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City Council Regular Meeting Auto captions

Monday, October 7, 2024

7:00 PM · Council Chambers, 135 E. Sunset Way, Issaquah WA
Topics tracked across meetings:
Hindu American Heritage Month Proclamation ID 1709 1/2
Credit Card Service Fee Policy AB 8882 2/2
Section
Topic
3. SPECIAL BUSINESS
3a
Sister Cities Cultural Exchange ID 1766
Award Presentation · 5 min · packet pp.7
Topics: Arts & Culture
Staff report:
SPECIAL BUSINESS b) CITY OF ISSAQUAH Mayor's Office
3b
Code Enforcement Officer Appreciation Week Proclamation ID 1706
5 min · packet pp.9
Topics: Public Safety
Staff report:
SPECIAL BUSINESS c) CITY OF ISSAQUAH Mayor's Office
3c
Arts & Humanities Month Proclamation ID 1707
5 min · packet pp.11
Topics: Arts & Culture
Staff report:
SPECIAL BUSINESS d) CITY OF ISSAQUAH Mayor's Office
3d
Fire Prevention Week Proclamation ID 1708
5 min · packet pp.13
Topics: Public Safety
Staff report:
SPECIAL BUSINESS e) CITY OF ISSAQUAH Mayor's Office
3e
Hindu American Heritage Month Proclamation ID 1709
5 min · packet pp.15
Topics: Arts & Culture
Staff report:
SPECIAL BUSINESS f) CITY OF ISSAQUAH Mayor's Office
3f
Substance Abuse Prevention Month Proclamation ID 1711
5 min
5. CONSENT CALENDAR
5a
Accounts: Payables and Payroll of Oct. 7, 2024, $8,748,393.38 ID 1737
Carried 5-0
Approve · packet pp.17–46
Topics: Budget
Staff report:
Finance Department P.O. Box 1307 Issaquah, WA 98027 PH: 425-837-3050 www.issaquahwa.gov
Roll call:
Moved by Council President Lindsey Walsh · seconded by Deputy Council President Barb de Michele
In favor: Barbara de Michele, Victoria Hunt, Russell Joe, Chris Reh, Lindsey Walsh
5b
Minutes: City Council Regular Meeting, Aug. 5, 2024
Carried 5-0
Approve · packet pp.47–50
Staff report:
CONSENT CALENDAR b) 08-05-24 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page (0000) CITY OF ISSAQUAH City Council Regular Meeting 7:00 PM Council Chambers August 5, 2024 MINUTES 135 E. Sunset Way
Roll call:
Moved by Council President Lindsey Walsh · seconded by Deputy Council President Barb de Michele
In favor: Barbara de Michele, Victoria Hunt, Russell Joe, Chris Reh, Lindsey Walsh
5c
Minutes: City Council Special Meeting, Sept. 3, 2024
Carried 5-0
Approve · packet pp.51
Staff report:
CONSENT CALENDAR c) 09-03-24 City Council Special Meeting Minutes Page (0000) CITY OF ISSAQUAH City Council Special Meeting 5:30 PM Issaquah Train Depot September 3, 2024 MINUTES 71 1st Ave NE
Roll call:
Moved by Council President Lindsey Walsh · seconded by Deputy Council President Barb de Michele
In favor: Barbara de Michele, Victoria Hunt, Russell Joe, Chris Reh, Lindsey Walsh
5d
Minutes: City Council Regular Meeting, Sept. 3, 2024
Carried 5-0
Approve · packet pp.53–55
Staff report:
CONSENT CALENDAR d) 09-03-24 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page (0000) CITY OF ISSAQUAH City Council Regular Meeting 7:00 PM Council Chambers September 3, 2024 MINUTES 135 E. Sunset Way
Roll call:
Moved by Council President Lindsey Walsh · seconded by Deputy Council President Barb de Michele
In favor: Barbara de Michele, Victoria Hunt, Russell Joe, Chris Reh, Lindsey Walsh
5e
Informational Update: Inventory of Lead Water Services ID 1754
Carried 5-0
Receive · packet pp.57–61
Topics: Water
Staff report:
Provide City Council with an Informational Update regarding EPA-mandated survey to determine the possibility of lead service lines in Issaquah’s water service area. A previous update was provided to the City Council in the Jan. 16, 2024, City Council meeting materials (ID 1548).
Roll call:
Moved by Council President Lindsey Walsh · seconded by Deputy Council President Barb de Michele
In favor: Barbara de Michele, Victoria Hunt, Russell Joe, Chris Reh, Lindsey Walsh
5f
Informational Update: Grant and Contract 2nd Quarter Report ID 1760
Carried 5-0
Receive Report · packet pp.63–69
Staff report:
The Q2 2024 grant and contract
Roll call:
Moved by Council President Lindsey Walsh · seconded by Deputy Council President Barb de Michele
In favor: Barbara de Michele, Victoria Hunt, Russell Joe, Chris Reh, Lindsey Walsh
5g
Amendments to Park Bench Donation Program AB 8904
Carried 5-0
Adopt Ordinance · packet pp.71–76
Topics: Land UseParks
Staff report:
In September 2019, City Council approved Ordinance No. 2875 establishing a program for park bench donations for park system enhancements. This action was the result of several requests from community members seeking a way to commemorate a connection with our park system or memorialize a loved one within a park. This input was received during the development of the 2018 Parks Strategic Plan.
Roll call:
Moved by Council President Lindsey Walsh · seconded by Deputy Council President Barb de Michele
In favor: Barbara de Michele, Victoria Hunt, Russell Joe, Chris Reh, Lindsey Walsh
5h
Mid-Year Planning Policy Commission Appointments AB 8906
Carried 5-0
Confirm · packet pp.77–78
Topics: Boards & Commissions
Staff report:
The Mayor is responsible for appointing members to the City's boards and commissions.
Roll call:
Moved by Council President Lindsey Walsh · seconded by Deputy Council President Barb de Michele
In favor: Barbara de Michele, Victoria Hunt, Russell Joe, Chris Reh, Lindsey Walsh
5i
Sunset Way Landslide Repair Project (ST 061) AB 8910
Carried 5-0
Authorize · packet pp.79–96
Staff report:
The Sunset Way Landslide Project will replace existing storm, water and sewer pipe within Sunset Way between Sunset CT NW to approximately 350 feet to the west. The project will reduce the risk of a slow moving landslide that has resulted in significant ground displacement, affecting the westbound lane of W Sunset Way and endangering the integrity of City utilities, as well contributing to cracking of the sidewalk on the north side of the road.
Roll call:
Moved by Council President Lindsey Walsh · seconded by Deputy Council President Barb de Michele
In favor: Barbara de Michele, Victoria Hunt, Russell Joe, Chris Reh, Lindsey Walsh
6. PUBLIC HEARING
6a
Initiative No. 2117 Carbon Tax Credit Trading, Nov. 5, 2024 Ballot Item, Consideration of Resolution to Oppose AB 8912
30 min · packet pp.97–110
Topics: ClimateBudgetElections
Staff report:
Initiative No. 2117 would prohibit any state agencies from implementing a cap-and-trade or cap-and-tax program. Additionally, it would repeal the 2021 Washington Climate Commitment Act (CCA), a state law that created a cap-and- invest carbon program aimed at reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 95% by 2050 and preparing the state for the future low-carbon economy.
7. REGULAR BUSINESS
7a
Credit Card Service Fee Policy AB 8882
Approve Resolution · 30 min · packet pp.111–129
Topics: Budget
Staff report:
At the Oct. 23, 2023 City Council meeting, Council President Walsh brought a New Business request to the City Council requesting the Administration review the City’s customer usage of credit/debit cards as a method of payment and asked further research to be conducted to understand how the City addressed credit/debit card fees. The Administration responded with a memo presented to Council at the Dec. 4, 2023 Council meeting. The City Council then requested the Administration to add consideration of the credit card policy to the City's 2024 work plan and schedule it for a Services Safety and Parks Committee in the first quarter of 2024.
7b
Veterans Memorial Plaza Projects AB 8763
Carried 4-1
Award Bid · 30 min · packet pp.131–149
Topics: Parks
Staff report:
B. Project Renderings C. PK 010 Project
Roll call:
Moved by Council President Lindsey Walsh · seconded by Deputy Council President Barbara de Michele
In favor: Barbara de Michele, Russell Joe, Chris Reh, Lindsey Walsh
Opposed: Victoria Hunt
Absent: Zach Hall, Tola Marts
10. GOOD OF THE ORDER
10a
Upcoming Council Meetings
0:08 good evening everyone and welcome to the
0:10 city of isqua council meeting uh this
0:13 October 7th um nice to see so many
0:17 people from so many different groups
0:19 coming to talk with us tonight or or
0:21 hear a
0:22 proclamation uh council members Hall and
0:25 Marts both have an excused absence this
0:27 evening and as a reminder we still
0:29 continue to have a remote aspect to our
0:31 meetings both staff and members of the
0:33 public may be participating in tonight's
0:35 meeting remotely via webx the first item
0:39 on the agenda this evening is the Pledge
0:40 of Allegiance and I invite you to
0:45 join I pledge aliance to the flag United
0:49 States of America to the repblic
0:52 stands one
0:54 nation
0:56 indivisible andice
1:00 it sounds a lot better when we have a
1:02 lot of people in the
1:03 room so our next item of business and is
1:07 special business and we have several
1:09 items tonight it's been a busy week and
1:11 September tends to be a month where we
1:13 do a lot of proclamations the first item
1:16 is ID 1766 this is the sister City's
1:19 cultural exchange award presentation and
1:22 I'd like to invite sister City's
1:24 commission liaison Tina agares
1:27 commission chair Stephanie angula and
1:29 artist Mr Wally Alami to the lect turn
1:32 come on up
1:34 all if you want to clap you can clap
1:37 there we
1:38 go thank you very much uh tinis chief of
1:42 staff and staff leaon to the sister city
1:45 commission I would like to welcome Mr
1:48 Wally Alami um and Stephanie our
1:51 co-chair uh Muhammad is in the back he
1:53 will step forward and help with
1:55 translation when we get to that point um
1:58 I first I'd like to say thank you to to
2:00 our commissioners and uh as well as the
2:02 Arts commission and our volunteers if
2:04 you're in the audience can you raise
2:05 your hand if you helped out with the
2:07 event thank you lots of hands in the air
2:10 lots of gratitude um all the help was
2:13 essential and uh with much
2:16 appreciation um that partnership is
2:18 invaluable it's been an incredible week
2:21 uh celebrating and showcasing the work
2:23 of Mr wall Alami and we had events at
2:27 Providence points local schools salmon
2:30 days it's been really busy and really
2:32 really
2:33 rewarding um Mr W Alami is a renowned
2:36 Artisan in the craft of leather um
2:40 specializing in Moroccan babush which
2:42 means slippers we thank him and we thank
2:46 the Moroccan Ministry of arts and crafts
2:49 for their involvement and uh I would
2:51 like to turn the microphone over to
2:53 Stephany and K to say a few words
3:04 hello everyone hello hello um I just
3:08 wanted to say many of us are familiar
3:10 with the S sister cities relationship
3:13 but that
3:15 relationship while we think of it as
3:17 living between two cities it actually
3:20 resides in the minds and the hearts of
3:22 the residents and the people living in
3:24 both cities so this week we've had the
3:26 honor of having Mr Alami here with us
3:30 and he has brought so much to our
3:32 community and been an amazing partner
3:36 and uh futured artist that we can give
3:40 to our community at the same time it's
3:42 also been an honor for us to take um
3:45 this incredible town that so many of us
3:47 love here in isqua and give that to you
3:50 and ask that you um feel happy and open
3:55 to share issaqua with uh other people so
3:58 that bond is continuing to grow as it
4:00 lives in the hearts and minds of the
4:02 people on and on and
4:06 on um we also had many partners I'd just
4:09 like to take a moment to thank the Arts
4:11 commission Providence Point volunteers
4:14 salmon days and the local Moroccan
4:16 Community for all that they did to
4:18 support Mr
4:20 Alami um with
4:23 that um the commission would like to
4:25 honor our guest with a gift a local
4:28 painting converted to print by our very
4:30 own commissioner Mr Victor
4:33 [Applause]
4:40 Bellow and you're always welcome here in
4:43 isqua and may you always view isqua as
4:45 your home
4:50 [Laughter]
5:04 nice it has been an incredible week of
5:08 events and activities hosting an artist
5:10 from another country is a really big
5:12 lift and you need a lot of really great
5:14 volunteers to see this through and make
5:16 sure that Wally is getting welcomed at
5:19 all different places in our town and
5:21 able to see some of the Northwest so so
5:23 glad for all of you who helped to make
5:25 this
5:26 happen I had the privilege of going to
5:29 Morocco to see our sister city twice in
5:31 one year um that was not planned our
5:34 first trip after many many many years
5:36 was um to reconnect and find some common
5:39 ground in arts and culture and other
5:42 projects that we may want to work on
5:44 together but we ended up being there two
5:46 days after the very very historically
5:48 tragic um earthquake up in the Atlas
5:51 Mountains and it changed the entire tone
5:53 and tenor of the visit um we had checked
5:57 in and made sure with our hosts whether
5:58 or not they wanted us to come when
6:00 something was going on and they said it
6:02 was the time to come that after a
6:04 disaster like that the community is
6:06 feeling lost there's a lot of
6:08 hopelessness and when someone comes to
6:10 invest in and find out how you may be
6:12 able to help back in your own country
6:14 it's a pretty um emotional moment to say
6:18 the least what we came up with in our
6:19 very first visit that we work on several
6:21 projects one was to uh begin again our
6:25 cultural Exchange in the Arts and make
6:27 sure we had some visiting Artis artisans
6:29 for salmon days so Wally was here
6:31 demonstrating his craft in schools and
6:33 at the fair and at all the different
6:35 events that he was hosted at so that was
6:37 wonderful we also decided to do a
6:39 humanitarian project and the generosity
6:41 of this community and the American
6:43 Moroccan community in putting together
6:45 event at Pickering Barn was absolutely
6:47 overwhelming and Duna here and Muhammad
6:50 and all of the sister City's team and
6:52 their relatives who they made volunteer
6:54 did a huge lift in order to do one event
6:58 to raise funds and take donations to
7:01 deliver 16 to
7:02 177,000 winter clothing items blankets
7:05 hats coats all that kind of thing to an
7:07 area that has been utterly devastated as
7:10 well as working with some nonprofits
7:12 there and bringing over refurbished
7:13 computers to allow them to be able to do
7:15 things and make connections that they
7:17 didn't have before so in September we
7:20 did a no that's not right when did we do
7:22 the return trip
7:24 June June the re return trip was in June
7:28 um very small conent but we got to
7:30 connect with the um the the Red Cross
7:33 red Cresent organization and personally
7:35 transfer all of those items right in the
7:38 area just next to the Atlas Mountains
7:40 where we know that they will help people
7:42 get through the next three four five
7:44 Winters until their towns are
7:46 reconstructed we're also looking at an
7:48 environmental piece which we never
7:49 looked at before and that is looking
7:51 into our climate action plans and
7:53 finding something that an arid Mountain
7:54 Community in a very wet Northwest can do
7:57 together the same project and
7:58 demonstrate the benefits for the
8:00 community and I'm missing one because I
8:02 know we had four projects but I can't
8:04 remember four all I want to tell you is
8:06 that these visits and these connections
8:08 and the hard work of all of these people
8:10 have really um renewed refreshed and put
8:14 a lot of excitement in our sister city
8:16 relationship so I am so grateful to have
8:18 the opportunity to do the face of the
8:20 community but now we also have the face
8:22 of our sisters and brothers in Morocco
8:25 with Wally coming to visit us and share
8:26 his craft so I'm so grateful to him and
8:29 I want present him a um recognition
8:32 award from the city because this was
8:34 just a Fabulous Adventure due to him and
8:37 his outstand it was an outstanding
8:39 cultural exchange with the ISA community
8:41 and I cannot thank you
8:43 enough thank you very
8:55 much I'm going to turn it over to
8:57 council president who would like to
8:59 provide uh some recognition from our
9:01 city council thank you council
9:04 president but we don't we don't go small
9:07 when we recognize um people um in the
9:10 way that they have been able to
9:12 contribute so the city council would
9:15 like to recognize and thank you for your
9:17 visit the cultural exchange the
9:19 importance of it and so we have a small
9:22 token of our appreciation and a box for
9:24 you to take it home
9:27 [Laughter]
9:32 tuck in ladies here we go this is a
9:34 beautiful picture
9:41 y you everyone and
9:45 [Applause]
9:49 now
9:51 yes
9:53 Wally this is for you
10:22 so before this scrip Mr Wally did not
10:26 speak much English so he spent a month
10:29 and a half before
10:31 coming learning English and practicing
10:34 what he wants to say so bear with him
10:37 bear with his accent but I know he is so
10:41 passionate he loves the experience he
10:44 loved the hospitality and he wants to
10:46 share a few words good
10:53 evening ladies and
10:55 gentlemen I am Muhammad a Craftsman and
10:59 director manager of Asami in F Morocco
11:03 specialized in Moroccan
11:05 sleepers first I'd like to express my
11:08 happiness in being among you in this
11:11 beautiful and amazing City I'd like to
11:15 express my sincere gratitude to the
11:17 mayor of isaka the C C's commission and
11:22 all organizers of this Salomon Days
11:25 festival for inviting and H us
11:30 I'd also like to thank the the Moroccan
11:33 Ministry of Tourism handicrafts social
11:36 economy and solidarity and its delegates
11:39 in F area and M for choosing me to
11:44 represent Moroccan
11:47 Craftsman the twinning of American city
11:50 of isaka and the Moroccan city of Shan
11:54 reflects the cultural and historical
11:57 relationship between the two two cities
12:01 isaka located in Washington stat is
12:04 known for its natural beauty and mous
12:08 surroundings will sh located in Northern
12:12 Morocco is famous for its tuning blue
12:16 buildings and the surrounding Reef
12:19 mountains the blue color symbolizes the
12:22 spirit of Tolerance and coexistence
12:25 between religions in Morocco this WI
12:29 aims to enhance
12:31 cultural understanding and exchange
