HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial Council Dec 22 2021Whatcom County
Council (Special)
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360)778-5010
Minutes - Final
Wednesday, December 22, 2021
1PM
Virtual Meeting
VIRTUAL MEETING (TO PARTICIPATE, SEE INSTRUCTIONS AT
www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil OR CALL 360.778.5010); AGENDA
REVISED 12.20.2021
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 (Special) Minutes - Final December 22, 2021
Call To Order
Roll Call
Council Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 1:01 p.m. in a
virtual meeting.
Present: 5 - Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, Todd Donovan, Ben Elenbaas, and Kathy
Kershner
Absent: 2 - Rud Browne, and Carol Frazey
Announcements
Council Action
1. AB2022-005 Resolution certifying Whatcom County's property tax levies for collection in 2022 to
the County Assessor
Byrd moved and Kershner seconded that the Resolution be APPROVED.
Rebecca Xczar, County Assessor, answered questions about the property
tax levies to be certified by this resolution.
Byrd's motion that the Resolution be APPROVED carried by the following
vote:
Aye: 5 - Buchanan, Byrd, Donovan, Elenbaas, and Kershner
Nay: 0
Absent: 2- Browne, and Frazey
Enactment No: RES 2021-061
2. AB2022-007 Consideration of the Council's process for filling vacant 42nd Legislative District
Senate position
Dana Brown -Davis, Clerk of the Council, briefed the Councilmembers on
the process that was followed in the past and answered questions about that
process.
Buchanan outlined the following proposed timeline:
• Councilmembers would receive candidate names from the
Republican Party by the end of this week
• Councilmembers would do their own question and answer with the
candidates
• Councilmembers would reconvene on January 4, 2022 to make an
appointment
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Brown -Davis answered whether the names need to be received before
scheduling a meeting so that they would be included in the meeting notice.
Councilmembers discussed a meeting date, setting a cut-off date for
receiving the names, and whether Councilmembers could individually reach
out to the candidates as opposed to having a formal questionnaire.
Elenbaas moved that they follow Councilmember Buchanan's timeline that
he spoke with the Republican Chair about: meeting on January 4th and
having them have their names to the Councilmembers by the end of this
week. The motion was seconded by Kershner.
Kershner suggested that they take out the date for the candidate names to be
given to the Council and that the motion just include the meeting date.
Elenbaas amended his motion and moved to meet on January 4, 2022 to
make their decision.
Councilmembers discussed the motion and allowing Councilmember-Elect
Kaylee Galloway to join the conversation.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 4 - Buchanan, Byrd, Elenbaas, and Kershner
Nay: 0
Abstain: 1 - Donovan
Absent: 2 - Browne and Frazey
Satpal Sidhu, County Executive, requested that the Council approve a
Resolution concerning the passing of Senator Doug Ericksen and that they
send a letter to the Senator's wife and kids.
Buchanan shared an update from the Republican Party Chair and stated that
the Republican Party is planning to wait at least until after Senator
Ericksen's memorial next Wednesday, December 29.
Councilmembers discussed the timeline, the idea of not having a formal
questionnaire but having the Councilmembers reach out individually to the
candidates, and whether the process is being rushed.
Clerks note: Donovan left the meeting at 1:23 p.m.
Councilmembers continued to discuss the timeline and Brown -Davis
suggested that they set the meeting for January 4th with flexibility that the
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Council (Special) Minutes - Final December 22, 2021
meeting date may change if necessary.
Kershner stated she would be willing to work on a letter to the Ericksen
family and Buchanan stated he would work on it with her. Councilmembers
discussed the letter and whether they could all sign it.
Byrd moved that the Councilmembers set a date of no later than Friday,
December 31, 2021 to get candidate names and if the Party does not have
the names to Councilmembers by then, they will use the January 4th
meeting to discuss when the next meeting would need to be.
Buchanan suggested that they instead cancel the January fourth meeting if
the names do not come in by the 31 st of December. Byrd accepted the
friendly amendment.
Brown -Davis asked if she should send out the list of questions that were
used last time.
Councilmembers discussed a timeline for writing the letter and Buchanan
seconded Byrd's motion.
The motion to set a deadline of no later than Friday, December 31, 2021 to
get candidate names carried by the following vote:
Aye: 4 - Byrd, Elenbaas, Kershner, and Buchanan
Nay: 0
Absent: 3 - Browne, Donovan, and Frazey
This agenda item was DISCUSSED AND MOTIONS) APPROVED.
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
Adiournment
There were no agenda items added by revision.
Elenbaas welcomed Councilmember-Elect Kaylee Galloway.
The meeting adjourned at 1:32 p.m.
The County Council approved these minutes on January 11, 2022.
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Council (Special) Minutes - Final December 22, 2021
ATTEST:
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Kristi Felbinger,` Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Barr chanan, Council Chair
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