City Council Special Meeting · Monday, September 15, 2025 · City Council Digest

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0:04 ↗ Thank you. Okay, everyone, welcome. I'm

0:07 ↗ going to call to order the September

0:09 ↗ 15th city council meeting. Council

0:11 ↗ member Ray has an excused absence

0:13 ↗ tonight and will not be joining us. As a

0:15 ↗ reminder, we continue to have a remote

0:17 ↗ aspect to our meetings. Both staff and

0:19 ↗ members of the public may be

0:20 ↗ participating in tonight's meeting

0:22 ↗ remotely via WebEx. And the next item on

0:25 ↗ the agenda is the Pledge of Allegiance,

0:27 ↗ and I invite you to join.

0:31 ↗ I pledge algiance to the flag of the

0:34 ↗ United States of America and to the

0:37 ↗ republic for which it stands, one nation

0:40 ↗ under God, indivisible, with liberty and

0:43 ↗ justice for all.

0:49 ↗ We have a lot of special business this

0:51 ↗ evening, which means our gallery is

0:53 ↗ full, which is fun and exciting. We'll

0:56 ↗ start with the first one, ID1862, the

0:59 ↗ Fishqua Proclamation. And I'd like to

1:01 ↗ invite council president and Julie

1:04 ↗ Hartwig, the chief executive officer of

1:06 ↗ the Greater Isqua Chamber of Commerce

1:08 ↗ and special guest Sammy the Salmon to

1:13 ↗ come on over to the main lecture with

1:16 ↗ Council President

1:18 ↗ and your guide. Yes. It's hard to see

1:22 ↗ out of these costumes if you did not

1:24 ↗ know it.

1:26 ↗ >> Yes.

1:29 ↗ >> Okay.

1:29 ↗ >> All right.

1:30 ↗ >> We got to get the salmon oriented toward

1:33 ↗ home. This is, you know, how we do it.

1:35 ↗ >> We're spawning this way.

1:37 ↗ >> Yes. Well, it is always a joy to be able

1:41 ↗ to give this proclamation and to invite

1:44 ↗ Sammy and Julie. Um I'm sorry. You get

1:47 ↗ second fiddle to Sammy.

1:49 ↗ >> This is not Sammy. Yes. Yeah. Um, so

1:52 ↗ today we are proclaiming whereas salmon

1:56 ↗ have long held a special place in the

1:58 ↗ heart of our community. And whereas

2:00 ↗ salmon are such a part of our heritage,

2:03 ↗ they adorn the logo of our city. And

2:05 ↗ whereas each fall the salmon return to

2:08 ↗ our creeks and lakes, the first salmon

2:10 ↗ have arrived this year at the downtown

2:12 ↗ hatchery. And whereas salmon have

2:15 ↗ supported countless generations of

2:16 ↗ indigenous peoples and residents. And

2:19 ↗ whereas their lure has driven schools of

2:22 ↗ visitors to our town to learn more about

2:25 ↗ our beloved salmon. And whereas the

2:28 ↗ popularity of salmon has created an

2:30 ↗ identity for Isiqua, which in turn has

2:32 ↗ tilted the scales of commerce in our

2:34 ↗ favor. I'm loving all of these puns. And

2:38 ↗ whereas the instinctive nature to return

2:41 ↗ home to Swan has instilled a strong

2:43 ↗ sense of community and family and has

2:45 ↗ earned us Family Circle's accolades for

2:48 ↗ one of the best towns for families in

2:49 ↗ America. And whereas the soothing sound

2:52 ↗ of water bubbling over smooth rocks in

2:55 ↗ quaint Isqua Creek has added to the

2:57 ↗ charm that caused Sunset magazine to

2:59 ↗ recognize Isiqua as one of the best

3:01 ↗ burbs in America. And whereas Salmon

3:03 ↗ Days has its own infamous mascot, Sammy

3:06 ↗ the Salmon,

3:09 ↗ who is rising to the official occasion

3:13 ↗ by welcoming vis visitors to join us in

3:16 ↗ many happy returns in celebration of our

3:19 ↗ festival's 56th year on Saturday,

3:23 ↗ October 4th and Sunday, October 5th.

3:26 ↗ Whereas salmon are the primary reason

3:28 ↗ why our internationally award-winning

3:30 ↗ salmon days festival is a seafar

3:32 ↗ sanctioned event and voted best

3:35 ↗ Washington festival for 2022 by 425

3:38 ↗ magazine and travel channel. And now

3:41 ↗ therefore, I, Lindseay Walsh, on behalf

3:43 ↗ of Mary Lou Paulie, the mayor of the

3:45 ↗ city of Isiqua, do hereby declare in

3:48 ↗ honor of the Isiqua Salmon Day Festival,

3:51 ↗ the first full weekend of October each

3:53 ↗ year, our salmon friendly city shall be

3:56 ↗ known as Bishqua.

4:07 ↗ Yep. We got to get the dance from Sammy

4:09 ↗ and everything. But for speaking, Julie,

4:12 ↗ would you like to say any words?

4:15 ↗ >> Council President, Mayor Holly, council

4:17 ↗ members, thank you so much. It is honor

4:20 ↗ to be here and to accept the

4:21 ↗ proclamation on behalf of the chamber

4:23 ↗ for salmon days. You know, some people

4:25 ↗ say that it takes a village. We've all

4:27 ↗ heard that saying. And tonight, I'm

4:28 ↗ going to say that it takes a community.

4:30 ↗ It takes the support of the city, of our

4:32 ↗ council members, of our police

4:34 ↗ department, East Side Fire and Rescue,

4:36 ↗ to our sponsors, to our vendors who

4:39 ↗ participate, to my wonderful, wonderful

4:42 ↗ committee. It takes everyone. So, I'm

4:45 ↗ I'm here to accept the proclamation, but

4:47 ↗ thank you. Thank you to everyone.

4:49 ↗ >> Thank you, Julie. And our theme. Yes.

4:53 ↗ And I have pins. So, I'm going to leave

4:55 ↗ these with Tisha, but I have pins for

4:57 ↗ this year. Um, our pin this our theme

4:59 ↗ this year is spontastic. So, their

5:01 ↗ little our salmon it has a cape because

5:03 ↗ it's a hero. So, there we go. All right.

5:06 ↗ Thank you so much. Why don't you take

5:08 ↗ the over there and if you would like to

5:10 ↗ take a photo with all the council

5:12 ↗ >> here. Take those.

5:14 ↗ >> Don't let Sammy fall. Don't let Sammy

5:17 ↗ fall.

5:19 ↗ We'll come down.

5:27 ↗ [Music]

5:32 ↗ >> Julie, you get over here.

5:35 ↗ [Applause]

5:36 ↗ >> There you go.

5:39 ↗ [Music]

5:40 ↗ >> Yeah, there you go.

5:56 ↗ 19 days.

5:58 ↗ [Music]

6:03 ↗ Our

6:07 ↗ [Music]

6:10 ↗ next item of special business is ID 918,

6:14 ↗ uh, National Public Lands Day

6:15 ↗ Proclamation. And I'd like to invite

6:18 ↗ council member Jiang and Kimo, executive

6:21 ↗ director of the Isqua Alps Trails Club,

6:23 ↗ and Becca Kendenberg and Nikki Paci from

6:26 ↗ Mountain Sound Greenway Trust to the

6:27 ↗ Lectern if you're all here. Awesome. In

6:31 ↗ t-shirts. I love it.

6:36 ↗ Great.

6:39 ↗ Um, thanks to uh Nikki, uh, Becca, and

6:42 ↗ Kim for all being here. Um, great. So,

6:45 ↗ whereas National Public Lands Day is

6:47 ↗ celebrated annually on the fourth

6:48 ↗ Saturday in September and is the

6:50 ↗ nation's largest single day volunteer

6:52 ↗ event for public lands, encouraging

6:53 ↗ stewardship, restoration, and enjoyment

6:55 ↗ of our shared outdoor spaces. And

6:57 ↗ whereas the 2025 theme, our home

7:00 ↗ outdoors, emphasizes that public lands

7:02 ↗ are more than just scenic landscapes and

7:04 ↗ they deserve care and respect as vital

7:06 ↗ spaces for recreation, reflection,

7:08 ↗ learning, and connection. And whereas

7:10 ↗ the city of Isiqua sits on the ancestral

7:12 ↗ lands of the Coalish peoples, including

7:14 ↗ the Snomi tribe, who have lived in and

7:16 ↗ cared for these lands and waters since

7:18 ↗ time immemorial, and we honor their

7:20 ↗ enduring relationship to the land and

7:22 ↗ their ongoing contributions to

7:24 ↗ environmental stewardship. And whereas

7:26 ↗ proximity to the Isiqua Alps and lakes

7:28 ↗ Mammish offer abundant access to trails,

7:30 ↗ forest and waterways that serve as

7:32 ↗ essentially commu essential community

7:34 ↗ assets and natural habitats. And whereas

7:37 ↗ local organizations such as the Isiqua

7:39 ↗ Alps Trails Club and the Mountains to

7:41 ↗ Sound Greenway Trust work in partnership

7:43 ↗ with local agencies and volunteers to

7:45 ↗ enhance our trails, restore our native

7:47 ↗ ecosystems, and promote equitable access

7:49 ↗ to nature. And whereas public lands in

7:51 ↗ Washington state are made even more

7:53 ↗ accessible on this day through the

7:54 ↗ state's Discover Pass free day,

7:56 ↗ encouraging all residents to enjoy and

7:58 ↗ care for the parks, forests, and public

7:59 ↗ spaces that you that unite us. Now,

8:01 ↗ therefore, I, Council Member Kelly Jen,

8:03 ↗ on behalf of Mayor Mary Lupali, mayor of

8:06 ↗ the city of Isiqua, do hereby proclaim

8:08 ↗ Saturday, September 27th, 2025 as

8:11 ↗ National Public Lands Day. And I

8:13 ↗ encourage all community members to

8:15 ↗ participate in volunteer events, uh

8:17 ↗ enjoy our natural spaces, and deepen

8:18 ↗ their connection to our home outdoors.