12:35 experiences between the two cities
12:38 through
12:39 UC artistic and tourism activities the
12:43 partnership is part of efforts to
12:46 promote dialogue and cooperation between
12:49 peoples at the local and international
12:52 levels contributing to fostering
12:57 friendship and cultural communication
13:00 between and United States and Morocco
13:04 please allow me to offer you this modest
13:09 child complet handman and reflecting a
13:13 part of ourish handicraft in Morocco
13:17 long leave the Moroccan American
13:19 friendship thank you
13:22 [Applause]
13:32 take a picture in front of the city
13:33 council with that that is
13:41 [Music]
14:07 [Applause]
14:30 got one
14:45 more at the end of this lovely week
14:48 among you I'd like to express my
14:50 gratitude to everyone here and to the
14:53 whole community of isaka for your
14:57 hospitality and general
15:00 Unity I know that my English is po is
15:03 poor but my feelings are very sincere
15:07 and and I right to forge historical ties
15:12 through this modest work and uh and
15:16 no Moroccan
15:18 crafts I'll leave you some samples of
15:22 different sleepers and some old and
15:26 traditional tools fully full hul history
15:30 and memories of my father and my
15:34 grandparents as a symbol of our valuable
15:38 friendship let's add let's add a new
15:42 break together to our historical
15:45 friendship thank you once again God
15:48 bless God bless
15:50 you thank
15:56 you basically he wants to leave
15:59 the scissors that his father made the
16:03 slippers with 50 years ago he wishes
16:12 to that's beautiful I'm going to close
16:15 this out with one fact I would be a very
16:17 bad sister city representative if I
16:19 didn't tell you that in every single
16:21 tour I went every single tour guide in
16:24 Morocco told me the very first country
16:26 in the world to recognize the United
16:27 States of America when we formed was
16:30 Morocco so heard it everywhere so I had
16:33 to get that in there thank you
16:39 w thank you thank
16:42 [Applause]
16:51 you thank you all for coming and if at
16:53 any point in time um our meeting is
16:56 going on too long everybody is allowed
16:58 to leave as they want to but thank you
17:00 to everyone who came out tonight you
17:02 really made this special to have such a
17:04 big turnout from the community so we're
17:06 going to keep going through our special
17:08 business and we're going to start off
17:10 with council president um council
17:12 president is going to be presenting id1
17:15 176 this is code enforcement officer
17:18 Appreciation Week Proclamation and I'd
17:20 like to invite Community planning and
17:22 development director Minnie doell to the
17:24 lect turn welcome Minnie well and as
17:26 she's coming up um
17:29 just I was hoping that Lori would be
17:32 here our code enforcement officer
17:34 because I have just heard so very much
17:38 from other cities from residents from
17:41 other staff members about how much her
17:44 work matters and I have a little secret
17:47 that I check our C click f app uh fix
17:51 app um all the time to see what people
17:53 are talking about um that needs to be
17:55 fixed in the city and Lori get on those
17:59 code enforcement um activities so quick
18:02 and is just such a thorough respondent
18:06 to the community members um to recognize
18:10 what the need is so I just I really want
18:13 to I hope you'll pass along the thanks
18:16 so we have a proclamation here whereas
18:19 Code Enforcement Officers provide for
18:21 safety Health and Welfare of the
18:23 citizens and the communities throughout
18:25 the state of Washington through the
18:27 enforcement of local Cod codes or
18:29 ordinances dealing with various issues
18:31 of building zoning housing Animal
18:34 Control environmental health and life
18:36 safety and whereas Code Enforcement
18:39 Officers often have a challenging and
18:41 demanding role and often do not receive
18:44 recognition for the job that they do in
18:46 improving living and working conditions
18:48 for residents and businesses of local
18:50 communities and whereas the role of many
18:53 Code Enforcement Officers has expanded
18:56 in recent years with the increased
18:58 number of for closed and abandoned homes
19:00 and communities impacted
19:01 economically and whereas code
19:04 enforcement officers are dedicated
19:06 highly qualified professionals who share
19:08 the goals of preventing neighborhood
19:10 deterioration enhancing and ensuring
19:13 safety and preserving values through
19:15 knowledge and application of housing
19:17 zoning and nuisance codes and ordinances
19:21 and whereas the Washington Association
19:23 of Code Enforcement wants to recognize
19:25 and Honor Code Enforcement Officers and
19:27 professionals all across the state of
19:29 Washington and bring awareness to the
19:32 importance of Code Enforcement to the
19:34 communities of the state of Washington
19:36 therefore I Lindsay Walsh on behalf of
19:39 Mary L poly the mayor of the city of
19:41 isqua do hereby proclaim the week of
19:43 October 7th to 13th 2024 to be code
19:46 enforcement officer appreciation week in
19:49 the city of isqua and invite the
19:50 community to join me in thanking isqua
19:53 Code Enforcement Officers for their
19:55 service and outstanding
19:57 contributions would you like to say any
20:01 words real quickly thank you I'm
20:03 accepting in behalf of Lori Dunning who
20:05 couldn't be here tonight um but I
20:07 couldn't agree with council president
20:09 Walsh Moore she's very responsive uh you
20:12 know takes great pride in making is AA a
20:15 better place whether it's all sorts of
20:17 complaints from graffiti to trees to
20:20 garbage to coordinating with public
20:22 health so the the gamut of issues so
20:25 we're fortunate to have
20:28 thank
20:31 you
20:40 it's thank you council
20:44 president our next item of business is
20:47 ID 177 Arts and Humanities month
20:50 Proclamation and council member hunt uh
20:52 would like to invite some guests up to
20:53 the
20:56 Lector thank you madam mayor yes I'd
20:59 like to invite arts program manager Amy
21:01 dukes and um any members of the Arts
21:04 commission and other guests to receive
21:05 the proclamation thank you so much for
21:08 being
21:15 here whereas the month of October has
21:17 been recognized as National Arts and
21:19 Humanities month for three decades by
21:21 the National Endowment for the Arts the
21:24 White House Congress and thousands of
21:26 Arts and Cultural organizations and
21:28 communities across the country and
21:30 whereas the Arts and Humanities enhance
21:32 every aspect of life improving our
21:34 economy enriching our Civic life driving
21:37 tourism and exerting a profound positive
21:40 influence on education and whereas the
21:43 Arts and Humanities help diverse
21:44 communities explore their history and
21:46 culture with the support and Partnership
21:49 of local educational and cultural
21:51 institutions and whereas the Arts are a
21:53 proven Civic engagement tool and can
21:55 bring people together across difference
21:58 in challenging times and whereas
22:00 educational research shows that the Arts
22:03 helped to Foster discipline creativity
22:06 imagination self-expression and
22:08 problemsolving skills while also helping
22:10 to develop a heightened appreciation of
22:12 beauty and cross-cultural understanding
22:15 and whereas the nation's arts and
22:17 culture section nonprofit and Commercial
22:19 represent an over $1 trillion American
22:22 industry 4.4% of our national GDP and
22:26 supports 4.85 million American American
22:28 jobs and whereas isqua is home to a
22:32 Vibrant Community of Arts culture and
22:34 Humanities organizations creative
22:36 businesses artists makers and creative
22:39 workers that positively impact our city
22:41 in a measurable ways now therefore I
22:44 council member Victoria hunt on behalf
22:46 of mayor Mary L PA of the city of isqua
22:48 do hereby proclaim the month of October
22:50 to be Arts and Humanities month in the
22:53 city of isqua and welcome the community
22:56 to join us in this celebration
23:04 and Amy Dukes would you like to come up
23:07 and just want to say thank you to
23:09 everyone who makes our arts and culture
23:12 Community vibrant and we were so pleased
23:14 to be able to take part in the artist
23:16 exchange um I think it's just a great
23:18 example the power of arts and culture to
23:20 connect
23:43 thank you council member
23:47 hunt our next item of special business
23:49 this evening is ID 1708 Fire Prevention
23:52 Week Proclamation and council member Ray
23:55 is going to invite some guests up to the
23:56 lecture uh thank you mayor Paulie I'd
23:58 like to invite uh fire chief Ben Lane
24:01 and our special guest Sparky the Fire
24:04 Dog to the lect
24:15 turn and Fire Marshall Jeremy Hicks
24:18 sorry Jeremy sorry no um so whereas the
24:24 city of isqua is committed to ensuring
24:26 the Safety and Security of all those
24:28 living and visiting our city and fire is
24:31 a serious Public Safety concern both
24:34 locally and nationally and homes are the
24:37 location where people are at the
24:38 greatest risk of fire and whereas Home
24:42 Fires cause 3,800 civilian deaths in the
24:45 United States in 2021 according to the
24:48 National Fire Protection
24:50 Association and a home fire occurs every
24:54 seconds uh somewhere in this nation uh
24:58 smoke alarms uh since smoke well before
25:00 you can you can alerting you to the
25:03 dangers in the event of a
25:06 fire uh is whereas isqua residents
25:09 should be uh sure everyone in their home
25:11 understands the sound of a smoke alarm
25:13 and knows how to respond and whereas
25:16 East Side Fire and Rescue responds
25:19 responders are dedicated to reducing the
25:21 occurrences of Home Fires and home fire
25:24 injuries through prevention and
25:26 protection um education
25:28 and whereas East Side Fire and Rescue
25:31 provides all Hazard responses response
25:34 services to respond to fire medical
25:36 hazardous material technical rescue and
25:39 Emergency Services needs of the city of
25:42 isqua and whereas the city of isqua and
25:44 Eastside fire and rescue work together
25:46 to protect and educate the community
25:48 regarding fire prevention and safety and
25:51 there now therefore Mary L PA mayor Visa
25:56 does Pro hereby Proclaim that no October
25:58 6 through 12th 2024 to be fire
26:02 prevention week in the city of isqua and
26:04 we encourage the community to support
26:06 efforts to prevent fires and to prepare
26:09 by practicing home fire escapes we ask
26:13 that the community join us in thanking
26:16 uh isqua public and fire uh safety
26:18 servants East Side Fire and
26:26 Rescue much not sure who to give it to
26:29 but I'm thinking
26:36 [Laughter]
26:49 Sparky thank you very much council
26:51 member
26:55 Ray the next item on our agenda this
26:58 this evening under special business is
26:59 ID 179 Hindu American Heritage Month
27:02 Proclamation and I invite Deputy council
27:04 president the Michelle to the lecturn to
27:08 invite up some
27:12 guests I was going to check with the
27:14 city clerk
27:17 clerk if SAA is in the audience is SAA
27:21 here
27:22 tonight okay doesn't look like she was
27:25 able to make it thank you Deputy council
27:26 president
27:29 uh the next and last uh special business
27:31 this evening is ID 1711 the Substance
27:34 Abuse Prevention month Proclamation and
27:36 I'd like to invite Marne moraldo to join
27:39 me the executive director of influence
27:41 the choice and members of the student
27:44 youth board who are here with her
27:45 tonight Elise Kiana and anvesha
28:08 whereas on a Continuum from experimental
28:11 use to tragic fatal overdose substance
28:15 youth by our youth is a complex reality
28:18 and while most young people in our
28:19 community do not use substances of any
28:22 kind here influences social norms
28:25 genetics and other risk factors Inspire
28:28 to create a profile that make it
28:30 difficult for some to escape and whereas
28:33 according to the 2023 isqua school
28:35 districts healthy youth survey 12th
28:38 graders reported in the past 30 days or
28:42 what is considered consistent use at the
28:44 following rates vaping products 8%
28:48 alcohol 133% marijuana 9% alcohol
28:52 drinking while using marijuana
28:55 3% whereas many of our young people do
28:57 not develop the skills needed to
28:59 productively manage adolescent
29:01 development substance-free and whereas
29:04 substance use can and does negatively
29:06 impact the development and potential of
29:08 our youth to succeed and whereas
29:11 substance use prevention has a greater
29:13 impact than later intervention by
29:15 influencing a child's early life towards
29:17 positive behaviors and productivity and
29:20 whereas a cost benefit analysis by the
29:23 National Institute for drug abuse in
29:25 October of 2021 in indicates a savings
29:28 of anywhere from $13 to $26 for every $1
29:33 spent on effective school-based
29:35 programming and whereas the benefits of
29:38 increasing protective factors while
29:40 reducing risk factors and engaging
29:43 social emotional learning provides a
29:45 universal benefit to all our youth and
29:48 whereas by stopping substance use before
29:50 it starts we can prevent the disease of
29:53 addiction and we can create stronger
29:55 neighborhoods in our community now
29:57 therefore I Mary LLY the mayor of the
29:59 city of isqua do hereby proclaim the
30:01 month of October 2024 to be Substance
30:04 Abuse Prevention month in the city of
30:07 isqua Mary You' like to share a few
30:12 words uh thank you mayor paully City and
30:14 city council members on behalf of
30:16 influence the choice and the entire
30:18 Community I want to extend our heartfelt
30:20 gratitude for your recognition of
30:22 October as substance use prevention
30:24 month this Proclamation highlights the
30:27 critical importance of raising awareness
30:29 and supporting efforts to prevent youth
30:31 substance use in our city influence the
30:34 choice has proudly partnered with the
30:35 city in reducing and preventing youth
30:37 substance youth use of Al alcohol
30:40 nicotine products cannabis and Other
30:42 Drugs thanks to this Partnerships we've
30:44 seen a dramatic decrease in substance
30:47 use among students in the district and
30:49 connected with countless parents and
30:51 caregivers equipping them to have
30:53 healthy productive conversations with
30:55 their children about the impact of sub
30:58 substances on young developing brains we
31:01 are deeply thankful for the ways the
31:04 city of isqua has supported our work
31:06 your leadership not only brings
31:08 attention to the issue that affects
31:09 families and young people but it also
31:11 reinforces the commitment to creating a
31:14 healthier safer Community for everyone
31:17 together we can continue to educate
31:19 support and Empower our youth to make
31:22 Positive Choices thank you for being
31:24 strong Advocates of prevention and then
31:26 I think Kiana Graves has something to
31:33 say hi my name is Kiana Graves I am a
31:36 junior at Gibs neck high school and
31:37 substance use substance use prevention
31:41 is important to me because I've seen its
31:43 effects on family members uh in my life
31:46 just two weeks ago one of my family
31:48 members got in an accident accident
31:50 while Under the
31:51 Influence um and is now spending the
31:54 next several months in Harbor viiew he
31:56 is one of the many family members who
31:58 have had negative consequences due to
32:00 drugs and or alcohol I want to help help
32:03 ensure that this doesn't happen to any
32:05 of my immediate family or friends thank
32:08 you
32:10 [Applause]
32:33 thank you to everyone who came for the
32:36 celebration of our visiting Moroccan
32:38 artists and all of the volunteers in the
32:40 room as well as for all the
32:41 proclamations it was really nice to see
32:43 a full house tonight council is now
32:45 going to move on to audience comments
32:48 and this is the time when members of the
32:49 public May address Council in person or
32:52 virtually those who signed up in advance
32:54 to make comments will be called on First
32:57 and if you are joining joing us
32:58 virtually and would like to make
32:59 comments please raise your virtual hand
33:01 or send the host a chat message if
33:04 you're in the room and did not sign up I
33:06 will ask for other speakers before
33:08 closing this portion of the meeting
33:10 there's also a public hearing tonight on
33:14 8912 initiative number
33:16 2117 carbon tax credit trading November
33:20 5th 2024 ballot item and a consideration
33:23 of a resolution to oppose comments on
33:26 this particular item should be made
33:28 during that public hearing which will
33:30 occur later in the meeting clerk has
33:32 anyone signed up to speak for General
33:34 audience comments or indicated a desire
33:36 to speak yes thank you if so for those
33:40 making comments this evening you're
33:42 invited to address the council regarding
33:44 matters that are directly related to
33:45 isqua's programs projects services or
33:48 events comments related to political
33:51 campaigns are not permitted unless they
33:53 are related to tonight's public hearing
33:55 on initiative 2117 the those comments
33:58 should be made later on the agenda under
34:00 the public hearing please direct
34:02 comments to the whole Council and not
34:03 individuals and while this is not a
34:06 question and answer session we will
34:07 contact you to follow up if needed when
34:10 you are recognized unmute your
34:11 microphone or step up to the lect in the
34:13 center of the room there's a button on
34:15 the center of the base that you can
34:17 press to get the red light on state your
34:20 name address and relationship to the
34:21 city and speak clearly and pause
34:24 frequently please limit your comments to
34:27 5 minutes and if you are attending
34:29 virtually and do not respond after your
34:31 name or phone number is called or if
34:33 your connection is lost unexpectedly we
