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Home My WebLink Aboutord2020-078• Whatcom County COUNTY COURTHOUSE TA 311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105 Bellingham, WA 98225-4038 (360) 778-5010 Agenda Bill Master Report File Number: AB2020-546 File ID: AB2020-546 Version: 1 Status: Substitute Adopted File Created: 11/12/2020 Entered by: DBrown@co.whatcom.wa.us Department: Council Office File Type: Ordinance Assigned to: Council Committee of the Whole Agenda Date: 12/08/2020 Primary Contact Email: RBrowne@co.whatcom.wa.us TITLE FOR AGENDA ITEM: Final Action: 12/08/2020 Enactment #: ORD 2020-078 Ordinance amending Whatcom County Code 2.98, Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee, to revise membership and meeting procedures to broaden representation and improve transparency SUMMARY STATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE: Ordinance amending Whatcom County Code 2.98, Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee, to revise membership and meeting procedures to broaden representation and improve transparency HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE FILE Date: Acting Body: Action: Sent To: 11/24/2020 Council INTRODUCED Council Committee of the Whole Aye: 7 Browne, Buchanan, Byrd, Donovan, Frazey, Elenbaas, and Kershner Nay: 0 Absent: 0 12/08/2020 Council Committee of the Whole RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION WITH PROPOSED AMENDMENT(S) Aye: 5 Browne, Buchanan, Donovan, Frazey, and Kershner Nay: 2 Byrd, and Elenbaas Absent: 0 12/08/2020 Council SUBSTITUTE ADOPTED Whatcom County Page 1 Printed on 121912020 Agenda Bill Master Report Continued (AB2020-546) Aye: 5 Browne, Buchanan, Donovan, Frazey, and Kershner Nay: 2 Byrd, and Elenbaas Absent: 0 Attachments: Proposed Ordinance, Proposed Ordinance as Amended in Committee Whatcom County Page 2 Printed on 121912020 PROPOSED BY: BROWNE INTRODUCTION DATE: NOVEMBER 24, 2020 ORDINANCE NO. 2020-078 AMENDING WHATCOM COUNTY CODE 2.98, POINT ROBERTS COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, TO REVISE MEMBERSHIP AND MEETING PROCEDURES TO BROADEN REPRESENTATION AND IMPROVE TRANSPARENCY WHEREAS, the County government requires all of its boards and commissions to provide full transparency and the opportunity for public participation in their meetings; and WHEREAS, the County Council recently received communications from residents of Point Roberts in which an overwhelming majority have expressed concern that the Point Roberts community advisory committee membership: a) is not currently adequately communicating the wishes of the community on a key local issue; and b) has not provided adequate notice of its meeting agenda sufficient to allow for broad public comment prior to the committee considering and voting on recommendations the committee has subsequently forwarded to the county council; and c) is not maintaining detailed minutes sufficient to reflect the debate and public comments within the meetings, nor who voted and how; and WHEREAS, the County government abides by and supports the principals embodied in the Open Public Meetings Act. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, that Whatcom County Code 2.98 shall be amended to include a new section as detailed in the attached Exhibit A to the ordinance. BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that the effective date of this ordinance shall be March 31, 202��a�aa€e:o:ar�rra� n �a�1��` ADI EDAt�hais of December 2020. ' Go o S� . WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL ATT ('3� - HATC N WASHINGTON G Cana row�� avis�(Clerk ofthe Council rr uchanan, Council Chair '41 Q, .. <, ATCOM COUNTY EXECUTIVE APPROVED, A TO FORM: WHATCOM COUNTY WA NGTON Approved by Karen Frakes via email / LB Civil Deputy Prosecutor SMX004 ko e Satpal Singh Sidhu, County Executive (() Approved ( ) Denied Date Signed: ia115�cPoao EXHIBIT A POINT ROBERTS COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE Sections: 2.98.010 Established. 2.98.020 Purpose. 2.98.030 Function. 2.98.040 Membership — Term of office. 2.98.050 Organization — Meetings. - 2.98.060 Committee staffing. 2.98.010 Established. There is hereby established the Point Roberts community advisory committee. (Ord. 2010- 008). 2.98.020 Purpose. The committee is created to provide advice and recommendation to the executive and to the council regarding needs and issues specific to the Point Roberts community. (Ord. 2010- 008). 2.98.030 Function. The committee shall utilize its ties to the community in order to identify community needs and to develop and propose methods to address those needs. (Ord. 2010-008). 2.98.040 Membership — Term of office. The committee shall consist of the following individuals: A. One representative from each of the following: the Point Roberts Taxpayers' Association, the Point Roberts Voters' Association, and the Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce. B. Four representatives to be appointed by the executive. Member terms will be two years; provided, that the terms of members first appointed will be staggered so that two of the committee members shall be appointed for one year. (Ord. 2010-008). 2.98.050 Organization — Meetings. Meetings of the committee shall be open and accessible to the public and shall comply with the requirements of the Open Public Meetings Act. The committee shall determine its meeting schedule, but shall meet at least quarterly providing at least one week notice of all meetings and shall include the Agenda. Any item intended for a vote must be clearly and unambiguously defined on the agenda. The date of any meeting along with the agenda shall be published on the County Website a minimum of one week prior. At every meeting, the committee will schedule an open session to take public comment on issues consistent with the charge of the committee. Written and audio records of meetings, resolutions, findings and recommendations shall be kept and such records shall be public. Minutes must be sufficiently detailed to enable a reader to understand the topic discussed and the key points of any debate. All external communications made by the committee shall be in writing, approved by a majority vote with the names of the committee members and their votes attached. The committee shall adopt its own rules and procedures for the conduct of business. The committee shall elect a chairperson from among its members who shall preside at its meetings. (Ord. 2010-008). 2.98.060 Committee staffing. The county may provide staffing based on the committee's timely notification of staffing needs at its meetings. The committee is authorized to request from the executive's office information from administrative departments. (Ord. 2010-008).