City Council Regular Meeting · Monday, March 16, 2026 · City Council Digest

3. SPECIAL BUSINESS

Arbor Day Proclamation ID 1954

5 min · packet pp.5

▶ Watch from 0:52 Open packet at p.5 ↗

Staff report:

SPECIAL BUSINESS a) CITY OF ISSAQUAH Mayor's Office WASHINGTON 130 E. Sunset Way Issaquah.WA 98027 425-837-3000 issaquahwa.gov

2026 Transportation Advisory Board Work Plan ID 1961

10 min · packet pp.7–19

Topics: Transportation

▶ Watch from 5:20 Open packet at p.7 ↗

Staff report:

Provide the City Council the opportunity to review and provide feedback on the 2026 Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) work plan as required by IMC 2.92.050.

5. CONSENT CALENDAR

Accounts: Payables and Payroll of March 16, 2026, $6,396,730.06 ID 1940

Carried 6-0

Approve · packet pp.21–31

Topics: Budget

▶ Watch from 15:20 Open packet at p.21 ↗

Staff report:

Finance Department P.O. Box 1307 Issaquah, WA 98027 PH: 425-837-3050 www.issaquahwa.gov

Roll call:

Moved by Council President Marts · seconded by Deputy Council President Jiang

In favor: Paul Adair, Kelly Jiang, Russell Joe, Tola Marts, Kevin Nichols, Lindsey Walsh

Minutes: City Council Regular Meeting, Feb. 23, 2026

Carried 6-0

Approve · packet pp.33–36

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Staff report:

MOTION: 1) Authorized the transfer of $1,883,000 from the City's 0.1% sales tax (HB 1590) Issaquah Housing Investment Pool (IHIP) funding to ARCH to fund and manage contracts with Life Enrichment Options (LEO) and the KCHA to fund the LEO Condominiums at Trailhead and the KCHA Trailhead Development projects; and 2) Authorized the inclusion of this transfer in a subsequent 2026 budget amendment; and 3) Approved Resolution No. 2026-08, authorizing the duly-appointed administering agency for ARCH to execute all documents necessary to enter into agreements for the funding of Inclusive Housing Investment Pool projects, as approved by the City Council, utilizing funds transferred from the City.

Roll call:

Moved by Council President Marts · seconded by Deputy Council President Jiang

In favor: Paul Adair, Kelly Jiang, Russell Joe, Tola Marts, Kevin Nichols, Lindsey Walsh

Minutes: City Council Special Meeting, Feb. 26, 2026

Carried 6-0

Approve · packet pp.37

▶ Watch from 15:40 Open packet at p.37 ↗

Staff report:

CONSENT CALENDAR c) 02-26-26 City Council Special Meeting Minutes Page (0000) CITY OF ISSAQUAH City Council Special Meeting 7:30 AM Eastridge Church, 24205 SE February 26, 2026 Issaquah-Fall City Rd, Issaquah, MINUTES WA 98029

Roll call:

Moved by Council President Marts · seconded by Deputy Council President Jiang

In favor: Paul Adair, Kelly Jiang, Russell Joe, Tola Marts, Kevin Nichols, Lindsey Walsh

Minutes: City Council Regular Meeting, March 2, 2026

Carried 6-0

Approve · packet pp.39–42

▶ Watch from 15:50 Open packet at p.39 ↗

Staff report:

CONSENT CALENDAR d) 03-02-26 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Page (0000) CITY OF ISSAQUAH City Council Regular Meeting 7:00 PM Council Chambers, 135 E. March 2, 2026 MINUTES Sunset Way, Issaquah WA

Roll call:

Moved by Council President Marts · seconded by Deputy Council President Jiang

In favor: Paul Adair, Kelly Jiang, Russell Joe, Tola Marts, Kevin Nichols, Lindsey Walsh

Informational Update: 2025 Q4 Grant & Contract Report ID 1945

Carried 6-0

Receive Report · packet pp.43–48

▶ Watch from 16:00 Open packet at p.43 ↗

Staff report:

The Q4 2025 grant and contract

Roll call:

Moved by Council President Marts · seconded by Deputy Council President Jiang

In favor: Paul Adair, Kelly Jiang, Russell Joe, Tola Marts, Kevin Nichols, Lindsey Walsh

Issaquah Creek Stream and Riparian Habitat Restoration at Squak Valley Park South Consultant Contract AB 9132

Carried 6-0

Authorize · packet pp.49–78

Topics: ParksWater

▶ Watch from 16:10 Open packet at p.49 ↗

Staff report:

City Attorney Review Rachel Bender Turpin City Attorney Review Date: March 11, 2026

Roll call:

Moved by Council President Marts · seconded by Deputy Council President Jiang

In favor: Paul Adair, Kelly Jiang, Russell Joe, Tola Marts, Kevin Nichols, Lindsey Walsh

6. REGULAR BUSINESS

2026 Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Funding Recommendations AB 9159

Carried 6-0

Approve; Authorize Additional Funding · 30 min · packet pp.79–295

Topics: BudgetTourism

▶ Watch from 16:20 Open packet at p.79 ↗

Staff report:

In the 2025-26 budget, the City Council approved an annual allocation of $50,000 in 2025 and $51,500 in 2026 from the Lodging Tax Fund to support tourism-related initiatives that draw visitors from over 50-miles. These funds are provided to businesses and nonprofits for services provided and do not need to be repaid.

Roll call:

Moved by Councilmember Joe · seconded by Council President Marts

In favor: Adair, Jiang, Joe, Marts, Nichols, Walsh

7. NEW BUSINESS

New Business Request: Public Reporting on Immigration Enforcement Activity ID 1993

Carried 6-0

Introduce · 15 min · packet pp.297–300

Topics: Equity

▶ Watch from 53:24 Open packet at p.297 ↗

Staff report:

New Business Request ID # 1933 – Public Reporting on Immigration Enforcement Activity

Roll call:

Moved by Councilmember Nichols · seconded by Councilmember Walsh

In favor: Adair, Jiang, Joe, Marts, Nichols, Walsh

10. GOOD OF THE ORDER

10a

Upcoming Council Meetings

▶ Watch from 1:17:17

2036 segments .txt ↗

0:25 ↗ Welcome everyone. We will call the March

0:28 ↗ 16th city council meeting to order. And

0:30 ↗ the first item of business is the pledge

0:32 ↗ of allegiance. I welcome those who are

0:34 ↗ able to please stand.

0:37 ↗ I

0:37 ↗ >> pledge allegiance to the flag of the

0:39 ↗ United States of America and to the

0:42 ↗ republic for which it stands. One nation

0:45 ↗ under God, indivisible, with liberty and

0:48 ↗ justice for all.

0:52 ↗ And the next item is special business ID

0:55 ↗ 1954,

0:57 ↗ the Arbor Day proclamation. And I would

0:59 ↗ invite urban forest supervisor Dan Hints

1:02 ↗ to lectern along with Milo Armstrong and

1:04 ↗ Quinn Felo from Gibson. and I will meet

1:08 ↗ you over here.

1:23 ↗ Okay. Arbor Day proclamation. Whereas in

1:26 ↗ 1872, J. Sterling Morton proposed to the

1:29 ↗ Nebraska Board of Agriculture that a

1:30 ↗ special day be set aside for the

1:32 ↗ planting of trees. And whereas this

1:34 ↗ holiday called Arbor Day was first first

1:36 ↗ observed with the planting of more than

1:38 ↗ a million trees in Nebraska. Whereas the

1:40 ↗ anniversary of the holiday and Arbor Day

1:42 ↗ is now observed throughout the nation

1:44 ↗ and the world. Whereas treat trees

1:46 ↗ produce life, giving oxygen, provide

1:48 ↗ habitat for wildlife, beauty for our

1:50 ↗ city, increase property values, and

1:52 ↗ enhance economic vitality. Whereas the

1:55 ↗ city of Isqua has been an active Tree

1:56 ↗ City USA design for 33 years. And

2:00 ↗ whereas the city of Isqua celebrates

2:01 ↗ Arbor Day year round with many events to

2:03 ↗ enhance and expand our tree canopy. And

2:06 ↗ whereas the city of Isiqua is

2:08 ↗ celebrating its annual Arbor Day

2:10 ↗ Saturday, April 4th, 2026 at Confluence

2:13 ↗ Park. Now therefore, I Mark Mullet,

2:15 ↗ mayor of the city of Isqua, do hereby

2:16 ↗ proclaim that Isqua celebrate Arbor Day

2:20 ↗ and carry that spirit through our

2:21 ↗ activities, policies, and priorities all

2:24 ↗ year long. And I urge all residents to

2:25 ↗ celebrate and support efforts to protect

2:27 ↗ our trees and our forests.

2:32 ↗ >> Yeah. Proclamation.

2:33 ↗ >> Thank you.

2:35 ↗ >> Where's Oh, here's our photographer.

2:37 ↗ Hang on a sec. Let's do this and then

2:38 ↗ we're going to have you make comments.

2:48 ↗ >> Okay. Mic is yours.

2:50 ↗ >> Thanks, Mayor Mullet. Thanks, council.

2:52 ↗ Um, I'm going to keep this short and

2:53 ↗ sweet. Hopefully you all received a uh

2:55 ↗ email update from me last Friday uh with

2:58 ↗ some updates since we adopted our forest

3:00 ↗ management plan just over a year ago. Um

3:02 ↗ obviously if there's uh follow-up

3:04 ↗ questions on that, I'm happy to meet,

3:06 ↗ chat, have conversations, but I think

3:08 ↗ it's been a really uh productive year

3:10 ↗ working on our now 34th year as a Tree

3:12 ↗ City USA community. I would love to

3:14 ↗ invite anyone that would like to join us

3:15 ↗ the morning of April 4th for our Arbor

3:17 ↗ Day celebration at Confluence Park. will

3:19 ↗ be doing a bunch of tree planting and

3:21 ↗ other restoration and maintenance out

3:23 ↗ there. Um, and I did just want to take a

3:25 ↗ minute to uh reintroduce or or kind of

3:27 ↗ highlight uh Quinn and Milo who have

3:29 ↗ been our two urban forestry interns from

3:31 ↗ Gibson. Quinn for two years now, which

3:33 ↗ is awesome. Milo for about a year. Um,

3:36 ↗ and they've been huge for our program

3:37 ↗ and in really neat. I think most folks

3:39 ↗ are familiar with the internship program

3:41 ↗ at Gibson, but brings a lot of capacity

3:43 ↗ to the work we're doing with volunteers.

3:45 ↗ uh they were both instrumental in

3:46 ↗ planting and developing our Miwoki

3:48 ↗ forest on Dogwood Street. And actually

3:50 ↗ both of them were stipened summer

3:51 ↗ interns with us doing a bunch of

3:53 ↗ watering, weeding out there and leading

3:54 ↗ volunteers. So, uh brought them along

3:56 ↗ with me tonight and just want to give

3:57 ↗ them kudos and um yeah, been a really

4:00 ↗ really uh neat program to work with and

4:01 ↗ hopefully y'all are learning stuff too.

4:04 ↗ So, um yeah, if anyone has any

4:06 ↗ questions, anything, happy to chat, but

4:07 ↗ uh hopefully the report I sent over

4:09 ↗ provides a lot of what we've been

4:10 ↗ working on here the past uh 12 months

4:12 ↗ since I think I've spoken to the full

4:13 ↗ council. So,

4:22 ↗ Appreciate it.

4:35 ↗ And the next item of business is ID1961,

4:38 ↗ the 2026 Transportation Advisory Board

4:42 ↗ work plan. We're going to invite Andrea

4:44 ↗ Leonard and the transportation advisory

4:46 ↗ board chair Erica Boyd

4:49 ↗ >> to present this item.

4:57 ↗ >> You can't back there, Erica. You have to

4:58 ↗ come up.

5:00 ↗ >> Good evening, mayor. Good evening,

5:02 ↗ council members. I'm Andrea Leonard,

5:04 ↗ deputy city administrator, currently

5:06 ↗ serving as the staff liazison to the

5:08 ↗ transportation advisory board. And with

5:10 ↗ me is also Erica Boyd, chair of the

5:12 ↗ Transportation Advisory Board or TAB as

5:15 ↗ we sometimes call them. And um we'll we

5:19 ↗ have a short item for you tonight on the

5:21 ↗ TAB work plan. Uh the transportation

5:24 ↗ advisory board was established in 2017.

5:28 ↗ Uh the purpose of the board is to advise

5:30 ↗ the mayor, city departments, and council

5:32 ↗ on the city's transportation system and

5:34 ↗ goals. It is a mayorapp appointed board

5:36 ↗ like our other boards and um council

5:39 ↗ confirms the board members. So we have

5:41 ↗ nine regular members, one youth member

5:43 ↗ and three alternate members on tab.

5:47 ↗ The tab annual work plan per code is

5:49 ↗ required to come to council on an annual

5:51 ↗ basis. So that is why we are here and

5:54 ↗ it's a non-binding list of topics that

5:57 ↗ we think um are going to be brought

5:59 ↗ before tab for the year. And um

6:02 ↗ typically it's drafted and reviewed in

6:04 ↗ January. Um we'll receive some any of

6:07 ↗ your comments this evening on the work

6:10 ↗ plan. Um and look for tab to adopt it at

6:14 ↗ their meeting later this month.

6:16 ↗ And of course we do some mid-year

6:18 ↗ reviews of the work plan to make sure

6:19 ↗ we're on target and if we have any other

6:21 ↗ items that come up throughout the year

6:22 ↗ to add to it. But so far, this is our

6:26 ↗ best um guess as to what we will be

6:29 ↗ covering this year with the

6:30 ↗ transportation advisory board. Of

6:32 ↗ course, there's some administrative

6:33 ↗ items uh including establishing the work

6:36 ↗ plan, why we're here tonight, as well as

6:38 ↗ doing training like we do with other all

6:41 ↗ advisory boards, election of officers.