34:35 will have to continue the meeting and
34:37 you are encouraged to rejoin the meeting
34:39 when you're able personal attacks
34:42 obscene language derogatory remarks and
34:44 disruptive behavior will not be
34:46 permitted public comments written and
34:48 verbal are important aspects of the
34:50 public process and the city takes
34:52 comments seriously we thank you all for
34:54 taking the time to address us this
34:56 evening C cler can you please identify
34:58 the first person who has signed up to
35:00 speak yes Janet eie Janet oh you're in
35:04 the room fantastic if you go on the base
35:06 of the microphone there's a button thank
35:08 you thank you so much for this
35:09 opportunity to speak with you um I'm
35:11 Janet Erie and I'm the president of the
35:13 isqua philarmonic orchestra and I want
35:16 to help you in celebrate celebrating
35:18 your month of for the Arts and
35:20 Humanities of course it's very exciting
35:22 to be participating um in this month and
35:25 we're having a rehearsal right now as we
35:27 speak but I wanted to give you some
35:28 followup and thank you for your support
35:31 um currently we're in the process of
35:33 organizing our May Spring Concert which
35:35 is also a really important one which is
35:37 a a fundraiser for the issaqua food bank
35:40 and that's going to be taking place in
35:41 the issaqua school district one of your
35:44 high school auditoriums and I want to
35:45 thank you for that support we're so
35:47 excited to be able to actually perform
35:49 in the community and support the
35:50 community and of course um with our
35:53 fundraising efforts so thank you so much
35:55 and what a pleasure to be here tonight
35:57 what a great meeting Mee thank you all
35:59 so I'm going to go to rehearsal right
36:01 now thanks all very much you picked a
36:02 good one Janet it's a good night thank
36:05 you um next on the list city clerk Paul
36:10 Quinn Paul come on
36:16 up good evening mayor council
36:19 members my name is Paul Quinn and I live
36:21 in some Amish I'm speaking to you as an
36:23 individual that cares about Recycling
36:25 and composting and reducing what we the
36:28 landfill let's start with a reminder
36:30 2third of our trash can actually be
36:32 recycled or composted when I speak of
36:35 diversion rates that means the percent
36:37 of disposed tonnage diverted away from
36:39 the landfill into Recycling and food
36:41 scraps
36:43 composting I provided you with four
36:45 handouts the first handout in table
36:48 three shows isqua's updated diversion
36:52 rate year-to date through July and it's
36:54 up about 1% versus year-to date July
36:58 2023 that's
37:00 good however as the top graphic in the
37:03 handout indicates this one here isqua's
37:06 diversion rate has not really improved
37:07 since
37:09 2021 isqua's 2030 diversion rate goal is
37:14 70% and that large gap indicates the
37:17 city needs a new Innovative approach to
37:20 improve its diversion
37:22 rates handout number two provides
37:24 several specific recommendations for
37:26 improving diversion rates rates in
37:28 addition I'm pleased to recommend a
37:30 pilot program called smart disposal to
37:32 help significantly improve this City's
37:35 diversion rates the cost of the pilot
37:37 program is approximately
37:40 $200,000 handout number three outlines
37:43 how smart disposal Works in some detail
37:46 I'll will also now briefly describe what
37:48 smart disposal is smart disposal weighs
37:51 each container emptied by the hauler for
37:53 each single family home this system
37:56 through a postcard nail to each resident
37:58 provides data specific to the resident
38:00 based on their address including a
38:03 landfill diversion rate per pickup and
38:05 trend line over
38:07 time I provided handout number four to
38:09 show an example postcard report
38:12 residents would
38:13 receive this system helps us move from a
38:15 toss and forget mindset toward making
38:18 better choices we all know that feedback
38:21 through measurement works because our
38:25 water electricity and gas are all
38:28 metered helping us to moderate our use
38:32 Smart disposal effectively meters our
38:34 actual use of the disposal
38:36 utility during the pilot the city will
38:38 work with its huler and a limited set of
38:40 residents to demonstrate the
38:41 effectiveness of smart disposal and
38:44 significantly improving diversion rates
38:47 I'm quite willing to meet with City
38:49 staff to review how the pilot works and
38:51 provide detailed information of the
38:53 budgeted cost and activities in the
38:55 project people in the city city of isqua
38:58 want to live sustainably they need
39:00 Innovative tools in the leadership of
39:02 the council to help them increase their
39:04 rate of recycling and
39:06 composting join me in implementing a
39:08 smart disposal pilot and let's get a
39:10 diversion rate moving to achieve the
39:12 city's 2030 Target thank you thank you
39:16 city clerk is there anyone else who has
39:18 signed up to participate in audience
39:20 comments no one else has signed up we do
39:23 have about eight individuals uh with us
39:26 online but I don't see that any of them
39:28 are indicating a desire to speak under
39:31 General comments he just checking in the
39:33 room is there anyone else who would like
39:35 to provide comments during audience
39:38 comments
39:39 tonight okay I'm not seeing anybody
39:42 indicating as well so I want to thank um
39:45 the residents that came by tonight to
39:47 talk about moving some concerts back
39:50 into the isqua school district
39:51 facilities and also some recommendations
39:54 for improving isqua's Community
39:56 diversion rates
39:57 uh we thank you for your comments and
39:59 the time that you took to come to the
40:00 council meeting and present um in the
40:02 meantime if uh you want to contact your
40:05 Council you can reach them at any time
40:07 at city council at ISA wa.gov the next
40:10 item of business this evening is the
40:12 consent calendar I have one revision to
40:15 this consent calendar uh on AB
40:17 8906 that I'd like to explain to council
40:20 and that is a midyear planning policy
40:22 commission appointment we did receive
40:25 word that one of our two appointees to
40:26 be confirmed confirmed tonight was
40:28 withdrawn this is Michael Wang and we
40:30 are proposing the following substitute
40:32 motion for this item which would be to
40:34 confirm the mayor's appointment to the
40:36 planning policy Commission of John Cross
40:38 promotion to regular member from an
40:41 alternate term expiring April 30th 2026
40:44 effective November TW November 1st
40:47 2024 um is there any objection to
40:49 substituting that motion for the for
40:51 item h on the consent
40:53 calendar thanks I'm not seeing any
40:55 indication hearing that motion has been
40:58 substituted and the revised version will
41:00 be approved upon approval of the consent
41:02 calendar are there any committee chairs
41:04 who have comments on any of the items on
41:06 the consent calendar also seeing
41:09 negative head
41:10 shakes um so the consent calendar was
41:13 distributed to Council in advance and if
41:15 authorized the items on the consent
41:17 calendar will be considered together and
41:18 approved by one motion have the pays and
41:20 payroll been reviewed they have they
41:23 have thank you does any council member
41:26 desire to remove any item from the
41:28 consent calendar and consider it under
41:29 regular business I'm not seeing any
41:32 indication um is there a
41:35 motion I move to um adopt The Substitute
41:40 uh can yeah can we call it the consent
41:43 calendar as presented or as substituted
41:45 as maybe as amended as amended yep the
41:47 consent calendar as amended
41:51 second uh is there any
41:54 discussion not seeing an indication um
41:57 the motion on the table that's been
41:59 seconded is to approve the consent
42:01 calendar as amended all those in favor
42:03 signify by saying I I those opposed that
42:07 carries 5 and0 now we're going to move
42:10 into our public hearing this is the next
42:12 item of business AB
42:14 8912 initiative number
42:16 2117 carbon tax credit trading it's on
42:19 the November 5th 2024 ballot and the
42:22 consideration for the council this
42:24 evening is a resolution to oppose we
42:27 will conduct a public hearing and
42:29 Council will have a
42:30 discussion state law allows the city
42:33 council to support or oppose a ballot
42:35 measure at an open public meeting one of
42:37 the requirements is that the council
42:39 members and members of the public with
42:41 opposing viewpoints have the opportunity
42:42 to be heard for that reason we've
42:45 scheduled a public hearing tonight this
42:47 will be the Public's opportunity to
42:49 express support or opposition for the
42:52 proposed resolution opposing initiative
42:54 number
42:55 2117 following the public hearing the
42:58 city council will deliberate I'd like to
43:00 ask City administrator Wally Bob quitz
43:02 to introduce this
43:04 item yes thank you madam mayor members
43:06 of the council good evening uh this
43:08 agenda Bill seeks uh city council
43:10 approval of a resolution opposing
43:12 Washington State ballot initiative
43:13 number 2117 which is qualified for the
43:15 November 5th general election the
43:17 initiative would prohibit any state
43:19 agencies from implementing a cap and
43:20 trade or cap tax program additionally it
43:23 would repeal the 2021 Washington climate
43:26 commitment Act the state law that
43:28 created a cap invest carbon program aim
43:30 at reducing greenhouse gas emissions by
43:32 95% by 2050 and preparing the state for
43:35 the future low carbon economy uh
43:38 included in your packet is exhibit B is
43:40 a summary of State funds uh made
43:43 possible by the climate commitment act
43:45 uh this item is before the council at
43:46 the request of the council president and
43:48 the deputy council president happy to
43:50 answer any questions thank you City
43:53 administrator um we will have questions
43:55 and answer after the public hearing so
43:57 I'm going to open the public hearing at
44:01 7:43 and just repeat that if you are
44:04 joining us virtually and you'd like to
44:05 make comments during this public hearing
44:07 please raise your virtual hand or send
44:09 the host a chat message if you're on the
44:11 phone press uh star three if you have
44:13 joined by a computer or smartphone look
44:15 for a hand icon and if you're in this
44:17 room and you didn't sign up to speak I
44:18 will ask for other speakers before we
44:20 close this portion of the meeting cler
44:22 has anyone signed up to speak or
44:24 indicated a desire yes we have three
44:26 people signed up the first is in the
44:28 room room an
44:31 Nukem welcome
44:43 an all right is it working can you hear
44:45 me okay awesome so I am here to support
44:50 the city of isqua in um opposing
44:54 i117 um I
44:57 the the climate commitment Act is um so
45:01 important for not just isqua but for the
45:03 entire State um so I'll just go ahead
45:06 and give a little more history about it
45:09 so in uh 2021 the climate commitment Act
45:12 was voted into law and um
45:15 ecology then um wrote the cap and trade
45:19 and um all of the rules and in January
45:25 2023 um it got up and going and in
45:29 February of 2023 um the state of
45:31 Washington had our first
45:33 auction and since then until um now or
45:38 August may possibly it has
45:42 raised uh
45:44 $2.7 billion
45:46 dollar uh to go to Great projects in
45:49 Washington in the way it's raising the
45:51 money is uh capping
45:55 uh uh
45:57 companies that pollute more than 25
46:01 metric tons of CO2 equivalent per year
46:05 need to either um invest in their own
46:07 companies to uh reduce their CO2
46:12 equivalent pollution or invest in um
46:17 allocations which are then turned into
46:19 grants and there's a a lot of really
46:22 amazing
46:24 um grants that have been filled
46:27 that are happening all over Washington
46:28 State and most importantly here in isqua
46:33 isqua has already gotten over a million
46:36 dollars in Grants
46:38 allocated and secured for really great
46:41 projects and unfortunately we still we
46:43 might still have or maybe you could tell
46:45 me do we still have the other ones the
46:48 over $3 million in Grants are those
46:50 still
46:51 pending can't answer questions now but a
46:54 council member can definitely ask that
46:56 question public comment great uh so for
47:00 those um those grants are for solar
47:03 panels on picking Barn solar panels um
47:07 and a battery on the senior center and
47:10 um some other great projects like that
47:12 so I just think it's really wise and I'm
47:16 really grateful that the city of isqua
47:17 is opposing to17 looks like I still have
47:21 some more time
47:22 so so that's how it directly affects
47:25 isqua but um it also affects residents
47:31 isqua uh
47:33 [Music]
47:35 because the the funds for every dollar
47:38 it's a multiplier for every dollar that
47:40 is spent um from CCA funds in Washington
47:44 state that $1 multiplies to
47:48 $13 um so a lot of money is going to be
47:52 coming from uh Federal money out of
47:54 state money and then of course the city
47:56 for cities will and counties will re
47:59 invest invest in these projects as well
48:03 so that's all good plus there's more uh
48:08 45,000 jobs will be created and those
48:12 are really good paying jobs uh with a
48:15 mean I think it's an average of over
48:17 $90,000 or around
48:20 $90,000 so great jobs a lot of them
48:25 which is good for isqua residents
48:27 and then also all of these projects are
48:34 either
48:36 or um helping create the fish pass
48:39 passages in Washington carbon
48:43 sequestration and um just helping us to
48:46 reach our climate goals so we can reduce
48:48 those
48:49 emissions which helps the residents in
48:52 isqua
48:54 because then there will be less climate
48:57 chaos um we have a better future ahead
49:02 us and
49:05 um I think that's probably about all I
49:08 need to say thank you so much I really
49:10 appreciate it thank you an just uh one
49:13 clarification for those in the room and
49:15 those that may be watching we
49:17 interchange the word City a lot to mean
49:19 a lot of different things City
49:21 Administration city council and
49:23 sometimes we use City to describe both
49:25 uh tonight as during this agenda bill
49:28 this is a council action so it is a city
49:31 council um decision the administration
49:34 is neutral on these issues so this is
49:37 completely a city council action tonight
49:39 just to make sure that was clear with
49:40 everybody thank you very much an oh
49:42 thank you um who is uh next on the list
49:47 city clerk yes we have a virtual
49:49 commenter Deepa
49:52 cahan Deepa I'm making you a panelist
49:55 now you should have the option to mute
49:57 and can choose to turn your video
50:01 on hi good evening can you hear me yes
50:04 we can thank you uh my name is Dea saraj
50:08 I'm the local policy manager at climate
50:11 Solutions which is a clean energy
50:13 nonprofit based in the Pacific Northwest
50:16 and I am testifying today in strong
50:18 support of this resolution to oppose the
50:20 passage of initiative
50:22 2117 um and did such a great job at
50:25 explaining 2117 but I'll just reiterate
50:27 some of the the same points um
50:30 initiative 2117 would repeal our state's
50:32 Innovative cap and invest program that
50:35 is part of nation leing that is part of
50:36 our nation leading climate commitment
50:38 act the CCA finally makes the biggest
50:40 climate polluters in our state to both
50:42 cut their pollution and pay for it and
50:45 brings unprecedented Revenue to the
50:47 state for climate conservation and clean
50:49 energy projects in our
50:51 communities um repealing this law would
50:53 strip billions in investments in
50:55 community priorities across every part
50:57 of Washington in addition to the funding
51:00 specific to it's a quad that and did a
51:02 great job of outlining there are
51:04 programs in all parts of the state that
51:05 also impact all of us since climate
51:07 change is a global issue there are
51:10 programs to protect salmon habitat and
51:12 clean up our waterways clean up toxic
51:15 air pollution through replacing diesel
51:16 fueled trucks and buses and supporting
51:18 Regional Transit enhancing the
51:20 resilience of our forests against
51:22 wildfires and reducing the increasing
51:24 strain of utility costs all of which
51:27 support is's climate operational goals
51:29 set forth in is's 2021 climate action
51:33 plan the corus of voices opposing this
51:36 harmful backwards initiative is large
51:38 and diverse and only continues to grow
51:41 small businesses tribal Nations doctors
51:44 and nurses firefighters certain labor
51:46 unions environmental groups and more
51:49 have come together to oppose an
51:50 initiative 217 and I urge this Council
51:53 to pass this resolution and do this same
51:55 thank you thank you Deepa city clerk
51:58 who's next on our sign up list next we
52:01 have Landon Halverson who's also
52:03 attending virtually Landon I'll make you
52:05 a panelist now you should have the
52:07 option to unmute and can choose to turn
52:09 your video
52:14 on sorry can folks hear me perfectly
52:18 welcome Landon sorry I had to uh call in
52:21 I'm on the E business trip it's 11 o'
52:24 here but it was important enough uh to
52:26 come on and speak with you all thank you
52:28 for giving me the opportunity uh to
52:29 speak with you all I am here uh frankly
52:32 to urge the council uh to vote no on
52:35 this uh proposed legislation and if
52:37 nothing else to consider abstaining uh
52:40 from this piece of legislation or this
52:43 amendment or or rather this um I'm sorry
52:45 this resolution it's late here uh I feel
52:49 that frankly as I as I look at the
52:52 structure of this proposition it feels
52:55 very performative
52:57 um I'm not fully understanding how or
52:59 why at this stage less than a month
53:01 until the election the city of isqua is
