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City Council Regular Meeting Auto captions

Monday, January 6, 2020

7:00 PM · 3h 4m · Council Chambers, 135 E. Sunset Way, Issaquah WA
Section
7. INFORMATIONAL UPDATES
7a
Website Redesign Project ID 0521
packet pp.9–23
Staff report:
At the Jan. 6, 2020 City Council Meeting, Council will receive an informational presentation on the City’s redesigned website, which currently serves 300k+ users and accommodates 1.4 million pageviews per year.
8. CONSENT CALENDAR
8f
King County Parks Property Tax Levy Agreement 2020-25 AB 7883
Carried 7-0
Award Bid · packet pp.181–189
Topics: ParksBudget
Staff report:
The City has previously entered into agreement with King County for similar Park Levy agreements. The past two levies had varied focuses: • 2008-2013: acquisition of open space and natural lands, and the acquisition and development of county regional trails or city trails that are regional in nature, and may specifically include local trails in underserved areas linking to city or county trails that connect to regional trails • 2014-2019: repairing, replacing, and improving local parks and trails in King County’s cities
Roll call:
Moved by HUNT · seconded by REH
In favor: Barbara de Michele, Stacy Goodman, Zach Hall, Victoria Hunt, Tola Marts, Chris Reh, Lindsey Walsh
10. GOOD OF THE ORDER
10a
Upcoming Council Meetings
0:05 you
0:14 [Laughter]
0:18 good evening I'm gonna call to order the
0:21 City Council regular meeting at Monday
0:23 January 6 2020 and I would like to
0:26 invite anybody who'd like to join the
0:28 council myself in the pledge of
0:29 allegiance to please stand we have two
0:52 items under special business this
0:55 evening we will be doing the oath of
0:57 office for four of our council members
0:59 and that will be followed by the
1:01 election of council president and deputy
1:02 council president I'm going to do the
1:06 two regular tissue items under special
1:09 business and then at the conclusion
1:11 we'll call for a 5-minute break so that
1:13 the council members can greet those that
1:17 are here to congratulate them and then
1:20 be reseeded for the rest of our meeting
1:22 so under the swearing in ceremony for
1:25 the oaths of office I will be sparing in
1:26 for council members who were elected in
1:28 the 2019 general election I'd like to
1:31 invite councilmember Zack Hall
1:34 councilman of a Barbie Michele council
1:36 member Lindsay wash and council member
1:38 Victoria Hunt to come and join me down
1:39 here for the swearing in ceremony
1:43 [Applause]
1:49 and Zach if you just want to keep
1:52 walking this way we'll start with you
2:02 please raise your right hand and repeat
2:04 after me
2:05 I state your name is Zach hole having
2:09 been duly elected having been duly
2:11 elected to City of Issaquah Council
2:14 position number two to city of Issaquah
2:16 council position number two term
2:18 expiring December 31st 2023 term
2:21 expiring December 31st 2023 do solemnly
2:25 swear do solemnly swear that I will
2:27 faithfully and impartially I will
2:30 faithfully and impartially discharge the
2:32 duties of this office discharge the
2:34 duties of this office as prescribed by
2:36 law as prescribed by law and to the best
2:39 of my ability and to the best of my
2:40 ability that I will support and maintain
2:42 that I will support and maintain the
2:44 Constitution of the state of Washington
2:46 the Constitution of the state of
2:48 Washington and of the United States of
2:50 America and of the United States of
2:52 America congratulations
2:57 after each council member is sworn in
2:59 I'm going to get them to take a seat and
3:01 officially sign their oath of office
3:05 councilmember du Michelle would you like
3:06 to drink
3:13 please raise your right hand I state
3:16 your name Barbara de shell
3:18 having been duly elected having been
3:21 duly elected to the City of Issaquah
3:23 Council position number three to the
3:25 city of Issaquah council position number
3:27 three term expiring December 31st 2021
3:31 term expiring December 31st 2021 do
3:35 solemnly swear do solemnly swear that I
3:38 will faithfully and impartially that I
3:40 will faithfully and impartially
3:41 discharge the duties of this office
3:43 discharge the duties of this office as
3:46 prescribed by law as prescribed by law
3:48 and to the best of my ability and to the
3:51 best of my ability that I will support
3:53 and maintain that I will support and
3:55 maintain the Constitution of the state
3:57 of Washington the Constitution of the
3:59 state of Washington and of the United
4:01 States of America and of the United
4:02 States of America gratulations thank you
4:05 [Applause]
4:11 it's a member wash please raise your
4:16 right hand and repeat after me I state
4:19 your name I'm Lindsey Walsh having been
4:22 duly elected having been duly elected to
4:25 the city of Vista quad council position
4:27 number four to the city of vist o'clock
4:29 council position number four term
4:31 expiring December 31st 2023 term
4:34 expiring December 31st 2023 do solemnly
4:38 swear do solemnly swear that I will
4:40 faithfully and impartially that I will
4:43 faithfully and impartially discharge the
4:45 duties of this office discharge the
4:47 duties of this office as prescribed by
4:49 law as prescribed by law into the best
4:51 of my ability and to the best of my
4:53 ability that I will support and maintain
4:55 that I will support and maintain the
4:57 Constitution of the state of Washington
4:59 the Constitution of the state of
5:01 Washington and of the United States of
5:02 America and of the United States of
5:04 America congratulations councilmember
5:13 hunt please raise your right hand and
5:18 repeat after me
5:19 I state your name I agree having been
5:22 duly elected to the city of Vista quad
5:26 council position number six term
5:31 expiring December 31st 2023 term
5:34 expiring December 31st 2023 do solemnly
5:38 swear do solemnly swear that I will
5:40 faithfully and impartially that I will
5:42 faithfully and impartially discharge the
5:44 duties of this office discharge the
5:46 duties of this office as prescribed by
5:48 law as prescribed by law and to the best
5:51 of my ability and to the best of my
5:52 ability that I will support and maintain
5:54 that I will support and maintain the
5:56 Constitution of the state of Washington
5:58 the Constitution of the state of
6:00 Washington and of the United States of
6:02 America the United States
6:04 congratulations and welcome back
6:06 [Applause]
6:13 so the next idea that on the agenda is
6:16 going to be the elections and whence
6:18 councilmember hunt has signed her oath
6:21 of office will proceed with the next
6:23 item
6:31 if you would like to join us come on up
6:38 as councilmember hunt is working on her
6:42 paperwork I'll go to the next item which
6:44 is a B 7 8 8 9 this is the election of
6:48 council president and deputy council
6:50 president for 2020
6:55 the following process will be used to
6:58 elect the officers first I will call for
7:00 nominations and when all nominations
7:03 have been made I will close the
7:04 nominations council members will then be
7:06 provided an opportunity to discuss
7:08 nominees I will then ask council members
7:11 to cast votes on the nominees in the
7:13 order they were nominated by voice and
7:16 show of hands
7:17 council members may vote for only one
7:19 nominee and may vote for themselves
7:22 the council member receiving the
7:23 majority of the votes is declared
7:25 council president the process will then
7:28 be repeated for the position of deputy
7:30 council president so let's start with
7:32 the nominations for council president
7:34 are there any nominations else president
7:36 Mertz it gives me great pleasure to
7:39 nominate Victoria Hunt as council
7:41 president thank you are there any other
7:45 nominations seeing none the nominations
7:50 are closed any I was pretty fast any is
7:54 there any discussion of the nominees all
7:58 those in favor of appointing a council
8:00 member hunt as 2020 council president
8:03 signified by voice and a show of hands I
8:07 as opposed nominee is elected
8:11 unanimously congratulations
8:17 but a position of deputy council
8:20 president are there any nominations
8:22 councilmember Goodman
8:23 I would nominate councilmember Chris Rea
8:26 thank you are there any other
8:28 nominations hearing none the nominations
8:33 are closed is there any discussion of
8:35 the nominee all those in favor of
8:39 appointing councilmember Rea as 2020
8:41 deputy council president signified by
8:44 voice and a show of hands those opposed
8:50 councilmember Ray's elected unanimously
8:52 congratulations
8:54 I have a lot of friends and family
8:58 members in the audience here tonight who
9:00 came in particular I'm assuming to
9:03 congratulate our different candidates so
9:04 at this point in time we'll take a
9:05 five-minute recess and you can decide
9:07 whether or not you want to stay for the
9:09 rest of our meeting
9:17 you
9:19 you
16:51 No so thank you for your patience we are
16:56 back from our break
16:58 it's a biannual excitement we have when
17:00 we are seeding new council members and
17:02 their family and friends come to support
17:04 them quite fun we're now in the audience
17:06 comments portion of our meeting audience
17:09 members may address the council at this
17:11 time the guidelines for public
17:12 participation are displayed on the
17:14 screen behind me please limit your
17:16 comments to 5-minutes
17:17 those who signed up will be called for
17:19 it first and if you did not sign up i
17:21 will ask for other speakers before
17:23 closing this portion of the meeting if
17:25 you are here as part of a group please
17:27 identify a spokesperson for your group
17:29 and the group that you're here
17:30 representing and those that are here in
17:32 the audience and not speaking but
17:34 wishing to show support please raise
17:35 your hands if you are hearing comments
17:37 or information from anybody here at
17:39 audience comments and you're in
17:41 agreement with their positions as anyone
17:44 signed up to speak this evening yes
17:46 Larry Franks
17:52 good evening my name is Larry Frank SIA
17:54 live at two four zero zero one southeast
17:57 a hundred and third Street is a clap for
17:59 forty eight years now there's been a
18:01 little bit of change in the city and
18:03 that link the time what I wanted to
18:08 share was where we are relative to our
18:13 fish what we're looking at right now is
18:15 a graphic depiction of average
18:19 temperature for the last 120 years and
18:22 we're going from blue to red this one
18:27 second Larry can is Larry advancing his
18:30 I'm sorry did I forget do you bring
18:31 slides or just just this one okay just
18:36 this one the point of this being that
18:40 climate changes with us and it severely
18:44 impacts the fish that I am most
18:47 concerned with so in large part I'm
18:50 speaking on behalf of fish of the
18:52 Friends of Issaquah Salmon Hatchery and
18:55 this backdrop is what we're one of the
19:00 things that we're sharing with the
19:01 public on a regular basis so onto a
19:05 report on the the fish themselves the
19:09 hatchery last year had a return of point
19:14 one four percent of our fish so the 2.8
19:19 million fish that we released roughly
19:22 four thousand of them came back a large
19:24 part of that is due to climate change to
19:27 the impacts that the environment has on
19:30 the fish before they manage to to make
19:32 it back for the second year running we
19:35 did not get enough fish back for our
19:38 quota of eggs we had to borrow them from
19:41 other hatcheries will be doing a early
19:46 release fish this year hoping to evade
19:48 some of the Predators that have taken
19:51 hold in the the lakes we humanity and
19:57 our infinite wisdom introduced
20:01 perché other fish that are now chowing
20:04 down on our small as we're releasing
20:07 them and they're trying to get to the
20:10 sea the one other thing I wanted to
20:13 bring up is that there's a opportunity
20:15 for an education called
20:17 spawning grounds it's being shown in
20:21 Snoqualmie in just a couple of days and
20:25 is from a coalition fish supporting
20:30 organizations that are educating us and
20:33 what we can do in the public to preserve
20:36 these magnificent fish thank you Thank
20:40 You Larry
20:41 just has anyone else signed up this
20:42 evening yes Heather Finnerty and Malia
20:46 Bechtel
21:10 yeah
21:16 more MORE there there well that was
21:25 thick talk yeah I think we want you
21:27 don't worry so let's start if you go to
21:28 the next one that'd be great
21:30 perfect do you want me to click through
21:32 it from there are you ok well ok so good
21:36 evening we are I'm Malia greening I live
21:38 at 575 southeast Bush Street I've been
21:40 there for 15 years and this is Heather
21:43 Finnerty and she's just down the road
21:45 for me in the little alley down there
21:47 and we're here because we're a parents
21:49 and we're teachers in this quest school
21:51 district and we have been teaching for
21:53 between the two of us about 30 years at
21:55 least at least so we do have some
21:57 concerns about traffic safety in our
21:59 neighborhood primarily on Second Avenue
22:03 because that's where our kids cross the
22:05 street to get to Clark elementary school
22:07 and eventually you know they'll be going
22:10 up the street to Issaquah middle and
22:11 Issaquah high so this first slide
22:13 Heather's actually going to talk about
22:14 because you got the email from Victoria
22:17 I did we're looking actually at the
22:19 house on the corner across the street
22:21 and one of the traffic calming measures
22:24 that was put in last year is that yellow
22:27 sign and the bumps that are there and it
22:29 seemed to work just from our observation
22:32 at first and then people got used to it
22:35 and it doesn't slow people down any more
22:38 cars are still going past it and our
22:41 crossing guard tells us daily how people
22:44 go through her flags and I'll let Malia
22:47 talk a little bit more about that but
22:49 even beyond that and she's she's
22:53 actually keeping track of how many
22:54 people go through it every day whether
22:55 it's kids in the crosswalk for us or
22:57 whether they're not in the crosswalk
22:59 because cars don't care whether there
23:01 are kids there or not there
23:03 but the bumps that are there also just
23:06 as a side note actually physically shake
23:09 the houses on the corner when the cars
23:11 speed past as well which was not
23:14 happening one year ago and so that's
23:16 also something we'd like you to consider
23:17 in looking at the traffic revisions it's
23:19 whether we can change this intersection
23:22 not only for the safety of our children
23:24 but for the comfort of the people who
23:27 live on those corners
23:28 with the speed bumps that were not
23:31 affecting their daily lives before and
23:32 when cars are going 25 there we've been
23:34 told they can't feel anything it's the
23:36 cars that speed that actually rattled
23:39 the entire house okay next light yeah
23:43 okay so this crosswalk this picture here
23:46 if you can look up on the sidewalk you
23:48 can see tire tracks and that's when
23:50 there was frost out that that morning
23:52 and this was taken I believe in
23:54 September and this was either the second
23:56 or third incident that we had seen or
23:58 that Tonya had seen of a car on the
24:01 crosswalk on the sidewalk the sidewalk
24:03 actually tanya is my crossing guard
24:05 tanya is our crossing guard and she
24:07 actually will not let the kids even
24:09 stand on this sidewalk anymore with that
24:11 she requires all of us to stand in the
24:13 grass of that house there that I believe
24:15 it's owned by the city because cars have
24:17 run up on the sidewalks so often so
24:19 again these are just examples of things
24:21 we want to show you because we really
24:22 are looking for a better solution than
24:24 just a plain crosswalks maybe some stop
24:28 signs or a light or anything other than
24:31 just across what that people are cutting
24:33 this corner on we can take those they
24:36 shouldn't talk about the car that was a
24:37 member of yes so I I yes I teach at the
24:42 library and on my way to the library one
24:44 day around 4 o'clock just after school
24:46 got out right here in this exact picture
24:49 there was a car up on the grass at 4
24:53 o'clock in the afternoon so my kids had
24:54 just finished crossing the street to go
24:57 come home and the car was up there and
24:59 we have some police reports of how many
25:03 incidents have been in this area and do
25:06 you remember what the numbers were I
25:07 don't remember talk my head I have them
25:09 no okay but I averaged out to be 1 1 an
25:13 incident 2 incidents I think or one
25:15 incident every other day on Bush Street
25:17 and 2nd Street alone and our main
25:19 concern of course is our children and
25:21 pedestrians but also other people who
25:23 are I guess maybe high-risk and I have
25:25 some information I can share with you
25:27 about that from other people's
25:28 perspectives that have been sending us
25:29 emails along that way too that's just
25:35 the corner if you're not familiar with
25:36 the intersection Clark elementary school
25:38 is just one more block beyond that and
25:39 then the house that we just showed you
25:40 is just on this side of the
25:41 crosswalk we're also noticing too that
25:45 there's no signage that there's any
25:46 schools in the area there's no school
25:48 crossing there's no there's a school
25:50 here there's you know nothing that we
25:52 can see are we out of time
25:56 we had because both of you are speaking
25:59 I'll add another five minute okay okay
26:01 and it's it's our understanding that as
26:04 far as like sitting and engineering goes
26:05 it's 300 feet away from school that
26:08 signage has to be posted so I'm I
26:10 understand that qualifications are being
26:13 met but it's not working for Clark
26:15 they're up on a hill and so the kids
26:18 that are coming down are being protected
26:20 it is 300 feet away where the school
26:23 signs are on the drive up to the school
26:25 but the kids who are walking through the
26:26 neighborhood aren't being affected by
26:27 that and at the time that the accident
26:31 was the 3rd of October I believe the
26:34 following week the gentleman was hit on
26:36 sixth and then between the last time
26:38 that we've been here there was a little
26:39 boy riding his bike to and I say little