8:21 ↗ Um so, Kim, uh Becca, and uh Nikki, uh

8:26 ↗ would you like to say a few words and

8:28 ↗ potentially let people know about some

8:30 ↗ of the volunteer events happening on

8:31 ↗ National Public Lands Day?

8:33 ↗ >> Coaching.

8:39 ↗ >> Uh thank you, Mayor and Council members.

8:42 ↗ Um on behalf of the Isqua Alps Charles

8:44 ↗ Club, I'm honored to accept this

8:45 ↗ proclamation recognizing National Public

8:47 ↗ Lands Day. Um for over four four

8:50 ↗ decades, IATC has worked to conserve,

8:52 ↗ steward, and celebrate the incredible

8:54 ↗ public lands that surround Isiqua. From

8:56 ↗ building and maintaining trails to

8:58 ↗ advocating for permanent conservation.

9:00 ↗ Our lands are more than just scenic

9:02 ↗ backdrops. Um they're vital spaces for

9:04 ↗ recreation, habitat, and community

9:06 ↗ connection. We deeply appreciate the

9:08 ↗ city's partnership and continued

9:10 ↗ recognition of the value of our uh

9:12 ↗ community connection. Together, we can

9:14 ↗ ensure that Isqua's public lands remain

9:16 ↗ accessible for generations to come. Um

9:19 ↗ during the weekend of public lands day

9:21 ↗ on Saturday the 27th, we have two hikes

9:24 ↗ um being led by uh park r city of Isqua

9:27 ↗ urban forest supervisor Dan Hint and um

9:30 ↗ park ranger um Alex Anderson. We also

9:33 ↗ have um a restoration event the

9:36 ↗ following Tuesday um the 30th um to

9:41 ↗ restore Squawk Mountain which as you

9:43 ↗ know was um destroyed by the public or

9:46 ↗ the bomb cyclone but since then we've

9:48 ↗ actively worked to restore some of the

9:50 ↗ trails there and I will be leading a

9:52 ↗ hike on Grand Ridge Trail as well. So

9:54 ↗ thank you very much.

9:57 ↗ >> Oh Kim, if people want to attend these

9:59 ↗ events where should they go to learn

10:01 ↗ more?

10:02 ↗ Um, you can sign up for our newsletter

10:04 ↗ which is on our website isalps.org or

10:06 ↗ just uh register on our calendar there

10:08 ↗ as well. Thanks.

10:12 ↗ >> Hey, thank you so much. This is such an

10:13 ↗ honor. Um, we are so grateful to be

10:16 ↗ situated in Isoka with one of our main

10:18 ↗ offices and get to work so closely with

10:20 ↗ this landscape and this community. Um,

10:23 ↗ and what was I going to say? You said I

10:25 ↗ mean ditto that was beautiful. I want to

10:28 ↗ echo everything you said and just

10:29 ↗ grateful to work with partners like

10:31 ↗ Isqua helps trails club. Um the Greenway

10:33 ↗ has been uh working doing restoration,

10:35 ↗ education and advocacy work in Isiqua

10:37 ↗ for over um 20 years and we've uh worked

10:40 ↗ with over 20,000 volunteers to install

10:42 ↗ 50,000 trees and shrubs which feels like

10:45 ↗ a lot because it is and we'd love for

10:46 ↗ you to be part of the next uh phase of

10:48 ↗ that. So Nikki's going to share about

10:49 ↗ what we have coming up.

10:53 ↗ >> So the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust

10:55 ↗ is actually about a million and a half

10:56 ↗ acres. So we extend much beyond uh the

10:58 ↗ city of Isiqua, although as Becca said,

11:00 ↗ we have a base here. We do a ton of work

11:01 ↗ at Lake Samish State Park. Uh so I'd

11:03 ↗ like to just let you all know real quick

11:05 ↗ that this year our National Public Lands

11:07 ↗ Day events are focused just on the other

11:09 ↗ side of Snowquali Pass in the Clealum

11:11 ↗ Valley as well as uh up the Manash

11:12 ↗ Canyon. So, we have a series of events,

11:14 ↗ varying uh tasks from cleaning and

11:17 ↗ installing picnic tables and fire rings,

11:19 ↗ restoring a historic guard station, uh

11:22 ↗ removing derelict fencing, and also

11:24 ↗ clearing trails, removing down trees,

11:26 ↗ and improving drainage. So, if any of

11:28 ↗ that sounds fun or exciting to you, uh

11:29 ↗ please check out mounts to sound mts

11:31 ↗ greenway.org is our website. Uh we also

11:34 ↗ have a film festival the night before

11:36 ↗ hosted by Central Washington University

11:38 ↗ where we'll be looking at uh resilience

11:40 ↗ projects across Kittas County. So,

11:42 ↗ there's a lot of cool stuff to get

11:43 ↗ involved with that weekend and we hope

11:44 ↗ to see some folks who like to come

11:46 ↗ recreate on the other side of the

11:48 ↗ mountains come to give back a little

11:49 ↗ bit. Thanks for your time.

11:52 ↗ >> Okay, now we got to do a picture. So,

11:54 ↗ Kim, I'll give you one of these

11:57 ↗ and I'll give you the other one. So, you

11:59 ↗ have to open it and hold it open. Then I

12:00 ↗ think you stand

12:04 ↗ around a little bit.

12:19 ↗ Thank you very much.

12:26 ↗ The next item of special business is ID

12:28 ↗ 1854, the Hispanic Heritage Month

12:31 ↗ Proclamation. And I'd like to invite

12:33 ↗ council member Joe and Pia Castanire

12:37 ↗ Ru Ruiz

12:40 ↗ Selen Sto and Arena members of the

12:44 ↗ circle. So come up to the lect turn.

12:47 ↗ Thank you all for coming.

12:51 ↗ >> Hello. Thank you for joining us. I'm so

12:54 ↗ pleased that we could read this on

12:56 ↗ September 15th, the first day of uh

13:01 ↗ National Hispanic Heritage Month. Um I

13:04 ↗ also want to thank you for all the work

13:06 ↗ the circle has done, especially during

13:08 ↗ the bomb cyclone when you're providing

13:11 ↗ interpret interpreter services for our

13:13 ↗ Hispanic community and for my Chinese

13:17 ↗ community as well. Uh we had in a prior

13:21 ↗ disaster um or emergency some of the

13:26 ↗ people in the international district

13:27 ↗ that were using um charcoal stoves for

13:31 ↗ um heat and they affixiated. But because

13:34 ↗ you were there to provide information

13:37 ↗ and um translation services, I think

13:40 ↗ that people survived the bomb cyclone

13:43 ↗ and came through much better because you

13:45 ↗ were there. So thank you.

13:47 ↗ proclamation.

13:49 ↗ Whereas, each year Americans observe

13:51 ↗ National Hispanic Heritage Month from

13:53 ↗ September 15 to October 15 by

13:55 ↗ celebrating the histories, cultures, and

13:57 ↗ contributions of Americans whose

13:59 ↗ ancestors came from Spain, Mexico,

14:02 ↗ Central America, South America, and the

14:04 ↗ Spanish-sp speakaking nations of the

14:06 ↗ Caribbean. And whereas according to the

14:08 ↗ 2020 census, the Hispanic population

14:12 ↗ population of the United States was 62.1

14:14 ↗ million people, making people of

14:16 ↗ Hispanic or origin the nation's largest

14:19 ↗ ethnic or racial minority, 18.9%

14:23 ↗ of the total US population. Whereas

14:26 ↗ Isiqua's diversity and Hispanic

14:28 ↗ population have increased over the last

14:30 ↗ 30 years. From 1990 when 95% of the

14:34 ↗ residents were white and only 2%

14:36 ↗ Hispanic Latino to more recent times

14:39 ↗ 59.8%

14:41 ↗ of the residents are white and 7.1% are

14:44 ↗ Hispanic Latino. And whereas we commit

14:47 ↗ to embracing diversity and inclusion by

14:49 ↗ paying tribute to Hispanic and Latino

14:51 ↗ heritage through education,

14:53 ↗ acknowledgement, and celebration within

14:55 ↗ our community. And whereas the 2005

14:58 ↗ theme, collective heritage, honoring the

15:01 ↗ past, inspiring the future, highlights

15:04 ↗ highlights the lasting impact of

15:05 ↗ Hispanic and lat Latin communities whose

15:09 ↗ resilience, leadership, and cultural

15:11 ↗ richness have helped to shape our

15:13 ↗ society. And whereas this month offers a

15:16 ↗ time to honor the past, celebrate the

15:18 ↗ present, and build a future where

15:21 ↗ Hispanic and Latin American voices are

15:23 ↗ valued and upheld and uplifted. Now,

15:27 ↗ therefore, Mary Lupali, mayor of the

15:30 ↗ city of Isiqua, is hereby proclaimed

15:32 ↗ September 15 through October 15, 2025 to

15:35 ↗ be Hispanic Heritage Month in the city

15:37 ↗ of Isiqua. and all of us urge the

15:39 ↗ community to join in special observance

15:41 ↗ and celebration of Hispanic Latino

15:44 ↗ heritage.