53:03 in a position uh frankly to uh make
53:07 change on how people are going to vote
53:09 on this issue and where residents are
53:10 ultimately going to fall uh and I'm
53:13 concerned um that this action um
53:16 regardless of where you stand on it does
53:18 not really serve the people of isqua in
53:21 the way uh that we expect our city
53:23 council to um that being said uh I would
53:27 ultimately support a no vote um if you
53:30 are to vote uh on this uh on this
53:33 proposition and I feel that way um
53:35 frankly in large part because I as a
53:37 resident have been frustrated by the
53:38 lack of transparency and accountability
53:40 from our state on the climate commitment
53:42 act uh and I believe that's it's
53:44 incumbent on our state legislators in
53:47 the 2025 session to find a better more
53:50 transparent more accountable way to
53:51 reduce carbon emissions in the state of
53:53 Washington that doesn't rely um on the
53:55 outdated models of the C CCA um frankly
53:59 like I mentioned I'm concerned about the
54:01 transparency and accountability aspect
54:03 we were told uh by our governor and by
54:05 others that gas would only rise a few
54:07 cents um as a result of this bill and
54:09 that it could potentially even go down
54:11 uh that of course did not materialize
54:13 and that is uh concerning we were
54:16 promised that we would have metrics that
54:17 we'd have a whole website dedicated to
54:19 tracking the metrics of the CCA so that
54:21 we could understand just how well it was
54:24 uh truly reducing carbon emissions that
54:26 website was up for a couple of months
54:28 the data it showed was not promising it
54:30 was ultimately pulled the website was
54:31 pulled into to my knowledge as of uh
54:34 this evening last time I checked that
54:35 website is not back up uh for public use
54:38 or public viewing um and then finally uh
54:42 we had a state Economist who came
54:43 forward he attempted to say hey this is
54:46 going to cause gas prices to to rise
54:49 between 45 and 50 cents which is almost
54:50 to the scent uh what we've seen the
54:53 increase in gas prices be um since the
54:55 climate commitment Act uh implementation
54:58 uh he was ultimately fired he was let go
54:59 from his position um and that is
55:01 currently making its way through the
55:02 courts right now uh so I'm concerned
55:05 with the way that the climate commitment
55:06 act has been rolled out I'm concerned
55:08 about whether or not it's truly making
55:10 the impact that we wanted it to uh our
55:12 ecology department has been saying for
55:14 years uh that its uh actions were going
55:16 to reduce carbon emissions uh in our
55:18 state they have remained largely flat
55:20 since at least 2012 uh and so ultimately
55:24 this lack of accountability and
55:25 transparency
55:27 uh with such an exorbitant cost I mean
55:29 ultimately we talk about the funding
55:31 right something to tune of $2.1 billion
55:34 that ultimately comes from taxpayers
55:35 taxpayers who are already struggling uh
55:38 and without that transparency and
55:40 accountability I'm I'm really concerned
55:42 about how we'll be able to truly
55:44 understand the effects it has on isqua
55:45 residents whether or not it's truly
55:47 reducing carbon emissions in the way it
55:48 needs to uh and whether or not it's
55:50 really the best plan moving forward I
55:53 think that the state and state
55:54 legislators could come up with a much
55:55 more ient plan uh that doesn't rely um
55:59 on these things uh and I would encourage
56:02 the state to do just that and I would
56:04 encourage the council to to encourage
56:06 the state to do that and to vote no on
56:09 this so that we can get a better
56:10 deal thank you Landon city clerk is
56:13 there anyone else uh indicating online a
56:15 desire to
56:18 speak mayor uh we we do have a number of
56:21 other folks with us online and I've just
56:23 sent them a note to see if they'd like
56:25 to comment but I'm not seeing anyone
56:27 raise a hand at this time so I'm going
56:28 to come to the room could you raise your
56:30 hand if you'd like to comment on this
56:31 tonight just so I get why see one
56:34 two is that it okay uh husband and wife
56:39 you're going to have to do the rock
56:42 paper scissors to determine who comes up
56:44 first ladies first oh David you are so
56:53 chivalrous on it's on okay
56:58 great all right city
57:02 council thank you for having this
57:04 hearing I really appreciate I know that
57:07 it takes a lot and it's not the normal
57:10 thing to um weigh in on state issues and
57:14 um the fact that um this issue is
57:17 affecting isqua uh is important and uh
57:22 thank you for doing
57:24 that uh you've heard heard already from
57:27 other people I don't want to repeat but
57:30 this initiative dismantles the climate
57:33 commitment act and this act is designed
57:36 to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions
57:40 while funding the transition to clean
57:42 energy it's only been going for two
57:46 years really since the you know the
57:48 auctions started in
57:50 2023 I don't think it's had a full
57:53 chance to see how it works um it seems
57:57 to be working uh from the angle of
57:59 providing funds for clean energy
58:01 projects and we need you know how hard
58:04 it is to get data uh when we have our
58:07 greenhouse gas emissions it's always a
58:08 little bit behind um when we have our
58:11 inventory um I I do believe it will show
58:14 um an effect uh and this destructive
58:20 initiative would keep us from getting
58:23 future grants for the senior Center and
58:26 Pickering barn and many others that
58:29 people have
58:30 mentioned now we do depend on these
58:32 grants we can't afford to do the kinds
58:35 of things that need to be done in our um
58:38 issaqua climate action plan in order to
58:42 um reach our goals of greenhouse gas
58:45 emissions and the council approved that
58:48 plan so that we could do just that and
58:51 be a part of the solution to this
58:54 crisis how disheartening now to Halt all
58:57 that progress uh on that as as all these
59:01 climate efforts of the city and many
59:03 other communities in the
59:06 state those who favor initiative 2117
59:10 say that the CCA increases gas prices
59:13 however there are facts being collected
59:16 about that by the US Energy Information
59:20 Administration which has collected this
59:22 information since 2003 I sent a chart to
59:26 the council um via my written comments
59:30 that shows that the gas prices today and
59:32 this is average gas prices not King
59:34 County we're always higher than
59:37 everybody um the average Washington gas
59:40 prices today are uh lower than two years
59:44 ago before the um climate commitment act
59:47 they haven't gone up uh they may have
59:50 initially gone up but those are waves
59:52 that everybody's going up and down uh
59:55 then the Washington gas price over the
59:57 national average has actually lessened
1:00:00 since the climate commitment act and
1:00:02 these I sent you the sources of that
1:00:04 information and all the data The Seattle
1:00:07 Times confirmed this reasoning in their
1:00:09 editorial opposing 2117 their research
1:00:12 showed that average gas prices in the
1:00:14 western states are historically higher
1:00:16 than the rest of the country
1:00:18 unfortunately but prices seem to rise
1:00:21 and fall in Tandem and there are other
1:00:25 reasons Beyond the CCA that are causing
1:00:27 the gas prices to rise and fall which
1:00:31 do um but more details about that I also
1:00:34 sent you in a
1:00:35 handout uh so i' I'd like you to um take
1:00:39 that into consideration as well um for
1:00:42 our citizens and um the affordability of
1:00:44 gas I know is an issue to a lot of
1:00:47 people so based on that and all that um
1:00:52 really all that we've we've worked for
1:00:54 in the city
1:00:56 um I I I urge you and and really we're
1:01:00 counting on you to take a bold stand uh
1:01:03 for climate by resolving against
1:01:05 initiative
1:01:06 2117 thank you thank you an Dave and you
1:01:10 dropped something glasses or a
1:01:14 pen what up
1:01:21 Dave David Kepler 255 Southeast Andrew
1:01:25 Street
1:01:26 um this morning the hurricane in in the
1:01:29 Gulf was a one it's now a five um it's
1:01:32 just amazing the the the issues we're
1:01:35 facing globally with climate in this
1:01:39 area climate is huge to um and it's
1:01:43 developed it's uh provided us with an
1:01:46 amazing forests water salmon and all
1:01:50 kinds of things that uh could
1:01:52 potentially disappear over salmon days
1:01:56 weekend I spent most of my time at the
1:01:58 isqua Alps booth just um uh raving about
1:02:03 isqua and the other partners that we
1:02:06 have such as the county and the State
1:02:09 Department of Natural Resources and
1:02:10 state parks about trees we have the
1:02:14 water we have the salmon we have all of
1:02:16 this is directly tied to protecting our
1:02:20 climate and protecting that climate or
1:02:22 enhancing it we could lose so many of
1:02:27 the the draws that people have for
1:02:30 wanting to live in isqua and wanting to
1:02:33 live in this area the greater area if we
1:02:37 U we do not handle our climate crisis
1:02:41 properly so please
1:02:43 um take good action tonight thank you
1:02:47 thank you Dave city clerk has anyone
1:02:49 online since indicated they would like
1:02:51 to speak because I'll do a final call in
1:02:53 the room no is there anyone else in the
1:02:55 room room who would like to address the
1:02:57 council victor come on up and then I see
1:02:59 a second hand back there
1:03:04 as thank you um Victor Bellow 1105 Louis
1:03:09 Lane um I'm not as well informed in the
1:03:13 issue as everybody else has spoke and is
1:03:15 this is one that I've wrestled with in
1:03:19 since I learned about it um in one in
1:03:22 multiple ways first it the it it was
1:03:26 many many many years ago decades even
1:03:28 that scientists started warning us about
1:03:30 those two degrees that we can't pass
1:03:33 that threshold we already did we blew
1:03:36 that it the like that the rooster sang
1:03:39 on that one already right so and we can
1:03:42 see the
1:03:43 catastrophic consequences of that
1:03:46 Florida is basically going to disappear
1:03:47 in a few years and because of you know
1:03:50 hurricanes and all this stuff it's just
1:03:51 horrible catastrophes happening all over
1:03:53 the place because of the climate change
1:03:56 now um opposing
1:03:59 2117 uh allows us to hold accountable
1:04:03 the corporations that don't do enough to
1:04:05 meet their commitments right to
1:04:07 addressing something we failed
1:04:09 generations to come I'll be surprised if
1:04:11 a 100 years from now my kids are not
1:04:14 going to suffer greatly or their or my
1:04:17 grandchildren are going to suffer
1:04:18 greatly from what we've done to them
1:04:20 right and then on the other side how
1:04:25 allow owing them to do cap trade through
1:04:29 the what we have in place today gives us
1:04:32 the benefits of using some of that
1:04:35 income to have initiatives that you know
1:04:38 we can do some good here locally right
1:04:41 that's the only way that we can actually
1:04:42 affect I'm not here to say vote Yes vote
1:04:45 no you're way smer than I am you reach
1:04:48 that decision it's just we've got to
1:04:51 look at not only the the the I mean the
1:04:55 reality that we live on right now which
1:04:57 is this is happening it's happening now
1:04:59 and you can see it locally the the we
1:05:02 have we received less water this year
1:05:04 than the previous year it's been
1:05:05 happening for five years in a row and
1:05:06 it's going to continue going getting
1:05:08 worse right we we by like we can yell at
1:05:12 somebody or not but like it's I don't
1:05:15 think the needle is going to move too
1:05:17 much if we can figure out ways that we
1:05:21 can get some benefits like with the
1:05:24 current TCA and giving us those uh that
1:05:29 that that stream of Revenue into the
1:05:31 city that we can use
1:05:34 for making us ready for those
1:05:37 catastrophic events that are coming and
1:05:40 building our environmental response in
1:05:43 our communities to deal with that making
1:05:46 us self sustainable with water that
1:05:49 we're continuing to buy from other
1:05:52 sources figuring out how we can make
1:05:53 ourselves whole in the upcoming storm
1:05:58 why not so thank you thank you Victor
1:06:03 and I think you really downplay your
1:06:05 intelligence because I've worked with
1:06:06 you a lot and you're a super smart guy
1:06:08 and we have one more person in the room
1:06:09 who would like to come up and comment
1:06:16 today hi my name is Julie Carr I'm an
1:06:19 isqua resident I wasn't planning on
1:06:22 speaking but I thought I would just
1:06:24 share a little of my personal experience
1:06:27 I moved to isquad just over two years
1:06:29 ago um came from a different state that
1:06:32 does not have a climate commitment act
1:06:35 doesn't have that programming or funding
1:06:38 and I noticed right away when I moved to
1:06:41 isqua that there was opportunities to
1:06:44 learn about and receive rebates for heat
1:06:48 pumps which i' had been curious about
1:06:50 but had never had an opportunity to
1:06:52 really learn about so I really
1:06:54 appreciated that and that the program
1:06:57 also extended to people who didn't have
1:06:59 a lot of extra money for investing in
1:07:02 their properties so those rebates those
1:07:05 helps with utility bills and
1:07:08 installation of energy efficient
1:07:11 equipment just just I was so impressed I
1:07:15 was so grateful for the opportunity to
1:07:17 consider that and that there were
1:07:19 installers and um companies that were
1:07:23 able to do that work because there was
1:07:25 an interest in having those
1:07:27 systems I don't know that there's very
1:07:30 many times that I'm out and about in the
1:07:32 Summer where I don't hear a pretty
1:07:34 extensive conversation about installing
1:07:37 uh air conditioning heat pumps uh the
1:07:41 heat the humidity it's on our minds here
1:07:44 in isqua we're all wanting to do what we
1:07:47 can to keep ourselves comfortable we're
1:07:50 also a lot of people very concerned
1:07:53 about uh climate change so I really
1:07:56 appreciate those pieces that have been
1:07:58 brought to light and my understanding
1:08:00 that a good part of that is because of
1:08:02 the climate commitment
1:08:04 act a couple of the other pieces that
1:08:06 are important to me are also
1:08:10 um the expansion of the regional air
1:08:12 quality monitoring Network I really
1:08:14 appreciate being able to understand what
1:08:17 the air quality is in isqua in any given
1:08:19 day and expanding that is import
1:08:22 important um we also have through C
1:08:26 um uh the opportunity to R reduce
1:08:29 pollution from heavyduty trucks and I
1:08:32 personally find that to be something
1:08:34 that's just a powerful reminder of
1:08:37 pollution when trucks are on the road
1:08:40 and there's a lot of particulate and
1:08:43 pollution coming out of their tail pipe
1:08:46 uh the capacity for the health
1:08:48 environment for all act uh to be
1:08:52 implemented to tribes and overb
1:08:55 communities is also really important to
1:08:57 me I just appreciate your time I urge
1:09:00 you to oppose this initiative thank you
1:09:05 thank you Julie looking at the room
1:09:07 again uh Larry come on
1:09:13 up my name is Larry Franks I'm a 52-year
1:09:16 resident of uh isqua and as many of you
1:09:20 suspect I look at climate change Through
1:09:22 The Eyes of a salmon let me explain what
1:09:25 it looks like to him salmon follow what
1:09:27 I call the goldilock Zone if you look at
1:09:30 the ice cap that advances and Reeds over
1:09:35 Millennia my salmon like to be right at
1:09:38 the edge of that so they're in cold
1:09:39 water they're not frozen but it's not
1:09:42 hot here's what the history looks like
1:09:44 300 years ago the goldilock Zone
1:09:47 extended down past Southern
1:09:50 California Sacramento River produced
1:09:52 tens of millions of shinook last last
1:09:55 year it produced roughly 4 million
1:09:58 shinook and the recovery folks were
1:10:00 thrilled but at compared to Millions so
1:10:03 the goldilock Zone has been moving south
1:10:06 it has passed us the goldilock Zone has
1:10:10 passed Columbia River Columbia River
1:10:12 used to produce 14 to 18 million fish a
1:10:15 year last year it produced 1 million
1:10:19 fish Now where's it going to go
1:10:21 goldilock zone is now Bristol Bay here's
1:10:24 the real critical part the last time
1:10:27 that this happened Millennia ago it took
1:10:31 3,000 years for that Retreat to
1:10:35 occur it has taken 300 years for that
1:10:39 Retreat from Sacramento being uh
1:10:42 producing uh fish to only Bristol Bay
1:10:45 producing fish it's climate change it's
1:10:49 happening and I'm proud of the city
1:10:52 council taking a position on this
1:10:54 initiative that would enormously set us
1:10:56 back if it
1:10:58 passes thank you thank you
1:11:00 Larry last call for anyone in the room
1:11:03 who would like to speak not seeing any
1:11:05 hands raised uh Tia did you have anyone
1:11:09 online okay well thank you to everyone
1:11:12 who came tonight we heard from seven
1:11:14 different folks Council also received uh
1:11:17 emails maybe double the quantity with
1:11:21 same kind of flavor that you heard
1:11:23 tonight which is that you should pass
1:11:24 your res resolution you shouldn't pass
1:11:26 your resolution why are you talking
1:11:28 about this this isn't Council business
1:11:30 so kind of the same flavor as you heard
1:11:32 in this room take no action take action
1:11:36 take the opposite action of what you
1:11:37 propos so the cons very consistent
1:11:40 feedback that they're receiving um city
1:11:43 council do you have any objection to my
1:11:44 closing the public
1:11:46 hearing looking around and not seeing
1:11:49 any so I'll close the public hearing at
1:11:52 811 Council questions
1:11:57 maybe we could get clarification uh City
