waiting for a D capture to start running
mm
But we don't we don't need it. But second and
we can get going tonight. Or do you want me to wait? No it's fine. It's not gonna
happen.
Okay. Good morning, everybody Happy November 21.
Lots to be thankful for this week. And looking forward to a lot of cooking later
in the week. Um as we do every monday morning, we'll start our week with public comment.
Um if there's anyone who's joined us this morning and has a public comment they want
to make, please raise the hand, raise your hand using the raise hand button at the
bottom of the zoom screen. Also, we will have a number of other opportunities for
public comment throughout the day um on specific agenda items that are on our agenda
today. We have a couple of hearings and there's a number of items on the consent
agenda today. So they want to take a look at that. Um but anyone with us this
morning wishing to make a public comment, get us going not see any hands go up. There's
a hand,
we'll bring you over.
Good morning, john you'll need to a Knute
Good morning. Good morning. The only comment that I had this morning was that Heidi
seems to be uh you know, her mike seems to be quite far away or hardly hearing her
over here. So maybe way better. Thank you very much. Sorry about that. That's all.
I appreciate the reminder, swallow the mike. Um looks like tom tears. Would
like to be brought over. Thank you for that, john
good morning. Mr tears. You will have um, three minutes for public comment once you
get a muted
Good morning Commissioners everyone um, Mr beat me to to that comment. Yeah, you
barely barely audible. Um, a couple of items on your consent agenda caught my attention.
Um, The first one is consent number 13, which is spending almost
$13,000 to produce some videos uh, that are specifically regarding vaccinations for
covid. Uh, you know, these might have been useful 2.5 years ago, but it's a little
bit late. Yeah, the money is a grant. It's not coming directly out of the county
funds, but uh, that money really would be better spent on almost anything else for
public health, you know, to better promote public health and vaccinations in general.
But making a covid specific video five of them at this time. First of all, it's not
gonna change anybody's mind. Uh, those folks who are refused mix, they're gonna still
be there and uh, you know, I guess a redirect that money to something more useful
because this is just just wasteful. Um, other item that caught my attention was consent
number six, which is regarding K. P. T. Z. And their transmitter. Um, could you please
ask Willie bents when his time comes around if that $65,000 is going to include things
like generators for the transmitter site as well as for the studios, which I think
are being moved or have been moved to fort warden unless they have good standby generators
and and probably also a startling connection. Uh it's not going to be very useful
when the power goes out Countywide as as it did during the last big windstorm. So
just some some questions for emergency management. Thank you. Thank you. Mr tears.
Is there anybody else with us this morning who would like to make a public comment?
Um if so you can use the raise hand button at the bottom of your zoom screen and
there's no one with us on the phone this morning. So it just zooms our option. I'm
not seeing any other hands go up. Um So I will close public comment. Well, I'll leave
public comment open um till 9 30 but um we will move on with our agenda and
and yeah, Greg, would you like to address comments, made sure I can go first? Um
Thank you as always for the any reminder when we're not audible. You know, we really
appreciate that john and to tom you know, we can ask about the the more Gun Hill.
This is not the site of the K. P. T. Z. Studio itself, but just the um antenna. And
I define question for Willie, I assume that there would be generators there. I'm
not sure if the construction that we're supporting with this grant. He's going to
buy that or not. But it's a good question for willy and I'll ask it during our health
officer questioning on K. P. T. Z. Today. And as to the videos which looked more
like $10,000. Um you know, it's it's kind of, we have to use this grant money to
build a covid 19 vaccine confidence. So while I agree with the tenor of your statement
that it's probably not going to have a substantial impact on on people's vaccination
inclinations, you know. Um I do love supporting uh local local filmmakers in
increasing communication. So I think building a stable of of uh collaborators that
can do this work and communication work in the future does have real real long term
benefits. And I look forward to what they can come up with with this uh nacho grant
that we'd have to use for this or or something similar. You know, I don't think we
could redistribute this into a, you know, a a different public health application.
Um was my reading of it, but I don't know if staff has a different read on it, Not
on that, but I would like to add regarding K. P. T. Z. Uh Commissioner Brotherton
and I took a tour of their new facility on fort warden and they have a very sophisticated
and modern battery backup system That cost somewhere in the vicinity of 80-100,000
that will keep them on the air for an extended period of time. I can't recall exactly
how long. Yeah, but it's uh it'll keep them running for an extended period and typically
um tower installations of this type do have generator backup but will confirm that
I'm not sure. Willie knows that's a question probably for KPTZ folks, but we'll get
an answer for sure. Thanks Mark, I don't have anything to add regarding those couple
of comments that we've received so far. Um I will take one more pass at anyone
wanting to make a public comment this morning. Mhm You can use the raise hand button
at the bottom of your zoom screen. Okay. Not seeing any other hands go up. Any other
discussion on consent agenda. It's a Big one. Lots of good stuff here.
Um Yeah, I feel like there is a couple of things I want to call
out and just quit.
I mean the agreements for a lot of, you know, our programs that we've already talked
about is really great. And uh the typical confluence project is intriguing. I'm glad
it's getting going. You know, um it's always nice to see partnership between public
works and wash dot and and working out detours and
um great to see continued support for mental health counseling for our youth.
We've, you know, we've talked a lot about a lot of these stuff that the hiring and
retention incentive for corrections officers is really needed and you know, we see
it more and more and some of the more difficult to fill positions. But keeping Jeff
calm, you know, a 3 65 24 7 operation is is just critical to his mission. So this
is was easy to support couple just let people know that
property tax, uh appeals um, you know, starting with the Jefferson County Board of
Equalization.
Yeah. Great stuff. Take a week off and all this work keeps happening. Yeah, we did
last week and this week together. So that explains the meeting consent agenda. All
good stuff though.
I'm grateful for people stepping up for um additional terms on advisory boards in
the community. I mean I just can't underscore the importance of citizen volunteers
who step into these roles and and really um are active and productive members of
um issues from today from the Parks board to conservation futures
which allocates funding for conservation projects in the county and the solid waste
advisory committee. I mean there's just so many opportunities for people to be involved
in um committees as citizens. And if you're ever interested. I always like to say
this when there's more people on the line if you're ever interested in um raising
her hand for one of these committees are finding out which opportunities are available.
There's a list on the county website or you can call any of US commissioners or the
commissioner's office and um we can talk to you about the current availability of
opportunities to volunteer and get um engaged in your community more.
Well, anything else do you want to call out Mark on consent? No, I think, um, no,
I'm good with everything on there. Um, and kudos to staff. Well, I will move that.
We approve and adopt the consent agenda as presented and I'll second that and um,
all in favor. I um, Commissioner Dean is sporadically with us this morning, so,
um, it'll be mostly Commissioner Brotherton and I here. So, um, okay, consent agenda
passes and Greg, did you want to do something? I make a public comment. Yes, I know
that you had something and I did. Yes. Um, brought an accessory today. I just, you
know, it's, this is our first meeting since the election and I'm really gratified
at the support of Jefferson County residents and really feel re energized for another
term as your just three county commissioner. And really there was only one big question
that I got near the end of the campaign and that was, can you actually play the accordion?
And uh, well, no, not really. But I'd love to try and, and and express my feelings
that I had before the election, the day's going up to it and and how I'm feeling
right now, if I can beg,
he's got his pet Osa out, People watch out like a boy and his accordion, The ladies
accordion,
right size for you though. So this is from a classic film score and this is how I
was feeling really for the two weeks up to the election mm
or the theme from Halloween, I don't know now, one more just to show how I'm feeling
now. This is an old woody guthrie song, Pretty Boy Floyd. I actually wrote a campaign
song about this, but wiser, cooler heads prevailed and I never actually used it.
Oh, I screwed up one more time,
thank you, thank you. Yes, I know that the house goes wild, I'll have to admit when
the postcard came in my mailbox with you and the accordion on the front, I was like,
oh, this is Greg's support Greg postcard because it was, it was a good picture of
you. So anyway, still learning, still learning the accordion. Yeah, I'll keep working
it, keep working on it. Yeah, I'll never forget my first day as a commissioner and
you, you had a song for me? Yeah, that was great. Um well we have a little bit of
time. Uh we, we do have our regular now. Regular, third monday of the month, public
health update this morning at 9 45 with dr barry and Willy Benz, so, um, stay on
the line, you might get some more accordion too, if you stick around, you never know
what's going to happen, especially when, especially when kate's out of town. Right,
watch out. Um
so do you want to do a little calendar ring or what's your pleasure? We haven't done
that in a while. Yeah, maybe back a couple of weeks briefing briefing
and kate raise your hand if you at any point. Wanna pipe in. My dear, thank thank
you and I appreciate it. I'm sorry that I don't have great reception and just let
the public know and today on the family medical emergency but will be joining in
as I can and I would say or not, I mean you know um take care,
take care of your your people. So um okay
uh do you wanna start out, shall I go back two weeks? Yeah, because we haven't together
since the seventh. Yes, let's see. So um last on monday the
seventh um we're all together on Tuesday we're doing the annual park tour. But unfortunately
the inclement weather, we had the snow created accessibility issues for some of the
places we're going up to Camp beau site which hadn't been plowed. So that has been
rescheduled. Um And then we had the finalist interviews altogether for the
Jefferson Transit GM permanent ones. And super excited to announce yet again, it's
public information already that Nicole got ta who has been the interim GM has been
awarded the final the final position on a permanent basis. It was there was strong
applicants from all over and she, you know the work she's done and in building it
in teamwork and morale and services is was just uh it was really clear so I'm glad
that she that we had that process because even though you know someone in the debt
came out on top, she she proved herself against a worthy slate of of applicants.
So really proud of her and the work she's been doing for us. Uh and then it was Election
Day and I went on vacation so you know I didn't do a lot after that. We had um yeah
I just missed a bunch of stuff. Um and had a lovely time celebrating luckily Until
I got back Wednesday night the 16th. And then on Thursday
we had a Jeff calm meeting. Yeah we had a Jeff con meeting. Um And
uh yeah some some heavy stuff going down to Jeff calm too. We have a special meeting
this Tuesday as well to continue that work. Um and then attended the Kaswell Brown
development meeting and really excited to announce that uh the infrastructure is
going in this week, the septic and sewer and uh and they're going to start inviting
new new folks on on December one. So there's 36 more spots where we're working out
sort of an equitable. We I should say ali cap is working out an equitable application
process. But the first step is to get folks into the H. M. I. S. Coordinated entry
system. So um it's you know we are pretty confident there's gonna be more applicants
than we actually have spots. But all of the existing phase one residents that remain
from the fairgrounds which were 14. Um Plus I believe one kind of emergency mother
and child that were given an exception are down to at the new location already the
shower trailers in place and should be activated this week. And we're working with
P. U. D. Was really generous and donated a like early two thousand's double wide
that will end up being the community room, some staff staff offices and staff bathroom
as well as uh confidential offices for any stakeholder agency or advocate to
have private meetings. So that's really exciting and I'm glad to see that scaling
up soon. We had the board of health meeting on on thursday as
well and uh you know that went really well good presentation that we've long delayed
on on harm reduction from our health officer. And uh it was weird you know these
these health briefings that we've been now gone to monthly, you know I really miss
them. So it was got new information from dr barry at the board of health meeting.
Um we've got some new uh hearing I think coming up for uh new fees, environmental
public health fees should be going up I believe pretty much 5% across the board for
c. p. I. And a few fees will get adjusted or reduced as well. Um And there's a new
soils, you know you can get a two year um do a soil study and you get two years of
that soil study being valid which is a new new environmental health policy. And then
we had the Internet Intergovernmental collaborative group um on on thursday evening
and that was great to be mostly in person. It was a hybrid meeting of course out
of the Ports Pavilion building at at Cape George. I mean sorry Floyd Hudson. Excuse
me. And we've um we're going to continue the I. C. G. Going next year. I think there's
one big takeaway and and I think that Pavilion will be our new home for meeting.
So glad to have a place that people can come and and hope that we get more people
engaged in that ongoing effort. We can see the fruits of partnership with our municipal
partners across the spectrum from childcare to housing to infrastructure and glad
that that is going to continue. Um and then had talked
housing housing fund board a lot with some some staff and volunteers with some community
members on friday. Get caught up in a lot of email and unfortunately got some sort
of um confirm some bad news about a grant Grant use for the seventh Haven that looks
like it won't quite uh quite pencil with our efforts to make sure everything is above
board. So probably gonna have to return some money that is not able to be used but
we'll continue pursuing that. And that was my friend a what talk more about that.
What was that? Sure we had we'd asked for it's a chip grant. It's a grant specifically
for infrastructure and so the seventh Haven was gonna use it retroactively, which
was legitimate for uh $174,000 for the Seventh Haven project. So it was awarded to
the seventh Haven project to the county. And then we were going to, the idea was
to make a loan to Holy Cap. Um the there were a couple fears, one that it would,
if we made that loan, it would trigger uh commercial prevailing wage for the whole
project and would not, it would cost vastly more and we just didn't see any way around
that basically. And the loan was a little, a little sketchy and as you know, the
state auditor's, you know, we involve the treasurer's office and the deputy civil
prosecuting attorney and it just seemed the risk was high for for making that loan,
so pretty much the position of the county so far. So they're right now, they're only
Cap is going to go back and see if it can be used for a different project or if there's
any flexibility there, so it's not an absolute, but it's unlikely that we'll be able
to use it. Um Okay, so looking back two weeks, The only thing I
would say about our last meeting day, um November seven is that we had a workshop
on the um Forestry and DNR's carbon project and a number of
stakeholders from the community joined us here in the chambers. It was actually for
me exciting because it was the most people I'd seen in the chamber since I've been
a commissioner um and I appreciated everyone's participation and engagement on forestry
and we're still um still in the information gathering phase and and learning big,
big new pieces of information almost every day on the forestry and carbon front.
So our next opportunity for folks to tune in on this issue will be november 30th.
We're going to have a workshop at the Jefferson County Library from 4 30 to 6 30
have invited a number of stakeholders and if anyone has questions or interest in
participating, please reach out to myself for the commissioner's office and we'll
get you more information. Um it will be a hybrid meeting, so zoom will be an option
and um it can also be in the room with us. Um so let's see
Um on the 8th we had budget discussion with one of our departments with Mark
and it was really great for me just to see how our team can work together to find
middle ground when you know, um kind of trying to manage the budget um
in a in a super responsible way, but also responding to the needs of departments
and the way things have been done in the past and I feel like these conversations
that we're having as we go into the next budget setting process, are productive and
we're going to come out of all of this work together with a stronger budget in the
future. And I'm super grateful for Mark's leadership on that front because he's is
the C. P. A. And does have his head around the numbers and um knows when it might
be beneficial for the chair of the board to be involved in a conversation. So anyway
I was grateful to be involved in that. Um Then I had a meeting with our new noxious
weed coordinator um Sophie de Groot and she's a wonderful addition to the team. And
I know that a number of members of the public have reached out to me about weeds
in their backyard. And now there is an official weed coordinator on board and she's
out at W. S. You. So you can look at the W. S. U. U. Website and find the noxious
weed or you can look at our website and find the noxious weed program. And her contact
information encourage people to reach out to her. I was out for most of the eighth
um for a medical appointment for a member of my family and everything's fine there
and then celebrated election night with my seat mate and other colleagues. Um
Super grateful for the team staying together because I'm still um the new commissioner.
Not the most recently re elected commissioner. But anyway. No you don't. I still
get to be the new commissioner. But someone told me that after two years I'm going
to milk it for all it's worth until the end of this year because after two years
I can no longer call myself the new commission. Um On the ninth I so I've been participating
in a number of state D and our Department of Natural Resources work groups over the
last year and a half on a program program called the trust land transfer program.
Which is a mechanism by which we can transfer um lands that are better suited to
conservation or recreation out of DnR's timber management into the natural areas
status or into Washington, department of Fish and Wildlife, wildlife area or state
parks. Um Or in some cases county lands and these lands are traditionally or
yeah I mean they're they're just lands that are better suited to another use. And
you know when D. N. R. Was granted its lands over 100 years ago they were given two
sections in every township and some of those sections happened to have important
um species in them or some of them are shoreline. And now here we are 100 over 100
and 50 years later trying to manage these lands and there are you know restrictions
on them, federal state, you know shoreline restrictions um endangered species. Anyway
so trust land transfer has been an important tool and I spent a year and a half on
this work group and we we finished it up last week. So as part of that, I was part
of a junior taxing district focus group and we met on the ninth. Um And then
let's see. Then I joined Habitat for humanity at the library that afternoon to talk
about the Mason Street project. And Habitat is doing a number of community meetings
right now to um reach out to the community in in the phase one sewer boundary and
also just in in the immediate vicinity of the mason Street project. And um a number
of neighbors of the mason Street project were there and it was great just to hear
support for the project, support for the sewer and support for habitats leadership
um and developing workforce and affordable housing in Port Hadlock. So it's just
still the thing I'm the most excited about, I think I say that at least once a month.