15:46 ↗ Would one of you like to speak?

15:50 ↗ >> Thank you. Well, um, thank you, mayor.

15:54 ↗ Thank you, everyone. I just want to say

15:56 ↗ and uh, as she say earlier that it takes

15:59 ↗ a village to raise our kids, but it

16:03 ↗ really I I believe exactly what she said

16:05 ↗ that it takes a good city. And I want to

16:08 ↗ just said that the circle on behalf of

16:11 ↗ everybody, we are so grateful and

16:13 ↗ honored to be part of you. I mean, it's

16:16 ↗ amazing the support and everything.

16:19 ↗ Every time we need something, you guys

16:21 ↗ are right behind us. So, we uh we are

16:25 ↗ incredible. Thankful for every time that

16:28 ↗ you guys are help us, support us, and

16:31 ↗ every time we need something, all we

16:32 ↗ have to do is look, and you guys are

16:34 ↗ there for us. So, thank you from the

16:36 ↗ bottom of our hearts. Thank you.

16:38 ↗ >> We accept.

16:39 ↗ >> We'll go ahead and take a picture over

16:40 ↗ here.

17:03 ↗ >> Thank you, Council Member Joe. The next

17:05 ↗ item on under special business is

17:08 ↗ ID1857,

17:09 ↗ diaper needed awareness week

17:11 ↗ proclamation. And I'd like to invite

17:12 ↗ Deputy Council President uh DM Michelle

17:15 ↗ and Kid Vantage Director of Development

17:17 ↗ Community Relations Helen Banks Routine

17:20 ↗ if she's here tonight. And uh board

17:22 ↗ member Michelle Stefen all to the

17:24 ↗ lectern. Welcome ladies. Thank you.

17:28 ↗ >> And I missing one name in here then,

17:31 ↗ aren't I? I did not.

17:32 ↗ >> Susan Cornney. and Susan Carney.

17:35 ↗ >> Thank you. Well, first of all, this is a

17:38 ↗ real honor to be able to present this to

17:40 ↗ uh representatives from Kid Vantage. Um

17:43 ↗ just a reminder that that organization

17:45 ↗ was started by um Karen Ridlon who was

17:49 ↗ an Isiqua resident and has become a

17:52 ↗ force throughout the Puet Sound. So,

17:54 ↗ we're very honored to have you with us.

17:57 ↗ So, here is the proclamation for diaper

17:59 ↗ needs. Diaper needs the condition of not

18:02 ↗ being able to afford a sufficient supply

18:04 ↗ of clean diapers to ensure that infants

18:06 ↗ and toddlers are clean, healthy, and dry

18:09 ↗ can adversely affect the health and

18:11 ↗ welfare of infants, toddlers, and their

18:13 ↗ families. And whereas national surveys

18:17 ↗ and research studies report that nearly

18:19 ↗ one in two families struggle with diaper

18:22 ↗ need and 48% of families delay changing

18:25 ↗ a diaper to extend the available supply.

18:29 ↗ And whereas the average infant or

18:31 ↗ toddler requires an average of 50 diaper

18:34 ↗ changes per week over three years, and

18:37 ↗ sometimes it seems like more.

18:40 ↗ And whereas there are no government

18:42 ↗ assistance programs for the purchase or

18:44 ↗ provision of diapers, and a monthly

18:47 ↗ supply of diapers can cost as much as 8%

18:50 ↗ of a full-time minimum wage worker's

18:53 ↗ salary. Therefore, obtaining a

18:55 ↗ sufficient supply of diapers can cause

18:57 ↗ economic hardship to families. And

19:00 ↗ whereas a supply of diapers is generally

19:02 ↗ an eligibility requirement to

19:04 ↗ participate in child care and quality

19:06 ↗ early education programs that enable

19:08 ↗ children to thrive and parents to work.

19:12 ↗ And whereas the people of Isiqua

19:14 ↗ recognize that diaper need is a public

19:16 ↗ health issue. And addressing diaper need

19:19 ↗ can lead to economic opportunity for the

19:21 ↗ state's families and communities and

19:23 ↗ improved health for children. Thus,

19:25 ↗ ensuring all children and families have

19:28 ↗ access to the necessities required to

19:30 ↗ thrive and reach their full potential.

19:33 ↗ And whereas Isiqua is proud to be home

19:35 ↗ to various community organizations that

19:38 ↗ recognize the importance of diapers in

19:40 ↗ helping provide economic stability for

19:42 ↗ families and distribute diapers to

19:44 ↗ low-income families through various

19:46 ↗ channels. And whereas through their

19:49 ↗ improve important work of addressing

19:50 ↗ diaper need, diaper banks play a

19:53 ↗ critical role in supporting families,

19:55 ↗ improving infant health and well-being,

19:58 ↗ and advancing our local and state

20:00 ↗ economic growth. And now therefore, I,

20:04 ↗ Barb D. Michelle, on behalf of Mary

20:06 ↗ Lupali, the mayor of the city of Isiqua,

20:08 ↗ you hereby proclaim the week of

20:10 ↗ September 15th through the 21st, 2025 to

20:14 ↗ be diaper need awareness week in the

20:17 ↗ city of Isiqua and encourage all

20:19 ↗ residents to donate generous generously

20:22 ↗ to diaper banks, diaper drives, and

20:26 ↗ those organizations that distribute

20:28 ↗ diapers to families in need to help

20:30 ↗ alleviate diaper need in Isiqua and

20:32 ↗ environments.

20:34 ↗ So, thank you. Helen, would you like to

20:35 ↗ say some things? And others are welcome

20:37 ↗ as well.

20:38 ↗ >> Okay.

20:42 ↗ >> Um, thank you very much, council member

20:45 ↗ and mayor Paulie and the rest of the

20:46 ↗ council and um our sincere thanks as Kid

20:50 ↗ Vantage to the wonderful support for the

20:52 ↗ city of Isqua. This is um Kid Vantage's

20:56 ↗ 35th year of providing services u making

20:59 ↗ sure that all of their children in our

21:01 ↗ region have the tangible goods that they

21:03 ↗ need to survive and to thrive. Um we're

21:06 ↗ very appreciative of this opportunity

21:08 ↗ for having diaper needed awareness um uh

21:11 ↗ proclaimed week here in Isukqua. Um just

21:16 ↗ uh you heard a lot of statistics in that

21:20 ↗ proclamation. It is a persistent

21:23 ↗ challenge um faced by families in

21:25 ↗ Isiqua, in King County, in Washington,

21:28 ↗ and across the nation. Um I recently

21:32 ↗ heard from one of the housing case

21:34 ↗ managers that works with Kid Vantage.

21:36 ↗ She said, "Diapers matter and mean more

21:40 ↗ than we may ever realize. They seem like

21:43 ↗ a small thing, but when you are without

21:45 ↗ them, it makes all the difference.

21:48 ↗ Because diapers are essential. They're

21:50 ↗ expensive and they can lead to

21:52 ↗ detrimental health concerns for the

21:55 ↗ children if kids don't have sufficient

21:58 ↗ diapers.

21:59 ↗ Um, and we also know that in addition to

22:02 ↗ all those other things that you heard

22:04 ↗ that parents, adult caregivers, um,

22:07 ↗ behavioral health is adversely affected

22:09 ↗ when they're unable to care for their

22:11 ↗ children, including providing diapers.

22:14 ↗ And we also know that they're not

22:15 ↗ covered by any of federal assistance

22:17 ↗ programmed. Another provider said,

22:20 ↗ "Providing diapers through advantage

22:22 ↗ allows us to support families in a more

22:24 ↗ complete and dignified way. Food is

22:27 ↗ essential, but meeting basic hygiene

22:30 ↗ needs like diapers helps families stay

22:32 ↗ stable. It builds trust and lets parents

22:35 ↗ know they're not alone.