1:12:00 administrator about what projects are
1:12:02 currently funded and what projects would
1:12:04 not be funded as we did say we would
1:12:07 respond to
1:12:08 that um in a message from our
1:12:12 sustainability manager uh we've had two
1:12:14 grants that were unsuccessful but we
1:12:16 plan uh to submit for the next round of
1:12:18 Grants and approximately $2.5 Million
1:12:21 worth of Grants are still pending still
1:12:23 pending thank you very much
1:12:27 um does c if I'm not seeing any Council
1:12:30 questions would someone be prepared to
1:12:32 make a
1:12:33 motion council
1:12:35 president thank you I move to approve
1:12:37 resolution number 20
1:12:41 24-22 opposing the passage of Washington
1:12:44 state ballot initiative number 2117
1:12:47 concerning carbon tax credit
1:12:51 training second it's been moved and
1:12:53 seconded is there Council discussion
1:12:56 council
1:12:57 president thank you
1:13:00 um you know I didn't come by this easy I
1:13:04 I think we as a council try and be
1:13:08 conservative when it comes to State
1:13:10 ballot measures um or
1:13:13 initiatives our job isn't to tell people
1:13:17 how they should feel um about any
1:13:21 particular area in
1:13:23 general this this is
1:13:26 different because it affects our city
1:13:29 and our city finances and so that
1:13:33 recognition of the direct impact and the
1:13:38 the fact that we as a city have made
1:13:41 such strides when it comes to climate
1:13:44 action um and
1:13:46 our IAP our isqua climate action plan
1:13:50 and the environmental board group that
1:13:52 has so advocated for this area for
1:13:57 making sure that it is constantly on our
1:13:59 minds um of areas that they want to see
1:14:03 you know us make a difference on um
1:14:08 recognizing our very real inability to
1:14:12 take action on that without some of
1:14:15 these grants that are then funded by um
1:14:19 a program that also has the impact and
1:14:22 the um goal of reducing greenhouse gas
1:14:26 emissions um I think that that
1:14:30 combination of all of that was what
1:14:32 brought this to the Forefront I want to
1:14:34 thank community members who um really
1:14:36 pushed and encouraged us and kept us um
1:14:40 updated when other cities were taking um
1:14:42 a look at this and so I will be
1:14:46 supporting our resolution tonight to
1:14:48 oppose um I 2117 thank you thank you
1:14:52 council president other comments Deputy
1:14:54 council president
1:14:57 uh thank you so much mayor um I too uh
1:15:00 uh came to this uh not quickly um I
1:15:04 think that we've had a longtime uh
1:15:06 tradition of not um weighing in on
1:15:10 Statewide or national issues and I think
1:15:12 it's generally A very wise policy but um
1:15:16 as council president Walsh said this is
1:15:19 different this is different and when we
1:15:21 looked at the numbers that were put
1:15:23 together by our sustainability manager
1:15:26 uh that we uh have already received over
1:15:29 a million dollars that we are in line
1:15:31 for 2.5 or 3 million more uh and there
1:15:36 are very limited ways that we can
1:15:39 support our sustainability efforts and
1:15:42 our climate change actions uh without
1:15:44 that funding and so it would devastate
1:15:47 those programs if 2117 were to pass um
1:15:52 there were comments that we received
1:15:54 online that uh seemed to indicate that
1:15:58 um that the projects were um were kind
1:16:02 of chosen randomly and I just wanted to
1:16:04 make sure that everybody in the public
1:16:07 understands we had a long long process
1:16:10 to get to the clate change action plan
1:16:13 uh we had a long long process for
1:16:15 choosing those projects and this is
1:16:17 really a amazingly communitybased uh
1:16:21 effort to um clean up our environment
1:16:24 and clean clean up um the the uh climate
1:16:28 uh the things that are uh impinging on
1:16:30 our climate I should say uh and it's
1:16:33 been very community- based and I feel as
1:16:35 though we are really
1:16:38 reflecting our community's desire to
1:16:41 make positive change in the in the area
1:16:44 of climate um and so for that reason I
1:16:48 will also it's very complicated I will
1:16:50 also be supporting the opposition to
1:16:55 27 um I think that our community uh the
1:17:00 majority of our community strongly
1:17:02 supports that position thank you uh
1:17:06 council member
1:17:08 hunt thank you Madame mayor I too will
1:17:11 be supporting the um the resolution this
1:17:15 evening to oppose initiative
1:17:18 2117 and it really uh comes down to the
1:17:22 fact which is um described in one of the
1:17:26 Clauses in the resolution that the
1:17:30 initiative would adversely impact our
1:17:32 ability to carry out our City's climate
1:17:35 action plan we went through a very
1:17:39 thorough um very thorough process of
1:17:42 including comments from community
1:17:44 members businesses over the course of of
1:17:47 years um to develop a climate action
1:17:49 plan that would set us on a path to
1:17:51 being a more resilient and healthy
1:17:53 community um and we asked the community
1:17:58 to hold us accountable to that plan when
1:18:00 we passed um when we passed it our our
1:18:03 City's climate action plan and um as is
1:18:08 laid out in our materials this evening
1:18:11 we have uh millions of dollars of Grants
1:18:14 we've received and pending um including
1:18:17 funding specifically to implement our
1:18:19 climate action plan that is as is at
1:18:22 stake and so um
1:18:25 for that reason I think that it is
1:18:27 really important that we follow through
1:18:29 on our commitment that we made to the
1:18:31 community to take action on climate um
1:18:34 and to follow through on the projects
1:18:36 that have been laid out in our in our
1:18:39 very Community oriented climate action
1:18:42 plan and um I also wanted to just read
1:18:47 one part from the climate action plan
1:18:49 which is that this plan sets isqua on a
1:18:51 clear and well-defined path to
1:18:53 transition to clean energy sources be
1:18:55 more energy conscious diversify our
1:18:57 transportation options reduce waste and
1:19:00 ensure that our natural environment
1:19:01 thrives and so for that reason I will be
1:19:04 supporting the resolution this evening
1:19:06 thank you council member other comments
1:19:07 council member Ray um thanks mayor
1:19:09 Paulie
1:19:11 um I'm going to take the opposite stand
1:19:14 and this is I should have saved my notes
1:19:16 from the last time we had a discussion
1:19:18 about it um ballot measure and it's
1:19:20 really has nothing to do with 217 it has
1:19:23 nothing to do with global global warming
1:19:25 it has everything to do with I don't
1:19:26 believe that is our position regardless
1:19:28 of the arguments I've heard tonight to
1:19:30 take a stand on an initiative um we can
1:19:33 find funding sources um I think we would
1:19:37 do our citizens a greater service than
1:19:40 passing a resolution if we were to
1:19:41 provide more information about the
1:19:43 impacts of 22
1:19:46 22117 um to the public at large and I
1:19:49 think that um I feel strongly that this
1:19:54 is a uh a dangerous precedent we're
1:19:58 setting here and we have a community
1:20:00 that and we have a council that's very
1:20:02 United on most issues and I worry that
1:20:05 down the road that may not be the case
1:20:07 and um this could become a uh a
1:20:10 political um tool that could have
1:20:14 disastrous impacts on our community so
1:20:17 quite honestly I am wholeheartedly
1:20:19 opposed to um initiative 217
1:20:25 but that's not the question that I that
1:20:26 I think is important I think the
1:20:28 question is is it the role of this
1:20:31 Council to pass a resolution in support
1:20:34 or opposition to 217 and I just
1:20:37 fundamentally do not believe that that
1:20:39 is our thank you council member Ray
1:20:41 council member Joe thank you I'll be
1:20:45 supporting the resolution this evening
1:20:47 um we have done some great things with
1:20:51 the climate action money that we've
1:20:54 receiv received from the state through
1:20:55 this U initiative and our isqua climate
1:20:59 action plan doesn't uh move forward as
1:21:03 robustly as we' like to if we don't have
1:21:05 the funding and support for it um we did
1:21:08 some building decarbonization uh over
1:21:11 the last year or so we've also have had
1:21:14 opportunities to provide heat pumps to
1:21:17 uh our citizens in town uh helping them
1:21:21 to become more energy efficient um
1:21:23 direct impact to our citizens also
1:21:27 include the fact that city is going to
1:21:30 be working toward putting in city-owned
1:21:32 EV Chargers which will be offered at a
1:21:34 lower rate than privately owned charging
1:21:37 infrastructure I think that's important
1:21:39 because the city's the city is using its
1:21:42 buying power and its its uh size as a as
1:21:46 a player in the climate action structure
1:21:49 to provide infrastructure that will
1:21:52 allow people to um you know charge their
1:21:55 cars a little bit more efficiently at a
1:21:56 little bit lower price those are the
1:21:58 small things that that come into to
1:22:00 effect for our citizens when we um vote
1:22:04 no on this particular initiative but
1:22:06 vote yes for tonight's resolution um so
1:22:09 I'll be supporting the resolution this
1:22:11 evening and and I look forward to any
1:22:13 further conversation we have great any
1:22:15 additional
1:22:16 comments thank you Council for your
1:22:18 comments if there is no further
1:22:20 discussion the motion before council is
1:22:22 to approve resolution number 20
1:22:25 24-22 opposing the passage of Washington
1:22:28 state ballot initiative number 2117
1:22:31 concerning carbon tax credit trading all
1:22:33 those in favor say I I I opposed no that
1:22:39 carries 4 to one thank you um we are
1:22:42 going to move on to our regular business
1:22:44 items we have a couple of items this
1:22:46 evening we'll be starting with AB
1:22:50 8882 credit card service fee policy the
1:22:54 as before Council this evening is to
1:22:55 approve the resolution and I'd like to
1:22:57 invite Deputy Finance director Jennifer
1:22:59 rain to the podium welcome Jennifer
1:23:26 um good evening mayor and members of the
1:23:28 council I'm Jennifer rain the deputy
1:23:30 Finance director tonight I will present
1:23:33 on agenda bill number 8882 on credit
1:23:37 card processing fee cost
1:23:41 recovery the purpose of this agenda Bill
1:23:44 and presentation this evening is to
1:23:46 request city council adoption of a new
1:23:48 proposed credit or debit card and E
1:23:51 check processing fee
1:23:53 policy this is is following the
1:23:55 direction of the services safety and
1:23:57 Parks committee on June 25th
1:24:00 2024 included in tonight's presentation
1:24:04 we will provide a background summarizing
1:24:06 the key findings on this subject
1:24:08 highlights from the proposed policy and
1:24:10 final recommendations for Council
1:24:17 adoption on September 27th
1:24:20 2023 council president Lindsey Walsh
1:24:22 brought a new business item to the city
1:24:24 city council requesting administration
1:24:27 review um the city's customer usage of
1:24:30 credit or debit cards as a method of
1:24:32 payment and how the city addressed
1:24:35 credit or debit card processing
1:24:37 fees the administration responded with a
1:24:40 memo presented to Council on October
1:24:42 23rd 2023 after which the administration
1:24:45 was invited to present at the services
1:24:48 safety and Parks committee on March 18th
1:24:51 and subsequently on June 25th of this
1:24:54 year during the committee meeting on
1:24:57 June 25th the administration presented
1:24:59 two options to the committee to provide
1:25:02 Direction on policy creation option
1:25:05 number one customers pay credit card or
1:25:08 credit or debit card processing fees
1:25:10 directly or option number two customers
1:25:13 pay credit or debit card processing fees
1:25:17 indirectly of the two options presented
1:25:19 the committee favored option number one
1:25:22 where customers would be fully
1:25:23 responsible for paying Payment
1:25:25 Processing fees associated with using a
1:25:28 debit or credit card and E checks e
1:25:32 checks are an electronic method of
1:25:33 payment where a customer pays using
1:25:36 their bank account rather than a credit
1:25:38 or debit
1:25:43 card the city currently absorbs all fees
1:25:46 associated with these customer
1:25:48 transactions which amounted to $163
1:25:52 870 as of August 31st of this year the
1:25:56 new policy is projected to recover an
1:25:58 estimated
1:26:00 $240,000
1:26:01 annually this recovery will offset the
1:26:04 costs currently absorbed by the city for
1:26:07 credit or debit card and eCheck Payment
1:26:09 Processing
1:26:11 fees the trend analysis on customer
1:26:14 payment methods used showed an increase
1:26:17 in credit or debit cards and E
1:26:19 checks accepting credit or debit cards
1:26:22 and E check payments provides customers
1:26:24 with convenience to pay the city for
1:26:26 services provided safety and quick
1:26:29 receipt of payment for charges of
1:26:35 services based on the feedback we
1:26:37 received from the committee the
1:26:38 Administration has drafted a new policy
1:26:41 proposal the credit or debit card and
1:26:43 eCheck processing fee
1:26:46 policy of notable mention the policy
1:26:48 will include details about the
1:26:50 processing fee rates customers will be
1:26:52 responsible for customers will be
1:26:55 responsible for paying a processing fee
1:26:57 as a percentage of the total sales
1:27:00 amount or a flat fee as a dollar amount
1:27:03 as determined by the payment
1:27:06 processor where the payment processor
1:27:08 cannot collect the payment processing
1:27:10 fee directly from customers the city
1:27:13 will collect a payment processing
1:27:15 service fee from customers to offset
1:27:17 these costs to the city
1:27:26 in addition to the policy outlining the
1:27:28 customers responsibility of paying
1:27:30 processing fees the proposed policy will
1:27:33 also include details on alternative
1:27:37 payment options the city will continue
1:27:39 to accept alternative payment options
1:27:41 such as um personal checks or cash which
1:27:45 do not incur additional
1:27:47 fees notification customers will be
1:27:50 informed of the processing fees prior to
1:27:52 completing their payment
1:27:55 monitoring and review the policy will be
1:27:57 reviewed periodically to assess its
1:27:59 Effectiveness and adjust as
1:28:07 necessary the processing fees that will
1:28:09 affect customers are included here this
1:28:12 fee is determined by the payment
1:28:14 processor and collected directly from
1:28:17 customer the customer will only see one
1:28:19 charge on their credit on their card
1:28:21 statement that will include both the
1:28:23 city City's charges for services or the
1:28:26 sales amount and the payment processing
1:28:29 fee by having the payment processor
1:28:32 collect the processing fee directly from
1:28:34 customers it will simplify the
1:28:36 collection process and avoid additional
1:28:38 staff
1:28:40 oversight the fees vary due to
1:28:43 individual payment processor fee
1:28:45 schedules and based on sales transaction
1:28:49 volumes these fees may be adjusted over
1:28:52 time as the payment processor besides
1:28:55 although it is expected this would
1:28:56 happen very rarely if at
1:28:59 all any future changes to these initial
1:29:02 fee rates would be communicated to
1:29:04 customers in
1:29:05 advance the only unknown fee rate is for
1:29:09 my building permit.com due to software
1:29:12 limitations of implementing a customer
1:29:15 paid processing
1:29:17 fee we do not have an expected
1:29:19 implementation timeline for
1:29:20 mybuildingpermit
1:29:22 do.com and continue to work on a
1:29:24 solution with the IT
1:29:31 department the services safety and Parks
1:29:34 committee recommended after the June
1:29:37 presentation to discontinue the
1:29:39 absorption of credit or debit card and E
1:29:42 check payment processing
1:29:44 fees adopting the proposed policy will
1:29:48 assign Payment Processing fees to be the
1:29:50 responsibility of the customer with the
1:29:53 preference of customers paying
1:29:54 processing fees directly to the payment
1:29:57 processor and when this is not possible
1:29:59 due to software limitations by way of
1:30:02 the city collecting an additional
1:30:03 service fee to offset Payment Processing
1:30:06 fees paid for by the
1:30:16 city following the information provided
1:30:18 in this presentation the administration
1:30:21 offers the following options for the
1:30:22 council do nothing and continue
1:30:25 absorbing the costs ass associated with
1:30:28 credit or debit card and E check
1:30:31 processing fees for customer
1:30:33 payments or um policy adoption and
1:30:37 implementation apply the adopted credit
1:30:39 or debit card and E check processing fee
1:30:42 policy to the specific departments ready
1:30:45 for implementation by January
1:30:47 2025 delayed implementation will be
1:30:50 applied to mybuildingpermit.com due to
1:30:53 the software limitation
1:30:54 we are currently working
1:31:00 through the administration working
1:31:03 closely with Communications and the IT
1:31:05 department outlined the following
1:31:07 implementation
1:31:09 timeline once policy is formally adopted
1:31:12 the administration will provide training
1:31:14 to staff of departments affected
1:31:17 beginning in
1:31:19 October after that provide communication
1:31:22 to customers on these upcoming changes
1:31:25 for their awareness and planning
1:31:27 beginning in November and finally we
1:31:30 will work with the various payment
1:31:32 processors and softwares in the month of
1:31:35 January 2025 to make configuration
1:31:39 changes due to the varying combinations
1:31:42 of software and payment processors each
1:31:44 one must be implemented individually and
1:31:47 will be staggered throughout the month
1:31:48 of January however it is expected all