Um Then that evening I went to a meeting at the grange and Chamique, um small celebration
of all the work that the grange has been doing throughout the year. Um but it's really
important. Whenever I go to the grange it reminds me of what a resource it is and
um how it's a place where district to folks in District Two can convene around issues
of agriculture and um just community issues of priorities that um
I don't know, it just feels like one constituent in District Two is asking, you know,
where's where's the civic center of District Two because we don't have a U. G. A.
Yet. We don't have a a city, we don't have a um a city council or you know, so we're
trying to figure out how how to have more civic conversations. Not civil civic. Um
Yeah civil is great. And then let's see, I'm also on another on thursday what the
encumbered Lands proviso work group which is a Washington State Association of Counties
work group that's been meeting for the last few months. And we wrapped up our work
together last week. Um And that's around lands that are encumbered by federal
endangered species restrictions. And there were five counties that were called out
in a proviso to the Legislature last year uh column and jefferson and then also Sky
mania. What kayak. Um um And oh the sky mania like ike,
I can't remember the fifth right now. Anyway we've been meeting for six months to
talk about this $10 million legislature and how um it should be allocated amongst
the county's um for used to buy replacement land or buy lands that aren't
encumbered so that they can have timber revenue versus um all of these lands that
are encumbered by a dangerous species rich restrictions. So going a little too deep
on forestry issues but that's where I've been um uh still active on the street E.
R. N. Environmental restoration network. Local integrating organization. Still the
chair of that. Co chair with with Representative Fahringer? and we've been working
on our legislative agenda and um that that's still something that I want to stay
super active on. Um feel like it needs that extra spurt of leadership. So
um met with some constituents who want to do a development project on Oak Bay Road
and I think I got them to the right folks in the courthouse or I mean in the county
and I think they're moving, moving ahead with their project friday was a holiday
and I'm going way long. But anyway, then um I was out the beginning of last week
Commissioner Dean and I were both at the Washington County Leaders Conference um
organized by the Washington State Association of Counties monday morning of that
conference. I participated in the Timber County Caucus meeting and that meeting included
a presentation on the carbon project from D. N. R. And um you know, there's still
more questions about the carbon project than there are answers, but we're learning
a lot more about the carbon project as as the weeks go by. So I'm hoping when we
get to our november 30th workshop, we'll have a lot more specifics to share with
folks. Um but I'm super. I'm it became clear at the Timber Counties meeting
that I'm probably one of the most optimistic people about the carbon project. I think
it could be a new viable tool in the toolbox for forest land management for D. N.
R. Um and I know that they're working double time to get to the revenue producing
pieces of that program to answer the questions largely of the beneficiaries that
get funding from um the timber lands that are managed by D. And R. On our behalf.
So Um hold tight everyone on that one um looks like I had more trust, land transfer
work group meetings on Tuesday too, So while I was at the conference I was actually
running up to my hotel hotel room and jumping on zoom. I felt like half the time.
Um One of those meetings was the kickoff of our recruitment process for the Washington
State University extension director for jefferson County, which is I mean I feel
like that should be emboldened the leader that we are moving forward with hiring
our next extension director and I know that a number of people are really excited
about that and have been waiting to hear that news that we actually have a plan for
that recruitment so I can officially announce that here today um and then came
back on thursday and got ready for vendor meetings with the 1/10 of 1% behavioral
health committee. Um We're doing our grant vendor interviews right now and um
we did our first round of them last friday and then we're doing our second round
of them the 12th of december and we will know um how all that funding will be allocated.
I think we have about $700,000 worth of funding to allocate um for uh the next
per year for the next two years. So it's a two year grant grant cycle. Um
Board of Health meeting as commissioner Brotherton mentioned I. C. G. I too was inspired
to be back in person with our colleagues at the I. C. G. It's been really interesting
for me as a commissioner. My entire campaign was done virtually thanks to Covid,
I don't know if I'm thinking Covid here but thanks to Covid. Right and then most
of my first two years have been all virtual. So as we move back into being together
I just feel like a kid in a candy store. I mean going into the pavilion building,
seeing what the poor has done with that building. It was where pygmy kayaks was located
for decades and I remember going in there and all the kayaks hanging in their racks
and it just felt so different to be in that building but I'm so glad that the ports
has embraced it and is turning it into a community space and that we can have our
I. C. G. Meetings there next year. We plan to have all of our meetings there so that
the community knows where we are and when they can come to participate. So just really
glad to be back in person as much as possible. Um Met with Mark to play an agenda
for this week, had a planning session for the november 30th
workshop on friday morning with Mallory and her team Mallory, wine Heimer chickadee
forestry is kind of the coordinator of our forestry efforts and
she's assembled a great team of folks and they're going to come to the november 30th
workshop with some recommendations and specific ideas about parcels of land that
uh Jefferson County may propose co management with D. N. R. Because some of the lands
that have been proposed for um the carbon project may actually be better suited to
timber harvest, recreation. Some of them are places where certain recreational groups
have um kind of earmarked as the best locations for routes for like the
olympic Discovery Trail or extension of trails in Anderson Lake State Park. So there's
just some some opportunities for creative um planning around those parcels of land
that aren't wouldn't just include timber harvest or just include the carbon project
but might include a mix of those uses on that parcel. So anyway, stay tuned for that.
And then we did our 1/10 of 1% vendor interviews on friday the 18th and then the
cherry on top of the sunday of the last two weeks of Civic duty was the grand opening
of the jump playground at the HJ carroll park and it was just full of joy, I mean
the um the brass band was there playing their instruments which is always joyful,
but the the thing that I said in my my comments was that I imagined for all the years
of knowing about the jump playground um and its eventual location when I walk in
HJ Carroll park or I ride my bike, which I do frequently because the rick Tollefson
trail connects to the, connects my side of Hadlock to the west side of Hadlock in
the schools, I ride across there a lot and I'm always imagining that little patch
of ground and thinking someday that's just going to be full of joy and laughter and
oh my God friday, it was freezing cold but it was a calf. Any of kids just screaming
in joy and it was just exactly what I imagined that place would be and I'm so grateful
for the county leadership, our public works team um and parks, matt matt Tyler and
parks, I mean everybody dug in an oar and we all rode together in the same direction
um along with the jump playground board and Sarah Grossman who led that board and
all of her team and the um contractor who actually constructed the playground and
if you haven't gone and seen it yet, you have to go. It is so colorful and happy
and joyful and I did not, I know I talked about the merry go round in my comments
and I probably talked about it in my comments here. I did not get on the merry go
ground yet, it was too full of kids, so I had to had to defer to the principal stakeholders
of that playground on friday, but it, it was awesome. It was, I've never seen an
opening as well as tended for sure. Or as many screams of joy. Yeah, nothing short
of awesome. Nothing short of awesome. So that ends my last week. Um, so
I gobbled up most of the time. Uh, do you want to look ahead for? We can do it quickly.
Well we can look ahead quickly because today this week is thanksgiving and the courthouse
is closed on thursday and friday. So I have a couple of meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday,
but not much. So I'll be getting a lot of my tasks done and if anyone's waiting on
anything for me know that you're going to get it this week. Um sorry, I've had this,
I keep this list, my most important tasks in my notebook and sometimes the page gets
really long before things get checked off, but about I have about a half a page of
stuff to do this. This Tuesday and Wednesday, but then we'll be out thursday and
friday. So all right, well done. Um, yeah, it's, it's a short one, I'll be, if you're
waiting for an email back from me or something, I'll probably get that taken care
of before Wednesday this week to um, tonight, busy night we have the point in time
kickoff meeting if anyone wants to volunteer in the, the annual homelessness count.
Uh first meeting's tonight that happens in january. I can send you the the countdown
clock. Um, and then we have the North Hood Canal Chamber of Commerce down in Quill
seen uh, from 4 30 then the board meeting and then the all all hands meeting at 5
30. And there's a community meeting meeting about the um relationship between
the community centers and Ali Cap, which manages the them and the community, which
is really interested in the advisory council, which is Um referenced in our contract
but hasn't really uh taken place yet. So a meeting about that. That's from 6:30 to
who knows when tonight? Uh tomorrow we're I think just about done with the ASAP
uh project through the area sector analysis with the E. D. C. So I'll participate
at that in the morning. And then as I mentioned, we have a special meeting of Jeff
calm, which will mostly be executive session at 10 a.m. And then uh go, you know,
visit some some staff members to uh, down at Holy Cap for a little thanksgiving celebration
on Wednesday. We've canceled the housing fund board meeting because it's the day
before thanksgiving. Um we'll talk a little bit about that later in the agenda today.
And then I am meeting with some some folks about uh D. N. R. Forest issues on Wednesday.
And then uh that's it for me this week, maybe in case folks don't know what the point
in time count. Maybe you can explain a little bit about what that is just for the
benefit of the public who's with us? Sure. So every year there's a, an annual point
in time count that zip. Huh? I guess. Um, and so we count how many folks
are are homeless? Holy Cat manages this count and it can, um, there's some interest
in expanding the scope because a lot of those folks who are, you know, couchsurfing
or marginally house don't necessarily qualify for the point in time count. But would
be interested, we would be interested in capturing that data for our own, our own
work with the housing fund board and other housing uh, programs. But it's basically
one day and you're trying to find on that point in time how many people are unhappy
housed in jefferson County? They don't have, you know, if they're in an RV, they
don't have electricity, your septic or, you know, so they're not, that's pretty much
it. Um, if you're in an RV with appropriate septic and electrical and you can wash
and and prepare food, then you're not an housed according to the point in time count.
So that it'll, there'll be a couple of meetings. The first one, as I say, reach out
to me if you want to be invited today. But it relies on volunteers. Usually I've
participated down at the South End food banks, you know, just hidden everybody up
as they come in asking if they know anyone that's homeless or or one housed and uh,
or if they are themselves and often people don't even identify as as a new house
but would qualify for the point in time count. So it's a lot of communication and
talking about definitions and it's a lot about, you know, shaking people out where
they where they house, where they can't, you know, there's people that go out to
the known encampments in the areas around Port Townsend. And um really it's just
an opportunity to identify the scope of the problem that we're trying to work on.
Thank you. And how about how many of you guys counted in the past? You know, anywhere
that and our numbers are the tip of the iceberg. Often the school's own count will
identify more students who are marginally housed, but you know, 100 and 50 to 175
is usually the number that we get. Okay, thank you. Um, it's 9 46 and I see Dr barry
has joined us. So we will kick off our monthly and I saw Willie, Willie there too.
Um, we have to accept, I saw a number of KPCC questions. So it's this is our first
monthly update from dr barry. So we'll see if we can actually get it done in 45 minutes.
Good morning, everyone. It's nice to see you. Again, it does feel like it's been
a while, um, and based on some of the comments we've received from K. P. T. Z. Probably
longer than some of our listeners would have preferred. So it's nice to be back with
you guys and there are some updates to give today. The biggest challenge we're facing
right now is that we have three simultaneous respiratory viruses putting a strain
on our healthcare system. So I'll talk you through all three. Um, but we are we are
facing some shortages in access to health care related to respiratory viruses in
our region and the state as a whole nationally On the Covid front cases and hospitalizations
are relatively flat, deaths are actually down 10%. But that's down to 286 deaths
per day due to Covid 19, which is still an incredibly high number. Um as we've discussed
on this program before, a bad flu season is about 60 to 80 deaths per day. So we're
still well above that when it comes to Covid 19. And we've just been hanging there
for quite some time. Um, so that just helps us keep in perspective that Covid 19
remains a very severe virus and much more severe than the flu statewide cases. And
hospitalizations as well as deaths are relatively flat. In jefferson County. We have
diagnosed 6244 cases of Covid 19. That puts our case rate at 184 per
100,000. Um with a 6.7% positivity rate. Uh that combined with the rate of home tests
reported to our, our office puts us at a case ascertainment rate of about 20% right
now, meaning we're catching about one in five of the cases that are out there. So
there's still a lot of COVID-19 transmission in our community. We have no one currently
hospitalized for COVID-19. We did have two more hospitalizations in the last week.
So a total of 162 hospitalizations. Unfortunately, we do have one new death to report
today. Um, we lost one of our citizens to covid 19 for a total of 33 deaths in this
response. He was a man in his seventies. He was vaccinated and boosted but had not
had a chance to get the benevolent booster yet. Um, he had multiple chronic conditions
and unfortunately his trajectory was affected by access to health care issues, particularly
around some of the critical hospital shortages We're seeing in Kitsap county right
now. Um, that that likely contributed to his morbidity and ultimate mortality. We
are still seeing a better uptake in our region of the by violent boosters than in
many. Um, we are tied with San Juan County for having the most vaccinated population
with by violent boosters. So 40% of our population has gotten that booster, but we
still have a ways to go to get more of our population vaccinated Cleveland county
is third in the state with uptake of the by violent booster at 30%. Clown County's
case rate is currently 109 but the case ascertainment rate in clown is much lower
at 7%. So we are, we're not capturing most of the covid cases that are out there
currently on the covid front, we're following the variants that we're seeing um nationwide.
We're seeing BQ 1.1 which is a sub variant of omicron overtaking the prior variants.
We've not yet seen that here. Currently in Washington state, 67% of the covid 19
virus variants that have been sequenced R B A four and five. So we're still seeing
predominantly B A 45, the B Q sub variants, which is the newest one, which is even
the most immune evasive we've seen yet is 18% of the variant mix that we're seeing
at this point. So that I'll just say it's still oh macron, but we do have a new variant
on the horizon that is even more immune evasive than what came before. And when I
say immune evasive, that means it has the ability to get around prior immunity primarily
actually in this case from prior infection. And I think that's really important for
folks to know because we uh back in the day, you might remember there was discussion
about kind of hybrid immunity if you've been vaccinated and gotten covid that you
were protected against all subsequent infection and that's no longer true in the
age of OMA. I'm so with BQ 1.1 starting to circulate as well as be a four and five
basically if you were not, if you're not, if you were infected before july you don't
have protection against what's circulating right now. And as BQ 1.1 starts to overtake
that that date will move even closer. The good news is that we are seeing very good
efficacy from the by violent booster. So we're seeing neutralizing antibody levels
from those who have gotten the by violent booster Um that are 15 times those who
didn't and that are five times those who had a recent infection. And the most compelling
thing there is that we're seeing protection against symptomatic disease in early
data that's lasting up to six months from when you got that vaccine. The additional
good news is that we are seeing good cross reactivity against BQ 1.1. So this new
variant that's moving forward. We are seeing that the violent boosters protecting
well against that. So we have the tools we need to manage the COVID-19 surge that
is starting in our state and our country but we we need to use them. So more of us
need to move forward with getting the by violent booster. It's really important.
Um and it's very promising that could prevent us from getting sick this winter and
giving the virus to other people. The other two viruses that we're watching very
closely are influenza and RsV. We are moving into flu season and we are starting
to see flu cases tick up in our region. Um when it comes to flu we don't count all
the cases but we look at
the% 6
of the samples that we're sending coming back positive. That's up from 2% last week.
So we are in the upward trajectory of influenza. And the most concerning is RSV or
respiratory syncytial virus in most people this causes a cold but in very young people
or high risk individuals it can cause severe disease hospitalization or even death.
And what we're seeing is a really dramatic uptick in RSV cases in Washington state,
including in our region. Our regional report that comes out of kids app jefferson
and column is showing that 30% of RSV tests that are being sent off are coming back
positive for RSV. So really a lot of RSV in our community and most critically we
are seeing a shortage of access to pediatric care um and particularly pediatric hospital
beds looking at at how we manage pediatric care when you need critical pediatric
care when you need to be hospitalized and and get that higher level of care. We always
have to transfer our Children to Seattle or Tacoma to get them cared for. And both
of those hospitals are critically overwhelmed at this time. Um We're seeing demand
for three times the hospital beds that are available at Seattle Children's. The wait
times in the er there are four hours for kids to be seen and we're seeing the same
thing play out at mary Bridge in Tacoma. So so our pediatric hospital system is experiencing
a surge that's very similar to what we experienced as a whole in the Delta wave.
