recording in progress.
Okay. It looks like we're live And so I will call this, um,
October 24, 2022. Meeting of the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners to order
good morning everybody. Okay. Um, so as we do
every monday morning, I've got every gun we're going, I'll turn it off. Okay. There
it's off. Sorry. Um, as we do every monday morning, we'll start off with public comment.
If you've joined us this morning and are interested in making a public comment, please
use the raise hand button at the bottom of the zoom screen. I see. Um, nobody's with
us on the phone. So zoom is our option this morning and the raise hand button is
the middle in the middle at the bottom of the zoom screen. If you're interested in
making a public comment. If not, We'll keep public comment open
until 9:30 if somebody decides their move to make a comment and
move along to consideration of, Okay, here we go.
You're gonna need to accept the promotion to panelists. There you go.
Good morning Annette, you'll need to un mute and you have three minutes for public
comment. Good morning Commissioners. Thank you Heidi. Um, am I audible? Yes, you
are. Thank you. Um, I'm calling in to discourage you from extending the
emergency. Um, over Covid. It's been long enough now, um, the research coming out
now is very clear that we are creating um, negative efficacy with these jabs and
that's why with such a high, highly jabbed population, Our cases are so high other
than that we're over testing. Um, but I know so many people right now that are sick
who have had the jabs, um the emergency is not necessary. Please let's move on. Thank
you. Thank you for your comment. Annette, is there anyone else with us this morning
who would like to make a public comment? You can indicate your interest by using
the raise hand button at the bottom of the zoom screen um and then we'll bring you
over for public comment. Oh yeah, I love it. Not seeing any other hands go up
here, as I mentioned a moment ago, we will leave public comment open till 9 30 in
case. Um Someone joins us a little late or somebody remembers a comment they wanted
to make. Um Okay,
so looks like we have a very short consent agenda this morning, we can
probably get that taken care of
anything anyone wants to call out on consent agenda this morning, let's say that
board of equalization is going to be working hard. Oh yeah, I've already heard some
folks, so yeah, thanks for taking that hit. It's not an easy one to serve on. Yeah.
Yeah. And Margaret's been a real asset on that board and um maybe since we have time
might be worth talking a little bit about the valuations that were sent out last
week that gave a lot of people, um some anxiety and just want to Remind folks that
evaluation is not your tax bill. So whatever your value went up, that does not equate
to the amount that your tax bill is gonna go up. The county's portion of property
tax can only go up by 1% a year total. And so that 1% gets divvied up equally among
all of the properties in Jefferson County. So you might see some portion of an increase.
You might not. Um, but the state's portion of sales text, you know, that's, that
is what has varied more wildly over a number of years. And then of course the voter
approved levies and bonds increases. Property text is quite a bit, but the county
portion that is tied to your valuation is um, sees less less variation. And um, just
trying to help folks understand that there. If you saw a 30% increase in your, in
your valuation, it's not going to be a 30% increase in your taxes total. So hang
tight and February, you'll see a likely a modest increase in the county portion and
um, don't anticipate a large increase of any school bonds. In fact, some school districts
have had bonds or levies retire. So you should see a decrease in South County property
taxes.
Yeah, no, I think that's a good point. And something that, that took me a little
while to learn conversations with the assessor is that it's, it's proportional, right?
So the whole assessment is gonna raise 1% and if my value, the value of my house
goes up 30% in the value of your house goes up 50%. You're going to see a lot larger
uh, increase compared to mine. So it's it's how is it relative to the other properties
in the, in the county as well? So, and it is based on market value, even though typically
they tend to trend a little bit lower, sometimes a lot lower than market value. But
those are values that are, um, you know, pretty rigorously set. It is, it is um,
you know, it's a lot of speculation in real estate values. Um, but it is done every
year for every property. Only 1/5 of the county gets done in person every year. But
So, you know, if they look kind of high right now, it's because they were for the
January one value in the real estate market was really high value. Mm. Yeah. And
they will likely come down again if we continue in this cooler market. No, that was
definitely the question I was getting out and about this weekend. Yes, I was ringing
off the hooks here. Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, grateful for Margaret stepping up for a
another term on the B. O. E. And um, other than that, we have a
very light consent agenda. I'm happy to move to approve and adopt the consent agenda
All in favor passes unanimously. Okay, I'll put
out another call for public comment. I see we have a member of the public who just
joined us in the room indicating an interest in making a comment? So steven when
you're ready. No hurry. No hurry. We got time lots of time. Um Anyone else
online wishing to make a public comment this morning?
No quiet bunch.
Maybe we'll have an easy day. Uh Oh, okay. Let's let's bring George
over and then we'll Stephen you're gonna have a minute because we have one more online.
Um George, you're gonna have to accept the promotion to Panelist
lot of helicopter activity today. It was the Coast Guard, fingers
crossed. Okay, can you hear me now? We can hear you George. Yeah, I'm not
sure how to to comment on this, but it's traveling to me we're now in the election
season and we see lots of ads and things like that. And I don't know if it's a trend
or what, but I saw in the leader of this last week, probably the most horrendous
um full page ad uh going after a particular
candidate. And um I have not seen that in the 50 years I've
been in poor towns and and it's very troubling is that there should be some kind
of a standard that people run on their merits and the issues rather than trying to
demonize a candidate. That's running for office. That's my comment this morning.
Thank you, George. We appreciate you showing up and making a comment. Um Stephen,
are you ready here in the room? Okay,
good morning.
Good morning. So first of all I'd like to follow up on something. I didn't get to
finish at the board of health meeting which was this this top expert was feeling
that the at the top at the levels of the policy levels of the C. D. C. F. D. A. That
there was capture regulatory capture by big pharma. And yet he also felt they were
really good scientists all the way down the line. But the message is the information
that has been promulgated last couple of years which are health officer has been
very faithfully. You know putting forth is often based on on what he considered to
be garbage science garbage studies. And here's a case in point you know masking um
you know this protects you from me spitting on you. It's honest that's all it does
if you basically you know have a conventional mask. These are these things at best
protect against bacterias that don't protect against virus transmission. Um They
don't protect me from from viruses. If I have a respirator respirator special mask.
If I fitted it right maybe it could protect me. Does my mask protect you know because
basically follows the path of least resistance. It just goes through there goes up
here it goes everywhere. And um and so this whole idea that my mask protects you.
My mask protects grandma that's bad science. And yet like we were hearing last week
from the health officer that we're still having indoor mask mandates for um in health
services and also nursing homes and stuff for these purposes. And yet, you know,
I don't really feel that's good science. I don't think the best environmental scientists
believe it's good science, but it is what is being promulgated from the top levels,
you know, through, you know, whatever. So now I want to get to my main point, which
sort of relates to this is that I was speaking to someone I knew who was a manager
of a large store and I was just sort of feeling bad that their employees were needing
to be wearing masks while shoppers didn't have to be, that seemed to be kind of a
class division anything, it just didn't seem to be based on a really good science
and I was really kind of concerned about that. And I was told that they're in a place
where there you have L and I you've got health officers, you've got this maze of
intersecting levels of requirements. If anything, I was told that it's more confusing
for them now than at the time of the hard mandates and they're in a place where like
there's a case and then as a case, even though if there's a case anywhere within
the entire store, then it's all shut down insofar as everybody having all the employees
having to wear masks because of some of these, these things and it's, it does sort
of put them in an Excel type place later. I was able to speak to an employee there
after the masks after they were able to not wear masks. And I was um I just have
a minute left. That's already three minutes to get to any of my points here. Oh,
well, there you go. We have another opportunity for public comment during the emergency
declaration conversation that I may not be able to be here. 10 30. Okay, well, thank
you very much. I appreciate that. I'm sorry. 1 30. Hope you may have won 10 30 maybe.
Okay, thanks. Yeah, three minutes goes fast.
Anybody else with us online wishing to make a public comment this morning? You can
use the raise hand button at the bottom of your zoom screen or as you can see on
the zoom screen, you can come in and stand at the microphone because it's vacant
now. That's strange that it's showing the microphone. Um um Okay, anyone
else? Okay, I'm gonna leave public coming up until 9 30. We've um
my computer is saying it needs to reboot. So if I go away, that's where I went um
we have done consent agenda. So the next thing on our agenda is the proclamation
and we could do some, I don't see. Oh yeah, no, Raphael's there
Sean is not here yet. So our guests for the proclamation are not all here
yet. Um Do we want to do some briefing from last week? Sorry,
who wants to respond first? I guess Greg does. Oh, well. Something to say. Not a
lot, but I appreciate all the public comment. Um, you know, to Mr Jantz,
you know, uh I don't know what to tell you. I don't I don't like negative campaigns
either. And I have seen a disturbing trend towards kind of attack politics and I
think we just have to, you know, make an individual choice personally. I I see attack
politics and I usually go the other way. So I think everyone has to to live live
their own truth there. But it is it's disturbing to me too. But it's everyone's right
to uh to campaign as they will. Um, but thanks for bringing it up to steven here.
Um, you know, my wife had surgery a couple of weeks ago and I'm sure glad the surgeons
were masks when they were in the operating room. I mean, there's a reason that health
care, you know, You often bring up a person that says this is bad science at the
same time that we we know that these masks, surgical masks in 95 will present prevent,
you know, infections when my wife was cut open. I'm glad they did that. She's healing
up fine. So, um, the mask that you had also was pretty gauzy. I could see your lips
moving. So I'm not sure if that one does actually protect grandma if you're wearing
it around them, but I'm still pretty comfortable with the science as represented
by our health officer. I think we're, you know, we've talked about this before, but
to both steven and and Annette, you know, we have a real crisis of, of not believing
experts looking for contrary science and that's, you know, we're dealing with a preponderance
of evidence and we have an expert that we trust and has guided us very well through
this, this pandemic, a series of experts. So I'm gonna continue to take the science
cues from the epidemiologist that we have on staff that have done very well and I'll
always listen to you and I'm always willing to engage in conversation, but unlikely
to change now. And there really are not, you know, mandates too much the emergency,
uh, that we're going to look at is really primarily to maintain flexibility of the
county through the continuing situation with Covid as we move from a pandemic to
an endemic situation. Those are important, important levers to keep our hands on.
But um, there is another opportunity, 1 30 not 10 30 as I said before and, and love
love to hear your thoughts on that. Um, and thank you for your comments.
Do we want to, we have another hand raised. We want to take another comment before
you respond. Okay. So yeah, I'm still trying to get back into the meeting, but
right.
Mhm. Oh,
good morning. Patricia. Um my name is Patricia jones on behalf of the olympic Forest
coalition. Thank you so much for the opportunity to comment. I hope the commission
was sent uh an invitation from the Department of Natural Resources to a uh inviting
you to have a specialized briefing on the second phase of the carbon project. Um
There are several parcels that have been included in the second project in East Jefferson
County. Um I am requesting that the board of County Commissioners take the opportunity
to uh from D. N. R. And request a specific briefing um from D. N.
R. But from staff with expertise on these specific parcels, how they were chosen.
Um in our jurisdiction. I hope we can learn what the process for selection of these
parcels were more in depth with the criteria were that were used, how it was applied
in Jefferson County. Um And what specifically high conservation value analysis really
means how it was applied um to discuss more the proposed sites in Jefferson County
and how our local government and other stakeholders um can engage with the process
and propose possibly other parcels of higher value in our area. Um And actually what
is the timeline for the process of selection through the final decisions. So I'm
I'm hoping that you have received um an invitation and that you consider taking the
department up on that opportunity and that that briefing as you have done, which
I'm very grateful for being held in public as you have the quarterly meetings from
D. N. R. The deadline is on november 18th for comment. Um As a conservation stakeholder
that's an important deadline for us. I don't know if that's quite so important for
local government but thank you for the considering this request.
Thank you Patricia. Um is there anyone else with us who's online this morning who
would like to make a public comment? If so you can use the raise hand button at the
bottom of your zoom screen
and someone let me know if they see a hand go up because I'm still trying to get
back in. Okay. So I'm not seeing any hands go up on the screen in the chambers here
kate. Do you want to respond to comments received so far? Sure. And I'll let you
Heidi discuss the D. N. R. Workshop that we have scheduled? Um
uh Let's see I guess I'm always a little bit hesitant to weigh in on epidemiology
because I am not trained as one clearly. Um But just just to remind Miss Henke that
we we were aware that we you know that case counts are not the number that we need
to be looking most closely at. And you know we've learned all along the way in the
last 2.5 years um about this wily virus and you know it was it was a Macron that
taught us that you know that the vaccines were not going to be nearly as effective
in stopping transmission. They're gonna be high case counts and it's all about looking
at serious disease and that is what the protection that vaccines are providing now.
Nobody is saying that our case counts should be kept low by vaccines anymore and
we haven't for some time. And all along the way we have had to say wow look at this
something new, we have to learn. We have to adjust. It's been a constant adjusting
to um what we learn and what the how the virus mutates and um it's extremely humbling.
You know and You know I think the the experts are the first to say that they have
had to learn and adjust. So um I'm not sure what to make of the over testing comment.
I'm not sure what that means. Um I have really enjoyed having access to free tests
that have kept my family safe. Twice we have caught asymptomatic infections. one
moments before grandparents coming over for dinner on christmas eve, the other moments
before I got an airplane with tribal elders to go to Washington D. C. Neither my
son nor I knew we were infected. Um I did get you know relatively sick uh in the
next couple of days following. Really glad I wasn't stuck in D. C. Really glad I
had an exposed folks um unwittingly and and the same with my son. So big believer
in testing um with it we have been able to stop any further transmission all of the
cases in my house have been limited to one person. So um yeah, I think that's
that's all for me.
Oh, I should say too though. Just encourage folks to vote ballots are out really
encourage everyone to get those filled out and in the mail or into our ballot boxes.
Um This is an important election as they all are of course. And uh I'd love to see
our turnout continue to be number one or two in the state. Let's make it number one
this election as we often are. Okay, let's see. So to a net on the 13th
revision of our policy um I think my main hold up and wanting to consider the 13th
revision is just to make sure that all of the the procedures and processes we put
in place to protect county staff um are maintained if we are to remove the emergency
declaration. And so um we'll have more conversation about that this afternoon. But
um you know, we put a lot of stuff in place and I want to make sure that um folks
have the tools they need in their toolbox to make it through any other um outbreaks
of the pandemic that maybe on our horizon, which um you know, I did a little bit
of reading this weekend on this and it sounds like there's some concern about a third
uptick or another. Uptick in Covid in the fall here. So, um, let's
see to George. Yeah, I'm a super sensitive um human being.
And then the campaign negativity really grates at me, and it grates that my community
as well. I've heard a number of people expressed concern about our elected officials
and I just feel like the divisiveness that's present in our culture right now is
unhealthy for everyone, not just those of us who sit in elected offices, but our
families, our friends, our communities, because I hear concern everywhere about that
divisiveness and I don't think it's productive in terms of um finding a path
forward to make um our community whole and healthy. So, um, to steven and
masks, you know, I I hear the questionings and concerns about masks and it, your
little display of putting masks on and taking them off here reminded me of a video
my husband made early in the pandemic um in his studio one day, he was, he,
someone had told him masks didn't work and he put a mask on and he he blew a match
out without a mask on and then put a mask on and tried to blow that match out and
the match would not blow out. And so, you know, the, the sense that they're that
masks aren't effective in terms of stopping transmission of vapor or um anything
seems a little flawed if you're wearing the right kind of mask. Um and he was just
wearing a fabric mask, like I still wear a fabric mask so you know, I just, that's
what that made me, that's what that brought up for me. And then um Patricia to your
comment, we have invited D. N. R. To come and make a presentation to our full board
of commissioners on um I believe november 7th november 7th at three o'clock and they've
accepted that invitation and I specifically invited Chincha Fabbrini um the kind
of the lead for the carbon project and also Dwayne Emmons. So I'm not sure who all
will be coming, but I know that Chincha will be here and maybe others on the D. N.
R. Team. Um we've also started our work looking into um forestry options in jefferson
County in partnership with D. N. R. And um brian turner from the region has been
assigned as the D. N. R. Staff person who will work with Mallory um from chickadee
forestry on looking at uh D. N. R. State Forest Transfer Trust lands in Jefferson
County um as part of our project. So some updates on that work for you there um
and it's 9 26. If there's anybody else who I see, is there a hand up?
I see. No. Okay, so still not in. So if there's something that I need to be told
this in chat, just tell me it. Um but uh is there anyone else with us online who
would like to make a public comment if so you can use the raise hand button at the
bottom of your zoom screen as I say that I'll get back into zoom
and um I'm not seeing any other hands go up. Maybe we should talk a little bit since
we have a few minutes before the proclamation about our unusual few weeks ahead and
B. zero cc. Unusual few weeks. Yes, we don't meet next week. We'll have a very full
meeting on the seventh. Although I will not be here for a good chunk of that meeting.
I'll join by phone in the morning. Um and then, but have to be in Olympia at an important
meeting all afternoon. She couldn't couldn't can't miss. Um And then not meeting
on the 14th. So very truncated. Yeah. Schedule. So we're not meeting next week because
it's the fifth monday and we traditionally do not meet when there's 1/5 monday in
a month and it happens to coincide with Halloween, which is amazing at the courthouse.
Right? So I can't speak. So that will provide us with the capacity to focus on the
courthouse. Halloween activities, which you really encourage folks to come check
out. Yeah. And so the courthouse will be open and all of the departments just so
the public, who hasn't been with us in the past knows. Um There's quite a competition
between departments in terms of who does the best decorations? And I'm hearing about
a little bit of a showdown that's brewing. Uh Yeah so there's a
lot of pinup energy about it in a showdown brewing. So I encourage folks to come
into the courthouse on Halloween and walk around the different departments mask on
or mask off, trick or treating and there's trick or treating and check it out. And
I should say it's almost entirely off of county time and out of the pockets of employees
privately. It's not a, I was driving around half the weekend collecting relics from
farmer friends. So um yeah, so that's gonna be fun. Um And then
on the seventh we will have a very packed agenda because on the 14th we'll all be
out of office um for a Washington Association of Counties conference or elsewhere.
And um with that it's almost 9 30. And I also want to mention that we're
um so this will be our last regular weekly update with dr barry this morning. Oh
doctor Lock. Right, our last weekly update. This is kind of poignant. That'll be
with dr lock. Um And we will be going to a monthly update from dr barry starting
next month. The third monday of each month will be our regular monthly update on
K. P. T. Z. Um And I'll be doing it just once a month. Have you spoken with K. P.
T. Z. Okay, it's going to be that the third monday and I'll say that again once we're
rolling on KPCC because I'm not sure that we are yet. Um, And then I do need to mention
that I need to leave today at 3:30 for an important meeting. So if I have to step
out, someone will take over. Um, see
consider our proclamation. Do we see? We only have a minute. We have we have 15 minutes.
What am I doing? I'm 15 minutes early. Yeah.
Well, let's bring rafael over and see if we're we need to wait for us to ask
him if we need to wait for shawna. Maybe only one of them was gonna join us.
Okay. Did we give her a time?
Okay. You're hearing us talk about you. Good morning. Yeah. We're just waiting on
Shauna. She said she hoped to be here by 9:30. Her daughter has a
doctor's appointment at nine, so go in. Should we
wait for her? Indian? If we could wait for five minutes, that would be appreciated.
Calendars. Anyone wanna look at their last week, Do a little
briefing, fill five minutes. Okay. You wanna start? I'm trying to remember. I don't
think I had a five minute week last week, but I could try. It was pretty packed.
It's funny that I always think back to school is for us to things get really busy
in september. Everybody puts everything off until september. I know it's now the
middle of october but you know what I mean? Um, let's see with you all on monday
Tuesday had an economic Development Council finance committee meeting. Um Still really
trying to get that organization righted. Um And um we're gonna be hearing about some
budget shortfalls they have and a lot of even in consistency and clarity in our contracting
with the E. D. C. So just a ton of cleanup and there have been so many different
iterations. Um I did Warren Heidi and I'll just put it out there again to make sure
we catch it that we really need to have another piff meeting. Um For in order to
look at the CDC funding that is going to expire. So um when Mark gets back open Heidi
and Mark will get that go in and I think that board was repopulated which is great.
Um So if anything up to that board I guess to decide whether or not to do another
funding cycle. Um But waiting on waiting E. D. C. Is going to be anxious for that.
So just passing along that message um We had a transit meeting and really looking
forward to our upcoming process to hire a new general manager. Um And uh he had a
good meeting with Aaron Berg of the Port of Port Townsend um talking about the short
farm project that they are undertaking and seems like they're getting really serious
about doing a lot of um outreach. Um And well
I'll jump into it another topic related to that um on Wednesday and thursday I was
with Washington sea Grant, I'm on their board and first time I've met with that board,
they happened to be doing a retreat in Berlin. So it was very handy. That could have
been anywhere in the state and chose to be here, which is great um and discussed
a number of things, but the two emerging topics that they are most interested in
really taking on, you know, and so they do research and then outreach and education.
They're the Ws you version of of marine um systems. So W. C. Extension, you know,
they're really meant to be bringing good research to applied and community based
work. Um So that the two things are gonna be taking on very seriously in the next
few years, our seaweed farming um the only permitted seaweed farm in the state is
in Jefferson County. Um but there's a ton of interest whether it's for carbon sequestration
or food supplies, biofuels, you name it. I mean, it's interesting everybody is seeing
seaweed as the panacea for all the world's problems um which a number of researchers
were saying manage your expectations and we know that intensification of any farming
system can have impacts and so how to create the right regulatory framework, but
there was a lot of interest in um in in having somewhere for processing sites to
be, there are there's no processing site for um for seaweed in the state of Washington.
So um so that got us talking about the uh, the short farm short farm could, that
could be a component. So more to come obviously. But yeah, fascinating conversation
about that. And then the other second big issue, even more complicated is offshore
wind energy. And it sounds like we can really expect that to heat up. Apparently
all of Washington's coast is basically off limits because of the marine sanctuary,
although you could go further offshore and, but there's really about 38 miles of
the Washington coastline that is available and suitable for wind energy, which is
in the Grays Harbor area, but pretty um massive tribal concerns and
fishing industry concerns. Um, so really robust conversation about, um, you know,
there's some coastal communities, they're saying this will destroy our way of life,
it will destroy fisheries and our way of life. And um, and then some of us saying
the cost of doing nothing is that your communities are also incredibly vulnerable
to both decreasing fishery stocks and climate change, which of course wind is trying
to um mitigate. So, um, that's, I think that's gonna be a big deal in the state in
the next, who knows how many years, but massive regulatory federal complicated
framework. Um, so something to to stay, be aware of. I wasn't aware how much it was
coming to a head. Um, and it sounds like it, it is, there's a few applications in
some of which have already been denied because of either tribal resistance or um,
I mean, you, the marine spatial planning that's been done shows how many uses are
layered on top of um you know, you you looks like the big wide, wide open ocean,
but in fact there are declared shipping lanes that are declared fishery area fishing
areas. Um And so really there's very little space that is kind of unspoken for. And
so companies are rapidly trying to get leases for the potential to build wind up
to 50 miles offshore.
Looks different than in the middle of the grasslands. I assume, what does when generator
generation look like in the water, huge turbines, huge turbines up in the air and
not super high up in the air in the right spots. They don't have to be that high.
Um And you know, other parts of the country have done this successfully and been
able to mitigate impacts. Uh The White House has put out a call for um it's 10, I
don't want to misspeak basically enough wind power to power 10 million homes In the
next five or 10 years. Um and this, this could provide about 10% of that, the most
viable application in the state of Washington. So, I mean, it's it's could have real
impact. Um one of the interesting points that showed was that the um total fisheries
value in Washington waters and I believe it didn't include tribal subsistence fishing,
which of course is hugely valuable. Um but it's about $235 million dollars a year.