26:42 because my kids are yeah I think getting
26:44 bigger but riding up to the high school
26:46 and junior high and he was hit by a car
26:47 on his bike from one of the kids who was
26:50 coming down and cutting through Costin
26:52 to get to school and did not see him and
26:54 he fell he was hit hard enough that he
26:56 fell off of his bike and these are the
26:58 things that police reports are not
26:59 getting there are things that people in
27:01 the neighborhood are witnessing the boy
27:04 probably in shock got up got on his bike
27:06 as I'm fine I'm fine I'm fine
27:07 and left but I highly doubt he was fine
27:12 to be had knocked off his bike by a car
27:14 okay we're ready for the next thing -
27:17 okay so this was kind of going back to
27:20 that we're just looking for signage to
27:21 let people know that there's a school
27:22 there in that last photo it doesn't
27:25 matter if you see it but cars often
27:27 don't know that Clark is just up that
27:29 hill so they stack up behind that stop
27:31 sign there and then they just throw on
27:33 their horns because they're mad that
27:35 there's this backup and no one's going
27:36 through the stop sign because they don't
27:38 realize that people are trying to turn
27:40 left to go up the hill - Clark so we we
27:43 think that if there was some kind of
27:45 sign that said hey there's a school here
27:47 all the people that aren't parents would
27:49 know that
27:49 oh we're stopped at this stop sign we're
27:51 not going to move until the people up
27:53 the hill move so that's been a big issue
27:55 and we've seen a lot of road rage her
27:57 daughter is a crossing a crossing guard
28:00 she does safety patrol and has been
28:03 yellow
28:03 by people because they just don't get
28:05 that this is a school area
28:06 I don't know that bless her she thought
28:08 they were doing it in appreciation I
28:14 also just to tag onto that
28:16 coincidentally I was in the Woodbridge
28:17 area in Bellevue an elementary school
28:20 that has crossing signs residential area
28:24 signs and had a large traffic study done
28:26 where they implemented a lot of the
28:27 suggestions that we're trying to bring
28:29 to your attention here I don't know when
28:32 they did it but it's all online and I
28:35 was in the neighborhood because my kids
28:36 were doing some sports and I noticed the
28:39 signage quite a few streets away from
28:41 the actual school and so we really like
28:44 to advocate maybe that we take a look at
28:47 whatever whatever it is that they were
28:48 implementing in that area and what they
28:50 did and kind of adopt that - we're ready
28:52 for the next slide
28:53 oh this is this was you from the police
28:57 report I think we mentioned this well
28:59 these are the basically the things that
29:00 we've done as as parents in the area is
29:04 we have called the police several of our
29:06 neighborhood our neighbors have called
29:08 police and asked them to come out
29:10 because we've watched people speed down
29:12 the street at this morning at 7:30 in
29:14 the morning I heard speeding and armed
29:16 you know flying over the speed bumps and
29:18 we've called police to come out and you
29:21 know I know they're busy and they said
29:22 they're busy and so once in a while they
29:23 might come out but most the time they
29:25 don't to just could patrol Bush Street
29:29 for how fast people are going down there
29:30 they're flying over those speed bumps
29:32 we've signed petitions for it we've
29:35 written letters to the City Council and
29:37 we've heard back that it's going to be
29:38 considered and my personally I I was on
29:44 my bike when the little boy was killed
29:45 on new Newport Way and I came upon it
29:49 that day and it was traumatizing for me
29:51 because my son was the same age and even
29:53 talking about is still very upsetting
29:55 but I was involved in that lawsuit
29:56 actually I was one of the witnesses and
29:58 I don't want to see that happen on
30:02 second and bush
30:03 or anywhere to any kid that I know in my
30:06 neighborhood because I'm going to court
30:09 and watching the family talk about it
30:12 and all the details and everything was
30:15 was something that I hope that nobody in
30:18 this community ever has to go through
30:19 and I certainly hope that we can
30:21 implement something before something
30:24 like that happens again and ultimately
30:25 the speed limit was reduced on Newport
30:27 Way in that area but there's also a dead
30:30 little boy so that's why that's why I'm
30:34 here I'm involved because I was on my
30:36 bicycle that day and I saw his little
30:38 lunchbox in the crosswalk and I'll never
30:41 forget it it's a picture I'll never
30:42 forget and with that we do see our
30:47 neighborhood is in an emergency
30:48 situation and to hear that well it might
30:51 be something that has to do with budgets
30:53 why we're not getting the help that
30:55 we've been asking for for years isn't
30:57 settling well because surely our
30:59 suggestions are less costly than a
31:03 lawsuit for the death of a child or the
31:05 or a gentleman being hit in a car in a
31:09 crosswalk during a time where there were
31:12 turn restrictions a year ago thank you
31:14 for your time Thank You Heather Amelia
31:17 and I'm probably gonna put city
31:19 administrator on the spot here this is
31:20 the second time Heather in Malaya have
31:22 come to and I hope I'm pronouncing that
31:23 right to the council and they're using
31:26 the same slide deck as before I know
31:28 that you probably have an update as to
31:30 when Council actually will be getting
31:32 some information on this as we had
31:34 mentioned at the end of last year we
31:35 expect to come back next month in
31:37 February first a session thank you is
31:40 anyone else signed up no is there anyone
31:44 else who would like to address council
31:45 this evening Steve come on up
31:52 Elizabeth come on up I know that the
31:58 city is looking at the possibility of
32:01 some severe weather shelter but it's not
32:03 going to happen this winter it's pretty
32:09 nasty out there sometimes particularly
32:12 in the high winds tree limbs fall on
32:18 your tent
32:18 tear it up I'm hoping that we can look
32:25 not only at a severe weather shelter but
32:30 possibly a day center where people could
32:34 come and get transportation to the
32:37 existing shelters when the weather is
32:41 really terrible you don't just need to
32:43 be out of the weather at night sometimes
32:48 you need a place to be in the day and to
32:52 access resources and another idea that's
32:55 been on my mind is as I look at some of
32:59 the false front buildings along Front
33:03 Street
33:04 many of them are single-story and if we
33:08 could add storeys above them and allow
33:14 mixed-use so that people could live down
33:18 here where all those services are that
33:21 would be a real boon for our community
33:25 we need a lot more housing that people
33:27 can afford and that's close to
33:31 transportation old people like me don't
33:34 do so well climbing up and down the
33:36 mountains anymore thank you for
33:39 listening thank you Steve
33:48 hi Steve our whole town about 12 years
33:51 now so first of all thanks to the new we
33:54 pointed positions for those of you who
33:56 have joined the City Council under those
33:58 collective leadership positions so thank
34:00 you for volunteering to serve I think
34:02 well the service is something gets not
34:04 appreciated as much so new new year new
34:08 decade you start to new things let's
34:10 just make sure we're looking at kind of
34:12 remember the minority opinions that made
34:14 me don't get hurt or expressed as much
34:17 so before I forget I wanted to mention
34:19 specifically 87 88 3 which is the parks
34:23 property tax levy I wanted to support
34:25 speak in support of that and Abee 7870
34:29 would the proposed budget revenue for
34:31 the cemetery fees I feel cold hard in
34:33 the same and I'm not sure that I agree
34:35 with supporting reduced fees for
34:38 cemetery services for low-income I think
34:42 there's a lot of things we need to do to
34:43 support an affordable is gwad I'm not
34:46 sure that I include death services and
34:48 then I feel cold-hearted and saying that
34:50 I'm not trying to be cold-hearted but
34:51 there's there's so many things to make
34:54 living worthwhile that we need to do for
34:55 the community that that's a fine line
34:58 where I put a break or make a difference
35:00 on so again I just feel bad about saying
35:03 that so I'll move on next thing was as I
35:07 heard about people and talk about
35:10 driving concerns of people it's not
35:13 something just unique to Old Town it's
35:15 something I've heard about every
35:16 community whether it's tell us whether
35:17 it's Highlands whether it's sick more
35:20 people speeding as we put more more
35:22 density into who we are just creating
35:25 the situation where people are speeding
35:26 up to try to get save 30 seconds we're
35:29 creating conditions that aren't the
35:31 betterment of these conditions that I
35:33 see people talk about let's kind of
35:36 consider that as we put some growth or
35:41 control or not just randomly improve
35:42 anything but how we're gonna impact
35:45 these situations - people keep coming
35:47 back and talking about again and again
35:49 and again whether they talk about it
35:50 here or they talk about it in online
35:52 forums something needs to change and
35:54 we're not creating conditions that are
35:55 causing that to HAP
35:57 Larry Frank's paint next issue Larry
36:00 Frank's book all about fish and habitat
36:04 when you just I don't know the solution
36:06 but obviously we need to do something
36:08 better and different I also would look
36:10 at to see if there's something we can do
36:13 for a prior protection out of quitters
36:14 quite helps if all we're doing is
36:17 looking for the state or King County
36:19 resources to you have to word an event
36:22 of a fire what we do as it's why we need
36:24 to be the first responders to respond to
36:25 that I think we need to take a more
36:27 proactive approach in deciding that
36:32 that's really I want to say and again
36:34 thanks to all of you for serving
36:35 appreciate it you see anyone else would
36:39 like to speak this evening Bonnie hey
36:45 happy new year and what a year is going
36:48 to be I feel like a glutton I get a
36:52 whole it's a qua Municipal Code title 18
36:55 update and then I just heard that we're
36:58 getting a stormwater little update to so
37:00 it's like candy so exciting I know
37:05 that's all twisted I also got excited I
37:07 found a new groundwater plan that
37:09 actually I had never seen before and who
37:12 knew that we actually well I'm gonna I'm
37:15 gonna go way back you know we used to be
37:17 3,000 feet deep and ice here and then as
37:20 the glaciers melted and moved the water
37:23 broke through in a variety of places in
37:26 one of those places was where the North
37:28 Fork now goes to Lake Sammamish and so
37:32 when they did the Issaquah highlands
37:33 they did these groundwater studies they
37:35 were trying to figure out where our
37:36 aquifer went and the pathway to the
37:38 water and they they sort of missed this
37:40 part and so this exciting study shows
37:42 that there is a deep probably and direct
37:47 route underneath lake side sort of
37:51 following the path the north work which
37:53 used to go straight into the lake and no
37:56 longer does that all the AG people moved
37:59 the North Fork but but deep and low and
38:03 so our water flow is a little bit
38:05 different than I remember from the
38:07 Issaquah Highlands you all may never
38:10 have a memory of worth water flows in
38:12 this town anyway and this is dated 2000
38:15 I just got my hands on it it's like
38:16 really my mind is blown so that brings
38:21 you to paradigm shifts right I have a
38:24 slightly different way that I'm gonna
38:26 look at water for the rest of time in
38:28 the city of Issaquah because of the
38:30 direction and I know I now think it
38:32 flows and we have been working our town
38:35 with this mindset that we need to build
38:40 we need to grow and and we're paving and
38:45 we're adding places we're adding roads
38:47 we're trying to figure out how to get
38:48 people through and some of these very
38:51 basic natural functions we've sort of
38:57 accommodated our humanity as compared to
38:59 accommodating the historic use so the
39:04 land is meant to allow humans to thrive
39:07 the water has a huge number of functions
39:11 to allow humans and Wildlife to thrive
39:15 and we focus on it like it's only here
39:18 for us to drink and it's here for our
39:20 convenience and so when we look at the
39:23 rain as it pours down as it always does
39:25 and I go out and I see these streams
39:29 that are filled with turbit which means
39:31 all cloudy and nasty sediments flowing
39:33 through the water which the fish don't
39:36 like the eggs don't like nothing really
39:37 likes it that that system has been in
39:43 place for a long time but humans have
39:45 created the structure over the top of it
39:48 where this the water can't meander it
39:51 doesn't go to the floodplains because
39:53 we've corralled it into these channels
39:55 and so the sediments can't move to the
39:58 side and and continue to keep the gravel
40:02 exposed in the center of the streams to
40:04 allow the fish to be able to lay their
40:06 eggs and thrive that we haven't allowed
40:09 the extra channels to allow the fish to
40:11 be in a side channel and not get swept
40:14 down the way because we have been too
40:16 busy settling our town and we talk about
40:20 being green we talk about protecting our
40:22 environment and we we sort of token
40:24 gesture at needing trees even as we cut
40:27 them down and plant the teeny tiny ones
40:29 and so in this opportunity for rewriting
40:34 our title 18 of the Municipal Code I
40:36 would actually like to see a start with
40:39 our vision which actually says but this
40:42 is is a large part of what we're the
40:45 community wants to protect in our town
40:47 and we no longer have the luxury to
40:50 ignore that and and pretend that it's
40:54 all about just us
40:56 so as this code goes through and the
40:59 stormwater code I would like to see the
41:02 bounce back and forth consistently over
41:04 and over
41:05 does our code get us our vision are we
41:08 upholding the values of our community
41:10 and unfortunately I read the entire code
41:13 the other day and then I wrote a big
41:16 matrix on title 18 on that and I was
41:23 energized so to speak to try to find all
41:26 the different points of view and voices
41:29 in this town who might engage on
41:30 particular topics and I hope the city
41:33 goes to that effort too because it's
41:36 actually about us it's it's not about
41:39 city government right we're making the
41:41 town for the community so happy new year
41:44 I hope you to have as much fun as I will
41:47 thank you Thank You Connie
41:49 Steve's got his hand up is there anyone
41:51 else who would like to address the
41:53 council this evening during audience
41:54 comments a second call the third and
41:58 final call to address the council seeing
42:01 none I'll close that portion of the
42:02 meeting and move to committee and
42:04 regional reports council member Hall I'm
42:07 sure you have a very lengthy report for
42:08 us this evening
42:09 no report Thank You councilmember Dee
42:12 Michelle no report that's member Walsh I
42:15 do have a report here we go so start
42:19 there
42:20 so the first ad hoc meeting for the
42:23 title 18 ad-hoc committee
42:25 occurred on December 19th and just as a
42:30 quick aside for the community that title
42:32 18 is the land used code
42:34 and it hasn't been reviewed in 20 years
42:36 and the usability issues with our code
42:40 were compounded by the end of the
42:41 development agreements and downtown
42:45 Issaquah the highlands tell us all of
42:47 that being folded into the larger set so
42:49 during that first meeting myself
42:53 councilmember Goodman and we're behind
42:58 sorry who is now council president hunt
43:03 I'll have to get used to saying that
43:06 we discussed the three consultant
43:09 contracts that have been executed we
43:11 also reviewed the draft table of
43:14 contents for the title 18 and began a
43:17 discussion on the kind of scope of that
43:20 work we decided that the ad hoc
43:22 committee will be meeting two times a
43:24 month from January through August or
43:28 September and a rotating member from us
43:30 will report out here after every meeting
43:32 we also envision that at least two study
43:35 sessions with the whole Council will
43:37 bring up some of the larger policy
43:38 issues our next meeting is on January
43:42 9th
43:43 where we'll continue a conversation
43:44 really getting into the ideas of scope
43:47 whether this is more about
43:49 reorganization and streamlining versus
43:52 substantial policy changes plus which
43:55 areas might wait for 2021 and we'll
43:58 review the timeline for touch points
44:01 with the PPC Development Commission
44:05 rivers and streams and Parks boards so
44:07 you'll be hearing more about that after
44:10 every meeting
44:12 Thank You councilmember Walsh council
44:14 member Goodman Thank You mayor Poli the
44:17 Eastside Fire Rescue Board of Directors
44:19 will meet this Thursday January 9th at 4
44:23 p.m. at headquarters on Newports way and
44:26 I do not have agent in front of me
44:27 that's my report Thank You councilmember
44:30 Mertz thank you madam mayor sound cities
44:33 Association is going to be holding the
44:35 committee orientation this year on next
44:38 Wednesday January 15th at 6 p.m. at the
44:41 SeaTac City Hall all
44:45 electeds that are filling seats for SCA
44:49 are required to attend so although this
44:52 will this will be my ninth year
44:54 representing SCA on committees I have to
44:56 go so everyone else does too
44:58 and and that's SeaTac so give yourself
45:01 lots of time I'll be coming from bottles
45:03 and we give myself two hours to get
45:05 there so but it's it's good and there's
45:09 lots of good for those of you who
45:12 haven't been there before there's lots
45:13 of good information on both representing
45:16 SCA and also how you can get additional
45:18 assistance as you as you work on those
45:21 committees then growth management
45:24 planning board of GMP CRS RFPs RC will
45:29 be meeting on Thursday February 6th at
45:32 10:00 a.m. in the PS RC boardroom and
45:35 the SCA caucus will meet it at 9:00 a.m.