Um It's they're talking about it as as their their covid crisis moment. Um And I
think it's just really important that we all take that into account. Um And that
we take what precautions we can to protect our kids. RsV doesn't have a vaccine for
it that's widely available. Um But what does work really well for RsV is masking
masking and indoor spaces makes all the difference. And so I at this point, given
what we're seeing with hospital access, I would ask all of us to mask indoors when
we're in any kind of crowded indoor space for a prolonged period of time. It's really
critical that we mask in the coming weeks so that we can prevent a critical collapse
of our pediatric health care system. Remember. And then the other big part of that
is stay home when you're sick what feels like a cold for you could be fatal for a
small child? So making sure that you're not spreading what feels like a mild infection
to kids in your life. And if we mask indoors, we do that through the holiday season.
We really can quell this surge of RSV and make sure that our kids have access to
the care that they need a doctor. Can I just make sure that I'm understanding clearly
it's the RSV explicitly that is causing the Tacoma and Seattle pediatric.
Yeah, it's particularly primarily RSV but it's a little bit of everything. So the
biggest driver of that is RSV, but we're starting to see influenza also starting
to hit the pediatric hospital system. And so that's one that we have a good vaccine
for. So that's getting vaccinated and masking would make a difference. There. We
are starting to see some covid activity in the pediatric hospital system as well.
So getting vaccinated and masking works there too. Um, and then the other thing that
is affecting it is that this surge is coming at a bad time for our health care system.
Our, our health care workers have many got incredibly burned out in the last couple
years um, under the strain of covid 19 and so we're short staffed. Um, and we were
short staffed going into this and now we're having this critical surge of demand
on top of being short staffed. So it's all those variables working together, but
the biggest driver is RsV and are you talking to schools about, I mean perhaps mandating
masks in classrooms again or is this something that's uh, anyone has any appetite
for? So that is something that is a conversation we're starting to raise because
particularly with RSV, the group that we're most worried about is kids. Um, and we
know that school mask mandates make a huge difference in reducing transmission of
all of these viruses, including RSV. Our hope is to try to get there without a mandate.
If we can get more of our community to mask up without mandating it, that's always
preferable. But if we get to the point that we can't provide care to our local Children,
that would be the time where we would move towards a mask mandate in schools. It
would be temporary until we can get through the RSV season. Um, and I'm hoping we
don't have to do a mandate, but that is on the table. Um, if we're getting to the
point where kids can't get the care they need, I think it's something that we all
can do. Thanks.
Any other questions from our commissioners before I moved to the cue pete. Easy questions.
No, although I had a cough for three weeks and I'm wondering if it was RSV and then
there I was coughing around and I'm asking a lot, but you know, um, just, it was
interesting as I was so concerned about Covid and I was testing testing, testing,
testing for Covid negative negative Now I'm like, okay good. I don't have Covid,
I just have a cold. But now that I am understanding what the symptoms of RSV are,
I'm like, did I have RsV you know? Anyway, so um, if you have a cough, a *** leak
off, you might, you know, want to start masking if you have, if you're around kids
or elderly people, just just, I mean, I wish I had been more um
good about that. Thank you for sharing that. And that's a really common thing is,
you know, we've done such a good job of talking about Covid and thinking about Covid
that that is a common tendency as people will test, it's not Covid. So they go about
their day. Um and it is okay to not, you know, not isolate as much if it's not Covid,
but it is really critical that you mask and if you can stay home or work from home,
please do. But if you have to go out in the world masking in those spaces does make
a big difference in keeping you from transmitting to others. Well, I'll be happy
to move into the K. P. T. Z. Questions. Uh the first one was a passionate plea for
a return to weekly uh weekly K. P. T. Z. Meetings and I defer to the Commissioner's
on that one, I am here at the pleasure of the Commissioners and I know they have
a lot of other business to tackle. Um, one thing we can explore is, if there's a
particular week of the month, that's easier for the public to remember than the third
monday. Um, so for instance, something like the first monday might be, might trigger
a little more easily for people who don't track a bunch of outlook schedules the
way that we do. Um, so just some options on the table, but I'm happy to be here as
much as you guys need me to, as I understood it, dr barry, it was a little bit based
on your capacity constraints because your, your allocation for, you know, um, state
funding to deal with. Covid was, was reduced significantly. Right? So there are some
limits on my time though, we actually just found some grant funding to cover a little
bit more time for me to, to dedicate to jefferson County in particular. So if we
needed to stretch this out for another couple of months, we could, so we have the
capability to do that. If we needed to, I should point out that we have 54 folks
in on the call today, which there's a pretty large number. I'm not sure they're all
here for your update dr barry because we have other items on the agenda of interest,
but that's about the highest number I've seen. And um, so some people got the word
regarding your pitch this morning, so, um, appreciate you being here. Well, we can,
we can mark you and I can talk about when we need to talk with K. P DZ because I
know they had to rejigger the whole programming schedule which is not a small monster
and um but you know maybe we could consider going twice a month, you know, 1st and
3rd or something and and anyway so we'll work on it with you okay? Um and
whatever we whatever we settle on, I'm happy to be here on the time that we can um
and we're still here every day of the week at Jefferson County Public house and we're
always posting on facebook responding to emails. So if you have questions, do send
it our way and know that if we get multiple questions on the same issue, we usually
turn it into a facebook post because it means that more people have that question.
Um so you can still drive the conversation in that way. Um a couple of other questions.
So this person was asking about the Nova vax booster. Um they got the M. RNA vaccines
and then a J. And J booster a year ago and they were wondering if they could get
the nova vax as a second booster. They had a reaction to the M. RNA vaccines. So
they don't want to get the by violent M. RNA boosters. Unfortunately the Novavax
vaccine has not been approved as a second booster, it is approved as a first booster.
So if you had no other booster you can get it in that way but we can't use it as
a second until it's approved by the FDA for that indication. Um It's the biggest
reason why we haven't seen that yet is there's just not the data on its benefit as
a second booster. So if you are in, if you're in that rare group that can't get an
M. R. N. A. Vaccine, definitely make sure you've at least gotten one booster and
Novavax is a great match for that. Um but beyond that, you're gonna have to lean
on these other interventions to minimize your exposure. Things like masking and indoor
spaces. Um And also what's called ring vaccination. So making sure that people around
you are up to date on their vaccines Because the by violent booster is showing good
promise at reducing symptomatic disease, making sure your household has all gotten
the by violent booster actually does reduce the risk of you getting COVID-19 even
if you don't get it. So that's another way to kind of boost the immunity in your
surrounding space. When we talk about the tiny group of people who can't get vaccines
right now which is very small Children. Ring vaccination is really what we lean on
is vaccinating their parents and their siblings to make sure that we don't bring
Covid home to them. Uh this next person was asking uh like Commissioner Brotherton
about mask mandates. Um so in Canada there's discussion of returning to mask mandates
generally, even beyond schools, just in the community as a whole. Um, similar to
hear the conversation I've been hearing from my colleagues in Canada is to really
try to get folks to do that voluntarily. Um, we're struggling with what we've often
struggled with in this pandemic that disconnect between what we're seeing in the
health care system and what we're seeing in the community. So if you spend any time
at Children's hospital or mary bridge, you know, that it is incredibly stressful
and there it's heartbreaking to see so many sick kids in the waiting room that they
can't get to. And it's not what we're seeing in the world. And so I think many people
in our community just don't know that that's happening. And so one of my jobs today
is to let you know that that is happening. Um, there are there are kids who need
care who are struggling to access it. And what we can do as a community to make sure
they have that access is to mask up. And I know my colleagues in King and Pierce
are spreading that same message this morning as well. If we all can mask up in the
next few weeks, we can help protect kids. I'm hoping that we can do that without
mandates, but if we needed to, we would trigger a mask mandate in this case because
it's about a pediatric infection. It would be primarily in the school system where
we think about doing that mandate, not necessarily in the community as a whole. But
it does make a difference if we mask as a community because you're less likely to
spread RSV to a kid. Um, so it would be something really critical we all can do.
Um, so that this person asked if the viruses were behaving differently differently
in Canada and the United States and they're not, we're all struggling with the same
issue. Um, the biggest challenge is what, what can we do about it and what is our
community willing to do to protect our kids in this winter season? Uh, this next
question was from a 55 plus senior cohousing community. It sounds like they've been
incredibly safe throughout the pandemic and really following all of our recommendations
to a tee and sometimes even going going further than our recommendations. And it
sounds like it's been serving them well. But one of the questions they had was, um,
whether or not right now they're saying that when they have visitors outside of their
community, if they're vaccinated, they can come to shared events, but they have to
stay masked, meaning that they can't share meals with folks. Um, and they were wondering
if for the holiday season or as we move forward, if we could change that. And I think
one way you could consider changing it is to say that if people have gotten there
by violent booster more than two weeks ago, then that they could come in and share
meals with other folks in the community knowing that the ask is that people who are
sick don't because just like we talked about, we don't want rsv spreading in your
community either. Um, so if they've had their by violent booster, I think it's reasonable
to let them share meals and really have a conversation with folks about how if you're
sick, you have to stay home and if you have any signs or symptoms of Covid 19 or
any of these other viruses, that's really important to test before you come. And
if you're feeling ill don't come at all until you're feeling better. Um, it sounds
like they're also doing a somewhat stringent isolation for people who have tested
positive for Covid 19 Um saying that individuals have to test negative before they
return to the community. I would say it is reasonable to say that folks can return
from isolation after five days of isolation as long as they wear a mask until day
10 And then it's reasonable to unmask after day 10. I don't think we need to have
people testing negative before they return a lot of times people will test positive
for a long, long time and not be contagious to other people. Um, so it's okay to
not lean on that some people will test negative early. Um, and so sometimes you can
use testing to get out of isolation earlier, but that's very, very rare. So usually
I say five days isolation, five more days of masking and then you should do just
fine. Um, they've also been doing a quarantine for folks who have traveled. Um, I
would say that's a very, uh, it is effective, but if you're not wanting to, they've
been doing a five day quarantine for folks who've traveled. If you want, you could
do a three day quarantine and a test, um, with the shortened incubation period that
we're seeing, um, with the omicron sub variants, you're likely to catch it after
day three, especially if you do a test, if you want to get folks back in the community
for those who are listening, who don't live in this community. We're not generally
recommending quarantine at this point. We're not quarantining folks for covid 19
anymore. Um, we, but we do really recommend paying close attention to symptoms.
Um, and testing at the first sign of symptoms and masking if you've been in any kind
of high risk whenever you're in a high risk space. If you do all those things, you
should do just fine. And so if as a community, you decided to, you wanted to do away
with quarantine after travel. I think that's okay too. You just really want to have
a conversation with folks about being aware of their symptoms, testing at first sign
of symptoms. And you could consider testing after travel testing on day three regardless
of symptoms that will catch a couple more cases too. But it sounds like you're being
super safe and that it serves you well. And I would encourage you to keep being safe.
Just figure out what, where are the tension points in your, in your protocols that
are making things hard on you and your, uh, and the people in your community and
look at how you can adjust those to make it sustainable through the holiday season.
Uh, this next person asked, are the new strains of covid covered or not covered by
the most recent vaccines. And so the good news is that, um, with BQ 1.1 or B. Q one,
which is the newest sub variants of omicron early data is suggesting that they actually
are well covered by the, by violent booster. They're not well covered by the old
boosters. Um, and so if you haven't gotten your by violent booster, it's really important
to move forward with that. But it is still showing good protection against B. Q one
and BQ 1.1. So if you've gotten all those things, you're in a good position as you
move into the winter. Um, this person was particularly saying they're, they're kind
of just starting to come out again and be in the community and do they have to isolate
again. And the answer is no, I don't think that you need to isolate. Um, I think
it's important to be in community and and participate in the activities that are
meaningful to you. The only thing to do to make that possible is to wear a mask.
Um and so this person mentioned that they're going to church. Church is a relatively
high risk setting because there's usually depending on the size of your church, often
hundreds of people in a closed space that often has poor ventilation. Um so that's
a space where I would wear a mask. Um So if I was going to a holiday service, I'd
be wearing a mask in that space, um, restaurants are are a place where you can't
mask. And so if you're very, very high risk, you know, if you're undergoing chemotherapy,
if you're immuno suppressed, it's reasonable to exercise some caution in the winter
season around going to restaurants. Um but if you've gotten your violent booster
and your primary worry is covid we are seeing good protection against symptomatic
disease. And so it's okay to go to restaurants as long as you've got in your booster.
Um And then this last question was an interesting one. They said, if a person were
to get just one shot this fall and they have been routinely getting routinely getting
a flu shot, would the flu shot by itself be a good idea or would it be smarter to
get the by violent booster instead. So first I have to say my preferences, you get
both of them. You can get two shots. I got two shots. Um The best way to go is to
protect against both. But if for whatever reason you were constrained and needed
to pick between flu and getting your by violent booster, I would actually recommend
the by violent booster. Remember that COVID-19 has a mortality rate that is 100 times
that of influenza. It is a much more serious virus. So protecting against getting
and giving COVID-19 is the most critical thing to do. But my recommendation is get
both wear a mask and credit indoor settings and you should be able to do just fine
through this winter with that. I'm happy to take any other questions or passed to
Willi. I have one more question for you. Two part question. Um, So as
I guess there aren't at home tests for RSV or the flu, are there not right now? No,
there's not any are at home, there's not really any rapid tests for RsV. There is
a rapid flu test, but right now it's only two played in clinical settings. So um,
the the only way to tell the difference between the two or the three. So RSP generally
feels like a cold Covid can feel like anything right? So it can feel like a cold,
it can feel like the fluid. It's that's been one of the complexities with it. The
flu can be Covid or the flu of the flu is classically sudden onset severe symptoms.
So you go from feeling fine to the next day. You feel like you were hit by a truck
often has some gi symptoms, headache. You just feel awful. You have a fever if you're
having those symptoms, it is really important if you're in a high risk group to get
tested because we have medication for the flu. Um, and we have medication for covid,
both of which still work very well against what's currently circulating. So if you're
over 65 if you have underlying conditions or if you're under five, you are high risk
for severe disease from the flu. And so if you're having those kind of symptoms in
your family, it's important to get tested. So you can differentiate between the two
and get the treatments that we have available.
And then just following up on that, you know, we don't do case ascertainment rates
for the flu or any contact tracing or attempts. I guess I'm just more and more, especially
with the positive tests so similar between the flu and and covid right now. I guess
I'm just looking at the landscape for Covid as we go forward and fear that it's pretty
much the same non response that we have to flu and wondering, you know, what else
can we, what else can we do as funding? You know, dwindles and, and I don't know
what, what are we missing right now as a society other than masking. I think you're
very clear about that right now. But we're going into this this uh, this season,
um, the infectious disease season call it. And it feels kind of like we've we've
given up the battle a little bit against Covid as a society. Yeah, it does. Um, and
I think it's a really it's a really difficult time where people are exhausted. Um,
funding is drying up and we're not, the virus isn't done. Um And so, so what do we
do as we move forward through that? Um, And I think it's a it's a difficult time
all around um for how and the answers aren't super clear for how we get through this.
But I do think we can look at where we have succeeded in the past. Um and our biggest
successes have come not related to massive amounts of funding and not even related
that much to mandates, but due to the community pulling together and thinking about
how each of our actions affect the people around us. And that's something we can
do without a whole bunch of money. Um, So the the biggest thing we can do is minimize
our transmission to each other and that means stay home when you're sick and wear
a mask. Um and get the vaccines that are available to you. They're still widely available
thankfully with the extension of the federal emergency order, um, treatments are
still widely available. Two packs of it is still available and still free regardless
of your insurance status. So you can still get that if you have, if you have Covid,
but it is, it's tight right now. Um, and I think it's important for us to kind of
tap into that community spirit that we had three years ago. Um, and really really
pushed through this this winter. I do think there is light at the end of the tunnel
in that. I do think we're moving into these becoming seasonal viruses. So it should
be much better come spring. But we do need to get through the winter and the holiday
season is a time of community. And I think there's no better way to show your care
for your community than by protecting the most vulnerable in it.
I have a great segue on that point dr barry. I remember last year when we were approaching
thanksgiving and we had our check in with you and um, I said, you know, this is the
turkey confidential edition of the doctor very update if anyone's a foodie. And we
listened to Lynne rossetto KASPER's turkey confidential broadcast for decades anyway.