And um, they used as a counterpoint in new york. The leases alone for wind power
were a billion dollars. So like making up that kind of just financial difference
is huge. But I mean, we of course know that things like fisheries have a lot of other
benefits for uh, coastal communities in particular. So um very complicated cost benefit
analysis ahead. And um, yeah, just how do, how do communities and communities like
ours think about the future? I mean, we know that people resist change. Um, and yet
not changing is gonna have some catastrophic um, effects for communities vulnerable
to climate change in particular. So really great to be locked in a room for two days
with very smart people and learning about these issues that are going to be more
and more on our horizon. Sorry, I told you it was not a well, I know we've
uh, you know, we have to get to Proclamation before 9 45. Um Try
title Energy did not come up in this discussion. It was all offshore energy.
Okay. It looks like shawna has not joined us yet. Doctor offices are running pretty
far behind these days. I've not been out of a doctor in less than an hour. And sometimes
it's okay to start if you like. And I'll just let shauna know what happened. Thank
you. Okay. Um, does anyone want to tee this one up.
Well, I'll just say this. We do this proclamation every year and I'm always grateful
that rafael can join us. Um, Shawna joins us most years to of course. Um, but I'm
always amazed to learn at the amount of pro bono work that our attorneys here do
and um just so grateful that there are folks who are helping people in their most
vulnerable moments and often in their most financially stressed times to work through
um complex legal issues. And I'm sure that covers a whole range of services that
that you and your colleagues provide, rafael. So thank you and um, happy to to read
the proclamation. Yeah, I'm happy to start or do you want to start. Um, so this is
a proclamation for pro bono law week and it starts out whereas our justice system
is founded on the fundamental principles of equity and fairness for all. And pro
bono services grant individuals access to legal representation regardless of their
means. And whereas nearly three and four Washington residents face urgent civil legal
issues each year, including issues related to health care, consumer and financial
services, domestic violence, divorce, child custody, foreclosure, eviction and abuse,
but less than 25% receive legal assistance. And whereas access to legal assistance
can improve economic security and personal safety, protect civil liberties and lead
to a more just society. And whereas legal service agencies, pro bono service programs,
law schools, the american Bar association, the Washington State Bar association,
the jefferson County Bar association and private firms throughout the state have
enlisted the services of volunteer attorneys to address the legal needs of low income
people. And Whereas all attorneys licensed in Washington state are encouraged to
provide at least 30 hours of free legal service services annually to those unable
to obtain legal counsel. And whereas in 2021 volunteer attorneys in Washington State
provided legal help to over 20,000 individuals and families. Volunteer attorneys
with slalom jefferson county. Pro bono lawyers provided over 920 hours of service.
And now therefore, we, the Jefferson County Commissioners proclaimed the week of
october 23rd to the 29th, 2022 as pro bono law week in Jefferson County to honor
and thank the attorneys who volunteer their time and expertise to provide legal services
to those in need. Proclaim this 24th day of october 2022 I'm happy to move to approve
the proclamation as read all in favor. Say, aye,
Yeah, rafael. Say a few words. Yeah, rafael. Absolutely. So for people who don't
know me, my name is Rafael. I'm a local attorney here in Jefferson and Collin County
and also the president of the column Jefferson. Pro bono attorneys organization for
this year. As kate mentioned earlier, we've been doing this now for several years.
It's always an honor to be able to speak in front of the county commissioners. And
I want something that's very, very important to me and other attorneys. And that's
pro bono work as Gates stated. Uh, three out of four people will face some type of
legal problem. Uh, and they simply can't afford legal services. And a lot of times
those three out of four people will face multiple legal issues. And every year I
think that average uh, legal issue a person faces is like 3 to 4 Every year.
And there are issues that can really affect someone's Children, their home, their
job. We're talking about real issues also and I don't usually do a good job of this,
but I'll talk about the actual numbers this year. So over the past year there were
920 hours donated to the pro bono organization. I know for a fact that's actually
low and maybe even very low. A lot of attorneys do pro bono work and they don't report
it. So at least but 920 hours, we helped 630 people in both jefferson and franklin
counties. We had over 45 attorneys donate their time to pro bono services so that
those are real numbers helping real people. And as I think I've said before, it's
our goal and my goal personally, just to increase those numbers, I'm lucky and fortunate
to be an attorney and I think it's every attorney's duty to provide pro bono services.
Being an attorney, you can directly help someone in a very, very positive way. Uh,
and like I said, that's that's an honor. And I think every lawyer should strive to
at least do some pro bono work every year. So thank you so much for having us. Thank
you for supporting pro bono services in jefferson county and, and we hope to help
more and more people each and every year. Thank you.
Thank you for being here. Thank you. You're welcome.
Okay, look at us. 9:45. Uh, dr barry with us.
Oh, doctor Lock. Sorry, I keep you. I'm kind of used to doctor barry at this point
folks. Sorry.
Dr luck. It's great to see you. You're gonna need to um mute and turn your camera
on. There you are. Hey morning.
Um, so it's 9 45. I'm assuming that K. P. D. Has us up and running. And as I mentioned
before, we're on air with K. P. T. Z. This will be our last weekly update from our
good doctors. We are moving to a once a month schedule. And we're looking at the
third monday of each month to be broadcasting on K. P. T. Z. And having our regular
updates. So adjust your calendars community and get used to a different cycle for
this update. But it's kind of fitting that our last a weekly update is with dr luck
because I started off my tenure as a commissioner with dr lock at the helm here.
So take it away tom well thank you and good to see everyone today and uh,
welcome to my, my new office in Port Angeles since we last uh met
uh my wife, Jeanette and I have moved to Port Angeles. So we're now city residents,
uh, probably for the, uh, first time in 40 years for me. Um, so I'll,
it's my pleasure to fill in for dr berry this week. And I'll start as she often does
just with a quick review of the numbers internationally. We covid has been in decline
through the summer, but that decline reversed itself by the middle of september so,
so now internationally covid rates and hospitalization and deaths are starting to
go up again. Uh, We're especially seeing this in in europe and parts of Asia, in
the United States as a whole. We're still in a local case rates are, are continuing
to drop. Uh, and as the commissioners, I'm sure no. At this point, case rates are
not a very good measure anymore. Uh, since our, our testing strategies have changed
a lot, but hospitalization and death rates are still a very good measure and hospitalizations
are down very slightly nationally. Death rate is down 6%. So the average daily
death rate now in the US is below 403 161. Uh, and then another measure that we're
using more and more is wastewater surveillance. So looking at virus in wastewater
and, and that's still low in the US, although it's starting to rise in some Northeast
states with could be a harbinger of things to come in Washington state. Um
where we're in the lower quartile of states where 36 among states in terms of covid
activity cases are down about 24%. Hospitalizations, death rates are also down. So,
so on average, there's about nine people die in Washington state every day from Covid.
You know, that's that's still a very significant number. Jefferson County's two week
case trade is at 243 which is a declining trend from what it it's been. And there
are currently two people in the hospital in jefferson County with Covid incl Allen
County. The case rate is 136 per 100,000 with one hospitalization.
And then in terms of of of monkeypox virus MPV. The uh we're now in the eighth
week of a declining rate nationally. And and also in Washington state. So that's
good news. Uh and so far in the state we've had over 600 cases, one of them
was incl Allen County, none so far in Jefferson County, five of them and kids have
county and we're moving ahead with vaccination programs. And and the the vaccine
is becoming more and more available. And the indications for the vaccine are are
widening. I'd also like to just mention influenza that that should be on all our
radar screens as well. And and right now influence activity is minimal in Washington
State. There's some increase some early increases in the Southeast United States.
Uh, but we when we try to predict what's gonna happen in the Northern hemisphere,
we usually look at the southern hemisphere as a clue. And and uh what what happened
this past summer in Australia and new Zealand is worrisome. Uh They both had an early
influenza season and the influenza season was unusually severe. And that's what we're
expecting in the U. S. This year. In that we've we had two years of virtually no
significant seasonal flu. Uh This was because of all the masking and distancing we're
doing for covid, but that also means that population immunity to influenza drops.
And also at the same time vaccination rates went down in the last two years. Uh So
uh we're we're being set up for more severe flu season this year. And
uh so the the uh I think that the question I often getting
nowadays is is what comes next. What is the forecast? And I quote, I like to use
this is uh Michael Osterholm from the University of Minnesota. Uh he has a saying
that the covid pandemic is a three act play and we are still in Act two of this place.
So we're not only is it not over, But the next act is something that that there's
a lot of uncertainty as to how it's gonna play up. Uh it's for the for the at least
the early part of Act three. It's gonna have a lot to do with seasonality with with
population immunity and then how we respond, how we use the tools we have available
to to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic. And for for most people we can't do a
lot about season allen uh that that as the days get shorter, people spend more time
indoors uh that that the cool dry air is actually favorable for virus
survival. So so those things increase our exposure risk. Uh population immunity is
something that's been steadily increasing and that's the combination of the immunity
we get from vaccines and from natural infection and and vaccination rates. Although
although they kind of stalled nationally, they're still significant, you know, with
with 60 68% of americans fully vaccinated in Washington state at 75%
79% in jefferson County and and about 70% clown. Uh And also there's significant
natural immunity that's developed. There was one study that estimated that up to
80% of people in the U. S. Were exposed to a democrat in these last 11 months that
it's been circulating. Uh So the combination of those two at this point means there's
there's a lot more population immunity than there was earlier on in the pandemic.
And if the virus would just stop mutating, we would be in very good shape in terms
of the pandemic. But of course that's not how evolution works, you know, as as the
uh the the virus as population immunity increases. The strains of virus
that circulate are the ones that are able to evade this in union. And so that's exactly
what's happening. And it's a kind of competition right now between the the existing
uh be a. Four and be a. Five which not only uh have we developed a lot of immunity
to but are included in the new by valent vaccine. It's a competition between this
and these new sub variants that are starting to arise around the um the world. There's
a whole long list of them but there's three of them that we're really focusing on
this what's called B. Q. One. And at 1.1 which is a spin off of of the B. A. Five.
This is the one that seems to be moving the fastest in the U. S. It's doubling every
1 to 2 weeks. Which is a sign that it's a very effective competitor to the other
virus strains. And then even more worrisome is this one called X. B. B. That
that's sort of currently taking off from Singapore. And and one that we were really
concerned about about a month ago. Uh even more ungainly title of uh be a
2.75 point two. Uh And these these are both highly immune base
and there's something that not only they have the potential of causing infection
in people who have been previously exposed or previously immunized but very concerning
is the fact that they're resistant to the monoclonal antibodies that we use to protect
people who are immuno suppressed or to treat people who have severe disease. Um uh
and and are hospitalized. Uh so so we we run the risk of losing those effective tools
as the sub variants predominant. Uh right now it looks like like the the the B. Q.
One and 1.1 are the ones that are most likely to be the next wave in the US. And
I I think uh questions about this, what are these mutations? You know that I think
there's this common belief that these are radical mutations of the virus, but actually
they're very subtle mutations are just very tiny shifts of an area the virus known
as the receptor binding domain and this is a critical area. This is how the virus
ashes to ourselves. And it's also where the antibodies we developed to defend ourselves
attached to the virus. So if that area changes, then the the antibodies don't work
as well and the virus is able to infect ourselves. Unfortunately though our immune
system is much more sophisticated than that. And even if our we get info, we still
have a second line of defense that is triggered by vaccination and natural immunity
that has to do with these white blood cells known as T cells. And that's basically
why vaccines even if they can't prevent all infection, still do an incredibly good
job at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and and death. So, so, so in summary
and say that that uh in terms of forecasts, uh, covid rates almost certainly are
gonna go up this month and how bad it's gonna be will depend a lot on which sub variants
are predominant and and how severe they might be. Uh, it's a it's a very good idea
to get a bio violent booster uh and and to do so as soon as possible because we're
look based on the fact that rates are rising rapidly now in Britain and europe. We
think the same thing that's gonna be happening in the US in about a month. So, right
around thanksgiving time. And then as I said, influenza, it's likely to be uh earlier
this year and more severe. So probably around that thanksgiving time again, the
so called twinned emmick that that the media has been talking about. And some people
are even talking about a Triple des Mick because if you if you factor in this this
uh respiratory virus known as RsV respiratory syncytial virus, which has been around
for a very long time. Uh, and but it's a very severe in infants. So Children
under one year of age and then then in the elderly or the, you know, suppress uh,
and this is something we've been working on a vaccine for this for the last 50 years.
And we think we're pretty close uh, there's a very promising adult vaccine that's
in final clinical trials. There may be a pediatric vaccine within four or five years.
But right now we don't have any vaccine for this. And it's filling up the pediatric
I. C. U. S. In many areas of the country. So, uh, we're watching that really careful.
So our response is what it's been for a long time. That is, you know, vaccination
remains key masking and high risk settings. And and when you're trying to protect
the vulnerable ventilation, I try to keep mentioning over and over. And then that's
something we're under investing in. And it's uh it's really huge lisa there was one
very good study that suggests we could prevent 80% of school based infections just
with better ventilation systems in school. And that's not just covid it's all the
respiratory viruses that that often spread in schools and then move out into the
community. So, there are some now national initiatives to invest in in better ventilation.
And then finally, uh we have good treatments for people who are severely ill or people
who are at risk of serious complications. Things like packs livid are very effective
at reducing severity of illness. Uh and and risk of hospitalization. So just look
at the time here. Um uh, I think I probably have uh, time just
to briefly mention one other area and that is uh something I've been working on a
lot and and we can't lose sight of and that is pandemic preparedness. We're not only
do we have a ways to go in this pandemic, but we have to stay prepared for for future
ones. And and any pandemic is kind of a stress test that your system tells you what's
working and what's not working. And and so far we have found a lot of things that
are not working about systems that we need to be addressing and now's the time to
do it. The way I'm working on this is we have a statewide process. It's called the
Public Health Advisory Board and it was set up by the legislature to look at the
whole public health system. But but especially right now at how we responded to the
pandemic and look for ways to improve things and and their national efforts similar
to this underway and there's there's some common things now, everyone agrees on that.
We need to focus on. Uh First of all our data and surveillance systems are woefully
inadequate for much of the pandemic. We were flying blind at least in terms of US
data uh and we made a lot of our big decisions based on data from Britain and Israel
and South Africa when it turns out have much better data systems. So we need to improve
those at a local and state and national level uh personal protective equipment, although
we have adequate supplies right now, we still have inadequate stockpiles and we don't
have the capacity in the United States to make more. That's something we should have
fixed a long time ago. But we haven't, I mentioned already improving ventilation
in in public places. Uh, and then we need to get better at rapid response. You know,
being able to deploy vaccines and medications more rapidly and more equity. Uh, that's
something we've fallen down. Uh So with that, with my uh comprehensive update, I
hope uh just ask the commissioners if if you had any questions. Thanks for being
here, Doctor Locke. We really appreciate it. It's it's nice to see you again. I was
just gonna say I got my my shot on saturday at the mass vaccination clinic and dr
barry was there giving shots and I felt like there was a rock star in the room and
I feel like we have another one in the room with us this morning. So um do you have
any questions for dr luck and from us this morning? I do. I have one nice to see
you Dr Lockett. I can't believe it's been 2.5 years since I said, what would you
think about doing a weekly update to the boc? It seems like we're gonna need current
information. Um I'm curious what is the status of the ability to do
some sort of tighter testing to understand immunity. Will we get to a place where
we can have some sense of how much immunity we have in our system to be able to assess
when we might get another vaccine or when we need to be really cautious Or is that
is that something we can anticipate? Well, we we have we have very precise testing
of of uh you know, we can match up antibodies that are produced or present in
people's bloods to specific variants and sub variants of the virus? Uh Most of that
is available in research settings. There there are very few of them that have been
deployed on a mass level or are available available to clinicians.
Uh Although there are some, you know, for instance, there there there are tests that
are readily available to see if you've been exposed to covid. Uh So if you have antibodies,
they're even tests to differentiate whether uh that exposure or that that immunity
came from vaccination or from natural immunity. Um but beyond that, we we don't
have any readily available tests to look at at the the sub variants and and that's
that's what we we need to increase. Especially in terms of the the ability to um
uh produce vaccines that are better matches for what's circulating now. Uh And the
latest by valent vaccine was actually pretty impressive that one of the good things
about messenger RNA vaccines is you can produce them really quickly once you decide
what to make, you can start cranking it out in just a couple of months, Which which
is extraordinary. uh with flu vaccine, which a lot of it still made in eggs, uh it
takes nine months to produce the vaccine. So so we, you know, if we had a system
uh tuned up better, we could do um yeah, the hope is we could get ahead of the virus
and and immunize people against the variant that we thought was coming, not the one
that just moved through the community. I'm surprised how much uh
vaccine fatigue, I'm hearing even from people who have been very enthusiastic about
getting vaccinated previously people just saying, but don't I have enough immunity.
And um so it's you know, I wonder if getting to a place where they could have some
sense if they had enough immunity or not, like we do with tv. Right? Um but it sounds
like because it's still mutating quickly. That's not realistic. Well, I think what
I urge people to look at it is that, you know, immunity is is something that you
develop and modify over time. So you start with vaccination ideally. But most vaccinated
people are going to be exposed to covid uh and they're gonna they're gonna get infected
with it whether they know it or not, you know, ideally they won't even know it in
the sense that their immunity will be good enough, that they don't even know they're
infected, but their immune system will and we'll get benefit from it. So that's how
we get out of this ultimately as we we get our immune systems as robustly
proficient in fighting the virus as they can be. And then when we do get infected,
it's a mild kind of thing. The real problem with the pandemic was not the fact that
the people who got mild respiratory infections. The problem was the people who were
hospitalized, who died and very significant. The people who have long covid, you
know, which is something we're just starting to grapple with but is probably something
we will remember long after this pandemic has passed, is the number of people that
are still with us who were permanently injured as a result of this infection.
I have a couple of quick questions. It's great to see you dr lock and it is, yeah,
it's nice synchronicity having you here today um wondering you said that some of
the new strains of covid are more resistance to the monoclonal antibodies and I'm
wondering if there's ever any lessening of effect of the antivirals that has been
uh in theory there could be but so far not so packs limited uh
remains highly effective uh moderating the infection and uh this the other
uh world antiviral uh pie revere. It's not that it's lost effectiveness. It's
just that the latest studies of it shows that it's not very effective. So it never
was very effective, but but is really the go to drug at this point and there's other
I antiviral medications that are in development. So antivirals are a very promising
thing. It's a way of of, you know, if you can't prevent infection, if you can prevent
its complications, that's still a very worthy goal. Great. And then, uh,
great to hear you talking about ventilation. I've been, you know, beating that drum
since the beginning. And you know, even the small business that was set up to kind
of test folks, ventilation has had almost no interest. So let's keep beating that
drum. Not, not really a a question there. My other question is about the emergency
response. He said, we need to start planning for the next pandemic. And you know,
if memory serves when this started, we didn't have enough masks because after stars,
they kind of stopped buying the masks that were made domestically. And I'm wondering,
are are we on the federal level doing a better job about not just treating the burn
burning house, but also the the aftermath and the the next house to burn with, with
keeping our national stock pile up of the mitigations that we know are effective.
Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, the answer to that is no, we're not addressing
that. And There there's a plan to address that. There's, there's an $88 billion dollar
request from the administration, uh, to, to do the next phase of preparedness and
develop the next generation of vaccines and to replenish stockpiles. But, but what
I've been told is that that legislation is going nowhere in Congress right now. Uh,
and but it needs to, it needs to be on a fast track because it it's, you know, not
only does does covid have more in store for us, but but uh, an influenza
pandemic, uh, there are strains of influenza that could occur that would would make
Covid look like a walk in the park, Uh, where where fatality rates, you know, are
in the 1-2-3% range. So, so tens of millions of people could die in an influenza
pandemic in the United States if we did not respond, uh, to it. Well, so, you know,
we've been trying to prepare for that for decades, but we need to we need to keep
on the guard for it. Okay. Thank you. You know, I have more questions, but we've
got some Kay PTC questions, so I'll hold the rest of them. Yeah, I know I saw a couple
of K PTSD questions and I have one questions, but I think it's more Willie's wheelhouse.
So I'll hold questions for now. Um
Well, I'll jump into those real quickly here. Is that the first is from someone who's
who's going to be hospitalized and have surgery soon. And it's really wondering if
if the surgical mask is good enough to protect them in the hospital or whether they
should be using a higher grade mask, like an n 95 or KN 95 2. That I'd say that you
know, certainly there's a different difference in masks so so that the high efficiency
particular masks like N 95 are still the gold standard for protection, literally
filtering out about 95% of of airborne particles surgical masks in comparison
around 60%. But the question here is that you you need that gold standard in a hospital
setting. And the answer is probably not um hospitals, you know, unless you're in
an I. C. U. Or or in a you know in in a room with someone with covid are actually
very low risk situations for transmission. That's because there there are such stringent
infection control practices in place. So it's one of the safest places you can be.
Uh And and uh I think that you know if a person Wanted to use a higher
standard and wanted to wear an N- 95 mask in that setting, I think they should be
allowed, you know, as long as it doesn't obstruct their breathing or cause problems.
But but my personal advice is is I would be comfortable with a regular surgical mask
in a hospital setting because I know the people in the hospital are doing a really
good job at making that a safe environment to be in. Uh and then the second question
is asking about availability of Novavax vaccine as a booster and I just heard from
the Health Department staff that that this is available now locally. Uh
the Nova Vax in addition to being approved as a primary series. It now is is approved
as a booster for people 18 years of age and older. Uh It's it's approved for
for the primary series for 12 years of age and older. Uh It's the the caveats are
that it's number one. It's a mono Vaillant backseat. So it's based on the original
covid strain. It's not been updated for B. A. Four or five. Uh It's it's mostly for
those for use as a booster for those who who can't or won't uh use
the Messenger RNA neighbors because we think the M. R. A. Boosters are are superior.
Um It's it's not you're not eligible for it if you've already had a Messenger RNA.
So it's it's uh Novavax is licensed if you need a booster. Uh
even if your primary series with Messenger RNA, you can use a nova tax booster and
then finally you need to wait uh for six months after the completion of your primary
series to get a Novavax booster. But with those conditions it is available and people
are seeking that I've been told they should contact the health department and and
we can find them a way to get a booster.
Great any other questions monty, Do you have any questions for dr lock monty is standing
in again as our county administrator. Mark Mccauley is on his last day of vacation.
I hope he's having last moments of fun. Um, so let's hear from Willie.
Good morning Willie. Hey, good morning everyone and welcome back dr lock to see you
again. Um, we wrapped up with our final mass vaccination clinic, um, potentially
of the pandemic on Saturday. And when I reported out last week, we were talking how
it was specifically for 5 to 11 year olds as well as teenagers up to 18 because of
relatively low registration at least we were able to handle some more folks. We did
open that up to adults 18 and up as well and we had a little over 100 actually
registered um, for the clinic beforehand. But then we had almost 60 walk ins to the
clinic that day, which was a record for us. And I think that spoke to the fact that
folks were realizing this was the last opportunity to get the vaccine in this particular
setting. So they took advantage of the open clinic. I'll pulled a little over 100
and 55 vaccinated on saturday. Um, this week we are demobilizing our equipment, working
to inventory and put it in the storage. Um, but still have it readily available should
the need of Isaac and in the future. Um, to commissioner Brotherton question about
staging equipment and on a national level things aren't looking so great, talked
about here locally though. Again, we have all of our equipment to be able to deploy
a mass vaccination. Put it relatively quickly, we do still have a decent stock of
surgical's, a couple different types of n 95. Um a lot of them aren't the optimal
brand and fit for a lot of our emergency response partners have them nevertheless,
as well as a smattering of medical supplies as well that will be keeping in storage
um for quick deployment should the need arise. So that is a big change for us a lot
of this um in terms of masking and medical supplies, all the equipment for uh easily
deployable mass vaccination clinic wasn't something we had going into this pandemic
stuff that we had purchased um in the heat of the moment to get up and running, but
we do have it here locally now ready and available for quick deployment for the next.
