HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommittee of the Whole AM Oct 13 2020Whatcom County
Council Committee of the Whole
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360) 778-5010
Committee Minutes - Final
VIRTUAL MEETING - ENDS NO LATER THAN 12:15 P.M.
Tuesday, October 13, 2020
11:10 AM
Virtual Meeting
COUNCILMEMBERS
Rud Browne
Barry Buchanan
Tyler Byrd
Todd Donovan
Ben Elenbaas
Carol Frazey
Kathy Kershner
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C.
Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final October 13, 2020
Call To Order
Roll Call
Council Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 11:15 a.m. in a
virtual meeting.
Present: 7 - Rud Browne, Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, Todd Donovan, Carol Frazey, Ben
Elenbaas and Kathy Kershner
Absent: None
Special Presentation
1. AB2020-41 l Report and request for a motion by the County Council Committee of the Whole to
send final draft Countywide Planning Policy amendments to the cities for review and
approval
Matt Aamot, Planning and Development Services Department, briefed the
Councilmembers and answered if there is anything new in the packet or new
policies since they last discussed this, whether there were any changes in
policies concerning the adjudication process, and the timeline for the whole
process.
Byrd moved approval. The motion was seconded by Frazey.
Kershner suggested a friendly amendment to the wording of the motion as
follows: move that County Council Committee of the Whole to send final
draft Countywide Planning Policy amendments to the cities for review and
approval.
Byrd accepted the friendly amendment.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 7 - Browne, Buchanan, Byrd, Donovan, Elenbaas, Frazey, and Kershner
Nay: 0
This agenda item was DISCUSSED AND MOTION(S) APPROVED.
Committee Discussion
1. AB2020-219 Discussion and update on strategies and other items related to COVID-19 (Council
and Health Board)
The following people spoke and answered questions:
• Erika Lautenbach, Health Department Director
• Scott McCreery, Whatcom Unified Command Incident Commander
Wha(com County Page /
Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final October 13, 2020
• Satpal Sidhu, County Executive
• Karen Frakes, Prosecuting Attorney's Office
• Kathleen Roy, Health Department
• Tyler Schroeder, Executive's Office
Lautenbach and McCreery updated Councilmembers on the plan to create a
longer term and more sustainable structure for the joint response to the
COVID-19 crisis by moving the Incident Command to be within the Health
Department and described the impacts on the organizational structure.
Councilmembers and the speakers discussed the duration of response and
the timeline for how long the Health Department anticipates the structure
will be in place, whether the County needs to start looking at permanent
funding and staffing models for long term management of COVID-19,
whether needed funding is something they should anticipate including in
next year's budget should State or Federal funding not be available to fill the
needs, how this plan aligns with the Whatcom County Code and Charter and
the need for more guidance on that, concerns that having it in the Health
Department can address all aspects (including financial concerns) of the
crisis and whether they could also work with the Business and Commerce
Advisory Committee to build out a more strategic plan, whether the
Executive Board should exist or have decision -making capacity if the
Unified Command is part of the Health Department, and having more
conversation before making a decision.
Sidhu stated it would be an operational change as opposed to a change to a
department.
Buchanan stated he would like to see Karen Frakes and the Executive's
Legal Counsel sit down and look at the Whatcom County Charter with the
proposed changes and come up with some guidance.
Sidhu agreed that he and legal counsel could sit down and have that
discussion and then get back to the Council and he and Councilmembers
discussed whether Councilmembers should also be a part of those
conversations.
Kathleen Roy shared a document on the screen (on file) and updated
Councilmembers about CARES Act funding. She stated the Health
Department is looking for a commitment to the budget so they can start
drafting contracts. Councilmembers, Roy, Schroeder, and Lautenbach
discussed what a commitment to the budget means and a concern that they
would be giving money to the Whatcom Business Alliance.
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Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final October 13, 2020
Councilmembers concurred that the Health Department could move
forward.
This agenda item was DISCUSSED.
2. AB2020-345 Discussion of proposed Cherry Point amendments
Dana Brown -Davis, Clerk of the Council, updated the Councilmembers on a
proposed date and time for a work session.
Councilmembers discussed the list of anticipated topics for discussion and
who should be able to attend and participate in the work session.
This agenda item was DISCUSSED.
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
Adjournment
There were no agenda items added by revision.
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 12:20 p.m.
The County1�,oayvwjt, Approved these minutes on October 27, 2020.
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
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Dana°.Brown `Davis,Council Clerk Ba y B chanan, Council Chair
Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Transcrip 'on
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