. Trump required that Whatcom County spent a substantial amount of local pubic funds in response to public safety demands directly associated with Mr. Trump's campaign event; and WHEREAS, at the time of Mr. Trump's visit, the Northwest Washington Fair & Event Center in Lynden, Washington was not responsible for the broad public safety costs associated Mr. Trumps' visit, and much of these cost were covered by Whatcom County taxpayers; and WHEREAS, County Executive Jack Louws has communicated with the Lynden City Mayor encouraging the City to change its policies and requirements for event permits at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds to adequately plan for public safety and event security along with the corresponding reimbursement of costs as appropriate; and WHEREAS, Executive Louws has worked to inform the public, and the Council, of the difficulties of directly billing a presidential campaign for public safety costs; and WHEREAS, the Whatcom County Council expects that Whatcom County taxpayers should not bear the full costs of public safety demands that result directly from events organized by presidential campaigns; and WHEREAS, the Whatcom County Council estimates that the Donald J. Trump for President event of May 7, 2016, described above resulted in no less than $53,000 in expenditures by Whatcom County. WHEREAS, the Donald J. Trump campaign has reimbursed other jurisdictions. 1 NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Whatcom County Council requests that the campaign of Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., and /or national, state, and local affiliates of the Donald J. Trump campaign, reimburse Whatcom County for public safety costs directly associated with Donald J. Trump's May 7, 2016, campaign visit to Whatcom County. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a letter requesting reimbursement shall be mailed to the agents listed below. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the letter will request information about the proper agent(s) to provide reimbursement. BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the letter will request a written response to the Whatcom County Council. Letters will be sent to: 1) Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.: 725 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10022. 2) Trump Make America Great Again Committee, a joint fundraising committee authorized by and composed of Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. and the Republican National Committee: 310 First St SE Washington, D.C. 20003, and PO BOX 1776 Merrifield VA, 22116 -9400. 3) Reince Priebus, Head of the Republican National Committee, an affiliate and fundraising agent the Donald J. Trump for President Campaign, Inc.: 310 First Street SE, Washington, DC 20003; (202) 863 -8500. 4) Trump Team Washington State, an affiliate of the campaign of Donald J. Trump, Inc., involved with organizing the May 7, 2016 Trump event in Lynden, WA: 360 - 979 -1900, info.wa @donaldtrump.com. 5) Sen. Don Benton, Washington State Director, Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.; an agent of Trump Team Washington State, and an affiliate of the campaign of Donald J. Trump, Inc., and involved with organizing the May 7, 2016 Trump event in Lynden: PO Box 5076, Vancouver, WA 98668, don @donbenton.com; 360- 693 -5211 6) Sen. Doug Ericksen, Washington State Deputy Director, Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.; an affiliate of the campaign of Donald J. Trump, Trump Team Washington State, and involved with organizing the May 7, 2016 Trump event in Lynden, WA. PO Box 748, Ferndale, WA., 98248, doug @dougericksen.com, 360 - 220 -1403. 7) The Whatcom County Republican Party HQ, an affiliate of Trump Team Washington State, 2321 ,,, #&pFy,iew Rd., Bellingham, WA 98228, and an affiliate of the campaign of Donald J. / I?RI O tail �1 16y of September 2016. 1 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL WHATCOM Ul�j , W 4�HINGTON Bar y OclhanaW, ouncil Chair