Um other than that, that wraps up our mass vaccination clinic schedule with the funding
ending months are ready, willing and able should the need to spin up again. Um other
than that shake out was last week, thank you to everyone who participated in that
drill. However big or small, whatever your participation looked like a special shout
out to v. Com. Our volunteer emergency communications group are ham amateur radio
operators who ran a successful communications drill as well as all the prep neighborhoods
who located in their own drill in their own ways and particularly the L street neighborhood.
Um did a pilot project. We're exploring some new ways to expand our programs shout
out with them and as well as port ludlow who they had over 100 and 50 people participate
in their shakeout drill this year doubling. There are numbers from last year. So
I'm huge things there as always if you don't live in an imprint neighborhood or if
you don't know whether or not you live in an organized neighborhood and head to our
website or your local
other than that, we look forward to the shakeout next year. Um That's the end of
my report. It's something like there was at least one question for me. So I'll be
happy to answer that. Well, I was just, it was, it was, it was me and I, I did participate
in the max vaccination vaccination clinic on saturday. Thank you for opening that
up for adults. And you know, I just, I am struck by the relatively low percentage
of folks in our community who have gotten the by violent booster, relatively low
percentage compared to last, you know, previous rounds of the vaccination. And so
just wondering um, if we wanna remind people where to go to get their their booster
and um if there would ever be the possibility of having another
clinic of some sorts or or partnering with the pharmacies or I don't know having
a different model for getting more more of these boosters out there. I'm just concerned
that with the low percentage of folks in our community have gotten it. Yeah, so the
vaccine is still available at our local pharmacies. So safeway try area or through
your health care provider. I'm so talk to them. Um if you're looking for options
and you're also still welcome to call us here at D. E. M. I mean we can help find
you an appointment if you have questions about where to go and if you do travel outside
of the county for any reason um It is much more available um in some of the more
populated areas where you can go to walmart Walgreens CVS. Any of those major chain
pharmacies as well. And then there's plenty of availability there. Um I would be
uh this was a helpful reminder on Commissioner Eisenhower and there is another clinic
that's actually not being run by us. So it wasn't on the tip of my tongue. But the
Washington state Department of Health have what they call a mobile care a van which
offers a mobile vaccination services. Um They will be here on the 30th which is a
sunday of this month. The Quimper Unitarian Universalist fellowship important comes
in from 1 to 4. And so another opportunity for folks to go and get vaccinated on
the weekends sunday the 30th, 1 to 4 and you go to the jefferson county public health
website policy at D. E. M. You need to snag an appointment act. Um Otherwise I think
Commissioner Dean who mentioned there is a little bit of vaccine fatigue. Um, so
early on in the pandemic was about the vaccine was being pretty careful ration and
then there were very limited supplies. So it was tough to come by. It was often difficult
for folks to kind of sneak in and snag an appointment umbrella tiddly short notice
as it was becoming available. Now the vaccine is widely available. You can walk into
just about any pharmacy and go get vaccinated. Um, but folks have already had three,
maybe even four shots and 1/4 or 1/5. Um, seems a little daunting. But as dr barry
has talked about as DR has talked about, um, it really does provide excellent protection
against the latest variant. Um, so we're really hoping that even though folks might
be a little bit fatigued. Um, we'll continue on with our messaging, asking folks
to really consider this going into the winter weather season. Um, I just really hope
that folks consider this booster before we start seeing the next spike due to folks
who aren't vaccinated against. So, um, please call us. We're happy to walk you through
your options. Um, and we do have volunteer are volunteers who are no hunger busy
every weekend. If you need to talk to a doctor, please talk to your healthcare professional
process here. If you have any final. I was just surprised at the number of people
who didn't know what the alarm was for the shakeout. Great shake out. I'm like what
people you know on facebook and next door and saying, what's the, what's that tone?
And I'm like oh come on. So um nice work on that and we still have a lot more community
education to do and it's incumbent on all of us to help get the word out about those
events. So yeah, any other questions for willy? I have one more quick question for
Dr la because we have a moment or two and that's just unfortunately I got my second
case of covid a couple weeks ago and wondering can you remind us how long after a
case of covid, should you get the by violence booster? How long should you wait for
maximum effective? There's some variation in recommendations on that
uh technically to be eligible, you only have to wait two weeks. Uh so so
you, you can legally qualify but but really it's unnecessary to get
vaccinated in uh to probably even three months after the infection.
And if you do you don't benefit from it much because your your your antibody levels
are so high, they just sort of eat up the the antigen that the vaccine produces.
So so the recommendation, what I recommend is three months minimum And there are
some credible experts that say waiting as long as six months is optimal. So so
recommendations vary from 3 to 6 months but I would go for three months. Great. And
then I asked a question to dr lock I think last week or the week before. But as we
expand uh sewage monitoring, is there any push on the local or national level to
expand to the flu as well, so we can kind of track that. And then a question I ask
you all the time is where did the flu go when it was gone, You know, so it's like
festering and a few people have it. Can you just talk kind of about the epidemiological
narrative that has been the flu kind of gone for two years and now back, you know,
as we remove our other mitigations? Well, first of all with wastewater, I've not
heard people talking about monitoring for for flu. Uh there there are efforts to
monitor for poliovirus. Uh there there's some work on MPB monitoring uh but
it would be technically possible to do it for flu. Uh The answer with, where does
flu go? It never really goes away. We see sporadic cases throughout the year. Uh
There's areas in the world closer you get to the hemisphere or I'm sorry, closer
you get to the equator, the less seasonal flu becomes. So, so if you're in an equatorial
country, they get sporadic flu all year round and they have no seasonal increase
and and that the more northerly or southerly, your latitude more seasonal fluids
uh and tends to cluster in outbreak period, but but it's always around smolder and
and influenza like all uh contagious diseases. It's kind of a chain reaction phenomenon
that when you have a susceptible population and it enters that population uh it uh
it grows exponentially because as it moves person to person and and as long as the
conditions are favorable for it to do that and with all our masking and distancing,
we made conditions unfavorable. Uh so we could, if we did that every year, we would
not have seasonal flu. Uh There's also a really interesting study that if we were
somehow able to vaccinate all school age Children for influenza, we also wouldn't
have seasonal flu. Uh it just wouldn't be able to take off and and spread to the
community. But but we're not there yet. And and our our flu vaccines unfortunately
are not nearly as effective as our Covid vaccines. But that may change. There's some
really promising flu vaccines in the pipeline, messenger RNA base and then what's
called an M protein vaccine which lasts multiple seasons. So you don't have to have
a booster every year. Uh those things I think are gonna become a reality in the not
too distant future. Thank you. And great to hear from Willie that we have a local
stockpile at least we've learned some of the lessons locally. So let's open up the
windows and keep the help of filters going this winter unless it's too cold.
Thanks you guys, I appreciate you being here today and as I mentioned earlier, this
is our last weekly updates for awhile. Um We're gonna go to a monthly update schedule
on the third Mondays of each month at 9 45. So same time same place, same place,
but just once a month um on K. P. T. Z. And thanks to our friends at K. P. T. Z.
For all of their service to the community over the last couple of years with these
weekly updates and changing their programming schedules around. We really appreciate
um rising to rising to the occasion with us, um super grateful for having a local
radio radio station. So um I think we're gonna sign you guys off and move on to a
discussion of our open public meetings, act guidelines for boards and committees.
Um so we'll bring Phil fun sucker over and I'm I think
just fill for this agenda item Caroline.
Okay, good morning Phillip. Good morning Heidi. How are you all this morning
all here and looking forward to this discussion on um the guidelines that
you guys have been working on for months now. You reminded me on friday Philip um
and also letting folks know that we are going to have a public comment period as
as a portion of this agenda item. So um, Philip, are you gonna tee this one up? I
sure can. Uh so uh as you said, we've been talking about this for several months.
I think this is our fourth workshop on this, maybe it's our third uh and
we've had some back and forth I think improved the proposed guidelines. And uh for
today, I also have put in the agenda a proposed resolution for adoption of the guidelines
that hoping that uh we were there today. Uh so it might make sense to
start with that, start talking about that and then uh talk about the guidelines a
little bit and then in terms of the changes since the last session and then have
some public comment, Does that make sense? Yeah, that makes sense. And I just remind
folks that this came up because of some new rules that came out as a result of some
legislation that passed in the last session. So um this isn't just something we decided
to do on our own. We wanted to make sure we were in compliance with the state law
around open public meetings. And um I also wanna thank Carolyn for all of her work
and putting this together. She did a ton of work on this set of guidelines.
Yeah, but you did some work too, my dear.
Uh that's really important how particularly the changes that came into effect uh
this year in july related to required public comments. Uh Those are probably the
trickiest and uh the ones likely to trip people up. So um uh
that is a one of the focuses of this. And then of course we've had uh issues related
to what you can do in emergencies. We've been relying on the Governor's uh declaration
of emergency for most of the pandemic for ROP M. A. Guidelines and have used that
and of course that's going away. But fortunately the Legislature pass some legislation
to deal with that. So I mean we were on the edge of our seats repeatedly during Covid
about about whether we could actually have remote meetings and the governor sometimes
issued something at the last second. So uh without further ado I'll go through the
uh resolution. Can everyone see it? Okay.
Uh So um I tried to make it pretty simple uh you know
the first. Whereas just clause saying that what what the legislature did uh and then
the significant changes in the second, whereas clause uh the direction to staff to
create a draft of guidelines uh and then what we did over the last few months. Uh
And then uh in terms of the actual uh resolution
uh paragraph one, you're just adopting the guidelines and paragraph two you're directed
staff to conduct training to implement the guidelines I highlighted paragraph three.
And that's just when the resolution becomes effective. It it could become effective
immediately or you could delay it until there's until there's some training put together
into. But given that we're uh and we have these uh public comment requirements
probably makes sense more sense for it to go into effect immediately. But that's
a point of discussion. So if you want to talk about that a little bit uh this might
be a good time. It seems like we would want to have the plan for trainings in place
before this became effective. No colleagues.
I'm trying to think what like what will that training look like? We haven't talked
about the um scope, who needs it, who's gonna provide it? Um
and I mean, I guess it partly depends on what direction we go with some of the decision
points in in the ordinance. Um, So my guess is that will not require major
training that it's largely the same staff. Those of us who are conducting open public
meetings will largely stay the same. I mean, I know like with the board of Health,
make sure the clerk interface a little bit with Caroline and and went through the
the updated updated draft. So yeah, I don't I don't know the answer to that either,
but I think it's, well we kind of needed, should know the answer to it before we
put something in place. Right? Yeah, yeah, I know, I know these things change all
the time, but I wonder if it would be worth recording video training that, you know,
new members of our boards, um, which OPM a applies watch, you know, some efficient
way to try to get these best practices across because there's OPM and then there's
also some best practices in the uh, I can't remember that and a list of which
boards those are. Yeah it's tricky though because then of course things change and
then isn't obsolete.
Uh Yeah I think it's just in terms of the training it's just you know, talking about
how we're gonna do it. Uh I was envisioning you know, a couple of sessions
uh and you definitely need some training for the folks who were running the meetings
sooner rather than later, I would think. But recording it's probably a really good
idea and making it available. Maybe we just do one training, we do it here where
we can record it on a v capture and memorialize it
resume. Yeah.
Okay. Well does it make sense to come back to this at the end? Okay. Alright.
So I'll re share.
Okay. Um so uh save this as a new document
so if we have other changes we can make them on the fly. But this was the document
that was sent out with the agenda request, even though it has a different date in
the bottom and it has a different name. Uh And um I suppose the biggest changes we're
trying to get clear on uh using the terminology testimony versus public
meetings, which was mr Kirsch is I'm sorry public comments. Thank you. Which was
Mr Kirsch's primary uh suggestion after the last session and I tried hard to go
through and catch every one of them. Also found some typos like this one here uh
and uh makes sense to just look at the changes as we go through.
Uh So this is the public comment versus testimony language.
Uh and I just put this here to make it clear that what we're talking about, right?
So because if you look in OPM a sometimes it says public comments, sometimes it says
testimony. Uh and this is just trying to make it clear what we're talking about.
Sometimes it's clear that, you know, we're talking about oral testimony. Sometimes
it's clear we're talking about written testimony. And I tried to get rid of any confusion
that could exist related to those things in this trap, uh questions about what what
what the uh the attempt was. So we have typically um accepted public
comments during public meetings and accepted testimony during hearings. Um
Is that distinction no longer valid? Should we be talking about testimony
regardless of the type of meeting
well? Uh so if you have a hearing, typically you set a written public comment period
and uh and there's some flexibility on uh on that in
terms of when you when you want to have received public testimony. Sometimes you
have said you wanted by the end of the friday before the hearing. Sometimes I say
more typically it's at the end of the hearing so people can submit things in writing.
Uh and uh up until the end of the hearing. Sometimes it's been extended uh if you're
not going to decide that day. I think it's just terminology. I mean, I don't think
there's a big difference between public comment and testimony. It's just a preference,
you know, for using the terminology. And sometimes it's clear when you're talking
about setting a public comment period, that's in a in a a notice of hearing that
gets published, that's what you're talking about written testimony. Uh oral testimony
is taken during the hearing. Uh so or oral public comments. Same thing to me. It's
the same, it's just how you want to refer to it here. And uh so you uh you know,
I think Mr Kirsch I'm expecting, he'll have some comments about this. Uh but uh trying
to use the same language testimony was an attempt to eliminate some confusion.
Maybe it didn't do that. So I can I can I dig a little deeper into my my confusion
here. Um is that I thought there was some anonymity protected in an open public meeting
whereby the public did not need to state who they were, whereas in testimony that
it was required for the record, hearing, record, to state your name and place of
residence. Um and that could just be purely cultural, that we that is how we have
functioned. And um so it's stuck in my mind, but it would it would be hard for me
to unlearn that it would be helpful for me to understand the framework the legal
framework for that. Um moving forward. So that's so that language is still maintained
in this strap. Uh that distinction is maintained. We're just we're just uh instead
of calling things public comment, we're calling them testimony. It it's no it doesn't
it doesn't matter what you call it. Uh you can call it testimony, you can call it
public comment. It's one and the same thing. So uh this is attempting to make it
be use a consistent term throughout these guidelines. Uh I don't know if that answers
your question but in in the in the hearing part of the of these guidelines that what
you're saying has been maintained. So it just would be that in a hearing you would
be required to provide name and place of residence. But testimony in a regular open
public meeting would not you would not need to state that. That's right. And that's
maintained in these guys. So is it just semantics? Because I've been corrected a
bazillion times for saying public comment and not testimony as in hearings. And so
I'm just trying to understand if it's um just semantics, in my opinion, it's
semantics. Okay. Uh and it's what people are used used to say there. Uh If you
look at OPM A it uses testimony sometimes and sometimes it uses Polo Comet
under what you have on the screen here under b it still says public comment required
under R. C. W. Yes. But there's another place where it says testimony. Yeah. Oh
uh and this is just an attempt to harmonize it harmonize the language that's all.
So but during the hearing we would still want to call it testimony and have the name
and um place of residence. Right? Well if you if you if you follow the change in
these guidelines you would call it testimony. But I will say to you that it is public
comment whether it's whether you want to call it testimony or not, it's still public
comment. I guess even if it was a term of art, the distinction between testimony
and public comment. Previously in our practices it was clearer than just they mean
the same thing. But this testimony is different in this testimony. You have to give
your name and your address or where you live and then this testimony you know whatever
you want. So it's uh now you know if you if you look at the part that talks about
what you have to do on hearings that has makes that distinction. The testimony you
give it a hearing you have your you can ask for the name and where they live. I
mean I I understand that that I I just I guess I agree with the point. I think Kate
is making that it it muddies the two terms for me when before I had a clearer idea
of the distinction between testimony and public comment as used by the county. The
other difference being that testimony in a hearing remains on the record verbatim,
whereas public comment does not correct.
Well, you're typically you're typically recording everything now. Uh,
and the only distinction would be for where there's a hearing. Uh, you're you're
preserving the the testimony that's being given orally as part of the hearing, part
of the record for that decision. But when you're, when you're uh, you know, even
if it wasn't in a hearing, if people are talking about it, we're preserving that.
Now. We're recording all these meetings that that all all public meetings will be
recorded. I wasn't, I wasn't sure where we landed on. You know, I was talking about,
I was talking about the boards, the boards meetings. So, but if the planning commission
has a hearing, they will record and keep all of the testimony. Right. Yes, correct.
Right. And there's a requirement for that uh or uh, you know, requirement that
about that coherence. But the Climate Action committee may not and our action only
minutes still unallowable form of of record. Yes. In which
case the public comment would not be preserved.
I mean, it's actually been a helpful distinction for us. Um, for some of us,
I can just imagine if not Nichols was still doing cartoons and the leader that
this would be great fodder for one. Mm. Um, so do we want to go through
this because we got high centered really quick, but that's what we're doing. I mean
we're trying to get to this level of detail today to finalize. Um So I mean in some
ways I would rather we stick with our previous practice but maybe I just need to
to recalibrate my brain to to use them interchangeably. Um But I do think
it it does trigger a different set of responses which is helpful for me in in sharing
meetings.
But we want to be consistent with the language and OPM a statute consistent with
the language and consistently inconsistent. It sounds like O. P. M. A. Is a little
inconsistent. Okay. Gotcha. Yeah. So um I think it's I think it's a matter of choice
for you. Um and uh I don't think it makes sense to go through all of
the changes one by one to see if you want to maintain, you know the test, the testimony
versus uh public comment language. Uh You know I could I mean if you if it's
your desire to go to you know make clear uh what we've been using the word testimony
for in the past. We can do that. So it's just it's just a choice for you to make
when you adopt this. But in terms of and a I do not believe there is a difference
between testimony and uh and public comment in terms of how it's used. I agree we
don't need to go through each instance of the change maybe after public comment we
can come back to. Well I wonder too if maybe in this section we call out that open
the public comment and testimony may be used interchangeably except in the case of
hearing testimony or something. Just a little under b these guidelines use the term
testimony throughout to refer to public comment, whether written or oral, where it
is necessary. A distinction is made between oral testimony and written testimony,
I guess. I don't know. Yeah, that that's fine. Just gonna take some time
to get used to.
And you know, I think, I think part of the way I'm thinking about this is that we
will probably be doing a lot of education to our two chairs of various boards and
commissions. And so um you know, the idea that understanding something is one thing
teaching it is another. So um but that's okay. They will not be as set on the difference
as we are. Great. That's possibly
true. Uh So those, you know, those are the bulk of the
changes uh really were testimony and public comments. And I just tried to use testimony
so that there I was hoping to create less confusion in the end. Um but I did recognize
that that might not be the outcome. So uh uh and there's
a uh uh some language here that I deleted because it seemed inconsistent with
uh with the rest of the sentence, right? If you're gonna receive it after the deadline,
it really can't qualify as public comment, but it can be distributed. Um and you
know, uh individual commissioners can decide whether to take it into account in making
decisions, but it wouldn't be part of a hearing record, for example. Uh and uh I
can think of a few times where, but we've had some public comment that was deliberate
plate that we thought, oh, that's a good idea and we've actually implemented it.
So uh anyway, that was just to try to get rid of an internal inconsistency uh in
the in the uh in the language. Can I just point a little bit Philip. Sure, sure.
I guess my befuddlement, you know, continues with this term to terms of art. So if
we had a hearing that was open until, you know, monday at noon and then as you say,
we received some uh constructive feedback at one o'clock. To me it's helpful
to know that the testimony period closed at the end of the hearing, but that this
public comment was still helpful and incorporated into the later draft or something.
And I just I guess I find the distinction as Kate said helpful more than,
well, it's it's a matter of whether you have to consider it or not. So having a dead,
having a deadline is important for that purpose. So it's so all it means is that
you don't you didn't have to consider it, but you could, but with this draft, it
both would be testimony. So testimony is completed for this hearing is closed, But
we're gonna consider this other testimony that we got late. It's just the semantics.
I don't know, I guess I'm I'm high centered on it too.
Well changes a high centering event. Um Yeah
I mean uh so you know if you tell me what you want me to do, I can make it happen.
Uh So up to you, I just try to be consistent in terms of the terminology throughout
the whole document. Well there's actually nothing that stops us from continuing to
use that distinction in this. Absolutely nothing correct. But we're training everyone
to use the same set of practices. So we train them to use our practices that don't
align with the document we just created. I mean that's it's not a huge thing, but
it does seem that we're providing them with the document is the rules of play. And
then we're teaching them different rules. Well it causes confusion.
I think it's pretty clear what what they're supposed to do uh the way it's written.
Uh It's just you're you're used to using Testimony one way
and which is which is fine. Uh but uh and we can change it to
continue to do that. You know maybe where Kate was suggesting you know that's where
you would do that, where you would make it clear. Uh But to me there's no
difference. It's it's all public comment. So uh to me uh
you know whether you call it testimony or public comment same thing and it won't
matter if you continue to call it public comment or testimony it'll all be the same
thing. Um So it's just up to you whether you want to be more specific in certain
contexts and that's just fine. But I think I think the way it's written is fine,
the way you have it written is fine. I think uh there's a value in using the same
terminology throughout so that uh so that we so that we're talking about the same
thing all the time and are not getting confused. To me. The big difference is whether
it's oral or written mm uh you know because we use that distinction less
this more consistent with OPM a using testimony as the default or defect. Oh I
think either can be can be consistent with O. P. M. A. It's just it is
uh I don't know semantics maybe too loaded a term but it's just it's a question of
choice. Well how do you what language do you want to use? Well maybe mr will shed
some light and when we take um testimony on this topic.
Okay. Uh yeah I have no idea whether what he's gonna say about this but I'm pretty
sure we're gonna find out um okay uh 72 hours there.
Oh thanks. I didn't mean to skip. Yeah so this is a question that we talked about
last week a little bit uh in terms of posting materials. Uh
and uh and I was thinking about, I came up with 72 hours because I was thinking Friday
and Monday, but but oftentimes you know, we'll post things that the end of the day
Friday not sure that 72 hours. So uh requirement
no should okay now if you're, if you're talking about a hearing,
uh you're talking about a hearing, then you need to have the uh the resolution or
ordinance posted somewhere when the hearing notices published. So that's already
a requirement. Right? This is just, you know, beating practice. So uh we
spent some time talking about this last week uh and uh you know what's feasible?
Should we require it? I put should in there for your consideration. But let's not
think about, let's just for grins and giggles. Let's think about another like the
housing fund board, which I'm not on so I'm not biased in any way um in the instance
of that meeting, which is another meeting that's shared by staff and I mean staff
anyway, how, how much in advance of those meetings are materials for the meeting
posted usually friday for Wednesday. So it's more than 72 hours.
Yeah, it's still helpful to add it. You don't want to keep it away from the public,
right? And I mean I think that the trickier part is the drafts that when edits are
made, which there's often very good work done, you know, like, so do we, do we have
to have final documents I think is the question um and it doesn't say final documents
here just as materials. Right? And so for regular meetings I think that's less of
an issue hearings I think are um a little trickier but you know I think sometimes
we have to provide that flexibility for staff to um the legal lot of record most
recently working on a very difficult time line us asking for a lot of changes right
up to the last minute. And so having that flexibility is important. But I still think
of the best practice is valuable I think should capture that. I'm comfortable with
this language.
I think that's the best way to say it. This is intended to be a best practice. Caroline
has a question. Question regarding package should be electronic and not
paper. Uh Sometimes there are documents within the packet that need to be signed
off and so like an agenda request has an original signature. So that's why we have
a paper packet and that's where the B. S. C. C. Anyways. I'm not sure about any of
the other um boards and committees. But as far as I can see we always have a paper
packet unless we could scan in a signed copy and then toss it. And as far as I know
we're not able to do that yet, that's true. So this doesn't prevent there being a
paper a paper paper packet uh it's just putting a best
practice and requiring that that it be available available online. So uh
removing the last three words sentence. Yeah just because. Yeah so it's not either
or but it should be electronic should be available to eliminate the word and not
paper. The package for the meeting. Should be made available at electronic The sentence
before. Yeah that one.