6:43 ↗ These are standard items for us, but it

6:45 ↗ is part of board business. And I invite

6:47 ↗ Erica to talk about more exciting things

6:50 ↗ that is coming for TAB.

6:54 ↗ Hello everyone, Mayor Mullet, um,

6:56 ↗ Council President Martz, and Deputy

6:58 ↗ Council President Jen. Uh, I'm Erikica

7:00 ↗ Boyd. I am the, uh, transportation

7:02 ↗ advisory board, uh, chair. I've been in

7:05 ↗ this role a little less than a year, but

7:07 ↗ elected twice due to some, um, moving

7:10 ↗ around of the election dates. Uh, and,

7:14 ↗ um, we other things that we'll touch on.

7:16 ↗ Um, we've, uh, already, uh, discussed

7:19 ↗ the adaptive signal control technology

7:21 ↗ feasibility study. I believe where we

7:23 ↗ talked about the um adaptive signals

7:26 ↗ earlier this year in January as well as

7:28 ↗ the uh transportation improvement

7:30 ↗ program. Um really looking forward to

7:32 ↗ digging into the central Isqua station

7:34 ↗ alignment study touching on that

7:35 ↗ multiple times this year. Um I know I've

7:38 ↗ seen u some of our or I know our TAB

7:40 ↗ members have um done grassroots advocacy

7:44 ↗ um with the encouragement and leadership

7:47 ↗ of you all um advocating for our light

7:49 ↗ rail. Um we've discussed uh um I think

7:53 ↗ good bolder um more robust policy uh

7:56 ↗ proposals with the Isqua climate action

7:59 ↗ plan. Um updated that a couple months

8:00 ↗ ago now I think um per uh I think you

8:04 ↗ all spurring us uh to dig a little

8:06 ↗ deeper and uh move bolder. Um we'll

8:09 ↗ further discuss microtransit services.

8:13 ↗ Um uh uh and then we'll talk about trail

8:18 ↗ standards some streamlining there. Uh

8:20 ↗ and uh I'm really looking forward to

8:22 ↗ digging into the calming uh traffic

8:24 ↗ calming report uh per a uh revision a

8:28 ↗ couple years ago that the TAB did uh and

8:30 ↗ our uh mobility action plan report um

8:34 ↗ which I think this is the second one

8:37 ↗ maybe we'll have um and um as that plan

8:41 ↗ uh comes on its 10 about 10 years um

8:44 ↗ into play. I think that's a really great

8:46 ↗ uh milestone we'll be looking at.

8:52 ↗ Uh and as I said, next steps for the

8:55 ↗ work plan is uh tab adoption later this

8:59 ↗ month. So at this point, we take any

9:01 ↗ questions from council.

9:03 ↗ >> Council member Walsh.

9:05 ↗ >> Thank you. Um I love seeing a lot of the

9:07 ↗ things on here, but I know this is the

9:10 ↗ transportation advisory board. I wonder

9:12 ↗ though, um I don't see anything related

9:15 ↗ to pedestrians or bike. And so I wonder

9:19 ↗ how that can be incorporated whether TAB

9:22 ↗ is the right place for that or not. Um

9:26 ↗ but particularly as we are trying to

9:28 ↗ build up our transit, one of the things

9:31 ↗ that enables transit is that last mile

9:34 ↗ walkability, bike ability. And so I

9:37 ↗ wonder if that might be something that

9:39 ↗ the transportation advisory board would

9:41 ↗ want to look at and maybe come up with

9:44 ↗ areas where our walkability and

9:46 ↗ bikeability could be improved.

9:51 ↗ Uh thank you council member and I'll

9:53 ↗ just speak to a couple of ways that we

9:55 ↗ anticipate TAB to be touching on bike

9:57 ↗ and ped mobility in Isiqua. One of them

9:59 ↗ is the tip update or the transportation

10:01 ↗ improvement program update which has uh

10:05 ↗ projects that improve pedestrian and

10:07 ↗ bike safety across the city. So they'll

10:08 ↗ be looking at those. Um also trails

10:11 ↗ standards is another way uh to encourage

10:14 ↗ walking and some of those trails uh help

10:16 ↗ connect intra city not just our you know

10:19 ↗ in the in our parks and and forests but

10:21 ↗ are a real way for folks to kind of get

10:23 ↗ around from point A to point B. Um and

10:26 ↗ then commute trip reduction program.

10:28 ↗ That is a program uh that requires all

10:31 ↗ employers across the state including

10:34 ↗ those in Isiqua above 100 employees to

10:36 ↗ figure out other ways and other modes

10:38 ↗ for their um employees to get to and

10:40 ↗ from work that's other than single

10:43 ↗ occupant vehicle trips. So there may be

10:45 ↗ some things with that. Um

10:48 ↗ and um I think part of it too is going

10:50 ↗ to be looking at that report card. So

10:53 ↗ the the master I'm sorry. The mobility

10:56 ↗ action plan um also has a number of

11:00 ↗ policies and items related to pedestrian

11:02 ↗ and bike safety. So, we want to take a

11:04 ↗ look at those. So, those are some of

11:06 ↗ kind of the ways that we're touching on

11:07 ↗ it. But what I hear you saying is maybe

11:09 ↗ wanting more of a focus on where

11:12 ↗ improvements can specifically happen in

11:14 ↗ Isiqua. And that may be something we can

11:17 ↗ take a look at later this year,

11:18 ↗ especially as we're gearing for another

11:19 ↗ CIP update next year, a bigger CIP

11:21 ↗ update.

11:22 ↗ >> Yeah, I appreciate that. I think there's

11:23 ↗ just an opportunity to really look at

11:26 ↗ what are our gaps, what are the things

11:28 ↗ that aren't helping our full

11:30 ↗ transportation system and I think a

11:33 ↗ board like this could bring a lot of

11:35 ↗ perspective into that and have a good

11:37 ↗ conversation.

11:39 ↗ >> Council,

11:42 ↗ >> uh just a small thing and probably

11:43 ↗ probably include I just wanted to touch

11:44 ↗ on it for the when when you do the

11:46 ↗ microransit services. I wanted to make

11:49 ↗ sure that the because we discussed

11:50 ↗ briefly during that meeting about having

11:52 ↗ like fixed route shuttle options as

11:53 ↗ potential in that and I just wanted to

11:55 ↗ make sure that got covered when you get

11:56 ↗ to that because that is something I'm

11:58 ↗ curious about as an option with that

12:00 ↗ whole issue. So just wanted to make sure

12:02 ↗ included

12:03 ↗ >> did deputy president Jen put you up to

12:05 ↗ that comment.

12:07 ↗ >> No council member council member Adair

12:11 ↗ has independently come to the same

12:12 ↗ conclusion as me which is great.

12:15 ↗ >> Deputy Deputy President J. Go ahead.

12:17 ↗ >> Yeah. So, um, my understanding was that,

12:19 ↗ u, Mayor Mullet, you were proposing

12:20 ↗ doing some kind of, um, bonding of our

12:22 ↗ TBD funding source. And one of the

12:24 ↗ things that you'd mentioned was, you

12:26 ↗ know, for us to come up with some

12:27 ↗ projects that might be in the$1 to2

12:29 ↗ million range. Um, I would love to see

12:31 ↗ if that's something that we could have

12:32 ↗ TAB do as well, because, you know, it's

12:34 ↗ a broader group that might have ideas

12:36 ↗ based on, you know, where they live in

12:38 ↗ the community of things that we might

12:39 ↗ not know. Um, I think that would

12:41 ↗ definitely be a good way to get some

12:42 ↗ input from the community about what

12:43 ↗ types of projects we might want to

12:44 ↗ include in that bond. So, um, would be

12:46 ↗ great if we could add that to the

12:47 ↗ workpoint as well.

12:49 ↗ >> Thank you. We anticipate those questions

12:51 ↗ as part of the TI or those discussions

12:53 ↗ as part of the TIP updates. The first

12:55 ↗ draft of the TIP uh, update is going

12:57 ↗ before TAB later this month so we can

12:59 ↗ start looking at what some of those

13:00 ↗ projects are.

13:03 ↗ >> Great. And then is there going to be an

13:05 ↗ opportunity for committee members to

13:07 ↗ provide input about additional projects

13:08 ↗ that could potentially be included?

13:10 ↗ >> Uh, they may they may provide input

13:13 ↗ about those projects. We'll have to see

13:15 ↗ what that discussion generates. Um, our

13:19 ↗ list of projects come from another a

13:21 ↗ bunch of different sources. One of them

13:23 ↗ includes accident data. Some of it

13:25 ↗ includes it definitely includes the

13:27 ↗ reports from the community about where

13:29 ↗ there's unsafe intersections or where

13:30 ↗ the community would like to see as they

13:32 ↗ submit report of concern requests. Um,

13:35 ↗ those projects come from our uh mobility

13:38 ↗ plans and our uh IAP as well. So, we

13:42 ↗ usually pull from all these different

13:43 ↗ sources, including community input um

13:46 ↗ directly from those reported concerns uh

13:48 ↗ to form the project list. So, we'd love

13:50 ↗ to hear if if TAB has any other

13:53 ↗ priorities that are very urgent. Of

13:54 ↗ course, we'll um want to hear that

13:56 ↗ feedback.

13:57 ↗ >> Great. Thank you,

14:00 ↗ >> Council Member Joel. Morning. Your

14:01 ↗ microphone looks very confused right

14:02 ↗ now. I cannot tell. Oh, there you go.

14:04 ↗ Less confused.

14:07 ↗ Okay. There is no action necessary on

14:09 ↗ this item tonight. And seeing no other

14:12 ↗ questions, thank you very much. We will

14:15 ↗ now move on to audience comments. And

14:19 ↗ audience comments,

14:21 ↗ for those in the room, we will call on

14:24 ↗ you. For those on the checking in via

14:29 ↗ the internet, please raise your virtual

14:31 ↗ hand. For those coming in via the phone,

14:33 ↗ please use star three. We please state

14:36 ↗ your relationship to the city. Please

14:38 ↗ keep your comments in that 3 to 5 minute

14:41 ↗ range and please be respectful and

14:43 ↗ courteous. And with that, city clerk

14:47 ↗ Tisha, is there anybody signed up for

14:48 ↗ audience comments?

14:49 ↗ >> No one has signed up in advance. We do

14:51 ↗ have a few members of the public with us

14:52 ↗ virtually, so I'll monitor see if any

14:54 ↗ hands are raised.

14:59 ↗ >> We are waiting for virtual hands.

15:04 ↗ >> No one's indicating a design to desire

15:06 ↗ to speak. Okay. So, not seeing anyone

15:08 ↗ wishing to speak for audience comments.

15:10 ↗ You can submit written comments to the

15:11 ↗ city at city council atisquawwa.gov

15:14 ↗ at any time. That takes us to our next

15:16 ↗ item of business, which is the consent

15:17 ↗ calendar. I do not have any remarks on

15:20 ↗ the consent calendar, but I will ask

15:22 ↗ committee chairs if you have any like to

15:24 ↗ report on consent calendar items.

15:29 ↗ Looking going once, going twice. Not

15:32 ↗ seeing any. I will now look for a

15:34 ↗ motion.

15:37 ↗ Um, Mr. Mayor, the the warrants and the

15:40 ↗ accounts payables have been reviewed.

15:43 ↗ >> Excellent.

15:43 ↗ >> I've reviewed them as well.

15:45 ↗ >> Okay. Does any council member wish to

15:47 ↗ remove any item from the consent

15:49 ↗ calendar?

15:51 ↗ >> Okay. Not seeing any items. Is there a

15:53 ↗ motion?

15:55 ↗ >> Mr. Mayor, I I move we uh adopt the

15:59 ↗ consent agenda as published in this

16:01 ↗ evening's uh

16:03 ↗ uh

16:05 ↗ packet. Thank you.

16:07 ↗ >> Second.

16:08 ↗ >> Okay, there's been a motion and a

16:10 ↗ second. All those in favor, please say

16:12 ↗ I.

16:13 ↗ >> I.

16:14 ↗ >> All those opposed, nay. And that passes

16:17 ↗ unanimously. That now takes us on to our

16:20 ↗ next item of regular business, which is

16:22 ↗ agenda bill 9159 2026, lodging tax

16:25 ↗ advisory committee funding. And we'd

16:27 ↗ like to invite economic development

16:29 ↗ coordinator Jack Pedlo to present this

16:32 ↗ item. Come on down, Jack.

16:58 ↗ Good evening, council. Good evening,

16:59 ↗ mayor. It's a pleasure to be in front of

17:01 ↗ you all tonight. My name is Jack Pedllo.

17:03 ↗ I am the economic development

17:05 ↗ coordinator here with the city of

17:06 ↗ Isiqua. Joined with me is Alexis Fitz

17:09 ↗ Simmons, our economic development and

17:11 ↗ housing manager.

17:13 ↗ Uh we are here to give a brief overview

17:15 ↗ of our 2026 lodging tax advisory

17:17 ↗ committee funding recommendations.

17:20 ↗ The purpose of this presentation is to

17:22 ↗ give you all an overview of the lodging

17:24 ↗ tax advisory committee, which I'll be

17:26 ↗ referring to as ELTAC, and get a council

17:28 ↗ decision on the funding recommendations

17:30 ↗ that ELTAC proposed at our February

17:32 ↗ 23rd, 2026 meeting.

17:34 ↗ Staff recommendation is to approve the

17:36 ↗ allocation of $55,000

17:39 ↗ to fund business and nonprofit tourism

17:41 ↗ related activities as recommended by

17:43 ↗ ELTAC and authorize the inclusion of

17:45 ↗ $3,500

17:47 ↗ in a subsequent 2026 budget amendment

17:49 ↗ that will get us to that $55,000 total.

