HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial Committee of the Whole PM July 10 20181 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
2 Special Committee of the Whole
3
4 July 10, 2018
5
6
7 CALL TO ORDER
8
9 Council Chair Rud Browne called the meeting to order at 3:18 p.m. in the Council
10 Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
11
12
13 ROLL CALL
14
15 Present: Barbara Brenner, Rud Browne, Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, Todd
16 Donovan, and Satpal Sidhu.
17 Absent: Tim Ballew.
18
19
20 SPECIAL PRESENTATION
21
22 1. PRESENTATION OF INCARCERATION PREVENTION AND REDUCTION TASK
23 FORCE 2018 ANNUAL REPORT (AB2018 -181)
24
25 Jack Hovenier' Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force Co- Chair,
26 described the background of the Task Force and the Triage Facility Subcommittee.
27
28 Jill Bernstein, Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force Co- Chair, continued
29 the presentation on reducing warrants and pretrial release services.
30
31 The presenters answered questions and councilmembers discussed analyses of
32 programs from the Public Policy Institute, upcoming requests for staffing to launch a pretrial
33 services unit, the cost of a pretrial risk assessment tool, the number of defendants who are
34 released on personal recognizance (PR) or aren't offered bail, and the costs of pretrial
35 electronic home monitoring.
36
37 Bill Elfo, County Sheriff, answered questions on the cost of and monitoring options
38 for electronic home monitoring of sentenced offenders in Superior Court, District Court, and
39 local municipal courts.
40
41
42 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION
43
44 1. DISCUSSION OF MEETING PROCEDURES AND TECHNIQUES FOR IMPROVING
45 MEETING EFFICIENCIES AND PRODUCTIVITY (AB2018 -163A)
46
47 Councilmembers discussed parliamentary procedure at a recent meeting and how to
48 improve meeting functionality.
49
50 Browne moved to change seating arrangement: the immediate past Council Chair,
51 Council Chair, and Council Vice -Chair in the center three seats.
52
53 The motion was seconded.
Special Committee of the Whole (PM), 7/10/2018, Page 1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
Councilmembers discussed letting each councilmember speak the first time before
letting someone speak a second time; seating arrangements; debating civilly; allowing a
line of questioning; using the Council's time most efficiently; engaging the public during
open session or a public hearing at an evening meeting; requesting clarification versus
debating a member of the public; making sure everyone feels heard; ensuring all the
councilmembers enforce decorum in debate; potentially amending Whatcom County Code
2.02.060; allowing the public to provide answers to councilmember questions outside of
public hearings or open session; and the Chair's authority.
Browne amended his motion to rearrange the seating in the center on a trial basis
for one year.
Buchanan moved to table the motion.
Browne withdrew his motion.
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 5:18 p.m.
RRya
The.(pl�h` {J '�dvd these minutes on September 11, 2018.
ATTEST; @% PJ C 0 �� s WHATC COUNT//
WHATC CODU
m.^kp, G0\301
b § b
Dana Brown- b il Clerk Rud B owne,
�P
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
+COUNCIL
, WASHINGTON
Council Chair
Special Committee of the Whole (PM), 7/10/2018, Page 2