45:38 that morning it will be my first GMP be
45:40 meeting so that will be interesting
45:43 SCA pick is not meeting in January due
45:46 to a light agenda and also the
45:48 aforementioned committee orientation
45:50 this month this concludes my report
45:52 Thank You deputy council president rain
45:54 no report this evening
45:55 that's a president thank you madam mayor
45:58 I have two reports the first is that the
46:00 Huayra ate salmon recovery council and
46:03 we're at 8 being our watershed the
46:04 salmon recovery council I met on
46:06 November 21st at the Mercer Island
46:07 community centre and we had several
46:10 updates we heard several dire updates
46:15 about the status of salmon returns
46:19 specifically at the time of that meeting
46:21 about a hundred percent of the historic
46:23 counts had been had been taken at the
46:27 Ballard Locks and for sockeye it was the
46:30 lowest since counting started in 1972
46:33 and it was also a very low percentage of
46:36 the 10-year average about 20 percents of
46:39 the 10-year average we also heard about
46:41 the kokanee and having low returns for a
46:45 kokanee and this is a trend since a
46:48 population collapse in around 2016 so
46:50 that continues the the poor trend for
46:53 kokanee and we had a
46:56 presentation about the emergency actions
46:58 that are being taken to improve the
47:01 standing of our salmon in the region
47:04 focusing on habitat restoration and the
47:06 habitat needs for a salmon on a brighter
47:11 note we did hear a presentation from a
47:15 program called the water Watchers
47:16 program this is um this was presented by
47:20 the Snow King watershed Council member
47:22 eric admin and he presented about this
47:25 program where they have community-based
47:26 water monitoring and they foster
47:31 watershed stewardship through
47:32 development of volunteer water monitors
47:34 so that was a really cool program and we
47:37 also heard a very interesting
47:38 presentation about the value of our
47:40 rivers which is a American rivers study
47:43 and they're looking at the economic
47:44 benefits of doing habitat restoration
47:47 and looking at case studies and they
47:50 wanted feedback from our group about
47:52 what sort of case studies and what sort
47:54 of information would be useful for
47:55 making decisions so that study will be
47:58 going on this year and we will get
48:00 results back probably around the end of
48:01 the year the next meeting of the yr8
48:06 salmon recovery council will be January
48:08 16th 2 to 4:15 p.m. at Department of
48:13 Ecology and Bellevue and I also have a
48:16 meet-up date for the king Conservation
48:18 District Advisory Council we met on
48:20 November 21st and it was a meeting to
48:24 discuss the upcoming rate renewal that
48:27 was proposed to the King County Council
48:29 that that rate renewal was a
48:34 continuation and a increase from the
48:38 previous rates it doesn't cover the full
48:40 program of work however so there is
48:43 still going to be the need for applying
48:46 for grants to cover the full program of
48:48 work and one question that I continually
48:51 have for the for the King Conservation
48:55 District is to what extent the wild fair
48:57 wildfire preparedness is covered and
49:00 this will be mostly covered the scope of
49:03 that work will mostly be covered under
49:05 the rate renewal so the
49:07 was proposed to be 253,000 and 215,000
49:13 will be covered under the rate renewed
49:15 program and the rate renewal was adopted
49:18 by the King County Council on December
49:21 4th it was unanimous the next meeting of
49:24 the King conservation district Advisory
49:26 Committee has not yet been such that
49:28 concludes my report thank you and for
49:31 the mayor's report this evening
49:33 there will be an executive session to
49:35 discuss collective bargaining for RCW
49:37 42.3 0.14 opor and for print a this item
49:42 is expected to last 15 minutes and no
49:44 action is anticipated to follow in open
49:46 session moving to next item in the
49:52 agenda it's informational updates I D 0
49:54 5 to 1 website redesign project this is
49:58 an information only presentation and no
50:00 council action is requested this evening
50:02 I'd like to ask Thomas rash
50:03 communications coordinator to come up
50:05 and make the presentation alrighty thank
50:27 you madam mayor Thank You council
50:28 members I hope to eat this product
50:31 update nice and brief the highlights of
50:34 the city website redesign are the mobile
50:37 features that have been included a new
50:39 streamlined design a new improved focus
50:42 on neighborhoods enhanced news and
50:44 calendar postings improved ADA
50:46 compliance and many others so a quick
50:49 background previous website set on an
50:53 older version of our website vendor
50:54 Civic pluses platform in accordance with
50:57 a set of best practices and add new
50:59 design and functionality we planned a
51:02 full redesign for 2019 the last time the
51:04 city's website was redesigned was in
51:06 2012 and was deemed quite successful in
51:08 fact in 2015 the website won a savvy
51:11 award for excellence in the digital
51:14 interactive category but online things
51:16 change pretty fast and public
51:18 expectations mean this redesign was
51:20 necessary all right a little baseline
51:25 data for the website in 2019 the
51:27 website's 1.4 million clicks which was
51:30 nearly double what we saw in 2018 and we
51:33 saw just shy of 600,000 visitors the
51:38 most visited sites on the website are
51:41 the registration portal for updating I
51:43 mean excuse me for the Parks and Rec
51:45 Department where people could sign up
51:46 for classes programs those kind of
51:48 things the overall Parks and Recreation
51:50 homepage information about the pool and
51:53 the traffic cameras which is an
51:55 interesting side story about how well
51:57 our website does when a snow storm hits
51:59 that the fact the traffic cameras is
52:01 this high on the list right now the
52:02 active Jail roster and the farmers
52:04 market as you recall the city conducted
52:09 a national community survey last year
52:11 and within that survey 84 percent of
52:14 respondents said the city website was a
52:16 major source of news within the
52:18 community in terms of website usage 49%
52:22 of all website traffic comes from a
52:24 mobile device and over 25% of that web
52:27 traffic comes through our e-news or
52:29 social media channels I bring those two
52:31 points up just to highlight the level of
52:33 usage Nissa and kind of necessity to
52:36 focus on ensuring our platform was
52:38 mobile friendly in terms of how we got
52:43 here last March when we started this
52:45 project we started by conducting a
52:47 survey of our the users of the site to
52:50 kind of hear what they had to say what
52:51 they liked about the current site Athens
52:54 area was done we brought in a Civic Plus
52:55 consultant to talk with all three
52:57 departments and in May we finalized the
53:00 design for the new site which helped us
53:02 when it came to working with all the
53:03 departments on what their content was
53:05 getting it upgraded those kind of things
53:06 in August we migrated the site across to
53:10 a new platform and left it there in kind
53:12 of a sandbox format so that the old
53:14 website was still useful for the public
53:16 but allowed us to use the new site and
53:18 make tweaks and get it ready in October
53:20 we brought in members of the public who
53:22 expressed interest to testing the site
53:24 which we reached out to earlier in March
53:26 to see and get them ready for it all of
53:29 that helped us
53:29 as the end product and we launched on
53:31 December 5th so when talking about the
53:35 online survey we connected in March we
53:38 learned a few things from the Nash
53:39 Community Survey initially but we won't
53:41 hear more so during this we took away
53:43 three big results from the survey number
53:45 one was the public wanted fewer clicks
53:47 they wanted to get the information they
53:49 desired at a much faster rate number two
53:51 is they wanted to see a focus on news
53:54 and calendar events the way the city
53:57 operates the things we get out that was
53:59 a big win for the the people who use the
54:01 website they wanted to see more of that
54:02 and number three the previous site was
54:06 not the most mobile friendly platform
54:08 you'd seen and getting that upgraded was
54:11 a big request so to address those three
54:15 things the number one thing we did for
54:16 your clicks was we reduced the number of
54:19 pages overall we changed out how
54:21 navigation functions try and make it
54:23 more seamless and natural for how people
54:25 look at it and to adjust for focusing on
54:29 news and calendar events we built out a
54:30 brand new front page on this platform
54:32 that's kind of like a one-stop shop for
54:34 people you don't have to go through any
54:35 of the rest of the site to find things
54:36 on news calendar events coming up
54:39 community events those kind of things
54:40 it's all right there on the main page
54:42 and moving to this new platform allowed
54:45 us to have a more mobile-friendly design
54:47 but more than that it allowed us to try
54:49 and create content that was supposed to
54:50 be seen on a mobile friendly device so
54:55 look at on-site consultations we took
54:58 what we learned from the survey and we
54:59 took what we knew from website analytics
55:01 and we kind of built out a way we want
55:04 to take the redesign on to make sure
55:07 what we planned matched kind of what
55:09 best practices were in the nation we
55:11 invited a consultant from Civic plus our
55:12 vendor out to come and meet with all the
55:14 city departments and kind of scope out
55:17 the work those meetings were valuable in
55:19 getting not only staff invested in the
55:21 redesign but helping us highlight two of
55:24 the biggest things we wanted to bring
55:25 forward one was that brand new
55:27 neighborhood focus I talked about as
55:28 well as building a bigger footprint into
55:31 the website for specific areas of focus
55:34 for the city
55:38 now I spoke briefly on user testing but
55:41 the reason we do it the biggest reason
55:42 we do it is that to make sure all that
55:44 hard work we put into building the site
55:46 actually matches what the public wants
55:48 to see and how they use it it doesn't
55:50 matter how many best practices use but
55:51 if someone turns on the computer or
55:53 their phone looks at the website and it
55:54 doesn't function correctly it's not
55:56 useful so we brought in a bunch of
55:59 volunteers who wanted to take part in
56:01 the user testing and what we do for this
56:03 is we devise scenarios things that
56:06 generally people would take part in
56:07 during an average trip to the website
56:09 and we see how well they function it's a
56:11 pretty straightforward process so on day
56:13 one we had those users complete tasks
56:16 the test administrators would take notes
56:18 they'd see how the results go we
56:21 encouraged testers to provide comments
56:23 to us especially if they expected to
56:25 find something and it wasn't where it
56:27 was and then after that we look at the
56:31 results and we look at all the scenarios
56:32 and ones that are deemed successful and
56:34 ones are deemed failures now especially
56:36 the ones that were doing failures we
56:37 look at how to improve that why why did
56:39 they go wrong why couldn't they find
56:40 what they're looking for and then
56:42 overnight we make those changes so that
56:44 on day two we can complete the process
56:45 all over again we compare day 2 to day 1
56:48 and hopefully we've seen improvements
56:50 especially the ones that were considered
56:51 failures so that the overall goal is
56:54 those testers helped shape what the end
56:55 product was now that can be pretty
56:59 ethereal to think about so I have one
57:01 scenario here in this one we asked users
57:04 to find information related to a
57:06 specific neighborhood project on our
57:07 site what we noticed was you can do a
57:11 great job of building a lot of content
57:13 together but if you do it in a bubble
57:14 not everyone won't think the same way
57:16 you did on how to get to that content so
57:19 day 1 results I wouldn't say we're very
57:21 great before day two started we altered
57:25 the navigation we changed how
57:26 connections were made we adjusted where
57:28 the data was located and how many places
57:30 you could find that data on the website
57:31 and we brought it to the day to crowd
57:33 and the success rate went a lot higher
57:36 and it's important to consider when
57:38 you're looking at those numbers right
57:39 there that they're all they do all of
57:41 this with no ability to search the site
57:43 we asked them to do this all by
57:44 organically navigating anyone who uses
57:46 the site today if it doesn't where you
57:48 think could be the first thing you'd do
57:49 is search and so that wouldn't notice
57:50 lis bring up all those
57:51 rates as well but it was good to see how
57:53 well people could navigate the site
57:54 without that alright that brings us to
57:57 launch with all the user testing done
58:00 any last-minute adjustments made we
58:02 launched the site on December 5th for
58:06 the public this process was seamless
58:07 we had zero downtime detected and the
58:10 overall cost for the project in 2019 was
58:14 $24,000 now I mentioned a few of these
58:19 features there are a couple of notable
58:21 other ones on here for one we used a
58:23 local artists and photographers for a
58:25 lot of the visual content on the site
58:27 the site is also a fully ad a compliant
58:30 now it is completely upgraded to include
58:32 translation featuring from Google on
58:34 every single page and increased security
58:36 as well so that is a good point for me
58:41 to transition we've talked about the
58:42 side a lot let's actually look at it I
58:45 have a few pages here so here we have
58:47 the main web page the home page as I
58:51 mentioned the home page was been
58:52 designed to be much more prominent a
58:53 one-stop shop for a lot of the basic
58:56 information you might be seeking the
58:58 previous home page was static what you
58:59 landed on was all the content that
59:01 existed in this iteration we made sure
59:04 use the best practice of taking
59:06 advantage of how users tend to use
59:07 social media and other sites and
59:08 included vertical scrolling and a design
59:10 so as you navigate down the page you'll
59:12 see these first six graphic buttons
59:15 they're a new addition as well they
59:17 allow us a lot of flexibility in
59:19 highlighting which information is really
59:22 important at curtain moment a good
59:24 example would be we are getting our way
59:26 into winter season right now and it's
59:27 already been brought up once or twice
59:28 that the weather will change so these
59:31 buttons are interchangeable I can bring
59:33 them out if all of a sudden we have a
59:34 large snowfall overnight and is
59:37 important to get residents access to the
59:39 snow plow routes to see that kind of
59:40 formation they won't have to navigate
59:42 all the way to the emergency area to
59:43 find them they'll be present right here
59:45 on the home page so that is a big
59:47 improvement let's see as we navigate
59:51 down the page a little further as I've
59:54 mentioned we want the site to be mobile
59:56 friendly and a big improvement is
59:57 getting away from having everything be
1:00:00 present only in the
1:00:01 ABB's on top now that is useful for some
1:00:03 people on PCs a little less useful when
1:00:05 you're looking at your iPhone in this we
1:00:08 call a tab widget is a way to kind of
1:00:11 highlight important information by topic
1:00:13 and leaving it on the main page which is
1:00:15 easy to find on your cell phone as we go
1:00:18 a little further down we mentioned how
1:00:20 big news was to the community and we've
1:00:22 redesigned it to be much more visually
1:00:24 friendly and bring out important
1:00:26 information that you might be able to
1:00:28 useful and we see current certain
1:00:29 council members on there so if you want
1:00:33 to learn about one council member
1:00:34 starred and things like that this could
1:00:35 be a good place to kind of get that as
1:00:39 we for a little further down we
1:00:40 mentioned also that the community wanted
1:00:42 to see a value in highlighting count of
1:00:46 the calendar of features so what we have
1:00:47 done here is basically brought two full
1:00:50 calendars to the front page and made
1:00:51 them easy to access the default one here
1:00:53 on the front highlights all of the
1:00:54 community events happening in the in the
1:00:57 community obviously and if with a little
1:00:59 adjustment here switches them to
1:01:01 highlight all the city meetings and all
1:01:04 boards and things like that that are
1:01:06 happening so provides a lot information
1:01:07 right up front easy to access finally
1:01:11 social media is embedded onto the home
1:01:14 page this is not only a useful feature
1:01:16 but also it can be an emergency be chair
1:01:19 for instance if there is an emergency in
1:01:21 town and we are on social media making
1:01:23 sure we keep everything up to date this
1:01:25 site automatically updates with our most
1:01:27 recent tweets so that anyone on the site
1:01:29 would be able to access information
1:01:30 right away all right from there let's
1:01:35 take a look at one of the biggest
1:01:36 features we made an improvement for and
1:01:38 that is the neighborhood page on here we
1:01:41 want to make this a a critical element
1:01:44 of the redesign and in that provide an
1:01:47 opportunity for neighborhoods to have
1:01:49 their own hub and what I mean by that is
1:01:52 that if you were to click on any of
1:01:53 these for instance the Highlands you get
1:01:56 presented with a video that not only
1:01:58 talks about a little bit of the features
1:02:00 but gives you some landmarks on what's
1:02:02 going on down here a little further so
1:02:05 as I start navigating again you get a
1:02:07 small bio about the place so you can
1:02:10 learn a little bit about what the what
1:02:12 makes that community or that
1:02:13 neighborhood special
1:02:14 further down the page you also get
1:02:16 information on major projects that are
1:02:18 happening specific for that community
1:02:19 and where they are and how far along
1:02:20 those processes are and finally at the
1:02:23 bottom any news that's pertinent to that
1:02:25 community has also presented on that
1:02:26 page now that is great because it also
1:02:28 ties into another one of the features we
1:02:30 had which is we wanted to make sure
1:02:31 those news features and that ability to
1:02:33 subscribe on a neighborhood level was
1:02:35 present so now when you go into the
1:02:36 notify me area every single neighbor has
1:02:39 their own news category so you can keep
1:02:41 up to date by subscribing to that the
1:02:44 final thing is on every neighborhood
1:02:46 page we have the contact details for
1:02:48 both the neighborhood engorgement
1:02:48 engagement coordinator as well as
1:02:50 community resource officer and the links
1:02:53 for HOAs and everything like that you
1:02:55 might find important in your community
1:02:56 so I think this does a great job of
1:02:59 making these neighbor pages a place to
1:03:00 educate those who may be interested in
1:03:02 communities as well as making it a place
1:03:04 for community members to stay engaged
1:03:05 and informed
1:03:09 so we spoke over let me see actually
1:03:12 move to one page real quick I wanted to
1:03:13 pull it out and highlight what it looks
1:03:15 like when you use the neighborhood I
1:03:17 mean they see the translation features
1:03:19 which is embedded in the bottom of every
1:03:20 single page if you select any neighbor a
1:03:23 language it should well ideally if the
1:03:32 internet was working correctly that
1:03:33 would automatically update to be in
1:03:35 Mandarin so use your imagination I swear
1:03:38 it works
1:03:41 and we will move on past that slight
1:03:43 glitch but on every single page if you
1:03:45 were to have English as a second
1:03:46 language it should make it much easier
1:03:47 to navigate the site so we talked about
1:03:52 other areas of interest of the city in
1:03:54 terms of creating a larger footprint or
1:03:57 priorities and we noticed we have three
1:04:00 unique audiences within our larger
1:04:01 audience the first one being is our
1:04:03 economic development audience the
1:04:05 department itself requested a place that
1:04:07 they can call home to showcase to
1:04:08 potential businesses and we built this
1:04:11 as a secondary site you'll notice that
1:04:13 in top left corner the logo no longer is
1:04:16 just for the city includes the economic
1:04:18 development area and in all of the mega
1:04:20 Navs and buttons have changed to be
1:04:22 specific to this department this allows
1:04:26 the antebellum department to take out
1:04:28 this new page to do some marketing with
1:04:29 it provide pertinent information to
1:04:31 potential businesses in the area overall
1:04:34 making a nice one-stop shop for them to
1:04:35 use to attract other businesses the
1:04:39 second audience in question is those
1:04:41 seeking event spaces our weddings and
1:04:44 events team needed a more vibrant online
1:04:46 presence to assist with bookings and
1:04:48 information and we created that with
1:04:50 this area users will be able to take
1:04:53 virtual tours as well as read
1:04:55 testimonials and browse photo galleries