Um, so last year I said, well, I think we're going to do rapid testing for everyone
before they come in the house and we're going to do it again this year. We're gonna
have cocktails and rapid tests on the front porch by the fire before people come
in the house just just to be sure, you know, because we do have a number of older
folks around the table and um, and it's just as you just indicated, it's, it's showing
care for our community and are the closest people in my community, you know, who
will be with us at the thanksgiving dinner table. So, um, consider that. I mean,
we've all been getting free shipments of say yes, rapid tests for months now if we've
been signing up for him. And my mom, my mom was like, I've got 30 tests. I'm like,
okay, well we'll do rapid testing again. So, um, anyway, we're going to do rapid
testing again for our thanksgiving celebration and I think it's just a good, it's
a, it's a new tradition. Right? Yeah, absolutely. And they do the say yes Covid test
does tend to ship within 48 hours. So if you've managed to run out of tests at your
home and you put in an order today, you could probably still get it before thanksgiving.
Um, but I think thinking about thanksgiving and keeping that safe. Um, look at the
people around your table. Do you have a bunch of kids under five. Do you have a bunch
of elderly folks or folks with chronic conditions? If so one of the biggest things
to do is to make sure that you don't go to a thanksgiving dinner if you're sick.
Um, and it's really tempting to go because it's a big day and you've been looking
forward to it. but if you're ill and you bring Rsv to a sick kid who's not going
to have a hospital bed in a week, that's not the kind of care we want to show to
our family and community. So staying home when you're sick is really critical. Testing
for Covid. If you have access to tests I think is a is a good additional safety measure.
Um Any other questions for dr berry in the room here? Mark Greg anymore?
Okay. Um well so willie, a lot has happened since we last talked to you as well on
your front. Think that windstorm from the westerly wind storm people are still talking
to me about that. That's the top discussion point in my life right now is why why
why so much um damage from that when windstorm versus all the other ones we have.
Yeah. So we'll we'll take a quick shift away from covid and talk about the windstorm.
Um We did just last week start what's called our preliminary damage assessment which
is a process through the state Emergency Management division and fema um to hopefully
get that federal disaster declaration which would mean money coming in for um some
reimbursement for some of the response costs. So um that was started last week. It'll
run through early december and I should have an update on that um for this meeting
next month and we still don't have a total amount of damage um cost estimate but
we will um once we complete this process. Um so this event in particular did hit
us pretty hard. Um The National Weather service was predicting a pretty strong windstorm
event a few days in advance and the event that eventually hit us was near the worst
case scenario. Um so they had a couple of different scenarios outlined. This was
not quite the absolute worst case, but it was definitely near that end of the spectrum.
And one of the big problems was that this occurred pretty early in the season. Um
We had a couple of smaller wind events here already, but when this stuff like this
happens this early on in the season, there's still a lot of dead debris or dying
debris up trees. Um there are a lot of trees that may be near ready to come down
that that this gives them the kind of first push, a big strong push. Um and so this
basically shook everything that might have come loose throughout the winter, basically
shook it loose all at once. Um so again, cost estimates are still ongoing and we'll
have a final number for you and hopefully a decision on that federal declaration
um here within the next month or so. Um if you as an individual um suffered damaged
your home as a part of this event, um it's very unlikely that we get any sort of
individual assistance from fema. Um your uh steps you should be taking should be
to talk to your homeowners insurance and things of that nature. I do know of at least
three homes that were damaged by falling trees. Um do not hesitate to reach out.
Um We we can't offer any sort of direct system here. Um but we would love to be able
to include um your situation as part of our request to the federal government. We
may be able to offer some advice. Um so don't hesitate to reach us reach out to us
here at D. E. M. Regarding that. Um Otherwise it has been relatively dry the past
week or so unusually dry for this time of year um but will remain ready um to respond
to future winter storms were I'm in the process of conducting our after action review
um with all of our partners. Um but again, one more time, I will give a shout out
to our public utilities district to our road crews, both um at the city at the county
and at the state who just did phenomenal work in that event, I'm moving on to the
covid front. Um you know, I think Commissioner Brotherton and Dr Berry both mentioned
that funding has dried up on the 100% federal cost share for response activities
ended on july 1st and it went down to 90% through october 31st and then that deadline
has passed and so it is really unfortunate that even as we are recommending folks
start to mask up yet again, we don't have access to be able to distribute those free
masks as we once did. Um thankfully though, I do know of a lot of locations, still
have quite a backstop from masks. We previously distributed either surgical or in
95 or kn 95. So, you know, in a lot of businesses, um a lot of organizations still
do have free masks available when you walk in their front door. So do take advantage
of those. Um just know that we won't be distributing um any of those free masks like
we did previously. Um you already mentioned say yes covid test um still is available
um to Washington residents very thankfully on the federal program ended back in september
but it is still um I think a huge resource for washingtonians able to access those
tests say yes covid tests. I mean, last but not least as we move into the holiday
season, I will put in one plug that. Um Commissioner Brotherton has been really vocal
about advocating for and that's monitoring air flow um using a HEPA filter to help
clean the air um and provide a little bit more of a safe environment for yourself.
Your family, your coworkers, um, you know, a HEPA filter and a C. 02 monitor um together
and run easily into the thousands of dollars, but at their cheapest. I'm just looking
at amazon you can get two small help of filters and a C. 02 monitor for about 100
bucks, which is certainly not nothing but for those who do have the resources that
would be a phenomenal asset in your home during your holiday celebrations and for
employers. And that's certainly something we should be looking at. Having an office
is having in classrooms on the uh sitting there providing a little bit safer of an
environment and monitoring air flow on. These are really too good tools in our toolbox
is to fight against covid. So I'm really wanted to recommend that. And other than
that, unfortunately from an emergency management standpoint right now I'm funding
drying up and will continue to be ready to support any way we can. Um, but that's
about it from me. So any questions. Happy to answer
Any questions for Willy. Just one that came up in public comment that you probably
aren't the right person to answer, but I said I would ask him. So I'm going to um,
you know, we, we passed on the consent agenda supporting K. P. T. Z. S uh Tower on
morgan Hill. And the question was just about emergency power there. Do you you've
been as involved with K. P. T. Z. As anyone. Do you know if they have emergency power
at that in the plan for that? Uh? Tower. Oh sorry. Mark, maybe you got some more
information I've heard from kate ingram and Ray cerebrum this morning and the generator
and the two propane tanks that are at mountain view commons will be moved to morgan
hill to serve as batter generator backup for that radio tower. Great. Can you just
sing the praises of this project? Really quick willy.
Yeah, absolutely. More than happy to. So, you know, we, we witnessed this during
the, during the power outage a little bit when folks were having difficulty making
cell phone calls with no power of their internet. Obviously down on terrestrial radio
is one of the best tools that we have to be able to communicate with folks post disaster.
Um, so even if you can't access the internet, you can't use your cell phone. Um A
lot of us have radios in our cars or if you're smart within your emergency kit, you
have a radio that has a hand crank or is battery operated. I'm so tuning into K P
T Z or K R O H. Post disaster. I mean something we really recommend everyone do for
information. I'm not just via K P. T. Easy, but directly from the E E O. C. Um, I
think some folks know this but not a lot do. We actually have a c in our emergency
operations center for a radio operator um to be able to provide direct updates from
the D. O. C. From first response personnel on what the situation is with the level
of damage might be and most importantly for folks where resources might be accessed.
Um so this project specifically um gives K P. T. Z a little bit more resilient infrastructure
to ensure that they're going to be operational after a major earthquake for example
and it expands their reach. Um and again really helps us as the emergency operations
center and and all of our public safety personnel um to communicate with you post
disaster and again gives you a view to the outside world and we'll let you know where
resources maybe when you need them most so. Absolutely a vital project. Um Kay PTC
has always been an excellent partner and I really do appreciate the support um from
all of you at the B. zero cc. For helping this project along and I did listen to
the K. P. T. Z updates after the storm on my hand, crank radio and crank solar radio
and they were doing them every 15 minutes. So um I was grateful for that service
and I couldn't remember about the generator so I'm glad that you could confirm that
mark because I thought that that was the case but confirmed
anything else for dr barry or always want to call you dr willie. It's happened once
before correcting that quick willy or dr barry any more questions for them? No, no,
I just remember that we want to maybe talk about maybe more frequent updates as we
go through the rest of this flu season. Yeah. I have one small item if we could dispense
with it before assessor chapman takes the microphone. Um We had a an art workshop
on the seventh subsequent to that and speaking with Commissioner Dean, she's telling
me that the Y. M. C. A. Has assumed leadership regarding the child care project that
was originally undertaken by Jefferson Healthcare. So I need the board's approval
to shift those funds from Jefferson Healthcare to the Y. M. C. A. For the healthcare
project. So if you could project, yeah. Did I not say excuse me sorry
for the child care project. So if you could um motion and and approve that direction,
then I'll take it from there. We want to let them go first or? Yeah, let's let's
do it now. Bye guys. Bye bye. Thanks so much. Yeah. Not let, not let Jeff go
now and I'll move that. We authorize the county administrator to to shift responsibility
and funding from the jefferson Healthcare to the Y. M. C. A. For the child care project
and I'll second that all in favor, aye. Okay. And it's 10 28 so we
cannot start our hearing yet because timestamp for 10 30. So everyone,
So we have about half a minute. So everyone stretch 30 seconds
stretch. Yeah. Yeah.
Ah You don't want to be up there,
esteemed colleagues. Thanks for joining us in person. Um,
Our computer calendars are a little bit ahead of our the phone and we're going off
the phone.
Hey,
So we'll wait till it's 10:30 on our phones.
I think I look at the key. But we're assuming she's not gonna be with this thing.
Yeah, she said that she'd be here. She could. And if she was here and wanted to make
a comment, she would raise her hand.
Okay? Yeah, just turned to 10 30. So um, we are going to have a hearing this morning.
So I will welcome everyone including all the public who's online with us this morning
to this public hearing regarding setting the 2023 ad valorem tax levies for jefferson
County levy in 2022 collection in 2023. And we are joined by our colleagues assessor,
Jeff, Jeff chapman. Um, I'm not sure as treasurer, gonna join us as well. She was
listed on the agenda but my
great thanks for joining us. Laura lee um, okay, so I'm opening the hearing and if
you have joined this meeting, no one's on the phone. So if you're here by a zoom
and would like to make a public comment, we're going to have an opportune.
Okay, is there something we can start and read
testing testing?
Okay. Thank you.
Okay. We're back. I'm hearing from the public. Okay. So I am going to start again.
And um, we are, we would like to welcome everybody to this public hearing regarding
setting our 2023 ad valorem tax levies for jefferson County the levee in 2022 collection
in 2023. And um, we are going to get a briefing from assessor, chapman and Laura
Leigh Kissell in advance of the hearing and then we'll open the hearing for public
comment. So and remember that you have to keep the mic close to your mouth for the
public to hear you. Thank you very much. Commissioner, I'm Jeff Cavanaugh again.
And the county assessor and Laura Lee is here, Laura Leigh Kissell. She's does our
levee technician. Um, each year, all the taxing districts run levies. Some of them
are regular levies, which means they're limited to the 1% limit each year plus new
construction. Other ones are voted levies that at the time you vote something in
whether it be for one year or three years, four years or six years that it sets the
limits that we work with. We have 50 levees that were working with this year, uh,
literally work starting in the beginning of September through to actually when we
set the levees and close them in January with the taxing districts to try to make
sure that, we're all everything stays in compliance with the rules and that's all
within the budget constraints that are set by the various districts when they pass
their budgets so far. We've been doing a pretty good job of it. I don't think we've
never had to do a refund levy. So, um, so we basically, what we certify at the end
that goes out on taxes is what exactly is supposed to go out and or frankly credit
laura lee with that. But for the regular levies that would include the county levies
of road levies, library ford P. U. D. The non voted levies that are continuing, you're
limited to 1% plus new construction each year. In order to get the 1% though you
have to pass a resolution saying that you want the authority to take the 1%. Okay
so in other words you're setting it that yes we're gonna qualify to take the 1%.
You can actually pass a resolution that qualifies you to take the 1% but take zero
But you still need the resolution. And so what that does is that sets up bank capacity.
In other words you say uh when it passed the resolution take zero but that still
qualifies you for the 1%. So you could actually the next year take that 1% plus the
next year is 1%. If you don't pass a resolution then you're limited to what you had
the prior year which would be zero both for this year and ongoing. Um So what this
Hearings about is to uh set the one to basically authorize through resolution the
1% for the county levy the roads levy the county roads levy and the conservation
futures levy the three levees that the county has control over. And
do you have more to add to that? Um, you know, just a little background is the, you
know, assessed values obviously went up quite a bit this year last year. My ratio,
which is set by the department revenue of how I'm doing value wise compared to sales
was like 91.3% this year at Just got it this last week at the end of last week and
it's 91.4%. So we basically got values up to where our ratio is the same as
before the time we started revival, we were down below 70%. So that tells you why
all the values went up. It doesn't do any good to set the ratio low because what
the department revenue does when they determine the state school levy is they divide
by your ratio and you'll come up with a higher levy rate if you're undervaluing so
that, you know, the state will get their money either way you look at it. Um, the
county current expenses limited to a dollar 80 per 1000 back in 2013. We were at
a dollar 56 we've been talking about maybe doing a little lift for various purposes,
but you only had a little bit to play with between a dollar 56 a dollar 80 with the
rising values over the last several years. We're going to be at a dollar $2.03. So
we're gonna be, uh almost 76 cents below the our statutory levy limit. And you'll
see that very similar, that we dropped 35 cents on the levy rate. Since then, same
with conservation futures and same with roads as both of them have gone down considerably
because of the SS values going up, doesn't mean we get any more money than the 1%
each year. But if you did do levy, if you get a lid lift, then you have more of a
cushion there to work with. Which is probably why you're going to see some lidless
next year from some of the Junior districts and Fire District of course, is looking
at lidless in february,
which is now combined with poor.
So anyway, if there are any questions, I'll be glad to take them. Uh Jeff you mentioned
the three resolutions for the levees. Um Also there's a diversion of road levy for
traffic law enforcement um that you'll be asked to approve this morning. And I might
note that this is the second year where the board has reduced the diversion from
the road fund to current expense. Um We began at 7 20 a year in 2022. We
dropped to 6 70 then 2023 were dropping to 6 20 when, when we entertain the budget
for 2020 for 2025 we'll have a discussion about whether we can afford to reduce that
even further in those two years. And so that that diversion. What it effectively
does is increases the amount of the road fund going to public works, correct? By
reducing that diversion. That's exactly what it does. Public works keeps more of
their property tax revenue. But it probably means that we have to supplement from
the general fund for the Sheriff's Department. I mean, unless we're reducing the
budget in the Sheriff's right, um and what we're seeing is that we reduce the levy
and we're not seeing ill effects on the general fund side, but you're right. Anything
that we give back to the road fund, the general fund has to cover otherwise, but
it also allows them to Apply for more grants and and leverage that 1-10 ratio that
they get. I mean they're famous for every dollar they get. They turn into $5 or in
some cases even more. Great thanks for digging into that. Yes, the road levy is still
limited to the 1% each year. And then the diversion is actually an after calculation
that comes out of that. So you set the road levy, add the 1%. Then you say, well
we're going to divert 6 20 of that over. So it doesn't change their limit and the
same, pretty much for veterans and mental health and de de development disability
out of the current expense levy as we, you know, it's one levy and then you have
these levees underneath it. And so the 1% is calculated on the total and then then
the share is determined afterwards. I have one question for Jeff and it's really
just kind of I don't know, table setting a little bit, you know, I I mean it's been
our practice usually of course to to raise the limit to the 1%. I mean inflation
especially for road work has been over that long before we had inflation across the
board. You know, and as we go through collective bargaining and have, you know, some
really made some changes with staff compensation. It's it's critical. I'm just wondering
are there many counties that do don't take advantage of this that don't do the lid
lift across the state, there's a few that don't, but ultimately they do because what
happens is if you pass the resolution take zero then your banking that capacity.
And we've had districts even here in Jefferson County that have taken less because
they were trying to phase out there regularly. So they would they they preserve the
right to take that 1% but they wouldn't take it. And then what we found out is that
when they bank that capacity ultimately for five years later, so they get back up
and it winds up. So you know, if if you were talking about 6% we used to have a 6%
limit. Not 1%. You could say that yeah, we're not gonna take the whole 6% But you
know 1% is so little and it's well less than inflation. The rate of inflation that
you know you're not necessarily helping anybody by not taking it because you still
need the revenue. So if you're not getting it through a property tax 1% which is
a pretty graduated increase then you turn the fees and other ways of doing it which
in themselves are labor intensive and a bit complex. I mean we now administer seven
fees where at one time were only administering the one fire you know for D. N. R.