17:54 ↗ Uh to start with a brief overview of how

17:56 ↗ the ELTAC is composed, this is all

17:57 ↗ guided by Washington state law. Uh,

18:00 ↗ ELTAC is composed of two members who are

18:02 ↗ representing hotels. That is John Perzac

18:04 ↗ of the Hilton Garden Inn and Billy

18:06 ↗ Rossman of Spring Hill Suites. We then

18:09 ↗ have at least two members who are

18:10 ↗ eligible to receive ELTAC funding. Uh,

18:13 ↗ for full-time members, we have Julie

18:14 ↗ Hartwig of the Isqua Chamber of Commerce

18:16 ↗ and Heather Barry of Village Theater.

18:19 ↗ And then we have Rachel Wright of Isqua

18:20 ↗ Arts as an alternate. And then lastly,

18:23 ↗ we have one member who is an elected

18:24 ↗ official of Isiqua, who is our chair,

18:26 ↗ and we are chaired by council member

18:28 ↗ Joe.

18:30 ↗ In terms of the ELTAC income and usage,

18:32 ↗ our ELTAC revenues are from a 1% excise

18:35 ↗ tax on the sale of the charge made on

18:37 ↗ the furnishing of lodging within Isiqua

18:40 ↗ city limits. And then those funds can be

18:42 ↗ used for the below purposes. So, first

18:44 ↗ off, we have tourism marketing that can

18:46 ↗ be directly by a municipality or

18:48 ↗ indirectly through a destination

18:49 ↗ marketing organization. Here in Isiqua,

18:51 ↗ we do use ELTAC funds on a destination

18:53 ↗ marketing organization, visit Isiqua.

18:56 ↗ Then the next three are the three that

18:58 ↗ were eligible for the grants in which we

19:00 ↗ were discussing at our February 23rd

19:02 ↗ meeting. First off is the marketing and

19:04 ↗ operations of special events and

19:06 ↗ festivals designed to attract tourists.

19:08 ↗ That is normally the bulk of

19:09 ↗ applications. And then the next two are

19:12 ↗ supporting the operations and capital

19:13 ↗ expenditures of tourism related

19:15 ↗ facilities either owned by the

19:17 ↗ municipality itself or owned and

19:19 ↗ operated by nonprofit organizations.

19:23 ↗ I wanted to give a brief overview of the

19:25 ↗ finances of the ELTAC. So first off,

19:27 ↗ this is the ELTAC revenues over the last

19:29 ↗ three years. So you can see in 2023

19:32 ↗ coming out of COVID, it started to kind

19:33 ↗ of get back to normal levels at

19:35 ↗ $240,000, just about 241,000 there. And

19:39 ↗ then there was a large jump of just over

19:41 ↗ $50,000 between 2023 and 2024. This

19:44 ↗ allowed last year that ELTAC was able to

19:46 ↗ disperse uh 40,000 additional dollars of

19:50 ↗ grants above budget for a total of

19:52 ↗ $90,000 in grants. From 2024 to 2025,

19:56 ↗ there was a decrease in $10,000 of

19:59 ↗ revenues.

20:01 ↗ Looking at that month by month, you can

20:03 ↗ see that 2025 started off above the 2024

20:06 ↗ levels for January and February, but

20:08 ↗ then throughout the year they were at or

20:10 ↗ below those levels. And you can notice

20:12 ↗ kind of a larger um gap between 2024 and

20:15 ↗ 2025 through fall and heading into

20:17 ↗ winter.

20:20 ↗ As I pull up our ELTC balance sheet

20:22 ↗ here, you can see that 21 2021 through

20:24 ↗ 2024 completely finalized. 2025 has an

20:27 ↗ asterisk there. Um the state releases

20:30 ↗ the ELTAC um dispersements on a two and

20:34 ↗ a half month delay. So the ELTAC

20:36 ↗ revenues for December aren't quite yet

20:38 ↗ in the system. So you can see here that

20:40 ↗ the revenues are at 288,000, but I just

20:42 ↗ showed you guys they're at 283,000. So

20:45 ↗ that gap is because December was

20:46 ↗ projected to be higher than what it

20:48 ↗ ended up coming in as. Otherwise, you

20:50 ↗ can see here in 2026, those budget

20:53 ↗ numbers were based on the estimates at

20:55 ↗ the beginning of this budget cycle. Our

20:57 ↗ beginning fund balance would be based on

20:59 ↗ the end fund balance at the end of 2025.

21:02 ↗ That also being decreased by $5,000 is

21:05 ↗ $316,000.

21:07 ↗ Then the 2026 projected revenue is at

21:10 ↗ $275,000.

21:12 ↗ We have some optimism that may be higher

21:14 ↗ due to increased hotel costs and ideally

21:16 ↗ some increased visitor numbers from this

21:18 ↗ summer's upcoming FIFA World Cup. We

21:21 ↗ also have some hesitancy around that

21:22 ↗ number because Motel 6 is closed, so

21:24 ↗ there's a few less hotel rooms on the

21:25 ↗ market. Um then going down to

21:27 ↗ professional services there you can see

21:29 ↗ that that's at 223. The actual figure

21:31 ↗ for that which is our visit isa contract

21:34 ↗ is at um $23950.

21:38 ↗ So just below $240,000.

21:40 ↗ That brings us to our grant total which

21:42 ↗ was budgeted at $51,500

21:45 ↗ but we had we are hoping that it can be

21:47 ↗ $55,000.

21:49 ↗ That figure um is a product of

21:51 ↗ professional services and grants

21:52 ↗ normally adding up to be pretty close to

21:55 ↗ the figure of the revenues the year

21:56 ↗ before to maintain that consistent

21:58 ↗ practice. Uh that's why we stayed at

22:00 ↗ that 55 number. And then as you can see

22:02 ↗ at the bottom, the ending fund balance

22:04 ↗ has always remained around that $300,000

22:06 ↗ level. We worked with finance today to

22:08 ↗ figure out that that's been pretty

22:09 ↗ consistent since COVID. And so for

22:12 ↗ consistency sake, we wanted to remain

22:13 ↗ around that number as well

22:16 ↗ going into our 2026 application cycle.

22:18 ↗ This was a big reason as to why we asked

22:20 ↗ to increase it from $51,000 to $55,000

22:24 ↗ because we got a lot of applications

22:25 ↗ this year. It was a very competitive

22:27 ↗ process. So you can see on the left

22:29 ↗ that's number of applications over the

22:30 ↗ last three years. We significantly

22:32 ↗ outpaced 2025 and 2024. Same with the

22:36 ↗ total financial ask. we were at $235,000

22:40 ↗ which last year in 2025 is at $110,000.

22:44 ↗ There is a bit of an asterisk there in

22:45 ↗ 2025. For 2025 the elac ruled that only

22:50 ↗ applications during shoulder season

22:51 ↗ which is the lull and tourist season

22:53 ↗ between October and April were eligible.

22:55 ↗ This year that was revised that projects

22:58 ↗ in shoulder season were eligible to get

23:01 ↗ bonus points so that good projects while

23:03 ↗ there aren't many tourists in Isiqua can

23:06 ↗ be funded. But we were allowing projects

23:08 ↗ during the summer and these other months

23:10 ↗ where a lot of great projects in ISQUA

23:12 ↗ take place to still be eligible for this

23:14 ↗ funding.

23:16 ↗ You can see here, this is the full list

23:17 ↗ of the 2026 and 2027 applicants. When I

23:21 ↗ say 26 and 27, I'm referring to the fact

23:23 ↗ that they're also eligible to apply if

23:25 ↗ you're in the first four months of 2027

23:28 ↗ as this process goes into March and

23:31 ↗ April. And on the left, you can see the

23:33 ↗ organization who applied. In the middle

23:35 ↗ is the project that they're applying

23:36 ↗ for. And then on the right is the

23:38 ↗ funding requested to decide who would

23:40 ↗ get funding. Uh Alexis and I sent over

23:43 ↗ all of the applications, the same ones

23:44 ↗ that are in your packets to the

23:46 ↗ commissioners on ELTAC. They then used a

23:49 ↗ scoring matrix that they were sent to

23:51 ↗ internally rank their top five based on

23:53 ↗ project impact, organizational

23:54 ↗ capability, commitment to DEI

23:56 ↗ principles, partnership and

23:58 ↗ collaboration, and then give bonus

24:00 ↗ points based on shoulder season aligning

24:02 ↗ with core missions, multi-day events,

24:04 ↗ and multi-organization

24:06 ↗ project applications.

24:08 ↗ During the meeting, the commissioners

24:10 ↗ came to a consensus of their top five

24:12 ↗ projects, which are listed here. You can

24:14 ↗ see on the right the funding that was

24:15 ↗ recommended for each project totaling

24:17 ↗ that $55,000 mark. You can see here that

24:20 ↗ aircraft put on by Clown Garage, which

24:22 ↗ will be a first of its kind paragliding

24:24 ↗ festival here in the United States, was

24:26 ↗ recommended $15,000. We then have the

24:29 ↗ Nutcracker Residency at the Longman

24:30 ↗ Performing Arts Center in its second

24:32 ↗ year to receive 10,000. The 2026 Isiqua

24:35 ↗ Film Festival, which moved from summer

24:37 ↗ to November to receive 10,000. Village

24:40 ↗ Theater Mainstage Productions to receive

24:42 ↗ 10,000. and then salmon days to receive

24:44 ↗ 10,000.

24:46 ↗ From there, the options for you all, um,

24:49 ↗ you could approve the recommended

24:50 ↗ funding or select different

24:52 ↗ organizations from the list or change

24:53 ↗ the funding amount for any of those

24:55 ↗ given organizations. Just as a heads up,

24:57 ↗ making a change to the recommendation

24:59 ↗ would require the following procedural

25:00 ↗ requirements. And submitting that change

25:02 ↗ proposal to ELTAC for review and comment

25:04 ↗ at least 45 days before final action by

25:06 ↗ the city council. Elac can then submit

25:08 ↗ comments on the proposal and city

25:10 ↗ council has the final authority on all

25:12 ↗ of these decisions. To wrap up here

25:14 ↗ before I take any questions, the staff

25:17 ↗ recommendation is to approve the

25:18 ↗ allocation of the $55,000 to fund

25:20 ↗ business and nonprofit tourism related

25:22 ↗ activities as recommended by Eltac and

25:25 ↗ authorize the inclusion of those extra

25:26 ↗ $3,500 in a subsequent 2026 budget

25:29 ↗ amendment.

25:32 ↗ >> Uh, Council Member Nichols,

25:36 ↗ >> thank you. Um question on the scoring

25:39 ↗ rubric uh that the individual commission

25:40 ↗ members made. Is that available in the

25:42 ↗ packet? I didn't see it but uh it's a

25:45 ↗ long packet so I might have missed it.

25:46 ↗ >> It it is not. So those were shared with

25:48 ↗ them just to use internally so that they

25:50 ↗ could score them. But then during the

25:51 ↗ meeting we just asked each uh

25:53 ↗ commissioner to tell us their top five

25:55 ↗ with the score not attached. So that we

25:56 ↗ went around the room and everyone said

25:58 ↗ their top five and then from there the

26:00 ↗ five that had the most tallies we

26:02 ↗ proceeded with. In years past, the

26:04 ↗ process was that you'd go through the

26:06 ↗ top five, rank them, decide your funding

26:08 ↗ amount, and if there was any money left

26:09 ↗ over, you continued to go down the list.

26:12 ↗ Last year, because there was 90,000,

26:13 ↗ they went down the list to seven

26:14 ↗ projects. But this year, we stopped at

26:16 ↗ five because that allocated the total

26:18 ↗ amount of funding.

26:20 ↗ >> Okay.

26:20 ↗ >> Before we go to other questions, council

26:22 ↗ member Joe, you chair this committee. Do

26:23 ↗ you have any comments for the council

26:24 ↗ before we go to the rest of questions?

26:25 ↗ >> Yeah, thank you, Mr. Mayor. I appreciate

26:27 ↗ that. Um, first I'd like to thank Alexis

26:30 ↗ and Jack for the hard work that they've

26:32 ↗ done on this committee. Um, many council

26:36 ↗ members have never seen this agenda bill

26:38 ↗ because in the past it was on the

26:39 ↗ consent agenda. This year it is being

26:42 ↗ brought up um because we are asking for

26:45 ↗ a little bit more in terms of $3,500 in

26:48 ↗ additional funding. And um

26:52 ↗ I'd like Jack just to touch upon the the

26:56 ↗ um efforts that were made to reach out

26:59 ↗ to the finance department to talk about

27:01 ↗ that additional $3,500 going up to

27:04 ↗ $55,000

27:05 ↗ and their assessment of uh how we could

27:09 ↗ uh fit that in or how we could finance

27:11 ↗ that this year.

27:12 ↗ >> Yeah, I will. First off, I'm just going

27:14 ↗ to bring this page back up. I think

27:16 ↗ that's most the most useful backdrop. So

27:18 ↗ we just wanted to talk with finance to

27:19 ↗ make sure that any additional funding

27:21 ↗ especially after last year there was a

27:22 ↗ lot of additional funding um maintained

27:25 ↗ a healthy and fund balance in reserve

27:27 ↗ and also was in line with former

27:30 ↗ practices as this was our first go at

27:32 ↗ elac. So finding out that with our 2025

27:35 ↗ revenues being 283,000

27:37 ↗ it wouldn't make a major change in terms

27:39 ↗ of the consistency and consistent

27:41 ↗ practices that have been going on we

27:43 ↗ that was something we were comfortable

27:44 ↗ with staying at.