1:04:57 in a more natural way that group is very
1:05:02 excited to have a more functional
1:05:04 non-city forward-looking area to direct
1:05:08 potential clients the third area we're
1:05:12 looking at is the one that was already
1:05:14 slightly different on our old site it is
1:05:16 the parks and recreation area
1:05:17 now Parks and Recreation already had the
1:05:20 largest footprint on
1:05:21 website accounts for nearly 50% of our
1:05:23 traffic we wanted to make sure that we
1:05:26 gave that a big improvement as well so
1:05:28 now we have presented all this
1:05:32 information in a way that allows people
1:05:34 to register for classes check out what
1:05:37 rentals are available again with the
1:05:39 graphic buttons we can change them out
1:05:40 right now we highlight youth basketball
1:05:41 and volunteer opportunities but when
1:05:43 summer comes around we want to make sure
1:05:45 we highlight what day camps are
1:05:46 available and the farmers market so
1:05:48 having that kind of functionality allows
1:05:50 us to provide better for our internal
1:05:52 clients like Parks and Rec but speaking
1:05:55 of parks back in particular and
1:05:57 especially programs and classes another
1:05:59 big advance we have is the ability to
1:06:01 seamlessly include our registration
1:06:03 platform and a much nicer way so when
1:06:06 clicking on for instance youth
1:06:07 basketball we have the ability to get
1:06:09 right to the registration page from
1:06:11 inside the site and provide a more
1:06:13 seamless product for those looking to
1:06:15 sign up their kids for those kind of
1:06:16 programs now not every department got
1:06:21 that kind of treatment in terms of how
1:06:22 the overall website looks but that
1:06:24 doesn't mean we didn't make huge
1:06:25 improvements for instance here is a page
1:06:27 from development services department and
1:06:29 we've we we I think all know a little
1:06:32 bit that permitting can be a difficult
1:06:33 topping to talk about especially if this
1:06:35 is your first time engage in the city on
1:06:37 that kind of fashion so we wanted to
1:06:39 provide the ability to make it a more
1:06:41 simplistic process and I think we've
1:06:43 done that
1:06:43 this goes to just show that even the
1:06:46 departments that weren't given massive
1:06:47 overhauls all the pages were looked at
1:06:49 and that content was refreshed
1:06:53 now this audience here might be
1:06:55 interested to know we also did the City
1:06:57 Council pages we upgraded them to
1:06:59 highlight enhancements to how you can
1:07:03 interact with this group as well as
1:07:06 providing personal touches to who the
1:07:09 council members are and why they're
1:07:11 serving kind of providing a way for the
1:07:13 average citizen to get to know who
1:07:15 represents them and what your interests
1:07:17 are outside of that we also made a big
1:07:20 improvement to the way citizens can look
1:07:24 up and residents can look up information
1:07:27 on upcoming meetings or past meetings
1:07:29 especially and that is through this new
1:07:32 portal so what it allows is a better
1:07:35 search functionality it provides the
1:07:38 ability to look for specific events in
1:07:39 the past and a much more user-friendly
1:07:41 way than the old way it was and I'm sure
1:07:43 you guys are familiar from doing
1:07:44 research ourselves on past initiatives
1:07:47 and things like that so hopefully this
1:07:49 provides a better like landing spot for
1:07:51 people want to do research or are
1:07:53 looking to see what interests them and
1:07:54 the upcoming meetings now that is a lot
1:07:57 of information let's switch back over to
1:08:00 the PowerPoint real quick
1:08:01 and let's look forward to 2020 we are
1:08:06 proud of where the website is and what's
1:08:07 become from launch but that doesn't mean
1:08:09 our work is done there are multiple
1:08:11 goals to complete in 2020 that will make
1:08:13 the website even more useful to the
1:08:14 public the first is that we will be
1:08:17 integrating very soon a new customer
1:08:19 relationship management software that
1:08:21 allows users to engage with the city in
1:08:23 a more intuitive way including a new
1:08:25 brand new mobile app so that'll be
1:08:27 exciting number two in 2020 the city is
1:08:31 looking to add online payment options
1:08:33 for utility billing which provide users
1:08:35 another request we saw from the initial
1:08:37 survey is that that ability and third
1:08:40 the website itself will continue to get
1:08:42 better for users through improved search
1:08:44 functionality with all new web sites it
1:08:46 takes a second for search results to
1:08:47 crawl through the navigation and the key
1:08:49 search functions we are continually
1:08:52 adding those keywords and tags to common
1:08:54 searches to make sure the results when
1:08:56 searching for things are the results
1:08:57 they should be coming up I know that's a
1:09:00 lot of information to take in quickly
1:09:02 I'm happy to answer any questions you
1:09:04 guys have Thank You Thomas
1:09:05 and I'm racking my brain serious it's
1:09:07 the first time you've dress council it
1:09:09 is the first time I come and thank you
1:09:12 does anybody have any questions for
1:09:13 Thomas deputy council president right
1:09:17 it's just a couple maybe more comments
1:09:20 than questions sure love the mobile was
1:09:24 the first thing I checked out and I was
1:09:25 just verifying it up here I also want
1:09:27 you to know that the translation works
1:09:29 great for me on mobile
1:09:35 what are your thinking's about how to
1:09:39 measure the success of this absolutely I
1:09:43 think it's really important to make sure
1:09:44 our website has the ability to have both
1:09:46 analytics but also trend analysis so
1:09:49 every year the year I've pulled metrics
1:09:51 since I've started this job and like I
1:09:53 said I'd like to make sure we have
1:09:55 multiple metrics choose from and one of
1:09:57 those be page clicks you can see how
1:09:59 well the site is use in terms of how
1:10:00 frequently that one should have almost
1:10:03 200 cent jump this year for us the other
1:10:05 one I like to look at is subscriber
1:10:07 bases so as the user I mean the survey
1:10:10 should look forward showing people want
1:10:12 to know about news in their communities
1:10:13 and the best way I do that is to
1:10:15 subscribe to those various and notify me
1:10:16 categories so between those two metrics
1:10:18 seeing them you will subscribe how many
1:10:20 new users we have as well as seeing how
1:10:22 frequently our site it gets used should
1:10:24 be a good barometer for how well we're
1:10:25 doing and getting information out on
1:10:28 just a couple couple more things if I
1:10:30 might because I'm excited about tracking
1:10:33 this too and I one of the things that
1:10:35 you talked about user tracking users
1:10:37 through subscriptions but I believe you
1:10:39 can also attract unique users and I'd
1:10:41 like to see if we're increasing our
1:10:42 penetration this becomes easier to use I
1:10:45 so that would be an ass absolutely and
1:10:47 number two I think clicks can be a
1:10:49 misleading indicator because one of our
1:10:51 biggest complaints was too many clicks
1:10:53 so actually we could actually improve
1:10:55 service by reducing the number of clicks
1:10:57 so I think that that's a difficult one
1:10:59 but system our system City Administrator
1:11:04 Bob quit sent out some interesting
1:11:06 statistics this afternoon I hope he
1:11:09 shared them with you and we don't have
1:11:11 to do this now if we don't want to but
1:11:12 I'd like to know what these columns mean
1:11:14 because
1:11:15 they're they're very interesting but I
1:11:17 don't know how to interpret them I don't
1:11:19 have the columns off Tommy head but I
1:11:21 would yeah so it's a city-by-city
1:11:23 comparison super cool mm-hmm I just I'm
1:11:26 trying to understand what the what it's
1:11:30 telling me and I sure that I know so and
1:11:33 I would have done this offline any other
1:11:39 questions
1:11:40 council president hunt so the the mobile
1:11:47 does work very well and I I have also
1:11:50 heard from the community about the
1:11:51 neighborhood's being a really nice
1:11:53 addition I've heard from multiple people
1:11:55 about that I did have a question about
1:11:58 we we know that there were too many
1:12:00 clicks on the previous version of the
1:12:03 website and also that people would get
1:12:04 to a certain point trying to find
1:12:06 something with too many clicks and then
1:12:07 just stop looking and so I wondered if
1:12:09 you have a way of determining if that is
1:12:12 still happening into what percent and
1:12:14 then also what would be the best way for
1:12:16 people to communicate to you that sort
1:12:20 of feedback yeah we added a feature to
1:12:23 the website that allows for easy access
1:12:25 if you run into any problems and every
1:12:27 single footer is our email address so
1:12:29 that if you end up on a page and you
1:12:30 just frustrated and whatever reason you
1:12:32 couldn't find what you're looking for we
1:12:34 have the ability to get that question
1:12:36 presented straight to us and we can then
1:12:37 provide that information straight to the
1:12:39 user so they don't have to look forward
1:12:40 and they have what they're looking for
1:12:42 in terms of those those kind of channels
1:12:45 you talk about where eventually you just
1:12:47 run out because you haven't found we're
1:12:48 looking for those end points those
1:12:50 bounce rates we can definitely track we
1:12:52 do that with common searches to make
1:12:54 sure people don't end up in the wrong
1:12:55 places
1:12:56 it is also we can look into seeing which
1:12:59 ones are most common and present that to
1:13:00 you so you can see where we're having
1:13:02 some difficulties if you would like that
1:13:04 stuff and some we can do any other
1:13:07 questions or comments can I redeem
1:13:12 Michelle just my compliments
1:13:14 I used to tear my hair out with the old
1:13:19 site and this is incredibly easier to
1:13:23 use and so I've been really really
1:13:26 pleased so I just want to say thank you
1:13:28 it was
1:13:28 a great job and I I've gone through web
1:13:31 updates before and it's a massive
1:13:33 project so the fact that it's so
1:13:35 seamlessly done is also to command you
1:13:40 so well thank you very much
1:13:41 yes thank you any other comments or
1:13:44 questions Thank You Thomas thank you
1:13:48 next item on our agenda this evening is
1:13:51 a consent calendar it was distributed to
1:13:53 council in advance and if authorized the
1:13:56 items on the consent calendar will be
1:13:57 considered together and approved by one
1:13:58 motion have the payables and payroll
1:14:01 been reviewed yes thank you
1:14:04 the clerk has provided Ramat revised
1:14:06 minutes for the December 16th 2019 City
1:14:09 Council regular meeting on your desk the
1:14:12 revised version corrects the council
1:14:14 members shown as present during the
1:14:15 meeting it is requested that council
1:14:18 adopt a consent calendar with an
1:14:19 amendment to item D to approve the
1:14:21 revised version December 16th 2019 City
1:14:25 Council regular meeting minutes does any
1:14:28 council member desire to remove any item
1:14:31 from the consent calendar and consider
1:14:32 it under regular business seeing none is
1:14:37 there a council member who would like to
1:14:39 make a motion council president
1:14:41 hunt I moved to approve the consent
1:14:44 calendar as presented with an amendment
1:14:46 to item D to approve the revised
1:14:48 December 16th 2019 City Council regular
1:14:51 meeting minutes second it's been moved
1:14:54 and seconded
1:14:55 all those in favor signify by saying aye
1:14:57 it was opposed that carries unanimously
1:15:01 next items on our agenda this evening
1:15:04 are under regular business a b 7 8 7 o
1:15:07 proposed 2020 budget revenue sources
1:15:09 - Cemetery fees and the request of
1:15:13 council this evening is to adopt an
1:15:14 ordinance and to approve a resolution
1:15:16 this item was before council at the
1:15:18 November 18th council meeting and was
1:15:21 one of several revenue strategies being
1:15:23 considered as part of the 2020 budget
1:15:25 process at that time council made a
1:15:27 motion to adopt ordinance number 2 886
1:15:31 and direct the parks and recreation
1:15:33 director in consultation with the
1:15:35 cemetery board and Flynn Tufts Funeral
1:15:37 Home and Crematory to develop and
1:15:40 implement
1:15:40 a pilot burial assistance program the
1:15:43 motion was then postponed to the January
1:15:45 6 2020 council mean to provide time for
1:15:47 staff and a cemetery board to develop
1:15:51 develop a draft burial assistance
1:15:53 program for council review and
1:15:55 implementation to correspond with the
1:15:57 proposed increase fees I'd like to ask
1:15:59 Jeff Watling Parks and Recreation
1:16:01 Director to provide us an update mayor
1:16:04 thank you good evening Council thanks
1:16:06 for the introduction I can cross off my
1:16:08 first paragraph yes so as we are here
1:16:12 again we've had a chance since we last
1:16:15 met November 18th to meet with the
1:16:18 cemetery board to meet with our partners
1:16:21 at flint oz funeral home tonight with me
1:16:25 as we get into deliberation or questions
1:16:29 is Alan Flint off from the toffs funeral
1:16:33 Randy Durst our cemetery board chair and
1:16:36 Bryan Bernstein deputy director of the
1:16:38 department who really oversees our
1:16:40 direct cemetery operations and work with
1:16:42 the cemetery board I'm gonna spend a
1:16:45 bulk of the time in my brief staff
1:16:47 report talking about the burial
1:16:49 assistance program I I think you know as
1:16:51 we discussed November 4th and the 18th
1:16:54 some of the background around the
1:16:57 proposed cemetery fees some of the work
1:16:58 that we did last year really to try and
1:17:02 position a much more long-range
1:17:06 financial financially healthy cemetery
1:17:09 fund as we add and look at market rate
1:17:12 fees but also how to add fees and fleet
1:17:17 fee flexibility within the cemetery
1:17:19 operation to generate more revenue over
1:17:23 the years in the existing footprint of
1:17:25 the cemetery I provided tonight a site
1:17:28 map of hillside Park site just to
1:17:30 provide some context you've heard me
1:17:33 mention upper hillside lower hillside
1:17:36 the park etc the map I sort of again
1:17:39 give some context of lower hillside
1:17:41 cemetery obviously being closer to
1:17:44 Newport Way and sunset that portion the
1:17:48 cemetery is the oldest part of the
1:17:50 cemetery and then upper hillside
1:17:51 Cemetery
1:17:53 you'll see
1:17:53 farther to the that would be the the
1:17:56 West that was opened in 90s as two
1:18:01 sections section one is the would be the
1:18:05 eastern portion of the road below the
1:18:08 cul-de-sac and then section two that
1:18:12 you've heard me talk about what we're
1:18:13 right on the verge of opening is to the
1:18:16 west of the road inculta sac and then in
1:18:19 the yellow you'll see what's referred to
1:18:22 as hillside Park that's really the
1:18:24 neighborhood park element and portion of
1:18:27 of the park so with that when I spend
1:18:33 some time talking through the proposed
1:18:36 burial assistance program we worked with
1:18:39 the cemetery board at there so December
1:18:42 5th meeting and had some follow-up on
1:18:46 framing what you're going to hear
1:18:47 tonight is was a unanimous
1:18:51 recommendation by the cemetery board to
1:18:54 try and both meet your desires in the
1:18:58 interest we heard from Council and
1:18:59 creating a burial assistance program but
1:19:01 also recognizing this is not a typical
1:19:07 program or service that's provided in
1:19:10 cemeteries so we're blazing a trail if
1:19:12 you will in this and how we blaze that
1:19:15 and how we try and balance that really
1:19:18 desire to be available for those that
1:19:21 are most in need financially but also
1:19:25 ensure that as we manage the operation
1:19:28 of the cemetery and the long-term
1:19:30 sustainability of the cemetery and
1:19:32 understanding we have a fixed amount of
1:19:36 a fixed inventory if you will in terms
1:19:38 of the product that we're delivering a
1:19:40 fixed number of grave sites that we're
1:19:43 trying to manage and meet to a note
1:19:47 about the agenda bill itself it is in
1:19:51 two actions as the mayor outlined
1:19:54 there's the ordinance that addresses the
1:19:57 cemetery fee increase and then the
1:20:01 resolution that we embedded the burial
1:20:03 assistance program
1:20:05 within that burial Assistance Program
1:20:07 you'll noticed exhibit a likely as you
1:20:10 review that a bulk of the time I'll
1:20:12 spend the rest of the time is going down
1:20:13 through Exhibit A and highlighting some
1:20:17 of the main points of this cemetery
1:20:20 board approved assistance program as we
1:20:26 started those conversations with the
1:20:28 board I would want to point out that I
1:20:30 think there was some initial hesitation
1:20:33 by the board and is this possible how
1:20:36 might we be able to meet these needs and
1:20:39 do this in a way that still again meets
1:20:44 the the overall goals of the of the fund
1:20:47 itself and end of the cemetery I think
1:20:50 as we work through this and and really
1:20:54 identified a good balance point like I
1:20:57 said I really appreciate the work of our
1:21:00 partner Alan and Randy and with his
1:21:03 leadership of the board the fact that we
1:21:06 got to a 500 recommendation I really I
1:21:08 think spoke to this balance we were
1:21:11 trying to achieve from that starting
1:21:13 point we're at so I'm referring to page
1:21:16 20 and the agenda bill as I as I work
1:21:18 through this at exhibit the level of
1:21:21 financial assistance that we're looking
1:21:23 at in this program would be a 50%
1:21:26 reduction in the fees for those
1:21:28 qualified candidates these this
1:21:31 reduction this program would apply to
1:21:33 full size and half size graves only we
1:21:37 had a long conversation about this in
1:21:39 terms of what this program should apply
1:21:40 to recognizing that there's a countywide
1:21:44 program for cremation assistance also
1:21:47 recognizing we have some flexible fees
1:21:51 some multiple fees within niches and
1:21:54 Columbarium spaces within our cemetery
1:21:56 we felt it would be more appropriate to
1:21:59 focus those assistant fees to grave
1:22:01 sites for those families that again may
1:22:04 be financially in need but for cultural
1:22:06 or religious reasons would want a more
1:22:09 traditional burial in terms of
1:22:13 eligibility
1:22:15 what we have recommended is the deceit
1:22:19 the decedent
1:22:21 I knew I'd stumble on that that term the
1:22:24 decedent must be or have been a Nyssa
1:22:28 quote resident within the past 10 years
1:22:30 what we're trying to do with this
1:22:33 eligibility requirement is we want to
1:22:35 ensure there's some type of community
1:22:37 connection there's some type of
1:22:38 association to Issaquah secondly the
1:22:44 decedent and family members applying for
1:22:47 the program benefits must be at or below
1:22:49 40% average median income AMI I'm Tony
1:22:53 I'm gonna give you to pause for a second
1:22:54 I'll take councilmember Goodman's
1:22:56 question I'm going to ask questions all
1:22:57 the way through or you want to wait till
1:22:59 the end whatever your pleasure is okay
1:23:01 so the very first one you mentioned was
1:23:03 the decedent must have been city of us
1:23:05 of what resident within the past ten
1:23:07 years and then I saw it in one of the
1:23:10 questions that was asked and answered
1:23:11 that it was must be a resident for the
1:23:13 past 10 years so I just wanted to
1:23:17 clarify what is the intent here and it
1:23:21 looks like it's within the past ten
1:23:22 years and what does what's the Duff and
1:23:25 how do you qualify as a resident what
1:23:26 does that mean
1:23:28 and and then the third you mentioned was
1:23:32 going to have a connection to iske Hall
1:23:34 which is fairly broad so great so the
1:23:38 intent is within those ten years so at
1:23:41 some point within those ten years
1:23:43 recognizing there might be a sequel
1:23:45 residency but for health reasons or
1:23:48 whatever perhaps had to take residence
1:23:51 somewhere else
1:23:53 so does that clarify the first point
1:23:55 well what does it take to be a resident
1:23:57 so residency would be city of Issaquah a
1:24:02 few property or city of Issaquah
1:24:05 boundary so for how long so I think if
1:24:08 you I can't remember but I think if
1:24:11 you're running for election or applying
1:24:12 to a seat you have to be here for a year
1:24:14 I think so what do you mean by resident
1:24:17 self they just live here for a month or
1:24:18 is it a year or five years or as we're
1:24:24 spelling us out we're saying you've been
1:24:26 a resident of Issaquah at some point
1:24:28 within those
1:24:29 within those 10 years okay so they're
1:24:32 sorry but there's different definitions
1:24:33 of residents so and different purposes
1:24:36 so maybe our legal counsel knows but I
1:24:39 could also say I reside in Issaquah that
1:24:41 makes me a resident if only I've been
1:24:43 here for a week so I'm just trying to
1:24:45 figure out who would qualify him for the
1:24:47 resident part we're defining residency
1:24:50 as as living within the city of Issaquah
1:24:53 boundaries for any length of time or any
1:24:56 link of time within those 10 years my
1:24:59 reference to community connection had
