HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial Committee of the Whole Apr 1 2025Whatcom County
Council Special Committee of the Whole
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360) 778-5010
Committee Minutes - Final
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
9AM
Hybrid Meeting - Council Chambers
HYBRID MEETING - ADJOURNS BY 9:55 A.M. (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
Kaylee Galloway
Jon Scanlon
Mark Stremler
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Cathy Halka, AICP, CMC
Council Special Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final April 1, 2025
Call To Order
Roll Call
Council Chair Kaylee Galloway called the meeting to order at 9 a.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. AB2025-277 Discussion of councihnember policy priorities and council meeting procedures
Galloway introduced a discussion about potential changes to the way items
are introduced and referred to committees. Under the current order of
operations, an item gets introduced and then it is scheduled in the relevant
policy committee at the next meeting, which makes a recommendation to
the Council for action at the evening meeting. If substantive changes are
needed, an item must be reintroduced. Galloway stated that her
recommendation would be to hear items in committee prior to introduction.
Galloway moved to change the order of operations so that they hear
(agenda) items (ordinances and resolutions requiring an ordinance -like
process) in committee prior to introduction.
Byrd seconded the motion.
Councilmembers discussed the motion.
Byrd asked for clarification regarding what agenda items need to be
introduced.
Cathy Halka, Clerk of the Council, stated that ordinances require
introduction, as do some appointments and resolutions. The official path is
to introduce, then, at the subsequent meeting, schedule the item for
discussion in committee and action at the evening meeting. However, there
is sometimes a deviation from this path so that items are discussed in
committee prior to introduction.
Galloway clarified that her intention is to standardize the process for
ordinances and resolutions, not appointments.
Elenbaas asked whether an official change to code is necessary.
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Council Special Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final April 1, 2025
Halka stated that she does not recommend making a change to code but
rather an administrative change to be reflected in the meeting minutes.
Councilmembers discussed the process for scheduling time -sensitive
items.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 7 - Buchanan, Byrd, Donovan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Scanlon, and
Stremler
Nay: 0
Councilmembers discussed proposed changes to Whatcom County Code
(WCC) 2.02, including ending regular evening Council meetings at 10 p.m.
Elenbaas stated that he does not support changes to WCC 2.02, and
suggested changes could be internal policies and expectations rather than
changes to code.
Galloway spoke about suggestions for potential changes to Open Session,
such as limiting speakers to two rather than three minutes, requiring sign up,
and limiting Open Session to two or three hours.
Councilmembers discussed the proposals.
Galloway asked whether councilmembers wanted to continue discussion of
changes to meeting procedures or move to discussion of councilmember
priorities.
Stremler stated that he introduced the proposal to add a new section to
WCC 2.02 because he hears from the public how much they appreciate
councilmembers attending meetings in person and because comments are
sometimes made that probably don't need to be made about councilmember
meeting attendance.
Councilmembers discussed meeting attendance policies, including remote
participation.
Galloway stated she wanted to give councilmembers an opportunity to think
about individual and collective priorities. She suggested that
councilmembers continue to organize the priority list (on file) and submit
additional items to the Clerk.
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Council Special Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final April 1, 2025
Byrd stated that the first quarter of 2025 is already done, and by the time
they get through the list, they will be halfway through the year. He
suggested identifying two or three items now that councilmembers can
focus on for the next few months.
Scanlon stated that Council should focus solely on budget during the
mid -biennium review rather than trying to accomplish many other items.
Galloway stated her interest in holding regular, informal policy discussions
in the future.
Byrd suggested councilmembers rank items on the priority list prior to the
next meeting.
This agenda item was DISCUSSED AND MOTION(S) APPROVED.
Motion approved 7-0 that they change the order of operations (for agenda items) so they hear items (ordinances and
resolutions that require an ordinance -like process) in committee prior to introduction.
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
Adjournment
There were no agenda items added by revision.
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 9:57 a.m.
The County Council approved these minutes on April 29, 2025.
ATTQS H A
C1 .° 4 CC1i1N7-y ; r WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
. f WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
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Cathy Halka, Council`Llerk Kaylee Galloway, Council 36air
Meeting Minutes prepared by Jenna Gernand
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