HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommittee of the Whole Dec 6 2022Whatcom County
Council Committee of the Whole
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360)778-5010
Committee Minutes - Final
Tuesday, December 6, 2022
3:45 PM
Hybrid Meeting
HYBRID MEETING - ADJOURNS BY 4:30 P.M.; MAY BEGIN EARLY
(PARTICIPATE IN -PERSON AT 311 GRAND AVENUE SUITE 105, SEE REMOTE
JOIN INSTRUCTIONS AT www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil, OR CALL
360.778.5010)
COUNCILMEMBERS
Barry Buchanan
Tyler Byrd
Todd Donovan
Ben Elenbaas
Carol Frazey
Kaylee Galloway
Kathy Kershner
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C.
Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final December 6, 2022
Call To Order
Roll Call
Council Chair Todd Donovan called the meeting to order at 3:46 p.m. in a
hybrid meeting.
Present: 6 - Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, Todd Donovan, Ben Elenbaas, Carol Frazey, and
Kaylee Galloway
Absent: 1 - Kathy Kershner
Announcements
Committee Discussion
1. AB2022- % 1 i Discussion regarding the Council's general meeting rules
Frazey spoke about why she brought the item forward.
Councilmembers discussed having a two -minute public comment speaking
limit, having a more systemic conversation about what their role is as the
Legislative branch, increasing their capabilities to engage the community,
whether they could conduct a study or evaluation about how things are done,
and whether changes could be made to honor everyone's time as well as
civic engagement.
They discussed ideas including having committee meetings on one day and
Council meeting on another day, keeping the open public comment period
in the beginning of the meetings to give the opportunity for people to speak
to them on topics they may be voting on later, putting a time limit on the
open public comment period, better articulating in advance of public
comment who the Council is and what topics are related to them, analyzing
how much of Council's time on a Council day is spent in open session, not
changing anything from what they are doing, doing a half an hour of public
comment at the beginning of the meeting and finishing after they are done
with their agenda, having more public comment in committee meetings,
identifying concerns about agenda items and better communicating
information about them prior to the meetings, trying different things out to
see how they work, and asking speakers to sign up to speak so they can be
called down and ready at the podium to save time.
Satpal Sidhu, County Executive, spoke in favor or an organized open
session, and suggested an idea that if someone speaks on a topic at one
meeting, they have to take a break for one or two meetings to speak on that
topic again.
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Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final December 6, 2022
Councilmembers discussed the ideas.
Elenbaas moved to have sign-up sheets for both open session and public
hearings. The motion was seconded by Buchanan.
Elenbaas stated that he does not want it to be limited only to people who
sign up and Councilmembers spoke about it not being mandatory.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 6 - Buchanan, Byrd, Donovan, Elenbaas, Frazey, and Galloway
Nay: 0
Absent: 1 - Kershner
Councilmembers discussed learning from other jurisdictions as well as
evaluating the current system, trying to diversify the way people can engage,
ensuring they honor decorum rules around keeping Council Chambers
respectful and inclusive, Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC)
guidance for public comment, how other councils break up their day in
terms of committees versus public hearings, what they could put on a
different day if they broke it up, the Executive hosting his own biweekly
Executive comment time for things about which people want to speak to
him or the Administration, providing a document to help people understand
who the Council is and what they do and what other entities are out there so
they know where to go with their comments, and establishing an advisory
panel to help speakers come together to engage on a topic they are
passionate about and to give them the ability to work on it in a way that is
meaningful and helpful to what they are trying to achieve so they can then
provide information to the Council.
Elenbaas moved that, in order to alleviate confusion about the City of
Bellingham and Whatcom County Council, we move the County seat from
Bellingham to the City of Ferndale. The motion failed for lack of a second,
This agenda item was DISCUSSED AND MOTION(S) APPROVED.
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
Adiournment
There were no agenda items added by revision.
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 4:29 p.m.
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Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final December 6, 2022
The County Council approved these minutes on January 10, 2023.
ATTEST:
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Kristi Felbinger; Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
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Todd Donovan, Council Chair
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