1:31:51 known configuration changes will be
1:31:54 implemented in
1:32:00 January of the four individual customer
1:32:03 facing portals we have an implementation
1:32:06 plan that will follow the timeline and
1:32:08 next steps previously outlined and are
1:32:11 awaiting policy adoption to
1:32:13 implement the only unknown
1:32:15 implementation plan and timeline is for
1:32:17 my building permit.com due to software
1:32:20 limitations we are still researching
1:32:22 available options
1:32:28 the administration recommends Council
1:32:31 approval of this resolution adopting the
1:32:34 new credit card or credit or debit card
1:32:37 and eCheck processing fee
1:32:40 policy the policy will enable the city
1:32:42 to manage its Financial Resources more
1:32:46 effectively thank you for cons your
1:32:48 consideration and I'm happy to answer
1:32:51 any questions you have thank you
1:32:53 Jennifer
1:32:56 questions council president and then
1:32:58 council member hunt and council member
1:33:01 Ray exciting times here I'm you know I'm
1:33:05 really excited about this um you
1:33:08 mentioned that the my building permit we
1:33:10 don't have a solution for at this time I
1:33:14 was looking back at the services safety
1:33:15 and Parks um presentation that was given
1:33:19 in June I believe it was and um
1:33:24 that memo mentioned that the city
1:33:28 currently pays the merchant fees and
1:33:29 gave rates of 1.67% to
1:33:34 3.27% is that still the case that we
1:33:39 know what the percentage amount is or
1:33:43 has that
1:33:44 changed um so those rates that were
1:33:47 included in there were um sales revenue
1:33:50 collected and then the you know just a
1:33:53 flat rate of of how many um Payment
1:33:55 Processing fees we were paying to
1:33:57 retrieve those or to receive that
1:33:59 Revenue through those sources
1:34:02 um so I I I do have updated numbers and
1:34:05 I can send those if those are um
1:34:07 something you want to see for sure but
1:34:09 they are averaging about the same um as
1:34:12 the months go on so my next question
1:34:14 knowing that we know what the
1:34:17 approximate rates are would we I if we
1:34:21 don't have a an ability software-wise to
1:34:27 recoup these um fees would we look at
1:34:31 and maybe this is a question for a city
1:34:33 administrator could we look at tacking
1:34:36 on a an additional fee of the 2% or 3%
1:34:41 to building permit um costs that we
1:34:45 charge at this
1:34:47 point Thank You council president
1:34:49 members of the council um we could do
1:34:52 that I think we were concerned to have a
1:34:55 consistent approach with this and so
1:34:57 this would be uh a one-off inconsistency
1:35:00 with that uh I think at this point we'd
1:35:02 like to continue to work with uh the
1:35:06 building permit software that's also
1:35:07 going to be changing as I think many of
1:35:09 you know um but if the council would
1:35:11 like us to pursue it I guess a motion to
1:35:14 that effect would be helpful and we
1:35:16 could come back at a future meeting okay
1:35:18 thank you just wanted questions on that
1:35:20 area okay before I go to council member
1:35:22 H I forgot to ask um Council Mars is not
1:35:25 here this evening he is the chair of the
1:35:27 services safety and Parks committee is
1:35:29 there anybody on that committee we
1:35:31 should have one or two here that wants
1:35:32 to add some comments about the committee
1:35:35 discussion okay let's go to council
1:35:37 member D Michelle and then we'll move
1:35:38 into questions again right and we did
1:35:39 discuss that uh question so uh I'll just
1:35:43 uh I have thanks to cler Geer we have
1:35:46 some notes here from the committee so
1:35:47 thank you so much um the committee noted
1:35:50 that some people will still write checks
1:35:52 this was following the staff
1:35:53 presentation
1:35:54 uh committee members wondered whether to
1:35:56 cap recovery at 2% across the board and
1:35:59 and decided and came to the conclusion
1:36:01 that that was a business expense that
1:36:03 should be recoverable and ultimately we
1:36:06 recommended full cost recovery and
1:36:09 that's to be reviewed every two years
1:36:12 and I believe that's reflected in the uh
1:36:14 resolution that they're bringing in
1:36:16 front of us right now so um that were
1:36:19 that was our deliberations we had a
1:36:20 pretty robust discussion about it and
1:36:22 had lots of question questions answered
1:36:24 and uh ultimately recommended option
1:36:27 number one which is what was brought
1:36:29 tonight thank you Deputy council
1:36:31 president uh council member
1:36:34 hunt thank you another question on the
1:36:37 mybuildingpermit.com my understanding is
1:36:40 many other cities use my building
1:36:42 permit.com as well and I'm wondering if
1:36:44 there are other cities that do cost
1:36:46 recovery um using using the same
1:36:50 permitting
1:36:51 system um I'm not aware of other cities
1:36:53 that are using the same methods however
1:36:55 the software limitations that we've ran
1:36:57 into so far um the the the option
1:37:01 doesn't exist to you know as you're um
1:37:03 checking out and you use a debit or a
1:37:05 credit card and then it um shows your
1:37:07 total balance and adds a fee of x% onto
1:37:10 it um I think the limitation is that it
1:37:13 doesn't have that ability um and then in
1:37:16 addition I think um there is you know
1:37:18 like we the city does um put 5% of a
1:37:22 technology surcharge fee on everything
1:37:24 that goes through my building permit.com
1:37:25 um that option is definitely there for
1:37:28 this as well the limitation is that it
1:37:31 applies to every sale um whether a debit
1:37:34 or credit card is used so um use using
1:37:37 that method would would cause a little
1:37:39 bit of um trickiness at the at the
1:37:42 register to remove that fee if if
1:37:43 someone does not want to use a debit or
1:37:45 credit card and pay that fee and wants
1:37:48 to write a check or pay in cash too so
1:37:50 those are kind of the um limitations of
1:37:53 both angles of of the options that we do
1:37:56 know of at this time um and so that's
1:37:59 why I think we're um favoring the option
1:38:01 of going and looking at more research to
1:38:03 see what can be done and um knowing that
1:38:06 mybuilding permit.com is used by many
1:38:08 cities and um what other cities are
1:38:11 doing as a solution as
1:38:14 well did you have another question coun
1:38:17 hun okay Council M Ray I'm going to take
1:38:19 us in a slightly different direction
1:38:21 when you're talking about ecks is that
1:38:24 it is a type of a rather um it's you
1:38:27 know the customer puts in their banking
1:38:29 routing number and account number and
1:38:31 uses um you know pays directly from
1:38:34 their checking or or savings
1:38:36 account um and so like if I was a
1:38:39 utility billing and I was looking at um
1:38:42 autopay that would be AC and that would
1:38:45 be affected by this that would yes and
1:38:48 and specifically for utility billing
1:38:50 they they have the E check option where
1:38:51 you use your bank routing number and
1:38:53 account account number um and that's
1:38:55 charged a flat fee of $1.95 is the
1:38:57 current rate that the payment processor
1:38:59 puts on those cool have we done any
1:39:02 looking particularly around cash but
1:39:04 what is the cost of cash handling and of
1:39:07 processing
1:39:08 checks we have not done um a look into
1:39:11 that to see what the the cost benefit of
1:39:14 you know um of allowing that option and
1:39:17 and the difference between that and um
1:39:19 electronic payments yeah I'll I'll I'll
1:39:21 save my my my insight there for for
1:39:24 later but I I was just curious we had
1:39:26 looked at thank you any additional
1:39:28 questions council member Joe thank you
1:39:32 um Jennifer thanks for uh the great
1:39:35 presentations you've done consistently
1:39:37 through this entire process com back to
1:39:39 the committee twice and then uh this
1:39:41 evening appreciate it
1:39:44 um can you clarify for me that if we do
1:39:48 adopt this the city is um in essence
1:39:53 saving
1:40:22 $163,900 kind of just um you know bear
1:40:27 that we're used to now and people are
1:40:29 used to as part of the credit card
1:40:30 system that that is what our research
1:40:32 showed that this is um kind of an
1:40:34 industrywide accepted um you know
1:40:37 transaction that's added onto services
1:40:40 that are done with a credit or debit
1:40:41 card or other means online um that that
1:40:45 was pretty consistent what we saw that
1:40:47 we thought customers were familiar with
1:40:49 and um experience in other other ways
1:40:52 that they do online payments great thank
1:40:55 you very much I think everybody's had a
1:40:58 chance to comment so I'll be looking to
1:41:00 see if anybody would like to make a
1:41:02 motion council
1:41:04 president thank you I will very happily
1:41:07 move to approve resolution number 202
1:41:11 24-23 declaring adoption of a new credit
1:41:15 debit card and E check processing fee
1:41:18 policy second it's been moved and
1:41:21 seconded is there Council discussion
1:41:24 president thank you um you know I
1:41:27 identified this as actually a user of
1:41:31 this system I was very enthusiastic when
1:41:35 the utility billing um system went
1:41:38 online and then I went online and did it
1:41:41 and put in a credit card and was like oh
1:41:44 my goodness knowing as a business owner
1:41:47 how much that can cost a business um I
1:41:52 wanted to see how much this was costing
1:41:54 the city so as you saw a year ago I put
1:41:57 this forth as a new business request
1:41:59 item I had no idea whether this was
1:42:02 going to be you know $20,000 or a
1:42:04 million dollar um because that was just
1:42:07 an area that we didn't have transparency
1:42:10 before so um I'm very excited that we
1:42:14 are taking a look at this you know
1:42:16 particularly looking at the services
1:42:18 safety and Park's
1:42:20 memo and recognizing that you know in
1:42:24 2021 um processing fees was just under
1:42:27 80,000 in 2022 it was just under 100,000
1:42:32 in 2023 it was just under
1:42:35 150,000 and now we're predicting in 2024
1:42:39 to be 240,000 so we recognize that these
1:42:43 costs are going up one of the big
1:42:45 contributors to that is our utility
1:42:48 billing and the fact that we have
1:42:49 brought that online which is an
1:42:51 excellent service to
1:42:53 customers but that wasn't something that
1:42:57 we budgeted for you know when when we're
1:42:59 looking at that as a utility bill um and
1:43:03 that process we need to recognize that
1:43:06 when we make a change like that we need
1:43:08 to be cognizant of the impact on our
1:43:13 general fund Budget on the Enterprise um
1:43:15 fund budgets and so I'm just really glad
1:43:18 that we took a look at this recognized
1:43:21 what the potential impacts were to the
1:43:24 city um and decided to do something
1:43:27 about it so I very much appreciate the
1:43:29 staff time um you never know when you
1:43:32 ask a question like this what uh what
1:43:35 it's going to take in this case it took
1:43:37 a year to get around on all of this um
1:43:41 but it's an important way of us
1:43:43 recognizing what the impacts are um and
1:43:47 having the due diligence um with our
1:43:49 funding so thank you any other comments
1:43:53 uh council member R I promise comments
1:43:56 um I'm real supportive of the um credit
1:44:00 card fee because that's actually fairly
1:44:02 substantial um because it's a percentage
1:44:05 uh I got to tell you I'm not really keen
1:44:07 on the um e check fee because it's a
1:44:09 fixed amount and I'm just as a um having
1:44:12 just recently renewed my tabs with the
1:44:14 Department of Licensing in the state of
1:44:16 Washington they do charge a 3% fee if
1:44:18 you use a credit card but if you do an a
1:44:21 transfer it's free
1:44:23 um and so from
1:44:25 a just a basic business perspective
1:44:29 checks are expensive to process you've
1:44:31 got to handle them you've got to record
1:44:34 them you've got to take them to the bank
1:44:36 and the staff time adds up and it's so
1:44:38 it's not free so I'm just saying to say
1:44:41 cost versus free is not a fair
1:44:43 assessment because you have a cost and
1:44:45 process a check handling cash is even
1:44:48 more expensive because you have all of
1:44:50 the Audits and all of the controls that
1:44:52 you need to put in place place to to
1:44:54 handle cash so I think it's a false
1:44:56 equivalency to to say that um there's no
1:45:00 cost associated with processing checks
1:45:02 in cash because I I would suggest if you
1:45:04 looked at the data would actually be far
1:45:06 far more than an e check which is why
1:45:08 the Department of Licensing make eex
1:45:10 free so um I think I can get behind this
1:45:14 but only if we are committed to the fact
1:45:17 that we're going to do this for a period
1:45:19 of time and then we're going to evaluate
1:45:21 it and say does this really make Mak
1:45:23 sense for us are we being Pennywise and
1:45:25 pound foolish because my gut tells me we
1:45:28 are and so um there's a cost and I think
1:45:33 we need to recognize that cost and we
1:45:35 can move forward with this thing but I
1:45:37 think it's
1:45:38 also um a bit of a I mean I'm now
1:45:41 speaking as a as as Lind Lindsay Walsh
1:45:43 the consumer I do autopay on all my
1:45:46 utilities and I like it because it's
1:45:48 easy and I don't have to think about it
1:45:49 and it just gets processed so it's easy
1:45:51 for me and if I was wanting to save that
1:45:54 $1.95 and write a check I would hate you
1:45:57 um just saying because the cost to me of
1:46:00 writing that check is far more than
1:46:03 a19 that's my thought thanks any other
1:46:07 comments okay uh well thank you for that
1:46:10 oh council president um I'll just put in
1:46:13 an emphasis on that I have similar
1:46:15 experience with business um fees that
1:46:19 are paid to the state um where they
1:46:22 don't charge the AC
1:46:23 so just want to put in the record that
1:46:25 when we do come back and take a look at
1:46:28 this um I want to recognize whether that
1:46:31 that is a um an area that we want to
1:46:34 take a look at so thank
1:46:37 you okay it looks like we've had uh no
1:46:40 more uh Council discussion so the
1:46:44 resolution before you the motion before
1:46:46 you is the approved resolution number
1:46:49 2024 d23 declaring adoption of the new
1:46:52 credit card and E check processing fee
1:46:55 policy all those in favor signify by
1:46:57 saying I I those opposed that carries
1:47:01 unanimously 5 Z thank you Jennifer very
1:47:04 much um the next item under regular
1:47:07 business is AB
1:47:08 8763 Veterans Memorial Plaza projects
1:47:12 and the request before Council this
1:47:13 evening is to award the bid and I'm
1:47:17 inviting uh Park planning and
1:47:18 development manager Robin spear to the
1:47:20 podium or I'm not I'm inviting up the
1:47:23 director of parks and Community Services
1:47:25 to the podium Jeff Watling welcome
1:47:28 thanks mayor good evening Council Jeff
1:47:30 Watling parks and Community Services
1:47:31 director jumping in here first uh first
1:47:34 want to share my
1:47:51 screen was I this
1:47:56 up all right well yes uh Robin spear
1:47:59 Park planning and development manager
1:48:00 and I are uh here and happy to to
1:48:03 present uh before you and request um
1:48:06 your authorization or you awarding a
1:48:09 construction bid uh for this project a
1:48:11 project that's gone by many names um as
1:48:14 the agenda Bill calls it uh the Veterans
1:48:17 Memorial plazas uh projects um I'm here
1:48:20 to provide you a little bit of a
1:48:22 background on the project and then hand
1:48:24 it over to uh Robin to uh talk through a
1:48:28 little bit about the conceptual design
1:48:29 the bid award itself uh recommendations
1:48:32 and options before you and um our um um
1:48:37 recommendation from Administration
1:48:40 um so the uh project itself a little bit
1:48:44 of a background um and that background
1:48:46 really in many ways starts with you as
1:48:48 Council as you recall in summer of
1:48:50 2022 uh you asked staff to work closely
1:48:53 with the park board on uh seeking um and
1:48:57 prioritizing and identifying a park
1:48:59 project uh that could be considered uh
1:49:02 to be funded through some of the arpa
1:49:04 funding arpa being the American Recovery
1:49:06 plan act uh dollars that the city
1:49:09 received um at that time um in September
1:49:13 of 2022 the park board voted after a lot
1:49:16 of work that summer voted um and
1:49:18 recommended the Veterans Memorial Park
1:49:20 or uh Depot Park pedestrian Park Park
1:49:23 site um as the pr preferred location for
1:49:25 that funding um as I said in the intro
1:49:28 this is a project by many names um I
1:49:30 hope what you find as as you see this
1:49:32 project tonight U really the intent of
1:49:35 this project is to serve as a first
1:49:37 investment of creating a far more
1:49:40 connected and cohesive park that's going
1:49:42 to serve Oldtown uh that's going to take
1:49:45 these spaces of pedestrian Park and
1:49:47 Depot Park and Memorial Field and the
1:49:49 senior center um and have them really uh
1:49:52 develop a relationship with one another
1:49:53 and a better relationship with Front
1:49:55 Street so that recommendation Came To
1:49:57 You in September uh through some
1:49:59 conversations and discussions we had
1:50:01 with you um in October of that year uh
1:50:04 you sought um interest and and expressed
1:50:07 your interest in adding Confluence Park
1:50:10 and seeing what kind of investment we
1:50:12 could make at Confluence Park in
1:50:13 particular um an investment um in or
1:50:16 around the E house um as part of this
1:50:19 arpa project so on October 17th of that
1:50:23 year you approved allocating $4 million
1:50:25 of arpa funding uh for these Park
1:50:30 projects with that action director um
1:50:34 would you mind pushing your slides
1:50:36 forward so those that are on um cable