27:46 ↗ >> Thank you Jack. appreciate that. Um, as

27:49 ↗ Jack highlighted, there were $235,000 in

27:52 ↗ requests that came to us. Um, the

27:54 ↗ committee did a uh fairly uh detailed

27:58 ↗ and long process to get the projects

28:00 ↗ down to 50 and then $55,000 total um for

28:05 ↗ this. And um I I really want to just

28:09 ↗ thank the committee members that are

28:11 ↗ there. um they give their time and they

28:14 ↗ really do their homework to come to the

28:15 ↗ meetings prepared and the conversations

28:18 ↗ that we have uh are quite detailed and I

28:21 ↗ think that uh the recommendations that

28:22 ↗ they're bringing forward were well

28:24 ↗ thought out and I'm certainly happy to

28:26 ↗ answer any questions or Jack can answer

28:28 ↗ questions if uh anyone has those. But

28:31 ↗ the one that's different from years past

28:33 ↗ is the the festival that will be uh

28:36 ↗ coming to bring in um paragliding in as

28:40 ↗ a festival for us. It's the first one in

28:42 ↗ the United States. They do hold one in

28:44 ↗ France, but because of our geography,

28:46 ↗ our special geography with the mountains

28:48 ↗ and the wind. There's no other place in

28:50 ↗ essence in the United States that can

28:52 ↗ put on this type of festival. Um it's

28:55 ↗ going to be uh of course they'll be

28:57 ↗ launching from Poo Poo Point. There'll

28:59 ↗ be landing spots both at the high school

29:02 ↗ uh potentially at um the community

29:06 ↗ center potentially and then uh

29:09 ↗ paragliders could also go all the way

29:11 ↗ into the state park and land there

29:13 ↗ during the festival. Um we think it's

29:16 ↗ going to be an exciting event and are

29:17 ↗ are uh ex are um looking forward to

29:21 ↗ seeing that this summer as part of the

29:23 ↗ um ELTAC package. The last thing I'll

29:26 ↗ talk about is the the way that we

29:28 ↗ stacked these projects. So you see that

29:30 ↗ Salmon Days is in October and then you

29:33 ↗ see that the film festival is in

29:35 ↗ November and then in December we have

29:38 ↗ the the Nutcracker coming. So each month

29:41 ↗ toward the end of the year during that

29:43 ↗ holiday season, we have a different

29:44 ↗ event that Eltac is sponsoring in an

29:47 ↗ effort to bring in um outside visitors

29:49 ↗ and overnight stays to the city of

29:51 ↗ Isiqua during that season that is not as

29:54 ↗ um well utilized as other seasons of the

29:57 ↗ year. So um we'll take any questions or

29:59 ↗ hopefully Jack will answer the questions

30:01 ↗ uh if anyone has them. Thank you.

30:04 ↗ >> Okay, we're going to go down the line

30:06 ↗ this way. I may be out of order, but

30:08 ↗ Council President Marts,

30:10 ↗ >> um, so, um, what sticks out to me in one

30:14 ↗ of the other slides that you had is that

30:16 ↗ we're carrying a an entire year's ending

30:18 ↗ fund balance. So, can somebody explain

30:20 ↗ to me, um, you know, as a council, we

30:23 ↗ carry a 15-ish% and I know there are

30:26 ↗ various arguments for carrying uh, other

30:28 ↗ ending fund balances. Why why why do we

30:30 ↗ want to carry an entire year's ending

30:32 ↗ balance?

30:33 ↗ >> Yeah, thank you, Council President.

30:34 ↗ That's a great question. That's been a

30:35 ↗ pretty consistent practice since COVID.

30:37 ↗ We were looking back through the numbers

30:39 ↗ to fully understand exactly why that

30:40 ↗ figure. There's no specific policy that

30:42 ↗ says it needs to be one year's worth of

30:44 ↗ um revenues, but that's just been the

30:47 ↗ practice. Uh I think there was some

30:49 ↗ concerns, especially 2020 and 2021 with

30:52 ↗ such low revenues of keeping those on

30:54 ↗ hand. And in 2021, in fact, there were

30:56 ↗ no grants dispersed because of all the

30:59 ↗ revenues needing to go to professional

31:00 ↗ services. So, I believe that was some of

31:02 ↗ the background, but we're certainly

31:04 ↗ happy to follow any guidance on what

31:06 ↗ that should be going forward or now. And

31:08 ↗ uh yeah,

31:10 ↗ >> and I see our city administrator is

31:12 ↗ ready to comment.

31:14 ↗ >> Yes. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, members of

31:15 ↗ the council. U this fund balance was

31:17 ↗ almost twice that uh just a few years

31:19 ↗ before the pandemic and so uh I think it

31:22 ↗ was Mayor Paulie's feeling at the time

31:24 ↗ that that was too much. Uh but again, as

31:26 ↗ I think Jack's just described, we then

31:28 ↗ had the unthinkable and that was almost

31:30 ↗ no revenue in the course of one year. So

31:32 ↗ um we hope that never happens again. Uh

31:35 ↗ but that is the explanation for the one

31:37 ↗ year.

31:40 ↗ >> Can I have a followup? Um you know, this

31:45 ↗ is good work and I'm not suggesting

31:47 ↗ changing this work, but I think we

31:49 ↗ should probably have conversations about

31:51 ↗ ending fund balances. Um I certainly

31:54 ↗ think that this the the revenue is

31:56 ↗ nowhere near strong enough to keep like

31:58 ↗ a 15 to 20% ending fund balance but you

32:01 ↗ know if we had had a 50% ending fund

32:03 ↗ balance 2021 would have been essentially

32:05 ↗ okay right it would have been I mean we

32:08 ↗ would have depleted um funds but it

32:10 ↗ would have done its job so um I I would

32:13 ↗ like us to put you know to to file um uh

32:17 ↗ on the wall for future conversation um

32:19 ↗ when we where we have opportunities to

32:21 ↗ have an ending fund balance that's a

32:23 ↗ little bit tighter because I I think

32:25 ↗ that there's been a um position from a

32:27 ↗ number of us for a long time that um we

32:30 ↗ should carry a robust and cautious

32:33 ↗ ending fund balance but not an excessive

32:36 ↗ Thank you.

32:37 ↗ >> Could I respond to that? Um the $50,000

32:40 ↗ that was allocated to ELAC was put in

32:43 ↗ the budget by the council. So when we

32:46 ↗ review the budget this year, we can put

32:48 ↗ a higher amount in there if we want to

32:50 ↗ to lower that ending fund balance. I

32:52 ↗ look forward to that discussion during

32:53 ↗ the budget uh process. Thank you,

32:57 ↗ >> Deputy President Jane.

32:58 ↗ >> Okay, I have a few questions, so bear

33:00 ↗ with me here. Um, so do any of the

33:02 ↗ members of the lodging tax advisory

33:04 ↗ committee have any kind of affiliation

33:05 ↗ or business relationship with any of the

33:07 ↗ applicants to the lodging tax funds?

33:12 ↗ >> Jack, can I answer that? The um state

33:15 ↗ law allows for the applicants that

33:18 ↗ receive the money can also be on the

33:20 ↗ committee. It's a special law. So the

33:23 ↗ chamber can receive money and have a

33:25 ↗ chamber representative on there and so

33:27 ↗ can Salmon Days and so can visit

33:30 ↗ Isaakiqua or not visit Isiqua but DIA

33:33 ↗ and other organizations. It's a special

33:36 ↗ RCW.

33:37 ↗ >> Okay. Thank you. Um yeah, I guess I'm

33:40 ↗ just asking that because I've heard I

33:43 ↗ mean basically three organizations that

33:44 ↗ applied and did not get the money

33:46 ↗ reached out to me and asked you know

33:47 ↗ what happened and so you know upon

33:49 ↗ looking at the different applications

33:51 ↗ like I don't I just on their merits I

33:54 ↗ think the ones that did win probably

33:55 ↗ were the ones that had the best benefit

33:57 ↗ towards tourism but it is notable that

34:00 ↗ of the pe of the organizations that won

34:02 ↗ awards you know the chamber of commerce

34:04 ↗ organizes salmon days the CEO of the

34:06 ↗ chamber is on the lodging tax advisory

34:07 ↗ committee and Their request was funded.

34:09 ↗ Village theaters director of operations

34:11 ↗ is on the lodging tax advisor committee.

34:12 ↗ Their request got funded um at the Isqua

34:14 ↗ film festivals organized by Isiqua Arts.

34:16 ↗ The CEO of Isiqua Arts is an alternate

34:18 ↗ on the committee. Nutcracker is a

34:19 ↗ partnership with Isiqua Dance Theater

34:21 ↗ Ensemble and Isiqua Arts. Um, and

34:23 ↗ aircraft. I think that one uh I don't

34:27 ↗ think they necessarily have someone

34:28 ↗ who's on the committee, but like when

34:30 ↗ four out of five of the applications

34:33 ↗ that have someone who's on the committee

34:35 ↗ get funded and then like 10 other ones

34:37 ↗ don't, I do think, you know, other folks

34:41 ↗ in the community have questions and I

34:43 ↗ think it would probably be helpful, you

34:45 ↗ know, in the interest of transparency to

34:46 ↗ publish some of the actual scoring so

34:48 ↗ that there's more insight into, you

34:50 ↗ know, how these things were determined.

34:52 ↗ Um because there's definitely been a lot

34:54 ↗ of, you know, questions about that. Um

34:58 ↗ >> yeah, I mean this year was certainly a

35:00 ↗ little bit different in how competitive

35:01 ↗ it was. Last year being able to grant

35:03 ↗ 90,000 of the $110,000,

35:06 ↗ it was great that so many of the

35:07 ↗ organizations were able to receive

35:09 ↗ funding. This year it was just at about

35:11 ↗ 23 and a half%. So it's a bit of a

35:13 ↗ bummer to have to tell so many

35:14 ↗ organizations who have these great

35:15 ↗ projects that we weren't able to fund it

35:17 ↗ this year. Um, but for every single

35:20 ↗ project, it was only able to be

35:22 ↗ discussed or we only were proceeding

35:23 ↗ with it and seeing if it was viable if

35:26 ↗ they had enough votes within people's

35:28 ↗ top fives that it was moving on. So even

35:31 ↗ if everyone voted for their own, it

35:33 ↗ still had to have three or four other

35:35 ↗ people who believed that they were one

35:36 ↗ of the top five projects based on their

35:38 ↗ ability to bring tourists to Isiqua and

35:40 ↗ their ability to get people in hotels

35:42 ↗ overnight. But I certainly hear that.

35:44 ↗ >> And council member Joe, do you have any

35:45 ↗ comments having done this process on

35:47 ↗ that?

35:49 ↗ Yeah, the only comment I would have is

35:51 ↗ to point out that while Village Theater,

35:54 ↗ Salmon Days, the Nutcracker, and the

35:57 ↗ film festival all requested $15,000,

36:00 ↗ they only got 10. We took $5,000 off of

36:03 ↗ each one of those. They weren't fully

36:05 ↗ funded. And that was part of the robust

36:06 ↗ debate that we had in terms of trying to

36:09 ↗ find a way to fund as many different

36:11 ↗ projects as we could in a meaningful

36:14 ↗ way. It doesn't do uh an organization

36:17 ↗ any good, for example, to get just

36:19 ↗ $1,000 and spread the peanut butter too

36:22 ↗ thin. That doesn't enable them to get

36:24 ↗ their project off the ground. So, we

36:26 ↗ reduced each one of those by $5,000

36:29 ↗ during our conversation um as part of

36:31 ↗ the debate. um but still wanted to make

36:33 ↗ sure that there was an impact from those

36:35 ↗ dollars to those organizations so that

36:37 ↗ they could bring outside visits to

36:39 ↗ Isiqua and have people stay overnight

36:42 ↗ because they're traveling from more than

36:43 ↗ 50 miles outside of the area. So, um

36:46 ↗ that was the reason for that um

36:49 ↗ dispersement uh for those particular

36:51 ↗ funds uh projects. Thank you.

36:55 ↗ >> Great. Um thank you. I guess in the

36:57 ↗ interest of you know h potentially

37:00 ↗ dispersing more funds um I'm noticing

37:02 ↗ the professional services line is a very

37:05 ↗ sub substantial portion of the total

37:07 ↗ revenues that we're bringing in my

37:09 ↗ understanding is that's primarily

37:10 ↗ visiqua and the amount has grown by over

37:12 ↗ 60% between 2021 and 2025. Um so could

37:15 ↗ you speak a bit more to how that

37:18 ↗ contract size is determined and you know

37:20 ↗ what goes into that?

37:22 ↗ >> Yeah, so that contract was determined in

37:23 ↗ the last budget cycle. So, that was on a

37:25 ↗ two-year um contract and they cover both

37:29 ↗ that that is inclusive of all of their

37:31 ↗ costs. So, that is broken down into the

37:32 ↗ salary and benefits as well as their

37:35 ↗ marketing, outreach, and then

37:36 ↗ operational costs. So, those are kind of

37:38 ↗ the three buckets that that money is

37:39 ↗ going into for them. And uh that's

37:41 ↗ that's why they've been receiving that,

37:42 ↗ but that was in the budgeted for them.

37:46 ↗ Is there any kind of like evaluation of

37:49 ↗ their performance with I mean given that

37:52 ↗ that's like 80% of our ELTAC funds?

37:56 ↗ >> Yeah, we have them they they owe the

37:58 ↗ ELTAC committee as a whole a quarterly

38:00 ↗ update on their operations, what they're

38:03 ↗ doing, their metrics, and how their

38:05 ↗ performance has been. So, we we do get

38:06 ↗ to hear from them for four out of our

38:08 ↗ five meetings a year on um any of their

38:11 ↗ new happenings and their performances.