Okay.
Okay anymore on this item, how about should be made available electronically? Just
there are some folks that some older folks especially who sometimes prefer a paper
copy and we help them and make that available.
Yeah. Is that good?
Okay.
Okay. Uh More written testimony versus public
comment changes more of the same.
We're in hearings now
uh we are
let's call it public comment and hearings just to be confusing
testimony. Just being snarky. Well you know
I'll just tell you why I don't like the word testimony because it has a meeting where
you swear to tell the truth. We don't require that. But you know uh uh we
are talking about L. P. M. A. Which uses both words both terms. So
uh now that somebody found a typo I think that was monty who found that typo
missing the missing age. Ah
More public comment versus testimony. Language.
Wait so we're out of hearings. So what did we where did we land on the
it was still it was a question in the um agenda request about one of the three questions
we're trying to get to um how about um the materials being made
available for hearings.
So uh
this this and see here talks about posting the notice and the agenda. Um and
uh let's see uh sorry let's go back to
yeah, public hearings. Okay. Uh
First of all you always have to look at the particular ordinance or resolution to
figure out what's required that's really important. Um and uh
um and then uh
this is what we typically do Or were generally real card. Usually we're talking about
10 days notice uh and uh
that's different than the documents and and the notice, the way we typically do it
is be put in the notice where to bind the ordinance or resolution. So uh so maybe
we should say a resolution here.
Uh It's it's it's relatively rare that a hearing is required for a resolution. But
there are things where our county code requires uh notice and hearing on a
resolution. I'm thinking uh for example, the you know, the quarterly budget uh
resolutions, I think those are those have to be noticed for hearing. Uh So
uh uh but you know, you have to when you put the when you put the hearing notice
together and the hearing notice, we we always say uh where you can look at the materials
and so you have to give you have to give notice of what you're talking about, right?
So the ordinance of the resolution would have to be put in the hearing notice. Uh
so so let's see what it says here. Maybe you need to add some stuff. Uh Well, we
have a form hearing notice form and I that form definitely has uh you know, where
you would find the document online. Um
So do we need to get any more specific? Um because, you know, the the hearing notice
has gone out without the final document being available? Um So they so typically
we would send it for publication without oftentimes without the document available.
Uh but the document should be posted before it actually is published in the in the
paper. So uh so that people are actually getting noticed. So
this might be a place where you want to say that. Yeah. And I mean, could even Yeah,
you want to say like draft documents should be available at the time of publication,
proposed. Yeah. But knowing that they might they might undergo some edits.
Well, so when you when you're doing a public notice, you do it of the draft that's
available when you give public notice. But when you're doing deliberations, you can
you can change that. So that's just your starting point uh deliberating on a different
than they've seen. Well, in an ideal situation, you would want to avoid that, but
as you say, sometimes we don't have those ideal situations, always what, pardon me,
where you were up against some kind of deadline time, deadline, that's when that
happens. Yeah, we do have the final document for consideration. Uh
so uh I mean I think just getting clear on what you want to stay here.
Uh a wrap. No.
Mhm. Mhm mm.
You can I think you can go with a must here. Uh I thought we used
Yeah, you're right. Yes, much better. Thank you. Commissioner.
Uh
Instead
does that make sense? Looks good. Yeah, hopefully in an
obvious place posted online. In an obvious place at the link provided or? Mm hmm.
Yeah, I mean uh we could get that specific if you want. It's I think it's fine how
it is. Yeah, it could be on our homepage also. Okay,
this more comment testimony, consistency, confusion, lack of
confusion. Uh more of the same.
Ah Mhm. About a misspelled word here. I think that was a monte as
well. Uh Always good to have a fresh set of eyes. Uh
uh I just added this for clarity uh adding this language here for clarity.
Um
mm because at some point you start looking at this and your brain starts to not read
things anymore. I'm I'm pretty sure I'm at that place or close to it. Uh and then
uh in the appendices, more uh testimony
and comment changes. Um
and I know Heidi hates the scrap it but it's the only way I could get it on the page.
Um
and then the uh this is changes we talked about last week uh
to list
uh more, this is changes we talked about last week. So uh I'm not sure we talked
about this specific change but listing the members and other persons president, executive
session, this is for the minutes. So I think that's why why
okay, um this is particularly important if you have an exact executive session related
to potential or actual litigation, it's helpful to have listed that a lawyer was
present uh to protect the privilege involved.
I think that's about it.
Can we go back to um the executive session section above on page 18.
Okay.
I think it would uh wait here there.
Um number eight. No decision can be made. It would be helpful
to to and I know you're trying to be consistent with the language in statute, but
I think it might be good to call out including straw polls or you know, for for folks
who are using this who don't know the law as well, like it's very easy to think,
oh, you can't make a decision but why not say hey, how would you vote or um
mhm.
How does that look different than mine?
Mm Okay.
What's that looks good?
That's a good change.
Very practical.
Okay,
anything else we should talk about the roberts rules question? Did
we decide on that last time. Right. But we said no, don't mention it explicitly.
Mm. Yeah. The trouble is it's it's a useful framework for 95% of operations
but it's that it can be weaponized and really like if you get down in the weeds can
be not well understood or abused by those who do understand it. Well, um we talked
about looking into the light version,
I think just not speaking to it. It would be my preference probably. I mean allowing
it to be used by those groups that do use it. Is that the only reference to it that
this comment nine? Well, it's just whatever's in this procedure is was adapted from
that motion procedure.
But do we have to say that? Do we have to say the procedure was adopted from robert's
rules?
Mm
We can do wait the footnote. Ah I mean, I don't I don't mind the footnote, you know,
I mean it doesn't mandate that that you do. You use robert's rules. It's just it's
good to give the site so I'm fine with it. As as it is.
Sorry, I couldn't I couldn't hear that. Probably Caroline asked the bullet that says
all remarks must be addressed to the chair and commented that often remarks are addressed
to the board
or to the guest like in this conversation right now maybe you should. Or
I'm sorry. Which bullet is she talking about? The 5th 1 down. All remarks must be
addressed to the chair. Okay.
And you know, in practice we see a lot of other
I don't even know if I think they should be addressed to the chair. I if we I would
rather just get rid of that. Most of our boards are very conversational which is
valuable. Right?
That's a consensus. Take it out right? Or take it out or change it to the
board. Take it out. Yeah, I would too. Because sometimes there are guests or or public
that are very involved in the business of. Yeah, I would take it out. I mean if anything
we talk about the chair managing the meeting right? I think that's the critical thing
to to uh
Mhm. Is there's not a
um does this go on? I'm thinking that the chair should always remain impartial. Um
unless a tie breaking vote is needed or something. Right? I think this is a
demeanor meant to be a demeanor, comment or suggestion. It's not uh it's not
uh it's not meant to to deal with voting. So I mean we could maybe fiddle with it
to make that clearer, you know, in handling comments or I don't know but in managing
the meeting. I mean I agree because when you're taking a vote, you're not remaining
impartial. But the chair, you know usually has the the should be voting. Not
always. I mean some boards chair doesn't vote unless needed
and that's a version of robert's rules. That's eight I don't think any boards usually
the chair will refrain from making the motion or second thing but I don't think I
participate in any boards where the chair only votes if necessary, but that's still
not remaining impartial. You're only voting if there's not a consensus.
I think the proposed language uh captures the idea here. Well,
looks good.
Anything else we should talk about?
Not that I can no.
Ready for. So let's do we want to come back to the uh to the when it's
affected now, or do you want to take testimony and then come back to that? Let's
well, and they might want to comment on the conversation about So let's continue.
Chair. I agree.
Do you want to testify on that? You want to make a comment on that? Um So the
question was about, for me, was about training how training was part of the
statutory requirement, correct? Right. And uh so
this also would apply to the training. So getting the training started, so you might
have to break it up if you wanted to do that. Or you could or you could say um
you know, implementation of uh section one will be effective X
days and X days, but I think you're gonna want to, you know, get this going.
So, um
and the training of the schedules prepared by m and implemented by board staff. But
I mean, I also think that you want people following these immediately, whether they're
trained or not because of the public comment uh requirement. Right? I mean,
and the and the impact of that is really big. So I know that some boards are already
looking at this, uh, these guidelines and they're not final form, but, but I think
you could get something out there pretty quickly that says we just adopted these.
Start doing it. Training will follow. Um, so I guess my recommendation for you to
keep it as it is, I'm fine with that. But the but the this resolution shall be effective
includes the trainings. So, do we want to separate the effective effective date
from the training clause? I think we're technically still in compliance with the
state requirement for public meetings. Training like all of our members do have to
do that. So I think this is, and I don't think we're really at risk other than we
want to, you know, be consistent and also apply our the changes we've made here.
So I don't, I don't see a huge rush so long as we're we're still in compliance,
which I believe we are. Okay. Do we wanna, do we want to have any kind of statement
in here that people should be um, familiar with these guidelines? I don't
know. Yeah, something like that.
I like that Caroline just said the idea of of having people um, sign an affidavit
davit that they've read these guidelines,
um, an affidavit or just, or just a an acknowledgment acknowledgment.
So, will will our folks still be doing the state training video training and should
that be included here?
I mean, they're still required by the state. Right? Or is that our protection? Is
that our policy? So do we just need as this reads, we're just publishing a schedule.
Do we just need to publish a schedule of those state trainings? It's
not, yeah, it's just a video. It's it doesn't have to do it. Hmm. I bet they'll
update it. Yeah. But so, but my question is, is that, is the state one required regardless.
And if so, how do we want to nest our more localized training with that? And I don't
know if if the state training is required or if we do that for our own uh, risk management.
Okay. But what about volunteers who chairs boards? If they're in open public meetings,
they have to take the state training per language. Is that clear? All right. They
wouldn't Well, we do treat volunteers as employees that they are.
Mhm.
This is more like the, you know, I mean, that is covered by two as is drafted
currently. Right. Like do we really need to
add more? I mean, whether it's the state training plus, reading this book, reading
the policy.
Sorry.
See, I think we would still want to rely on the state training and then for OPM A
and maybe then have a supplemental for Jefferson County boards in the form of another
video? Like you've, you know, you've seen the state's training video on open public
meetings act here's how we implement that in jefferson County and drill down into
some of these more particulars. So that's what I was trying to get at here. This
language, the new language and three works for you. Is it supposed to save public
records? Oh sorry, my bad.
Open, yeah. Open public meetings Act. Thank you.
Although they have to do the Public Records 1 2. Mhm.
That was police.
It's still not clear to me how we're gonna um put this local training together and
want that included in here.
So this is a direction to do that or that was the intent just shall be prepared and
implemented. Mm hmm.
That's what I was wondering money just to ask. He didn't speak into the microphone,
Montes County Administrator, please speak into your microphone to me the just putting
these guidelines together and requiring that uh appropriate people read them is the
training. I mean like it's a step beyond just reading the law. Now, the county's
published guidelines that to me help, which is, it is training. I mean, you need
someone to read this to you to call it training right? Or can you just read it yourself?
I don't mean you, I mean, a person on board, you know, so, um, I mean, certainly
additional training is discretionary and could be helpful to highlight some of the
key points, but I don't know that it's necessary or required. Again, I mean, these
these guidelines are very helpful. We in public works have the solid waste advisory
committee and the parks and rec um, advisory board and um, Philip has been
working with us, you know, for the last six months to make sure we come up to speed
on on the new open public meetings Act. But what he's been telling us is what's now
published in these guidelines. And and we've been saying, hey, is there something
we can just turn to here? It is. So I think that to me, additional trainings is kind
of an extra, but not necessarily a mandatory thing on these particular guidelines
does to become review of these open public meeting Act guidelines.
I mean, does it is that's what I'm saying. Can we simplify make this more rubber
meets the road today than talking about something aspirational in terms of further
training? No, I mean, I agree with what just said, I I'm not supposed to have an
opinion on the chair. So one thing you could do is this gives you a lot of the way
it's written, gives you a lot of flexibility including doing what monty suggested.
So you could direct staff to do this and come back to you to talk about it and you
can talk about what the plan for training is. I think it could be a combination of
things, uh, you know, putting monty and Carolyn's idea together. Maybe you have an
acknowledgement that, you know that you keep a record of that. people actually read
this. Uh and then maybe you have a video for people that you know, as commissioner
said that people could look at and have that available. Ah but I think trying to
design the training in this form is pretty difficult.
Yeah, and I just think, you know, if if like this we are choosing to do more than
the state requires us to do and um if we keep in mind the intent of this, which is
to limit our liability. Um I think the reason the state went to video training also
is because it's more effective, it's stickier. It, you know, gets people understand
and retain many people understand and retain things better when it is, you know,
verbal or visual. Um and perhaps in addition to the written um So, you know, I think
there could be multilayered, but I do think that it's more, I think it would be more
effective if it had a video component to it. So any of those ideas, we could just
leave too as it is the right. Mhm. There's an extra and into after in the third line
after committees,
if you read a schedule of training on the open public meeting at guidelines for jefferson
county boards, commissions and committees for all members and employees whose staff
you see that. Okay,
that's one event. Right. Heidi
it's a good catch.
Okay, are we good with how this is reads? I mean we haven't exactly decided on our
semantic question, but I'd love to hear the public. Okay, are we ready for public
comment team, yep. Okay so I'm gonna open a public, I'm gonna open a
period of testimony on this um item um
regarding our open public meeting act guidelines for boards and committees. If you're
with us this morning on zoom and would like to make a comment on the discussion we're
having on open public meetings. Act um guidelines for boards and committees. Please
raise your hand using the raise hand button at the bottom of your zoom screen.
Good morning. Mr kirsch, You'll need to um mute and you'll have three minutes for
comments. Hi, can you hear me? Thank you. Thank you. Surprise. Yeah,
comments on the comments. Um Let's see what we can get in in three minutes. Let me
just state for the record. I did not recommend changing all occurrences of public
comment to testimony. In fact, if you look at my October 10 email that I sent directly
after the last workshop on this, I mean I thought I made it really really clear that
there were only two areas of of the uh policy where the word testimony should be
clarified and made clear because you know the point of testimony is yes, it's not
something that's made under oath, like in a trial or anything like that, but it is
a more formal kind of communication. It's something as as Commissioner Dean pointed
out, it goes into the hearing record and so forth. And so those are the two situations
where that I pointed out in my email where I think the word testimony is appropriate,
every place cells where public comment was used. I think it should remain public
comment. I'll point out that uh doing a quick search of the OPM a online the word
testimony appears seven times. The word public comment appears 16 times. So I think
there's a preference on the part of the legislature to consider comment to be, you
know, uh more casual commentary, almost conversational but not quite. Um So don't
blame me if if there's confusion, I didn't I didn't that was not my intent. Um One
thing about the section on the deadline for submission of public comments uh received
in writing. If they're received late after the deadline, I think it would be important
to note that the comments won't be discarded, but they'll just be included in the
next packet for that particular boarder Commissioner committee. However, if the submission
was testimony for a hearing, the testimony will not be included in the formal record
of the hearing but nonetheless will not be discarded. It's still commentary that
that should be should be a part of the of the public records. Um The training issue
is interesting, of course, as we know, it's already required by the OPM A but you
know, just training on this policy is not nearly enough because if you look at the
Attorney General's training uh that really should be used as the gold standard because
this policy, if you read through it, it doesn't cover everything that you are legally
required to know about the OPM a, you still have to take that Attorney general's
training. Uh this this policy should be in addition to and you know, I'm sorry, um
you know, Mr Rinder, uh, reading the policy is not enough. Now. It's the the OPM
A specifically requires training. It doesn't require reading, it requires training
and it's it's important that that people be, you know, presented with something point
by point by point and not just say, well, here's 30 pages, understand it. Um the
and that's about it. You know, I think I think what we've got here is a good policy.
I think it's gonna be very helpful and reduced risk for the county and I sincerely
appreciate all the time that's been spent by staff and the commissioners uh in working
on this thing. And of course Mr hunsecker, thank you very much for all your great
work on this. Thanks.
Um anyone else with us this morning? I see Bill Dean has his hand up. Anyone else
wishing to make public comment? You can indicate your interest by using the raise
hand button at the bottom of the zoom screen um on this item that we're talking about,
which is open public meetings, act guidelines for boards and commissions. Good morning
papa Dean.
Good morning. Mr Dean. Um You will need to and mute.
You're still muted, we can't hear you.
Good. How's that? You're muted now. You have three minutes for public comment. It's
bumper. Uh If we're gonna go there, I spent a couple of
years before any of you were commissioners coming to uh B. zero cc. Meetings and
was participating in the public comment period. And I just feel that the difference
that Mr Pierce just mentioned and that uh Commissioner Dean mentioned is
is very much there. I don't think you're gonna want to start off each B. zero cc.
Meeting with a testimony period, testimony is more formal than public comment and
you're gonna want to continue to have public comment at the beginning of every meeting.
And I just I just think we're making it you're combining two things together. That
in the public's mind is still somewhat somewhat different. I I understand I'm not
a lawyer and I'm not trying to pretend that I am more than I normally do. But I would
just suggest that you maintain the differential that you've had in the past where
testimony is something you give that's more formal in a hearing and public comment
is a comment that that the public is making. Uh that is not a legal element uh that
comment made uh Philip you had you made a comment that one of the major changes that
you were putting into this draft was the distinction between written and public
comment or testimony. And I wondered if you wanted to just say a little bit more
as to what that was. Kind of an offhanded comment you made. But I didn't hear it
followed up with what is the big difference between public and written And it's probably
in the document that I have not read the whole document. But since you made that
comment, I think would be helpful. Just if you would explain that a little bit as
to what what you were referring to. That's all.
Okay. And I'm sorry about the papa comment. I'm always just jealous of kate whenever
her dad shows up because I lost my dad 25 years ago and miss him horribly and wish
he'd show up for public comment. Greg to. Yeah. Yeah. I'm wondering if Commissioner
Dean appreciates it when her father shows up. We all do. We all do okay.
She's out voted if she does. Although I'm not allowed to vote right. That was a question
for you Philip. Sorry Heidi you had the distinction is between written and oral,
oral meaning speaking versus written.
That that distinction exists. If you want to call it testimony or public comment,
that's still a distinction in terms of uh whether it's whether it's speaking or whether
it's written.
I think the question is what is why is the distinction important between written
and oral? Well because if it's uh frequently you you're requiring written comments
by a deadline and the oral the oral comments from testimony is happening during the
presentation or hearing. That's the distinction. So you're not gonna have oral, you
know, just you're not gonna have oral comments or testimony before the proceeding
or african proceeding. That's really the difference. So I try to make it clear, you
know, uh in this policy or in this guide in these guidelines which was which and
whether it says public comments or testimony, that distinction is still there,
but I want to get clear on it that I don't completely understand is uh is the
use of the word testimony as as you understood it as board members for purposes of
or how it's used colloquially. Uh and so that we can make sure we get that right
throughout the, throughout the guidelines. So yeah, sorry to answer that. I I think
I agree with the public comment that we had today that, you know, keeping testimony
tied to hearings for me makes a lot of sense whether it's written testimony or oral
testimony, which is pretty much the way it was before. And and still the terms of
art that I naturally gravitate to. So I find it clarifying to keep that distinction
understood and I could see we might need to um mm I don't
know if we need to reference that that the terms are not strictly defined in OPM
a um because it sounds like they're not. Um Although the sounds of the
intention is that they are somewhat different. Less formal, more formal. Um So it
sounds like it's not there's not a bright line. Um And maybe we need to acknowledge
that but for our purposes that we keep the public comment to open public meetings
and and we use testimony for hearings which of course a type of and that that one
section you could spell that out in the specs in the section that talks about you
know that issue where we were looking at earlier spell that out. It's no problem
to go back and change it back and make it you know be consistent if that's what you
like. But I think having it clear is a really good idea. Um
I will say I do appreciate mr tears providing statistics that prove my point about
it being both terms being an OPM A that's the nature of legislation unfortunately.
You know sometimes you have these things and I think you know we're most since I've
been here at least the boards have been pretty good about getting confusion out of
legislation. Uh So I think having it clear this isn't well the resolution of legislation
of course but the guidelines aren't necessarily legislation in every aspect. So getting
that clear I think is a good thing and uh and I think having this discussion about
comment and testimony was good too to get help. Help get it clear. So if that's the
sense of the board, I'm happy to go back and revise that and Uh and let me know what
what your preferences. I can get that done today if you want to, if you're interested
in, you know, getting this off the table and getting it going today won't be too
hard. I could come back this afternoon. I'm here anyway at 1:30. So you'd like me
to do that. Happy to do it. That's that sounds great. I know that Caroline needs
a little time before 12 o'clock session to transform the room here. So um I think
as opposed to trying to finalize this now, it would be better to take it up this
afternoon. And you agree with that change. I'm fine with it. I've
been trained sufficiently I think in the hearing protocols. So yeah, as soon as we
change it, you'll start calling a testimony all the time as people make a couple
comments. Yeah, well it's I think it is important that you formalize it. So everybody
is using the term consistently that includes me.
Okay. So we will um finish this discussion in the afternoon um
after our discussion of the 13th temporary policy before our
discussion of the draft comments on the pacific Northwest Trail um draft plan,
um we're taking public comment on the Um 13th temporary policy. I'm not sure how
long that will go. So approximately start. Yeah. Okay. So I'm gonna
close public comment on this item for now. I feel like I didn't see any other hands
go up. And um, are we, are we good to recess now until 11
30? I know that we're gonna come back together from noon to one with our workshop
of quarterly elected officials and department directors here in this room and um,
And then we'll recess until 1:30 and start up at 1:30 with um Adopting the 13th temporary
county policy consideration of that. Then consideration of this OPM a guidelines
and then consideration of the draft comments on the Pacific Northwest Trail. Draft
Com Plan. Sound good, sounds good. Thanks Phillip. You're welcome,
yep. Recessed 1 30 talked about it three times.
Because here we have a new department director, uh, because you know, no more single
use plastic garbage. Right? Mm hmm. Yeah, I've cut down so much and I already was
pretty, but it's okay. Yeah. I can't. Like my recycle bin has like three little jugs
in the bottom and I'm so pleased. Yeah, it's been a good whole families had to adjust.
Do I call this meeting to order?
But I'm trying to read your review Stacy Stacy. Yeah, make sure.
Okay. So a number of us are in the room here together, but I will call this meeting
of the quarterly elected officials and department directors to order and reconvene
the board of county commissioners. Um, the agenda for this meeting. Um,
there's five items on the agenda, The first being an update on human capital management
and employee self service implementation, That must be you Sarah. Can you guys hear
me
okay? Can you hear me now, Jeff? Can you hear? Can you give us a thumbs up if you
can hear? Hi Jeff, can you hear me? I can hear you. Thank you. Hi
everyone. Happy Autumn. It's beautiful, blustery day. And before I get started with
the update on the human capital management, employee self service with munis. I wanted
to invite, sorry?
Okay. Um I wanted to invite Mr Rogers here with us. I don't know if you guys all
watched Mr Rogers neighborhood as a child, but he pops up every now and then and
so some of his quotes on the calendar, I thought were very pertinent to us and our
team and everybody working together. And so this uh train of thought started on
friday The 21st and he said it's very dramatic when two people come together to work
something out. What is really exciting to me is to see people with differing views
come together and respect each other. And I think that's a such a simple foundation
for us all to think about and and wonder and embrace here as we work together
and then after that, he said as different as we are from one another. As unique as
each one of us is. We are much more the same than we are different and so, you know,
even in those times where we don't agree with each other just imagining or wondering
about being curious about how we are and how perhaps we are similar to um despite
our differences in our different way of approaching uh issues, problems and challenges.
And then um he says, in all that you do in all of your life, I wish you the strength
and the grace to make those choices, which will allow you and your neighbor to become
the best of whoever you are. So I'm just here to say that I'm glad you're all my
neighbor,
won't you be my labor? Um So the update. So when we talk about human capital management
and employee self service implementation, we're referring to munis and the county
has already implemented the financial side of munis and now we are working on payroll
and the human resources side and the plan is to go live in
january and the HR group and the payroll group have been working
tirelessly on parallels and updating information and testing information and training.