22:38 ↗ We find it would take an average of 4.8

22:42 ↗ 8 billion diapers each year to fill the

22:45 ↗ gap between what families need and what

22:48 ↗ they're able to afford. Diaper banks

22:50 ↗ like Kid Advantage do help fill that

22:52 ↗ gap. This year, we expect to distribute

22:55 ↗ more than 1.5 million diaper changes to

22:57 ↗ kids in this area. One last quote from

23:01 ↗ an Isiqua school provider. Just this

23:04 ↗ week, she was dealing with a single mom

23:06 ↗ of five kids who had come into the

23:07 ↗ school. She was in crisis. They had

23:10 ↗ become homeless and she had lost all of

23:12 ↗ the family's belongings. She was

23:14 ↗ struggling to have the gasoline she

23:16 ↗ needed to transport the three kids from

23:18 ↗ where they were staying that were the

23:19 ↗ ones in school. This provider from the

23:23 ↗ school district was able to request an

23:25 ↗ emergency order of diapers and clothing

23:27 ↗ from Kid Vantage. And so then mom was

23:30 ↗ able to focus on other community needs

23:33 ↗ um support resources for her needs. and

23:36 ↗ she recognized that Kid Vantage had

23:38 ↗ helped build a bridge of trust and that

23:40 ↗ helped the schools in our community be

23:43 ↗ safe places where uh families

23:46 ↗ experienced firsthand that the people in

23:48 ↗ their community genuinely care for

23:51 ↗ children and their families and that's

23:53 ↗ evidenced here tonight. Thank you.

24:03 ↗ Uh I'm Michelle Stefen, board member for

24:05 ↗ the advantage also is resident. I'm

24:08 ↗ deeply honored for the council support

24:11 ↗ to be able to actually recognize therapy

24:12 ↗ awareness week. Um is such a big need

24:15 ↗ for our community as Helen pointed out

24:17 ↗ and so we're we're actually really

24:19 ↗ grateful for all your support.

24:24 ↗ >> Picture time.

24:25 ↗ >> Let it go. We'll go in front.

24:29 ↗ [Music]

24:43 ↗ Thank you very much. Thank you, Deputy

24:44 ↗ Council President. The next item of

24:47 ↗ special business today is ID 1853 with

24:50 ↗ the very interesting name of

24:52 ↗ Constitution Day Proclamation.

24:54 ↗ and you will learn from the proclamation

24:56 ↗ what that really is. I'd like to invite

24:59 ↗ council member tool Marts and Iska

25:01 ↗ municipal court judicial specialists

25:03 ↗ Nikki Meister and Georgia Deing to the

25:05 ↗ lectern and I believe we also have

25:08 ↗ Marisol Visser our therapeutic

25:10 ↗ court coordinator and Anna uh Van our

25:15 ↗ probation case manager. Did I miss

25:18 ↗ anybody or did I catch you all?

25:22 ↗ Okay, we're missing one. Council member

25:24 ↗ Mertz.

25:25 ↗ >> Thank you, Madame Mayor. Whereas the

25:27 ↗ United States Constitution has shaped

25:29 ↗ the progress, values, and laws of this

25:31 ↗ country, Washington State, and the city

25:34 ↗ of Isiqua. And whereas September 17th is

25:37 ↗ commonly known as Constitution Day and

25:40 ↗ Citizenship Day to commemorate the

25:42 ↗ signing of the US Constitution in

25:45 ↗ Philadelphia on September 17th, 1787.

25:49 ↗ And whereas the city of Isiqua strives

25:51 ↗ to embody the values espoused in the

25:53 ↗ constitution, empower citizens to

25:56 ↗ participate in government and abide by

25:58 ↗ its laws and promise. And whereas the

26:01 ↗ Isiqua Municipal Court plays a vital

26:04 ↗ role in upholding the Constitution,

26:06 ↗ establishing and maintaining public

26:08 ↗ trust and confidence through

26:10 ↗ juristprudence and consistent service to

26:13 ↗ the Isiqua community, including the

26:15 ↗ delivery of court services to the cities

26:17 ↗ of Duval, Northbend, and Snowqualami.

26:21 ↗ Whereas it is appropriate to acknowledge

26:23 ↗ and thank Isiqua Municipal Court staff

26:26 ↗ on this celebration of the 238th

26:29 ↗ anniversary of the constitution signing.

26:32 ↗ Now therefore

26:34 ↗ uh I Tomart's um in

26:38 ↗ >> it's so complicated. Just do it.

26:41 ↗ >> Mary Lu Paulie the mayor of Isiqua does

26:43 ↗ hereby proclaim September 17th 2025 to

26:47 ↗ be Constitution Day in the city of

26:49 ↗ Isiqua. And I invite the community to

26:51 ↗ join me in thanking the Isiqua's

26:54 ↗ municipal court employees for their

26:56 ↗ service and outstanding contributions

26:58 ↗ and the vital role they play in

27:00 ↗ upholding the constitution. In witness

27:02 ↗ whereof, the mayor signed here for her

27:04 ↗ hand and seal of the city of Isiqua on

27:06 ↗ this 15th day of September, 2025.

27:09 ↗ >> Thank you, council.

27:11 ↗ >> Ladies, would you like to address the

27:14 ↗ >> I'll keep it short. I know you guys have

27:15 ↗ a busy night tonight. Um, we just want

27:17 ↗ to say on behalf of our entire team,

27:19 ↗ thank you for recognizing the court. Um,

27:21 ↗ we're really proud of the work that we

27:22 ↗ do and we love serving our community.

27:24 ↗ Fantastic.

27:35 ↗ >> Dragged up.

27:36 ↗ >> You almost got out of there.

27:51 ↗ For the next two proclamations, I'm

27:53 ↗ going to be doing the presentation and I

27:54 ↗ will head over to the lecture and these

27:56 ↗ are ID1 1855 first information

27:59 ↗ technology professionals day

28:01 ↗ proclamation and ID 1852nd after that

28:04 ↗ the human resources professional day

28:06 ↗ proclamation. And this is an opportunity

28:08 ↗ for our council and our community to

28:10 ↗ recognize the amazing professionals that

28:12 ↗ we have working for us on behalf of our

28:15 ↗ community.

28:21 ↗ >> Is Gus here tonight? Oh, hi. I'm just

28:24 ↗ scanning the room, Gus. So I just so I

28:27 ↗ would like to invite uh chief

28:29 ↗ information officer Gus Taiwana, IT

28:32 ↗ supervisor Andrew Griffin, project

28:35 ↗ manager Kevin Tam, and Autumn, are you

28:38 ↗ joining them? And Autumn Monahan, the

28:42 ↗ director for this group.

28:44 ↗ Whereas National Information Technology

28:47 ↗ Professionals Day is celebrated on the

28:49 ↗ third Tuesday of every September to

28:51 ↗ recognize the technical experts that

28:53 ↗ ensure our computer and communication

28:55 ↗ systems operate smoothly and

28:57 ↗ effectively. And whereas technology

29:00 ↗ continues to evolve and IT professionals

29:03 ↗ help navigate these changes to provide

29:05 ↗ efficient, inclusive, and communicative

29:07 ↗ service to the employees and residents

29:09 ↗ of the city of Isiqua. And whereas

29:12 ↗ behind every technology stands often

29:14 ↗ silently and invisibly IT professionals,

29:17 ↗ technicians analysts developers

29:19 ↗ architects engineers administrators

29:22 ↗ managers, and directors who have been

29:24 ↗ content to work behind the scenes to

29:26 ↗ enable innovation and productivity. And

29:29 ↗ whereas the CO 19 pandemic is a great

29:31 ↗ example of Isqua's IT team acting with

29:34 ↗ foresight, preparation, and expediency,

29:37 ↗ allowing staff to resume remote services

29:39 ↗ to the public with very limited

29:42 ↗ disruption. And whereas the city of

29:44 ↗ Isiqua wishes to show appreciation for

29:46 ↗ its IT professionals. Now therefore, I

29:49 ↗ the real Marylu Pauly, mayor of the city

29:51 ↗ of Isiqua, do you recognize September

29:54 ↗ 16th, 2025 to be information technology

29:57 ↗ professionals days? And I would like to

29:59 ↗ see if you'd like to address the group.

30:01 ↗ Thank you, Autumn.

30:04 ↗ On behalf of the IT team, thank you so

30:06 ↗ much for this honor. I um have the

30:08 ↗ privilege of working with this amazing

30:11 ↗ group of public servants um who Gus just

30:14 ↗ now helped me join the WebEx meeting so

30:17 ↗ didn't have to file a ticket but um this

30:20 ↗ group handles thousands of help desk

30:22 ↗ tickets. They also provide 247 support

30:26 ↗ for critical systems including for a

30:29 ↗ police uh department that has a jail, a

30:31 ↗ 911 dispatch center and patrol. Uh so

30:35 ↗ it's 247 support. Um, this team also

30:38 ↗ provides so much project management on

30:41 ↗ an insane amount of projects that

30:43 ↗ they're working on right now. Um, that

30:45 ↗ help with efficiency, communication, and

30:48 ↗ security. And I'm just so grateful for

30:50 ↗ your service.

30:52 ↗ Thank you. Just

30:55 ↗ want to do a picture.

30:58 ↗ I'm about 500 of the call help tickets

31:01 ↗ that go through. Okay.

31:07 ↗ Not empty picture.

31:30 ↗ One more. Hang in with us.

31:33 ↗ Uh, I would like to call up is our HR

31:36 ↗ director here? No, she's she's ver Oh,

31:39 ↗ she's virtual. There's Stephanie. She's

31:41 ↗ up on the screen waving. Uh, do we have

31:43 ↗ Lisa Gold and Jennifer Zinc with us

31:46 ↗ today? Awesome. Come on up, ladies.

31:51 ↗ Welcome Stephanie. I'm glad you could

31:52 ↗ join us.

31:54 ↗ >> Thank you.

