HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommittee of the Whole Oct 24 2023Whatcom County
Council Committee of the Whole
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360) 778-5010
Committee Minutes - Final
Tuesday, October 24, 2023
3:10 PM
Hybrid Meeting
HYBRID MEETING - ADJOURNS BY 4:30 P.M., MAY BEGIN EARLY
(PARTICIPATE IN -PERSON, 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 October 24, 2023
Call To Order
Roll Call
Council Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 2:55 p.m. in a
hybrid meeting.
Present: 7 - Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, Todd Donovan, Ben Elenbaas, Carol Frazey,
Kaylee Galloway, and Kathy Kershner
Announcements
Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council
1. AB2023-696 Resolution supporting the use of Economic Development Investment (EDI) funds for
affordable housing
Buchanan and Galloway briefed the Councilmembers on changes made to
the draft resolution since the last discussion (See AB2023-583). Galloway
stated they took out the prescriptive percentages for the fund balance and
the annual revenues and replaced those with a request that the Economic
Development Investment (EDI) Board, in consultation with the community,
issue a recommendation to Council for those percentages.
Clerk's note: The "Proposed Resolution" and "Proposed Resolution (with
tracked changes approved in committee)" for this file reflect the changes
made to the draft resolution in the original discussions.
Frazey moved and Byrd seconded that the Resolution be
RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL.
Councilmembers discussed how these funds can be used for the purpose of
affordable housing and that allowable uses are dictated by the Revised Code
of Washington (RCW), what the Business and Commerce Advisory
Committee thought of the resolution, having a future discussion about
whether they should put housing advocates on the EDI board since that
board will be giving recommendations to the Council, and equity among
jurisdictions in getting EDI money.
Tyler Schroeder, Director of Administrative Services, spoke about the
addition in this proposed version of the resolution of the recommendation
that the EDI Board "Propose updates to Board membership to promote
more diverse representation amongst economic development sectors,
including affordable and workforce housing" (point number five under "BE
IT FINALLY RESOLVED" in the resolution).
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Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final October 24, 2023
Frazey's motion that the Resolution be RECOMMENDED FOR
APPROVAL carried by the following vote:
Aye: 7 - Buchanan, Byrd, Donovan, Elenbaas, Frazey, Galloway, and Kershner
Nay: 0
AB. 02. 3.-6 76 Request confirmation of the County Executive's appointment of Raylene
Heutink-King as County Clerk of Superior Court effective November 6, 2023
pursuant to Whatcom County Charter Section 3.61
Galloway moved and Kershner seconded that the Executive Appointment
REQUEST be RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL.
Raylene Heutink-King, County Clerk of Superior Court appointee,
addressed the Councilmembers and spoke about her 18 years of experience
in the City of Blaine.
Tyler Schroeder, Director of Administrative Services, stated he and the
Executive had the opportunity to sit down with Raylene and he really
appreciates the collaboration with the judicial branch on the replacement of
the County Clerk.
Buchanan spoke about working with Heutink-King in the Incarceration
Prevention and Reduction Task Force and the steering committee, and
stated he is very happy that she will be working in this role.
Galloway's motion that the Executive Appointment be RECOMMENDED
FOR APPROVAT, eprri.-d by the fnilnwing vote:
Aye: 7 - Buchanan, Byrd, Donovan, Elenbaas, Frazey, Galloway, and Kershner
Nay: 0
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
Adiournment
There were no agenda items added by revision.
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 3:08 p.m.
The County Council approved these minutes on November 8, 2023.
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Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final October 24, 2023
ATTE
1 B.
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Transcription
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