The fire protection assessment. And now we've got noxious weed and conservation.
We've got septic. So we've got a number that have done it to bring in that extra
revenue. And each one of those requires quite a bit of administration. Um and so
so it doesn't necessarily and and it looks maybe okay to not take the 1% but ultimately
it probably cost the government more. Great thank you.
Um So I can open the public hearing now. Um So as your elected officials we want
to hear public testimony on this issue. Your testimony will help inform our deliberations
and decisions. I'll now open the hearing to listen to public testimony. If you've
joined this meeting by the zoom link please click on the raise hand icon at the bottom
of your screen and you will be brought over as a Panelist and asked to a mute and
share your video if you wish. Um I don't see anyone on the phone. Um
uh so when called upon, please address your comments to the board and not the audience.
Also, please be respectful of opinions by others. That may differ from your own.
Each person must state their name and place of residence and will have up to three
minutes for comments. So is there anybody who's with us this this morning? Not afternoon
yet? Who would like to make a public comment on the, on setting the 2023 Advil arm
tax levies? If so, use the raise hand button at the bottom of your zoom screen. We'd
love to hear from you.
I don't see any up. There's a hand.
Good morning Jean, you'll have three minutes for comment. Good morning. Can you hear
me? We can.
Fabulous. Uh Gene Balk will seen I'm just my my only comment is that
um this stuff is all very interesting and I'm not going to pretend that I understand
it, but I would find it very helpful if um more information was shared. It helps
to take the mystery out of it for the pub public. And um when mr chapman speaks
is um very high level information and it is difficult for the general public, I guess
maybe that's me projecting. Um do comprehend what he says. So if if he could um dumb
it down perhaps or just share more information or think about the
thank you jean, you broke up there at the very last. So if you could, could you restate
your last sentence,
Maybe we need an infographic. But one thing that I I guess we're not deliberating
it is any is there anyone else who is with us this morning who would like to make
a public comment on setting the 2023 Advil orum tax levies? Um.
please use the raise hand button at the bottom of your zoom screen. Anyone else with
us here in the zoom room this morning wishing to make a comment. There's nobody with
us in the public chambers um in person. So it's only the zoom room this morning
and you can, if you are interested you can go ahead and raise your hand and we'll
bring you over in the order that the hands go up George. You're going to need to
accept the promotion to Panelist.
There's my cough. Is it on now, yep. We can see we were here with us now you have
three minutes for comment. We'll take less than that. Uh I would encourage you to
vote for it and I can't imagine Jeff dumbing down anything. Thank
you. Can you state your name and address for the record? Oh sure George
john that's Y. O. U. N. T. At 717 25th Street Port Townsend. Thank you George. Anyone
else with us this morning who wishes to make a public comment on setting of the 2023
adv alarm tax levy rates. Um Anyone else use the raise hand button at the bottom
of the zoom screen. I'm not seeing any other hands go up. So uh I will
see no other interest in testimony. This public hearing is now closed and we can
deliberate and discuss. And I what I was going to say um is that a lot of
misconception. When people all got their new assessments in the mail. People were
immediately jumping to the their taxes are going to go up an equivalent percentage.
And I was explaining that the the amount that we can increase, taxes are um limited
to 1% and that does not even make up for the cost of consumer price index increases
that we're seeing. Um So you know, there's going to be constraints somewhere. But
I just wondered if maybe you could state that in a more assessor um official way
because I feel like I've been explaining it a lot of people and when I do they're
like, oh thank God they didn't understand that. And it is you know shocking when
people see their assessments go up so much and they kind of wonder how that's going
to affect their monthly, you know, budget. But I think underscoring and reminding
people that the increases are limited to 1%. Yes. The increases for regular levees
are are limited to 1% which is basically the cost of government. Um but the exception
of course of the voted measures, most of which are school measures. So most school
measures when you vote in can increase. They're not limited to 1% but they're limited
to what the voters approve. So it's it's a good idea to pay attention. You know,
when you go to vote or you vote on a lid lift which the lid lift. That's what they
call it. A little lift. It's going above the 1%. In other words you're not don't
want to be limited to your 1% increase for say each Jefferson fire and rescue. You
want to be able to go higher than that. And instead of having an 88 cent levy, which
they're gonna have now there, they want to go up to maybe two higher amount and then
the voters decide working with the fire district, how much is that appropriate? But
that's exactly right. Is that what we're seeing? There weren't a lot of voted levies
this last year. I think there was a capital project levy for four towns and school
district. But um, a lot of them were sustaining levies and in one case with the failure
of the bond measure and quill seen you actually going to have a situation where values
went up, but taxes are gonna go down, but that's not necessarily a good thing. I
mean, it's maybe a good thing for some vote, uh, taxpayers, But on the other hand,
the school is the one that's paying the price for that. Um, so you would assume the
school is going to come back and try to do something to bring that back up. But yeah,
for the regular districts, it's important to understand, we have that 1% plus new
construction limitation, which with new constructions another percent or 2%. And
so if the values all go up equally, then what happens is we only get that one or
2%, the levy rate comes down. So you're multiplying a higher value by a much lower
rate and your taxes um will, in theory go up one or 2% the same as they would have
because of that increase. That's allowed. Can you talk a little bit about the relationship
between different areas, uh increased value and and the levy as well? I always find
that very helpful. You know, if if poor towns and values go up 25% and quilting values
go up 10%. What's the impact on on the levees? That to the taxpayers? Good point.
That uh one thing that if for everyone to only pay the same, you know that one or
2% increase, you have to have the same value increase across the county. And indeed
we did this year. But uh, what what can happen when we used to be on a four year
cycle where you would set value, we divide the county into four areas each year.
You would value 1/4 of the county. So what happened is 1/4 of the county, we get
up to 100% of value. The other three counties, particularly in a rising market or
a falling market would be locked in. So what happened is you get a shift going where
the county levy gets shifted from one area to another where one area would pay a
higher portion of the county levy than another area would pay. Uh what the legislature
changed that back starting in 2014 where they said that's not gonna work because
it's really unfair, particularly in a falling market. Some folks are gonna get locked
into higher rates much higher than market where another area will get advantage of
that. So you get a huge shift to an area. So starting in 2014, they said, you're
gonna value the entire county every year. Um, there's limited resources to do that.
So you do, you have appraisers that Go door to door for 1/6 of the county each year
and then the other 56. We update based on sales and statistics using our computer
systems to try to bring everybody up so that they're all that in the end, what went
up in that 16 area you inspected also happened in the other 56 area, but that 16
area, you're able to look at each every other house. You know, you know, each house
that appraisers are looking at and the other 56 area, the whole thing's going up.
And the problem you have without it, of course, is maybe some people improve their
house. Maybe some people didn't. Maybe some views are black and, and so you get a
little more discrepancies when you do it this way. Overall, it's much, much fairer,
but, and that's why you're like taking the monopoly board and raising the whole board
rather than just tilting it at a corner. But on the other hand, you, you've got somewhere,
I admit that some properties may get overvalued doing it this way and there we rely
on the property owners to let us know um that that indeed happened. And then we work
with them. Um Some of them go on to appeals with board of Equalization, but for the
most part we actually, if people let us know we'll work with them and try to get
that into perspective, some cases were not able to really do that till the following
year because we know, we basically note down because the discrepancy or this discrepancy
there on equity, then the next year we look at those and fix those. I hope that your
questions. Thank you. I think it's um you mentioned the board of Equalization and
I'm amazed at the number of people who don't know about the Board of Equalization
in our community. So if you do have an issue with the valuation or the assessment
of your property, you can appeal that to the Board of equalization by contacting
the commissioner's office and julie is going to kill me because the phone's gonna
start ringing off the hook. But um it's it's an opportunity to be heard and to review
your particular case and just just doing a little P. S. A. For the board of equalization
here. It's a group of community members who have a lot of experience in the building
trades and some in real estate and they they work with one by one through the appeals
that come into the board of Equalization. So it's an important resource in the community
and one that I'm finding not a ton of people know about. Um, the other thing I was
going to say is, you know, a lot of the comments that your commissioners get our
concerns about, you know, um, the wait time on a permitting process or potholes in
the road, which the county doesn't have as many as poor Townsend thankfully because
our roads team is so stellar. But um, these are the things that, you know, kate and
Greg and I hear about every day and you know, those things are our capacity and our
ability to address the things that we all depend on are tied to these 1% increases.
So where we can't fill positions in the county, like in the Department of Community
Development or um, in some of our more public facing services like at
the transfer station, um, it comes down to people being able to find housing in the
community which is also increasing. It's just everything is attached to this thing
we're talking about right now the setting of the tax rates and the, the limitation
of being able to raise taxes by 1%. And I'm not a huge tax advocate, but I'm just
saying this is the reason for a lot of the symptoms that we all feel in the community
and um, I think it's important for us to whenever we have the opportunity to remind
folks that we're doing the best we can with the resources we have. And I'm thankful
for the people who call me and start the conversation from that space. Um, and then
give me their feedback, but I'm happy to hear from anybody about specific issues
they're having and we'll do our best to address them. But you know, we're really
limited in our ability to increase our capacity um, on behalf of the community, both
the external facing functions like roads and solid waste and the internal, you know,
internal to the courthouse. Um, you know, we've had difficulty filling positions.
We're doing better now, which is awesome, but a lot of that is tied to our lack of
workforce housing. So all these things are connected in the community and it all
comes down to this thing we're talking about right now. I think that's at least how
I feel. And also to talk to gene balls question or I agree with her. It's, it's a
fairly, it's just Washington state has a very complicated property tax system and
it's very difficult to explain Beyond, you know, talk about the 1% actually is one
of the easier things. I mean, this year they added tax increment financing to our
calculations where if you have a public infrastructure that or like a stadium that
your, you can actually take some funding from certain taxing entities and those taxpayers
are gonna pay for that that will come away from other tax. So every year the Legislature
has maybe over 100 property tax bills. And most of them don't get out. But some do
every now and there's a few that passes somebody's favorite, you know, measure that
to give, you know, you can imagine, I mean, it's like Microsoft server farms to give
them a property tax exemption or something like that, you know, And so some of them
get through and they're they're they get to where calculating these levees each year
is extremely complex process and certainly difficult to explain to the public and,
and I agree the public should have a simpler system. We just don't in Washington
state. All I can say is that laura lee works very hard at it. And I do too. I and
we uh and we try to make sure there's no errors what time we have done that we're
doing what the law expects us to do, but it doesn't always make a lot of sense when
you look at it. Well, we're grateful for your knowledge on these complex issues and
your work on behalf of the community because it's foundational to everything the
rest of us does. So, um, is there any other questions or comments for the assessors
team? I'm happy to make a motion. Um, Yep, I got it. Um, I will move that. We
approve the resolution in the matter of an increase for the Jefferson County Conservation
futures tax levy for 2023 taxes as presented. I'll second that all in
favor. All right. Um, I will further move that we approve the resolution in the matter
of an increase in the Jefferson County General Fund Levy for 2023 taxes as presented.
I'll second that and all in favor. I I will further move that. We approve the resolution
in the matter of diversion of road levy for traffic, law enforcement for the 2023
General Fund budget. And I will second that and all in favor, aye. And I will finally
move that. We approve the resolution in the matter of an increase for the Jefferson
County Road Levy for 2023 taxes as presented. And I will also second that and call
for a vote all in favor, aye.
And do we further, do we further move that we send the letter to the assessor setting
the 2023 real and personal property levy and refund amounts. Okay? All in favour
2nd. Hi. Okay. Thank you guys. Thanks so much for all your work.
All right. You heard that? Not the sec office, the assessor's office CCS office and
we'll transfer you to laura lee.
Thank you. Thank you so much. We are going to take a five minute break before we
do our Adopting the 2023 6 Year Transportation Improvement Program because it was
requested.
I'm waiting till 1105 on the cell phone which is what we agreed two months ago. Mm
hmm.
Okay. It's 11:05. And that's when I said we would start our next agenda item which
is a here reconvene, we're reconvening and starting our hearing regarding a resolution
in the matter of adopting the 2023 to 2028 6 year Transportation Improvement Program.
And we're joined by our colleagues from Jefferson County Public Works who will um
give us a briefing on this item and then we will open this up for public testimony
um after that staff presentation and this is this is when you're going to wish you
were in the room because we're going to show the maps. Well, I guess you'll be able
to see it online to Greg's going to share a screen and pull that up
and I just want to say, I love this. So thank you for your leadership on this project
and all the work on it. I just love being able to I mean, I am kind of a G I S nerd
anyway, so I just love being able to dig into the projects and have the pictures
and it's just super super tool that you guys have built.
I'm kevin Hitchcock's biggest fan. No, I am,
I'm chair for another, you know, so I get to be the biggest fan for another five
weeks or so. Uh so for the 23 28 T I. P. You
guys have the spreadsheet in front of you. I believe we have the map on the wall
there, we have 32 projects on the T. I. P. The total for 2023 is about
$4.5 million. The six year total is about 38.5 million.
The average, if you take that 38.5 divided by six is about 6.4 Million per year just
to run over some high metrics. Um the total local funds over that six year is 1.8
million. Um So that's a that's a leveraging of about 5% or 95%
grant funds to local funds. So it's a it's a small increase in local funds cause
we have a couple of solely locally funded projects on there, like the ban trojan
chip seal project and the Gardener Beach boat repair where we're gonna, you know,
partner with the support, but we're still in that same about $300,000 range this
year. I think we're around 2 50 last year. So um if we want to run through maybe
the first top 10, well, they're not necessarily ordered by priority, but there is
a certain ordering in there. So we have the first one up on the on the screen here,
that's the quilting complete streets project Phase one, that's a sidewalk and pedestrian
project that's been in the works for some time and is languishing with the need to
acquire property from local property owners that we've been unable to yet. So In
front of the second one, it's going to happen this year though. It's still, it's
in the running, it is, there's about 95 1006 I think 6 60 is
the number roughly?
I think Kathy was working on that within last week. That would be a good agenda item
for january board meeting. We were talking about Mark. That would be a good agenda
item for the january 5th board meeting we were talking about, yep,
second up is the upper ho road Phase two flat project that's been in the works for
some time. You see that's about a $19 million or so. Project two bridges and the
delos. The two bridges are in the, is this the last year that project money? I guess
we have money in it next year to finalize it. So build another 4.38.
You guys ever go out there? I would love to go out there and jump in the car if anyone's
ever going out there. Yeah, I've seen so many pictures. I just want to see it in
person, take my electric car. Who is it? Thanks.
Next project on there is the Snow creek culvert replacement. So that's a culvert
that is slowly failing. It's under about 40 to 45 ft of fill. We got a $1 million
roughly uh, fema hazard mitigation grant and we're matching it with public works
board loan to pay the rest of it And we're looking like we're on schedule for that
next year. You have a detour route worked out yet, detour will be uh lourdes lake
and then it's just a question of whether we can get the permitting and the right
away necessarily do the repair. Otherwise we might put temporary signals up, take
that down the, you know, alternating one way traffic or something through construction.
So it's just not possible on on that site to, to create a detour. So there's no
alternative little cuisine river bridge that's right there, you know, right north
of Quill scene that's fully funded uh, basically 5.7 million, no match. So that's
a pretty great score. We um, That's currently posted. So um, load
posted. So that would be a good one to get done. We're, we've in design on that and
then working through the permitting issues and right away issues and probably two
more years before construction actually been on there for 2025. I believe you guys
have that up in front of you interestingly because of the load restrictions when
D. O. T. Closes one on one for their projects at Leland Valley, we'll have
no way of coming up the hood canal and into jefferson County they would have to use,
wow, that would make very happy he's trying to get that posted anyway, significant
impacts.
Yeah, although posting out there is, they have postings like this on one on
one going out west in uh, ford Angeles as well, primarily affects the
newer multi axle special hauling the dump trucks, you see with all the axles and
things like that. That's why I kind of writing is important because there's only
a few ways into jefferson County and that bridges major
infrastructure. I will mention, I'm looking for the number right now too. He added
a project this year. I'm looking forward to see our bridge guys come to that before
I do like 30 or 29 I think somewhere down there we've been able to not load post
that, but looks like we're going to have to and so there was a funding opportunity
that we pursued and we haven't heard yet whether we were successful center road about
3.5 miles or so south of wow. And that's the detour for a lot of
wash dot, right, don't even get us started on the septic
trucks. What are we gonna do with all of our waste? Um, the next project they're
on the road bypass. That's another flat project that's currently underway. Um, that's
gonna make, you know, we had, we had the emergency that caused the construction of
this road and the flat funding is going to improve to sites along one is right at
the intersection, you know, kind of realign the road and another one, there's a sharp
bend to kind of. Flatten that out and fixed the rate a little bit. Yeah, it can be
a little challenging sometimes monty monty when, when you talk we're talking, I'm
getting texts from people saying they can't hear you. Those those are areas of the
on the road bypass that are actually in county that were where we were using an existing
D. N. R. Road and so that's the sections that are getting upgraded. Not the sections
that we built from scratch ourselves in Jefferson County, but uh we continue to
try to improve that road but it is a steep narrow road and isn't the rest
of the on the road being decommissioned this year as well closed gated you guys?