38:13 ↗ >> Um okay. Okay. And I don't know, Jack,

38:15 ↗ if you necessarily have the answer to

38:16 ↗ this, but um I'm curious uh would you be

38:19 ↗ able to explain why is Kawaii uses a

38:21 ↗ destination marketing organization

38:22 ↗ rather than doing some of that work

38:24 ↗ inhouse? Because my understanding is the

38:26 ↗ RCW allows us to, you know, it says

38:29 ↗ lodging tax revenues may be used

38:31 ↗ directly by municipality or indirectly

38:32 ↗ through destination marketing

38:34 ↗ organization.

38:37 ↗ >> Uh Mr. Mayor, members of the council,

38:38 ↗ council member, deputy council president

38:40 ↗ Jang. Um, there's a little bit of his

38:43 ↗ Oh, I'm Can you not hear me? Okay. Okay.

38:49 ↗ >> I was on Okay, I'll speak up. Um, uh,

38:54 ↗ there's history here. Um, the, uh, the

38:57 ↗ city and Elac entered into a, uh, a

39:00 ↗ study, um, a few years before my

39:02 ↗ arrival. So I would say that was

39:04 ↗ probably 2015 2016ish time frame. Uh

39:08 ↗ community involvement involvement with

39:09 ↗ the various uh organizations that uh uh

39:13 ↗ raise the tax the the hotels. Um and the

39:17 ↗ recommendation came to the council that

39:19 ↗ uh a lodging uh group would make sense.

39:23 ↗ Uh there was then a study funded uh and

39:26 ↗ recommendation was made to create what

39:28 ↗ is now known as visitisqua. It started

39:31 ↗ in

39:32 ↗ 2018

39:34 ↗ I think um and has been in place ever

39:37 ↗ since. Um during the pandemic there was

39:40 ↗ a kind of rethinking of what Visiqua V

39:43 ↗ isqua would be doing. Um and then since

39:45 ↗ then that has grown as you can see by uh

39:48 ↗ the dollar amount. So the contract is

39:50 ↗ reviewed by the city council um uh every

39:54 ↗ two years when it comes up. uh the

39:55 ↗ council has the ability to approve or

39:57 ↗ disapprove or ask for additional

39:59 ↗ information. Um so that's just some of

40:02 ↗ the background. Uh and direct answer to

40:04 ↗ your question there is nothing uh

40:07 ↗ special about having such an

40:08 ↗ organization. Uh many communities do,

40:10 ↗ many communities don't and uh and those

40:13 ↗ that don't have it uh these funds could

40:14 ↗ be used by city staff or another

40:16 ↗ organization. Chambers of commerce for

40:18 ↗ example are often contracted uh to do

40:20 ↗ this kind of work instead of having a

40:22 ↗ separate destination marketing

40:23 ↗ organization. And so those are all

40:25 ↗ issues that uh the council could discuss

40:27 ↗ in the future that Eltac itself I know

40:29 ↗ has discussed in the past could discuss

40:31 ↗ again in the future but there are

40:34 ↗ multiple ways to do this.

40:35 ↗ >> Great. Thank you.

40:36 ↗ >> And council member Adair.

40:38 ↗ >> Um I there uh one just real quickly I

40:42 ↗ did also want also highlight that

40:45 ↗ aircraft festival that I actually been

40:46 ↗ hearing about it months ago and I'm

40:49 ↗ excited to see it coming around and I'm

40:50 ↗ very excited for it. Um, but my question

40:53 ↗ is actually a financial one actually on

40:55 ↗ this page that I'm curious about that

40:56 ↗ hasn't quite been addressed is that I

40:58 ↗ don't understand the ending balance of

41:00 ↗ 2025 being 321, but the beginning of 26

41:03 ↗ being 282. You mentioned a $5,000

41:05 ↗ difference, but where's the other

41:07 ↗ 30,000?

41:09 ↗ >> Yeah. So, on that one, the 2026 budget

41:11 ↗ was based on the estimates at the very

41:13 ↗ beginning of the budget cycle. Um, so

41:15 ↗ the 5,000 was actually the difference

41:17 ↗ between the ending fund balance listed

41:19 ↗ on here and the actual ending fund

41:20 ↗ balance as those December projections

41:22 ↗ were a little higher than what we ended

41:23 ↗ up taking in. So the 2026 beginning fund

41:26 ↗ balance is that $321,000

41:29 ↗ or $316,000,

41:31 ↗ but that was just listed as the

41:32 ↗ estimates that were initially in the

41:34 ↗ budget cycle. So that's why that 2026

41:36 ↗ budget number was like that when it was

41:38 ↗ pulled from UNUNICE. It was just what

41:40 ↗ was projected to be there. So the ending

41:42 ↗ fund balance or I suppose the beginning

41:44 ↗ fund balance in 2026 is actually higher

41:46 ↗ than it was projected to be by quite a

41:48 ↗ bit.

41:48 ↗ >> So there's going to be essentially

41:49 ↗ another 30,000 available for 2026 that

41:53 ↗ is just not been budgeted into this yet.

41:57 ↗ >> Okay. That could potentially go to some

41:58 ↗ >> potentially we still are collecting

42:00 ↗ revenue so depending on what happens

42:02 ↗ >> being locked down with revenue.

42:03 ↗ >> Okay. All right. So but that basically

42:05 ↗ when you get to the actuals that number

42:06 ↗ will be increased and then we'll these

42:08 ↗ things will actually match.

42:10 ↗ That's a reasonable assumption but again

42:12 ↗ we still have what nine months left in

42:13 ↗ the the year

42:18 ↗ council presidents.

42:20 ↗ >> So I just want to be clear that I'm

42:22 ↗ understanding right this is a bianual

42:25 ↗ process and it's coming up this year

42:27 ↗ right

42:29 ↗ >> the visit is to contract.

42:30 ↗ >> Yes.

42:31 ↗ >> Yes. That's my understanding. So, this

42:32 ↗ will be part of our budget deliberations

42:35 ↗ this year or separate from our budget

42:36 ↗ deliberations or

42:38 ↗ >> uh it's usually separate at least the

42:40 ↗ last few cycles. I'm looking and no

42:42 ↗ one's here who's been here before. Uh it

42:45 ↗ it it it has been separate but

42:48 ↗ cerminous. So, um I'll look at the city

42:51 ↗ clerk's been here. Um it's been usually

42:54 ↗ uh in the fall around the budget sign.

42:57 ↗ It seems to me like these contracts have

42:59 ↗ maybe been either on the the date the

43:01 ↗ council's adopted the budget or near

43:03 ↗ that. Is that you're off the top of the

43:05 ↗ head recollection or not?

43:11 ↗ >> Okay. Well, we'll go we'll go back and

43:13 ↗ look and see what the approval uh

43:15 ↗ history has been.

43:16 ↗ >> Okay.

43:17 ↗ >> But it it'll be something you know in

43:19 ↗ the ballpark of when we're doing our

43:21 ↗ correct annual budget process this fall

43:24 ↗ if not part of it adjacent to it.

43:26 ↗ >> That's correct.

43:26 ↗ >> Okay. Thank you.

43:28 ↗ Council member Nichols,

43:30 ↗ >> if it's under the approval threshold,

43:32 ↗ will it still be in that discussion?

43:40 ↗ >> The clerk had the answer. I'll let her

43:41 ↗ say it out loud rather than me rather

43:43 ↗ than me parro it.

43:44 ↗ >> I sort of bespoke there. The ELTAC

43:45 ↗ funding recommendation does require

43:47 ↗ council approval. So even if the

43:49 ↗ contract is under the threshold, you'd

43:50 ↗ still be allocating the money. And it's

43:53 ↗ happened both independently of the

43:54 ↗ budget process but sort of in tandem and

43:57 ↗ also embedded in the budget process the

43:59 ↗ last bianium

44:00 ↗ >> everything.

44:07 ↗ >> Council member Joe if I can make a

44:09 ↗ motion. I'd move to approve the

44:11 ↗ allocation of 55,000 to fund business

44:13 ↗ and nonprofit tourism related activities

44:16 ↗ as recommended by the lodging tax

44:18 ↗ advisory committee and authorize the

44:20 ↗ inclusion of $3,500 in a subsequent $226

44:24 ↗ budget amendment utilizing lodging tax

44:27 ↗ funds.

44:28 ↗ Second.

44:31 ↗ >> Okay, there's been a motion and a

44:33 ↗ second. Is there any further discussion?

44:37 ↗ Council member Joe,

44:39 ↗ >> thank you. Uh just a couple of pieces of

44:41 ↗ information for the council. We approved

44:43 ↗ uh an alternate process uh an alternate

44:46 ↗ for both the hotel years and the

44:49 ↗ community organizations. We haven't

44:51 ↗ found a third hotel year but the person

44:53 ↗ that does the funding allocations um

44:57 ↗ Rachel has been a great addition to our

44:59 ↗ debates and discussions having another

45:02 ↗ point of view in our discussions and

45:04 ↗ talking about the allocations and the

45:06 ↗ different distributions of funds. Um, so

45:09 ↗ I want to thank the council first for

45:11 ↗ um, making that change to the rules and

45:13 ↗ procedures for Eltac. Uh, I think it was

45:16 ↗ a year a year and a half ago. Um,

45:18 ↗ secondly, uh, I would just again thank

45:21 ↗ Jack and Alexis for the hard work. I

45:24 ↗ love this committee because we're able

45:25 ↗ to think about

45:28 ↗ how we attract people to Isiqua from

45:30 ↗ beyond our borders. What kinds of of

45:33 ↗ programs or events can we put on that

45:36 ↗ will have a flare and an attraction to

45:40 ↗ people 50 miles away or people that want

45:42 ↗ to stay overnight in our towns? Um it

45:45 ↗ makes uh our committee and all the

45:48 ↗ members think what are we doing uh as a

45:51 ↗ city to make sure that we are being uh

45:54 ↗ robust in our efforts to connect with

45:56 ↗ people on the outside and be attractive

45:59 ↗ uh as a destination city for all the

46:02 ↗ different activities that we do. So, um,

46:04 ↗ I thank council leadership for

46:07 ↗ appointing me to that committee and I do

46:09 ↗ enjoy the work quite a bit and I'd hope

46:11 ↗ that, uh, this recommendation gets

46:13 ↗ approved this evening. Thank you,

46:15 ↗ >> Member Walsh.

46:17 ↗ >> Thank you. Um, really appreciate these

46:20 ↗ recommendations and the work of the

46:22 ↗ committee. I'd like to take a moment to

46:25 ↗ really think about this funding from an

46:29 ↗ abundance mindset because this is one of

46:32 ↗ the areas um if we think about our city

46:35 ↗ funding, if one portion of our funding

46:38 ↗ comes from sales tax revenues, then by

46:41 ↗ putting money out in this area and

46:46 ↗ generating

46:48 ↗ revenue for the business or the event or

46:50 ↗ whatever that is, we are also generating

46:52 ↗ revenue for ourselves and so it's a

46:56 ↗ virtuous cycle in that way. It also

46:58 ↗ gives experiences to our residents. Um

47:02 ↗ so I would really like us as we or I

47:06 ↗ would like the Eltech committee as we

47:07 ↗ are thinking about this really to put an

47:11 ↗ extra focus on what is new or what

47:16 ↗ wouldn't happen here without this

47:19 ↗ funding. And I think the aircraft

47:21 ↗ festival is a really good example of

47:24 ↗ that. Um, so I would put more in the

47:28 ↗ scoring model related to multi-day

47:31 ↗ experiences and events which could

47:33 ↗ relocate to other cities.

47:36 ↗ Um, I think those are really important

47:38 ↗ because they act as net new revenue for

47:43 ↗ the city, for the um, tourism related

47:49 ↗ businesses and for Eltech itself because

47:53 ↗ those types of

47:55 ↗ events are things that aren't

47:58 ↗ necessarily going to happen. Whereas, as

48:00 ↗ much as I fully and thoroughly love

48:04 ↗ Salmon Days and Village Theater

48:06 ↗ mainstage productions, those are things

48:09 ↗ that are very much isiqua centric.

48:14 ↗ They're not going to go someplace else.

48:17 ↗ And so I think thinking about the way

48:20 ↗ that we put this funding out into things

48:23 ↗ that create net new revenue and net new

48:27 ↗ visitors for the community is a really

48:30 ↗ important element of understanding that

48:33 ↗ these funds

48:35 ↗ um have the ability to generate revenue

48:38 ↗ um in many ways. So that would be my

48:40 ↗ thought process.

48:44 ↗ >> Okay. saying, "Oh, Council President

48:46 ↗ Marks.

48:48 ↗ >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, I'm going to

48:50 ↗ be supporting this um this evening, and

48:52 ↗ I appreciate the work uh of ELTAC. Um I

48:56 ↗ share the the deputy council president's

48:59 ↗ um comment about you know in a process

49:02 ↗ where only five of 22 um you know get

49:05 ↗ accepted um I think more transparency is

49:08 ↗ is a good idea just because you know it

49:11 ↗ always sucks to you know put some put

49:13 ↗ hard work into applying to the city and

49:15 ↗ and not getting it. So I I think in the

49:17 ↗ future seeing that a little bit more

49:18 ↗ would be great. I also think in the

49:20 ↗ future this seems like a classic case of

49:22 ↗ the foursquare impact versus investment

49:26 ↗ right where on the one side you have

49:28 ↗ what's the impact of the investment and

49:30 ↗ the other side what's the magnitude of

49:31 ↗ the investment right and you do the high

49:34 ↗ impact low cost and then you do the uh

49:38 ↗ uh high um then you think about the high

49:40 ↗ impact high cost and then you think

49:42 ↗ about the other two if you have room for

49:44 ↗ it but I mean I shared like salmon days

49:46 ↗ you know this is a rounding error for

49:48 ↗ salmon days

49:49 ↗ versus it's going to make this uh

49:51 ↗ aircraft festival. So, uh I'm not

49:54 ↗ suggesting going back and changing what

49:56 ↗ we've done for for this year, but for

49:57 ↗ upcoming I I think your rubric um

50:01 ↗ council member Walsh is is uh is well

50:03 ↗ poised. Thank you.