1:25:00 more to do with just intent
1:25:03 this wouldn't be a program that someone
1:25:05 say who's hasn't lived in Issaquah at
1:25:09 any point in time would he would be able
1:25:11 to apply for it thanks Sarah second
1:25:14 question their accounts Myra Goodman
1:25:15 just one know he answered them okay if
1:25:18 there are no others we'll keep going you
1:25:22 got it oh all right so the other element
1:25:27 within eligibility the decedent and
1:25:29 family members applying for the program
1:25:33 must be at or below 40% ami for King
1:25:37 County and having available cash and
1:25:41 other liquid Obul assets of less than
1:25:43 $10,000 and this was a level that the
1:25:49 board felt demonstrated again highest a
1:25:55 high financial need but one that would
1:26:00 positioned the fund to support assisting
1:26:06 in that in that effort that's my buddy
1:26:08 Michelle has a question yeah so is there
1:26:12 a standard in the industry I heard you
1:26:15 say earlier that this is so unique that
1:26:17 you perhaps didn't have the ability to
1:26:20 research others who offer this benefit
1:26:23 but could you just talk a little bit
1:26:25 about how the deliberations how that
1:26:27 10-thousand was was was that a
1:26:30 compromise number or how did you arrive
1:26:33 at 10,000 yeah great question it was a
1:26:36 bit of a compromise
1:26:37 were in that again they're not a lot of
1:26:41 scholarship programs per se at
1:26:44 cemeteries the program I mentioned
1:26:46 earlier King County providing assistance
1:26:48 for cremations they do have a their
1:26:52 their financial level is in essence no
1:26:56 liquid Obul asset if you have any liquid
1:26:58 able assets that goes toward cremation
1:27:03 so their level would be zero I think it
1:27:06 this did I think a number of the
1:27:09 cemetery board conversations somewhere
1:27:11 at five thousand others were a little
1:27:13 higher and so it was felt okay ten
1:27:15 thousand is a level that again at least
1:27:18 reach some level of consensus or didn't
1:27:20 reach consensus within the board okay
1:27:23 thank you
1:27:24 yep that's my good can you speak to what
1:27:27 you mean by liquid able assets I'll try
1:27:34 those would be assets that you are
1:27:36 somewhat readily available for cash so a
1:27:43 car this wouldn't necessarily mean a
1:27:46 house so would it be the intention that
1:27:51 if somebody who had equity in their
1:27:55 house would they still be qualified yeah
1:28:07 so Alan I can't have you talking
1:28:10 you may be invited a friend it's helpful
1:28:19 to have dialogue and answers from the
1:28:21 folks who are at least proposed to be
1:28:23 administering the program I'm Alan
1:28:25 flintoff lentes funeral home live at
1:28:27 five eighty cents that way and work at
1:28:29 five forty so tough commute so the
1:28:33 burial assistance program that we talk
1:28:35 about we're talking about the people
1:28:37 that that have to apply or well the
1:28:39 person that passed away what assets do
1:28:41 they have available to pay for these
1:28:43 expenses so if you have ten thousand
1:28:45 dollars in your account the estate has
1:28:48 money to go ahead and take care of their
1:28:50 funeral expenses
1:28:51 so that that's where the big value comes
1:28:53 and then we came up with the application
1:28:55 for the next of kin is if you're a 40%
1:28:59 of did we get that 40% of ami then okay
1:29:02 you automatically qualify for this
1:29:04 program the value of what you had in
1:29:07 account as I understood on this really
1:29:08 didn't matter for the next of kin
1:29:10 as long as you were at that poverty
1:29:12 level right and I think council members
1:29:15 questions a little different you want to
1:29:19 rephrase that but then the value if
1:29:20 you're talking about $10,000 in the
1:29:22 account that's actually for the person
1:29:24 that has already passed away yes not
1:29:26 like the next of kin so I just want to
1:29:33 make sure I've get you next come
1:29:35 customer arts and counselor good moment
1:29:37 your question was about housing well I
1:29:40 had one about housing and I think the
1:29:42 answer was that if that doesn't count so
1:29:46 if there's a house with but equity that
1:29:50 doesn't count there's a liquid able
1:29:52 asset right that's the question so if me
1:29:55 I live in my house but I've lost my job
1:29:59 I'm living at 40% of AMI
1:30:01 now I go to to to take care of my mom or
1:30:05 dad I don't really have any ability to
1:30:08 do that I can barely live where I'm at
1:30:10 right then we're gonna come alongside
1:30:12 you and take care of you something we've
1:30:14 done for generations at our place now
1:30:16 we're just doing that here at the city
1:30:18 of is a quarter that's the proposal
1:30:19 right so but if they have assets in the
1:30:22 estate then you know for King County you
1:30:25 need to use those assets for your
1:30:27 services it's I mean it's not our job as
1:30:31 a community to come alongside you and
1:30:32 take care of you if you already have
1:30:34 assets to take care of yourself and if
1:30:37 your kids have assets right to take care
1:30:39 of you then that's kind of you as your
1:30:41 family need to take care of your family
1:30:43 right that's our not our job as a
1:30:44 community to take care of you but if you
1:30:46 don't have assets then we as flintoff
1:30:50 family and the community we've said
1:30:52 we're gonna come alongside you and help
1:30:54 you and we have this this program for
1:30:56 you thank you does that clarify
1:30:58 councilmember Goodman I'm seeing nothing
1:31:01 from you've been seeing a negative
1:31:03 from council memory I'm gonna tip over
1:31:05 to councilmember Mart's really have
1:31:10 heard two different things
1:31:12 cuz they've heard next-of-kin doesn't
1:31:14 matter but then I have heard next-of-kin
1:31:16 does matter
1:31:17 yeah and the way that it's written next
1:31:19 to Kidd absolutely matters next we can
1:31:21 absolutely way that it's written two
1:31:22 degrees of separation right so it's
1:31:25 everybody you put them all you take the
1:31:27 decedent and then you take everybody two
1:31:30 degrees of freedom away from them and if
1:31:31 you put all those people together if
1:31:33 they have less than $10,000 worth of
1:31:35 assets no account
1:31:36 they know the assets are for the person
1:31:39 that passed away if the next of kin is
1:31:42 that 40% of am i right I don't have
1:31:46 money to pay for this then you qualify
1:31:48 just like we've said hey do you have a
1:31:50 do you have for the program's the people
1:31:53 out I'm sorry that is not how this is
1:31:55 written if you look at it it says the
1:31:57 decedent and family as defined below
1:31:59 members applying for program benefits
1:32:01 must be at or below 40% average median
1:32:04 income for King County and having
1:32:07 available cash and Orlick lootable
1:32:09 assets of less than $10,000 that is very
1:32:12 clearly written to say the decedent and
1:32:15 family be both of those criteria what we
1:32:18 can do if we can do Alan and Jeff if the
1:32:23 intention is not clear in the language
1:32:25 in the agenda bill do we need to take a
1:32:27 small recess so that you can talk about
1:32:29 it and we can come back on camera
1:32:31 absolutely make that quick revision five
1:32:34 minutes ten minutes sounds great we're
1:32:37 gonna take a five-minute recess thanks
1:40:36 so we are back from a short break I
1:40:38 wanted after council questions to allow
1:40:40 staff and Flint offs to go over the
1:40:44 language that's proposed in the current
1:40:47 agenda Villa and the resolution to make
1:40:48 sure that we have a clear understanding
1:40:50 of what you'll be voting on so I have
1:40:52 Jeff come back and give us some
1:40:54 information thank you and thank you for
1:40:56 those questions and appreciate the the
1:40:58 brief recess we were able to they
1:41:00 present some more some clarifying
1:41:02 language that I think does a better job
1:41:04 of differentiating decedent's
1:41:07 requirements and family so what is
1:41:09 proposed what would be proposed to
1:41:12 revise within Exhibit A for this matter
1:41:16 would be I'll read it aloud the decedent
1:41:19 must have available cash and or other
1:41:22 liquid able assets of less than $10,000
1:41:24 the family is defined below applying for
1:41:28 program benefits must be at or below 40%
1:41:31 average median income ami for King
1:41:34 County questions on the revisions
1:41:38 council member Walsh council member
1:41:41 Mart's so that reads to me that both
1:41:45 must be true
1:41:47 both the decedent okay so the intention
1:41:50 is the decedent or a state must have
1:41:55 less than 10,000 and the family members
1:41:59 applying for the program must be low
1:42:02 income as to find us 40% am I correct
1:42:05 okay thank you and some member Mart's
1:42:11 that the chat so the challenge is that I
1:42:15 had proposed amendments to the previous
1:42:17 language which are now outdated so so
1:42:21 really that should be a third bullet
1:42:22 item there should be three bullet items
1:42:24 there must have been a resident within
1:42:26 the past ten years
1:42:26 they must have available cash and or
1:42:29 liquid able assets of less than $10,000
1:42:31 and then a third bullet item it would be
1:42:33 the family is defined below applying for
1:42:35 program benefits must be at or below 40%
1:42:37 average we could make that correction I
1:42:40 think if there's became its own separate
1:42:42 be clear that it's iterative its memory
1:42:48 I'm having trouble with the family
1:42:51 bullet because families can have
1:42:54 multiple people in them particular two
1:42:56 degrees of separation so does do I
1:42:59 interpret that to mean no one within two
1:43:01 degrees of separation is about 40% or
1:43:03 anyone within two degrees of separation
1:43:06 is below 40% everyone would need to be
1:43:10 below four so I have two degrees of
1:43:13 separation everybody within that pool
1:43:15 would have to be below 40% am i yes and
1:43:19 we understand as we wrote this and as
1:43:22 this has proposed this this looks
1:43:23 different than some of our other our
1:43:26 scholarship program say for getting into
1:43:28 recreation classes or swimming lessons
1:43:31 or day camp or other assistance or
1:43:37 scholarship programs we have and we
1:43:39 there is a complexity when dealing with
1:43:43 financial assistance at this time when
1:43:47 you're really looking at both the estate
1:43:49 and this the status of the the decedent
1:43:52 and and the family members and their
1:43:56 ability to pay for this service so just
1:44:05 a process point here is that change was
1:44:08 made to an attachment to the resolution
1:44:12 it was done in break yes what was done
1:44:16 in the break would be a change to
1:44:18 exhibit a within the resolution so I'm
1:44:21 going to recharacterize that a little
1:44:23 bit um according to the conversation
1:44:26 that the council has had there is the
1:44:28 likelihood that somebody would like to
1:44:29 make that amendment to character it to
1:44:32 add those changes when they get to the
1:44:34 point of approving and modifying if they
1:44:37 choose the so for at this point in time
1:44:40 they are still just asking questions
1:44:41 during your presentation this will have
1:44:44 to be officially done during your
1:44:47 process any more questions councilmember
1:44:50 marks how do you define degrees of
1:44:54 separation it's not defined in our CW 60
1:44:56 8.50 dot 160
1:45:01 great question I think in our case what
1:45:05 we're looking at is next-of-kin in terms
1:45:08 of family so adult children I think is
1:45:13 the is what the cemetery board really
1:45:16 just discussed so what is two degrees of
1:45:19 separation mean in that case what would
1:45:23 be children and spouses and brothers and
1:45:26 sisters what's the second surviving the
1:45:29 I guess the first degree would be any
1:45:30 surviving spouse or domestic partner
1:45:34 second degree being adult children well
1:45:47 I'm familiar with the statute only
1:45:49 because I do probate matters and so it
1:45:55 appeared to me that the the language in
1:45:59 the proposal before us tonight was
1:46:01 written to capture or consider the same
1:46:08 people in the statute that would have
1:46:13 control and so that would be surviving
1:46:17 spouses registered domestic partners and
1:46:19 children and parents if the decedent
1:46:23 didn't have any plans and and it
1:46:29 sometimes we make things more
1:46:32 complicated when we try to add our own
1:46:33 language but it seems like we were
1:46:35 trying to track the RCW and so I think
1:46:38 it probably needs to be do a better job
1:46:40 of tracking the RCW if that's what we're
1:46:42 trying to do we can get that help with
1:46:45 art from our city attorney if I can
1:46:50 speak to and certainly you know okay
1:46:57 well what I was going to just say in
1:47:00 terms of the cemetery board discussion
1:47:02 and our in our discussions with our
1:47:03 partner and and Alan could certainly
1:47:05 come on up because you've had a lot more
1:47:06 experience in the direct operation of
1:47:10 this our intent
1:47:13 referencing the RCW was not necessarily
1:47:16 to say that is directly applicable in
1:47:21 its entirety to this assistance program
1:47:24 that we're trying to create it the
1:47:26 reference was really to say as we look
1:47:29 at an assistance program that tries to
1:47:33 take a look at both the deceit ins
1:47:36 estate a surviving spouse and/or
1:47:40 domestic partner as well as the family
1:47:43 we wanted to be consistent the program
1:47:48 was was trying to meet similar intent to
1:47:51 than our CW to say there's a
1:47:52 responsibility of the family to care for
1:47:57 and to an Alaia bility to address and
1:48:00 cover these costs so it was really more
1:48:03 of a reference of consistency and not
1:48:05 necessarily reference of direct
1:48:07 applicability mm-hmm if that helps
1:48:11 Thanks
1:48:12 I just want to come back to
1:48:14 councilmember Mertz for a second who
1:48:16 asked the question about the definition
1:48:18 and wonder at some point if during the
1:48:23 consideration of the motion you might
1:48:24 want to provide some a clarifying
1:48:26 amendment to make it look like it's not
1:48:29 a direct linkage as it's shown in here
1:48:30 again that would be part of us we're
1:48:32 considering the motion so I'd noted that
1:48:33 down as well
1:48:36 councilmember Hall thank you I'm
1:48:42 actually looking at the RCW and it does
1:48:44 look like it's spelled out here so
1:48:45 please tell me if I'm interpreting this
1:48:47 incorrectly but starting it says
1:48:51 effective May 1 2020 bullet six the
1:48:55 liability for the reasonable cost of
1:48:57 preparation care and disposition
1:48:59 devolves jointly and separately upon all
1:49:02 kin of the descendant in the same degree
1:49:04 of kindred then it says listed under
1:49:06 subsection three and it includes a
1:49:09 surviving spouse or state-registered
1:49:10 domestic partner among others
1:49:15 does that look great yeah if I can make
1:49:19 a suggestion um rather than referring to
1:49:22 the statute my suggestion would be to
1:49:24 just lay out who you want and it you
1:49:28 could for example say the family is
1:49:30 defined as the surviving spouse or
1:49:32 registered domestic partner of the
1:49:34 decedent or the surviving adult children
1:49:39 of the decedent and that would that
1:49:41 would do it and you wouldn't have to get
1:49:43 into second the second degree of
1:49:45 separation and play the Kevin Bacon and
1:49:48 game about six degrees you know my
1:49:51 suggestion is just to if that is where
1:49:54 you want to limit it and again it is
1:49:56 your policy decision to determine where
1:49:58 it is the wanna limited the statute goes
1:50:00 on to talk about beyond the surviving
1:50:05 spouse and the surviving adult children
1:50:07 it goes on to say once you get past
1:50:10 those people you go to the surviving
1:50:12 parents and then once you get beyond
1:50:15 serve if there are no surviving parents
1:50:17 then you go to the surviving siblings
1:50:19 and so you know depending on where you
1:50:22 want to limit it I would suggest doing
1:50:25 that rather than relying on some
1:50:27 language about certain degrees of
1:50:29 separation I think for council
1:50:32 deliberations or the motion when they
1:50:34 get there it would be helpful if you can
1:50:36 have something ready that I can offer up
1:50:39 for them I believe such a thing already
1:50:41 exists thank you we are still in
1:50:45 presentation any more questions before
1:50:47 we go back to Jeff to see if there's any
1:50:49 additional information to add yes all
1:50:53 right thank you so a few more points to
1:50:57 highlight and then we can certainly jump
1:51:00 into deliberation under application
1:51:04 approval what we're recommending is that
1:51:07 this is an application made at the time
1:51:09 of burial known as that need this would
1:51:12 not be this program wouldn't be eligible
1:51:14 for someone looking to buy a plot for a
1:51:18 future burial the last point I would
1:51:23 reference under application or mention
1:51:25 under application approval
1:51:27 is that the city's operating partner
1:51:29 Flint offs would be the first point of
1:51:31 contact or is the first point of contact
1:51:33 with customers as such they would
1:51:35 provide the initial application and that
1:51:37 first review we would then work with the
1:51:41 partner Flint offs and the city would
1:51:43 provide final review and joint approval
1:51:45 under the direction of myself or as a
1:51:50 designee is what we are proposing last
1:51:54 item that's been proposed under this
1:51:57 program is that it is supported by the
1:52:00 cemetery fund this would not require
1:52:03 general fund assistance and the board
1:52:06 wanted to set a again trying to strike
1:52:10 this balance between operation and
1:52:12 management of a cemetery and cemetery
1:52:14 fund and honoring this program and
1:52:17 recognizing it at least the the likely
1:52:22 capacity or flow need annual need of
1:52:24 this program being anywhere from two to
1:52:27 four applications a year the board
1:52:31 recommended a $5,000 annual maximum cap
1:52:34 to be placed on the the assistance
1:52:37 program
1:52:41 so with that that is the program as its
1:52:45 laid out I appreciate your questions I
1:52:48 appreciate your flexibility as again I
1:52:51 appreciate the work of the cemetery
1:52:53 board and Alan and our partners in Brian
1:52:55 as we work through December to try and
1:52:58 get a program laid out and back to you
1:53:01 here on the six so really again
1:53:02 appreciate your flexibility in this
1:53:07 apologize for the somewhat awkwardness
1:53:08 as were wordsmithing here at a council
1:53:11 meeting but appreciate your flexibility
1:53:13 Thanks
1:53:14 thank you are there any questions so
1:53:17 just to make it a little more awkward
1:53:22 you've already been working on this so
1:53:25 this is a motion that's already before
1:53:29 council and before we move to approve a
1:53:34 motion it is recommended that the
1:53:36 council substitute the motion that is
1:53:39 currently before them with the motion
1:53:41 that was provided in the agenda bill so
1:53:43 council member Martin's madam mayor I
1:53:46 moved to amend the motion in front of us
1:53:49 by substituting it with the motion yeah
1:53:52 yeah so actually councilmember Mertz can
1:53:57 I provide a little more explanation to
1:53:58 it because there's gonna be two votes
1:54:00 here and I just want to make sure that
1:54:01 those who are new to counsel or not
1:54:06 remembering what was we talked about in
1:54:08 October how this might look and feel so
1:54:10 I'm gonna be asking for somebody to make
1:54:12 a motion to do a substitute amendment
1:54:15 which would be the new language that you
1:54:17 have an agenda bill in order to move to
1:54:21 amend that motion and substitute with
1:54:23 the following you are not actually
1:54:24 voting on accepting that motion you're
1:54:26 just voting to consider it we'll have a
1:54:29 second motion then to adopt the
1:54:32 amendment and at that point in time if
1:54:34 there are amendments and I've heard
1:54:37 there may be some to the language in the
1:54:40 ordinance the resolution with motion
1:54:42 they can be made at that time so this
1:54:45 first one is just to get the updated
1:54:47 motion in front of you it's not that
1:54:50 you're voting to adopt the update one
1:54:51 just to get it in front of you I'm
1:54:53 counselor Mart's okay so I'm using the
1:54:55 language on page 199 of 214 and
1:54:58 hopefully that's correct I moved to
1:55:00 amend the motion by substituting it with
1:55:02 the following about the revised
1:55:04 ordinance number 2 886 amending section
1:55:06 two-point 2004 o of the Issaquah
1:55:09 Municipal Code by providing for an
1:55:11 increase in grave plot and maintenance
1:55:13 fees creating new fees for additional
1:55:15 memorial spaces transfers and quit claim
1:55:18 deeds and allowing for adoption of a
1:55:19 burial assistance program and approve
1:55:22 resolution number 2020 - 1 mending a
1:55:26 burial assistance program for the
1:55:27 city-owned hillside cemetery second it's
1:55:34 been moved and seconded
1:55:35 is there any council discussion what's a
1:55:38 member marks thank you madam mayor
1:55:39 before we get into this too far I would
1:55:42 like to move a amendment and point of
1:55:48 order yes sorry this is this is tricky
1:55:52 so it actually would be appropriate to
1:55:54 vote on the amendment then this the