1:50:40 can can see it as
1:50:42 well yeah maybe I will uh seek I I'm
1:50:46 doing it on my screen but it doesn't
1:50:48 seem to be thank
1:50:51 you e
1:51:25 you may have heard there's a number of
1:51:26 HPS that have uh laptops that have uh
1:51:29 had a few bugs one mine is one of those
1:51:32 50s so uh maybe that's what's happening
1:51:35 my my apologies was looking just fine on
1:51:37 my screen thank you for for mentioning
1:51:40 something council member Joe
1:52:00 thank you city clerk
1:52:02 user that there's the outline I'll cover
1:52:05 the project background next
1:52:09 slide we went through those so on
1:52:12 October 17th um thank you city council
1:52:15 authorized the arpa funding so work
1:52:17 began in Earnest uh early in 2023 uh we
1:52:21 began working on conceptual planning a
1:52:23 lot of community engagement around that
1:52:25 uh that was all kicked off at that time
1:52:28 um as Robin um gives you an overview the
1:52:30 project she'll highlight um a lot of
1:52:32 those groups that we did that engagement
1:52:34 with um Outreach continued uh in
1:52:38 2023 again with um that engagement in a
1:52:42 in a community survey you may recall in
1:52:44 May of 2023 we came back to you city
1:52:47 council and gave you an update um on the
1:52:50 progress of that design work uh for um
1:52:54 the both the projects around Oldtown as
1:52:58 well as the Confluence Park project you
1:53:00 may recall at that time uh we identified
1:53:03 what we learned about the Eek house uh
1:53:05 we did a structural assessment we also
1:53:08 uh worked really closely and continue to
1:53:10 work closely with the King County
1:53:12 Historical preservation folks the
1:53:14 landmarking folks and learned a lot
1:53:16 about uh what restoration of a building
1:53:18 is going to look like at that time we
1:53:20 laid out um um a recommendation to uh
1:53:24 take that Confluence Park project and
1:53:26 really recognize it as two phases um uh
1:53:29 that need to be done for that um at the
1:53:31 same time there in in 2023 the six-year
1:53:34 CIP was being created um um at that time
1:53:39 when you adopted the six-year CIP we
1:53:41 identified a whole new project pk2 pk1
1:53:45 uh the E house uh
1:53:48 project um also in 2023 um leveraging
1:53:53 though those $4 million of arid uh
1:53:55 funding um a $700,000 grant from the
1:54:00 state was awarded to us through the
1:54:02 Department of Commerce those funds are
1:54:05 also part of tonight's uh request for
1:54:08 construction um construction
1:54:13 work in September of that year uh Robin
1:54:17 spear joined us um as Park planning and
1:54:19 development manager these last two
1:54:20 bullets really pertain a lot to Rob and
1:54:22 and segue really well Robin brought um
1:54:25 her expertise um and skill to really
1:54:28 provide direct project management that
1:54:30 really helped design of this uh project
1:54:33 be finalized um and then some really
1:54:36 really important work and often unseen
1:54:37 work of of going through a permitting
1:54:40 process uh for a project this complex so
1:54:43 we're able to complete the permitting
1:54:45 process um earlier this summer um once
1:54:48 those permits were received we um put
1:54:50 this project out to bid given the
1:54:52 complexity of the project we kept that
1:54:53 bid open for 5 weeks we then opened bids
1:54:56 on September 27th um and with that I'm
1:54:59 going to hand it over to Robin to uh
1:55:02 take away the rest thank
1:55:07 you thanks Jess and good evening mayor
1:55:10 and council members uh it's an exciting
1:55:13 point to be here in front of you tonight
1:55:16 um it definitely takes a heavy lift to
1:55:18 get to this point where we're about to
1:55:20 hopefully award a project but I want to
1:55:23 really give a shout out to our whole our
1:55:25 entire park Planning Development team
1:55:28 our planners in CPD and other
1:55:30 departments who definitely reviewed the
1:55:33 plan several times uh parkboard and
1:55:36 their feedback um obviously our
1:55:38 community members we have an artist
1:55:40 involved uh the tribes are also involved
1:55:43 and um of course our consultant
1:55:45 methun um who put an an exceptional
1:55:48 amount of effort into the design so it
1:55:51 definitely as they say it takes a
1:55:52 village to create a design that's
1:55:55 great
1:55:56 so our first rendering I wanted to show
1:55:59 you was a Veterans Memorial Plaza in
1:56:03 particular uh ped Park and this concept
1:56:06 was actually really informed by
1:56:08 Community input uh also by isqua
1:56:12 Historical Museum Dia downtown shop
1:56:15 owners the Arts commission and just
1:56:18 several community members giving us
1:56:20 feedback about what they thought would
1:56:21 be important
1:56:22 about the theme and what we wanted to
1:56:24 pull out from the design um one of the
1:56:27 fun Parts about designing Parks like
1:56:29 this and urban plazas is digging into
1:56:32 the theme that you're going to base Your
1:56:34 Design off of so what the community gave
1:56:37 us um as far as feedback goes was they
1:56:40 really wanted to emphasize our Creek
1:56:43 Side uh moments that we have downtown
1:56:46 and our valley floor so that's what we
1:56:48 tried to draw into both of the
1:56:50 designs um in p park in particular I
1:56:53 have a question on this slide I could um
1:56:56 could you uh give us a little
1:56:58 perspective of what we're looking at am
1:57:00 I standing um in that uh the gap between
1:57:04 the two buildings that's diagonal that's
1:57:06 and I'm looking toward right theill
1:57:08 Library the senior center is that
1:57:10 correct correct so you'd be walking down
1:57:12 Sunset probably right past macky's um
1:57:15 and then about to turn right into ped
1:57:17 Park okay yeah so you're you're at the
1:57:19 intersection or almost to the
1:57:21 intersection of Sunset in Front Street
1:57:23 thank you very much I appreciate that
1:57:24 there are a lot of people that might be
1:57:26 watching that might not be as familiar
1:57:27 with the project as as we are right
1:57:29 right um and yeah so this design really
1:57:32 wanted to emphasize the creek side
1:57:34 feeling particularly in the water
1:57:37 feature um we always see water and
1:57:40 Creeks running through town and we kind
1:57:42 of wanted to keep that reflection going
1:57:45 in the
1:57:46 design um everybody appreciates the
1:57:48 sound of water likes the sound of water
1:57:50 likes the feel of water likes to be near
1:57:52 the water so I think this is a really
1:57:54 the water feature is going to be
1:57:56 certainly an iconic piece of um artwork
1:57:59 that's not only visible during the
1:58:01 summer when the water's on but also
1:58:03 during the winter months when you'll see
1:58:05 a more sculptural feel to it so we can
1:58:08 appreciate that feature whether it's on
1:58:10 or off um there'll be different types of
1:58:12 seating so you can choose how social you
1:58:15 want to be if you want to have a moment
1:58:18 to yourself or a moment with friends
1:58:20 there's lots of options for seeding
1:58:23 there um it promotes it also promotes
1:58:26 kind of the creek side feel with a
1:58:28 shadier riparian feel uh we are going to
1:58:31 have a uh more trees planted in there um
1:58:35 we're going to have more shrubs more
1:58:37 plant material so it's going to reflect
1:58:39 that Creek Side riparian feeling uh that
1:58:42 also give us a distinct change of
1:58:43 seasons uh with a deciduous trees
1:58:46 particularly in the fall and then spring
1:58:49 flowering
1:58:50 bulbs uh ped Park will definitely create
1:58:53 a destination for socialization and
1:58:55 relaxation downtown and we think it'll
1:58:58 be a real important iconic piece for the
1:59:01 downtown
1:59:02 area uh next
1:59:06 slide okay the next slide is our senior
1:59:09 center plaza where as Jeff said we
1:59:12 really Jeff said we really want to
1:59:14 integrate that indoor outdoor fi and
1:59:17 make sure the senior center is
1:59:18 integrated into not only the depot area
1:59:21 but becom part of the Memorial Field as
1:59:23 well uh this this Plaza will really
1:59:26 promote socialization for the seniors
1:59:28 and more interaction with the neighbors
1:59:31 and with the playground right next door
1:59:33 we hope that the kids and the seniors
1:59:34 will interact more and more families
1:59:37 will be able to gather out there um one
1:59:40 of the one of the best parts that we did
1:59:42 was we went out to lunch with the
1:59:44 seniors brought in some of the
1:59:46 furnishings and the furniture and let
1:59:47 them actually choose what chairs they
1:59:49 wanted at the plaza outside so we know
1:59:52 that it'll be comfortable and accessible
1:59:54 for them um the outdoor area also
1:59:58 encourages outdoor recreation in the new
2:00:00 Turf area uh the seniors can do yoga ta
2:00:03 Chi Lawn Bowling Bachi or uh croquet uh
2:00:08 we really want to make sure that they
2:00:10 get outside and they're able to enjoy
2:00:12 the outdoor environment more and again
2:00:14 encourage more social interaction and
2:00:20 exercise oh sure sure so this would be
2:00:23 more towards the playground looking
2:00:25 towards the South entrance of the senior
2:00:28 center uh and you can see the Pavilion
2:00:30 there where we have those uh the new
2:00:33 Furnishings I believe there's a um
2:00:36 another ping pong table ping pong table
2:00:39 out there um and then just to the east
2:00:42 side will be our turf
2:00:43 area so this will create some flexible
2:00:46 space that can be used by the community
2:00:48 not only by the seniors but by the
2:00:50 entire community enjoy different types
2:00:52 of outdoor events and just thinking
2:00:54 about salmon days and next year what
2:00:56 what that's going to feel like during
2:00:58 salmon days I think will'll be pretty
2:01:00 special and well
2:01:02 used okay next
2:01:05 slide so the bid was open for five weeks
2:01:10 uh we did open the bids on September
2:01:12 27th uh we had a great turnout we had
2:01:14 six contractors that submitted bid
2:01:17 proposals um our apparent low bidder and
2:01:19 responsible bidder was bayor cons
2:01:21 construction company out of Arlington
2:01:24 Washington um and with let me
2:01:29 sorry trying to read this uh our
2:01:32 construction budget um with the budget
2:01:35 amendments we had a total project
2:01:38 project budget total of
2:01:41 $4,699
2:01:44 370 um and with a construction
2:01:47 breakdown we had a project cost total of
2:01:50 4,6 97 $
2:01:55 32949 so uh when we go to award the base
2:01:58 bid or when we look at base bids we look
2:02:01 at the base bid plus any bid alts so we
2:02:05 had four bid alts one for Confluence
2:02:07 Park Plaza one for the bra pedestrian
2:02:10 crosswalk one for the decorative screen
2:02:13 and one for accent lighting so base for
2:02:15 total bid was
2:02:18 5,318
2:02:20 279 and
2:02:23 95 okay next
2:02:26 slide so um our staff recommendation our
2:02:30 department recommendation is to award
2:02:31 the base bid for met Veterans Memorial
2:02:34 plazas and allocate all of the arpa
2:02:36 funding to cover construction we did
2:02:39 have three options the first option to
2:02:42 allocate additional funding that's not
2:02:44 currently budgeted to the project to
2:02:46 provide a higher contingency and include
2:02:49 bid alternates a through d construct
2:02:52 Confluence Park and supple supplemental
2:02:55 elements to the design um additional
2:02:57 funding for the entire bid would
2:03:00 probably be approximately
2:03:02 $700,000 and I do want to say that right
2:03:05 now we have a contingency of
2:03:07 3.6% usually we like to keep it around 8
2:03:09 to 10% but because the bids did come in
2:03:12 higher we pulled down our contingency
2:03:14 this time uh second option would be to
2:03:17 postpone the bid award to provide time
2:03:19 to identify funding uh third option
2:03:22 would be do not award the contract and
2:03:24 reject all bids and rebid the project at
2:03:27 a future
2:03:36 date finish this up oh that's great
2:03:38 Robin thank you so yes as stated our
2:03:41 recommendation before you here's the
2:03:42 motion um due to um again the the
2:03:47 uncertainty of construction costs um you
2:03:50 don't really know what it's going to be
2:03:51 till you open bids um it's pretty clear
2:03:53 that um the arpa funding cannot go all
2:03:56 the way to be able to fully fund the
2:03:59 Investments uh desired around pedestrian
2:04:02 Park and Senior Center as well as as
2:04:04 Confluence Park so at this time we
2:04:05 recommend allocating all of that arpa
2:04:08 funding complete The Pedestrian Park
2:04:10 Senior Center projects that are
2:04:12 leveraged with that state grant money um
2:04:14 and then also recognize um that would
2:04:17 give the opportunity as we get funding
2:04:19 to um design the restoration of the E
2:04:22 house uh to complete that Plaza behind
2:04:24 the E house at the same time we do the
2:04:26 full restoration of the E so that is our
2:04:29 recommendation before you to award the
2:04:31 the base
2:04:32 bid this
2:04:34 time thank you
2:04:37 questions uh Deputy council
2:04:40 president oh just a quick question uh
2:04:42 Jeff where are we on the dog park is
2:04:44 that a part of is that uh there were
2:04:48 some arpa funds going to the dog park
2:04:50 right there were no arpa funds for the
2:04:52 dog park so that still has city funding
2:04:55 um with um the completion of Hillside
2:04:58 Park underway right now with getting
2:05:00 this project started dog park is the
2:05:02 next project um that we want to get uh
2:05:05 finished permitting and and
2:05:08 constructed questions uh council member
2:05:10 Joe um if you could remind me I I heard
2:05:13 or maybe I remember that there was a a
2:05:16 time limit that we had to spend the arpa
2:05:17 funds um one of the option is to
2:05:20 postpone but I'm wondering if we'd run
2:05:22 up against that option you know against
2:05:24 that time limit if we did and you could
2:05:26 just remind us what that time limit uh
2:05:28 is for those funds yeah thank you for
2:05:30 that question C council member it's why
2:05:32 it's not our recommendation you're right
2:05:34 arpa funding needs to be um committed
2:05:37 allocated by the end of this year so in
2:05:41 that sense we would want to be under
2:05:42 contract with a a contractor by the end
2:05:45 of of this year and then um we have city
2:05:50 has until I believe 20 26 to um spend
2:05:53 the funds but it they have to be
2:05:55 committed Again by the end of this year
2:05:58 good question we don't want to give it
2:05:59 back any other
2:06:02 questions okay is somebody prepared to
2:06:04 make a
2:06:05 motion council
2:06:08 president thank
2:06:10 you it up okay I move to award the base
2:06:13 bid Construction contract excluding bid
2:06:17 alternates a through D for the veterans
2:06:20 memorial plazas projects in the amount
2:06:24 4,482
2:06:27 32949 including sales tax to Bayshore
2:06:31 construction company and authorize the
2:06:34 mayor to enter into and execute the
2:06:36 related agreement and authorize the
2:06:39 shift of
2:06:40 $800,000 of arpa funds from Project
2:06:44 pk1 Confluence Park Park Plaza to
2:06:48 project
2:06:50 p041 veteran Memorial Plaza projects for
2:06:54 a total PK
2:06:55 041 project budget of
2:06:59 4,697
2:07:03 32949 is there a second I second
2:07:07 that pretty enthusiastic second uh so
2:07:10 it's been moved and seconded is there
2:07:12 any Council
2:07:13 discussion council president followed by
2:07:16 council member hunt thank you um I just
2:07:19 want to recognize you know we are in
2:07:21 difficult budget times and um it is very
2:07:26 important that we are able to achieve
2:07:30 completion of projects that came through
2:07:33 arpa funding um and I recognize you know
2:07:36 not everything goes the way that we
2:07:39 would necessarily like it to we aren't
2:07:41 able to fund the same things in 2025 as
2:07:45 we were in
2:07:47 2022 um and so recognizing that I
2:07:50 appreciate the administ ation making
2:07:53 adjustments um rather than trying to
2:07:56 achieve all that we initially wanted to
2:07:59 accomplish um going through additional
2:08:01 funds from the general fund and such so
2:08:04 thank you thank you council president
2:08:05 council member
2:08:07 hunt thank you um so before this meeting
2:08:10 I went back and reviewed our October uh
2:08:14 meeting from 20122 where we discussed
2:08:17 this and at that meeting we did discuss
2:08:19 the dog park as well that had been
2:08:21 reviewed by our community volunteer
2:08:23 commission um as one potential project
2:08:26 and uh we discussed that that wouldn't
2:08:29 be that um using funding from a
2:08:32 different Source other than arpa
2:08:33 wouldn't uh slow down that timeline um
2:08:37 and I think that you know when I was
2:08:39 thinking about this um allocation of of
2:08:42 funding from the uh Confluence Park
2:08:45 project to complete the um the base
2:08:49 construction bid on the Veterans
2:08:52 Memorial and Senior Center um
2:08:55 plazas uh I I still feel the same way
2:08:59 that I felt um in
2:09:02 2022 that this Confluence piece is
2:09:05 really important um it's really an
2:09:08 important part of our Park
2:09:10 system uh I was just there by the E
2:09:14 house this weekend as was you know
2:09:16 probably thousands of community members
2:09:18 and the E house is a uh city-owned
2:09:23 historic building that um at 19 a 1890
2:09:29 Farmhouse um that the city owns and
2:09:32 there was a fire in
2:09:35 2018 uh and you can still see on the
2:09:38 outside visible black fire damage and
2:09:41 it's boarded up um and it's right next
2:09:44 to you very adjacent to a really awesome
2:09:49 playground um so in 2018 I had a
2:09:52 one-year-old son we love that playground
2:09:54 it's very Innovative and um sort of a a
2:09:57 natural kind of modern playground and
2:10:00 then right next to it uh for that entire
2:10:02 time he's now 7 years old for the entire
2:10:05 childhood it has been um boarded up and
2:10:08 for a while it had uh it had um that
