HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommittee of the Whole Sep 10 2024Whatcom County
Council Committee of the Whole
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360)778-5010
Committee Minutes - Final
Tuesday, September 10, 2024
3:30 PM
Hybrid Meeting - Council Chambers
HYBRID MEETING - MAY BEGIN EARLY - ADJOURNS BY 4:30 PM
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COUNCILMEMBERS
Barry Buchanan
Tyler Byrd
Todd Donovan
Ben Elenbaas
Kaylee Galloway
Jon Scanlon
Mark Stremler
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL.
Cathy Halka, AICP, CMC
Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final September 10, 2024
Call To Order
Roll Call
Council Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 3:36 p.m. in a
hybrid meeting.
Present: 7 - Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, Todd Donovan, Ben Elenbaas, Kaylee Galloway,
Jon Scanlon, and Mark Stremler
Announcements
Committee Discussion
1. A132024- 336 Update from the investigative committee assigned to review recent employment law
decisions
Donovan briefed the Councilmembers on a report from the investigative
committee that summarizes what they heard in interviews and which they
will hand off to the person that will be responding to the Request for
Proposal (RFP). Up to this point, it has just been circulating among the
three of them.
Councilmembers discussed how it should be formally presented to the
other Councilmembers, whether they would want to put more specific
recommendations in the report or leave it as a summary, whether it should
be included in a Council packet, and whether Councilmembers would like to
look at it first before doing that.
Byrd suggested they send it out to Councilmembers prior to the next
meeting and then they can have it on the Committee of the Whole agenda
for discussion. At that time, if anyone wants to make changes or add
specific language, they can make a motion to do so.
Councilmembers discussed that suggestion, where they are at with having a
definition of what they are looking for from outside help, the fact that there
is a related budget supplemental request on the agenda tonight
(AB2024-521), and whether the report should be included with the RFP.
This a c enda3 item `6aNa3s DISCUSSED.
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2. B2024-w557 Discussion of a proposed ordinance adopting the 2020 Shoreline Management
Program Periodic Update
Cliff Strong, Planning and Development Services Department, briefed the
Councilmembers on the background of the ordinance adopting the
Shoreline Management Program (SMP) update and stated for final approval,
Council has to hold one more public hearing to consider the three
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Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final September 10, 2024
Department of Ecology -required amendments before adopting an ordinance
codifying the update. He spoke about the three amendments.
He answered why the process has taken two years and whether it took that
long last time, and stated Ecology held up their review awaiting Council's
actions on short-term vacation rentals in Title 20. He answered whether
they can now start implementing a registration system for vacation rentals
in the Lake Whatcom watershed, and stated there would still be some code
amendments for the Council to do to adopt the registration system and
performance standards, but they are working toward that right now. He
continued his briefing.
Councilmembers discussed meeting with Strong to do a deep dive on the
SMP since it has been awhile, and whether the County should be spending
funds on a vacation rental registration system.
This agenda item was DISCUSSED.
3. / a32024- 88 Request confirmation of the County Executive's appointment of Dr. Aldo Fusaro as
Temporary Interim Medical Examiner effective September 11, 2024
Kayla Schott-Bresler, Executive's Office, briefed the Councilmembers and
introduced Dr. Aldo Fusaro.
Dr. Fusaro, addressed the Councilmembers and he and Schott-Bresler
answered how he would logistically split his time between Washington and
Montana, how they would make sure the Charter responsibilities of the
Medical Examiner would be covered if Dr. Fusaro was unavailable, making
sure they have fulfilled the duties of the Charter in appointing a Medical
Examiner at this point, what the Council should know for this appointment,
and the doctor's philosophy about working with existing community groups.
Councilmembers asked questions about the permanent Medical Examiner
position hiring process.
George Roche, Prosecuting Attorney's Office, asked that they not discuss
the pending application process.
This agenda item was DISCUSSED.
Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council
1. A B20:24 �ri573 Request approval of a joint Council/Executive letter to Whatcom County Search and
Rescue regarding leasing building space
Buchanan briefed the Councilmembers and stated this letter is from
Executive Sidhu (on behalf of the Executive's Office) and himself (on
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Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final September 10, 2024
behalf of the Council) affirming the details that have been negotiated
between Search and Rescue and the Executive's Office regarding a new
building.
Kayla Schott-Bresler, Executive's Office, stated they are committing to a
ten-year lease to provide Search and Rescue with facility space.
Buchanan moved to recommend approval of the joint letter. The motion
was seconded by Galloway.
Schott-Bresler answered a question about a line in the letter which talks
about "setting aside subsequent years of funding into a dedicated cost center
in the County's Community Priorities Fund" and what that means. She stated
they cannot commit past the biennial budget. They can commit themselves
through a lease but the Council would not be actually appropriating the
money for the last eight years of the lease until those budget processes have
happened. They have revenue that is essentially cash in the Community
Priorities Fund, and can park that revenue in a cost center and then draw
upon it and budget for it as subsequent councils undertake their budget
process. It will be a liability on the County's books since they will have a
lease and the Finance Department will be tracking the obligations under the
lease. She answered whether there will be other tenants in the building.
Buchanan's motion that the Request for Motion be RECOMMENDED FOR
APPROVAL carried by the following vote:
Aye: 7 - Buchanan, Byrd, Donovan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Scanlon, and Stremler
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 4:07 p,m,
The County Council approved these minutes on September 24, 2024.
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Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final September 10, 2024
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WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
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Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Transcription
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