The board, excuse me. The board did a resolution recently for that closure to close
it at the county line and to be clear closed at the county line to the slide. The
portion beyond the slide obviously stays open. Yeah. Um O. D. T. Project.
So this will, this will connect us from the terminus of the existing Larry scott
Trail down through Anderson Lake State Park. So um in in progress we have the vast
majority of the right away that we need uh and the vast majority of the funding that
we need. So, great project. Super excited about this. I get lots of questions about
it next. But I mean then the bigger the bigger
challenges are ahead of us. Right? Yeah. One at a time. Great modern challenge to
go to the next slow and steady uh jefferson County road departure project. So we
did a road safety plan that led to this funding. Uh if we get this obligated in time,
this is 100% project as well. This will replace a bunch of road signs and put up
markers on on curves and add some guardrail. So another nice safety project and there's
a current call for the next round of funding were kind of debating whether to pursue
that just with the resources we currently have etcetera. Does this one use mostly
local staff or is this one that is contracted out? We're doing this all in house.
We did this before. Probably about, Oh, I'm sorry. Are you asking to design or construction?
Well, I was asking about doing in house construction will, will will go to bed limitation
on uh local forces. I think we're limited about two million or so. I think so.
Thanks for the clarification. Oops, I think I went to hold on
mostly for construction. I just had, I got out of the west end
like the crab defines that number. Oil city road engineering assessment, flat project.
So this is to look at the last segment again, flat project. Federal lands access
program through western Federal lands and Division of Federal Highways Administration
uh to look at possibilities for what can be done for that last segment of the road.
Oil city road along the whole. And this is a flat project because there's a national
park entry basically at the end of the road, correct? Which is I think they did a
similar study, you know, before that big second project on our list, the $18 million
project kind of looking at ways to potentially realign the road or alternatives when
it says uses toll credits. That's doesn't really that's not a choice that we made
locally. That's just where those funds came from for it or I think it is a choice
that we make locally. But you know, it's it's a question of whether they're available,
they have a surplus of them now. So we're using them on quite a few, you know, pretty
much any federally funded any F. H. W. A. Funded project is using toll credits to
to satisfy the match requirement. Can you just for edifying the new girl? Tell me
what a toll credit is? That's a good question because I've asked that to be defined.
It it's it's not real money but it's money that satisfies the match.
So they, yeah so it's not when I cross the hood the hood canal bridge and I'm good
to go charges me at all. That's not what it is.
Yeah it's a calculation that the federal highways makes based on the Washington state
D. O. T. S. Transportation system and they're tolling mechanisms that results in
some credits back that again they can apply as match for federal projects. Uh And
since they have billions in surplus of total credits, they've allowed local agencies
like ours to take advantage of some of those for again match like because these flat
programs are, you know, would require 13.5% match from the local entity. So if you're
doing a $10 million project or in the case of the road, almost 20 million, so we
would have had to come up with $2.5 million of of a local match instead. We've come
up with essentially zero. Um, but like eric says told credits aren't real money,
so it isn't like, it added $2.5 million of cash to the project. It just removed the
match. So, so, um,
in any case it's like, um, the previous discussion about taxes, it's
complicated. There's formulas applied by the federal government. I was imagining
what Commissioner Brotherton was imagining that every time I'm like, I should go
drive across the more credits. I was an expert for a day on that subject about five
years ago and I've moved on so I can't tell you exactly. Still come to you for the
answers there, monte. And I'll go to google. Okay, Alright. Thanks.
Uh Center road to our, that's a crab rap, crab county road administration board rap
rural arterial preservation program funded project. They funded portion this out
of the last biennium funding. So we're held to that funding amount. And then, and
then Mark has uh graciously given us some money towards this project to, to help
round out the funding on it. So this is a resurfacing of 4.24 miles of Center road
and this is from that little quill Scene bridge project, North 300,000. That
sounds right. So again, on the spreadsheet there and what is resurfacing of Center
Road? That's not a gypsy on top of it? What is that? That would be an asphalt overlay.
So, so we, it took us 25 years to overlay Center Road, the last time starting
at the south end and working north for 25 years to get federal and state grants and
whatever local match we had to apply to get that done to do asphalt overlays. Then
we come back, you know, 12 years after its overlaid and we chip seal to try to keep,
you know, preserve the surface, how we're starting over again, paving from the south
and it'll probably take another 25 years to do that to, to acquire the funds gradually.
So, we're, this first project is to overlay section that was last paved in, You know,
about 25 years ago. Um, and it'll be another two inch asphalt overlay. Um,
and so it's a, you know, really important major road for the county and, and uh,
the federal funds that we use can't be used on most other roads in the county, center
road iron dale road jim McColm road upper Ho Road or the four roads that are uh fed
eligible. We can use state rap funds on minor Collector's Paradise Bay Road, Bay
Road, things like that. But uh not the federal funds. So can I ask another or should
I just google it? But Iron Mill Road, I mean, that's the road that I've driven for
four million times myself. Um Why is that federal eligible? It's classified as a
a major rural collector versus a minor rural collector. Um There's, each county has
an allocation of major and minor collectors and then local access roads. Um It would
have to do with uh trips and the kind of communities it connects and the highway
highway facilities it connects to. Uh interestingly though are other major collector
Upper Ho Road, you know, doesn't have near the traffic of iron Railroad, but it goes
to a federal facility. And most of the traffic on that road is bound for the park.
Quenelle South shore road is a rural major collector. It's a gravel road with very
limited traffic on it. But because of what it connects to and from, that's how it's
classified. Meanwhile, you have roads carrying 3 to 4000 vehicles a day that are
local access, not eligible for any federal or state funding at all. Um There's
not, there's a there's a method there, but it doesn't always make sense. Yeah, we
can't just arbitrarily decide what are classified federally in this county. I mean,
these were decisions made decades ago that you can go through processes to gradually
change, but it's not something that we can snap our fingers and make happen in our
next workshop. We're gonna talk about this a lot, a little bit too right? And I mean,
so is oil city road then like a major that's a local access road actually, um we're
fortunate that the upper Hole Road and the south shore road are uh major collectors
because without that designation we'd have gotten none of the federal er money over
the year, which is basically what's kept those roads open every time they washed
out because repairing those sites with county funds only would have never happened,
you know?
Thank you.
And then West Valley culvert and look at the next one as well is uh culvert. We applied
for fish barrier removal board funds that are W. D. F. W. Funds managed by the R.
C. O. For both of these sites. The design is complete. We applied for funding last
year, we were in the last round, we weren't successful this round. We're ranked quite
well. And then there's been another uh alternative source of funds that kind of dovetails
with these fish very removal board funds that we're looking at as well. So High chance
that uh these two projects 10 and 11 will be funded through that. One of those two
programs? Hey what do you think that the total is, how much more do you need for
the West Valley cover? Um for construction construction? Just
curious. Yeah and the permitting is complete and we have a little bit of a right
right away exercise to still complete. Um So we have about 940
142,000 for West Valley and then 800,000 for Gibbs Lake. So 1.7 hopefully between
the two of them change. So That's right. I think that's we were just gonna go through
like the top 10 projects. Right. And then uh unless there's something else you guys
want to focus on this awesome tool to. We I'm aware of one
comment we received through the through the um uh in response to the hearing for
the six year TMP and it was about chip sealing band trojan road. Uh It was an email
based, you know, from one of the residents up there saying that it was couldn't happen
soon enough. I'm assuming you guys saw the correspondence, I don't know if you want
to discuss that project at all or or anything. Um Well, you know, it's an out year
project. It's you know,
it's project number 19, it's scheduled for 2025. It's roughly 100 and $50,000.
Um The P. U. D. Has to complete the power upgrade out out there before you know
we get in there and do do work. It's uh we're talking about, you know gravel roads
a little bit, we have 70 plus miles of gravel road and dirt road still in our 400
mile system. Most of them don't cost much to maintain, but uh, certainly
it's not unusual for us to field requests from people living on these roads to chip
seal them. Um, you know, the county is struggling to chip seal the roads that already
has that are paved at a frequency that should happen. So, also chip sealing a gravel
road takes decades to pay off that investment. I mean, it is cheaper in the long
run to maintain a chip sealed road than a gravel road, but it's not free. You have
to, you know, chip seal, re keep adding new chip seals every 15 years or so to, to
low volume chip sealed roads. So the cost difference between chip sealing and maintaining
a gravel road eventually you can recover some of your initial investment, but it
takes, like I said, it takes decades. So, really, you can only uh, really should
be considering whether, you know, the roads with the highest number of people on
them that are costing you the most to maintain should be chip sealed. And we have
a, an analysis that we did that kind of ranked are gravel roads about, you know,
which ones would even be candidates to consider for chip sealing, uh, based on the
assumption that we really don't have money to do much of that or any of that work
to begin with because there's no grants for it. Uh Van Trojan road fell right at
the top, that doesn't mean it's gonna, you know, pencil out, but no project pencils
out necessarily. They all cost something and measuring the return on, it's a challenge.
Um You know, roads like Middle Point Road obviously are near the top of the list.
A lot of people living on a fair amount of expenditure to maintain the gravel road,
but again, this this comes at the expense of other roads out there that carry higher
traffic volumes. So it's a lot of counties don't do any chip sealing in the gravel
roads or they require residents to form road improvement districts and pay assessments
to pay for chip sealing, even though it's already a county road, if you want to upgrade
it. X. Spokane County has been doing that for decades, they will not spend uh property
tax and gas tax to go chip seal, gravel roads. It's a discretionary project. We've
we've put it on here based on the analysis we did and uh you know, the the request
we've received to do it. Um Other roads that are high on the list, like I mentioned
metal point road, we've often received a lot of feedback that some of the residents
didn't want those roads chip seal and they want to live on a gravel road because
of concerns about speed or increased traffic or what have you. Uh So in any case
of an trojan road is on there, it's not gonna happen for a few years. We schedule
our workout several years in advance. The P. U. D. S. Work to do. And uh we have
we need to evaluate whether the base on that road is adequate to support a chip seal.
Um you know, if if there's a lot of work that is needed on that road, it'll drive
these costs up. And we haven't uh done a lot of investigation on that road yet. You
know, we've been too busy with things like the port Hadlock sewer and the jump project
and our bridge projects and everything else to pour a lot of time into this evaluation,
but we wanted to get it on there. Uh so that we could, you know, begin planning for
that. Um It that road does, you know, we get a lot of dust, a lot of washboards.
It was a very dry summer. We can't grade roads when it's that dry out. The washboards
will come back in two days. Like you were never there. It's just you have to wait
for the moisture on those roads. But I know those are the kind of uh
comments we've received about that road is, you know, again, the dust in the summer,
the mud in the winter and the washboards in the summer. So, you know, chip seal would
address some residents, oh, roughly? 30 property owners up there. It's a two mile
long road. We're only talking about chips sealing the 1st 1.3 miles after which the
number of property owners dropped way off. So trying to capture where most of the
traffic is, Uh, it has about 270 trips per day. That would be half of those would
be in and half out. That varies of course. I understand there's logging going on
up there right now. Um, uh, so that's, you know, that's one of our higher travel
gravel roads for sure. But nothing compared to the, you know, iron Dale road 5080
teaching McM Road 6080 ti, you know, that's really where the bulk of the county's
road funds should be spent is on roads like that and they don't maintain themselves
even though they're paved. Um, you know, that's why we're looking to spend $2 million
to do another overlay on Center Road. Um, it's got 10 inches of asphalt on it, but
it still cracks after 10 years and the cracks, you know, grow? And that's an accelerating
process that if you don't get after it, you'll lose your road appreciate that. Can
you talk a little bit about the gardener boat ramp project, which I know is one that's
kind of locally funded but seemed like an opportunity, you know, at least the way,
I mean, the report is, has got some sort of grant funding to rebuild the and improve
the gardener boat ramp there, but um that road is increasingly at sea level. Um and
so uh They're planning to raise the boat ramp by about 18", which means the road
has to come up to match that elevation. And but their grant doesn't cover all of
that work. It also requires some raising of the trailer parking area next to it too,
you know, match all these grades. And so we've viewed this as a project the county
could contribute, I think we put $50,000 in to go towards some of the road work in
the right away. Um because even though it's not gonna raise that entire stretch of
road raising the part where in the winter storms we get the most debris washing up
up the boat ramp and logs and gravel across the road and water, it'll help alleviate
some of that, but um go down there in a high tide in the winter and you're gonna
see how uh sea level elevator rise is uh definitely
becoming more and more of a problem for that location. Now, I'm fully supportive
of it, I think it feels like, you know, you're also really leveraging the poor to
kind of do the work and get the engineering done and everything right. Yes, so it
seems like a real opportunity, yep. Yeah, it sure is. No, I meant by going down there,
I think it's just it's a real eye opener at at high tides to see how vulnerable that
that road is for sure. And it's a it's a good project to partner with support on.
Yeah any other comments from you guys or questions always appreciate the
work and I really encourage the public to go look at the interactive map that we
kind of walked a little bit through on on public works website. It was really instructive
and helpful document this time. Can I share a graph with you guys? Um
No not everyone. That's what we need to. God your fund balance. It's
all red. The as eric mentioned most of the money in the six year T. I.
P. Is grant funded but there is up to $1.8 million of local match for that. Um This
this graph reflects the budget without the six year T. I. P. Matching. And so the
picture would be even more dire if we put the local match in there. But as you know
we've talked about this every year at this time um you know public works take steps
to manage our budget and try to keep this scenario which shows negative cash balance
happening within the six year period from happening because obviously we can't allow
that to happen. Projects change grants or it found some projects don't
get done. Um So that's why you do the six year T. I. P. Every year to keep pace with
um changing information. Um But and I'm sorry we didn't have time
to with all the other work going on to to get this done uh at the level we normally
do, you can see I hand sketched in there, it looks like we'll actually end the year
a little better than we were projecting way back when when I made this graph. So
Maybe we'll have about a $4 million 3.3 million cash balance. But any way
you look at it, you can see we've turned the corner and what for the last few years
has been a break even scenario, we're going to be uh eating into our cash reserves
by about 6 $700,000 this year. So again kind of following on to your conversation
from your last item as costs continue to escalate 8% over the last year, whereas
taxes go up 1% plus new construction which works out to about 2% for the road levy
and motor vehicle fuel taxes. Um maybe 1% a year. And some
other sources of revenue, like the D. N. R. Timber tax have not been strong the last
couple of years. Um You know, affect affect it. Um You know, the message here isn't
to have exact numbers on on this spreadsheet, it's to say that we do have to manage
our road fund closely and pay attention to this developing scenario where we may
be uh eating into cash reserves more and more um usually are
operating costs and revenues for the last few years have remained fairly balanced.
But this year our operating costs were about 300,000 more than our operating revenues.
Um, so we have, I think turned a corner here, that's, we're gonna have to watch closely
on the road fund moving ahead and like you said, Commissioner Eisenhower in the last
session, that has a, an impact on level of service. I mean,
there's there's no other way to,
to to say it, you know, when, when the costs are higher than the revenues, the level
of service, whether it's, you know, whether you can have as many pieces of equipment
or employees in the, in the future in the long run, uh, it something's gonna give
um because we can't raise revenues. So again, we will continue to manage our fund.
Uh, like we always have to to not let this scenario play out. Thanks monty.
That chart that graph in front of cameras. So
very close, wrap it around your face. No, no, not recognized.
Hello camera. No, I'm not getting it. Good. I can turn mine on. I don't have the
military background
Greg's camera. We're facing a cliff. This doesn't reflect the
glide down of the diversion though, does it?