31:54 ↗ >> Hi, ladies. Whereas human resources

31:57 ↗ professional day is celebrated around

31:58 ↗ the world to recognize the important

32:00 ↗ contributions of human resources

32:02 ↗ professionals and whereas human

32:05 ↗ resources professionals are vital to the

32:07 ↗ function, efficiency and harmony of a

32:10 ↗ modern workforce. And whereas human

32:12 ↗ resources professionals develop policies

32:14 ↗ and procedures to keep the workforce

32:16 ↗ safe, increase connection and resolve

32:19 ↗ conflict. And whereas human resources

32:22 ↗ professionals lead the workforce in

32:23 ↗ establishing a safe, welcoming and

32:26 ↗ positive workplace by implementing

32:28 ↗ trainings that advance equity, ensure

32:31 ↗ compliance with local and federal laws

32:33 ↗ and advance personal growth and career

32:35 ↗ development. And whereas the corona

32:38 ↗ virus virus pandemic has changed the

32:40 ↗ workplace at the city of Isiqua and

32:42 ↗ around the world and impacted staffing,

32:46 ↗ safety, health, and regular operations.

32:48 ↗ And whereas Isiqua's HR team has adapted

32:51 ↗ swiftly and consistently in response to

32:53 ↗ everchanging pandemic conditions. And

32:56 ↗ whereas our human resources

32:57 ↗ professionals serve the public by

32:59 ↗ recruiting, retaining, and training the

33:02 ↗ best talent of the city of Isiqua. I now

33:05 ↗ proclaim

33:06 ↗ as gains the mayor of the city of Isiqua

33:10 ↗ uh to recognize September 26, 2025 as

33:14 ↗ human resources professional day and

33:16 ↗ want to thank this amazingly strong

33:18 ↗ team. Stephanie, would you like to say

33:21 ↗ anything about your team?

33:23 ↗ >> I would love to. Thank you, Mayor Molly.

33:25 ↗ It's really an honor to receive this

33:27 ↗ proclamation. I'm sorry I couldn't be

33:29 ↗ there tonight. I am um recovering from

33:31 ↗ COVID. Um, uh, I, uh, HR analyst Carmen

33:35 ↗ Chamberlain is, um, absent tonight as

33:38 ↗ well, but I'm really happy that Lisa

33:40 ↗ Gould, HR coordinator, and Jennifer

33:42 ↗ Zinc, HR analyst, could be there. Um,

33:45 ↗ both joined the HR team in 2024, and

33:48 ↗ they've just been fabulous additions to

33:50 ↗ our small um, but mighty team. Um, I

33:53 ↗ just want to take a a quick minute to

33:55 ↗ brag about some of the accomplishments

33:57 ↗ of this team because they really are

34:00 ↗ small but mighty. Um, this team

34:03 ↗ currently supports 485 people on

34:06 ↗ payroll. 283 of those are full-time and

34:09 ↗ we have another 202 part-time

34:13 ↗ non-regular staff. Um, year to date,

34:15 ↗ they've overseen 84 recruitment or civil

34:18 ↗ service processes. That means hundreds

34:21 ↗ of job postings and almost 3,000

34:24 ↗ applications for city employment that we

34:27 ↗ are uh screening for and working with

34:29 ↗ departments to fill.

34:31 ↗ The team has processed 1,143

34:35 ↗ personnel actions. Um, this means

34:37 ↗ engaging with uh employees and

34:40 ↗ supervisors behind those actions um to

34:43 ↗ support their employment. We have um

34:46 ↗ onboarded 69 full-time new hires and 149

34:51 ↗ part-time non-regular, bringing that

34:53 ↗ number to 218 so far this year. In

34:57 ↗ addition, we've helped to separate or

34:59 ↗ transition 148 employees, um 43

35:03 ↗ full-timers,

35:04 ↗ um that includes exit interviews, and

35:06 ↗ then certainly um the churn of 105

35:09 ↗ part-time non-regular.

35:11 ↗ Uh in addition to some of those stats,

35:14 ↗ uh we've taken in 42 risk management

35:17 ↗ claims as the risk management office.

35:20 ↗ And uh not to uh remiss our uh uh our

35:24 ↗ attention on retention and the employee

35:26 ↗ experience plan, we've conducted 24

35:29 ↗ stays yearto date so that we understand

35:32 ↗ what is keeping people um here employed

35:35 ↗ at the city. You know that we negotiated

35:38 ↗ our first dispatch contract this year,

35:40 ↗ making our eighth union in the city. Um

35:42 ↗ and we continue to work on enhancing um

35:45 ↗ growth and development for all staff. We

35:48 ↗ launched our first supervisor training

35:50 ↗ plan and we've helped to cycle employees

35:52 ↗ through 336 total trainings year to

35:56 ↗ date. Um we've also helped to support

35:58 ↗ connection and recognition. So far this

36:00 ↗ year, we've facilitated seven citywide

36:03 ↗ uh citywide employee events. This fall,

36:07 ↗ we're preparing for uh additional

36:09 ↗ trainings, some additional class comp

36:11 ↗ maintenance work, open enrollment,

36:14 ↗ remaining negotiations,

36:16 ↗ the pumpkin derby, and some of those

36:18 ↗ employee recognition things that we all

36:20 ↗ love while we continue to fill

36:21 ↗ recruitments. But I'm super proud of

36:24 ↗ this team. As a small team, we have to

36:26 ↗ support each other closely. Just today,

36:28 ↗ Lisa and Jennifer a great idea of

36:30 ↗ running around and um helping to support

36:33 ↗ an event going on tomorrow morning that

36:35 ↗ they they were not tasked with before

36:38 ↗ this morning um and then attending

36:40 ↗ council tonight. So, um I really

36:42 ↗ appreciate how this team um works

36:44 ↗ together and pivots. So, thank you again

36:46 ↗ for the recognition and I'll stop there

36:48 ↗ and see if Lisa and Jennifer would like

36:50 ↗ to add anything.

36:52 ↗ >> Thank you so much.

36:53 ↗ >> Nods, but no nods. No, but thank you.

36:55 ↗ And I was hoping if you hadn't mentioned

36:57 ↗ small and mighty at least three times, I

36:58 ↗ was going to mention it three times.

37:00 ↗ That is an incredible body of work and

37:02 ↗ we are so grateful for how you have

37:05 ↗ supported our wonderful employees and

37:08 ↗ staff teams so that we can provide the

37:10 ↗ best services that we can. So Stephanie,

37:12 ↗ thanks so much. And we're going to do a

37:13 ↗ picture with you on the big screen. So

37:16 ↗ just change the angle. So come on.

37:17 ↗ >> Okay. Thank you.

37:32 ↗ Do not feel like you need me in the

37:33 ↗ picture.

38:12 ↗ We are now going to move into audience

38:14 ↗ comments. And this is the time when

38:16 ↗ members of the public may address the

38:18 ↗ council in person or virtually. Those

38:21 ↗ who signed up in advance to make

38:22 ↗ comments will be called on first. Uh if

38:25 ↗ you're joining us virtually and would

38:26 ↗ like to make comments, please raise your

38:28 ↗ virtual hand or send the host a chat

38:30 ↗ message. If you're on the phone, press

38:32 ↗ star three. If you joined by computer or

38:34 ↗ smartphone, look for a hand icon. And if

38:37 ↗ you're in the room and didn't sign up,

38:38 ↗ just wave your hands and we'll make sure

38:40 ↗ that we get to you before we end the

38:41 ↗ meeting. Uh city clerk, has anyone

38:43 ↗ signed up to speak for general audience

38:45 ↗ comments?

38:47 ↗ Mayor, no one has signed up to speak and

38:49 ↗ we do have a few members of the public

38:50 ↗ with us virtually, but I'm not seeing

38:53 ↗ either of them raise their hand at this

38:55 ↗ time. We do have one person in the room.

38:58 ↗ Okay. So, for those making comments,

39:00 ↗ you're invited to address the council

39:02 ↗ regarding matters that are directly

39:04 ↗ related to programs, projects, services,

39:06 ↗ or events. Comments related to political

39:08 ↗ campaigns are not permitted. Please

39:10 ↗ direct the comments to the whole council

39:12 ↗ and not individuals. And while this is

39:14 ↗ not a question and answer session, we'll

39:15 ↗ follow up if we need to. Uh so for

39:18 ↗ folks, if you are online and you raise

39:20 ↗ your hand, I'll read some additional

39:22 ↗ directions, but if you're in the room,

39:24 ↗ please move to the U podium that's in

39:26 ↗ the center and press the button on the

39:27 ↗ center of bottom of the console so we

39:30 ↗ can all hear you. Uh personal if you are

39:33 ↗ attending virtually and making comments

39:35 ↗ and do do not respond after your name or

39:37 ↗ phone number is called or if your

39:38 ↗ connection is lost unexpectedly the

39:40 ↗ meeting will still need to proceed and

39:42 ↗ we encourage you to rejoin. Personal

39:44 ↗ attacks, obscene language, derogatory

39:46 ↗ remarks and disruptive behavior will not

39:48 ↗ be permitted. And public comments both

39:50 ↗ written and verbal are an important

39:51 ↗ aspect of the public process. The city

39:53 ↗ takes the comments seriously and we

39:55 ↗ thank everyone for taking time to

39:56 ↗ address us tonight.

