HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Works Sep 26 2023�W 1
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360) 778-5010
Committee MinutesFinal
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
12:35 PM
Hybrid Meeting
HYBRID MEETING - ADJOURNS BY 1:15 P.M. (PARTICIPATE IN -PERSON, SEE
REMOTE JOIN INSTRUCTIONS AT www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvir°tualcouncil, OR
CALL 360.778.5010)
C®UNCILMEMBE tS
Carol rrazey
Kaylee Galloway
Kathy Kershner
CLERIC OF THE COUNCIL
Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C.
Council Public Works & Health Committee Minutes - Final September 26, 2023
Committee
Call To Order
Committee Chair Kathy Kershner called the meeting to order at 12:39 p.m.
in a hybrid meeting.
Present: 3 - Carol Frazey, Kaylee Galloway, and Kathy Kershner
Also Present: Barry Buchanan, Todd Donovan, and Ben Elenbaas
Announcements
Special Presentation
1. AB2023-612 Report from the Public Works Department
Elizabeth Kosa, Public Works Department Director, reported on the
following:
• Division updates
• Workforce development
• Communications
She answered how they define the position of Senior Master of the ferry
and whether it is very specialized.
Elenbaas thanked the director for meeting people where they are at with
communication efforts.
Frazey thanked her for the awards ceremony they had a couple weeks ago
for Public Works staff and that it was in -person.
This agenda item was REPORTED.
Committee Discussion
1. AB2023-609, Presentation of the Child and Family Well -Being Task Force Bi-Annual Report
The following people discussed the Bi-Annual Report (on file) with
Councilmembers:
• Ray Deck III Child and Family Well-being Task Force Co -Chair
• Kayla Schott-Bresler, Strategic Initiatives Special Programs
Manager
• Ann Beck, Health and Community Services
Whntcom County Page I
Council Public Works & Health Committee Minutes -1Final September 26, 2023
Committee
They discussed whether the Child and Family Well -Being Task Force is part
of the implementation of the new property tax that the County is collecting
for childcare and whether the group is helping to make decisions about
Request for Proposals (RFPs) and who is selected, the fact that the role of
the task force is to participate in the evaluation of the Healthy Children's
Fund performance and is not as specific as RFP review, whether no money
has been spent yet because we are still going through the process of
deciding which projects and programs to fund, a summary of the Ri-Annual
Report, the fact that the Health and Community Services Department is
adding a key staff member who is focused on Healthy Children's Fund
development, the RFPs for creating new licensed childcare slots using
designated American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds that are focused on
serving under -represented populations and the role of the task force to
review and score those applications, whether the Healthy Children's Fund
will be able to expand upon and keep the childcare slots permanent when
ARPA funds are expended, whether the Administration is tracking the two
projects that did not get included in the RFP because they were not
technically creating new childcare slots, what the process is for selecting
projects from the list to be funded, and how the Council can be back in the
loop of overseeing childcare dollars and not just approving spending
without input.
There were no agenda items added by revision.
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 1:12 p.m.
Wkatcom Conn ly Page 2
Council Public Works & Health Committee Minutes -Final September 26, 2023
Committee
ATT`T�y� gti s
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
C WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
8 Kathy
Plana � wr ",-vounciPClerk Kathy Kershner, Committee Chair
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Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Transcription
Kershner-via email 10/11/2023
91tatcom County page 3