50:07 ↗ >> Oh, C Deputy President Jane.

50:10 ↗ >> Yeah, definitely want to echo those

50:11 ↗ comments in terms of making sure that,

50:12 ↗ you know, the money that we're putting

50:13 ↗ in is really like moving the needle on

50:15 ↗ some of these projects. I think also,

50:17 ↗ you know, towards that end, I think

50:20 ↗ re-evaluating just the breakdown of

50:22 ↗ ELTAC funding. You know, should it

50:24 ↗ really be that only 20% of it is going

50:26 ↗ to these types of events and 80% of it

50:28 ↗ is going towards a destination marketing

50:30 ↗ organization? I don't know that that's

50:31 ↗ the best breakdown and I look forward to

50:33 ↗ having that discussion later this year.

50:36 ↗ And I will be supporting this tonight.

50:38 ↗ Um, and thanks for the committee for all

50:39 ↗ their work on this. Council member

50:42 ↗ Nichols,

50:43 ↗ I

50:43 ↗ >> think echoing the general sentiment of

50:45 ↗ um it would be interesting to see in

50:48 ↗ future years um some additional

50:51 ↗ information both from a transparency

50:53 ↗ perspective just what what was the

50:54 ↗ thinking behind some of these. I think I

50:56 ↗ I I trust the the good intentions of

50:58 ↗ everyone, but it would be really nice to

50:59 ↗ know some of the the the details behind

51:02 ↗ that and what the motivations are as I

51:03 ↗ also think that could help guide us and

51:05 ↗ help us understand better uh what's

51:06 ↗ important to this community. Um, another

51:09 ↗ framing on a point that was already

51:11 ↗ brought up is just looking at these as

51:13 ↗ far as things that um, from a marginal

51:15 ↗ um, improve investment perspective. What

51:18 ↗ are the things that are probably going

51:20 ↗ to happen anyway um, versus the things

51:22 ↗ that as was pointed out might not happen

51:24 ↗ at all if they're not funded. Um, I

51:26 ↗ don't think anyone is going to sit on

51:27 ↗ this DAS and say anything against salmon

51:29 ↗ days. Um, but it's it's again it's an

51:32 ↗ event where um, we have very limited

51:35 ↗ grant funding. um it's a large enough

51:38 ↗ event that it I would expect it should

51:39 ↗ be able to pay for itself in most

51:41 ↗ respects um versus some of these smaller

51:44 ↗ ones that uh well if they don't get some

51:46 ↗ grants they're not going to exist at

51:47 ↗ all. Uh so it would be something that

51:49 ↗ would be interesting to look at in the

51:51 ↗ future. Though I will also be supporting

51:52 ↗ this this motion,

51:55 ↗ >> right? I will say 18 years ago I get to

51:58 ↗ get certified as a paraglider. So I

52:00 ↗ promised to bring my glider out of the

52:02 ↗ garage and there will be a mayor glider

52:04 ↗ landing at some point between August

52:06 ↗ 13th and 16th. And

52:10 ↗ and I I think we hear you loud and

52:13 ↗ clear. I think in and my commitment to

52:14 ↗ the council is we will have a discussion

52:16 ↗ on these topics not lumped into the

52:18 ↗ whole overall entire budget process but

52:21 ↗ we will make sure there is time so we

52:23 ↗ can have these conversations and I think

52:26 ↗ to council member Walsh's point I think

52:28 ↗ one thing as an option going forward is

52:31 ↗ definitely we can increase the grant

52:34 ↗ amounts not if if we feel like the

52:36 ↗ ending fund balance isn't right I think

52:38 ↗ it's not like you have to correct it all

52:39 ↗ in one year I think it can give you time

52:41 ↗ so you could support some of the ongoing

52:43 ↗ ing programs people love like salmon

52:45 ↗ days and village cedar but also expand

52:47 ↗ some additional opportunities for other

52:49 ↗ people who haven't traditionally been

52:50 ↗ able to get grant awards because of the

52:52 ↗ finite funding. So it could I think

52:53 ↗ there is good opportunities as we have

52:55 ↗ this discussion going forward with that.

52:57 ↗ If there's no further discussion, the

52:59 ↗ motion before the council is to approve

53:01 ↗ allocation of $55,000 to fund business

53:03 ↗ and nonprofit tourism related activities

53:05 ↗ as recommended by the lodging tax

53:07 ↗ advisory committee and authorize the

53:08 ↗ inclusion of $3,500 in a subsequent 2026

53:11 ↗ budget amendment utilizing lodging tax

53:14 ↗ funds. All those in favor, please say I.

53:16 ↗ >> I.

53:18 ↗ >> All those opposed, nay.

53:20 ↗ And that passes unanimously. The next

53:24 ↗ item of business is new business ID

53:27 ↗ 1993. This is a new business request. So

53:31 ↗ this is public reporting on immigration

53:32 ↗ enforcement activity. I'm going to read

53:35 ↗ kind of a brief background of how the

53:36 ↗ new business request process from the

53:38 ↗ council works and it's outlined in the

53:41 ↗ city council rules. Council member

53:42 ↗ Nichols submitted a new business request

53:44 ↗ for tonight's meeting. Now is his

53:46 ↗ opportunity to introduce the item.

53:47 ↗ Following the introduction, the city

53:49 ↗ council will decide whether they'd like

53:50 ↗ to move this item forward to allow the

53:52 ↗ administration to provide input on the

53:53 ↗ proposal. This is done by a motion and a

53:56 ↗ vote. If this item receives support from

53:58 ↗ majority of the city council, then it

53:59 ↗ will be scheduled for a future council

54:00 ↗ meeting where the administration will

54:02 ↗ share their recommendations. The council

54:04 ↗ will then be asked whether a majority

54:05 ↗ supports adding the item to the city

54:07 ↗ work plan and scheduling it for a future

54:08 ↗ committee or council meeting for review

54:11 ↗ or action. I think at this point in

54:12 ↗ time, our best guess is that future

54:14 ↗ meeting would not be the next meeting on

54:16 ↗ March 30th, but rather the meeting after

54:19 ↗ that, which would be on Monday, April

54:21 ↗ 20th. And I now invite Council Member

54:23 ↗ Nichols to introduce this item.

54:25 ↗ >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, so I am

54:28 ↗ bringing forward a new business item

54:30 ↗ tonight regarding public reporting on

54:32 ↗ federal immigration enforcement activity

54:33 ↗ in Isqua. Um, first just a a brief bit

54:37 ↗ of background over um on March 2nd uh

54:39 ↗ the administration sent us uh a very

54:41 ↗ goodformational memo that clarified

54:43 ↗ steps our police department would take

54:45 ↗ uh when federal im enforcement activity

54:47 ↗ occurs in the city and u I I really

54:49 ↗ appreciate that memo. Uh I believe our

54:51 ↗ staff and our officers are making good

54:53 ↗ faith efforts here and from what I've

54:55 ↗ heard they have been really helpful in

54:56 ↗ getting information to many people and

54:58 ↗ connecting residents with services.

55:01 ↗ That memo uh just for those in the

55:03 ↗ public that might not have read it uh

55:05 ↗ outline specific commitments that

55:07 ↗ already exist within policy uh in

55:10 ↗ summary, our officers would make

55:11 ↗ reasonable efforts to verify arresting

55:13 ↗ agents are federal agents with valid

55:14 ↗ warrants. They would attempt to confirm

55:17 ↗ whether someone has been taken into

55:18 ↗ federal custody. They would secure a

55:21 ↗ residence left open after enforcement

55:22 ↗ activity. They would coordinate care for

55:25 ↗ unattended children through CPS or

55:27 ↗ Family Connections. uh and they would

55:29 ↗ respond to 911 and non-emergency calls

55:32 ↗ from residents reporting in enforcement

55:34 ↗ in their neighborhood. Now the the

55:37 ↗ difficulty which I have heard expressed

55:39 ↗ is that knowing what has really happened

55:41 ↗ in practice is difficult. Um how many

55:44 ↗ events have occurred in Isqua? What did

55:46 ↗ Isiqua residents ask for when they did

55:48 ↗ when they did make those calls and what

55:50 ↗ did we as Isiqua do? Right now it's

55:54 ↗ difficult to answer those questions

55:56 ↗ cleanly and easily. This new business

55:58 ↗ item asks the staff to come back with a

56:01 ↗ draft ordinance that establishes

56:03 ↗ periodic public reporting on these

56:05 ↗ categories of activity. The reporting

56:07 ↗ categories would follow what the IM

56:09 ↗ administration has already committed to.

56:12 ↗ I do want to be upfront with this that I

56:13 ↗ don't expect this reporting to

56:15 ↗ necessarily be easy uh clean or even

56:17 ↗ complete uh especially at the start. I

56:19 ↗ think this will be difficult and some of

56:21 ↗ this information will be hard to capture

56:23 ↗ and I think that's okay because the goal

56:26 ↗ is to build the best shared picture of

56:27 ↗ what we of we can of what's happening in

56:29 ↗ our city so that this council, the

56:31 ↗ administration and the public are

56:33 ↗ working from the same set of facts,

56:35 ↗ imperfect as they may be.

56:38 ↗ I also think it's worth stating that it

56:40 ↗ is unfortunate uh that municipal

56:42 ↗ governments are in the position that

56:44 ↗ they're in where we are effectively the

56:46 ↗ front line of communication on many of

56:47 ↗ these issues. Um,

56:50 ↗ people call the city because they trust

56:51 ↗ us and they have nobody else. And

56:53 ↗ whether we asked for that role or not,

56:55 ↗ uh, we do have it. So, if we have it, I

56:58 ↗ believe we owe it to our residents to

56:59 ↗ communicate what we know, even when that

57:01 ↗ knowledge is inherently imperfect.

57:04 ↗ I also want to note as a new business

57:05 ↗ item, this does not bind anything

57:07 ↗ tonight. It just ask the staff to bring

57:08 ↗ forward a draft with their best

57:10 ↗ assessment and their best perspectives.

57:11 ↗ So, I ask my colleagues for your

57:13 ↗ support.

57:19 ↗ Council Walsh,

57:20 ↗ >> is it are we looking for a motion then

57:25 ↗ now or is the next point asking

57:27 ↗ questions

57:29 ↗ and

57:31 ↗ assessing in that way?

57:34 ↗ >> There would be a motion and a second and

57:35 ↗ a vote I think is my understanding. Is

57:37 ↗ that correct?

57:38 ↗ >> Okay. Yeah.

57:39 ↗ >> And can the person who introduced the

57:41 ↗ new business request make that motion?

57:43 ↗ >> 100%.

57:44 ↗ >> Okay. Thank you. Okay. Uh well, um I

57:48 ↗ move to forward the public reporting on

57:50 ↗ immigration enforcement activity new

57:52 ↗ business item to the April 20th city

57:54 ↗ council meeting for a preliminary staff

57:56 ↗ response.

57:59 ↗ >> Second.

58:00 ↗ >> Okay, there's been a motion and a

58:02 ↗ second. Further discussion?

58:05 ↗ >> Council member Walsh.

58:06 ↗ >> Thank you. Um I appreciate hearing from

58:08 ↗ this. I think this is obviously an area

58:11 ↗ of interest to the community as um we

58:14 ↗ saw with um the immigration

58:18 ↗ meeting that was held. And so I I think

58:21 ↗ this is an interesting idea. It's

58:24 ↗ something where you're right, we don't

58:26 ↗ have the we're not the ones doing the

58:29 ↗ enforcement activity. So, we're not

58:31 ↗ reporting on what we are doing, but it

58:34 ↗ is an area where the community has

58:37 ↗ interest and the transparency

58:40 ↗ of information

58:43 ↗ um can help increase trust in local

58:47 ↗ government and local law enforcement.

58:49 ↗ And so I'm interested to hear what the

58:53 ↗ uh city staff have as they bring this

58:56 ↗ back. I support the idea of bringing it

58:58 ↗ back. It's just a uh it's a very

59:02 ↗ interesting concept of putting ourselves

59:06 ↗ forward into this area

59:10 ↗ when there isn't a lot of either

59:12 ↗ legislation or um requirement. And so

59:17 ↗ I'm interested to hear what other

59:18 ↗ council members have to say.

59:21 ↗ >> Okay, I lost track. Um, when I lose

59:24 ↗ track, the default goes to council

59:25 ↗ president Mart. Oh, wait. Okay, we're

59:28 ↗ going to council member Adair. We're

59:29 ↗ going to go the other way this round. So

59:31 ↗ I I will alternate when I lose track of

59:33 ↗ which and I go to on the dis.

59:35 ↗ >> Uh, yeah, my comments are I do support

59:38 ↗ this. Um, I've discussed previously that

59:40 ↗ this issue is important to me and I've

59:41 ↗ had a lot of conversations with

59:43 ↗ community members who have these

59:45 ↗ questions who, you know, I acknowledge

59:46 ↗ that, you know, administration has done,

59:48 ↗ you know, that the immigration town hall

59:49 ↗ we did and the website have been

59:52 ↗ helpful, but I don't think kind of the

59:54 ↗ work is done. um because there's a lot

59:56 ↗ of people still scared, still organizing

59:59 ↗ groups, still hearing about incidences

1:00:01 ↗ in nearby towns and wanting some

1:00:04 ↗ information, wanting to know what the

1:00:06 ↗ city is doing, wanting to know what is

1:00:08 ↗ happening in their community. And I

1:00:09 ↗ think this is this could be a good tool

1:00:11 ↗ to help get it down that line because I

1:00:13 ↗ do think we need to be very um vocal of

1:00:17 ↗ what is happening here and what we are

1:00:19 ↗ doing about it. Um because there's still

1:00:21 ↗ a lot of fear in this community. Um, and

1:00:24 ↗ I'm um I think this is a good idea.