And um so we are moving forward in um towards the end of november, they'll be training
for folks. Um Most of our departments will be entering time sheets uh into what's
called E. S. S. Or employee self service and they'll be training about that. Um as
we come closer to the end of the year, we're told by the munis folks to have that
training end of november, even to the middle of december because people can forget
um exactly what we're doing, so we'll be training people and working with people
who have questions.
Um the next item on the agenda, can I just move to that? Uh is perc perc stands for
public employees um relations committee. Thanks. And
um there's a group we have uh Perk is a Washington state committee, but here in jefferson
County we have an employee engagement group called the Perk and every month perk
gets together and um plans, events, lunches, um social engagements
so that employees can get together, learn about each other, support each other. Um
and you'll see that there's uh in most departments there's a person who is a perk
representative, so I'd like to bring it forward. And just to thank all of those uh
departments who have perk representatives and also to encourage those apartments
that may not have a perk representative, perhaps they could find a volunteer who
would be willing to meet the meeting. The time commitment can be about one hour a
month and we just get together and plan what events we can do to engage and support
each other and that's actually all I had today. If anyone has any questions or
like more info feel free to give me a call, isn't there a perk event coming up? There
is one, there's actually gonna be, well, first of all, Halloween is a huge perk event
so I can't divulge what the board office will be doing. But I invite you all to come
by on Halloween and really excited to see other departments as well. There's also
another event that's going to be a bingo and it's Caroline. Do you remember the date
on that november? Yeah november it's thursday.
Yeah and so we'll be getting together at the rec center and inviting
employees their families to come out and play some bingo. So should be fun. Yeah
thank you. Yeah I see that. Apple. Apple has her hand up Apple. Do you have a question
for sarah or no. Just just a comment about perk. I just wanted to say kudos to our
representatives. Um here some years ago we decided that we would have some parallel
perk um activities over here on Castle Hill. Just because it's hard for some of our
staff to to come over to the courthouse for some of the activities. So this last
one we had was last week I think we had seven soups. We all unanimously agreed on
a soup day. We raised some money and we had it between our and D. C. D. Which was
really nice. I actually got to meet some D. C. D. Staff who've been hired during
the pandemic that I've never seen in person. So we all got soup in our in our shared
kitchen for public health. But we had D. C. D. Folks come over and join us too. So
anyway great opportunities to just take a moment and see each other and and say hi
James I see your hand up
inquiry
um the next to trick or treat at the courthouse. No who's not a kid? Right
um Are you doing the update of the interim plan update on social media? Who's yup
between bites a bite of food in my mouth and Caroline feel free to jump in. Um So
in uh all of you know probably Jeannie McMackin left county employment last month.
Um and so we have not been using the facebook account and there have been some time
sensitive important um pieces of information that various departments have wanted
to push out and so um Caroline and I decided to manage that page um with some
training. So we've been doing a deep dive. We initially tried to turn off comments
on facebook and then found out we can no longer do that. It is expected to be a two
way communication with government. So um we will be managing that and if folks want
us to post anything on behalf of your department you need to send that information
to us. Sorry some of you have heard this already on friday. Um and we just ask that
you also provide um some information about where they can go for more information
so that we're trying to limit the number of comments we have to monitor um on facebook.
So if you could say for more information, call this person or check this website
or email here. Um because monitoring is, is kind of a, it's a really important job
that needs to be done well and like this weekend it was the first time I was like,
I can't rest, I have to make sure there's nothing awful in the comments, so, but
that can be emailed to either Carolyn or I I think that's all, there was an email
that was like social media or something, who does that go to? That will be going
to me in the interim, yep. And there's uh well we'll be hiring a public information
officer, but this is just the the stopgap, the bridge strategy to get us to that
person. Um So there's no other items on our agenda other than
a round table, open roundtable discussion and I know there's, oh, I see many has
her hand up, but let me just say that um I know there's been a lot of interest in
the past and just having most of this time being different departments reporting
out and checking in with each other. So that's mostly what we'll be doing today um
Mindy did you have a question or comment? Just a comment. It's really difficult to
hear the folks that aren't in front of a microphone, I couldn't hear any of the questions
that were being asked. So if there's a question to ask, maybe someone can just repeat
it so we can hear what the question is. Thank you so much. Or we
can, if you guys are speaking just slide that microphone.
Um
Any departments interested in doing a kick off of reporting for their departments,
Jeff, I see your hand up ready to go, certainly I'll kick this off and I'm sure that
most every department's experience this, but we had the perfect storm of retirements
occur in the last couple of years on top of the pandemic And from my office on top
of unprecedented valuation increases. Um and so you know, we're all doing the best
we can to get new employees and get new employees up to speed. But we did lose an
incredible amount of institutional knowledge that you know, I wasn't losing employees
who were only here for a year or two, I was losing employees who've been here for
10 years and 20 years. And so all that experience and knowledge goes away. I mean
I do have a very dedicated set of employees now, but like for evaluation that takes
six years for us
to really have people out in the entire county looking who have looked at every place
and for some of my employees, they've only been here one or two years. So it's gonna
take them a while to be able to accurately answer questions. I think every office
that I've seen is going through the same thing and and um and it's dealing with it
very well. Um We'd rather things had happened differently would rather there hadn't
been a pandemic. We'd rather than employees that turnover would have happened, you
know, a few every year or one a year or something where it doesn't all hit you at
once. But I will say that um I think everyone's doing the best they can and doing
a pretty decent job of it. Um we I just sent out 28,000 valuation notices to basically
every taxpayer who has property in the county. And valuations increase were significant
and you know, we're talking about 20-25 and in some places up to 100% depending upon
where you were and what it was and it's based on sales and you know, there's a lot
of fear out there that these big valuation increases are going to result in huge
tax increases. And for the most part that isn't the case, the the levy rates are
gonna also drop to dramatically low. So it's your assessed value, times the new levy
rate that will equal your taxes and the tax increases or or even decreases in some
cases probably are it's difficult to pin them down right now because that happens
in february. So you don't see your levy rate till the end of the year and your new
taxes in in february and we're still in the process of calculating all that and we
will be over the next few months, but it's hard to see these big value increases
without knowing exactly what its impact it's gonna have on your taxes. I get that
we have we have some great taxpayers. They they ask a lot of good questions and I'm
hoping that we can get out there in the next few months and meet with them after
the, you know, after we get past the election, which is taken. I know a lot of public
time and um and started addressing these issues. So anyway, I'm thankful for that.
I'm thankful to perk perks. Also, you know, we have our representative perk retired
and you know, it's really hard for perk to actually carry the mood of upbeat mood
for all the employees through these times and they're doing and the ones that remain
and and the new ones that are joining are doing a great job of doing that. So um
anyway, that's what I have to say. Thank you. Thanks Jeff. Anyone else have any
general department comments or want to talk joe I see your hand joe.
Um Yeah, just just a few things I wanted to say that I've recently had some meetings
with local school superintendents at least for the um and Brendan and we had some
good conversations, we're getting some deputies strolling through the campuses again.
Um And if you're looking for something to do on thursday from 6 30 I mean from 4
30 to 6 30 there's trunk or treat at school. If you want to bring any kids by there,
we're gonna be giving out candy and goodies out of the trunks of our cars, we'll
have the old 51 ford out there. Fire department will be there and some other people
too. Um drug take back for over the over the counter prescription medications is
going to be occurring this saturday from 10 to 2 at uh import ludlow at the beach
club and down in Wilson at the we'll see the fire station. And also just to say,
we also have that,
oh Joey, lost you. Mhm.
Let's do this. No, anybody else wanna take up the reporting
mantle, ruth and joe, we'll we'll finish up with joe when he comes back. So I've
just done disassembled your equipment and your welcome. Um The clerk's office is
uh has just brought on a new staff person for the first time in seven years. And
uh I want to say a lot of the hiring practices are different than they were seven
years ago and they're much improved, Much, much more professional, much better support.
More complete support. And I do think that the linkedin advertisements made a big
difference in and maybe facebook, I'm not sure. But uh as usual got no response from
my traditional methods, but more people to interview than ever. And good candidates
to which I am, you know, not necessarily used to finding that can just hire somebody
right away from the first batch. So, so kudos to HR and um and I was happy to see
that change also, uh we are working hard on trying to get our blake reimbursement
documentation in shape. I'm working with Michael Mark, who's fantastic. And that's
been going very well
awesome James.
All right. So, um I will be losing an employee soon and we'll be gaining a new clerk
and um dovetailing off what ruth said. I I recently hired a person to fill that spot.
I will be requesting a budget supplement to bring him on a little bit early so they
can cross train nudge nudge, wink, wink. But the previous um uh
openings that I've had, I've been, I've been fortunate and that I've always gotten
at least you know, one qualified person. And actually been really lucky because I've
been able to get usually very well qualified people, but it's usually been like one
or two um in the entire hiring process. And I've only gotten a handful of applicants
each time. This time was very different. This was the hardest hiring decision I had
to make because I got multiple qualified people and it was tough. And so um
but I am excited about the person I'm bringing on. Um and let's see what else.
Prosecutor's office has had like a number of victories lately,
um that we're very, very proud of, but um, involving uh,
a variety of issues, but the same personality who's been assailing the office for
a while now, but it's uh, feels pretty good to have those And other than that everything's
going pretty good.
Monty wants to know if any of your candidates have engineering backgrounds
monty. I'm kicking you off for your update. I need to go sure. We
can always use more people with commercial driver's licenses for our operations positions
which have been really a challenge to fill. Um and engineers like you say as well
for both our transportation and uh sewer wastewater project.
Um But anyway, from public works standpoint, uh, some of our projects are getting
close to being wrapped up the uh, thorndike road bridge, fish passage barrier should
be getting paid this week. The jump project is closing the jump playground at HJ
carroll is getting, getting there. I know they're putting down the turf and foam
under the play equipment and the fence should be going up hopefully this week around
that facility. So I can't give you a firm opening date, but it's the lights at the
end of the tunnel a few weeks away, we should be there.
Um are years. Uh, this year's work is wrapped up out on the whole river with federal
highways another 120 ft bridge, more bank armoring out there. We continue to design
a bunch of projects for next year and and beyond as well.
Um Including the Lord's Lake repair, the snow creek culvert repair and some others.
I think we'll get some more construction funding for some more fish barrier projects
that we've already got designed in the Silicon Valley.
Um As I mentioned, hiring is a challenge in public works. I'm glad some other departments
are having some success. Maybe we'll start to see more success. But um certainly
the difficulty finding housing is what's primarily driving that particularly for
positions that don't pay as much to start with. Um So solid waste, you know,
we talked to you a week ago about the changes we're making in our scheduling to help
with our staffing issues there as well. Um There's a lot been happening in in solid
waste. Of course the M. R. W. Facility closed at the end of september which was
imminent in a couple of years anyway because of the ports wanting that facility back.
But given the staffing resignation there, we we made the choice to just do that
now. And so we ran our first uh uh remote. If you want to call it remote. It wasn't,
it was incheon become. So what do you want off site, let's call it off site collection
event. We had 100 and 40 customers um filled the last container that the contractor
brought with the last customers items. So they were just enough capacity to handle
the customer base there. We plan on doing Uh four household hazardous waste events
every year and a small quantity generator event. So those events will move around
the county court Ludlow, South County to serve those folks. Um but we're in a
bit of a staffing crunch right now for sure. It's solid waste. We've had some people
go out and uh it takes a while to get new folks onboard and train them up and everything.
So it's a and we have a big scale replacement project happening in the pit out there
as well in the middle of all this. Um Parks of course is wrapping up the big season
campgrounds busy as ever. Um There's a big game at memorial field on friday look
great. I went by stands were packed. Lights look great. I know the field was a little
wet because it poured rain but we've done a lot to improve that field. Um Some new
employees and parks doing a great job since andre left us and molly is doing a great
job as well so um and there's, I could talk for hours about the wastewater project
but I won't really uh it's great to see the
P. U. D. Starting to really get involved there given that they're planning to operate
the system. So they're really getting involved in the design end of the project now
which is which is helpful. So we have a great team, they're still trying to add to
it, but I like where we're going with that project. We'll stop there. Heard some
great feedback from folks in the community about the household hazardous waste of
men and people really liked having that event close close to home. That's great to
hear. And I think we've gotten similar feedback from the South County as well that
they're looking forward to that event down there and uh I know our solid waste Manager
really believes in trying to make that service more available to everyone.
Uh Good afternoon. Um so treasurer's Office has had staffing issues for quite a while
and quite a bit of turnover after we had um some longtime retirees of, you know,
25 30 years. And so we went from, let's just say 100 and 40 years worth of experience
in the office to now. We have two of us have about 50 and the other three have maybe
10. So, you know, they're doing great. But you just, it takes longer to do things
when you're newer to it and you haven't been doing it for a long time um with the
munis implementation. Um I'm really excited to keep making progress for the financials
and be able to just expand the capability of what we're doing. Um and we'll keep
fighting things off as we can, but it is all, you know, a constraint for amount of
hours in the day. Um, so with staffing, I do have a position that I will be working
with Sarah on to finish the job description, but I've had it in the budget for a
while and I haven't moved forward on it because the priorities were to get the work
done and I didn't see the other comparable financial positions getting filled within
the county. So I'm heartened to hear that people are getting more applicants and
so I'm hopeful that I can get someone so stay tuned. It will be a good level financial
position in the county. So looking forward to that. Um, the other is
taxes are due on Halloween. Come by say hi, there's candy. Absolutely. If you
can pay online by phone or online or with the check, you could come in and
enjoy it rather than standing in line. I do anticipate the lines will be long and
we only have so many people to process everything. Hmm. Yes. Yes.
Yeah. And uh, it helps if you've got your statements and coupons, we will help you
if you do not, but it does take longer. So just know that. Um, and then I've got
a little quiz for the day because, well, I will also say, I feel like we've been
meeting as a group without all three commissioners more regularly. And so to me,
it feels like this meeting is not such a stressor to try to get so much information
out. I'm feeling like we're more in tune with what's going on and I really appreciate
having those and the opportunity to keep this so that we're with everyone and it's
open public meeting. Um, so we have a mind bender question of the day we do in my
office and it's out of Denver and the question today I thought was interesting for
especially our assessor. Um, but the question of the day is there are approximately
two million of these in the United States, Approximately two million homes in the
United States have this
And I would garner that more rural areas would be more likely to have these. And
so I also looked up, there's about 140 million homes in the United States. I don't
know if more popular septic systems, solar panels, elevators, elevators, that's a
good one. And there could be other answers that are this amount, but there is one
specific and I would say that Greg is closest good job,
that's just permitted ones. Right? Absolutely. Yeah,
I
did. I was just going to give a little update on District Court. I think since the
last time we met together we were able to hire a jury manager um, which handles juries,
not only for District Court, but also for Superior Court and having that person in
place. It's been really wonderful. She's really stepping up to the plate and doing
a great job, which means that potential jurors are having a specific person to interact
with because we we run jury numbers all the time even if there's not a trial happening.
And so it's a really important position for for my staff to have filled. The other
update that I give is that again this is kind of a joint venture with Superior Court
is that we've hired a therapeutic court coordinator and we're really really excited
to have her own on board. Um She's already jumping in with both feet and really um
getting some policies and procedures in place and we're very excited to have her
and her name is Rebecca and she's housed right now right by the security guys downstairs
so feel free to introduce yourself and say hello great thank you. I just had a quick
update and then I'll come to you Bridget but from central services are new Central
Services Director starts next Tuesday chris coy So we'll have a new um leader in
that department coming coming up and um thank you to those of you who have volunteered
to be on the Strategic planning committee. I know that we're meeting on that julie's
got a schedule for the 29th of november and we wanted to wait until chris got here
and situated before we met with um those consultants and chose one. So that's what
I know from Mark's world, marks other world half of Mark's world. So Bridget did
you want to give an update.
We can't hear you or see you yet. Oh, we see you now. Let me check my, we got you.
Thank you. Um yeah, I just wanted to after hearing other department heads, I feel
pretty fortunate were we are fully stacked right now at the extension? I know although
um, who is integral and making everything run there will be retiring at the end of
this year. So we are looking for applicants for her position. So we have some overlap.
But, but you know, all of our programming noxious. We stream stewards, all the classes
have been happening this past fall for h is um seeing a lot of interest in involvement.
So I'm getting reports from Sarah that new enrollment in clubs starting up again,
which is exciting for youth. Uh, and um, you know, master gardeners, we have some
new trainees to get out there and do some environmental education for the folks.
And uh, master gardener program is celebrating its 50th year next year. And so yeah,
we're really excited to start planning some outreach for the community and, and do
some events here out of extension and trying to fulfill their mission. So I think
that's my update. Any update on new director, even though we're thrilled to have
you in that role, Bridget, I appreciate that kate and I have not heard anything other
than what we've been hearing, which is, it's in progress. I wish I had a better answer
for you. I'm sorry And Mark, I know Mark was reaching out to Mike Gaffney right before
he left prodding prodding on that. So so but but we're marching on. Yeah. Thanks
Bridget. We're glad you're in your role there in both your roles. Yeah, Brent. Do
you want to give us an update on D. C. D. Yeah, Am I coming in clearly? Oh great.
So we are moving ahead at warp speed right now on two of the three grants
that were awarded by the Department of ecology, uh Those are the flood control assistance
account program Grant F Cap, that's enabling us to do a comprehensive flood hazard
management plan for for the first time ever encompassing both the
little and big quilting rivers. Um And we have a lot of support by our
environmental health partners and others in the community. We also have another grant
that is moving forward um with really uh quite quickly and and that is our
sea level rise grant. And that grant is really looking at what are the
areas within the county that are likely to see elevated C heights and for which we
really should have some um information available and maybe even additional regulations
to protect life and property. Um The third Grant, um the department of ecology is
now finally um uh I should say provided us uh shore line
uh shoreline management at the update but we don't have the capacity right now to
engage them. But that third Grant is related to that, that's the shore line users
guide. And so as soon as we have additional staff capacity we have sought to to have
these meetings with them before we started implementation of the new lot of record.
Um and but now that we're in the implementation phase we do not have capacity to
meet with the department of the college but we're hopeful that will change soon.
Um We also had amazingly productive retreat at the end of september and Heidi.
Uh Chair Eisenhower, thank you for your keynote address. It was really appreciated.
Uh we touched upon some things that are near and dear to our team.
Thank you. Um One of the things that came out of that um has been also something
that was recommended by uh Eisenhower that was reaching out to our partners for
implementation of lean six sigma and so we have every month um our continuous improvement
project, we're looking at what we can do to streamline permits and as part of our
retreat we had what we call the waist detective identifying areas that
are wasteful for and so we're moving ahead with that, that was quite helpful. Another
thing I should point out is that we are starting to see some changes in permitted
um and when I say changes. Um the interest rates are double um we're starting to
see a slowdown but we typically have a slowdown at this time of year but but
compared to the last year and the year before, um it looks as though we are starting
to see uh some impact on new permits. Um in light of that, our
department has been looking at grants, we've reached out to uh the Department of
ecology because some of the grants that focused on missing middle are not available
to counties. And so um commissioner being on your role on the legislative steering
committee, if some of those grants could also include counties, is is being considered,
especially counties that may have urban growth areas like our student to uh be
designated a headlock. It would really help us in planning and so um that those grant
funds are available and they are specifically designated to help um with legislation
and programs to identify how to get when I stay missing middle. I'm referring to
duplexes, triplex is and quads. And so that type of housing sorely needed, especially
in our in the county and in our only place that we can do that in the county outside
of the city limits will be our new urban growth area um in Port Hadlock. And then
um we are right now because of what I heard, uh assessor chapman used the term perfect
storm and I almost feel that we have that currently with regards to uh enter gov
the rollout to go um and the implementation of the lot of record and then we did
lose a staff member that's been critically important for us on these three grants
that I I mentioned earlier, so as a consequence of that, the level of service uh
that the customers that submit applications expect is declining. Apparently we're
trying to get a handle on that and uh but we do have right now. I think some of the
longest turnaround times during my tenure. So in closing uh
we're really hopeful that the crop of new applicants that we received an
alarming number of new candidates that will be interviewed tomorrow might help us
fill two of the positions that are empty and and help us really address that. That
level of service that has been up until recently. Um no greater than 10-12
weeks for uncomplicated permits. And now that's we feel is no longer likely to be
the case. When you say the alarming number of applicants. Are you also seeing a lot
of applicants for jobs? Yes. We have had our first large pool of applicants which
is a good sign of or potentially a bad sign depending upon. It's a sign of the economy
step going south. It's hard to say. We're hopeful that it's just a good sign. Yeah.
Anyone else? Apple? I see. Apple, your hand just went up and joe too. If joe wants
to finish. I know he got cut off. Go right ahead please. I'll wait. Okay. Thanks.
This will just take a second. Yeah. I don't know if any of you are having this but
my computer has been restarted all morning at the best times. Um, so one thing I
wanted to add, it was about hiring, um, we were we were allowed an over higher position
because we anticipate a possible departure at the sheriff's office, but we had to
experience kids have county deputies that want to come to Jefferson County. So, um,
and forgo their, their bonus over there. So we thought that was pretty good and they
were interviewed last week and we had 11 of our corrections officers to that applied
and they were all very good candidates. So I just wanted to say that, so I'm sorry,
I bumped off and thank you Apple for letting me go, No problem. That's good news
for you. Um, I'll just pull up the rear here and just give a few updates for public
health. I feel like I do this a lot, but this is a somewhat different audience I
suppose. Um, I wanted to make a shout out to the um, contracting service as it's
really been cleaned up and streamlined with risk and legal and then the approvals
through the board, we've had a ton of them come through as as many of, you know,
and um, I think it's working really well. So I just want to say thank you for that
process and we have a good person at the helm here who's helping us orchestrate that
Glenn Gilbert. So that's, that's nice when that flows well. Thanks everybody for
helping with that. Um as Brent shared legal, lot of record issue is at hand and they're
working on that and we're collaborating um our two departments around site development
review process which is ongoing. So that's been quite a bit of work. Um and I want
to mention also that as Brent said we we partner in many things in D and D. C. D.
And um the on boarding of inter go has been long lasting and the go live date has
been pushed several times. Um and as you all probably know we're losing um linda
atkins to retirement and yes, Jeff, it's uh I appreciate you saying that we're handling
these successions well despite the fact that all that institutional knowledge is
leaving the building and the county. Um so it's been a hardship. I have to say a
lot of grief here around losing really valued longstanding member of our staff who
have so much wisdom and experience being flexible and all the things that we get
thrown our way and new people are coming in. Um I'll talk about hiring in a minute,
but I do feel like, you know, we have to have some grace around folks that are newer
that are filling some really big shoes um and we want them to enjoy what they do
and have pride in what they're contributing to and um sometimes it can be a little
slower. Um as we heard someone else mentioned earlier, we need to give them some
space to to learn their jobs well. So we're just, we're doing the best we can. Um
So thanks for saying that. Let's see on the covid front. Um as you all know, the
decision of the statewide emergency declaration is happening at the end of this month
on the 31st and that has some impacts here. But suffice it to say. I think um something
I'm wanting to acknowledge and just give a hooray for is that we have wound down
and done our last mass vaccination clinics in the county. That was as of last saturday
at Blue Heron are communicable disease team, Our nurses and our vaccine managers
have been working for over a year doing these kinds of events with absolute dedication
on their weekends and all of the logistics and training that helps those um, events
happen very flawlessly. And I don't know if any of you have used those. I know some
of you have in the past. Um, we have just really tighten the ship and made those
um really um, you know, successful deployment in our county. We did see decreasing
numbers of folks registered to get the by violent um um, across specific booster
at this last mass vaccination clinics. So maybe that is an indication that we are,
we are in right timing in terms of winding down doing those events and having staff
attend those events. Um, along with the statewide um recision of the Declaration
of Emergency post. Now we will be um having what's called the care a van which is
State Department of Health mobile unit will come and do pop up vaccination clinics.
