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Home My WebLink AboutCommittee of the Whole Apr 29 2025Whatcom County Council Committee of the Whole COUNTY COURTHOUSE 311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105 Bellingham, WA 98225-4038 (360) 778-5010 Committee Minutes - Final Tuesday, April 29, 2025 1:20 PM Hybrid Meeting - Council Chambers HYBRID MEETING - MAY BEGIN EARLY - ADJOURNS BY 4:30 P.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 Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final April 29, 2025 Call To Order Roll Call Council Chair Kaylee Galloway called the meeting to order at 1:24 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. AB2025-318 Discussion on community benefit agreements and presentation by Associated General Contractors Byrd briefed the councilmembers on the presentation. The following people read from a presentation (on file) and addressed the Council: • Lance Calloway, Association of General Contractors Northern District Manager • Tiera Nipges, Pacific Facility Solutions CEO and Certified Women Business Enterprise (WBE) • Tim Rockwell, Rockwell Electric, Inc. CEO and Certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) • Megan Kalma, Axiom Construction Consulting General Manager • Matt Shaver, Foundation Restoration Owner • Darren Leyenhorst, Faber Construction Vice President Councilmembers and the speakers discussed a presentation by the City of Seattle in 2023 which reported that Community Workforce Agreements (CWAs) reduced participation of certified WMBE (Women and Minority Business Enterprise) firms compared to non-CWA projects, learning more about mechanisms that allow an organization to do a progressive design build without having to pay for an owner's representative, looking at a list of community benefits and applying them on a case by case basis, that the proposal will look different than the original ordinance if they take a next step, whether or not it should include legislative action, what problems the proposed legislation is trying to fix and hearing more from the proponents, how to best accomplish community benefits and values and do something that is beneficial to everyone, and whether doing nothing would support workers in the community best, as well as those who would have to Whafcom County Page Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final April 29, 2025 implement the legislation. This agenda item was PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED. Special Presentation 1. AB2025-118 Update from the County Executive's Office on 2025 state legislative session The following people updated the Councilmembers and read from the "Report 4.28.2025" (on file): • Jed Holmes, Executive's Office Josh Weiss, Whatcom County's lobbyist Weiss answered whether there were any substantial transportation projects that Whatcom County is getting transportation money for, and also where the revenues are coming from. He stated there were not significant new capital transportation projects and he spoke about the tax sources. Scanlon stated he would like to have a more detailed analysis about the impact of the budget on the county once the governor has signed off on bills. Holmes stated they could schedule that and he noted that some expansion of the sales tax will have an impact in Whatcom County. This agenda item was REPORTED. 2. AB2025-279 Presentation from Susan Marks regarding the Bellingham-Whatcom County Commission on Sexual & Domestic Violence Susan Marks, Bellingham-Whatcom County Commission on Sexual & Domestic Violence Director, read from a presentation (on file) and answered questions. She answered whether she has ever done any trainings for the County and she spoke about what she has and can do in that regard. She answered whether her organization is DVSAS (Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services) and stated it is not. She stated the County and the City contract with DVSAS to provide the commission with administrative support. She answered whether they also have resources for male victims, and stated they do. This agenda item was PRESENTED. 3. AB2025_334 Presentation by Chris Comeau, Transpo Group, regarding draft active transportation network and multi -modal level of services standards for use in the Comprehensive Plan Update Chris Comeau, Transpo Group, read from a presentation (on file). Whatcom County Page 2 Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final April 29, 2025 He and the following people answered questions: • Doug Ranney, Public Works Department • Bennett Knox, Parks and Recreation Department Director • Payden Waldo, Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Councilmembers and the speakers discussed whether Hannegan Road is really at the standard that they would say is a ridable shoulder, that it comes down to the Council making funding decisions to put money from the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) into these projects, that plans for prioritizing transportation also necessitate maintenance which then increases the cost of providing the service and facility to the community, plans for maintenance on the Bay to Baker Trail, and how much of the plan focuses on training car drivers or signage for driving by bikes on roads such as Hannegan Road. This agenda item was PRESENTED. 4. AB2025-321 Presentation by the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee on the transportation component of the Comprehensive Plan update The following Whatcom County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee members read from a presentation (on file): • Ryan Corley, Committee Chair • Dan Kostozewski Scanlon stated he would like to signal the Administration that he thinks they should prioritize hiring a multimodal trail planner. Aly Pennucci, Executive's Office, stated they did unfreeze that position, but it will be part of the consideration of the Parks Department as they are looking at budget reductions. They will need to talk about whether or not this can be a priority right now. This agenda item was PRESENTED. Committee Discussion and Recommendation to Council 1. AB2025-285 Request for motion approving an Outdoor Musical Entertainment, Amusements, and Assemblies permit application for the Strings and Things Music Festival on July 12, 2025 at 713 Simondson Drive, Point Roberts, WA Elenbaas moved and Buchanan seconded to approve the request. Whatcom County page 3 Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final April 29, 2025 Cathy Halka, Clerk of the Council, briefed the councilmembers on the application. Elenbaas amended his motion and moved to recommend approval of the request. Breeda Desmond, applicant, addressed the Council and spoke about the proposed event and how it would benefit Point Roberts. Kimberly Thulin, Prosecuting Attorney's Office, stated the application is asking for a waiver of the surety requirement, a $5,000 surety (bond) which can be refunded after the event if not needed for any cleanup issues. The applicants are also required to have obtained waivers from persons who reside within 500 yards of the event and they have sent those out, but she is not sure of their current status. The Council would have to decide if sending the waivers to the residents constitutes substantial compliance with the statute. Desmond spoke about the surety bond and her efforts to contact residents for the waivers. Councilmembers and Thulin discussed that the surety bond is not waivable but the requirement for the applicant to get the approval from residents is, and whether just sending the waiver letters to the neighbors would constitute substantial compliance. Elenbaas's motion that the Request for Motion be RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL carried by the following vote: Aye: 6 - Buchanan, Byrd, Elenbaas, Galloway, Scanlon, and Stremler Nay: 0 Temp Absent: 1 - Donovan Items Added by Revision Other Business Adjournment There were no agenda items added by revision. There was no other business. The meeting adjourned at 4:34 p.m. The County Council approved these minutes on May 13, 2025. Whafcom County Page 4 Council Committee of the Whole Committee Minutes - Final April 29, 2025 IIIfIIi1,ljff C' dot• W'� WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL CQUNTy : �• WHATCOM COUNTY, WA a�� Cathy Halka, ' uitoil"Clerk . Kaylee loway, Council Chair Meeting Minutes prepared by Kristi Felbinger Whafcom County page 5