1:00:27 ↗ Obviously, there's a lot to work out

1:00:28 ↗ about it, but I think this could

1:00:29 ↗ potential to be helpful towards that

1:00:30 ↗ issue and us continuing that

1:00:32 ↗ conversation with people because I think

1:00:35 ↗ there's more work to be done and I do

1:00:36 ↗ think there are

1:00:39 ↗ there's more threat potential down the

1:00:41 ↗ line. So, I do think we need to be

1:00:42 ↗ prepared for that.

1:00:44 ↗ >> Deputy President Jane.

1:00:47 ↗ >> Yeah. So, um I will be supporting this

1:00:50 ↗ as well. I think, you know, as council

1:00:52 ↗ member Nichols mentioned, the city of

1:00:53 ↗ Isiqua amongst all government agencies

1:00:56 ↗ that are out there right now, we

1:00:57 ↗ actually enjoy very high trust from our

1:00:59 ↗ community. And I think one of the key

1:01:01 ↗ components of that trust that we I think

1:01:04 ↗ generally have done a good job of, but

1:01:06 ↗ can continue to strive to be better at

1:01:07 ↗ is transparency.

1:01:09 ↗ Right now, the way that people find out

1:01:11 ↗ about immigration activity is from

1:01:14 ↗ social media, Facebook, Reddit, etc. And

1:01:17 ↗ that's, you know, there's rumor mills

1:01:19 ↗ that start. And so without having a

1:01:20 ↗ trusted entity able to say you know this

1:01:22 ↗ is what's h this is what happened this

1:01:24 ↗ is what we know this is what we don't

1:01:26 ↗ know then you know just all bets are

1:01:28 ↗ off. Um, I'll also talk a bit. So, um,

1:01:32 ↗ I'm also on the board of Isqua Alps

1:01:33 ↗ Trails Club and we sometimes have to do

1:01:35 ↗ these types of communications where

1:01:37 ↗ there's rumors about things like logging

1:01:38 ↗ sales and so in those types of

1:01:41 ↗ situations,

1:01:42 ↗ not saying anything is actually the

1:01:44 ↗ worst possible option because then

1:01:46 ↗ people, you know, there's just all sorts

1:01:48 ↗ of rumors. And there's a recent logging

1:01:50 ↗ sale that, you know, it's like still

1:01:51 ↗ very early in the process, but we

1:01:52 ↗ basically published an article saying,

1:01:54 ↗ okay, this is what we know. We can't

1:01:57 ↗ really actually share any other

1:01:58 ↗ information at this time because we

1:02:00 ↗ don't know anything but once we have

1:02:02 ↗ information then we will share it and

1:02:04 ↗ that I mean basically after that you

1:02:06 ↗ know people saw the logging sales signs

1:02:07 ↗ on tiger they searched it up they found

1:02:09 ↗ the article they're like oh well you

1:02:10 ↗ know they will tell us when there's more

1:02:12 ↗ information and that's actually

1:02:13 ↗ something that you know builds trust in

1:02:15 ↗ the community I think saying we don't

1:02:17 ↗ know is a perfectly acceptable thing to

1:02:20 ↗ say as long as the community also trusts

1:02:22 ↗ that we are working to figure out that

1:02:24 ↗ information and we'll share it as soon

1:02:25 ↗ that's available. Um, so I do think that

1:02:28 ↗ this is, you know, really important for

1:02:30 ↗ to maintain trust with our community

1:02:32 ↗ and, you know, obviously there's

1:02:34 ↗ considerations with how exactly to do

1:02:36 ↗ this, what's reasonable for us. Um, this

1:02:38 ↗ is a particularly sensitive topic, but I

1:02:40 ↗ definitely support um, bringing more

1:02:41 ↗ transparency on this issue.

1:02:44 ↗ >> Council President Marks.

1:02:46 ↗ So, of course, federal immigration

1:02:48 ↗ policy is an extraordinarily complicated

1:02:50 ↗ and contentious topic and also wholly

1:02:53 ↗ not within our baywick to decide, but

1:02:57 ↗ but the safety of our residents is our

1:02:59 ↗ responsibility and I agree both with uh

1:03:04 ↗ the sentiment that this is um an

1:03:09 ↗ opportunity for us because of the

1:03:11 ↗ public's confidence in our police

1:03:14 ↗ department and in our public safety as

1:03:16 ↗ as well as the idea of I'm I'm going to

1:03:19 ↗ plus one what I call reality based

1:03:21 ↗ governance. Um Philip K. Dick said real

1:03:25 ↗ reality is that which when you stop

1:03:26 ↗ believing in it doesn't go away. Right?

1:03:30 ↗ So um it is it is important that we

1:03:33 ↗ understand what is happening in our city

1:03:35 ↗ and um this will be a step in that

1:03:38 ↗ direction. I think that regardless of

1:03:40 ↗ where people sit on the political

1:03:42 ↗ spectrum on the subject of federal

1:03:44 ↗ immigration policy, I would hope

1:03:46 ↗ everyone would agree that understanding

1:03:48 ↗ what's happening in our city um to our

1:03:50 ↗ residents is uh important and so of

1:03:54 ↗ course I will be supporting this.

1:03:58 ↗ >> Okay, not seeing any other discussion.

1:04:02 ↗ So, the motion before the council for

1:04:05 ↗ this vote is to forward the public

1:04:06 ↗ reporting on immigration enforcement

1:04:08 ↗ activity, a new business item to the

1:04:10 ↗ April 20th city council meeting for a

1:04:12 ↗ preliminary staff response. I think we

1:04:14 ↗ have our city attorney Rachel here and

1:04:17 ↗ we have Chief Schwan here. So, I think

1:04:18 ↗ they heard kind of I think the gist of

1:04:20 ↗ what was being asked and that's why they

1:04:22 ↗ were in attendance tonight so they can

1:04:24 ↗ help figure out what that first response

1:04:26 ↗ will look like. All those in favor,

1:04:28 ↗ please say I.

1:04:29 ↗ >> I. All those opposed? No. That passes

1:04:33 ↗ unanimously. So, this item will be

1:04:36 ↗ discussed again at the April 20th city

1:04:38 ↗ council meeting. That takes us to the

1:04:40 ↗ committee regional reports. And we're

1:04:43 ↗ going to start with council member

1:04:44 ↗ Adair.

1:04:45 ↗ Uh I only have a brief thing. Um I had

1:04:47 ↗ an informal meeting with the uh Wyra 8

1:04:50 ↗ Salmon Recovery Council and the Kokani

1:04:52 ↗ Salmon Recovery Committee just to get up

1:04:54 ↗ to speed. Um we just kind of had kind of

1:04:56 ↗ a collective uh meeting. Um but then uh

1:04:59 ↗ the Monx official meeting will be on

1:05:00 ↗ March 19th.

1:05:02 ↗ >> Excellent. Council member Nichols,

1:05:04 ↗ >> very briefly, the East Side

1:05:05 ↗ Transportation Partnership met uh last

1:05:07 ↗ Friday, though I will defer for the

1:05:09 ↗ committee report to the uh committee's

1:05:11 ↗ vice chair.

1:05:14 ↗ >> Council member Joe.

1:05:16 ↗ >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh, Cascade Water

1:05:18 ↗ Alliance Board will will be meeting on

1:05:21 ↗ um March 25th, 3:30 p.m. and the Cascade

1:05:26 ↗ Water Alliance Public Affairs Committee

1:05:28 ↗ will be meeting on April 1st at 9:00

1:05:31 ↗ a.m. That concludes my report. Thank

1:05:32 ↗ you,

1:05:33 ↗ >> Council Member Walsh.

1:05:35 ↗ >> Thank you. I have three reports um going

1:05:37 ↗ in reverse order. Um the ARCH, which is

1:05:40 ↗ a regional coalition for housing, has

1:05:42 ↗ started up their new council of elected

1:05:44 ↗ officials, and we have our first meeting

1:05:47 ↗ um next Thursday on March 26th at the

1:05:50 ↗ Together Center at 5:00 p.m. And that's

1:05:54 ↗ just an introductory um piece just to

1:05:57 ↗ try and understand what that uh group of

1:06:00 ↗ individuals is going to be doing in the

1:06:03 ↗ work for ARCH and what our understanding

1:06:05 ↗ is of that. Um, we also have started up

1:06:08 ↗ our own council rules of procedure ad

1:06:11 ↗ hoc committee which I am chairing and we

1:06:14 ↗ just got a few meetings on our calendar.

1:06:17 ↗ Our first meeting is next Tuesday, the

1:06:20 ↗ 24th, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. And that is

1:06:25 ↗ three of our members just discussing

1:06:27 ↗ what are rules for things like the new

1:06:30 ↗ business request item and other things

1:06:33 ↗ and how we might better organize

1:06:36 ↗ ourselves. And so looking forward to

1:06:39 ↗ those pieces. And then um we've just had

1:06:42 ↗ a shuffling of leadership. And so now

1:06:45 ↗ I'm taking over the planning,

1:06:48 ↗ development, and environment committee.

1:06:50 ↗ And so as chair, so uh they meet

1:06:53 ↗ tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. And we have two

1:06:58 ↗ agenda items,

1:07:01 ↗ which is both related to the IscoQA

1:07:04 ↗ climate action plan. One is the proposed

1:07:07 ↗ policies and actions. Coming back from

1:07:09 ↗ what the committee said in the last

1:07:10 ↗ meeting, asking for more information.

1:07:12 ↗ And so really more of a thorough look

1:07:15 ↗ into what the greenhouse gas um

1:07:17 ↗ emissions are and how what things we

1:07:20 ↗ could do to move the needle there. And

1:07:22 ↗ then also the pathway and timeline for

1:07:25 ↗ the IAP plan adoption um to better

1:07:29 ↗ understand between all of the boards and

1:07:30 ↗ commissions um and city committees where

1:07:34 ↗ it might best lie for the next review.

1:07:37 ↗ And that concludes my report.

1:07:39 ↗ >> Right. and our own city administrator

1:07:40 ↗ played a very large role in Arch

1:07:42 ↗ encouraging more elected official

1:07:44 ↗ involvement in distributing housing

1:07:46 ↗ dollars. So we can give Wallally a

1:07:48 ↗ thanks deputy president Jen.

1:07:50 ↗ >> Great. Um two reports for me tonight. So

1:07:52 ↗ first off, as council member Nichols

1:07:53 ↗ mentioned, we had an East Transportation

1:07:55 ↗ Partnership meeting last Friday. We

1:07:57 ↗ talked about the Eastlink connections

1:07:58 ↗ which is basically you know the

1:08:00 ↗ reshuffleling of bus routes once the

1:08:02 ↗ light rail over the lake opens as well

1:08:04 ↗ as the Sound Transit cross lake

1:08:06 ↗ connections celebration on March 28th.

1:08:09 ↗ Very exciting. Um it does appear based

1:08:12 ↗ on people's expressions that there will

1:08:13 ↗ be potentially uh a majority of or

1:08:16 ↗ quorum of council members. So maybe

1:08:18 ↗ should be noticed as a public meeting.

1:08:19 ↗ Um, it will be starting at the Judkins

1:08:21 ↗ Park Station which is in Seattle because

1:08:24 ↗ that's where they have a big enough

1:08:25 ↗ space to accommodate everyone that they

1:08:27 ↗ expect will attend. Um, and then there's

1:08:29 ↗ like different events at all the

1:08:30 ↗ different light rail stations on the two

1:08:31 ↗ line on the east side. So, should be fun

1:08:33 ↗ for the whole family. Um, and there's

1:08:37 ↗ also a pre-ride on March 27th. So, it's

1:08:39 ↗ the day before the official opening. You

1:08:41 ↗ should have received an invitation from

1:08:43 ↗ the CEO of Sound Transit to uh get to

1:08:46 ↗ ride the train early. So, if you didn't,

1:08:48 ↗ let me know. Um, so that should be very

1:08:50 ↗ fun. Um, and then, uh, the King County

1:08:53 ↗ Regional Homelessness Authority has an

1:08:55 ↗ upcoming meeting on Friday, March 27th.

1:08:59 ↗ And that concludes my report.

1:09:00 ↗ >> And Deputy President Jen, I heard you're

1:09:02 ↗ also going to be wearing a purple shirt

1:09:03 ↗ in Tacoma on Wednesday. Is that true?

1:09:05 ↗ >> This is right. I will be wearing a a

1:09:07 ↗ purple shirt, but not the um the

1:09:10 ↗ official one because apparently there's

1:09:12 ↗ only size extra large.

1:09:16 ↗ >> Okay. Council President Mart.

1:09:18 ↗ >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. First, I do want

1:09:20 ↗ to mention as as briefly alluded to

1:09:22 ↗ earlier in as in my first act as um

1:09:25 ↗ Council President, I did um move to a

1:09:29 ↗ new baseline of committee assignments

1:09:30 ↗ that would be compliant with our rules

1:09:32 ↗ of procedure um as well as spreading uh

1:09:35 ↗ leadership opportunities around. So,

1:09:38 ↗ mobility and infrastructure will

1:09:39 ↗ continue to be chaired by council member

1:09:41 ↗ Joe, but I will be returning to it after

1:09:43 ↗ a decade's uh uh

1:09:47 ↗ absence for mobility and infrastructure

1:09:49 ↗ as well as our to be determined council

1:09:51 ↗ member. And then planning, development,

1:09:53 ↗ and environment committee will be

1:09:54 ↗ chaired by council member Walsh uh with

1:09:56 ↗ deputy council president Jen and council

1:09:58 ↗ member Nichols also on that committee.