The next one is that the Quimper Unitarian church on the 30th the day before Halloween.
So we'll continue to have those through this season and we will no longer be doing
mass vax clinics with Department of Emergency Management as we have done in the past.
We have some jobs that have been filled. So thanks. I'm really glad to hear that
people are having success with recruitment and that you're having sort of the volume.
I'm I'm really impressed because I feel like the dial was way off for all these many
months to the pandemic and suddenly I'm hearing, hearing a different tune, which
is great. Not for everybody though. So we still got room for improvement. We have
a new code compliance person coming on board, the first week of november. We have
a communicable disease staff person moving internally to fill a position from a retirement
that's been left vacant since May. Um, and we are interviewing for the community
health improvement program position. We'll finish interviews this Wednesday and hopefully
select Canada. We've got some, some great contenders. So that's promising. Um I think
other than that it's important to say that our staff is about 15 staff who are engaged
in a three month training around diversity equity inclusion inclusion. It's a deep
dive immersion training. Um and we're nearly done. Um So it's been a an interesting
learning art for us in a way for us to talk about things that are really complicated
and also super necessary not only for um self reflection and and understanding our
complicity and also our desire to change systems as well as understanding how those
structures um have worked um within our programming and our service delivery in our
county to our residents. We want to make sure that we're being inclusive and having
diverse voices at the table. Um and including everyone who needs to be there. Um
So thanks. That's an update from public health. Thanks Apple.
Is there anyone else ruth ruth got your hand up? This isn't really my announcement
to make. But keeping with the theme of losing institutional memory. If you were to
look on governor inslee's website and drill down, you'd find that judge harper has
announced his retirement And his last day will be January 31 and we wish him
well. Yeah, we have given the order. Yeah, for good of the order, Right?
I don't know. I don't know if Brenda is there to give an update from the auditor's
office. I see you online Brenda, but I don't know if you're wanting to give an update
from the auditor's office. Yeah, well, we see you, let's do for good of the order
now. Is that any different than roundtable? Yeah, well, something other than department
reports for the good of the order, What do we all need to know? Just a few things
I wanted to add. Let's see one with the appointment that's gonna come from governor
inslee for Superior Court. Um I hope that we have someone by January 31 that takes
months even not during the holiday season, so we'll see how that goes. Um to
I should have said this during updates, I apologize. But um with the whole port Hadlock
sewer thing, we've had one person in the prosecuting attorney's office has been working
very hard in the background of this and that's Barbara Ehrlichman working on the
code and she's wrapping that up. So she's been doing an awesome job. Three. We have
one not to step on anyone's toes. We have a department who's gonna be leaving us
soon and that's Barbara car. And uh speaking of institutional knowledge, she has
been a great asset for this community and I'm going to miss her. Um I do know that
uh interviews have happened to uh select a successor and I don't know anything more
other than they have occurred. Um Yes, I I know because one of my employees was on
him, but nothing else was divulged to me, so I don't know. Um and then on that same
theme we have our clerk ruth this is you're gonna be your last uh meeting, I
believe, and I just want to say that, you know, having uh what one vacancy in seven
years? That's pretty impressive and speaks volumes to your leadership within the
office. That's amazing. And um this is a shout out for Apple. Uh so I was talking
to my friend the other day, he lives in Kirkland and he was telling me that his wife
is uh working on a college project and one of her projects is she has to do a report
on a public health agency in the state of Washington. And so she chose Jefferson
County because our public health apparently has this reputation for excellence and
outreach, so it goes beyond our county borders. So wonderful work you're doing there.
Okay, thanks for that James appreciate it. I'll do a few updates and what I've been
kind of focused on and I realize we do have a number of meetings that are coming
up against each other here with budget and covid coordination in this meeting. So
I try to decide how to divvy it up. Uh just shout out that as the
legislative session approaches. Always happy to hear from departments on important
issues and things that we can be helping to advance or obstruct in Olympia. So
please feel free to reach out. We will be reintroducing our point oh nine are piff
fund bill with Representative Fahringer monte and I've been working on that for a
number of years. Um and hoping that this year is the year but facing some headwinds
there. Um uh Association of counties took that on as a priority, which is helpful.
One of the other priorities is around jail funding and just want to be sure Sheriff
Noel that you're getting the, the emails and getting information to Association of
counties on the need for jail funding and so we should connect on that. Um juvenile
detention is always that that's been a big issue the last few years that will keep
working on. So just many things that I need to be working with those of you who are,
you know, much more informed on the specifics of these issues to be able to advocate
for effectively. Um let's see. Um I've still been trying to stay pretty up to speed
on all of the federal funding sources that are available. Um so congressional directed
spending earmarks which were effective in getting a couple this year, one for the
sewer and one for a new child care center in the county. Um but I guess I'll just
say if folks are are thinking about going after specific funding, obviously this
applies to some departments more than others. Um but just you know, might be good
to touch base and you know, be kind of strategic both with our our new grants manager
at the county and I'm happy to to try to advance things politically too because many
of them do have a political component um or it's helpful to get our delegation on
board for seeking funding. Um, and then just to say there are a few capital projects
that are happening in the community that we are, the county is touching on. Um, like
I mentioned, the child care facility that is at this point being, there's a will
be a public notice going out um, to consider citing that at the high school in Port
Townsend School board just approved that last week. Um, we are providing a lot of
the funding for that through that earmark. And then also with some our pay phones,
we see that as an enormous need for our workforce as well as for our residents. So,
uh, that's when you'll, you might hear about and say, what, why is the county giving
a lot of money to that? But it's, it's largely, you know, pass through money. Um,
but we are in a better position than some of the community partners to be advancing
that. So the partnership school district Y. M. C. A. Um, city, who am I forgetting?
Yeah, Healthcare has been driving that for the last couple of years. So good partnership
couldn't do it alone. Um, uh, talk about uh, start hearing about a new pump track
at the fairgrounds. Again, kind of a collaborative number of folks involved in that.
And since we are the owners of the fairgrounds, we might play a role in that to some
degree. And what's the 3rd 1 had three capital projects I want to touch on now.
Oh the aquatic center community wellness facility that the city is re initiating
that conversation and so we will be involved in that probably on a number of fronts.
So just want you all to be informed that as you start hearing about projects that
the county is associated with. Um we always try to stay in touch with relevant the
relevant departments as we advance those projects but feel free to to say, hey what's
going on? Why haven't we heard about that? So I think those are my my main three
I guess I would just a couple of things. Um I chair both tech and behavioral health
advisory committee and both of those grant rounds are imminent. Um for the lodging
tax funds were doing the grant proposal considerations on friday and we're meeting
next week to start talking about the RFP review process for the behavioral health
funds. So I'll be if I'm seen buried for the next couple of weeks that's why could
you give a quick thumbnail on the D. N. R. State trust lands for folks just they're
probably getting postcards in the mail. Also people getting postcards because I haven't.
Yeah. Okay. Um as part of our questions are list of
questions about forestry issues and where we intersect with the Department of natural
resources. One of the things that we asked about was the carbon project that they
rolled out um early this year and they are embarking on outreach around phase two
of the carbon project and we've asked them to come and talk with us so they'll be
here november 7th at three p.m. For to meet with an open public session with the
board of County Commissioners to talk about the carbon project um concurrent to that
or even a longer longer term project than that, is that we're working with Mallory
Wisenheimer a chickadee forestry to do an assessment of um county forest
lands and stay in our state forest lands in Jefferson County mostly. I mean completely
east Jefferson County and looking at potential areas where we might want to consider
um multiple uses for attractive forest land like recreation or conservation along
with forestry activities. So um Mallory is doing a cursory uh kind of
survey of all of those lands and coming back to the commissioners at the end of january
with a report. So we're kind of in a study phase and I think most of what I sense
is people are frustrated because we're slowing everything down but I'm not frustrated
with slowing things down because we've got to take a look, you know we've got to
understand what we're talking about and already in one case of one of the timber
sales that we brought up last uh the beaver valley swords timber sale, there was
a unit that timber sale that was pulled from the timber sale because it was of equality
that D. N. R. Would not have cut it anyway. And so slowing down isn't a bad thing
and it's a people are feeling really threatened by it but um yeah trees grow slow
and they get bigger as they grow. And um so we're not asking D. N. R. To stop timber
harvest in Jefferson County. We're actually looking at ways we can actively manage
our timber are county owned Timberlands better in some ways and um trying to understand
where we can collaborate with D. N. R. For multiple benefits. So if
no that's it on the topic of forests and for the good of the order. I spent a lot
of time in the car yesterday and had a really cool story on NPR about re wilding
wild horses as a forest fire, forest fire mitigation strategy. It's being done by
a county in California really successfully. So f Y. I. You could get some wild horses
from the Bureau of Land Management where they just you know stockpile horses and
deer. Can we take the port Townsend deer out into the hinterlands? Well that's also
an idea
who's gonna manage all the gardens. Right. That's I planned my garden for Well we're
at 1:00 any last last updates or questions for for the good of the order.
It's good to see everyone, yep, nice to see you all. Half of our meeting is in this
room right now half of the attendees. We'll see you in a little bit.
We'll all be together again. I hope. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thanks Jeff,
nice to see you, joe. I hope you got your apple cider. Did you get your apple cider?
It was gone. Oh my God, that was the whole purpose of me bringing that jar down there.
Yeah, it was good. I didn't get we didn't have as many apples this year, so I didn't
get as much and it's gone in my house too. So Thank you. Have a good day everyone.
Bye. We're gonna recess until 1:30.
Recording stopped
recording in progress.
Okay.
Okay. It looks like a v capture is running and I will call us back to order. Welcome
back everyone. I hope everyone had a relaxing lunch few minutes. Um And we're gonna
start this afternoon, call us back to order. I'm gonna start this afternoon off with
continued discussion and potential action regarding a resolution in the matter of
adopting a 13th temporary county policy based on emergency response to the COVID-19
pandemic. And we will be taking public comment on this item. Um So who wants to tee
up where we're gonna bring us back to the conversation from the county coordination
meeting. Sure. And maybe Caroline bring an apple over. Thank you. Um yeah, so I
could introduce the topic, which is not new. Obviously we've been talking about this
for a few weeks. Um but we took the draft that we had worked pretty carefully on
last week to the covid coordination meeting on friday, which was happening at that
time when um, our network was like shutting down and we had people that did reconnect
that meeting many, many times. It was frustrating and I, I think we got through everybody's
um concerns, but did did give folks an opportunity to also um send us additional
at its comments, questions concerns. And I did not receive any, I don't know if Phil
or Apple did, but thank you Phil for incorporating. They were as usual. Like many
things that we had, none of us had caught that are wise colleagues said, hey, is
that still current? And so it's really helpful. So maybe I'll let um Philip, Philip
or Apple, um, anything I missed before we dive right in. No,
I think the changes are evident in the strike throughs and changes we made in person
with the folks who were making the suggestions. Just a little bit of a shout out
to matt Tyler who had, who had read it very carefully and he caught a bunch of things.
So sure, sorry, my mistake.
Um so does it make sense to kind of go through this? Okay. Um,
so I don't think we did any uh, any changes were proposed to the whereas clauses.
Um, so uh, and if you, there were three versions that were posted with the agenda
request. The first version was as we left it last week, the second version where
the additional changes proposed by uh during the county coordination meeting and
then the combo, which is what I have up now, which is everything all together. Does
that make sense? Was that I'm just curious, was it easy to follow with the three
versions up there? Yes. Okay. Okay. Good. I was just hoping
um we did have a bit of a curved bubble that was caused by me trying to save the
the uh word document to a pdf and it didn't save the the red lining. So fortunately
we caught and fixed that at the last minute friday afternoon. Um But um anyway so
here's um here we're on appendix I which are the temporary policies and um I guess
I should say we didn't have any proposed changes to uh any of the paragraphs in
uh in the resolution itself except I did catch some missing commas uh in a missing
and comma. Um but uh here's the
appendix. I and I'll just try to scroll down until we get to the first one. Um
and where I have all of you, I can't see the whole thing. So I'm moving you out of
the way to the other part of my screen. Um So um we did have a have a discussion
in uh subsection B that uh dealing with the sick or
family members a portion. And um
and there was a question about whether we're still doing the
uh developing a plan uh for each each department.
And so we had that comment and a question for Sarah, I don't know if she's on and
or anyone
we're gonna bring you over hope that's okay
here she I think yeah, here she comes.
Um Sarah, were you following that section that Phil was just reviewing?
Yes. Can you hear me? I was following that comment and
it's my understanding the departments have been working on their own and this uh
for this section and I haven't finalized a plan with the Department of Public
Health um for the county in total.
Does it seem like it would be useful or necessary at this point? Or is this the kind
of thing where we can take the foot off the gas and you know know that our departments
are just kind of you know, doing a good job of managing um close contacts. And I
guess it's a question for Apple or Sarah. Well I feel my perspective is the department's
do a good job of developing the plans that work for them and responding to the needs
of their department. I would agree. Um I can speak internally for our own department
of public health and how we handle that, but also that we have not since we've instituted
this policy where departments would come up with a plan management of of
said, you know, um contagiousness or what have you um folks who are turning up positive
at work or needing to take time off and then doing contact tracing. We have not actually
been called upon to help in those situations like we would have formerly. So I think
the evidence is that departments are handling it very well and we're just doing less
contact tracing all together, not only as employers, but also in in the in the public's
case as well. I think it's probably time to to take this part out of the policy and
know that department heads. Obviously they need to let their staff know if someone
has been at work and has been positive, they need to encourage staff to test. Um
And they also need to encourage staff to not come in if they have symptoms and then
leave or if they have symptoms at work to be permitted to leave without consequence.
And if this person is um you know, not is not symptomatic, but tests positive that
we have this opportunity for folks to also work from home, which is identified and
impulsive. So take it out, yep. Okay.
Um
So uh this was the change we made last week, we didn't do any changes to that.
Uh That's right. Can we go back to three for a moment, just as long as we're reading
it closer and closer, the first sentence says when a supervisor, department directors
notified, employee was sick, they must and then all of these letters below it. But
even like f is departments may request the facility sanitize the workplace. Should
that be under 3?
Because it's a it's a subset set of an employee who is sick. But this is about a
facility
and it's a must under a that's just something we talked about and thank you for
uh raising that commissioner. This is something we talked about in the um in the
county coordination meeting and we had originally proposed to take this out, but
at the request of one of the departments, they wanted to make it um, Uh, secretary
request. So it doesn't follow the must. You're right about that. Um, you know, we
could make it a four if you want, if there's a request to retain it. Yeah, I would
say making it afford more appropriate.
Mm hmm.
So can I ask an overarching question? Um
I have wondered and I started wondering this in our meeting last week, how much of
this is um stuff that we really should have in our employment policies, our
employee policies versus um
something that we need in this, you know, emergency order. And I understood
we talked about a little bit last week that that would be another process and it
would and that Sarah's working on updating those. But I just wonder where our timelines
are lining up and um are we just doing this as a stopgap measure for to give Sarah
time to update those policies. Um Sarah, are you equipped to answer that
question
because it's important to have these um precautions in place and these tools in place
for department heads and and employees, but you know, it seems like they fit better
in an employee manual, like we're always gonna want to have the ability to do this,
not just during the pandemic. Right? Um Yeah, I wasn't in the
conversation last friday, so I don't know if I missed any part of of what has evolved
however, um in the meeting I attended last week, early last week there was discussion
about adding um some of these policies into the personnel manual and we haven't yet
decided whether that was something we would do and I'm also waiting on no guidance
from the commissioners on on that as well, but I think the intent of continuing this
was to keep tools in the toolbox for reading for temporary hiring for the um
um temporary paid leave which are would not be part of the
um likely not part of the personnel employee manual. Um So I would say in response
to your question, commissioner, we were trying to do three things. One, we were trying
to um keep the policies that are still helpful specifically directed at covid. And
um and then um and and take out the ones that we didn't think applied anymore. Um
And then secondly with the understanding that the the manual was being revised to
uh and that this would be these some of these things were just good period whether
it's for covid or not that that those things would be considered for inclusion into
the revision to the manual And and that and then I guess the third thing is it is
sort of a stopgap uh to give us time to do that in an organized way. And I thought
that was sort of the pitch last week or at least you know what I was suggesting last
week. So was that how does that answer your question That answers it well and I just
wanted to re ground myself in that place because I feel like I've had a lot of conversations
and questions over the last few days. So um just wanting to talk about the purpose
of this activity. Right okay. Um And then
uh four Uh we we did the changes to four and 5 last week I
believe. Um And then this is another question for Sarah about the
log that we were at one point. I don't know if we still are required to keep by L.
And I and and uh this is the question. Uh Well so
there's a question of what is fully vaccinated mean? Um And then are we still doing
that? Uh keeping the log? I looked I researched this last week after a conversation
and the log is only required for those agencies where the uh there's a vaccine mandate.
So I have a log that from previously when it was required by state L. And I I have
not been keeping a log um for newly vaccinated employees as
it's not a requirement of L. And I anymore. Okay so that's that tracks with the language
here right for for work places where vaccination is required. So one point we were
required to do that and we're not now so we've stopped.
So do we want this item D to stay in this or do we take it out for now?
Well I would say that because it's still required in health department or in a correction
setting that um they would they would have that log you know and I they still send
me vaccination information when that comes. Are we somewhat waiting to see to what
direction the state goes with this would we say when required keep a log. I mean
it's it seems like it's if required or if required. Not where
vaccination is required if required. Got it. Okay. Got it. Um And then the
question that Stacy had was what does fully vaccinated employees mean? And I put
up here what Apple said at the count at the county and coordination meeting I think.
Okay. Mhm. Yeah fully vaccinated fully and up to date are slightly different. It's
hard to hard to track sometimes fully vaccinated as your primary series that you've
completed that two dose series if it's Pfizer or Moderna and that one dose series
if it's no effects or um you won't see anyone.
No no sorry about that. So the question is you're up to date if you had your boosters
subsequent to the primary series. And we have not been tracking boosters among staff
even though we do track whether people are vaccinated or not and I think we'll remain
doing that until the state says otherwise. Which is what kate was just saying.
Okay. Uh
So I mean I guess the question is do we stasis question is do we need to define this
fully vaccinated employees here
or do we have a definitions? Well we have apples means completion of the primary
series.
I mean I think referencing the state as much as possible. I don't think we're gonna
deviate from the state's requirements. So um just a footnote.
Yeah. Or even just you know I guess I say take out fully and then you talk about
L. And I requirements after that. So that would I would assume go to the standard
that L. And I requires
with that answer Stacy's question.
I think that works. How's everybody else feel about it?
Yeah that way if that definition changes we don't have to change this. It's just
referencing the state. I'm all in favor of that. We don't plan to do anything more
than the state. Okay. Um So we did
add that definition the last time we were meeting. Um And then uh this was a
change proposed during the meeting
on friday,
it's the passive voice, but whatever it's fine. I think the intent was to make it
less mandatory sounding even though the word should was there and it's more accurate.
It is a recommendation.
Okay, everybody's good with that.
Alrighty. Uh these changes we made last week
uh, yep. Um and then uh these were changes we discussed on
friday.
So the intent uh of the of the proposed changes was to incorporate the learning that
we've now had regarding Covid where uh it's now become more clear that passing
covid through touching surfaces is very less likely than originally the
concern was. So is this the sanitation recommendation or I mean or do do we need
this in there? Well, I think the the idea was that this uh, this is always a good
idea has changed but the covid policy well,
um it's currently part of the, of the manual because this is a an appendix to the
manual. So the, so the, you know, the question would be, does this get moved over
into the next iteration of the manual? Because it's impossible. It would be impossible
now as a, as a, you know, a covid policy, but it's probably has more broad effect
than that in terms of promoting this feels broader and unrelated to
less related to covid to me. And I mean I made the comment last week that I remember
the signs of the Maritime Center when COVID first hit our shores and the the song
lyrics that took 20 minutes to sing. But I feel like it's I mean frequent handwashing
is like brushing your teeth. You know, it's it's not a covid policy. It's a, I don't
know, maybe I'm being mean. I think we're going to update the kind of the the employee
policy ultimately, but is it something that you should take out? Like we don't want
to mention it? I don't feel like we need it because I don't feel like it's covid
related really any more public health. It's, you know,
disease mitigation strategy in general. Um and and maybe it's not in this regard
specific uh, you know, instruction to wash more frequently. I think we did that early
on in the pandemic and that was really helpful and people are doing it less now.
Um but I would suppose that having it in here isn't isn't a detriment. It's a good
reminder for covid and all and all spread of diseases. So it's a mitigating factor
that can be reiterated. I do think that it needs to have highlighted the personnel
manual broadly if it isn't already because it is something that people here a lot
that they don't heed and I know in healthcare we certainly have to heat it a lot
as we enter different rooms and come in and out of an engagement with a client. But
it's an appropriate thing to encourage people to do in their workplace even if they're
not working with patients since now we know how contagious things can be among staff,
not just between customers and staff.
I just think it's silly and I think it's overboard but it's fine, I'm fine. Yeah,
we we talked on friday about the like you know, do you put in here and use common
sense be a good human? Right? I know I mean it just it feels a little overboard to
me but
Mhm.
Okay. We're gonna keep it for now.
Alright. Uh this change we made last week.
Uh same with this one. I mean in my mind that's why we have this, we're doing this.
Is that item three.
Yeah. And that's all the way through it. Can I ask a little bit about the county
coordination I guess the consensus was it was it a consensus among the directors
and elected that we continue this policy and have a 13th policy? Yeah, there was
there was definitely support for it. Um and I'd say the you know, there was one one
step person with just who was kind of saying is all of this still necessary and helped
us identify where we could update it, make it more current and applicable. Um But
there was no other um there was no kind of descent to the idea of continuing it.
Yeah. Yeah and I could add just on the language changes. That was all consensus because
I asked every time is this the consensus of the group and God has sent,
you know, I think that the just to reiterate that we're not mandating anything
here. Actually, it's, you know, any mandate that still exists is from federal or
state government regarding masking requirements or vaccination logs. But um,
there's there's nothing new in here that is a mandate or a shutting down of anything.
I know I've seen the words lockdown a lot and like, um anyway, so, so
we're good with this as it is now.
I I have one question um, in that that item three, the last one, which is the maintaining
the administrative leave. Um, that was number three, I think in the
last Yeah. Um, that was seen as a one time leave opportunity
for up to 40 hours for folks and then up to eight hours for a vaccination or or a
booster and I'm not sure that that is clear there. Um, maybe it
is and I missed it. Uh, using the form
total per employment. Oh yeah. So that was in total per employment. So that does
that is what that language means? Okay, thank you. Have we had anyone, I mean, I
know there are people at this diocese who have gotten covid twice. Are there people
who have had we've had to make exceptions to that for or we haven't made any exceptions.
Okay. So are there any other points of discussion before we have public comment on
this item. Okay, so I would invite members of the
public who are interested in commenting on this. Um 13th
temporary county policy based on emergency response to the covid 19 pandemic. If
you are online and you would like to make a comment, please raise your hand using
the raise hand button on the bottom of your zoom screen. And if you are in the room
with us you can simply raise your hand, yep Stephen and you'll need to pull
that microphone over
and if you don't mind bringing the microphone right up to your mouth steven, it's
and then if there's anyone else who wants to get in line to make a comment after
steven, you can raise your hand and we'll bring you over after Stephen's done with
his comments. So we'll start the ticker and you'll have three minutes. Okay look,
I just wanted to tie a bow on the mass thing again. Sorry, you're right that surgical
masks protect surgeons from blowing bacteria directly into an open wound. You're
right and you're right, that mass restrict airflow so you can't blow out a candle.