39:58 ↗ If uh we do not see any hands online, I

40:01 ↗ am going to go to the gentleman in the

40:03 ↗ front row and ask you to come on up to

40:04 ↗ the microphone and identify yourself.

40:08 ↗ >> Hello, my name is Jonathan Smith. I am

40:10 ↗ an Isiqua resident, lived here for over

40:12 ↗ 30 years. Um I run an Isiqua volunteer

40:16 ↗ litter cleanup program. It's a uh um

40:19 ↗ grassroots organization. We meet the

40:21 ↗ first Saturday of every month at 9:00.

40:24 ↗ We meet at the um post office parking

40:27 ↗ lot on Northwest Gilman. I'd like to

40:29 ↗ encourage um everybody that's listening

40:32 ↗ to to attend. Our next event is October

40:34 ↗ 4th, which is the day of salmon days,

40:36 ↗ but we'll meet um and um move out from

40:39 ↗ there. So, we generally meet for

40:41 ↗ approximately 5 or 10 minutes, make a

40:43 ↗ plan, move out from there. We request

40:46 ↗ that you bring your own trash bags and

40:48 ↗ gloves. We do have a few litter pickers

40:50 ↗ that you can borrow and it's a very fun

40:52 ↗ event and we uh get a lot of new people

40:56 ↗ uh here and there and um

40:59 ↗ just like to remind people in the city

41:01 ↗ to come out and join us. Thank you

41:03 ↗ >> Jonathan. Thanks for all you do. Any

41:05 ↗ other members in the of the audience

41:08 ↗ tonight in the room that would like to

41:09 ↗ speak? Raise your hand. Not seeing any

41:12 ↗ any indication online. Great. Well,

41:14 ↗ thank you for coming and reminding us

41:16 ↗ about this amazing volunteer opportunity

41:18 ↗ that you provide, Jonathan. Um, you do a

41:20 ↗ great job communicating with the council

41:22 ↗ on what's going on, where you're doing

41:25 ↗ it, and who's showing up, and it's just

41:27 ↗ wonderful to see volunteerism like that.

41:29 ↗ Thank you for your comments. Um, and

41:32 ↗ just remember, written comments can

41:33 ↗ always be submitted to council at any

41:35 ↗ time at city councilwa.gov.

41:37 ↗ We're going to move into the consent

41:39 ↗ calendar and I do not have any remarks

41:41 ↗ on the consent calendar but I would like

41:42 ↗ to give the committee chairs or chair

41:44 ↗ design who if there are any items that

41:47 ↗ you would like to report on on the

41:48 ↗ consent calendar. I'm not seeing an

41:50 ↗ indication of that. So the consent

41:52 ↗ calendar was distributed to council in

41:54 ↗ advance and if authorized the items on

41:56 ↗ the consent calendar will be considered

41:57 ↗ together and approved by one motion.

41:59 ↗ Have the payables and payroll been

42:01 ↗ reviewed?

42:02 ↗ >> Yes,

42:02 ↗ >> they have. Thank you very much. Does any

42:05 ↗ council member desire to remove any item

42:07 ↗ from the consent calendar and consider

42:09 ↗ it under regular business? Not seeing

42:12 ↗ any indication to do so.

42:14 ↗ Uh can we get a motion?

42:16 ↗ >> Yes. I move we approve the consent

42:18 ↗ calendar as distributed.

42:21 ↗ >> Second.

42:22 ↗ >> It's been moved and seconded to approve

42:25 ↗ the consent calendar as presented. All

42:27 ↗ those in favor signify by saying I.

42:30 ↗ >> I. I. Those opposed? That carries 6 and

42:34 ↗ O. Thank you very much. We're going to

42:35 ↗ move into regular business. Big

42:37 ↗ excitement AB9042, public safety and

42:41 ↗ civic facilities task force report. Um

42:45 ↗ the council's action this evening will

42:47 ↗ be to receive the report. And I'd like

42:50 ↗ to invite administrative services

42:51 ↗ director Autumn Monahan to present this

42:53 ↗ item.

42:57 ↗ We will also be having members from the

42:59 ↗ task force as well. um presenting and

43:02 ↗ I'm sure that Autumn's going to handle

43:04 ↗ the order and who is coming

43:36 ↗ [Music]

43:38 ↗ Where did my IT support go?

43:42 ↗ Apologies. Just one second.

44:39 ↗ Great. Thank you for your patience.

44:40 ↗ Thank you, Madame Mayor, members of the

44:42 ↗ city council. My name is Autumn Monahan.

44:44 ↗ I'm the administrative services

44:45 ↗ director. I'm thrilled to be here

44:47 ↗ tonight to present the public safety and

44:49 ↗ civic facilities task force

44:50 ↗ recommendations.

44:56 ↗ Uh so purpose of tonight is to receive

44:58 ↗ the task force recommendations and

45:00 ↗ provide some initial feedback.

45:03 ↗ Our agenda tonight is an overview of the

45:05 ↗ task force's work. Um I'll cover briefly

45:08 ↗ some survey data. Uh then you'll hear

45:10 ↗ from the task force members on their

45:11 ↗ recommendations. Um we'll also present

45:14 ↗ on some concepts for the proposed police

45:16 ↗ renovation and uh view a few of the site

45:19 ↗ assessments for potential city hall

45:21 ↗ locations.

45:24 ↗ Uh just as a reminder, these are the

45:26 ↗ goals that the council uh adopted uh for

45:28 ↗ this project back in 2023 to ensure

45:31 ↗ safety, responsibly story public

45:33 ↗ dollars, provide community accessibility

45:35 ↗ and convenience, support economic

45:37 ↗ development, deliver enhance community

45:39 ↗ amenities, and embody environmental

45:41 ↗ stewardship. Um these were the same

45:43 ↗ goals that we started each of our task

45:44 ↗ force meetings with.

45:48 ↗ As a reminder, as far as the timeline,

45:49 ↗ our most recent efforts around space

45:51 ↗ planning started in 2023 with a needs

45:54 ↗ study. In 2024,

45:57 ↗ um we then started shaping up a phased

45:59 ↗ approach to um tackle our space needs

46:02 ↗ and the city council then expressed a

46:04 ↗ desire and a need for public engagement,

46:07 ↗ which is something that we had not

46:08 ↗ started yet. Um so that included input

46:11 ↗ from a large community task force. The

46:14 ↗ council then confirmed a task force and

46:16 ↗ their work plan on January 13th along

46:19 ↗ with pausing on any long-term planning

46:21 ↗ for fire station 71 while we did that

46:23 ↗ work.

46:25 ↗ So, um, our task force work plan, which

46:28 ↗ again was, uh, um, adopted by the

46:31 ↗ council, um, in early, uh, January,

46:34 ↗ includes reviewing the work to date on

46:36 ↗ the city's facility needs, prioritizing

46:39 ↗ our identified facility needs, refining

46:41 ↗ those long-term plans, evaluating

46:44 ↗ options for a potential ballot measure,

46:46 ↗ providing feedback for community

46:48 ↗ engagement, and then delivering

46:49 ↗ recommendations to the mayor and the

46:50 ↗ city council.

46:54 ↗ So here's our task force. Um so we

46:58 ↗ recruited heavily uh for this group on

47:01 ↗ social media, our website, email, uh

47:04 ↗ direct contact with a lot of our boards

47:05 ↗ and commissions and we tap shoulders of

47:07 ↗ a lot of community partners. So uh this

47:10 ↗ task force is the largest in our recent

47:12 ↗ memory. Uh there were 21 members. Uh by

47:15 ↗ the end of our meetings, we had 18. Some

47:17 ↗ did have conflicts with scheduling uh

47:19 ↗ throughout the year, but it was still a

47:20 ↗ very large group. Uh they represent

47:23 ↗ neighborhoods, uh the school district,

47:26 ↗ boards and commissions, local

47:28 ↗ nonprofits, businesses, and we also had

47:31 ↗ council members Tolams and Zach Hall

47:33 ↗ participating.

47:35 ↗ Oh, and for and there's several who are

47:37 ↗ in the audience today. If you want to

47:38 ↗ raise your hand,

47:40 ↗ thank you so much for your service.

47:44 ↗ All right. So, um this task force before

47:47 ↗ we even started our work took tours and

47:50 ↗ we staggered these tours uh for them to

47:53 ↗ see our cramped uh facilities um

47:56 ↗ specifically in police. They also got a

47:58 ↗ tour of our jail and some of our city

48:00 ↗ hall facilities to see firsthand our

48:02 ↗ space needs before meeting. We then had

48:04 ↗ seven in-person meetings that spanned

48:06 ↗ from March to July uh facilitated by two

48:09 ↗ co-chairs who you'll meet here in a

48:10 ↗ moment. And the group was staffed um by

48:14 ↗ administrative services as well as

48:15 ↗ consultants from DLR group who you'll

48:17 ↗ also hear from later this evening.