1:10:00 ↗ service. My old favorite. I tearfully

1:10:02 ↗ left services, safety, and parks and put

1:10:05 ↗ it in the capable hands of council

1:10:07 ↗ member Adair with Council Member Nichols

1:10:09 ↗ and our new to be determined council

1:10:11 ↗ member also on that. And then the rules

1:10:13 ↗ of procedure ad hoc continue to be

1:10:16 ↗ council member Joe, Council Member

1:10:17 ↗ Nichols and Council Member Walsh. And

1:10:20 ↗ then uh East Side Fire and Rescue will

1:10:24 ↗ be uh council member Walsh and Council

1:10:27 ↗ Member Adair moving up from alternate.

1:10:30 ↗ Um a new alternate will be determined

1:10:33 ↗ shortly. So this should spread uh the

1:10:36 ↗ opportunities for both leadership and

1:10:37 ↗ membership around uh within the

1:10:40 ↗ organization and again not require uh an

1:10:42 ↗ exemption on the uh or or a waiver on

1:10:45 ↗ the rules of procedure. I will also

1:10:47 ↗ mention SCA public issues committee um

1:10:50 ↗ did address the county ride revenue

1:10:52 ↗ proposal for King County transportation

1:10:54 ↗ dis uh transit district um

1:10:56 ↗ transportation district. I want to say

1:10:58 ↗ that the conversation that we had here

1:11:00 ↗ actually had an influence on how it

1:11:02 ↗ turned out because people wanted to put

1:11:04 ↗ a specific number in and because we had

1:11:07 ↗ had a conversation around the idea of 20

1:11:09 ↗ to 25%. What I could say was I know and

1:11:12 ↗ and in consultation with with um council

1:11:15 ↗ member Deer who was um who was the

1:11:17 ↗ alternate on SCA pick I was able to say

1:11:19 ↗ you know and because there was really

1:11:21 ↗ quite a bit of debate there were a

1:11:22 ↗ number of cities that really wanted to

1:11:23 ↗ peg that number a lot higher than 20 or

1:11:26 ↗ 25%. And it was it was at least uh 20 to

1:11:29 ↗ 25%. Right. Um so I said, you know, I

1:11:33 ↗ can support uh 20 to 25%. I can't

1:11:35 ↗ necessarily in good conscience support a

1:11:37 ↗ higher number because I haven't heard

1:11:39 ↗ that from my council. And there was a

1:11:40 ↗ concern my council expressed about the

1:11:43 ↗ state of roads in unincorporated King

1:11:45 ↗ County. And so um I and others, you

1:11:49 ↗ know, basically got this 25% number in.

1:11:51 ↗ So, if you ever wonder whether these

1:11:53 ↗ conversations that we have here in this

1:11:55 ↗ room about SCA pick actually have an

1:11:57 ↗ influence, they do. Um, also, uh, we

1:12:00 ↗ were supposed to talk about potential

1:12:01 ↗ affordable housing regional initiative,

1:12:03 ↗ but the, uh, transit, uh, transportation

1:12:06 ↗ district took the entire two hours. So,

1:12:09 ↗ we'll be having that one next. It's not

1:12:10 ↗ as time critical. Then sea board uh will

1:12:13 ↗ be looking at the appointment of members

1:12:15 ↗ and alternates this upcoming Wednesday

1:12:17 ↗ as well as um considering adoption of

1:12:19 ↗ that SCA policy position from pick. PIC

1:12:22 ↗ makes a recommendation to the board and

1:12:24 ↗ then the board actually determines

1:12:26 ↗ whether that's going to be SCA policy.

1:12:28 ↗ There will also be a discussion of the

1:12:30 ↗ equity and inclusion cabinet u that is

1:12:32 ↗ being revitalized right now. This

1:12:34 ↗ concludes my report.

1:12:37 ↗ >> All right. Excellent. Uh for the mayor's

1:12:39 ↗ report, we are now accepting Isiziqua

1:12:42 ↗ Hall of Fame nominations. Nominations

1:12:44 ↗ are open for the Isqua Hall of Fame.

1:12:46 ↗ It's one of the community's highest

1:12:47 ↗ honors recognized individuals who have

1:12:49 ↗ made a lasting impact on Isiqua each

1:12:51 ↗ year. The mayor and council president

1:12:53 ↗ select one individual whose record of

1:12:55 ↗ inspiration, leadership, and service has

1:12:56 ↗ made a meaningful difference is

1:12:58 ↗ community. The award will be presented

1:12:59 ↗ at the Chamber of Commerce's annual

1:13:01 ↗ Isqua Community Awards night on May

1:13:03 ↗ 14th. Everyone should mark their

1:13:05 ↗ calendar. The nominations are due by

1:13:06 ↗ 5:00 p.m. on April 17th and can be

1:13:08 ↗ submitted through the city's website. In

1:13:10 ↗ case you're wondering, our beloved Barb

1:13:13 ↗ Michelle is already in the Hall of Fame.

1:13:15 ↗ So, we are uh we are planning a

1:13:18 ↗ proclamation for Barb Michelle day in

1:13:20 ↗ the spring and that'll come forward

1:13:22 ↗ completely separate from this whole

1:13:24 ↗ event and more to come on that later. In

1:13:26 ↗ terms of say visquas light rail, yes,

1:13:29 ↗ there is a budget gap and we are

1:13:31 ↗ encouraging folks to attend the retreat

1:13:33 ↗ in Tacoma at the Tacoma Art Museum this

1:13:35 ↗ Wednesday from 10:00 to 3:00. There will

1:13:38 ↗ not be public comment at this, but we

1:13:40 ↗ are encouraging folks to show up in

1:13:41 ↗ their purple shirts. Evidently, we need

1:13:43 ↗ to put a lot of purple shirts into the

1:13:44 ↗ dryer and shrink some of the purple

1:13:46 ↗ shirts. I wasn't aware of this issue,

1:13:49 ↗ but it sounds like uh yes, we need some

1:13:52 ↗ shrinking of our SAS quad light rail

1:13:54 ↗ shirts. There is actually a bus. It's

1:13:55 ↗ going to leave right here from city hall

1:13:56 ↗ at 8:30 a.m. and you can RSVP to Andrea

1:14:00 ↗ Leonard and we have I think I don't know

1:14:04 ↗ three four spots still left on the bus

1:14:06 ↗ if if folks are interested. And that'll

1:14:09 ↗ be this Wednesday. And the following

1:14:12 ↗ week on March 22nd at downtown at the

1:14:14 ↗ 401 South Jackson Street from 1:30 to 4,

1:14:17 ↗ we have the actual monthly Sound Transit

1:14:18 ↗ Board meeting where they do take public

1:14:21 ↗ comment. And so at that meeting, once

1:14:22 ↗ again, we're encouraging folks to show

1:14:24 ↗ up and talk about the importance of

1:14:26 ↗ Isiqua's light rail line. In terms of

1:14:28 ↗ upcoming events, council applicant info

1:14:32 ↗ session, this is on March 21st. So, the

1:14:34 ↗ city council currently has a vacancy and

1:14:36 ↗ is accepting applications for this for

1:14:38 ↗ the position right now. That actually

1:14:39 ↗ opened up last Friday on the 13th. And

1:14:41 ↗ if you are interested in serving your

1:14:43 ↗ community in a bigger way, consider

1:14:44 ↗ attending to learn more about this role.

1:14:46 ↗ The event is this Saturday, March 21st

1:14:48 ↗ from 11:00 to noon at Gibson Hall and

1:14:51 ↗ you can find more information on isqua

1:14:54 ↗ isquawwa.gov council vacancy village

1:14:58 ↗ Theater Greece is opening on March 24th

1:15:01 ↗ and

1:15:02 ↗ I want to I would love to see our

1:15:04 ↗ council's attempt to do a Greece

1:15:05 ↗ rendition. I don't think that's in the

1:15:07 ↗ cards for selling any tickets, but uh I

1:15:09 ↗ would encourage folks to attend the

1:15:10 ↗ actual village theater performance of

1:15:12 ↗ Greece. I know my wife and I are going.

1:15:14 ↗ Uh, Lake Samamesh Outdoor Festival is

1:15:16 ↗ March 28th. Celebrate the outdoors at

1:15:18 ↗ Lake Samish Outdoor Festival. The

1:15:20 ↗ family-friendly event highlights

1:15:21 ↗ recreation, nature, and outdoor wellness

1:15:23 ↗ around Lake Seamish with activities,

1:15:25 ↗ demonstrations, and opportunities to

1:15:26 ↗ connect with local outdoor

1:15:28 ↗ organizations. It is free to attend. And

1:15:30 ↗ our final event is the underwater egg

1:15:33 ↗ hunt at the Julius Bone Pool on March

1:15:35 ↗ 29th. So, dive into a unique spring

1:15:37 ↗ tradition of the underwater egg hunt.

1:15:38 ↗ Julius Bomb. Kids can splash, swim, and

1:15:40 ↗ search for eggs in the pool in this fun

1:15:42 ↗ twist on a classic egg hunt. Perfect for

1:15:44 ↗ young swimmers looking for memorable

1:15:46 ↗ holiday activity. Register for this

1:15:48 ↗ event through the city website. And that

1:15:52 ↗ concludes the mayor's report. And

1:15:57 ↗ that takes us to go to the order is up.

1:16:00 ↗ Council member Joe. Thank you, Mr.

1:16:03 ↗ Mayor. I'd like to extend a thank you to

1:16:05 ↗ the city. Um the power was out on Friday

1:16:09 ↗ night and yet um you kept the barn lit

1:16:13 ↗ up with a generator so the Kuanas could

1:16:14 ↗ hold their event and um while it wasn't

1:16:19 ↗ um attended to the rafters there were

1:16:22 ↗ still a number of people that were there

1:16:23 ↗ and a good time was had by all and some

1:16:26 ↗ money was raised for nonprofits and uh

1:16:28 ↗ please keep in mind I'm saying this

1:16:29 ↗ thank you not as a member of the Kuanas

1:16:31 ↗ I am a Rotarian um but I just want to

1:16:34 ↗ thank the city for making that possible

1:16:36 ↗ in a situation that was quite um I

1:16:40 ↗ wouldn't say desperate, but was was a

1:16:43 ↗ little bit hairy for everybody. I would

1:16:45 ↗ also like to thank uh the city for their

1:16:47 ↗ great communication during the power

1:16:49 ↗ outage um letting us know what was going

1:16:51 ↗ on and where the challenges were and um

1:16:55 ↗ appreciate that the power was back on in

1:16:58 ↗ time for everyone to enjoy their

1:17:00 ↗ Saturday and the rest of their weekend.

1:17:02 ↗ Thank you. Well, let the record show the

1:17:04 ↗ Rotarian mayor also went to bat for the

1:17:07 ↗ Kuanas event at at Pickering Barn. Uh

1:17:09 ↗ there was lots of love between the

1:17:11 ↗ Rotarians and Quantis. It's not the UDub

1:17:13 ↗ versus the Cougars. It's a it's a very

1:17:15 ↗ different relationship. Uh any other

1:17:17 ↗ good of the order.

1:17:19 ↗ Okay. Not seeing any of the upcoming

1:17:21 ↗ meetings. Monday, March 30th, we'll have

1:17:23 ↗ a regular council meeting. Anticipate

1:17:25 ↗ agenda items. The 2026 legislative

1:17:27 ↗ session report out is Qua History Museum

1:17:31 ↗ track use and trolley funding amendment.

1:17:33 ↗ On Monday, April 6 committee the whole.

1:17:35 ↗ We will discuss the park bond renewal

1:17:37 ↗ and facilities update. Tuesday, April

1:17:40 ↗ 7th is our special council meeting year

1:17:41 ↗ presentations from those who have

1:17:43 ↗ submitted city council vacancy

1:17:44 ↗ applications. Those applications are due

1:17:46 ↗ on Thursday, April 2nd. There is no

1:17:49 ↗ executive session tonight. And with that

1:17:53 ↗ at 8:18

1:17:55 ↗ we are journ.

Approved minutes

Extracted from the next meeting's packet, where this meeting's minutes were approved as a consent-calendar attachment.

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Attendance

Council / Members (6)

Paul Adair

Kelly Jiang

Russell Joe

Tola Marts

Kevin Nichols

Lindsey Walsh

Staff (4)

Wally Bobkiewicz, City Administrator

Andrea Lehner, Deputy City Administrator

Rachel Bender Turpin, City Attorney

Tisha Gieser, City Clerk

Motions and votes (3)

approve the consent agenda as presented. . a)

Moved by Council President Marts · seconded by Deputy Council President Jiang

Carried 6-0

In favor: Paul Adair, Kelly Jiang, Russell Joe, Tola Marts, Kevin Nichols, Lindsey Walsh

Approve the allocation of $55,000 to fund business and non-profit tourism-related activities as recommended by the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee; and authorize the inclusion of $3,500 in a subsequent 2026 budget amendment utilizing Lodging Tax funds. NEW BUSINESS a)

Moved by Councilmember Joe · seconded by Council President Marts

Carried 6-0

In favor: Adair, Jiang, Joe, Marts, Nichols, Walsh

Forward the Public Reporting on Immigration Enforcement Activity new business item to the April 20 City Council meeting for a preliminary staff response.

Moved by Councilmember Nichols · seconded by Councilmember Walsh

Carried 6-0

In favor: Adair, Jiang, Joe, Marts, Nichols, Walsh