But viruses are more than an order of magnitude smaller than bacteria so they can
pass through surgical masks and they do easily pass around the sides and top of all
kinds of masks and breathing out following paths of least resistance after which
they enter into the persistent viral soup of the indoor atmosphere. So I agree ventilation
is important. That's why masks have never shown any significant viral protection
for others in randomized controlled studies. Okay, so getting onto the point at hand
shucks I you know, I heard tell about you know costs and benefits and so cost wise,
I just want to say on the one hand, I got into this this mask cul de sac because
of of of this employee situation that I was that I was involved in. And um I
get it that by having these emergency orders it does make things more flexible from
a public health point of view to be able to you know, react to new things that are
happening, make changes and all this kind of stuff. But look at from the other side
of the coin, I mean from the point of view of businesses and individuals, you know
trying to live their lives. This flexibility make also creates unpredictability because
you don't have you know, understood pre existing rules of law that are that they
are following. And that is why I was surprised to learn how difficult it is for managers
trying to figure out, you know how to mediate their policies because they've got
these layers of different different authorities that they're jumping with hoops of
all of them. And then I was also surprised that these employees, once they didn't
have to wear a mask anymore, they weren't even super happy about it because they
just sort of felt like that could change tomorrow. And just because of these ideas
that anyway enough said about that, but I just sort of do feel like there are costs
from that point of view, from another point of view in general, the real cost is
integrity. I mean really, I really have not heard anybody actually say right now
that we're in an emergency. I've heard people say talk about crying wolf and about
it being disingenuous and all that kind of things and I understand that it may be
practical and more helpful, easier to keep the current emergency. But the real actual
reality is is that emergencies ought to be as far as I'm concerned for short term
things like earthquakes and not for long term persistent conditions and to have it
be a situation in which it's going on for months, even past the point in which pretty
much everybody in the room agrees that we're not in an emergency now, but like maybe
we will be in an emergency later. It just does feel like it it reduces public trust
and if anything, I also just actually feel it's kind of almost illegal and wrong
to be able to just basically say it's an emergency when it's not an emergency. So
anyway, thank you very much. I do appreciate all the wordsmithing and I you know,
I appreciate the diligence and I can just totally see the care you guys are taking
to try to figure out this policy, so thank you very much for hearing these comments.
Thank you. Stephen. I see that Tom has his hand raised. If there's anyone else who
has joined us on zoom this afternoon, there's no one else in the room with us. So
if you are on zoom and would like to make a comment on this um 13th temporary counties
county policy based on emergency response to the covid 19 pandemic, please raise
your hand using the raise hand button at the bottom of the zoom screen and tom you
will have three minutes. Good afternoon again. Um, yeah, I
am strongly in favor of the commissioners retaining the emergency declaration situation.
We heard just this morning that we're looking at a double or triple whammy coming
up this winter. The county public health need to have the ability to react very quickly.
Two outbreaks of, you know, the known covid variants and new ones
that could pop up anytime. Uh, and we don't have the time to spend on, you know,
10 day notice of a hearing and and all that kind of stuff that takes forever before
the county would be able to react if the emergency declaration were lifted. So yeah,
jefferson county might be an outlier in terms of its aggressiveness of approach.
But guess what? We're also one of the more healthy counties in the entire country
and there's a good reason for that. Our public health people have done a great job
protecting us despite all this Insane vocal opposition. And you know, these anti-vaxxers
anti maskers nonsense. Those people are, have led to the deaths of a million excess
deaths in this country. That kind of attitude. We can't afford it. People are still
dying at a rate of 400 per day across the country and I think we can do better. And
so what you've been doing is great, keep doing it and get ready for the next one
because it's on its way. Thank you.
Okay. And then I'm assuming Annette was brought over because she raised her hand.
I'm sorry, I didn't see the hand go up, but Annette, um, you'll need to a Knute and
you'll have three minutes for public comment. Thank you. Yes, I'm one of those crazy
anti-vaxxers and anti maskers that continues to stay healthy. Um, just keeping my
natural immune system up and able and um, I haven't injected any experimental gene
therapies and me to figure out how that's gonna turn out. Um, If our commissioners
in the county bureaucracy decide that this is the only one of 39 counties in this
state that need to extend the emergency order, it will not be crying wolf. It will
be crying authoritarianism. It cannot be justified when the rest of the state is
moving on. Doctors, barry and lock were dead wrong when they told us almost two years
ago that the jabs would confer immunity and prevent transmission, they hardly have
a corner on the truth this very morning, Doctor Locke claimed if we've asked all
school age students for flu, we wouldn't have flu. This is patently false. The CDC
claims itself that only 42 it claims itself only a 40 to 60% efficacy. When the jab
is well matched to what's circulating, which is rare. It's often more around 10%
according to even pro vax sources. That was pure unbridled disinformation. But you
don't care when your expert experts do that. Both lock and barry are parroting the
narrative of completely captured agencies and pharmaceutical felons who rake in billions
as they operate with zero liability for harm caused by their vaccine products. They
have lost the trust of many of us in this county. Regular evidence. Free claims dropped
the emergency order as the rest of the counties in Washington are doing. If you choose
not to your blatant power grab will be obvious to everyone in the entire state. Thank
you.
Thank you Annette. Um Is anyone else with us on the attendee list today interested
in making a public comment on this item. If so, use the raise hand button at the
bottom of your zoom screen. I see a hand up there. Oh, you need to accept the promotion.
There you go. Good afternoon, Gene ball. You are going to need to mute and you have
three minutes for public comment. Good afternoon Commissioner.
Hi. Poor poor connection. Oh, we can't hear you,
Gene? We're not able to hear you.
Mhm. Okay, jean. Um
Did she meet herself or did we,
Gene, if you are able to get a better connection, you raise your hand again using
the raise hand button at the bottom of the zoom screen. Anybody else doesn't look
like there's any more members of the public on the attendee list? Um Okay,
well, while we wait to see if Gene raises her hand again, Does anyone want to start
with response?
Raise your hand? Raise your hand?
Okay, can you hear us? How about now? I can hear you.
Oh, thank you. My apologies. I did not know I was not being received. Um So I think
Mr Kirsch knocked it out of the park and I think it is foolish of us to attempt to
fix what ain't broke. Um We are the lowest transmission and death rate in the second.
Excuse me. Lowest transmission and death rate in the state. Last I checked. And so
that suggests to me that what we've been doing is effective. And so um I think it
is foolish to argue with results. So, thank you. Thanks for your comment,
jean. Okay, I don't see anybody any other members of the public there. So I'm not
gonna make another call for public comment. I'm gonna close public comment on this
item and ask my colleagues if they want to respond.
Oh thank you. Um uh Let's see response before deliberation.
Um I guess I'll just say, I think if I think we would be failing in the realm of
authoritarianism with this policy that it is, we are suggesting that people wear
a mask under certain circumstances. Um we are trying to give folks an opportunity
to stay home really, we're trying to give more flexibility. Um and so this is certainly
not my idea of authoritarianism. And for anyone truly living under authoritarianism,
I think they would likely agree with me that this is a failed power grab. We aren't
requiring businesses to require their employees to mask employees often have the
opportunity to mask or not. And there's a wide range of feelings, a lot of public
facing employees feel most at risk and so choose to mask. This has nothing to do
with uh business, other businesses in the county. This is how we work with our employees
within our departments. Um and again, it's giving a lot of flexibility and giving
us access to tools that we might need in the upcoming months when we expect the pandemic
could worsen again. So, um I feel strongly that we can move forward. I'm glad that
we have updated the policy to reflect reality our current reality. Um and
um you know, I think we will all celebrate when we all feel comfortable rescinding
it. Um but we have, we have been cautious throughout. I'm also proud of the outcomes
we have as a result of that um and and we don't relish in continuing this, but when
the, when the time comes, when, when our staff who feel most cautious, feel ready
for us to move on from this, we will, but we've gotten feedback pretty clearly that
we can continue to be a bit of an oddball in terms of counties and jurisdictions
because it's worked for us. Thank you all for the comments. Um Yeah, I agree with
everything Kate said this is really about staff and I will point out that we've had
more service level impacts and and the burnout is a cumulative thing. So, you know,
protecting our ability to to support our staff is critical in this phase of the pandemic
pandemic phase. And uh you know, we want to maintain service levels, We want to make
sure we keep our our staff safe and that we give them the flexibility to, you know,
work remotely stay at home, stay home with their sick kids. Um We'll continue to
come back to this I think as we as we move through um the fall and winter, but you
know, the most important stakeholders in this decision to me are
the directors and electives who are going to have to manage that staff, that this
policy is directed to. I mean that doesn't have any any external uh impact. I don't
think at all. Right. So it's really it's about, there is an emergency in Jefferson
County, it's still here, we're, we're really we are struggling to maintain service
levels and keep our, our staff safe and manage this, this, this virus as well as
we can. So, um, I guess that's kind of a response slash deliberation and I would
just say I've reread through the appendix and it was all directed at county
employees and our ability for our managers to manage their teams. And the only part
that still hangs me up is the whole hand washing thing. But I'm not gonna. Um, I
mean that feels common sense to me, but maybe common sense doesn't exist anymore.
So, um, yeah, I'm supportive of it as it's drafted because it's got a limited scope
and gets at the tools our team needs and we are, you know, largely
public facing services in our county. And um, I think it's important for
people to have the guidance and the tools they need to do their work and feel like
we've got their back. So, um, happy to support this as well. Although that's not
deliberation. But that's, I mean, you know, it's the whole thing about were the
only county, are we really the only county who's having these conversations, we don't
know that I'm sure we're not the only county having this conversation now as we come
out of this pandemic that we've been in, well not coming out of it, but adjust to
the pandemic that we've been living with for over two years now. Um, but
Are you ready for a motion share? Sure. Move to approve resolution in the matter
of adopting a 13th temporary county policy based on emergency response to the COVID-19
pandemic. 2nd all in favor I passes unanimously not
opposed and Phil is appendix II adopted by
reference in that resolution as well. Yes. Okay. Thank you. Thanks team for
persisting on this one and getting it right. And I'm sure we will have another conversation
about this In the near future. Lucky 13 can I just say thank you to you all and to
Sarah and Philip as well. I appreciate all the deliberations and the editing of the
document and all of the different rounds that it's made. Um and we appreciate your
due diligence around just the safety and well being of of county staff in general.
And the flexibility that is embodied in this latest version of the policy really
is an indication of our success in movement forward. So while the pandemic is not
in our rear view mirror, we have learned to live with it And we've all learned tremendously
how to work together to help support each other so that we can function as best we
can in our work dedicated to the residents of the county. Thanks thanks Apple and
we appreciate the work of you and your entire team at public health over the many,
many months that we've been dealing with this pandemic and um you've had all of our
backs and we've got yours.
Okay so Philip don't go far because as you know we are going to look at
the open public meetings, act guidelines for boards and committees again
and I'm ready. Okay we're
ready. So uh let's see here
uh here's the resolution. All I did was take out the highlight. Uh and then
uh or let's see, did you see this appendix? A yeah. Yeah. Okay. Uh the
signatures follow on the next page. That's what we're seeing right now. Okay. Sorry
I'll re share
how's that better? Yeah that's it. Okay so um over the
lunch hour I went through in uh made corrections as uh was
expressed as consensus during the morning session. And I will show you I took
out for the most part the change from public from public comments to public testimony
except as it related to hearings. So you'll see a lot less red in this version. Um
And then uh ah this is uh this is that
section we were talking about earlier where we were talking about before it was explaining
the testimony question. Right? What what do we mean by testimony? And so I just revised
that to to make it clear how we're using it. Uh And mostly that's in the in
the in the last sentence where we're talking about testimony were using it to refer
to oral public comments made during a hearing. Is that not true of written comments
to a hearing. Is that not testimony for also for the record? Well, uh
well this gets you into that question that we just talked about and if we were following
Mr Kirsch's comments, he only requested a couple of changes to testimony. Those were
related to hearings only. So I think I think I have it the way at least he was suggesting
in the way I thought that you guys were suggesting. I so the last sentence is
only pertaining to hearings. So it is written. We also accept written testimony for
hearings. Well, we we can call it testimony if you want to. But uh
I think what we've been calling testimony was oral communications or at least that's
what I thought we were talking about. We get written testimony for a hearing as well.
So I think just adding the word oral or written, but you know when we have a hearing,
well we receive written testimony as well. Yeah, and we call for it in the notice
even, don't we written testimony will be received until hmm.
Okay. Uh that's fine. And then when we get to the hearings part, we can decide whether
we want to change some of that too. Okay. Um this is just something I caught when
I did a search for test the word testimony. Um it wasn't it wasn't a it wasn't I
don't know why I caught it, but I caught it. So public comment should be there. Um
and uh uh this is catching the discussion we had earlier
about uh and also mr public comments about uh what do we do with late
received uh public comments? And this just these are just this is clarifying language
of how we're gonna deal with it. So it's not part of the official record of any hearing.
Uh but it will be distributed uh as comments for the next meeting of the board commission
or committee. Well shouldn't be to be consistent written testimony
Received after the deadline in Section four, which is the hearing section. Right?
But then it if it's not if it's received too late then it's not
right. So written written testimony received after the deadline in this section will
not be included in the official record of any hearing but will be distributed to
the board commission or committee as comments for their next meeting. But that's
what Kate was saying, that if it's late, it's not testimony,
it's still a public comment. Okay. And Caroline was saying they have a stamp that
they put on it that can be included in the record but says it was not included was
received late. Is that right? Caroline after hearing what we've been hearing comments.
We have another sub folder for any testimony that came in after the deadline. So
you still see the same area. But it is definitely noted that came in after the deadline.
Mhm
mm.
Okay. Right. Mhm.
But what Greg was suggesting was that would be we would change written public comment.
Okay, right, okay.
Yeah, lots of ways to skin that sentence. Yeah, I don't know that we need to. Okay,
let's move along.
Okay,
so here's the public comment uh section and uh you wanna say written
testimony here? Yes, public hearing section. You mean? Yes Britain test
a public hearing primarily is to obtain written oral or written testimony,
write a public hearing primarily is intended to obtain oral or written testimony
if you're taking comment out.
Yeah or and not or but and
thank you, Philip your patience is impeccable.
I like making sausage. Uh Okay, let's see how we
Yeah, that that reads good.
Okay, Alright, that's good.
Can you go back up there for a second? Do you want to go right there right there
at the top of page 12. I just want to read that longer paragraph.
Can you go? So at a minimum Jefferson County, so it says it's again has public comment
when I think we're changing that to decision. Right, I mean, a testimony. Are we
just at the top of that page?
Or maybe I is this just a hearing section right now? Yeah.
This uh this is here
Yeah.
Is that a good section?
What does it say? Ordinance or resolution? I mean, it's a bad ordinances. Right,
Some more. Some resolutions. We decided to hold a hearing. It's required for ordinances
not for resolutions, but budget budget resolutions. And the like
Mhm. I catch all of them.
I think there's another section inherited that deals with it also in the appendices
that we'll probably have to look at ah regular meeting notice. We didn't change
any of that.
Okay, here's that hearing language. Here's what we were talking about this morning.
Just happened
be there
mm You got public comments in there again.
Should be testimony right in the parenthetical sentence there for each oral public.
Okay,
just say testimony. I think so yeah that works.
And is the address required or just the uh the city or
place of residence?
How's that?
Do we want to make any um comment about the I guess the protection that's provided
by a regular meeting. You know where you have a public comment period at the head
of the meeting. I know many of the smaller committees are gonna just have a public
comment period at the beginning. That would qualify for any decisions they make on
any agenda items throughout. So they don't have to make a specific public comment
period on each decision point which we know can get pretty laborious for some of
these smaller. So I think there's more detail on that in the public comments section
uh earlier that talks about. You can have more than one you're not you're allowed
to have but are not required to have more than one public comment period. I think
the where I see that coming up is um if uh item gets added to the agenda like that.
If they somebody missed the first public comment period at the beginning of a meeting
and then an item was added, then you would want to provide an opportunity because
that hadn't been uh kind of noticed previously that you are going to be making a
decision, taking action.
Yes.
Okay. No
I'm sorry, can you go back up again that limited 2-3 minutes on top of the next page?
Do we wanna put in here since this is for all our different boards? That it's the
chair's discretion here.
It's supposed to be a usable policy.
Nice. Perfect.
How's that? Good?
Um Maybe the commenters must be able to remain anonymous if they wish. I'm sorry,
having trouble hearing. Uh
comma unless the comments at a public hearing. Isn't that the last sentence saying
take that last sentence before? Unless the comments are public hearing. I don't know,
suggestion.
Oh take unless the item is a hearing comma, make sure is that what you're saying?
Move the end of the sentence to the beginning, move this to the beginning. I'm not
sure.
O unless
you see that before. The parentheses is kind of repetitive. So take the last phrase
from the last sentence and add it just before the parentheses. Got it,
wow payments right there and then take this out.
So it's not in there twice. Yeah it was in there twice. I was just saying what it
says, commenters must be able to remain anonymous if they wish
Before that after five.
Yeah. You see the sentence before the one you just edited People commenting did not
give their name, address or other information unless the comments are at a public
hearing. So maybe that sentence just edited. You could exercise entirely and just
take the parentheses out of the hearings sentence and then it would make sense. Oh
okay. So sorry. Too many, too many cooks in the kitchen. Don't listen to me listen
to Caroline. I like her idea. Okay, so what are we trying to do? Okay,
I guess remove that sentence that you would start with? People commenting,
remove the last part of it.
Just the last phrase there unless the comments are at a public hearing. But isn't
isn't the first part of that? I think you could take out the whole people commenting
sentence so that the whole sentence,
it is repetitive, repetitive
so it feels like we can get rid of the whole sentence. Commenters must not must be
able to remain anonymous if they wish comma unless the item is a hearing because
the sentence before that collects all of that information is true but the anonymous
parts not in there. Oh so that's a different point. Right? That they have to remain
an anonymous.
Oh gotcha. So just
unless the item is a hearing that I just had you put in there Carolyn's recommendation
is to take out that new red. Right? Unless the comments are at a public hearing the
same thing
twice. Yeah. Can we get the camera moved over?
So she's suggesting taking out after the five. Unless the comments are at a public
hearing.
Sorry I didn't point to see it before
those times. That's what you wanted. Thanks Philip. But I would say replace that
with and maybe and maybe able to remain anonymous if they wish take out that highlighted
the currently highlighted part
reading reading level. It was getting really inelegant. Now um
people commenting need not give their name and address or other information and must
be able to remain anonymous if they wish. Unless the unless in a public hearing.
Unless in a hearing.
What if we started with unless the item is a public hearing and put the two together.
So you don't not saying it twice
said I wasn't gonna get involved
the price of perfection. Ladies and gentlemen uh
and must be able to remain.
Sorry, I'm gonna do this without looking and it's not working uh
about that three or 3:30.
Who is he hearing with people coming to
So elegant Phil well try to get there. I could use whatever help you can give me,
it's less explicit about the requirements of a hearing is my only concern. I might
still leave the parenthetical in
doesn't need a parenthesis though. I must find him.
What was the language?
Public testimony, testimony? Not public comment. Mhm. We had already changed that
one. Can of worms.
Yeah, that works.
Doesn't need parentheses though. Just a sentence. Right? It's not a subset before
we kind of was stuck in the middle.
Mhm.
Then it would need a semicolon between the two statements. Hearings are different
semicolon
semicolon here and take out the parentheses. No, it's fine.
How are you feeling about this?
Want to see what it looks like. Clean.
Happy, helpful.
Uh huh.
Mm Philip Can you hear us? Yeah. Okay great. We lost sound for a second.
We were getting reports from the other end of the building that they couldn't hear
us.
Okay. So typically the unless the item is a hearing people commenting need not give
their name, address or other information because commenters must be able to remain
anonymous if they wish
hearings are different name and place of residents are required for testimony during
hearings. Looks good.
What's next?
Well, what is next? I still find that motions overly restrictive. Sorry, I know that
public comment is now required before a decision on any motion that just really looks
like. I mean, I know. Can you show me you said Philip that elsewhere? It talks about
a public comment at the beginning of the meeting. Is is meets that standard for for
regular meetings or
Sure. Let's make a note of what page we're on. So when we come back to it. I won't.
15. Okay. Got it.
Public comment is required before making a decision. seven.
What I'm trying to get there using dysfunction.
Oh I don't know. It's not working but too fancy.
Too much pressure on the operator. Uh That's why. Okay,
so this is the section on the public comment requirement.
So I think the reason that we have it in that motion section is to remind people
that in the situation where you're making a motion especially when it wasn't expect
an unexpected motion that you need to have a comment. And uh a lot of
times those motions are made sort of on the fly, right?
So um that is a uh emotion calls for a decision, right? And
it's pretty clear that you have to have public comment before a decision if it's
if it's already on the agenda. No problem. May I would love that. I guess in this
section I don't is that listed anywhere that you know? Yeah. It talks
about uh
ah
But just adding,
I think it could be read by a lot, you know, boards that maybe are not doing this
as often that before every motion the chair would have to open it up for public comment.
And I guess I just wanna be clear that that is not what the standard is. Well, it's
not before a motion, it's after the motion and before decision.
Right? So you would make the motion and then you would call for public comment. So
the trigger would be the the motion. Uh uh and
uh I guess you could have public comment before there's a vote on the motion, but
you could have it uh you know, you have the motions, you'd have it seconded, then
you'd have public comment, then you would have discussion and decision. That would
be the sequence. I think we never do that.
You need the public comment before the decision. Not after the decision. After the
Absolutely. So like I just you know,
so if you have if you have it on the agenda and you have an a and you have an agenda
item for something and there's going to be a motion made on an agenda item. You will
have already had the public and you have public comment listed, you will have already
had the public comment. But if you don't have it on the agenda and you make a motion,
then you have to have public comment before the decision. I think that should be
explicitly listed that that what you just said, just that it's not on the agenda,
that part. Well, yeah, you know, a public comment period at the beginning of the
meeting suffices for public comment before a final decision for any published published
agenda item. But for any new item or added to the agenda, additional public
comment is required before a decision is taken.
Carolyn just said we call that an additional business item, but it varies board to
board. Yeah.
Okay. Uh I think there's somewhere in here where it talks about new items. Uh but
uh it's hard to do this on the fly at this level of detail. Um So where were
you thinking that would go Greg in the motion section? That makes that would make
the most sense to me. I would defer to you. I don't know where it should go.
Yeah, I think I wouldn't want to leave it out of a so we could put it both places.
I mean it's really important. Uh the way that you just uh phrased it
verbally was I thought excellent.
It brings up the value of putting that potential action on the agenda is to
it's really a regular meeting added to a regular meeting. Uh
That I would add um in the first sentence. If a motion relates to an item on an agenda,
then the public comment any time prior to making a motion.
So adding the word any time prior to prior.
And I would say maybe take out the regular meeting in the first sentence because
it could be a special meeting or a regular meeting. Right, well, uh
it's not on the agenda. You can't make a decision. It was a special meeting. The
first one could be a special or the first sentence of the motion relates to an item
on the agenda for any meeting in public comment. Any time prior to making the most
position satisfies the public comment requirement That applies to both special and
regular meetings. The first sentence because it's on the agenda.
Hm
Okay. Well it does, this doesn't have to be specific to a regular meeting, so just
take out the word regular.
I think that's fine. How he's got. It makes it much simpler.
Okay, that makes sense.
That's a good thought. Or we could do it again one more time. We can do
better. For some reason, the words I'd rather die. I don't know. I don't know
why. Okay, so now we're back to 15. Right? Page
15, right? Oh yeah, absolutely.
Okay,
emotions.
So
wasn't the first part of that motions pertaining to public comment?
Uh
Yeah, it is number one, but number one. Thank you.
Wouldn't.