48:21 ↗ Um so before I hand this over to the

48:23 ↗ task force, you hear the

48:24 ↗ recommendations. I did want to present a

48:27 ↗ bit more community feedback we've

48:28 ↗ received since I've last been before

48:30 ↗ you. It's been a while. Um which also

48:32 ↗ really helped inform the task force

48:34 ↗ work. So, we had our community survey

48:36 ↗ this year and that was a really great

48:38 ↗ opportunity to pull some of that data

48:40 ↗ out as we're looking at what the

48:41 ↗ community's priorities are. Uh, as a

48:43 ↗ reminder, police service was the fourth

48:45 ↗ most important service to our community.

48:47 ↗ If you remember, there was also that

48:48 ↗ importance satisfaction rating. Um, and

48:52 ↗ the top ones were traffic, land use, and

48:54 ↗ maintenance of streets. Police service

48:56 ↗ was eighth in that um important

48:58 ↗ satisfaction combo. A top priority for

49:01 ↗ city leadership and services in the next

49:03 ↗ two years is value received for your

49:05 ↗ local tax dollars and fees. And the most

49:08 ↗ preferred way to access city services

49:10 ↗ was our website at 90%. However, 60%

49:14 ↗ still said they wanted an in-person

49:15 ↗ option.

49:19 ↗ Along with our statistically valid

49:20 ↗ survey, which we do every other year, uh

49:22 ↗ we also launched an online survey as

49:24 ↗ part of the task force's work. So they

49:27 ↗ helped in us drafting some questions and

49:29 ↗ some topics to really go out to the

49:31 ↗ community and dive deeper on space

49:33 ↗ needs. So this was heavily promoted

49:35 ↗ online. We had 268 responses. The

49:38 ↗ majority of people who did participate

49:40 ↗ were residents followed by professional

49:42 ↗ services, businesses, and local

49:44 ↗ organizations. 75% said yes or maybe to

49:47 ↗ utilizing facilities for an event or a

49:49 ↗ meeting. And close to half said they

49:52 ↗ preferred for city hall to be located in

49:54 ↗ Oldtown.

49:55 ↗ Half of the residents also said, or

49:57 ↗ sorry, respondents also said they were

49:59 ↗ aware of Isiqua Police's space needs.

50:04 ↗ A couple more quick stats from that

50:06 ↗ spring survey. Uh what city services

50:09 ↗ excluding police should be provided in

50:11 ↗ person? And overwhelmingly it was just

50:13 ↗ general questions and customer support,

50:15 ↗ which is what we hear from our staff as

50:17 ↗ well. The second was human services and

50:19 ↗ I think people my guess is people

50:21 ↗ thought that was also like customer

50:22 ↗ service versus our human services

50:25 ↗ division. Uh and then third was

50:27 ↗ permitting.

50:28 ↗ [Music]

50:31 ↗ As the city plans for its future

50:33 ↗ facilities, what was most important to

50:35 ↗ respondents were offering more event

50:36 ↗ spaces for community and nonprofit

50:38 ↗ organizations. That feedback has not

50:40 ↗ changed over the years. Um coming in in

50:43 ↗ a close second was providing some

50:44 ↗ in-person customer support.

50:49 ↗ And with that, um, I'm really pleased to

50:52 ↗ present our task force co-chairs, Eric

50:55 ↗ Olner, who's joining us virtually, and

50:57 ↗ Mike Brennan to share the task force

50:59 ↗ recommendations.

51:07 ↗ Good evening, Mayor Paulie, members of

51:08 ↗ the council. It is a pleasure to be here

51:10 ↗ tonight to represent the task force and

51:13 ↗ share our report and recommendations to

51:15 ↗ the council. Do just want to pause for a

51:17 ↗ minute and say thank you to the task

51:19 ↗ force members that I had the opportunity

51:20 ↗ to work with, those that are here and

51:22 ↗ those that are not and my co-chair Eric

51:24 ↗ Oleer who's joining us virtually. What

51:26 ↗ an incredible group of people, very

51:28 ↗ productive discussions, um very engaged,

51:31 ↗ shared opinions, um shared suggestions,

51:34 ↗ um and it was really a lot of fun too.

51:36 ↗ So I think uh we we enjoyed our time

51:38 ↗ together. Uh I also want to just uh

51:40 ↗ recognize staff as well uh Autumn Mahan

51:43 ↗ and Genie Justice uh for their support

51:46 ↗ as well as Lori uh Coopenrath from DLR

51:49 ↗ uh consultants. They did an incredible

51:51 ↗ amount of lifting, providing us

51:53 ↗ information, answering questions um and

51:55 ↗ really helping us move along through uh

51:58 ↗ all of the information to get to our

52:00 ↗ recommendations.

52:02 ↗ Next slide.

52:04 ↗ So, we did um as Autumn mentioned, we

52:06 ↗ held seven meetings uh starting in March

52:09 ↗ through uh July. Uh and we spent um um

52:14 ↗ time at those meetings uh early on

52:16 ↗ really focusing on learning about the

52:18 ↗ city's needs. Uh what facility spaces um

52:22 ↗ were were currently available. Uh we

52:25 ↗ reviewed uh a lot of survey information.

52:27 ↗ Uh we toured city hall uh and uh the

52:31 ↗ administrative area as well as the

52:32 ↗ police department which was very eye

52:34 ↗ openening uh clearly um the needs of the

52:38 ↗ police department surfaced very quickly

52:40 ↗ in our discussions uh to an area that

52:42 ↗ really needs to be addressed uh soon and

52:45 ↗ we'll talk a little bit we'll talk a

52:46 ↗ little bit more about that in just a

52:47 ↗ minute. Um there clearly um uh uh

52:51 ↗ necessary improvements there and and and

52:54 ↗ the sooner that those improvements can

52:55 ↗ be made I think the better. We also had

52:58 ↗ an opportunity uh to uh discuss the

53:01 ↗ police department needs with uh Chief

53:03 ↗ Paula Swan and her her team members that

53:06 ↗ that joined us uh at a meeting an

53:08 ↗ opportunity to understand their needs,

53:10 ↗ questions and answers. um that was very

53:13 ↗ helpful as well to to more deeply dive

53:15 ↗ into um the current situation at police

53:18 ↗ as well as their long-term needs as

53:19 ↗ they're uh looking years ahead at at um

53:22 ↗ the changing in police services. Uh we

53:25 ↗ reviewed current city properties that

53:27 ↗ might be available for construction of a

53:29 ↗ new city hall facility. Um we also got a

53:33 ↗ lesson in finance, municipal finance 101

53:36 ↗ by deputy city administrator Andrea

53:38 ↗ Snyder. Uh learned about city's

53:41 ↗ revenues. um more money is being spent,

53:43 ↗ uh budget challenges, and we talked

53:46 ↗ about funding options including uh a

53:48 ↗ process for a voted bond measure um

53:51 ↗ which would uh like very likely be

53:53 ↗ necessary to advance uh construction of

53:55 ↗ new facilities for the city. U we've

53:57 ↗ developed a set of priorities and I'll

53:59 ↗ talk a bit more about those in just a

54:01 ↗ minute. Um that really guided our work

54:04 ↗ to until we reached to our our final uh

54:07 ↗ recommendations for the council. Uh we

54:09 ↗ explored uh a number of opportunities

54:11 ↗ for construction of a new city hall and

54:14 ↗ also remodeling uh the current city hall

54:17 ↗ facility for uh additional police space.

