HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommittee of the Whole Apr 23 2024COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
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Committee Minutes - Final
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
10:05 AM
Hybrid Meeting
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COUNCILMEMBERS
Barry Buchanan
Tyler Byrd
Todd Donovan
Ben Elenbaas
Kaylee Galloway
Jon Scanlon
Mark Stremler
CLERIC OF THE COUNCIL
Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C.
Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final April 23, 2024
Call To Order
Roll Call
Council Vice Chair Kaylee Galloway called the meeting to order at 10:05
a.m. in a hybrid meeting.
Present: 6 - Tyler Byrd, Todd Donovan, Ben Elenbaas, Kaylee Galloway, Jon Scanlon, and
Mark Stremler
Absent: I - Barry Buchanan
Announcements
Special Presentation
1. AB2024-273 Presentation from P. Michael Murphy regarding Medical Examiner accreditation
requirements
Patrick Michael Murphy, MPower USA, read from a presentation (on file).
Tyler Schroeder, Director of Administrative Services, thanked Murphy for
his presentation and stated after the last conversation with Council, they
thought there would be a lot of value in hearing an outside perspective and
industry expert on the background associated with the medical examiner
profession. They also wanted to discuss the passing of House Bill 1326 in
2021 which ensures that all counties have a compliant medical examiner or
coroner system that meets the standards. The transition to County
employment is a step toward meeting that accreditation. He stated they will
be considering the Unrepresented Resolution on the May seventh Council
meeting to bring Dr. Hunt and the Medical Examiner position in-house, and
to identify the wage and employment agreements.
Scanlon stated he met with Dr. Hunt and learned a lot about the work and
amount of work she and her office are doing, and about their relationships
with the community and the families they serve.
This agenda item was PRESENTED.
Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council
1. AB2024-275 Discussion and approval of request for Council to send a letter in support of
Opportunities Indistrialization Center (OIC) of Washington's application to the U.S.
Departmnet of Labor's National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP)
Isidra Sanchez, OIC of Washington Education and Career Services Program
Director, briefed the Councilmembers and stated the letter request is in
support of their National Farm Workers Jobs program. The program
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Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final
April 23, 2024
highlights the services they provide to farm workers and/or their dependents
to promote education and/or training and to explore opportunities outside
of agriculture.
Galloway stated it looks like the organization has done work throughout
Washington state, and it sounds like they are looking to expand into
Whatcom County, and she asked what that might look like.
Sanchez stated they currently have a staff member that is located in the
WorkSource office in Mount Vernon who supports Skagit and Whatcom
counties. So, it would be a continuation of services they are currently
providing in the area. She answered what they have done in Whatcom
County specifically and whether they would be continuing those programs
or expanding them, and stated they would be doing both. She spoke about
individuals they have worked and are working with and how they are helping
those people. She answered whether they would partner with Bellingham's
local WorkSource office, whether they sought out the Council or whether a
Councilmember came to them to ask them to present, and whether they
work with anyone at the State Farm Bureau. She stated their organization
sought out Council and that they do not have a specific individual that they
work with at the Farm Bureau.
Donovan moved to recommend that the Council approve the letter in a vote
this evening. The motion was seconded by Galloway.
Scanlon stated he has some proposed amendments to the letter mostly
because he is not familiar with the program, so there are some things he
does not feel comfortable stating in the letter.
Scanlon moved to delete the first sentence of the third paragraph which
reads:
Additionally, we have witnessed OIC of Washington's dedication and
effectiveness in addressing our community's needs through their
three pillared divisions: Education and Career Services, Supportive
Services, Outreach, Recruitment and Data.
Galloway asked whether they should strike the whole sentence or just
amend it.
Scanlon withdrew his motion.
Galloway moved to amend the first sentence of the third paragraph of the
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Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final April 23, 2024
letter as follows:
Additionally, OIC of Washington! °
addresses our community's needs
through their three pillared divisions: Education and Career Services,
Supportive Services, Outreach, Recruitment and Data.
Councilmembers discussed the wording of the amendment.
Elenbaas stated he would support the amendment but is hesitant to support
the overall motion for probably the same reason Councilmember Scanlon
made a motion to amend. He would want more information from the actual
farmworkers that he works with in the county to know whether they want the
Council to support this or not.
Councilmembers and Sanchez discussed the Councilmembers' concerns,
the organization's willingness to strengthen their efforts in the community
and reach out to other program partners, finding out more about how the
farmworker community feels about it before endorsing the letter, the sense
that the grant could help OIC of Washington build more capacity to do more
work in Whatcom County, endorsing this group for the grant if there is
another group in our community that may be competing for it, supporting
the letter if the organization is committed to conducting outreach across
our county, and what OIC of Washington is providing for those of the
youngest ages here.
The motion to amend carried by the following vote:
Ave: 6 - Byrd. Donovan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
Absent: 1 - Buchanan
Scanlon moved to delete the last sentence in the third paragraph which
reads: "OIC's track record of creating a generational impact on rural
communities throughout Washington State is unmatched." The motion was
seconded by Donovan.
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Aye: 6 - Donovan, Galloway, Scanlon, Stremler, Byrd, and Elenbaas
Nay: 0
Absent: 1 - Buchanan
Clerk's note: Elenbaas voted no and then later changed his vote to a yes
after Galloway's comments below.
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Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final April 23, 2024
Galloway stated if Elenbaas could forward this to his contacts with the Farm
Bureau, locally, or others in his network, to see if they might provide
comment or insight before the evening meeting that would be valuable.
The motion to recommend approval of the letter as amended failed by the
following vote:
Aye: 3 - Galloway, Scanlon, and Donovan
Nay: 2 - Elenbaas and Stremler
Abstain: 1 - Byrd
Absent: 1 - Buchanan
Byrd spoke about his abstention at this time and stated he does not know
enough about this group, what they are working on, and the impacts to feel
like he can make a decision at this point. Once he has more information
from the farmers in the community he would feel more comfortable voting
either in favor or against.
This agenda item was FORWARDED TO COUNCIL WITH
RECOMMENDED MOTION(S).
Motion approved to amend the first sentence of the third paragraph of the letter so that it reads:
Additionally, OIC of Washington addresses our community's needs through their three pillared divisions:...
Motion approved to amend to strike the last sentence of the third paragraph which reads: OTC's track record of
creating a generational impact on rural communities throughout Washington State is unmatched.
Motion failed to recommend the letter to the full Council for approval as amended.
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
Adjournment
There were no agenda items added by revision.
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 10:54 a.m.
The County Council approved these minutes on May 7, 2024.
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Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final April 23, 2024
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