Well, every every bit helps And um reducing the diversion as has been done for
the last couple of years. Certainly certainly helps. But uh um it's just a number
of factors are adding up to um you know, the the biggest hit was the loss of the
federal timber money 10 years ago or 10 to 12 years ago, which used to generate 1.4
million a year more than our motor vehicle fuel tax in this county, Which is surprising
to the other, about 37 of the other 39 counties who viewed federal timber taxes are
nice to have but not necessary. Uh when I explain to them, well, how would you like
to lose the equivalent of your motor vehicle fuel tax out of your budget in a couple
of years? They start to realize what that actually meant to us. So um you know, we
went from about $1.4 million a year in revenues to about 300,000. Uh
that's you know, significant impact to the road fund. Um And so all the
other uh there's, you know, there's other things like the diversion going down that
helps, but that's, you know, $100,000 a year, not a million. Um When D. N. R. Revenues
aren't strong, that might impact us by $100,000 in in any given year versus what
we are expecting. So all these things add up, but but that federal timber was a big
a big deal that a lot of people don't know about, that's what built Jefferson County's
road system. Uh and it's what was maintaining it along with motor vehicle field tax
and property taxes were the big three until about 2010, Maybe 2011. There's been
major changes since that time. Do you have any crystal ball where the motor vehicle
fuel tax is gonna go? I mean that I feel like that more and more electrification,
it's not going to go up. You know, they're gonna have to uh continue to address that
issue with alternate uh mechanisms for collecting, you know, road use fees or fees
from electric vehicle owners, which you know, they're doing. But um you think it's
gonna go to road use, I don't know what the latest thinking is. Their mileage. Isn't
there a charge when you renew your tabs on electric? There's a premium pressure on
the electric charge and presumably that goes to roads part of it.
So this is a hearing. So I need to open it up for public testimony as your elected
officials. We want to hear your public input on this issue. Your testimony will help
inform our deliberations and decisions. So I'm now going to open the hearing to listen
to public testimony. If you've joined us on zoom. I don't see anyone um calling in,
you're going to need to raise your hand and we'll bring you over for public comments.
So raise your hand using the raise hand button at the bottom of the zoom screen and
we'll bring you over in the order the the hands go up, sorry cough and um it looks
like tom tears has joined us tom you're gonna need to mute and you have three minutes
for public comment testimony, testimony and you need to state your name and where
you live for this one. I'm aware of that. Thank you
for the record tom tears resident of Jefferson County. Um I first thank you Commissioner
Brotherton for noting the issue with declining fuel tax revenue. I was going to mention
that it's obvious and it's going to affect lots of things that are in the transportation
budget and unfortunately our legislature hasn't been acting quickly enough to replace
that funding and that's a disappointment. I continue to advocate with them to get
the pay by the mile program in place but they keep dragging their heels. We'll see
what happens uh specific to this subject of the proposal for funding the
roads. Uh Once again our public works has done an amazing job maintaining the roads
in this county um compared to the neighboring roads like port Townsend. I gotta say
we have really good road conditions. So thank you. Um I have one
specific comment that kind of overflows into your next agenda item but I think I
covered all here. Uh there's a safety plan right for for the county roads but almost
last on the tip list is number 30 which is county side. Countywide safety improvements.
Um The biggest safety issue that I run into here is the fact that in the roads that
I travel all the time. The sight lines are really, really bad. Uh There are a couple
of ones that I that you know are used quite heavily, for example Hastings road turning
left onto Jacob Miller heading to the transfer station, It's a really tight turn
and the sightlines if you're coming from Jacob Miller trying to turn onto Hastings
either left to right, the sight lines are terrible. I think they're below minimum.
And yet, I mean I understand that that maintaining those sight lines to be clear
is the responsibility of the property only owner. But where's the enforcement? Uh
I think there needs to be some more proactive work being done by the county and public
works to get these sidelines cleared off. Another really dangerous one is Cape George
Road heading east, turning onto Discovery Road, you just cannot see the traffic that's
coming up the hill from on Discovery Road. It's zipping up there and usually doing
faster than 40 miles an hour because they think oh I'm in the country, I can speed
up. No, you can't, but it's really, really dangerous and I've almost gotten t boned
a few times there. So again, maintaining those sight lines and enforcing the rules
that are in place would would really be very helpful, improve the safety of for everyone
in the county. Um Those are the main things I wanted to talk about. So thanks again
to to public works and go ahead. Commissioners, please do approve the plan. Thank
you for your comment. Mr tears. Is there anyone else who has joined us today who
would like to make a public comment? Please use the raise hand button at the bottom
of the zoom screen and we'll bring you over in the order that the hands go up.
Hi Jane, you'll have three minutes for comment once you're on mute. Yeah, that's
you. Hi Gene balk Wilson, I just want to say thank you for the really stupendous
road conditions we have out in the county, maybe not so much in port Townsend, but
the county really knocks it out of the park and I'm very grateful for that and I've
been all over this country and I've seen some really terrible roads and we do not
suffer from that here. So you have my utmost gratitude. Thank you.
Thank you jean. Anyone else with us online this morning wanting to make a public
comment on the six year transportation improvement program. Please use the raise
hand button at the bottom of your zoom screen
and as I wait for hands, I'll just um join, join the choir of huge appreciation for
the work that monty and eric does and our entire roads team um, from the planning
to the grant writing to the chip sealing every single step of the way. I mean we
have the best roads crew and public works team. Really grateful and was a good exhibit
of it at the jump moment of euphoria last friday when the jump playground was open.
That's huge kudos to you guys for that project. Anyone else wanting to make a comment?
Okay. I'm going to close public testimony on the six year transportation improvement
plan and open deliberation with my colleague. I mean no, it's it's
fantastic. You know, we get to participate in the early stages. So we are, we've
given input already into the, into the tip and um love this iterative progression
of, of goal setting, so really appreciate the process and, and, and the work, the
work that results from it, you know, not that we did much of the work but you know,
thank you staff. Yeah, Well as you care to make a month, I would be happy to make
a motion. I move that we approve the resolution in the matter of adoption of the
2023-2028-6-year Transportation Improvement Program. And I'm happy to second that
motion all in favor. I um, nana post passes unanimously missing
kate Commissioner Dean today but I know she is hugely supportive of the work that
public works does as well and works a lot on the state and federal levels does not
want to talk about sightlines at all. I don't know.
Well those those two intersections that were mentioned by mr tears certainly do have
uh, you know, they're at skewed angles and in the case of Jacob Miller and South
Discovery also there's a crash vertical curve there that does impact the sight lines.
And I think he was referring more to the brush and vegetation. So we'll take a look
at that and and see what um how the sight lines compared to the, you know, recommended
sight distance. And we do send our brush cutters and mowers out there frequently,
particularly Jacob Miller Road and South Discovery Road. But it grows fast around
here. And uh in the summer when the crew is busy chip sealing, there's not a lot
of vegetation work being done. So, um we'd we'd love to realign that intersection
as a project at some point. We need to identify the funding for it. Um I think it'll
be interesting to see how the traffic changes as well if and when the D. O. T. Does
a roundabout project at Mill Road and S. R. 20 and what kinds of pressures that puts
on that intersection as well. I would say the accident rates at those intersections
while they're uncomfortable to drive through at times I drive through them. The accident
rates are uh a bit elevated at South Discovery Road and Jacob Miller but not
at a level that requires action such as um, you know, according to the warrants that
are published in the design manuals. Uh they set the accident rates at a much higher
level than we're seeing there, But these are still key intersections that we recognize
in our county as being um uh you know that we need to pay attention to. So thank
you. Thanks monty. So the next item on our agenda also includes at least
monty if not eric um discussion and potential action regarding resolution a resolution
in the matter of updating county road standards. And because there's potential action
we will take public comments on this item. You want to trade places or do you want
to? So we on to road standards standards. Oh I see.
Morning, yes. So this is a discussion about county road standards. This uh item does
not require a hearing resolution is is adequate. Um The
county has had road standards for years in its county jefferson county code J. C.
C. Section 18 Development standards. And essentially our our standards reference
standards that are in the local agency guidelines and the american, you know, ash
toe and wash dot um design uh documents. We haven't felt the need to publish our
own documents that seems redundant. Some counties, particularly larger counties tend
to do that. Um But you know, new roads that are carrying
significant amounts of traffic aren't being built at high rates in this county, but
but the standards go all the way down to everything above a driveway essentially.
We have a standard for a, you know a three lot short platt but we, you know, we try
to be reasonable there. Um So there's, you know, decent fire access and potentially
access for garbage trucks and things, but not require people to build superhighways
into their property either.
So what teed this up is the County Road Administration board in Olympia has placed
a renewed focus on making sure that all counties have adopted road standards. Um
You know, like you said, we do in our code and we've used some um handouts over the
years to show developers what is expected. Um We took this opportunity to
to dust those off and uh tune them up a little bit. Uh make the graphics a little
bit better. We felt like a belt and suspenders kind of treatment here would be having
the county commissioner's review those in public session and adopt them by resolution,
even though we already, you know, do have our road standards and code, but that'll
make the county Road Administration board happy. They they like to see stuff done
this way,
the standards that we've put in front of you typically show lane width, shoulder
width uh right away with minimum
amounts of, you know, base material and and surfacing things like that. These are
not new requirements. Uh The only really new requirement that we're suggesting here
is we've left the issue of paving driveway approaches for years is um we haven't
required paving of those approaches except when we're talking about access to a commercial
facility that's going to generate a little more traffic. We've developed some guidelines
here that would require paving driveway approaches more frequently, uh Including
for single family residences. If you're approaching off of a main county road like
Cape George Road or something, a road that carries over 1000 vehicles a day. Um and
reiterating that paved driveway approaches are expected for uh commercial entities
that are going to generate more than 25 trips a day or 30 15 and 15 out. um
All of that's captured on the diagram for road approaches. Uh
All in road approaches are required to be paved, all road approaches connecting to
a county road with an A. D. T. Greater than 1000 commercial and industrial road approaches
with a proposed A. D. T. Of greater than 30. That would be 15 trips in and 15 trips
out per day. County road approaches for new private roads and our shared driveway
serving multiple parcels would be anything except for a single family residence.
Um And county road approaches for short plan and long plat subdivisions which would
be captured under some of the other requirements already. Um But just to emphasize
that if the county is going to approve a short or long platter expectation that the
road would have a paved approach, the paved approaches 15ft long from the edge of
the paved County Road, it would extend back a minimum of 15 ft and then be, you know,
the width of the approach. Many of the other counties are requiring paved approaches
in similar situations. If not all situations, the D. O. T. Requires any approach
to a state highway to be paved, Kitsap County Reprise requires 100% of road approaches
to be paved. And I had a table in the agenda sheet that kind of talked about that
that's going to come at the cost of people developing property, it's going to cost
uh several $1000 for a small driveway to get the approach paved um And you know,
so that's a consideration uh If uh you know, again that the intent is to
prevent um uh you know, tracking gravel onto the road or damaging the edge of the
road. I have I have a few photos of examples here show you what unpaved road approaches
look like when they're allowed to continue um as the potholes at the
transition between the edge of the paved road and the gravel road get bigger and
bigger than the edge of the paved road starts to break away. Um And we end up, you
know, patching those holes. Uh So what we've proposed is
basically where other counties have gone, not every county but many other counties
other than the most rural ones, but we do recognize that there's some cost involved
for people developing property and that that might not be uh that that that would
be a concern. So other than that issue, I think our road standards, like I say they're
the same thing, we've been applying for years, um, if port ludlow Associates is
building a new road, whether it's, uh, and it's gonna carry significant traffic,
whether it's gonna be a county road or a private road, it's gonna have the same standards
applied to it because it's based on the volume of traffic. Um, when you get to the
lower volume roads, uh, there's a little bit more difference between whether it would
be if it's gonna be a county road, we're going to require it to be paved. Um, whereas
if it's a private road gravel maybe. Okay. And we'll be coming back to you at the
discussion about whether the county should be accepting any more uh residential streets
into its county road system at a future date. We think with the pressures on the
road fund that we shouldn't be, and that's where a lot of our adjacent counties have
have landed. Uh, but that's, we don't have time for that discussion today, but that's
related to what we're talking about here. So I guess, you know, do you have any
questions for us on what's being proposed here or comments? Certainly, if we can't
get through this all today, we can come back on another day before that. We do need
to get our road standards adopted before the end of the year, I feel like we already
have adopted road standards, but we want to make the county road administration board
happy by getting a resolution adopted before the end of the year but there's still
additional meetings this year if we if we need to cover anything. So I mean no I
look forward to the conversation about whether the county has capacity should take
on future roads because I get that request a lot and I know I've usually thrown by
you and I know what the general answer is. So look forward to that conversation in
the future. I appreciate you highlighting the I guess the one change that might impact
people as they develop property but it seems reasonable. Um support it. Um I love
looking through these. It makes me feel like an engineer for a day. So thanks for
the tour because I certainly couldn't live there. So I'm no I'm I'm very satisfied
with the presentation today. My only question is in regards to the phase one sewer
boundary. There are a few unpaved roads and in the phase one sewer boundary. And
I'm just wondering is if as part of the installation of sewer in that boundary, if
there's the opportunity to pave like ali street which is just off of iron dale road
um just west of Math or just east between Iron Railroad and Matheson or
Randolph. Man Randolph Randolph and Hadlock. So I mean there may be other and I haven't
you know that's the one that I frequent. Um But I'm just wondering if there's any
opportunity there. Well there could be opportunity. I mean it doesn't um Alley street
doesn't carry a lot of traffic so you know we again run that through the filter like
we did with an trojan road. I think we'd find it's such a low volume road that it
may not warrant it. I don't think that we'd want to use the funding that's dedicated
for the sewer for that activity. So I was wondering what gravel roads might be in
that phase one sewer boundary because I couldn't really think of any. But that is
the one that I can think of. I don't know that there's a lot of other ones in there
right now. Um We can discuss that further. Certainly. Yeah I just I don't I just
don't know if there's a cost benefit like if we're digging up the road and we're
putting putting it filling it back in. You know and and does the does the Phase one
sewer boundary turn on development rights along Alley Street for example that would
make more trips on that road. I mean it's just these are all kind of the questions
the middle of the night. Well we could talk about that further. I think it's kind
of that might be a bit of a unique case I guess scott streets. The other one that's
not paved right now and that one does carry a lot of traffic. Um So we we can we
can look at that something to noodle on. Not that we needed more stuff to noodle
on. Sure. I guess speaking about the U. G. A. This these road standards
don't we don't have an urban road standard. We because the pace of development is
well we we do in that we again our standards are tied to things like ash toe and
and and other guidelines but things like sidewalks are you know really covered when
they're required. We handle that through the sePA process right now when we're looking
at a new development in the U. G. A. And whether there's uh other sidewalks that
could be tied into in the future. So we don't envision requiring everyone in the
U. G. A. To build sidewalk in front of the residential home but certainly along you
know ness's corner road. We've there's been a few developments that have occurred
over the years where sidewalk has been a requirement but it's a challenge because
of how to handle stormwater. Once you put a curb and gutter in the storm water has
to go somewhere. So there's no you can't just throw a standard out there that says
you must build curb gutter sidewalk because it it in our case is more of a case by
case basis which is best handled through the SEPA process right now.
Um So we did say we were going to take public comment on this item. So I am going
to invite anyone who would like to comment on the discussion we're having about updating
county road standards to raise their hand using the raise hand button at the bottom
of the zoom screen and we'll bring you over in the order that the hands go up. And
I see mr tears has joined us tom you have three minutes for public comment as you
know,
Okay, here I am. Um Thanks. Um I'm I'm really in favor of this idea of
paving requiring the paving of the private gravel roads and driveways, shared driveways
on, you know, wherever they joined the county's paved road system. Our little private
road took that upon itself a couple of years ago, paved the 1st 30 ft or so. And
it's a good thing. It really pays off. It's, it's made our road actually much better
and a lot safer. Also, in terms of when you pull out onto the paved section, you
no longer spitting gravel all over the place. Uh, so it helps preserve the county
roadway as well as the underside of your car. Um, One suggestion I have though is
when, when putting this out as a requirement if the county could find a way to put
together a program so that uh group groups of such driveways or roadways could sort
of join together as a collective effort and maybe the county could could round up
some grant funding to help pay for for that. That paving of those, those gravel approaches
because it is expensive and it's a few $1000 each time. So if they're a way of combining
those and you know, maybe getting a contract, the contractor to do a lower price
based on volume. Uh you know, we're going to do, hey, we're going to do six of them
in this along this one stretch of county road, something like that. That might help
minimize the financial burden on those that are gonna have to pay for this thing.
Uh So thanks, thanks for the idea. And I hope you take my suggestion under advisement.
Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else with us this morning or this afternoon. Now, who
would like to make a comment on the updating of county road standards? You can use
the raise hand button at the bottom of the zoom screen.