Mhm. Sure. There's a way to collapse some of those sentences. But yeah. And are we
supposed to just have one space after a period Now? That depends on whether you're
old or not. Yeah. I struggle with it. I end up doing both. We're trying
one space is easy to fix if that's what you guys want it. I'm no, I I frequently
I'm submitting a brief or something. I do a search at the end for two spaces and
replace all, But you know when I was when I was taught how to type in uh 8th grade,
you know, it's that double thing. It's like a habit. You know, totally the old mechanical
typewriter. Oh yeah. I wonder if um maybe that would be better as a second paragraph.
Just easier to read. Sure. Yeah. I don't
know if it needs a second. Number two, but
Oh yeah, it would just be under number one. Still stands out, stands out more this
way for sure. But maybe take out the number two in front of it. So it's part of number
one. Oh yeah, I can do that too. How's
that?
There you go.
Yeah, I think the flow is okay. Been scrolling a bit.
So the motion procedure, should the points under that be indented or is that mm
Part of the procedure? Right. If one is intended to should be
Carolina Gibson and I used to do this kate joint editing of grant proposals.
Mhm.
Yeah, we're almost done in that team
having fun monty a day. Well spent. Right. Hopefully multitasking.
Okay.
All right, so there's two down to their next page. Can we add something? And I'm
sorry, the on the first point there on motions um motion motion procedure. One that
I find really helpful is that there should only be one motion on the floor at a time.
It's a little confusing in that in that that it says rather than to make various
motions that will need to be amended. But I think it's helpful to say only one motion
should be on the table at a time. So you don't end up with competing motions and
that should be the first point. Right. Yeah. Up in that first one, it is best practice.
You could just add only one motion should be on the floor at a given time at any
time.
That's it.
How's that? Yeah, I mean, I would probably say like, I would probably want it more
strongly worded that there shall only be one motion on the table at a time. I think
it's helpful because folks wanna say, but I'm gonna make a motion of this instead.
And it's like, no what? There's one and it gets voted on our guys
and and then do we and continue discussions on that motion.
Put it, It is best practice to back in front of it.
Sure.
But we shouldn't even be considering various motions. That's why it's helpful to
talk about there only being one. Mhm.
This is Caroline's sentence that I don't really want to stop stamp it out so release
me rather than to make motions that got various.
This is this is the why or one of the reasons why.
Yeah. Was making many many amendments
continually. Okay, what's your pleasure? Leave it.
Delete it. I think you actually cover it. If you say there's gonna be one motion
on the table at a time, but I don't know if that is too. That's wonky language. I
don't mind the why that that that second sentence is I think it clarifies it, but
you can't really have various motions, there should never be various motions.
This was happening a lot of health, public health, so many. Um instead of having
discussion topics, they would propose motions continually. And so to stop that, Yeah,
to stop that we had that. Well, I think it is clarified by kate's first sentence,
so I wouldn't mind taking that 2nd sentence out. I don't think it adds we don't have
to have the wire. Mhm, consensus to delete. I'm fine with that,
yep. You could even add that short sentence to the next
sentence. One member makes a motion
and there should only be one motion on the table at a time.
You want to move it down to there? What you're saying
As the 2nd sentence.
You lost your period, I got it back,
yep, I like it.
Okay,
support we changed this morning.
Do we define a quorum in here for the purposes of the silent vote? Um
Some boards operate at a quorum is or a majority is half of all present? Some require,
well, I guess for it to be an open public meeting, you'd have to have a quorum anyway,
so quorum is the majority majority of those present or is a majority of majority
of the membership of the board? Or do we just leave that up to each board to decide?
Right, okay, let each board decide many have bylaws.
Okay, so what what section are we on to now? Executive session, there's an accession
section and uh that did not get changed at all. I don't know
where uh minutes. I don't think that got
changed uh tips for the clerks. I don't got that got changed limits on communications.
That's been the same over the last couple of weeks uh disruptions. The same
liability, the same forms. We did uh make some changes to the form
as a result of our discussion this morning. Trying to get back to public comments
as opposed to public testimony. But there is a a form for hearings that we need to
look at because of the slight changes that you wanted to make uh for hearings and
use the word testimony related to hearings. So uh hearing notice form.
Uh here we go.
So I want to leave it at testimony here.
Okay let's see here.
Starting. Got something in the way.
So I just added this to make it clear that you know you're going to get oral public
comment or oral testimony. Uh maybe want to fiddle with this sentence a little bit.
It's kind of clunky. Now we want to say we want to say written testimony there right
instead of public comment because it's for hearing.
Oh sorry. And above it.
Mhm. Oh yeah the line above it too. Yeah.
Ah Oral testimony.
Gotcha.
Okay looks good.
Oh wait can we scroll back to that notice?
Um
Okay thank you welcome.
I have a request form. I don't think that was any changes the executive session form.
Minutes form. Uh I don't think there's any changes there except returning it to public
comment
and I think that's it. This is just the uh procedure for disruptions at the end.
I saw one typo a long time ago and I was disagreeing with Greg on something so I
didn't bring it up. Do you mind doing a a search for C. O. M. M. I think there was
a partial word thrown in.
I could be wrong but I thought I saw
it's gonna be a million of them. Oh sure it'll do partials. I'm sorry there's a way
to do just is it quotes around
because otherwise you're gonna have a million occurences?
Yeah.
Oh I see. Okay.
Okay. Okay. Now we we we got it then. Uh huh. Mhm.
All right. No that's good. That's I misread it. No worries.
So are we good with this? Yeah, but we have to take public comet
might not be a bad idea. So do you want to accept all the changes?
Okay so um I'm gonna open this item for public comment on the open public meetings.
Act guidelines for boards and committees. Is there anybody with us who would like
to make a public comment on this item? If so use the raise hand button at the bottom
of your zoom screen or um raise your human hand if you're in the room. Okay.
No. Okay um Tom tears has joined us with comments.
Good afternoon all that time. Mhm. In the uh thank you for for reopening public comment.
I appreciate that. I noticed one thing in your discussion uh in your sausage making
in the motion procedures section, you made a revision to include the phrase that
emotion on the table. I don't believe that's what you meant when emotion is placed
on the table. That means it's been put aside for later consideration. I believe what
you want to say when a motion is pending, that they can only be one motion pending
or under consideration at a time. So just a little bit of robert's rules and stuff,
which is kind of like why I suggested it in the first place. But anyway, that's it.
Thank you. Thank you. Mr
Well I mean it is a common, it's common to say we have a motion on the table, but
I do agree that we also table. Although you don't actually table a motion motion
dies if it's not seconded. Um So I do get the confusion, but because it is common
to say a motion on the table, but I think that changing the language depending is
clear. Uh We've never used the term emotion is pending. Is that clear? There should
be only one motion active or under consideration under consideration. I like that
under discussion. Table does have you do after a second. You can table it to get
more information. We've tabled motions before. I like under consideration. Yeah,
I think that works.
Yeah. Stacy said if if there's a motion to adjourn um then would you would public
comment be required? But I think actually motions aren't required for adjournment.
Yeah, when you get when you get to the end of the
I think under consideration works.
Do you guys agree? Can we move along? Nice work except change.
Okay, I did. I did make it all one space is get it out of the old
old man style.
Well, I mean, how hard is it? You know, it's a global change. I did it. I did it
while mr Kirsch was talking and I was still able to listen to him. So All right,
so we're good with this. Looks good. Did you close public comment or are you still
um Yeah, I did not close public comment. Is there anyone else who would like to make
a public comment on our open public meetings? Act guidelines for boards and committees.
Seeing no other hands go up. I will close public comment on this item.
Okay, so are we good with this now? Any deliberations or discussion needed?
No, we spent a lot of time on it for something that's non non code or resolution
or appreciate all the all the effort. Um I'm happy to make a motion
to approve the OPM guidelines for county boards commissions committees and as amended
here today. There is a resolution
here. Sorry, I moved retract that motion I move that we approve the resolution in
the matter of adopting open public meeting at guidelines for jefferson county boards,
commissions and committees as amended here today and I will second all in favor.
Hi, thank you team for that. Arduous bit of work.
I'm pretty sure there's no one happier in the county than me. Thank you. Thank you
for all the work. It's really important and it's important that we get it right.
It's great to make you happy Phillip because I know you toil over our crazy questions
a lot. It does beg the question in the rollout. Like should we be bringing this to
our boards or do we want to decide on a training um, protocol first. Uh, so my
uh, my suggestion is that uh, uh, I think we have a list
of things that we sent out to department heads uh, and people who are running the
boards uh, before I went on vacation, I think board staff helping with that. So,
you know, I have that list. I could send it out and say this was adopted today and
then uh, and then we could, you know, maybe Caroline and me are, have a conversation
about what we think and then we could come back to you and propose, you know, what
we wanted, what we think should be done on training. Uh, I think thinking about that
and we of course would consider everything that was said today about that. Uh, but
I think that might make the most sense. So uh I guess we could ask
Carolyn what she thinks about that. Um because she does
a lot of onboarding for new employees that may or may not have a hand in that, but
maybe keep her well we can all three meat.
Did you hear that to loop and Sarah. Okay. Um okay,
anything else on this item? We have one small item on the agenda. Uh so at the
last meeting, I raised my hand to draft comments on the pacific Northwest Scenic
Trail Conference of Plant scoping process. And this is just the first step in this
process. But um I did review the scoping document and drafted comments and sent those
to um monte and john Fleming and Jeff chapman and they all gave me feedback. And
so my attached comments are the result of all of that input I received primarily.
Um this came to my attention because I got a public comment from a constituent who
had his property neighbors, the larry scott trail. And um he had read
the press release in the peninsula Daily News and was concerned that there was language
about the trail um right away being a half a half a mile on either side of the trail.
Um and that language is primarily
applies to federal lands in terms of developing the trail on federal lands.
Um President
who's present on the internet. Oh well yeah, bring Jeff over for sure.
I'm looking at the documents so I can't see, I can't see zoom right now. So these
are initial comments. There will be more opportunities to make comments on this plan
as it comes into development. This is just on there scoping document. Um and
we are encouraging them to cooperate with agencies um regarding regarding trail
development across nonfederal lands and to um
just be clear about their communication processes in terms of non federal landowners.
Yeah. Uh let's see. Let me go back to zoom and see Jeff. Would you like to comment
on this? Because Jeff has been flying low to this as well? Yes, on the uh there was
an advisory council when we started working when the comp plan efforts started many
years ago and I was the private landowners designee on the advisory council that's
for the whole trail and the trail goes from Montana to the ocean. Um and we were
working on this, the nature and purpose and some of the how it would deal with the
portions of the trail that aren't on federal lands and how to make it clear that
it shouldn't apply to those. Um and we really didn't get that much into that conversation
before the advisory council was stopped when uh President trump took office. He discontinued
a lot of advisory councils. And this was one, it was a faca council and got discontinued
and canceled. But the foresters continue to work on the comp plan among their staff.
And now several years later they're beginning to roll it out. They are going to start
the advisory council back up with new members and maybe some old members, we don't
know yet who um the Secretary of Agriculture has appointed to the committee again.
But for the most part they're they're gonna be at the tail end of this announcement
that the head, you know, where they're basically just like the public are gonna be
looking at this deciding what should be. The official complement. The concerns are
are good um that it really needs to be clearly stated with the federal government
has authority and not. Um and what one of the things is, we were looking for an alternative
route where it goes across the olympic peninsula and it can't go in the designated
route. Um, we had some ideas on that and where it should be run but never got anywhere
with it. The foresters went back to the designated route and the congressional designated
route for example, goes through West Uncles that goes across up Salmon Creek. So
it goes across four or five private landowners. It goes right by the poor, the property
that the land trust is trying to buy and it's, I'm not sure how many of those folks
are aware of it. I assume a lot of them are, but you know, they may or may not. One
thing about this is one of the questions that come up and I've talked to the Becky
blanchard, the trail administrator is they're saying, well maybe we should be notifying
pro private property owners. Well, you know, it won't be. There is a requirement
in law that this be a willing seller situation. So any private land who is not, who
hasn't been acquired across will certainly be notified if they if it does try to
put it across that route and they'll know fully, well, whatever is in this plan once
it's completed next year. Um but the situation may also exist that if they don't
route it up west on CAs right, they, it may go down 101 and go up Snow Creek Road.
Well, yeah, well, what about all the private landowners along Snow Creek Road? In
the county is a county road. And, and and how are they going to get uh notified?
Um, so that may be a bigger concern. And indeed in the scoping, there's on page 10,
it talks about the half mile on each side, um the foreground distance zone as they
call it. And what can be allowed? And they do and again, this is, they do right in
there where the trail right away. It is located on lands managed by other federal
agencies. The selection must be agreed upon by the heads of those agencies. So, you
know, I think it is good that the county keep a close eye on this, that we review
the the comprehensive plan when it goes out for public comment and make sure that
it's pretty ironclad, that it it's not going to um affect private landowners
off, you know, I went along this trail and so I'm happy with this comment letter.
I'm hoping that the commissioners go ahead and send it. And again, this is just the
beginning of the process. There will be another ability to comment on the actual
com plant. Yeah. Thanks Jeff and put a comment in there about um consultation with
tribes along the route in the letter. So thank you monty. Yeah. Have a good day.
I think that, um, I agree with the language about the private property. I feel like
it could be stated a little more clearly because it just says we feel it's important
to call out the inclusion of this reference. But maybe more like we are concerned
that we prefer that this, uh, the plan
explicitly reading the next paragraph, we wanted to be clear in our strong support
of the plan, upholding this clause and the National trails system act and not impacting
the rights of private landowners.
Um, so it says it's important to call out this reference. Yeah, because that's what's
in the scoping document. Yeah. But then it says the next sentence basically says
we expect to be included in discussions regarding federal land management. It doesn't
say. Um,
and then it talks about private landowners in the next sentence. I mean if
you want a wordsmith it fine. I just thought I felt it went from the,
um, uh, do they call it the citation? Yeah. Into like the importance of working with
us instead of like it's the private, we're concerned about private property. Um,
but if you feel it's in there, I, I, yeah, I mean it talks about private city, county
and state holdings. Mm hmm. Yeah. I just felt like it a lot. It's important to call
it out, but then I didn't get what was being called out. Like, I mean maybe in the
wordsmith a little, but we've already been receiving questions about the recommended
national trail right away or maybe instead, you know, we're concerned about the recommended
national trail right away of a minimum of one mile this level of trail. And then
that feeds into the next sentence because it doesn't the questions. I mean questions
aren't a position right there just, but I think I think it's strong. I'm in support
of it. Okay. I will re redraft. Do you want to see it? And it's due? That's the only
change. I think it's due in a week. So you won't have time to see it again. They're
trying to get a 15 day extension,
um,
I was gonna have us all sign it. I'll circulate it for signature. I also know it'll
come into, you know, as we try to extend the olympic Discovery trail over Eagle Mountain
down the Discovery Bay. This is an overlay to it. So it'll be important that talking
to property owners that they're aware and of any possible restrictions from the federal
overlay. Hopefully that we can assure them there are.
Do you hear that missing a Y and Discovery? The last sentence. Okay. I'll do a spell
check come through. Discovery is a word.
Oh yeah. Discovery. I see it. Got it.
Okay. Any further comments about this issue from Jeff
for commissioner colleagues? I think it looks great. Thank you. Thank you. I'll move
that. We authorized the chair to make the amendments that we discussed and collect
signatures and send these comments along A 2nd. All in favour. Thank you everyone.
Um Any last comments for the good of the order today? Oh boards and committee
vacancies. Let's see where we're at. I've been having conversations. The list has
been getting shorter, which is great. Um
I have a conversation teed up for the District two seat for the pit board and I know
Greg's working on some of the noxious weed board folks and then the one that's in
my district. I did have a couple of conversations but people were not interested
and being on the wheat board. So I need to go back to the drawing board with. I think
it's the District three
requirements are challenging for that one. I thought I had someone for ferry advisory
committee, but I think it fell through or I'll follow up again and that might need
to cast that net again. What's the standard for that one? Is that economic development?
Yeah. Uh, someone who's, who's business or who represents businesses that rely
on ferries for commerce. Running a business city fish. Any business
are always on that ferry. Yeah, I had that. The um chamber put it out on their newsletter
but no, no bites. Well, good job because the list has gotten shorter. Every meeting
for the last few meetings. So nice work. Nice work julie if you're listening. Um,
and just keep turning those wheels, the wheels of progress
Stephen you want to be on any boards or committees? Yeah. Anyone still in the room.
You're going to get signed up for something. Just any, any calendar
calendar.
Let's see. My last week was nothing compared to kate. I don't even want to hold it
up.
I only got halfway. Mostly it was interesting stuff. Do you want to finish last week
kate? No, it's ok. Um childcare center to announce that
is great news.
We had the transit transit board meeting. I met with chickadee forestry.
I attended the empowered teens Chamique a meeting attended the community wellness
project dinner at seven river. That was super inspiring. Met with monty for agenda.
Planning attended the board of health with y'all. I went to the Sierra Club, North
olympic Peninsula meeting to talk about forests and other environmental issues we're
working on and I'm mostly focused on the forest work and then derelict vessel recycling
on the marine side and then had an encumbered lands work group meeting
on friday feel like we're coming to some good resolutions. There
had a meeting with environmental, public health on a site that they're having issues
with
and then had the competing memorial services on on saturday and I am,
I don't want anyone else to die for a while. Um Miss My God daughter's 11th birthday,
which was devastating for me, but there you go, that happens
and yeah, that was last week for me in brief
um I mean, you know, had Jeff calm spoke to the Wilson school about
careers to a class and worked a lot on the housing fund board
applications that we're going to be considering this week. You know, $900,000 worth
of applications for $650,000 worth of money. 600 as it goes. Um
I'm gonna miss some of the executive session this week, had a couple of different
orca subcommittees that I'm, I'm working on uh for salary surveys and such, There's
a community meeting in Brennan tomorrow evening to talk about the Cap governance.
I don't know if I've talked to you guys about this, but our contract with Ali Cap
for the community centers, I mentioned this. Um They they talk about and you know,
they predate leadership there by quite a few years, but they talk about uh community
board that kind of guides the direction of community center management that has never
been set up as far as I know, so um the kind of reenergize northward Canal Chamber
of Commerce kind of, you know, said, well we could also apply to take over the community
centers, um the Quilty and and Britain community centers. And so we had a meeting
about that and I invited the chair of the Gardner Community Center that is community
run and I think he's talking about how it's just the community that does it, they're
not gonna be able to because they were talking about, well we need $150,000 to run
the community center, the way we want and that's probably not gonna happen. Um So
they've I think backed off on that interest for the request, but there's still a
lot of interest in making sure the community centers reflect the desires of the local
communities. So there's one on the 25th tomorrow at five o'clock at the Britain community
center and then the one in november had to get rescheduled, but it will come soon
for the quilting Community center because those contracts are coming in front of
us at the end of the year, They end this year, so I don't think there will be anyone
bidding for those contracts, But we might have, we might be able to get some community
boards set up before that. That's a big thing this coming week. And housing fund
board. Of course, that one is also coming up. Yes, but I don't think there's any
community organization that was at least that I heard of. That was interesting lying
for it. And the, you know, there's each of the three community centers have very
different interactions between facilities and parks and rec for who takes care of,
you know, landscaping on the property, landscaping at the periphery of the property,
you know, building maintenance. So clarifying, there's gonna be, there's gonna need
to be some work I think clarifying that that agreement to make sure that the different,
uh, functions of different county organizations, county departments at those community
centers are more explicitly clear. So we don't have disappointed community members
saying, you know, no one's mowing the lawn, you know, and so just a little bit more
clarity would be really good. But that work is continuing.
Um, Last week I, you know, I did everything virtually as I was in my 2nd 5 days of
isolation. Um, but not a lot of big stuff. Health
board board health meeting was the big one, but that went well and Jeff come.
Yeah, that's what I got last week. No conflicts this week, except that I'll probably
have to leave the executive session of the transit board meeting tomorrow early to
get to a subcommittee meeting. Hmm.
Do we want to do the following week to just because we won't be here. Um, you mean
this week and next week? Yeah, I don't know. There's the Kalamata Farm open house
the following week. You know, the Land trust is set up, will be certainly going to
that and going to uh, olympic community of Health housing conference. They're continuing
that work and I'll try to go to some of that. But of course that's the same time
as the transit budget workshop. Get a lot of transit conflicts and P. O. V.
C. Is back in person. Mm My wife is out of town. So I'm managing the farm too.
Um, I'll just, I'll call out that, um, the forestry and um trees and forest, greenhouse
gas um, report is being presented to the public by Climate action Committee
on tomorrow night. Um, and it has been, it was presented to us already, but it is
a noticed as a public meeting. So, um, if anyone wanted to attend, you could, what
time is that? And where is it? It's a via zoom seven p.m. Tomorrow night. Although
it's not a, it's not a public meeting of the B. zero cc. So how does that work Caroline
if it's a noticed public meeting. Climate action committee
About this one. I heard there wasn't gonna be a forum though, you guys there? I was
thinking if it's noticed as a public meeting, can we go there doesn't have to be
noticed as our public meeting
presenting
meeting and there's also housing solutions network is doing a like what is it septic
alternatives
They're doing um with flush is doing 5:30-7 tomorrow virtually.
Uh It's just virtual. I actually spoke with Abigail Brown who's from the U. C. Santa
cruz instructor. Mhm. But it's about sanitation.
Well I can attend the climate action committee meeting and not say anything. I know
it'd be hard cause we're gonna be talking about like what the county's doing like
I wish you could but I didn't think that we had was for getting me to notice it is
our meeting. If we both wanted to talking about a public meeting about county business
it's fine.
That has to be our hours.
Alright
tomorrow
7 7 we have if you did want to. But yeah, I
cannot speak. I can just listen, be interesting to hear what the questions are.
Are you done with this week? Are you okay? So I've got a lot going on. I feel like
um you didn't need to leave Heidi? I've I've been worried about 3.30. No it passed.
I got released from that obligation. Um So we're starting on our 1/10 of 1%
behavioral health RFP panel review tomorrow um after the transit
executive session which I am chairing because Mayor Faber cannot be there. Um
And then uh tomorrow morning at 8 30 I have the finance committee and then Wednesday
morning at 8 30 of the budget committee on Wednesday most of the day I'll review
be reviewing all of the alltech proposals because we got a lot of them. We got 1.2
million for $800,000 worth of funding. I'm attending a community foundation event
on Wednesday evening. I have trust land transfer strategy session on thursday
midday and then agenda planning with Mark because he'll be back tomorrow and we haven't
gotten into too much trouble with him gone. I'm proud of us quickly and I will be
able to go to the Wasatch Federal Issues and Relations committee on thursday this
week. And then the committee meets on friday to um interview all of the applicants
for all of those grants. And then I have a very cryptic hold on friday evening for
god knows what and a um Another oh yeah right
there's big decorating happening on friday evening for Halloween next week.
Yeah.
Um Have a forestry forest related meeting on saturday.
Um monday will be Halloween in the courthouse which will be fun to experience.
Um And then uh next week transit budget workshop on Tuesday
encumbered lands provides a work group on Tuesday after budget. Marine resources
committee, Tuesday evening transit finance committee meeting on Wednesday
A gender prep with mark for the 7th. I don't have a gender prep this week. Um Wasiq
federal issues and relations next week as well. Um, jefferson county pencil a trails
coalition cohort on thursday evening and then meeting with Mark and Mallory on
friday,
going to get to the dentist friday afternoon to get this chips tooth fixed. It's
been driving me nuts and then I might attend that Kawamoto farm warming. Um Yeah,
very exciting. So yeah, it just feels, it feels like with all the um grant
proposals for the funds, it's just a lot of review and things to think about. Yeah,
we just did that for housing fund board.
It's like you want to fund everything, nothing that doesn't deserve and need funding.
So anything else? I didn't really go over my couple of weeks, but I don't know
any conflicts you need covered in the next couple of weeks.
Um Just Good morning to be on vacation for three weeks.
No, I'm looking. Okay. Well if there's nothing else,
I will adjourn this October 24 meeting of the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners.
Alrighty, Have a great week
recording stop. I was just curious. It says that