2:10:12 construction tape to to keep out and
2:10:14 it's uh you know we talked about wanting
2:10:16 to make The Pedestrian Plaza more
2:10:18 welcoming and and uh you know I I just
2:10:22 see this real need to to take action on
2:10:25 this public owned um building that is
2:10:29 serving no public use uh it's not
2:10:33 providing any public benefit and it has
2:10:35 been that way for years so I I know that
2:10:38 the funding here was to provide a to do
2:10:41 a Plaza in that same area to bring in
2:10:43 some historic elements and um I just I
2:10:46 still see this this real need to address
2:10:49 Confluence Park and specifically this
2:10:52 corner of Confluence Park to um and uh I
2:10:57 was an advocate for including that in
2:10:59 the arpa funding when we considered it
2:11:02 in 2022 um I still think it's very it's
2:11:06 very important I also think there's huge
2:11:08 potential there for tying in the
2:11:11 farmlands with that community garden
2:11:13 that's right in that Park um I think a
2:11:16 lot of the same reasons why uh the
2:11:20 senior Center project was um was able to
2:11:25 get additional funding uh because it's
2:11:27 providing um accessibility from the
2:11:29 senior center to the playground for
2:11:32 example Ada accessibility uh I think
2:11:35 that we have some of those same sorts of
2:11:37 challenges that we could address uh if
2:11:39 we take a another look at this corner of
2:11:42 Confluence
2:11:44 Park and um it's it's a very direct
2:11:49 analogy but I the way I see it if you
2:11:51 have a house and there's one part that's
2:11:53 you know damaged or there's a hole in
2:11:54 the roof you fix that first and then um
2:11:58 and then look at the other parts of the
2:11:59 house for uh you know beautification I
2:12:03 do think that the projects here will
2:12:05 provide a huge Community benefit um I
2:12:10 think that there's great work that's
2:12:11 gone into the artistic renderings and a
2:12:14 lot of community input um at the same
2:12:16 time I don't support uh kicking this can
2:12:19 further down the road especially since
2:12:21 it has been um a
2:12:23 visibly at a very very visible corner of
2:12:26 one of our really beloved Parks it has
2:12:28 been um a visibly burned building since
2:12:33 2018 any other
2:12:35 comments not seeing any indication uh
2:12:39 the motion on the table is moved and
2:12:41 seconded to award the base bid
2:12:43 Construction contract excluding bid
2:12:44 Alternatives a through D for the
2:12:47 veterans memorial plazas projects in the
2:12:49 amount of 4,4
2:12:51 $882,000
2:12:53 $329 49 including sales tax to Bayshore
2:12:57 construction company and to authorize
2:13:00 the mayor to enter into and execute the
2:13:02 related agreement and to authorize the
2:13:05 shift of $800,000 of arpa funds from
2:13:08 Project PK 010 Confluence Park Plaza to
2:13:12 project PK 041 Veterans Memorial Plaza
2:13:15 projects and for a total PK 041 project
2:13:19 budget of 4,6
2:13:22 $697,000 697
2:13:25 300 $
2:13:28 32949 um all those in favor please
2:13:30 signify by saying I I those opposed nay
2:13:35 that carries four to one and that um
2:13:39 just wanted to add one other comment U
2:13:41 for our director and that is that we are
2:13:43 we do have two council members absent
2:13:45 this evening that participated in those
2:13:47 earlier discussions and I think it would
2:13:50 be great to send them an email
2:13:53 explaining the the decision that was
2:13:55 made this evening so that there is no
2:13:58 that they're not that they are aware of
2:14:00 this change because it's a big change
2:14:02 and they were part of the original
2:14:04 discussion that would be great so we're
2:14:05 moving on to committee and Regional
2:14:07 reports and we'll start with council
2:14:08 member Joe thank you Madame mayor the
2:14:11 October 2nd public affairs committee for
2:14:13 Cascade water Alliance was canceled uh
2:14:16 the next board meeting for Cascade water
2:14:19 Alliance is October 20
2:14:21 3D um eltac held a special meeting on
2:14:25 September
2:14:26 26th and um uh just to convey to the
2:14:30 council that discussions are continuing
2:14:32 to talk about finding an event that
2:14:35 could be placed on the shoulder Seasons
2:14:38 um to help uh bring more tourists and
2:14:42 more uh um economic Vitality to the city
2:14:45 so the shoulder season would be not the
2:14:47 high summer season but either end of
2:14:49 those uh where hotels have more
2:14:51 vacancies and there's uh less uh uh
2:14:54 tourist traffic through town so that
2:14:56 discussion will continue and I'll update
2:14:58 you as it as it comes around the next
2:15:00 meeting for the ltac committee is
2:15:02 November 20th the agenda has not been
2:15:04 set yet thank you and council member
2:15:07 hunt thank you Madame mayor the Planning
2:15:10 Development and environment committee
2:15:11 met on October 1st we had one item on
2:15:13 the agenda which was Comm 0017
2:15:16 comprehensive plan periodic update um we
2:15:19 did ask for more polic guidance on one
2:15:22 particular policy in the um in the
2:15:25 comprehensive plan which was around uh 0
2:15:28 to 30% Ami um addressing 0 to 30% Ami
2:15:32 housing needs um this was at the um at
2:15:37 the request of an agency that had
2:15:39 reviewed our comp plan and uh we
2:15:42 recommended getting more options for
2:15:44 policies that would help us as policy
2:15:46 makers achieve that um and then we also
2:15:50 discussed that we will uh draft a letter
2:15:53 from the committee to the council with
2:15:55 our full recommendation um also
2:15:57 explaining the process the comp plan
2:15:59 went through an extensive review process
2:16:01 with our awesome uh boards and
2:16:03 commissions and volunteers as well as um
2:16:06 incorporating feedback from the
2:16:08 community and other um agencies and so
2:16:11 we will be providing that letter as well
2:16:15 as um a review of recommendations for
2:16:18 future work that was not included into
2:16:21 this um comprehensive Plan update and
2:16:23 that would include uh things for example
2:16:26 such as how we would Implement HB 1110
2:16:30 which is the recent um State policy
2:16:34 around missing middle housing and so
2:16:36 since we have more work to do on that we
2:16:39 will provide some updates uh which
2:16:41 hopefully will help future councils when
2:16:44 they review this comp plan periodic
2:16:47 update about what was done and what is
2:16:48 left to be done
2:16:51 I have one future meeting there will be
2:16:53 a ceremonial Cy fry release at Sam State
2:16:57 Park on October 17th at 4 p.m. uh the
2:17:00 event starts at 4 p.m. and this um is a
2:17:03 a great event there will be this Noami
2:17:05 tribe trout unlimited as well as elected
2:17:08 officials and it will be a celebration
2:17:10 of the work of the coky work group to
2:17:12 preserve our coky which are our very
2:17:15 special um salmon that live their whole
2:17:18 life cycle in
2:17:19 lakish that concludes my report thank
2:17:22 you council member Ray uh thank you
2:17:24 mayor Paulie the council mobility and
2:17:26 infrastructure committee is meeting
2:17:29 tomorrow October 8th at 6:30 here in
2:17:32 Chambers we have a single agenda item it
2:17:34 is Comm 0034 uh neighborhood traffic
2:17:38 caling program and that concludes my
2:17:40 report thank you Deputy council
2:17:43 president thank you mayor paully um I
2:17:45 have no reports but I have a number of
2:17:47 meetings coming up uh Thursday
2:17:51 um October 10th is Eide Human Services
2:17:54 Forum Friday uh October 11th will be
2:17:57 Eide Transportation partnership meeting
2:18:00 and I think I had announced that the
2:18:02 October Regional Transit committee
2:18:04 meeting was cancelled it is uh not
2:18:07 canceled anymore uh and uh so it'll be
2:18:10 held on the afternoon of October the
2:18:13 16th and that concludes my report thank
2:18:16 you council
2:18:17 president thank you um let's see October
2:18:22 3rd the King County affordable housing
2:18:24 committee met we continue to go through
2:18:26 the housing elements for everyone's
2:18:29 comprehensive plans um this month it was
2:18:32 boart's Village Hunts Point Northbend
2:18:35 seac and Tua and as you can see from
2:18:38 that list um very much A variation in
2:18:42 what you're going to see in the housing
2:18:44 elements from each of those cities um
2:18:47 but we did uh uh approve comment letter
2:18:51 to each of them we also had an
2:18:53 interesting point you know how um at the
2:18:55 beginning of the year we all agreed to
2:18:59 housing allocations and um all of that
2:19:02 through discussions with the county well
2:19:05 now we've got two cities coming back um
2:19:08 Carnation and snow qualy saying hey
2:19:12 something's changed we can't really
2:19:14 accommodate this growth um those two
2:19:17 cities are asking for basically having
2:19:21 their um housing uh growth Target
2:19:25 Carnation wants to go from 799 to
2:19:28 350 and snow col me wants to go from,
2:19:31 1500 to
2:19:33 719 these are not large numbers they fit
2:19:36 within the Department of Commerce um
2:19:39 allocation that we needed to achieve
2:19:43 countywide so we're kind of covered on
2:19:45 that but um gmpc the growth management
2:19:49 um Planning Commission I always forget
2:19:53 yeah um is taking this up and will
2:19:57 ultimately be the one deciding on it
2:19:59 obviously some concerns about hey does
2:20:03 somebody is somebody able to come back
2:20:05 later and ask for an adjustment what's
2:20:07 our policy and process for doing it so
2:20:11 um we gave feedback on that um just
2:20:13 basically saying hey we we would like to
2:20:16 see those numbers allocated elsewhere
2:20:19 rather than just disappeared from um our
2:20:23 allocated need for King County but um
2:20:26 the good news is if they do um adjust
2:20:31 those growth targets they're going to
2:20:33 eliminate the 80% and above amount and
2:20:38 so those cities would still be allocated
2:20:41 their adjusted median income uh housing
2:20:45 numbers for 80% and below so they would
2:20:48 be required to accommodate within their
2:20:50 zoning and plan something that would be
2:20:52 able to build that type of um housing
2:20:56 and usually that requires some density
2:20:58 so that um concludes my report thank you
2:21:03 thank you council president um next item
2:21:05 is the mayor's report so there will not
2:21:08 be an executive session this evening I
2:21:11 did want to make some comments about
2:21:13 what an amazing salmon days weekend that
2:21:15 we had it was very fun to see so many
2:21:18 people come to isqua and celebrate their
2:21:20 Return of the salmon many many many
2:21:23 thanks to everyone involved in planning
2:21:26 and orchestrating another successful
2:21:27 event including the isqua Chamber of
2:21:30 Commerce our city of isqua staff and the
2:21:33 incredible numerous organizations and
2:21:35 volunteers that make this possible today
2:21:38 I attended the annual King County
2:21:40 Executive small business awards ceremony
2:21:42 and our staff nominated nine isqua
2:21:45 businesses two of them were recognized
2:21:47 today Morgan Cosmetics won the export
2:21:50 small business of the year and infinity
2:21:53 Farms down on isqua Hobart Road was a
2:21:55 finalist for the rural small business of
2:21:58 the year we are honored that these and
2:22:00 other entrepreneurs have chosen isqua to
2:22:02 invest and grow their businesses I
2:22:05 invite other entrepreneurs and business
2:22:07 owners to contact our Economic
2:22:08 Development staff at Ed isqua w.gov to
2:22:11 learn how we can support your business
2:22:14 and making them successful in our
2:22:16 community the isqua police department's
2:22:19 pink patches are now available for
2:22:21 purchase the promotional patches are
2:22:23 part of the pink patch project pink
2:22:25 patch project say that three times fast
2:22:27 whose mission is to raise awareness
2:22:30 about the life-saving benefits of early
2:22:32 detection and intervention Against
2:22:34 Breast Cancer by wearing the pink patch
2:22:37 the police department joins officers
2:22:38 from 300 cities Across the Nation
2:22:41 showing support and raising money for
2:22:43 breast cancer awareness and research all
2:22:46 profits will be donated to Footprints of
2:22:48 fight a local charity involving involved
2:22:51 in supporting families with children
2:22:53 that have been diagnosed with cancer you
2:22:55 can purchase a patch for $10 or by
2:22:57 making a donation directly to Footprints
2:23:00 of fight there will be the mountains of
2:23:02 sound Greenway trust bringing their
2:23:04 annual tree planning celebration to
2:23:06 isqua this Saturday October 12th at the
2:23:08 Lake samamish State Park with the goal
2:23:11 of planting 800 trees as part of the
2:23:13 lower isqua Creek stream and riparian
2:23:16 habitat enhancement project this event
2:23:19 will showcase the mream restoration work
2:23:21 for salmon recovery and the completion
2:23:24 of the city of isqua's large Woody
2:23:26 material project at Lake mamish you can
2:23:29 register to volunteer at this event or
2:23:31 find more information on the mountain to
2:23:33 sound Greenway Trust website that
2:23:36 concludes the mayor's report uh let's
2:23:38 move on to good of the order any items
2:23:40 before I go into Council meetings
2:23:41 council
2:23:42 president thank you um I want to Echo
2:23:45 what you said about salmon days it was
2:23:48 fantastic love that however we got that
2:23:51 great weather and um all that enabled
2:23:54 everyone coming down and seeing
2:23:56 everything um in the city I had two
2:24:00 other notes um council member Hall is
2:24:02 not here so I wanted to just highlight
2:24:05 the Eastside fire and rescue um board is
2:24:08 going to have what maybe the culmination
2:24:11 of the budget conversation on Thursday
2:24:15 and so um I'm still studying up on it um
2:24:19 but if anybody has any questions please
2:24:22 feel free to contact me I will see what
2:24:24 we can do um not sure if it's going to
2:24:27 end up uh advancing or uh getting pushed
2:24:30 back for more conversation um but
2:24:33 there's definitely some big numbers
2:24:35 there um and then on a totally different
2:24:38 note y'all may remember one of my
2:24:41 favorite times of the year is the
2:24:43 pumpkin Derby which is coming up uh for
2:24:47 those who don't recognize the city has a
2:24:50 uh staff event for racing pumpkins down
2:24:54 a Derby track because why not um and so
2:25:00 the city council for the fourth year in
2:25:03 a row now I think um will have a jby car
2:25:07 so if anybody would like to contribute
2:25:09 to that either in engineering or
2:25:13 Artistry um please do contact me I have
2:25:16 our cart from last year we will make it
2:25:19 down the derby track we will that
2:25:23 council president is there anything on
2:25:24 Regional assignments and appointments
2:25:26 that you need to remind people on or are
2:25:27 we doing pretty good there um well if
2:25:30 there is anybody for uh sound cities
2:25:33 Association that wants to apply um we
2:25:36 have heard from three council members um
2:25:40 about potential applications those are
2:25:43 due October 17th and we would like to
2:25:47 obviously get those coordinated ahead of
2:25:49 time um so if there is anything that you
2:25:51 would like to apply or reapply for or
2:25:54 drop off
2:25:55 of because I need to know who's dropping
2:25:58 off yes um please do let us know thank
2:26:02 you very much uh I think it was um
2:26:05 Council Joe thank you mayor paully I I
2:26:08 would just like to give um some
2:26:10 compliments to our sister cities
2:26:13 commission um they were in the parade
2:26:16 they were a very Lively group uh
2:26:18 throughout the whole route um they also
2:26:21 uh gave personal time to volunteer at
2:26:24 the tent right outside City Hall uh
2:26:26 where they were uh showcasing our artist
2:26:30 that was visiting us and they gave their
2:26:32 time and were very uh enthusiastic and I
2:26:35 really appreciate all the efforts that
2:26:37 they make to make the sister city
2:26:39 relationship work and I know that uh if
2:26:41 you could pass that on to the staff that
2:26:43 were there it was just just very nice
2:26:46 touch to Sam Andes thank you that was
2:26:48 fun thank you for that any any other
2:26:50 good of the order items if not I'll go
2:26:52 through meetings so the council has
2:26:54 several upcoming meetings a committee of
2:26:56 the whole next Monday October 14th at
2:26:58 6:30 p.m. the anticipated agenda items
2:27:01 include the 2526 legislative agenda and
2:27:05 an affordable housing update the next
2:27:07 regular city council meeting is Monday
2:27:09 October 21st and anticipated agenda
2:27:12 items include the school zone speed
2:27:14 camera um and and last call for good of
2:27:18 the order I'm going to move the to the
2:27:20 next item the executive session we will
2:27:22 not be having one this evening and if
2:27:24 there's no additional business we are
2:27:26 adjourned at
2:27:27 9:27 thank you

Attendance

Council / Members (5)
Barbara de Michele
Victoria Hunt
Russell Joe
Chris Reh
Lindsey Walsh
Staff (4)
Wally Bobkiewicz, City Administrator
Andrea Snyder, Deputy City Administrator
Rachel Bender Turpin, City Attorney
Tisha Gieser, City Clerk
Excused
Zach Hall
Tola Marts

Motions and votes (2)

approve the consent agenda as amended. . a)
Moved by Council President Lindsey Walsh · seconded by Deputy Council President Barb de Michele
Carried 5-0
In favor: Barbara de Michele, Victoria Hunt, Russell Joe, Chris Reh, Lindsey Walsh
Award the base bid construction contract, excluding Bid Alternates A-D, for the Veterans Memorial Plazas projects in the amount of $4,482,329.49 (including sales tax) to Bayshore Construction Company; and authorize the Mayor to enter into and execute the related agreement; and Authorize the shift of…
Moved by Council President Lindsey Walsh · seconded by Deputy Council President Barbara de Michele
Carried 4-1
In favor: Barbara de Michele, Russell Joe, Chris Reh, Lindsey Walsh
Opposed: Victoria Hunt
Absent: Zach Hall, Tola Marts