Okay, I'm not seeing any other hands go up so I will close public comment on this
item and entertain a motion from my colleague. Can I just respond? I
just want to make sure it's clear we're we're requiring uh you know, paving the approaches
of newly permitted driveways. We we don't really have a mechanism to go back and
require existing driveways to be paved at this point. Um It'd be nice when we do
a project like the center road overlay project that was on our six year T. I. P.
We typically will pave about 10 ft of the approach of a road to try to
protect the edge of the county road um you know, essentially out to maybe where the
estimated edge of the public right away is, you know, we will pave those approaches,
but uh as I mentioned earlier, we don't get a lot of grants to do paving projects,
so that's kind of few and far between. But when we when we do we we try to take care
of some of the intersecting driveways, um the existing driveways.
Thank you monty, thank you for that. Um Well, I'm happy to move that. We approve
the resolution in the matter of updating the county road standards as presented and
I'm happy to second that all in favor. Hi. Okay, thank you. Thank you.
Thank you monty and thanks for being here at erIC um We have one additional item
on this morning's agenda. Mhm.
Okay. I'm seeing one specific item discussion and potential action regarding exception
of the county personnel administration manual regarding conflicts of interest, section
four. And Mark, are you gonna um Okay.
Okay. Are we waiting for, do we want to wait for Sarah. Thanks monty.
Keep up the good work gentlemen, do you wanna do you wanna kick him till after the
break or?
Um I don't have a lengthy presentation on this topic. Fairly simple. Yeah. Why
don't you go ahead. Okay, Commissioners, as you know, older cap has been
constructing the seventh Haven project on Castle Hill just inches away from our community
development department and public health department and um the employees of those
two departments have had to endure some inconveniences namely the limited parking
noise dust and um and actually some safety concerns because of the height of the
building and the potential for objects to fall on people. And um the break area at
the back of community development um has pretty much been rendered unusable because
of the risk of things falling from the construction site. And so in appreciation
for the patients um of the employees at Castle Hill regarding the construction only
cap wishes to gift are county employees. Uh Two gift certificates, one from mo
chilling barbecue for $25.01 from the mean being coffee stand for 10 add those together
you get 35. Our personal manual section 4.1 um talks
about the limit. Uh You know non nominal gift would be any gift uh in value more
than $25. $25 standard is decades old. Um And much like our procurement
ordinance, we updated it so that to account for inflation. Um and we plan to do the
same thing with the personnel manual and and raise the limit and and sort of link
it to our C. W. The R. C. W. Limit is $50 and when I say staff recommends
it's it's really me recommending that you grant an exception to the personnel manual
in this case pending the update to our our personal manual to raise that limit. Um
it's a really nice gesture of good faith on the part of ali Cap and I think her employees
would would appreciate being able to accept those gifts.
Yeah, this shouldn't take too long. You know, I we we ran into this last year too
with the with the sheriff's office and some folks trying to appreciate work. But
this is a very clear cut case of there's no benefit. They're just saying thank you
for your patients. So yeah, it's not to influence future behavior. It's it's a just
a gesture of gratitude. Yeah. I say let's yeah adopting getting, making our policies
by reference to the R. C. W. Is is good to work on in the future. But for the time
being I am happy to move that we approve the resolution in the matter of granting
an exception to section four of the county personnel Administration manual manual
as presented today and public comment. And um we'll take public comment.
And is there anybody with us this afternoon who would like to make a public comment
on this exception to our um policy regarding gifts to the county
team. And in this instance, um we're asking for your uh
generosity, join us in generosity because we'd like to um allow only cap to recognize
the tolerance of our county team throughout the entire construction of the seventh
Haven project. And I might add that the monies that purchase these gift certificates
or not? Taxpayer funds. They came from a donation. Right. A specific donation from
an individual. Yeah. Thank you. Mark. So not seeing any hands go up wanting to comment
on this. So I'm going to close public comment on this matter And just clarify that
we're gonna update, add this to the future updates of the personnel manual to make
it like $50 instead of well, link it to the R. C. W. So as it changes are changes
with it. Right. Okay. Um I'm happy to uh call for the vote all in favor
of this high. Okay. Okay. So we have no time for our commissioners briefing session.
We do have one more item on the agenda that we can take care of this. Right? I'm
looking at my my older version of the agenda. Let me get. So we are we have one more
item discussion and potential action regarding approval of the 2023 Housing Fund
board funding recommendations for Fund 1 40 48 49. and we will we
will we will take public comment on this after Commissioner Brotherton. Um give us
a little briefing on it. Great. Um So as is often the case, the Housing Fund Board
had more applicants, more qualified applicants for the 1 41 $49 than we had. Um The
solution that the Housing ford fund board came up with was a recommendation that
we approved. Um most of them at at 75% And try to find the money to make all of the
projects hole in 15 90. After talking to legal staff and getting a recommendation,
uh we we absolutely need to have an RFP for any dispersed $15.90. And
unfortunately, so I've, this was going to be on the consent agenda, I asked to put
it here and there's two charts. The first chart shows the 1590 recommendation based
on the recommendation the Housing Fund Board made many of these projects, probably
don't qualify for 15 $90. So, the kind of, the current staff recommendation is that
we don't approve the awards recommended from the Housing Fund Board, There's a special
meeting of the Housing Fund Board to look at a 15 90 RFP on uh november 30th at one
p.m. And we can Ask the Housing Fund Board at that same meeting to um refine this
recommendation. So it doesn't isn't incompatible with with the awards that could
be made in 1590. So, the recommendation is just to do nothing but wanted to make
sure we had a moment to talk about this in open session and and go through the issues.
Uh so everyone is informed. Thank you. Are are there other issues that we need to
discuss? No. Um is there anybody with us online who would like
to make a public comment on this matter? If so, use the raise hand button at the
bottom of your zoom screen. Um This is about the allocation of fund 1
48 1 49 funds for 2023 we're delaying that approval of the recommendations
based on the discussion we just had, I should add these are for 2023. The funds would
be available in january. So there's no functional um uh deficiency that's happening
by pushing this off a little bit. So we're we'll have another presentation on how
how we actually make all of these um proposals whole Yes, following. I mean we won't
I mean, the RFP process for 15 90 will still, even if it's abbreviated, we're trying
to make the application identical to the 1 48 1 49 application. So it should um
it should be quick but we it'll it'll it'll still be tight. I'm not sure what I'm
trying to say except that uh we need to do over. Okay. Okay, so we're not taking
action um and I don't see any hands going up regarding commenting on this item. So
if there's nothing else will recess,
we're gonna say something. Mark,
approve a motion to affirm we're not going to not going to we just wanted to put
this was the original request that has been shown to be not quite kosher by our legal
staff. So we wanted to make sure that was out there, but we do not recommend uh this
recommendation. Still a lot of work went into the discussion of the allocation of
funds. So we want to recognize all of that work of the committee and um say that
it's not wasted time and we are going to get it right and bring it back. Okay, Thank
you everyone.
Okay, so we are now going to recess until 1:30 PM. At which time we'll have a bunch
of exciting stuff to share. And tidwell
the other way they tied us. Good morning, Good afternoon everybody. We're back. Um
Start my video. Okay. Um We have one agenda item on our agenda before we go into
executive to executive sessions. So um Mark, are you gonna kick this one off? Um
Yes, thank you. Commissioner Eisenhower, um a new tradition here is to recognize
um in public um when we bring on a new department director and I'm happy to say that
after what a year and a half or so of me moving down the hall to take on county administrator
duties. We finally replaced me as the Central Services Director. And
a year of that delay was because I was interim and we fully expected that I would
go back to being the director. But chris is good fortune that didn't happen. Um but
I'm happy to introduce to the to the community chris coy who previously hailed from
philadelphia pennsylvania and you might want to sit over here and I'll aim my camera
at you. Yeah, he and his partner Alex are new jefferson
County ites um uh Chris was prepared for this role, having served as a policy
analyst. If I'm misstating anything, let me know for the philadelphia municipal government
most recently for the president of the council I believe. And that was like seven
years worth. Yeah, I was his director of policy for seven years. Yeah, and so that
departments got a new infusion of energy and talent and following on the heels of
crusty mccauley. We've got a fresh new face and I'm I'm really delighted to have
chris on board and in the short time he's been here, he's messed very well with the
with the commissioners and uh I think with staff and and with his peers on the senior
management team, so I'm gonna give the microphone to chris so he can say a few words
or this microphone. Uh My good luck indeed! Uh it's uh indeed a special pleasure
to be living on the olympic peninsula. I've taken many trips here uh in in past lives
and uh it's it's just a genuine treat to be able to be a public servant in this in
this part of the country. Um we've long wanted to move out here and uh when we saw
this opportunity um it was, it was a no brainer for my family and uh I'm just really
excited to get to know everyone and it's uh it's truly humbling, so thank you for
the opportunity and ready to get to work. What's the biggest surprise in your first
couple of weeks on the job. Oh gosh. Well I will say this. Um I have a tremendous
amount of respect for public servants. Uh it's a, it runs in the family And uh in
small governments in particular, people have to wear lots and lots of hats and um
you know, in a, in a city government of 30,000 employees, there's a lot of specialization
and learning all of the different hats that each individual employee um wears to
keep this county running and to serve our residents well is um, it's always eye opening
and uh it's humbling to see. So that's been, that's been a big surprise.
Oh just just welcoming, thank you chris for for being here. We're really excited
to have you join the county team and uh you know, there's a lot of work to be done.
So you know, it's as Mark said, it's a, it's a role that has been vacant for, you
know, half a year fully and really, you know, it's, it's lack that that person that's
focusing on it. So really, really appreciative to have you here and your your resume
and the energy that you brought has been just has been fantastic so far. So I'm really
excited. Thanks very much. Thanks chris Hey, well, so to our guests on the
public, public on the attendee list today, we are going to step out of this room
and go into a couple of executive sessions and we'll be back around 230. Come
back between them right between them. So we'll see you back here.
Oh right right. Yeah everyone else can leave. You know? We have two different links.
I don't have the link for the second one that that explains it. Okay so the first
executive session we're going into is what the county administrator chief, civil
deputy prosecuting attorney, Department of Community Development Director, Department
of Community Development Planning Manager regarding potential litigation exemption
is outlined in the Open public meetings Act R C W 42.30 dot 1 10 parentheses one
parentheses. I we're going in at 1 35 and we will come back at
2051 35 to 205.
Okay
so so you have to wait. Okay so we are coming out of executive
session and we are taking no action and um we will be going into another executive
session.
Oh right yeah we are coming out of that executive session and taking no action so
there is no need for public comment and we are going to um clock out and go into
another executive session and we will be back from that one at 2 36.
Oh sorry yep we're going into executive session with our human resources director
to review the performance of a public employee, no discussion of salaries, wages
and other conditions of employment to be generally applied within the county and
no final action on the hiring setting of the salary of an individual employee or
class of employees or discharging or disciplining an employee exemptions as outlined
in the open public meeting. Sorry Open public meetings Act R c W 42.30 dot 1 10
parentheses one. We'll be going out at 206 and coming back at 2:36. See you then.
Oh God sorry. It only it only crops up when I have to talk for a minute
recording in progress. Oops. Better leave audio there.
But I'm sure that we have audio
Testing testing 123, testing testing 123.
You can call back then.
I was back in the session. Great call back to regular session. Okay um We are coming
out of executive session and taking no action and we will resume our regular session.
We have one more item on our agenda for the afternoon And that is discussion and
potential action regarding the 2023 lodging tax funding recommendations from the
lodging tax advisory committee. And we will have public comment on this item.
So we should wait for Mark to get back though I think.
Mhm.
Really? Can you hear me?
We missed you guys. We've been done for a while. We've been sitting down here. Like
are they coming back?
So Mark, I just announced that we're going to talk about L pack. Yeah so that's
that's what what we were waiting for you to get back until we
um So I can
Take this one off. Um The lodging tax advisory committee met two weeks ago
and um went through all of the funding requests for 2023 And we knew
we had about $950,000 in um funds to distribute. And
so we had well more than that, I think it was like 1.2 million in requests.
So we went through the list and we um made a few, we made
scenarios Um based on different funding levels. And then I came back to mark and
said, how much money do we actually have? And we were able to increase I think were
initially we're targeting 850,000 and we were able to increase that based on the
tax revenues in 2022. It's higher than had been projected. But we um even even at
that we had to fairly significantly reduced the allocations to certain
organizations. So in the packet that you have today you'll see there's a table of
the funding request that that the organizations each made and then the recommendation
after um two reviews of those those requests. And I would just say that
the committee emphasized full funding for entities that provide
um visitor services because they're they're really unique to meeting
travelers to and through the county. And um most of those we were able to
recommend and maintain full funding for. And we did consider the
Historical society as there are two locations as essentially visitor centers because
jefferson Historical Society is a museum in downtown Port Townsend. That is, um,
very much a focal point for visitors to our community. So that the ones that you'll
see here that we recommended less funding for were, um, let's see
The farmers market in Chima gun. We gave them half their funding, the Shrimp fest
that was kind of, that we had a discussion about that being a one a one off event.
So it's not like a 365 day a year. Um, always open or you know, you know, five days
a week or whatever, whatever the various schedules of the visitor centers are, they
provide more coverage in terms of the number of people who can come through their
door. Um, we had a couple of new proposals this year, one from the peninsula trails
coalition to do some actually some baseline user counting
to figure out how many people are actually using the trail and then in future years
they'll be able to compare to see if there's an increased use in the trail. And they've
never really been able to do that very consistently before. Um, and that was a compelling
central part of that. Their request for support, um, counters and trail
monitors, people. And then, you know, those little strips that count the number of
bike tires across the trail. Um, let's see, what else will I say here.
Foundation looks like they got, you know, 70% or so. Yeah, like all the 11 time things
fair and parade.
Those were the big kind of rationale considerations for how we would reduce the total
requests. I mean, one idea I had was reduced them all by 25%. But then once we got
into that, there was, we realized that would be cutting cutting people off at the
knees in some cases. Um, because like the couple of the Chambers of Commerce, we
are their only source of funding or their their principal source of funding. So I
think we feel we, I'd say we feel good about this list, but we we wish we could have
fully funded everybody at the amount they requested. Of course
it's an app on the phones that um, is customized to the geography where
um, so the olympic peninsula in our case. And um, it's something that uh,
steve Shively from the tourism coordinating council knew about. Um, and he's going
to, you know, see if he can figure out how to engage with tread a little bit. I think
optic, the olympic peninsula Tourism Council uses tread a little bit. So there's
a little bit like dipping our toe in the water with tread and it's been done in other
regions of the state successfully, where they kind of customize stories that go out
across the interwebs to folks about the region. Cool.
Um, but other than there's other questions from you Greg. Otherwise
I'd entertain a emotion. No, I mean, all right. We'll do public comment
first. Yeah. I don't have a lot of questions. I looked through some of them, you
know, been through this boat a couple of times. It's good to see some new players
On the on the beat and that always makes it a little harder to get everyone funded.
And it's a it's a real challenge. You know, we we go through this with a lot of different
things, but this looks like a real equitable split. Support, support the kind of
distribution that you have here. So I will be happy to move that. We uh I would move
that. We affirm the 2023 hotel Motel Fund expenditures as recommended and follow
through on. And I will second that. And I will open to public comment if there's
anybody online who's joined us online this afternoon and would like to comment on
the motion on the table. Um Mark, you have your hand up. You want to make a comment?
Okay. Okay. You have to accept the promotion to panelists. So is there anyone else
online with us this afternoon who would like to make a comment on the proposed funding
levels for the lodging tax advisory or the lodging taxes for 2023. So that's next
year's funding. Anybody wanting to comment on our proposal. Looking back to Mark's
comment earlier in the day, I think the um The 56 attendees we had during Dr Barry's
address was by far, it went down to 23 immediately after for our hearing on town
on property taxes. So Okay. I'm not seeing any hands go up so I'll close public comment
and call for the vote on the motion. All those in favor, aye. Okay. lodging
tax funds are allocated for 2023.
Thank you. Team. I mean, you know, just in a final comment, I would say it was, it's
always astonishing looking at the entire requests from organizations, you know, that
the level of need in our community just to keep ourselves on the radar, but the rest
of the world seems um it's surprising to me,
um any other business, additional discussion items that anyone has, Mark
Greg?
Um No, I've got lots to do and three more meetings tonight, so I wouldn't mind getting
out of here early. Well, if there's nothing else, I will adjourn this November 21,
2022 meeting of the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners at two 49.
Alright, bam