Committee of the Whole Nov 24 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 - MAY BEGIN EARLY;
ENDS NO LATER THAN 5 P.M.
Tuesday, November 24, 2020
2:40 PM
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 November 24, 2020
Call To Order
Roll Call
Council Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 2:41 p.m. in a
virtual meeting.
Present: 7 - Rud Browne, Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, Todd Donovan, Carol Frazey, Ben
Elenbaas and Kathy Kershner
Absent: None
Committee Discussion
1. AB2020-219 Discussion and update on strategies and other items related to COVID-19 (Council
and Health Board)
Erika Lautenbach, Health Department Director, presented information on
the screen and updated the Councilmembers on the following:
• Growth of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and testing
• Trends of COVID-19 cases, hospitalization, testing, and test
positivity in both Whatcom and other counties
• A new single winter testing site in Lynden
• Whatcom County Health Department Testing prioritization
She answered questions about whether the Health Department will be able
to keep up with the need for testing at one facility, where the breaking point
is of the trends and what the plan is if we hit it, whether there is data that
suggests that the virus is spreading in businesses that have recently been
closed by government restrictions, whether it would be possible to issue
and communicate data on transmission scenarios, whether the marketing
campaign through Western Washington University has started and whether
it should be targeted to a different audience, what parents can expect
regarding sending children back to school, the status of County staff being
back at work and whether any could be used to support the Health
Department, the limiting factors on testing at the moment and whether there
is anything the County can do to make the testing process more efficient,
whether there is any alternative location to the single Lynden testing site,
whether the Health Department is billing health care insurance for people
getting tested but paying for people who do not have it, whether there has
been an outbreak in the homeless population or concern about cases in the
tent encampment site at Bellingham City Hall, whether family practitioners
are still testing, whether there is a website that would guide people to the
most appropriate testing site, whether people who will be traveling get a
document to let them know if their test was positive or not, limiting who
can be tested by the Health Department, and what is needed from the
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Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final November 24, 2020
Council at this time.
Anne Deacon, Health Department, answered whether base camp is full and
why the population in the tent encampment is not being asked to go to base
camp.
Buchanan shifted the discussion to the housing aspect of this agenda item.
Anne Deacon, Health Department, updated the Councilmembers on
co -locating shelter services with isolation and quarantine at the Byron
Street facility and the need to have two separate operations in order to
qualify for reimbursement from FEMA. They are looking at costs to
accomplish the task, how they will pay for it, and whether it is a good return
on the investment since there would only be 15 rooms that could be used
for shelter. She answered why quarantined guests at the Byron Street
facility are treated differently than other people that test positive for
COVID-19 by having a perimeter fence and a facility consultant, whether
the County is requiring them to be there, and who is using the facility for
isolation.
Buchanan updated Councilmembers on a recent Homeless Strategies
Workgroup discussion about tiny home pallet shelters.
Tyler Schroeder, Executive's Office, spoke to the Councilmembers about
procurement and administrative details they have been working out with the
City of Bellingham. Once the site and operator are found and a plan is
developed, they would be able to use those emergency preparations and
emergency contracting methods to purchase sheltering for those locations.
He answered whether there is a closing date on the Request for Quotations
(RFQ) for an operator for safe encampments, the funding that can be
utilized for the shelters and how the County can get money for reimbursable
expenses.
Councilmembers continued to discuss the item, recommendations of the
Homeless Strategies Workgroup, and moving forward in two phases of
getting something on the ground in the short term then following up to
provide longer term temporary housing. Councilmembers concurred that
they will come back to this discussion later.
This agenda item was DISCUSSED.
2. AB2020-484 Discussion of the County Executive's recommended 2021-2022 Biennium Budget
This item was not discussed.
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Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final November 24, 2020
This agenda item was DISCUSSED.
3. AB2020-345 Discussion of proposed Cherry Point amendments
Eddy Ury, Re Sources, started introductions of participants but in the
interest of time, Buchanan asked that he skip the introductions. He briefed
the Councilmembers and shared the Joint -Stakeholder Proposed Revisions
on the screen:
Approximate Timestamp: 01:56:51
The following people discussed the document with Councilmembers and
answered questions including whether there is consensus in the group on
the proposed revisions and an update on discussions about greenhouse gas
emissions:
• Eddy Ury
• Pam Brady, BP
• Tim Johnson, Phillips 66
Approximate Timestamp: 02:02:37
Councilmembers and the following people discussed what work still needs
to be done by the Stakeholder group:
• Eddy Ury
• Brad Brown, Philips 66
• Matt Aamot, Planning and Development Services Department
Approximate Timestamp: 02:07:44
Counc
il and the 01lowing people discussed possible date) Or at
least one more work session on December 8th or another day that week or
the next week:
• Eddy Ury
• Dana Brown -Davis, Clerk of the Council
This agenda item was DISCUSSED.
Items Added by Revision
There were no agenda items added by revision.
Other Business
There was no other business.
Adiournment
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Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final November 24, 2020
The meeting adjourned at 5 p.m.
The County Council approved these minutes on January 12, 2021,
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Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Barry Buchanan -via email 1/29/2021
Barry Buchanan, Council Cbair
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