1:55:56 motion you just made will be the one
1:55:57 before the group and then it would be
1:55:59 appropriate to amend it so if you could
1:56:01 proceed with discussion on the
1:56:04 substitute and vote to approve that
1:56:07 substitute amendment that you just moved
1:56:12 the first vote is just to get this in
1:56:15 front of you so you moved it to bring it
1:56:17 in front of the council and if everybody
1:56:21 votes in favor of that it'll allow you
1:56:23 to consider it so okay if there any
1:56:27 council discussions on this first motion
1:56:30 this evening okay all those in favor say
1:56:37 all those opposed say nay that carries
1:56:41 unanimously
1:56:43 the next item will be adopting is there
1:56:47 anyone who cares to make a motion to
1:56:49 adopt motion move to adopt the motion
1:56:56 so just to clarify so now the motion
1:57:00 that councilmember Mart's made is before
1:57:02 the council and so if there was an
1:57:04 emotion emotion to amend the resolution
1:57:08 that would be an order now okay that's a
1:57:11 membrane
1:57:12 I'd like to amend the current motion and
1:57:14 strike the part of the motion that says
1:57:18 and approve resolution number 2020 - one
1:57:22 implementing a burial Assistance Program
1:57:24 for the city-owned hillside Cemetery
1:57:34 it's been moved and seconded and council
1:57:37 member deputy council president ray
1:57:38 would you like to address that take a
1:57:40 little time to get used to that huh
1:57:41 yes so I just want to separate the two
1:57:46 thoughts I think the first one is this
1:57:50 fairly self-contained and I'd like to
1:57:52 spend more time focused on the burial
1:57:56 Assistance Program and I think that's
1:57:58 easier for us to do if we deal with that
1:58:00 as a second order of order of business
1:58:03 and so I'd like to separate these two
1:58:05 thoughts into actually what the first
1:58:08 one first one first and then come back
1:58:10 to the second one council thoughts
1:58:14 seeing some head nods so the motion
1:58:18 would be to strike the language that
1:58:21 starts with an approved resolution
1:58:23 number blank blank blank hillside
1:58:27 Cemetery the other discussion that's a
1:58:31 member Mertz I can't support increasing
1:58:34 the fees without having a mechanism in
1:58:37 place to provide for the poorest and the
1:58:41 most in need residents at the time at
1:58:44 the worst time for they and their
1:58:46 families their council president hunt
1:58:54 thank you I I think that while normally
1:58:59 I am in support of separating things
1:59:01 that are unrelated to me they are also
1:59:03 related one goal that we have when one
1:59:07 see question before us is how to have a
1:59:09 sustainable business model for the
1:59:11 cemetery and then another policy goal is
1:59:13 how to provide affordable services for
1:59:15 those in need and so for me those two
1:59:19 questions do go hand-in-hand and I also
1:59:22 think we deferred this question to this
1:59:25 meeting specifically to consider them
1:59:27 together so for me these two are
1:59:28 appropriate to consider together so I
1:59:31 will not be supporting the mission
1:59:33 another point of order if I may so
1:59:36 another parliamentary option the council
1:59:39 has is to move to divide the question so
1:59:41 that would split the question on
1:59:43 adopting the ordinance from the motion
1:59:45 on approving the resolution so there
1:59:47 would be a vote on the ordinance
1:59:49 adoption and then a separate vote on
1:59:54 approving the resolution so if you would
1:59:56 like to proceed in that way
1:59:59 councilmember Mart's or I'm sorry
2:00:01 councilmember array could ask divided to
2:00:06 essentially replaces motion and divide
2:00:10 the question you talk about the
2:00:12 mechanics of that a little bit more it's
2:00:15 it requires a majority vote and it's
2:00:17 just recognizing that there are
2:00:19 essentially two separate questions that
2:00:22 can be considered separately and so if
2:00:25 the council approved the motion to
2:00:29 divide the question again you would
2:00:31 debate and then vote on part a which
2:00:33 would be adoption of the ordinance and
2:00:35 then following that vote you could
2:00:38 debate and vote on the second section
2:00:41 well that would be materially different
2:00:42 it's right now you've chosen to strike
2:00:45 and this would leave both questions on
2:00:47 the table and it would be up to the
2:00:49 mover and a seconder to agree to a
2:00:51 change to divide the motion instead I'm
2:00:56 open to that
2:00:57 okay sure so the amendment is to divide
2:01:03 the motion and it requires a majority
2:01:05 vote is there any more question or
2:01:07 discussion
2:01:08 that's on member marks I I will oppose
2:01:13 this division for the same reason
2:01:15 because I don't believe that I can
2:01:18 support increasing fees without having a
2:01:21 mechanism tied to that that would
2:01:24 protect our weakest thank you
2:01:27 any other discussion before I call for
2:01:29 the vote
2:01:30 that's my break council member council
2:01:32 deputy council president rave followed
2:01:35 by a council president hunt one of the
2:01:37 if we divided and we divided at the
2:01:39 semicolon which is what's being proposed
2:01:42 the first question does include the
2:01:45 adoption of a burial assistance program
2:01:47 it just doesn't require the adoption of
2:01:50 this burial assistance program and
2:01:52 that's why and I want to I I when I was
2:01:55 looking at that I was intentional in
2:01:57 including that clause in the first one
2:02:00 so it does allow for the adoption of a
2:02:04 burial assistance program so we can take
2:02:08 that issue on and then we can focus our
2:02:11 energy on is this the right burial
2:02:13 assistance program to implement Thank
2:02:16 You councilmember hunt council president
2:02:19 hunt followed by councilmember Goodman
2:02:20 so I think of this as as dividing the
2:02:25 question but we're still considering
2:02:26 them together and for me it was
2:02:31 important that we consider them together
2:02:33 and again that is why we deferred this
2:02:35 conversation to this meeting so we could
2:02:36 consider the burial assistance program
2:02:38 with the other with the increase in fees
2:02:42 I also understand that council members
2:02:45 have have different opinions and will
2:02:47 have different insights and potential
2:02:50 things that they would like to see from
2:02:51 the burial assistance program and
2:02:53 potential amendments so I think having a
2:02:55 separate conversation would be
2:02:56 productive so I will be supportive of
2:02:59 dividing the question that's member
2:03:01 Goodman I will be supportive as well for
2:03:03 the same reasons any other discussion or
2:03:05 comments or questions all those in favor
2:03:09 of dividing of the proposed motion in to
2:03:13 two and I don't know if I have to read
2:03:15 them I think you all clearly understand
2:03:17 where the division is all those in favor
2:03:18 say aye aye
2:03:20 opposed no motion passes six to one and
2:03:26 now the consideration then of the
2:03:29 motions does it require that because
2:03:32 they have been separated they both need
2:03:34 to be moved and seconded or they're both
2:03:37 on the table if the first section would
2:03:40 now be on the table adoption of the
2:03:41 revised ordinance okay so it's been
2:03:45 moved and seconded to adopt the revised
2:03:46 ordinance two eight eight six amending
2:03:49 section 2.2 0.040 the esquema disciplic
2:03:52 hope by providing for an increase in
2:03:53 grave plot and maintenance fees creating
2:03:55 new fees for additional memorial spaces
2:03:57 transfers and quit claim deeds and
2:03:58 allowing for adoption of a burial
2:04:00 assistance program comments discussion
2:04:03 that's deputy council president ray
2:04:06 councilmember Mertz so so much work has
2:04:10 gone into this ordinance by the parks
2:04:15 department and by flint ops and the
2:04:17 cemetery board one of the things that
2:04:20 became really apparent the end or the
2:04:21 beginning of last year was that the city
2:04:24 runs cemeteries were not sustainable
2:04:26 with the current rate structure and the
2:04:30 proposal addresses the rate increases
2:04:36 that make the cemetery and maintenance a
2:04:39 long-term and sustainable enterprise
2:04:42 that being said and recognizing
2:04:47 councilmember Marx's concern I think
2:04:51 it's very important that as we go
2:04:53 forward we recognize that some people
2:04:55 will be unable to financially
2:05:00 participate those who are in most need
2:05:04 and at the worst possible time of their
2:05:06 lives and I think we need to consider
2:05:09 the ability to provide a burial
2:05:12 assistance program which is included in
2:05:15 this ordinance Thank You councilmember
2:05:18 marks I will be opposing this motion we
2:05:24 don't know what the burial assistance
2:05:25 program looks like we don't historically
2:05:27 pass things that have large question
2:05:31 marks in it and if it turns out if it
2:05:34 were to be the will of this body for
2:05:35 instance to provide a $1 burial
2:05:37 Assistance Program and the next part of
2:05:39 the conversation that would be entirely
2:05:40 unacceptable to me so I respect
2:05:43 councilmember Ray and his argument on
2:05:45 this but I'll be voting no thank you
2:05:47 I'm council president Hannon I have a
2:05:50 procedural question is it possible to
2:05:53 ask the questions and either order the
2:05:55 divided questions yes it is and I don't
2:06:03 even believe that would require motion
2:06:04 if you want to proceed in that way so we
2:06:07 could proceed to we could proceed to
2:06:10 adopt a burial assistance program before
2:06:13 adopting the fees either I eat there
2:06:15 orders the preference of the council
2:06:18 change the order so the motion that's on
2:06:21 the table then is to approve resolution
2:06:22 number 2020 - one implementing a burial
2:06:26 assistance program for the city-owned
2:06:27 hillside Cemetery
2:06:29 discussion questions comments that's all
2:06:33 I remember Mertz all right would now be
2:06:36 a time to propose alternative language
2:06:40 on the exhibit a every day which is the
2:06:49 attachment to the resolution yes all
2:06:52 right I would propose to amend the
2:06:56 language as follows I would strike
2:06:59 family as defined below members knew I'm
2:07:02 tell us under is it under eligibility or
2:07:05 application sorry it's it's the second
2:07:07 bullet item under eligibility okay I
2:07:09 would strike the phrase family as
2:07:12 defined below members and replace that
2:07:16 with surviving spouse or state-sponsored
2:07:18 domestic partner and a second change
2:07:22 that I would make let me ask a question
2:07:26 should all of the proposed changes it
2:07:30 come at K should they come in one at a
2:07:32 time or should they be coming together
2:07:35 madam parliamentarian that's that's up
2:07:39 to the the maker of the amendment so I
2:07:42 believe the second part I intend to only
2:07:44 do what's listed in there
2:07:47 your attachment as amendment 1b which I
2:07:49 believe is a corollary to what I just
2:07:51 proposed which is in the section under
2:07:53 application and approval I would strike
2:07:57 the family is defined as all parties
2:07:59 within two degrees of separation for RCW
2:08:01 sixty eight dot fifty dot one sixty
2:08:03 right to control disposal of remains as
2:08:05 such then I would then I would add I
2:08:10 would also strike within two generations
2:08:13 of the family and in that section put in
2:08:16 after the word physical assets I would
2:08:19 add of the descendant and surviving
2:08:21 spouse or - sorry decedent and surviving
2:08:24 spouse or state-sponsored domestic
2:08:26 partner they registered I'm sorry Thank
2:08:29 You state-registered domestic partner
2:08:31 and that is my proposed amendment is
2:08:34 there a second I would second that but I
2:08:38 have a question that's great so in the I
2:08:41 had substituted twenty thousand there
2:08:45 for the 10 and after this discussion
2:08:48 tonight in the clarification and the
2:08:51 rewriting I would like to withdraw that
2:08:54 and change that back to ten thousand I
2:08:57 believe at this point in time that that
2:09:00 change has not been proposed yet and so
2:09:02 you don't have to do anything all right
2:09:04 that would be another amendment okay
2:09:07 where to put it on the record so we're
2:09:09 just dealing with if you're looking up
2:09:11 at the screen the marts promote proposed
2:09:14 amendments number one a in both the
2:09:16 eligibility and application sections of
2:09:19 the exhibit that changes that has
2:09:21 strikeout and replacement language for
2:09:23 the definition of the family I second
2:09:25 that motion
2:09:26 you seconded it and comments and
2:09:27 questions I have a question about this
2:09:31 and it deals with if I don't have a
2:09:34 surviving spouse or state-registered
2:09:36 domestic partner then I am not eligible
2:09:39 for this benefit the amendment as I read
2:09:46 it says will talks only to surviving
2:09:49 spouse and state registered domestic
2:09:51 partners and then being at 40% of in
2:09:56 County am I so if I don't have one say
2:09:59 I'm a widow
2:10:00 or a widower then I would not be
2:10:03 eligible and and my some other source
2:10:07 would would be dealing with the
2:10:10 internment they've my adult children I
2:10:18 mean that's the way I read it so and my
2:10:22 question is I guess I'll make this kind
2:10:25 of direct I don't think that's what
2:10:29 we're trying to accomplish I think we
2:10:30 wanted you we could have somebody who
2:10:32 has has adult children who are in the
2:10:36 lower socio economics ranks below 40%
2:10:41 ami and they are in a world of despair
2:10:45 right now and and they're not eligible
2:10:48 for this this benefit so I that's what
2:10:53 I'm just one clarity on that's the way I
2:10:58 read this and if that was the intent I'm
2:11:02 not sure that I'm percent behind that
2:11:04 just a question then Jim is it more
2:11:08 clarifying language to say the decedent
2:11:10 and if applicable surviving spouse or
2:11:13 state-registered domestic partner to
2:11:14 show that it's all categories because is
2:11:17 that what you're getting I'm getting at
2:11:18 that if I don't have a spouse unless I'm
2:11:22 missing something so if I am please if I
2:11:24 don't have a spouse or state-registered
2:11:27 domestic partner then I'm not eligible
2:11:31 for the program
2:11:34 the way I read that I could make a
2:11:42 suggestion a language that I think might
2:11:46 get to councilmember Marta's situation
2:11:52 what I was going to suggest at least was
2:11:56 in the if if you will entertain that I
2:12:00 I'm happy to make a suggestion what I
2:12:03 was going to suggest is that under
2:12:05 eligibility you separated into three
2:12:09 bullets the first bullet would remain as
2:12:11 is the decedent must be or have been a
2:12:14 city of Issaquah resident within the
2:12:15 past ten years the second bullet would
2:12:18 be the decedent's estate and the
2:12:21 surviving spouse or registered domestic
2:12:24 partner comma if any comma must have
2:12:28 available cash or liquid assets of less
2:12:31 than $10,000 and then the third bullet
2:12:35 would read all family members as defined
2:12:38 below applying for program benefits must
2:12:41 be at or below 40% of the average median
2:12:45 income or ami of King County that would
2:12:49 be the three bullets in that if assuming
2:12:53 you want to and and again that's that's
2:12:55 assuming that you might want to include
2:12:58 the surviving family members and the 40%
2:13:01 of AMI and then under the application
2:13:04 and approval you could revise the second
2:13:09 bullet to read the family is defined as
2:13:11 the surviving spouse or state-registered
2:13:13 domestic partner of the decedent or a
2:13:16 majority of the surviving adult children
2:13:19 of the decedent which would get you to
2:13:21 the two degrees of separation I'm
2:13:25 actually not good with the second part
2:13:28 of that I would be okay with the
2:13:31 decedent and surviving spouse or
2:13:34 state-registered domestic partner if any
2:13:37 must be below 40% average median income
2:13:41 it's my intent to separate out family
2:13:43 members beyond
2:13:45 domestic partner and and if that's the
2:13:51 language that I would I believe that
2:13:53 would also clarify it but it's a
2:13:55 different it's a different outcome than
2:13:57 what you're suggesting the councilmember
2:13:58 merits I hear that you agree with part
2:14:00 of what was suggested and not the second
2:14:03 piece if you are looking at the language
2:14:06 up here would you agree on the piece
2:14:08 that you did agree that you would change
2:14:09 your motion to reflect the language
2:14:11 that's shown here now I would but I
2:14:13 would add a paragraph very similar to
2:14:15 that one right below it a new bullet
2:14:17 item and that just says after so paste
2:14:24 it and then I would change the end of
2:14:27 the sentence and instead of having it be
2:14:30 and I know the one that's in red sorry
2:14:34 one that's in red copy that
2:14:39 right Tapia and then the new one after
2:14:44 dudes take partner , if any must must be
2:14:56 at or below 40 percent average median
2:14:59 income ami for King County and your
2:15:07 second was councilmember D Michelle do
2:15:10 you agree with those changes let me
2:15:12 think for just the same
2:15:19 yes yeah up for the amendment is up for
2:15:24 discussion
2:15:26 council president actually councilmember
2:15:28 Goodman council president huntin I
2:15:31 I think it's minor but I don't I think
2:15:34 that the intent is that it's the
2:15:36 descendants surviving spouse to skip a
2:15:39 state in the fourth bullet it's right
2:15:42 now it's the estate having that forty
2:15:44 percent
2:15:45 ami and we had separated them before so
2:15:49 the friend the amendment is in that
2:15:51 fourth bullet
2:15:52 it says the decedent and surviving
2:15:54 spouse it doesn't say a state students
2:15:59 surviving decedent's surviving spouse
2:16:03 yes because we had separated out the
2:16:07 antecedent and amendment yep I know
2:16:10 taking this sex mm-hmm I councilmember
2:16:12 Goodman so I'm trying to understand the
2:16:15 intent of eliminating family members for
2:16:18 being responsible for helping with
2:16:21 family members burial and because it
2:16:27 happens all the time and so you have the
2:16:31 the actual reality that you're gonna
2:16:34 have some people who some decedent's who
2:16:39 qualify but then you have family members
2:16:42 who have very sufficient means to pay
2:16:45 for funeral funeral related expenses
2:16:49 including burial and so I don't
2:16:51 understand
2:16:52 and what why what the intent is and what
2:16:55 the reason is behind excluding family
2:16:58 members from that responsibility
2:17:04 what's more Marge
2:17:05 so yeah this is actually my first chance
2:17:07 to speak in favour of I'm Emmett two
2:17:11 things first of all perhaps more minor
2:17:14 there are many families my own included
2:17:18 where unfortunately people are estranged
2:17:20 from their parents and no longer have a
2:17:23 relationship with them and cannot be
2:17:25 expected to be involved in such a
2:17:29 situation that's it's fairly common
2:17:32 unfortunately the second really has to
2:17:36 do with the fundamental nature of this
2:17:39 fee in front of us I believe the
2:17:42 question here is really about fee
2:17:46 recovery as a city and where we want to
2:17:49 try to capture full fee recovery and
2:17:52 where we do not and I will use the
2:17:55 example of my mother died 11 years ago
2:17:59 and she had a checking account worth
2:18:03 about $3,000 she had a car worth about
2:18:05 $4,000 the funeral costs for me were
2:18:10 about $7,000 and because she had not
2:18:12 gotten estate planning I had another
2:18:14 bill with a lawyer for about 4,000 bucks
2:18:17 and I was able to pay it and it was fine
2:18:22 and and I did so and I was a in a
2:18:25 position to do it but as I think about
2:18:28 this the city where she was buried had a
2:18:31 very reasonable cemetery fee and it was
2:18:33 a beautiful public cemetery and it was
2:18:35 much much less than the private
2:18:37 cemeteries which was also great because
2:18:40 my mother wasn't a religious person and
2:18:41 so it was of great comfort to me that
2:18:44 the the didy that she loved and she had
2:18:49 spent her final years in had such a
2:18:51 program and so when I think about where
2:18:54 we want where we're talking about very
2:18:55 small numbers of residents here that
2:18:58 would qualify but it's not a situation
2:19:03 where I feel
2:19:05 in every situation and we need to get
2:19:07 full fee recovery this is a situation
2:19:09 where we have many programs in
2:19:13 recreation and we have many other
2:19:14 programs in the city where we don't
2:19:16 expect to get full fee recovery in a
2:19:18 situation like this where again I was
2:19:22 able to pay the fees that were needed
2:19:24 but you know had I seen that that
2:19:27 municipality had just jacked up prices
2:19:30 on cemetery plots quite a bit like what
2:19:33 we're talking about right now I would
2:19:35 have felt differently about that
2:19:37 municipality and I as a city council
2:19:39 member here in Issaquah feel we have an
2:19:41 opportunity to say this is not you know
2:19:44 in in situations like my mother's which
2:19:46 was it which is an extremely small
2:19:48 estate and you know in the midst of
2:19:51 everything else and to write out some
2:19:53 checks and whatnot I just feel like
2:19:55 that's not a situation where we need to
2:19:56 get full fee recovery and that's why I
2:19:58 support this amendment Thanks other your
2:20:01 comments it's my good man so I I
2:20:05 appreciate that personal experience the
2:20:09 way it's written also means that
2:20:13 children who and I'll not talk about my
2:20:18 own personal experience but children who
2:20:20 happen to be adults but don't have any
2:20:22 money on the way this was written
2:20:24 parents that we would the city would be
2:20:26 subsidizing that as well so I and we
2:20:33 have a lot of young people in our
2:20:35 community a lot of unfortunately they
2:20:38 die sometimes before parents do and I
2:20:43 just fundamentally believe that families
2:20:49 when they can take care of each other
2:20:52 and so I I would prefer to track the
2:20:54 language not track the language in the
2:20:57 RCW but include the family members that
2:21:01 are included in the RCW that we've
2:21:02 talked about tonight as those being
2:21:04 responsible for for the decedent's
2:21:09 funeral and related costs which would
2:21:11 include which would include burial plots
2:21:14 if if that's what they choose to do
2:21:17 but I don't think the way it's written
2:21:19 it actually considers all of the
2:21:22 possibilities that we have for who the
2:21:24 decedent's are and who the I just don't
2:21:29 I just don't think that the language is
2:21:32 I don't think it's thought-out well
2:21:34 enough I think it potentially could be
2:21:37 but I think one of them is what I
2:21:39 mentioned and that is when you have
2:21:40 younger people who die this eliminates
2:21:42 the everybody in the family from having
2:21:44 me to responsible for that including
2:21:46 including parents additional discussion
2:21:53 council president huh so in the RCW
2:21:58 there's also people that could be
2:22:01 potentially liable for the cost of a
2:22:05 funeral that aren't related to the
2:22:08 aren't related to the person such as the
2:22:11 very first one in the list in the RCW is
2:22:14 the person designated by the decedent as
2:22:16 authorized to direct disposition as
2:22:18 listed on the decedent's United States
2:22:20 Department of Defense record of
2:22:21 emergency data so I think there's all
2:22:24 kinds of pasta there's there's many
2:22:26 combinations of people that that could
2:22:29 potentially be the ones who are in need
2:22:34 for this service and I think trying to
2:22:41 trying to imagine the different
2:22:43 combinations of things is is very
2:22:45 difficult the RCW does list a bunch of
2:22:47 other liable parties but to me it seems
2:22:52 like simplifying the the eligibility
2:22:57 criteria is better and it and I guess in
2:23:00 my mind it doesn't prevent if you have
2:23:03 if the decedent does have adult children
2:23:09 that have the means it doesn't certainly
2:23:11 doesn't prevent them from prom paying
2:23:15 for the costs it's it's simply setting
2:23:17 eligibility criteria and I think that
2:23:20 simplifying that is better and I think
2:23:24 making that more onerous and difficult
2:23:27 for people to understand whether or not
2:23:28 they're eligible
2:23:30 it's is detrimental to the usefulness of
2:23:33 the program so I am in support of
2:23:35 simplifying it and I think ultimately
2:23:36 this does simplify it I agree though
2:23:39 that it's it's very it's very
2:23:42 complicated in our CW and I had a
2:23:45 conversation with Jeff earlier today
2:23:46 about how the RCW in this doesn't align
2:23:48 and you could potentially have somebody
2:23:50 who's not related to the person be the
2:23:52 one who's responsible for the costs and
2:23:53 all these other possibilities so it's
2:23:55 definitely definitely also a
2:23:57 consideration that I had I just wanted
2:24:01 to clarify that I was talking about the
2:24:04 the the class of people that can make
2:24:07 arrangements if they haven't been made
2:24:09 not all the people that could
2:24:11 potentially be liable like I'm just
2:24:14 talking about family members because I
2:24:16 can see like I said I can see there are
2:24:19 situations that I don't think is
2:24:21 appropriate if we've got somebody who
2:24:23 you know it is very low income and can't
2:24:25 afford it but you have family members
2:24:28 who are very well-off I just don't think
2:24:31 that that's I don't think that's right
2:24:34 I don't think that we should be asking
2:24:36 our community to to subsidize that when
2:24:39 the family can clearly afford it one
2:24:43 question I have is how do we what's that
2:24:45 what is the process for I mean how do we
2:24:49 actually implement something like this
2:24:50 there's an application and there's a
2:24:52 review what do we ask for what do we
2:24:55 look at and and I have reasons for
2:24:58 asking that it's not because I need
2:25:00 think we need to have a financial
2:25:03 statement I'm just curious yes of what
2:25:05 we have been working on and drafting we
2:25:08 don't have an application confine alized
2:25:10 but an application a decedent
2:25:13 application would need to be filled out
2:25:17 as well as any at least as proposed by
2:25:20 the cemetery board not councilmember
2:25:22 marks amendment but then we would also
2:25:24 have the subsequent application for any
2:25:26 family member that would need to fill
2:25:29 out as well to review their monthly
2:25:31 income so decedent application would be
2:25:34 looking at estate and liquid herbal
2:25:37 assets application for any applicable
2:25:41 family members
2:25:43 would be to review their income level
2:25:48 the application would be likely a self
2:25:51 attestation so folks would need to sign
2:25:54 and self a test that that is what where
2:25:57 their income is at as I said earlier our
2:26:00 operating partner who works directly
2:26:02 with the customers Flint offs would be
2:26:03 the for the first point of contact for
2:26:05 that review we then in the city would
2:26:08 review as well so there would be a joint
2:26:10 approval so I'm going I want to make
2:26:14 sure we've had four or five council
2:26:17 members to speak quite a bit before I go
2:26:19 back again I think I'd like to I don't
2:26:21 have council member D Michelle speaking
2:26:23 it and then I wanted to make sure if
2:26:25 council member washer Hall wanted an
2:26:27 that's my buddy Michelle oh I want to
2:26:31 know it's council member Goodman's
2:26:34 comments and I I think that my concern
2:26:39 reading through this and spending time
2:26:42 thinking about this and having asked
2:26:45 several questions my concern was that
2:26:48 the original language set up too much of
2:26:54 a barrier in other words if our intent
2:26:56 is to provide this as a benefit we want
2:26:59 to make sure that it's going to be used
2:27:01 by those people who need it and I think
2:27:04 through the rewarding that we've done
2:27:07 here we've made it more accessible but I
2:27:11 would remind everyone that we have a cap
2:27:13 of fifty five hundred dollars which
2:27:15 fifty five hundred I hope I'm correct on
2:27:18 that that would so when that money is
2:27:24 gone I presume there are no more
2:27:26 benefits for that year is that correct
2:27:31 as proposed by the cemetery board yeah
2:27:34 there'd be a 5,000 dollar annual max
2:27:37 okay and so when that money is gone
2:27:40 we've served you know between three to
2:27:43 six individual families and then that's
2:27:47 it and so in terms of insuring that it's
2:27:52 used but not overused I think I think we
2:27:55 have hit the right place right here
2:27:58 thank you and council member Hall and
2:28:01 mulch it's not necessary that you have a
2:28:03 comment I just wanna make sure you get
2:28:04 an opportunity to join in otherwise I'm
2:28:07 gonna go back to Council remember marks
2:28:10 we had his hand up
2:28:11 that's a member Walsh so I've hesitated
2:28:16 jumping into the do's and don'ts and all
2:28:19 of that because in general I am NOT
2:28:24 supportive of a policy which would
2:28:28 provide funding or burial assistance I
2:28:35 don't think that I think in a year when
2:28:38 we are looking at city services and what
2:28:41 kind of services we should be providing
2:28:43 with a limited budget that falls under
2:28:46 the line for me
2:28:47 on what is appropriate for using for
2:28:51 taxpayer dollars I think the reason I
2:28:55 haven't spoken up so far is because I
2:28:57 think this is going to be such a low
2:29:00 used program that it's going to be such
2:29:03 a small amount of money that if it
2:29:05 passes and gets used fine but in general
2:29:10 I just I would rather add to money
2:29:16 that's used for utility assistance or
2:29:19 something else by residents of the city
2:29:21 and so that would be my preference Thank
2:29:25 You councilmember Hall yeah I'd like to
2:29:31 reframe for a minute
2:29:34 how we're talking about this and also
2:29:36 considering how we're thinking of
2:29:39 councilmember Walsh brought up utility
2:29:41 assistance thinking creative
2:29:44 we in the space of affordability for our
2:29:47 residents and thinking of spouses of
2:29:51 residents who have just passed away who
2:29:54 are at risk of becoming housing insecure
2:29:57 or homeless - and thinking that your one
2:30:03 unexpected or even planned death away
2:30:06 from spiraling into that I think
2:30:09 ensuring that we have this kind of
2:30:10 safety net is important - I'm not sure
2:30:14 if I know where the perfect answer is
2:30:16 yet I'm still just kind of listening but
2:30:18 I just wanted to make sure that we're
2:30:20 thinking about it in terms of our what I
2:30:22 perceive as our responsibility with
2:30:25 regard to the regional homelessness
2:30:26 question which is how do we ensure that
2:30:28 our residents aren't becoming homeless
2:30:29 in the first place thank you
2:30:35 [Music]
2:30:38 so I want to point out for our new
2:30:40 council members one of the things in
2:30:43 this conversation is we did not have
2:30:47 full recovery before write this this
2:30:50 came about because we decided we wanted
2:30:53 to move of course my computer just
2:30:54 locked up we wanted to move from I
2:30:57 believe a thousand dollars for a grave
2:31:01 to anywhere from $1,200 for a half-size
2:31:05 grave to 2000 to 2500 dollars for a full
2:31:10 size grave so we're talking about
2:31:13 potentially mitigating an increase that
2:31:18 we are looking to implement for all the
2:31:21 right reasons we're looking to implement
2:31:22 this to to a secure to secure the
2:31:25 long-term fiscal viability of our
2:31:28 cemetery and that's great
2:31:30 but it was in response to that so we
2:31:34 weren't getting anything close to full
2:31:35 cost recovery before from anybody now
2:31:38 we're trying to get it from most people
2:31:40 and asking a question about whether we
2:31:43 want to do something for a certain
2:31:44 subset of people and the other thing is
2:31:46 we have had a long-held policy of being
2:31:50 careful about large fee increases I've
2:31:53 been on council for a long time and
2:31:55 there was a point where we said you know
2:31:57 we do want to
2:31:57 increase anything more than 50% for
2:31:59 years so cancel murmurs I just got a
2:32:02 note want to remind that at this point
2:32:05 the particular amendment that is on the
2:32:08 table is about the definition of family
2:32:12 members that can qualify for the program
2:32:15 and keep the debate at that level which
2:32:19 is a little narrower than what we're
2:32:21 currently doing okay
2:32:25 so it does go to asking of extended
2:32:29 family members to pay in my original
2:32:33 argument I said it comes to where we
2:32:36 want to do cost recovery and so that is
2:32:39 the background on why I say it's a cost
2:32:42 recovery issue thank you I'm just going
2:32:48 to remind everyone that we're you are
2:32:51 voting on the red additions that are on
2:32:54 the screen above is there any additional
2:32:56 discussion before we go to the vote I
2:32:58 see that everybody has at least gotten
2:33:00 to talk once on this issue are you
2:33:02 prepared to vote on this amendment
2:33:04 Goodman I don't want to move to make a
2:33:11 well I guess we have to vote on an
2:33:13 amendment first
2:33:18 you could make an amendment to the
2:33:20 amendment if there's another change in
2:33:22 these areas you'd like to make
2:33:26 I would I would like to make an
2:33:33 amendment that adds the language that
2:33:35 the council shall review this program
2:33:39 after one year so that is beyond the
2:33:46 scope of this amendment so that would be
2:33:47 better made after the votes take it and
2:33:49 I am keeping track of that little list
2:33:53 of extra things that's coming up so if
2:33:57 there is no consideration for an
2:33:59 amendment to the amendment are we ready
2:34:01 to vote on the amendment which is the
2:34:03 language in red up on the screen
2:34:05 councilmember Goodman yeah I I can't
2:34:07 support this just Lane something out
2:34:09 there that I'm really sorry that I'm not
2:34:12 trying to offend the people who have
2:34:13 worked on this but it's a complicated
2:34:16 issue and as I say here and part of it
2:34:19 is my consideration for my day job and
2:34:22 part of it is just kind of knowing when
2:34:24 people apply for these and what's known
2:34:26 at the time and what's not it's really
2:34:28 complicated too and I also agree with
2:34:31 councilmember Walsh that this year is
2:34:33 particularly interesting what we're
2:34:35 going to be looking at for city services
2:34:37 and what we should be providing the only
2:34:40 way I could be comfortable with this
2:34:42 even though I don't agree with the
2:34:44 language that's been proposed because it
2:34:46 doesn't include family members who could
2:34:49 afford it I could vote in support if it
2:34:54 included language that the council shall
2:34:56 review this after one year so I don't
2:34:58 know how to get that in there but unless
2:34:59 we get that in there I'm gonna vote no
2:35:02 any other questions or comments on the
2:35:05 particular amendment up on the screen so
2:35:08 right now are we only voting on the
2:35:11 amendment to change that red language
2:35:15 the red language which basically
2:35:17 simplifies from family as defined by the
2:35:21 RCW to surviving spouse or
2:35:24 state-registered domestic partner which
2:35:27 then also splits it to two bullets is
2:35:30 that correct
2:35:31 correct a more clarification on what
2:35:35 exactly it is you're voting on or any
2:35:36 more discussion before I call for the
2:35:38 it's my rush could we amend that mm-hmm
2:35:44 okay so I would like to amend it to
2:35:50 include adult children in both of those
2:35:53 bullet points is there a second I guess
2:36:07 it would only be in the final bullet
2:36:10 point under eligibility in final bullet
2:36:17 point under eligibility is there a
2:36:19 second second
2:36:25 that's Walsh and Goodman so the proposed
2:36:29 amendment to the amendment would be to
2:36:32 include adult children in the final
2:36:34 bullet under the eligibility category
2:36:36 discussion Council member I'm sorry
2:36:38 council member wash followed by
2:36:40 councilmember Mertz
2:36:41 so the reason I was suggesting amending
2:36:45 this is because I think as councilmember
2:36:47 Goodman has discussed there is a concern
2:36:50 that if you just limit it to the spouse
2:36:55 or state-registered domestic partner and
2:36:58 there are adult children or other
2:37:01 closeby relatives that could financially
2:37:04 afford this that we don't want to be
2:37:07 burdening our taxpayers so that was my
2:37:10 attempt to go at that idea just in
2:37:15 general council member Mart's things one
2:37:19 that's specifically the language that I
2:37:21 didn't want that was suggested by a
2:37:23 legal counsel
2:37:24 so I opposed that for all the reasons
2:37:26 that I've said earlier people are
2:37:28 estranged from family members in
2:37:31 addition council president hunt
2:37:34 mentioned that there's a variety of
2:37:35 complicated folks out there that'll that
2:37:39 can be responsible and just by just
2:37:40 picking adult children we're just being
2:37:42 one of
2:37:43 so I will oppose the amendment to the
2:37:45 amendment others
2:37:48 that's my Michelle not to get to
2:37:52 lawyerly but it says or in or and/or and
2:37:55 I think that means that those those are
2:37:58 could be you separately or a combination
2:38:00 are that's my understanding of the or
2:38:04 instead of an and so I could support
2:38:08 that's the amendment to the amendment
2:38:10 it's a member ring I need some
2:38:14 clarification so and it's really not the
2:38:17 I'm tracking with your oars but if any
2:38:20 if any so I have a domestic partner or a
2:38:23 spouse or adult children must be out or
2:38:27 below the port does that mean any one of
2:38:29 them or all of them this must be at or
2:38:36 below the 40% ami so my surviving spouse
2:38:40 my registered domestic partner or my
2:38:42 adult children one of them is below so I
2:38:44 qualify I think the question is it we
2:38:49 got some really complex logical
2:38:51 statement here that that were we're
2:38:55 wrestling with the intent of the
2:39:00 cemetery board was that it would be all
2:39:06 anything it's all the intent of the
2:39:09 cemetery board was it would be all yeah
2:39:12 all the participants
2:39:22 counselor Goodman yeah I mean I would
2:39:24 support it but I think it's one it's one
2:39:27 set too short and it should include
2:39:28 parents are you proposing an amendment
2:39:32 to the amendment to the amendment yes I
2:39:39 will do I will yes I will add parents
2:39:42 there is a new amendment on the table to
2:39:45 add parent point of order there that
2:39:47 would be amending to the third degree so
2:39:52 amendment it after this amendment to the
2:39:56 amendment is voted on it you could offer
2:39:58 that as another amendment to the
2:40:00 amendment
2:40:02 thank goodness thank goodness okay so
2:40:05 I'm bringing it back around
2:40:08 councilmember Walsh moved and Goodman
2:40:11 seconded to propose the amendment to
2:40:12 include adult children in the final
2:40:14 bullet under eligibility we have heard
2:40:17 from most of our council members do any
2:40:20 other council members want to weigh in
2:40:22 if not I'll go back to councilmember
2:40:25 Goodman
2:40:25 I just want to clarify that it that it's
2:40:28 different than the RCW it's it's it's
2:40:33 not the same that the RCW isn't the same
2:40:36 as this and so that's just what I wanted
2:40:40 to point out thank you I have that on my
2:40:43 list of something that may need to be
2:40:45 amended later on the RCW reference okay
2:40:48 if there's no more discussion
2:40:50 council member deputy council president
2:40:53 ray so at some point we're gonna have
2:40:58 something that is so complex that no one
2:41:00 will ever be able to understand it or
2:41:03 apply for it and I think when we start
2:41:05 adding in the concept of adult children
2:41:07 and going to council member March does
2:41:10 comment about estranged children and how
2:41:13 to get that information and so if I
2:41:14 don't provide three children and I only
2:41:17 provide information on two of them
2:41:18 therefore I'm not have a complete
2:41:20 application the administration of this
2:41:22 thing becomes completely untenable and
2:41:25 we might as well just skip it because no
2:41:27 one will ever qualify for the benefit
2:41:29 so from that perspective if we do
2:41:32 something it's we're having a committee
2:41:36 meeting on in a council meeting right
2:41:38 now and and this is this is not the way
2:41:41 we should be doing this so I'm having a
2:41:45 hard time getting behind the amendment
2:41:47 to the amendment
2:41:48 any other comments okay we'll be voting
2:41:53 on the amendment to the amendment we
2:41:55 choose to include adults children in the
2:41:57 final bullet under the eligibility
2:41:58 heading all those in favor say aye I
2:42:01 think you raise your hands please
2:42:03 all this opposed no the amendment fails
2:42:08 3 to 4 back to the original amendment
2:42:11 which is the language in red that you
2:42:13 see on the screen any other additional
2:42:16 discussion at a strike for adult
2:42:19 children any other discussion being none
2:42:32 all those in favor of the admit sorry go
2:42:35 back to the review after a year so but
2:42:38 what when can that be proposed
2:42:40 I would suggest proposing it after
2:42:46 adoption of this amendment but a four
2:42:48 before approving the resolution it could
2:42:51 be it could okay any other comments or
2:43:03 questions discussion we're gonna move to
2:43:06 for the vote on the amendment the
2:43:07 amendment is the strike out and
2:43:09 additional language and read shown on
2:43:10 the screen all those in favor say aye
2:43:13 your hands please all those opposed okay
2:43:17 the amendment carries five to two with
2:43:20 Goodman and Walsh opposed there were
2:43:23 several other items that came up during
2:43:24 discussion one was an annual review
2:43:26 would anybody care to make an amendment
2:43:28 I'd make an amendment I'm to add a
2:43:31 requirement that the council will review
2:43:32 this after one year second
2:43:39 it's been moved and seconded that the
2:43:41 council will review the program after
2:43:42 when your discussion that's okay mm-hmm
2:43:46 council president and thank you I am
2:43:53 supportive of reviewing after a year I
2:43:55 had also considered that we might review
2:43:58 it after the $5,000 because right now
2:44:02 there's a cap and one of the concerns
2:44:05 that I have not only about this program
2:44:07 but generally about our affordability
2:44:10 programs in the city is it's hard to
2:44:12 know how how effective they are how many
2:44:16 people that would need the program are
2:44:18 actually using the program what's the
2:44:19 rate of usage and especially for this
2:44:21 program which we haven't yet started
2:44:22 it's very hard to know so I I'm
2:44:26 interested in review after your year and
2:44:27 I had also considered reviewing after
2:44:30 that 5,000 dollars was spent in the
2:44:32 events that that happens sooner than we
2:44:34 anticipated because again we don't have
2:44:36 much information on that that's my Mertz
2:44:40 that's my routine Michele I was just
2:44:44 gonna say can I accept that as a
2:44:46 friendly amendment yeah to the
2:44:49 expenditure of $5,000 or one one year
2:44:52 whichever comes first if the second
2:44:55 degrees which is all yes
2:45:00 after the expenditure of $5,000 or one
2:45:04 year I have a question about that
2:45:07 so that might actually get at I I'm
2:45:11 gonna I'm going to have a spoiler and
2:45:14 say I had intended to question that
2:45:16 $5,000 but if this if this ax men if
2:45:19 council member Goodman amendment is such
2:45:22 that we could have potentially have a
2:45:25 smooth what I'm hoping is that if if by
2:45:31 adopting this amendment let's say we get
2:45:34 somehow get the 5,000 in June right if
2:45:39 we could then review it in such a
2:45:42 fashion that we wouldn't have to
2:45:44 potentially the council would be able to
2:45:47 potentially extend that
2:45:49 and have a seamless provide vision of
2:45:54 services then I wouldn't have to
2:45:56 consider making a second questioning
2:46:00 that $5,000 later but I don't know
2:46:02 operationally if we would be able to
2:46:04 have that seamless operation by adopting
2:46:07 this amendment and that's my question as
2:46:11 I support the intent I just don't want
2:46:13 to see somebody turned away because
2:46:15 council hasn't had a chance to review
2:46:17 how the program has done so far
2:46:23 administrative up Chris we can certainly
2:46:25 do that administratively that we would
2:46:27 notify the council when that threshold
2:46:29 was passed we would put on the next
2:46:31 available agenda and in the meantime we
2:46:33 would process anything that's pending so
2:46:36 that no fault of the the decedent's
2:46:39 family to have that happen we would
2:46:42 bring it to the quickly as possible then
2:46:44 I then I support the amendment and that
2:46:46 also allowed me to not have to make a
2:46:48 further minute later okay council
2:46:50 president right so it's kind of an
2:46:54 interesting thing because if the program
2:46:57 has adopted has a 5,000 dollar cap you
2:46:59 can't go beyond the five thousand dollar
2:47:01 cap question I mean I wouldn't think
2:47:07 that you could if we put a cap in this
2:47:09 program that says five thousand dollars
2:47:11 and the six thousand dollar walks in the
2:47:13 door and we haven't taken action you're
2:47:15 not authorized us to make that decision
2:47:20 as as it's written the five thousand
2:47:24 dollar cap is not a program cap it's an
2:47:26 annual cap right I think with the
2:47:29 amendment that I'm hearing of whether
2:47:32 it's five thousand dollars a one-year
2:47:34 whichever comes first because we were
2:47:36 looking and whispering to each other
2:47:39 given the likely frequency of
2:47:42 applications not being super frequent we
2:47:48 think we could anticipate if if that
2:47:50 five thousand dollars is coming up
2:47:52 sooner than a year as City Administrator
2:47:55 babaca wit says get this on an agenda
2:47:58 item and have
2:47:59 that conversation so it would look and
2:48:01 appear seamless i I wouldn't be
2:48:05 surprised if the one year mark
2:48:08 Here I am doing a crystal ball but the
2:48:10 one year mark was likely probably the
2:48:12 indicator that would occur more so than
2:48:14 the $5,000 thank you any questions it's
2:48:20 my rules
2:48:21 couldn't we change the alert time to
2:48:24 $4,000 so that we don't I mean just
2:48:29 saying so that we don't run into that
2:48:31 situation where 5,000 dollars has been
2:48:34 spent and somebody applies I don't want
2:48:38 the city to be in a position like that
2:48:41 yeah whatever the council's policy we
2:48:44 can make whatever you'd like work I
2:48:46 don't need to do anything with that I
2:48:49 was just suggesting so I had I had also
2:48:55 because I had considered doing something
2:48:58 similar before I had asked if maybe we
2:49:00 could just do it with direction and you
2:49:03 just have a conversation and then come
2:49:05 to a decision about how to direct the
2:49:07 staff that we were interested in
2:49:09 reviewing this program after $5,000 so I
2:49:11 also think it's possible that we could
2:49:14 just have this conversation our intent
2:49:16 is not to not to have the program cap
2:49:22 have one person be eligible one day and
2:49:25 then the next person not be eligible but
2:49:27 it's also to review because we don't
2:49:29 know what the rate of usage and what the
2:49:31 usage of the program will be so I think
2:49:33 if we express that I think it sounds
2:49:36 like from an administrative point of
2:49:37 view it's possible to do the review at
2:49:39 that timing and so I think I think we
2:49:44 can just give that direction and then if
2:49:46 we all agree then that could be the
2:49:48 other way to make sure that we have that
2:49:50 concern addressed that's what a ministry
2:49:52 helps president members of the council
2:49:54 absolutely we understand what you are
2:49:57 trying to do and want to be gonna help
2:49:59 people period yeah thank you
2:50:02 do the amendment as it stands now is
2:50:04 Council to review the program at the end
2:50:06 of the at the expenditure of $5,000 or
2:50:10 one year with all the other background
2:50:13 information and assurances that you have
2:50:15 heard is there any further discussion on
2:50:17 the amendment all those in favor say aye
2:50:22 as opposed the amendment carries
2:50:24 unanimously
2:50:25 a couple of other things I had noted
2:50:27 down here I think I've been taking care
2:50:29 of the earth CW reference has been
2:50:31 removed I did hear a brief discussion
2:50:35 I'm not sure if you want to have more
2:50:36 about $5,000 cap missing headshakes No
2:50:41 are there any other amendments or
2:50:44 discussion prior to voting on the main
2:50:46 motion which was so long ago now any
2:50:54 other comments
2:50:57 okay if there's no further discussion
2:51:00 all those in favor of adopting the
2:51:02 revised ordinance number two eight eight
2:51:04 oh we did it okay here we go
2:51:12 all those in favor of approving
2:51:14 resolution number 2020 - one
2:51:17 implementing a burial assistance program
2:51:19 for the city-owned hillside Cemetery
2:51:22 signify by saying aye aye those opposed
2:51:25 okay that carries six to one with
2:51:29 Waltzing Walsh in opposition on the
2:51:32 second motion the motion before you is
2:51:35 adopt the revised ordinance to eight
2:51:37 eight six amending section 2.2 o4o
2:51:39 obviously municipal code etc etc etc
2:51:42 allowing for adoption of a burial
2:51:44 assistance program that's member Walsh
2:51:47 so councilmember Mart's had said earlier
2:51:51 that this is a large jump in expenses
2:51:55 because this program hasn't been
2:51:57 evaluated in a while and the the idea
2:52:01 was the this is going to become an
2:52:04 enterprise fund that will be able to
2:52:06 continue with maintenance on that idea
2:52:09 since again there this would likely not
2:52:14 be looked at
2:52:16 very much in the future could we
2:52:18 consider automatic cost increases
2:52:21 annually with CPI or something like that
2:52:24 that would allow the cost of the
2:52:28 gravesites to increase annually to go
2:52:34 along with the economy there Jeff or see
2:52:41 the Administrator Bob quits certainly
2:52:44 the council could do that I don't know
2:52:46 what the discussion has been at the
2:52:47 cemetery board I would think that was
2:52:49 part of the larger long term
2:52:52 there was discussion of the cemetery
2:52:54 board as we now are transitioning more
2:52:57 to the cemetery fee portion yes I think
2:53:00 there was support there certainly right
2:53:03 now if you look at other fees like our
2:53:06 recreation fees
2:53:08 you've given administration the ability
2:53:11 to increase recreation fees
2:53:13 incrementally so up to I believe it's 7%
2:53:16 a year so I think of what is being
2:53:18 proposed is in essence having something
2:53:24 similar related to the cemetery fees is
2:53:29 that what I'm hearing suggested or some
2:53:31 type of we don't have to necessarily
2:53:37 look at this 20 years from now and say
2:53:40 gosh we haven't looked at it again so it
2:53:42 needs to be increased 150 percent
2:53:45 whereas if we were keeping up with the
2:53:48 cost increases but is that considered
2:53:51 already in these in these increases was
2:53:56 it increased this amount so that you
2:53:58 wouldn't have to increase as the though
2:54:02 it's been discussed with the cemetery
2:54:03 board the cemetery fee ordinance in
2:54:06 front of you does not have that CPI
2:54:11 capacity or capability but it's
2:54:13 certainly one that Randy is cemetery
2:54:17 board president can come up and I
2:54:18 believe I can say there was support if
2:54:22 that is a consideration that council
2:54:25 would want to have we would much rather
2:54:27 both as
2:54:28 staff and a cemetery board look at
2:54:31 annual incremental review of fees as
2:54:34 opposed to these larger significant
2:54:36 increases if the councilmember would
2:54:40 like to consider proposing an amendment
2:54:42 to the motion that would it look like
2:54:44 what City Attorney's drafted give us
2:54:49 another second so would be an additional
2:54:53 section tying it to the local Consumer
2:54:57 Price Index have that language in a
2:55:00 second would you care to make a motion
2:55:03 so that the council can discuss if you
2:55:07 get a second yes I would like to make
2:55:10 that generally not legal language the
2:55:13 motion be to increase and to provide
2:55:15 allow for annual increases to reflect
2:55:17 CPI adjustments yes as if you'd like to
2:55:20 make that motion if you get a second
2:55:21 then the council can discuss it is there
2:55:23 a second second second goodbye ray
2:55:26 discussion you've already said yeah so
2:55:31 that's my council president hunt I have
2:55:36 a question there's an ongoing Master
2:55:40 Cemetery plan planning effort going on
2:55:42 mm-hmm
2:55:43 correct correct I I think to me this
2:55:49 sort of discussion would also be the
2:55:53 kind of thing that would be discussed as
2:55:55 part of that master planning effort or
2:55:58 it could be discussed by the cemetery
2:55:59 board and it seems like the sort of work
2:56:03 that the cemetery board do to consider
2:56:07 this sort of increased annual increase
2:56:10 yeah if what you're asking is is whether
2:56:13 it's done tonight by action or if it's
2:56:16 considered as part of the master plan or
2:56:19 the further planning effort that we're
2:56:21 doing with the cemetery either could
2:56:24 proceed either way Thank You deputy
2:56:29 council president ray
2:56:31 it was my thinking with this amendment
2:56:34 this was a tool to give to the cemetery
2:56:37 board and the parks department to
2:56:39 escalate rates at a at a CPI level in
2:56:43 the event that they've deemed that
2:56:45 necessary when we first started these
2:56:48 discussions about a year ago one of the
2:56:50 things we talked about is what's the
2:56:52 long time I'm gonna say this again
2:56:54 what's the long term viability of the
2:56:56 cemetery and how do we create an
2:56:58 enterprise fund that will last for the
2:57:02 foreseeable future
2:57:03 so that we can continue to maintain that
2:57:07 that area it's going to be necessary to
2:57:11 reevaluate that because plans are
2:57:13 inherently flawed and as good as the
2:57:15 plan that the cemetery board and
2:57:17 Flintoff sand and Brian have put
2:57:20 together there's going to be a need to
2:57:22 go back and reevaluate it and I would
2:57:24 like to give the parks department and
2:57:26 cemetery board the tools to do that in a
2:57:31 proactive manner so I think this makes
2:57:34 sense to me though I would really like
2:57:36 to hear what the real formal motion is
2:57:38 before I can the real form of it then if
2:57:42 it's been drafted otherwise are there
2:57:46 other comments on the mayor's
2:57:47 generalized version of the amendment
2:57:50 mm-hmm okay we're it's all pressures on
2:57:53 you Jim
2:58:09 and if you want we can take a
2:58:12 four-minute break no clothes good
2:58:14 awesome would add language to at the end
2:58:22 of section one of the ordinance that
2:58:24 would say the fee shall be adjusted
2:58:27 annually by the percentage increase in
2:58:29 the Consumer Price Index for this
2:58:32 seattle-tacoma Bremerton area as
2:58:35 measured from July 1st to July 1st
2:58:38 that's consistent with the current code
2:58:40 in the adjustment of fees friendly
2:58:47 amendment the friendly amendment may
2:58:49 instead of shell and that was what some
2:58:55 member Walsh and deputy council
2:58:57 president Ray both agreed yeah I make a
2:59:00 suggestion the current code on
2:59:02 adjustment of fees and you could amend
2:59:05 that chapter but I I don't want to get
2:59:07 into that but the current code says the
2:59:10 mayor may approve adjustments to the
2:59:12 following fees etc so you may want to
2:59:15 make the language similar to say that
2:59:17 the mayor may approve adjustments annual
2:59:21 adjustments to the fees using the
2:59:27 Consumer Price Index for the Seattle
2:59:30 Tacoma Bremerton area as measured from
2:59:34 July 1st to July 1st and that would give
2:59:37 the mayor that authority Oshin maker
2:59:40 amend err firstly I'm afraid that if you
2:59:43 just say May then it's good then then
2:59:46 somebody has to make the decision and it
2:59:49 would have to come back to City Council
2:59:50 so if you want to say that the mayor may
2:59:54 then I'm comfortable with that good with
3:00:00 that comes president hunt I had a
3:00:04 question which is could the mayor
3:00:07 approve that without us making this
3:00:09 motion you have the abyss the mayor have
3:00:12 the ability to make that change in any
3:00:19 not currently no it's the the council
3:00:23 has delegated it specifically with
3:00:26 respect to certain chapters of the code
3:00:28 and 2.20 is not one of those chapters
3:00:30 okay so thank you
3:00:33 any other questions and I'm going to use
3:00:36 ventriloquism to get the motion for the
3:00:39 amendment reread by our attorney Jim can
3:00:44 you let them know what they're voting on
3:00:46 as the vote would be on adding the
3:00:50 following language at the end of section
3:00:52 one of the ordinance which would say the
3:00:57 mayor may approve adjustments to the
3:01:00 fees set forth above or excuse me the
3:01:03 mayor may and approve annual adjustments
3:01:06 to the fees set forth above using the
3:01:13 Consumer Price Index for the Seattle
3:01:15 Tacoma Bremerton area as measured from
3:01:18 July 1st to July 1st on favor say aye
3:01:23 opposed that carries unanimously
3:01:26 were there any other proposed amendments
3:01:33 seeing none the motion before you all
3:01:36 those in favor of adopting the revised
3:01:39 ordinance number two 886 amending
3:01:42 section 2.2 0.040 of the Issaquah
3:01:45 Municipal Code by providing for an
3:01:47 increase in grave plot and maintenance
3:01:48 fees creating new fees for additional
3:01:51 memorial spaces transfers and quick
3:01:53 claim deeds and allowing for adoption of
3:01:55 a burial assistance program indicate by
3:01:57 saying aye
3:01:59 as opposed that carries unanimously
3:02:02 I want to thank their council for the
3:02:05 hard work on this just to come out of
3:02:06 budget deliberations in the fall and
3:02:09 there was a rush to get this in place so
3:02:11 that the city could adopt the new fee
3:02:14 structure but they could also provide
3:02:16 this affordability program so a lot of
3:02:19 hard work thank you very much I'm good
3:02:22 if you order do any does anyone have any
3:02:24 items for good at the order that's some
3:02:28 present intent I I wanted to thank you
3:02:32 all and I'm I'm very much looking
3:02:34 forward to working with you as council
3:02:36 president wanted to make sure that lines
3:02:37 of communication are open and I very
3:02:39 much welcome feedback and find it
3:02:41 helpful
3:02:42 Thank You council president ray I'm
3:02:45 gonna have to apply along that one and
3:02:47 think thank you all these are leadership
3:02:49 roles are big shoes to fill
3:02:51 and I am looking forward to the next
3:02:54 year and working with all of you I think
3:02:56 we have amazing things to do ahead of us
3:02:59 thank you any other good of the order
3:03:01 items
3:03:04 I'll throw one in there welcome
3:03:06 councilmember Hall to your first meeting
3:03:09 we've had the pleasure of having
3:03:10 councilmember D Michelle for six weeks
3:03:12 now so you are the new face tonight
3:03:14 welcome we have some upcoming council
3:03:17 meetings on January 14th there is a
3:03:19 council study session at 6:30 p.m. the
3:03:22 potential agenda items are the old town
3:03:24 land use code amendments mobility master
3:03:27 plan update green Issaquah funding
3:03:29 opportunity which is the forest carbon
3:03:31 credit program and a transit-oriented
3:03:34 development update on January 21st at
3:03:37 the regular City Council meeting at 7
3:03:38 p.m. here in chambers which is on
3:03:41 Tuesday not Monday it is shifted due to
3:03:44 President's Day the potential agenda
3:03:46 items are the parks master plans
3:03:48 informational update Tibbets Valley Park
3:03:51 Veterans Memorial Park in his concrete
3:03:53 quarter the 2019 comprehensive plan and
3:03:56 zoning map amendments and land use code
3:03:59 Title 18 Update planning ad-hoc
3:04:01 committee report out
3:04:05 and now we have executive sessions so as
3:04:09 earlier announced will be an executive
3:04:10 session this evening to discuss
3:04:11 collective bargaining for our CW 42.3
3:04:14 0.14 o / n 4 / na this item is expected
3:04:18 to last 15 minutes no action is
3:04:21 anticipated to follow an open session
3:04:22 and so we will be recessed into
3:04:24 executive session at 10:03 p.m.

Attendance

Council / Members (7)
Barbara de Michele
Stacy Goodman
Zach Hall
Victoria Hunt
Tola Marts
Chris Reh
Lindsey Walsh

Motions and votes (8)

Amend the motion by substituting it with the following: Adopt the revised Ordinance No. 2886, amending Section 2.20.040 of the Issaquah Municipal Code by providing for an increase in grave plot and maintenance fees, creating new fees for additional memorial spaces, transfers and quitclaim deeds and …
Moved by MARTS · seconded by HUNT
Carried 7-0
Divide the question into Part A and Part B as follows: Part A, Adoption of Ordinance: Adopt the revised Ordinance No. 2886, amending Section 2.20.040 of the Issaquah Municipal Code by providing for an increase in grave plot and maintenance fees, creating new fees for additional memorial spaces, tran…
Moved by REH · seconded by WALSH
Carried 6-1
Opposed: Marts
. Part B, Approval of Resolution Without objection, Part B of was before the City Council: Approve Resolution No. 2020-01, implementing a Burial Assistance Program for the City- owned Hillside Cemetery.
Moved by REH · seconded by WALSH
Amend Exhibit A of the Resolution as follows: Under "Eligibility": • The decedent and family (as defined below) members applying for program benefits must be at or below 40% Average Median Income (AMI) for King County, and having available cash and/or other liquid-able assets of less than $10,000. •…
Moved by MARTS · seconded by DE MICHELE
Carried 5-2
In favor: Barbara de Michele, Zach Hall, Victoria Hunt, Tola Marts, Chris Reh
Opposed: Goodman, Walsh
Amend the amendment to add the following under "Eligibility": • The decedent's surviving spouse or state registered domestic partner or adult children, if any, must be at or below 40% Average Median Income (AMI) for King County. AMENDMENT TO THE (Proponents: DeMichele, Goodman, Walsh). RESOLUTION AS…
Moved by WALSH · seconded by GOODMAN
Failed 3-4
In favor: DeMichele, Goodman, Walsh
Opposed: Walsh
Require that the Council review the Burial Assistance Program after the expenditure of $5000 or one year. . Part A, Adoption of Ordinance Part A was before the City Council: Adopt the revised Ordinance No. 2886, amending Section 2.20.040 of the Issaquah Municipal Code by providing for an increase in…
Moved by GOODMAN · seconded by HALL
Carried 7-0
In favor: Barbara de Michele, Stacy Goodman, Zach Hall, Victoria Hunt, Tola Marts, Chris Reh, Lindsey Walsh
Amend the ordinance to add the following to the end of Section 1: The Mayor may approve annual adjustments to the fees set forth above using the Consumer Price Index for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton Area as measured from July 1st to July 1st. . ORDINANCE AS AMENDED CARRIED, 7-0.
Moved by WALSH · seconded by REH
Carried 7-0
In favor: Barbara de Michele, Stacy Goodman, Zach Hall, Victoria Hunt, Tola Marts, Chris Reh, Lindsey Walsh
APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. a) ID 0534 - Accounts: Payables and Payroll of Jan. 6, 2020, $3,725,699.85; Approved. b) Minutes: City Council Study Session, Nov. 26, 2019; Approved. c) Minutes: City Council Special Meeting, Dec. 10, 2019; Approved. d) Minutes: City Council Regular Meeting,…
Moved by HUNT · seconded by REH
Carried 7-0
In favor: Barbara de Michele, Stacy Goodman, Zach Hall, Victoria Hunt, Tola Marts, Chris Reh, Lindsey Walsh