54:20 ↗ Um we talked about uh in depth kind of

54:23 ↗ uh the need for a robust community

54:25 ↗ outreach uh and learned about the public

54:28 ↗ engagement toolkit that the city has

54:30 ↗ developed which is a really remarkable

54:31 ↗ tool. um uh as we went through that I

54:34 ↗ think it's very help would be very

54:35 ↗ helpful here and then we develop finally

54:37 ↗ we developed our our final

54:39 ↗ recommendations for the council. Next

54:41 ↗ slide. So uh here are the priorities. Um

54:46 ↗ this graph um it really represents um

54:50 ↗ kind of those things that we thought as

54:52 ↗ a as a task force were important for our

54:54 ↗ consideration as we advance these

54:56 ↗ recommendations or advanced this work

54:58 ↗ forward. Uh the this graph shows the the

55:01 ↗ the smallest number is the highest

55:03 ↗ priority um the highest number um those

55:06 ↗ things that were of less but still

55:08 ↗ important uh for consideration. So very

55:11 ↗ quickly um through the graph it's the

55:14 ↗ number one item there on the far left is

55:17 ↗ um addressing the police needs uh space

55:19 ↗ needs is an urgent uh need in the eyes

55:22 ↗ of the task force really to maximize the

55:24 ↗ use of city-owned facilities uh and

55:27 ↗ city-owned properties um in future

55:29 ↗ expansion. So um really uh leveraging

55:32 ↗ what the city already has really to

55:35 ↗ phase implementation within the city

55:37 ↗ means uh clearly that would be uh

55:40 ↗ necessary at some level as you think

55:42 ↗ about all of the moving parts um to

55:44 ↗ minimize the impact to the police

55:46 ↗ operations. Um and uh as the work

55:49 ↗ advances here um clearly this work would

55:52 ↗ be disruptive as you remodel and add new

55:54 ↗ facilities to the city. collo

55:56 ↗ colllocating customer service um in the

55:59 ↗ same location at city hall. Um the city

56:02 ↗ has a great reputation for high level of

56:04 ↗ customer service and we didn't want it

56:06 ↗ to become disjointed. It's much more

56:07 ↗ efficient and uh much easier for the

56:10 ↗ customers um of the city to have one

56:13 ↗ location or one stop to get what they

56:15 ↗ need. Uh providing community meeting

56:17 ↗ space. We we heard the feedback from the

56:19 ↗ surveys that that is really an undermet

56:21 ↗ need in the city of Isiziqua. Uh so that

56:24 ↗ is something that um in the facilities

56:27 ↗ uh expansion discussions we've really um

56:30 ↗ worked to integrate that in and you'll

56:32 ↗ see a little bit more about that later

56:33 ↗ in our presentation. Um initially

56:35 ↗ leaning toward uh discussions we're

56:37 ↗ leaning toward locating city hall in

56:39 ↗ Oldtown specifically on this site. Um

56:42 ↗ we'll hear more details about um the

56:44 ↗ discussions and prioritization around uh

56:47 ↗ potential locations for city hall future

56:49 ↗ city hall sites uh as well tonight. And

56:52 ↗ then wanted to make sure that the the

56:54 ↗ new city facilities are located near um

56:58 ↗ other services like parks and open

56:59 ↗ space. So you can really leverage the

57:01 ↗ benefits of of colllocating civic and

57:04 ↗ city facilities together um to create

57:07 ↗ community space places where people can

57:09 ↗ gather um celebrate and enjoy uh as well

57:13 ↗ as do business with the city as

57:15 ↗ necessary. So with that, um, next slide.

57:19 ↗ We did, um, talk about several and

57:21 ↗ explore several, um, site locations for

57:24 ↗ future city hall, uh, including the

57:27 ↗ Pickering site, uh, here, the South City

57:30 ↗ Hall site, uh, on this property. Um, we

57:33 ↗ looked at, um, the, uh, we work space.

57:37 ↗ Um, we looked at Tibbitz Manor or Tibet

57:40 ↗ Park. Uh and the final one was uh the at

57:44 ↗ work sorry the fine print there at the

57:46 ↗ at work site um uh or property as

57:50 ↗ another uh location. Uh in the end the

57:53 ↗ two that really emerged as viable sites

57:56 ↗ were really the city hall site this

57:58 ↗ property and um exploring an option uh

58:01 ↗ on the Pickering site as well. Next

58:04 ↗ slide. So with that, the recommendations

58:06 ↗ that that um we really arrived at um

58:10 ↗ that we think are important for uh

58:13 ↗ advancing this work and meeting those

58:15 ↗ future city facility needs for the city

58:17 ↗ and hopefully provide some guidance to

58:19 ↗ uh your decision-m as you continue to

58:21 ↗ deliberate uh and explore. This was uh

58:25 ↗ uh are uh I believe there are eight

58:27 ↗ recommendations here. First of all,

58:28 ↗ addressing police space and operational

58:31 ↗ needs. That one obviously surfaced to

58:34 ↗ the top. Um you saw um I'm sure if

58:37 ↗ you've been through the police

58:38 ↗ department, you've probably seen that

58:39 ↗ firsthand. There is really a compelling

58:42 ↗ need uh to increase increase the

58:44 ↗ efficiency of operation, give them the

58:46 ↗ space to operate uh and also um help

58:49 ↗ with recruitment and retention. You want

58:51 ↗ to have nice facilities um for staff uh

58:54 ↗ and a reputation for a great place to

58:56 ↗ work. and part of that is the facilities

58:58 ↗ that you provide for uh those staff um

59:01 ↗ to relocate city hall operations uh and

59:05 ↗ develop a plan to construct a new city

59:07 ↗ hall. So the recommendation from the

59:09 ↗ task force is really to expand the t the

59:12 ↗ the footprint of the police department

59:13 ↗ into the existing city hall building and

59:16 ↗ remove or relocate um the administrative

59:19 ↗ and executive staff uh and construct a

59:22 ↗ new city hall to support that effort and

59:25 ↗ then again remodel the 130 uh street or

59:27 ↗ the city current city hall building on

59:29 ↗ sunset uh for u uh use by police and

59:33 ↗ public safety functions for the city.

59:34 ↗ Next slide.

59:37 ↗ Um for further study, um there were two

59:39 ↗ locations again that really surfaced as

59:42 ↗ most viable for a future city hall. This

59:45 ↗ prop property which um had a slight um I

59:49 ↗ guess um majority of the of the task

59:53 ↗ force and Pickering uh as a as a close

59:56 ↗ second. Both of these sites um look like

59:59 ↗ viable options. Uh but more exploration

1:00:02 ↗ is necessary um to reach a final

1:00:05 ↗ conclusion on what makes most sense.

1:00:07 ↗ We'll share a little bit more details on

1:00:09 ↗ each of those sites um here in just a

1:00:12 ↗ few minutes um when u Lori uh Coopenth

1:00:15 ↗ from DLR will walk us through some of

1:00:18 ↗ the exploration work that was done for

1:00:20 ↗ us as we had this had those discussions.

1:00:23 ↗ Next slide.

1:00:25 ↗ We also want to develop a comprehensive

1:00:27 ↗ funding strategy. Um it really goes with

1:00:29 ↗ the second with the other um uh

1:00:32 ↗ recommendation here and that is really

1:00:33 ↗ phasing the project. A comprehensive

1:00:35 ↗ solution is necessary here both from a

1:00:37 ↗ financial standpoint from an operational

1:00:40 ↗ standpoint the logistics and then also

1:00:41 ↗ just from a con purely from a

1:00:43 ↗ construction standpoint. So really

1:00:45 ↗ thinking about this holistically I think

1:00:47 ↗ is going to be important or the the the

1:00:50 ↗ um task force thinks important uh for

1:00:52 ↗ the council to consider uh as you

1:00:54 ↗ advance this instead of trying to do it

1:00:56 ↗ in a peacemail way but really come up

1:00:58 ↗ with a compreh comprehensive strategy

1:01:00 ↗ maybe a multi-year strategy most likely

1:01:03 ↗ to advance this um but really look at it

1:01:05 ↗ holistically as you uh advance the the

1:01:08 ↗ work uh to meet future city facility

1:01:10 ↗ needs. Next slide.

1:01:13 ↗ And um again, as I mentioned, uh really

1:01:15 ↗ a robust public outreach is going to be

1:01:18 ↗ necessary. Really making the case for

1:01:21 ↗ the need, the why behind um what you

1:01:24 ↗ want to what the city uh uh wants to do

1:01:28 ↗ here to meet that that need um is really

1:01:31 ↗ to uh gain that community support. I

1:01:33 ↗ think it's going to be critical

1:01:34 ↗ obviously to uh advance a a bond measure

1:01:38 ↗ uh and uh to really uh engage people in

1:01:42 ↗ what this future could look like when it

1:01:44 ↗ comes to the city and the value that um

1:01:48 ↗ quality city facilities bring to the

1:01:50 ↗ community as a as a uh part of the

1:01:52 ↗ reputation and part of uh meeting city

1:01:54 ↗ needs. And then uh probably don't need

1:01:56 ↗ to say this one, but we added it. It is

1:01:59 ↗ really remaining flexible and open to

1:02:00 ↗ new opportunities that may emerge that

1:02:02 ↗ were not seen. We were looking at the

1:02:05 ↗ information that's currently available

1:02:06 ↗ today. Things change in the future.

1:02:08 ↗ Obviously, it's at the council's

1:02:09 ↗ discretion uh to consider other

1:02:12 ↗ opportunities that may that may emerge

1:02:14 ↗ uh in the near term. Uh but again um

1:02:17 ↗ plotting a path a comprehensive solution

1:02:19 ↗ is um what the what the uh task force

1:02:22 ↗ feels is needed to really be successful

1:02:24 ↗ here. So with that we're going to walk

1:02:26 ↗ through I'm going to have I believe Lori

1:02:28 ↗ u join here um and walk through some of

1:02:31 ↗ the details a little bit more of the

1:02:33 ↗ details on the city hall site as well as

1:02:36 ↗ uh the remodel options for the uh police

1:02:39 ↗ department. Thank you.

1:02:45 ↗ Thank you for having me tonight. My name

1:02:47 ↗ is Lori Copenrath. I'm with DLR Group.

1:02:48 ↗ We're an architecture, engineering,

1:02:50 ↗ planning, and interiors firm who plans

1:02:51 ↗ justice and civic facilities just like

1:02:53 ↗ this across the country. I personally

1:02:55 ↗ live here in Seattle and I've been doing

1:02:57 ↗ this for 27 years as of tomorrow. So, um

1:03:01 ↗ yeah. So, looking at your facilities, we

1:03:03 ↗ um you want to go to the next slide.

1:03:06 ↗ We started by talking to each of the

1:03:08 ↗ groups. So, we talked to everybody in

1:03:09 ↗ the not everybody, but we talked to a

1:03:11 ↗ lot of people in the police department

1:03:13 ↗ and we came up with a square foot niche

1:03:15 ↗ of about 30,000 square ft for their

1:03:18 ↗ functions alone. Um, keeping in mind the

1:03:20 ↗ building is not that big. So, um, they

1:03:23 ↗ are definitely outliving their space.

1:03:25 ↗ Also, keeping in mind this is a 20-year

1:03:27 ↗ planning horizon. So, we were looking

1:03:29 ↗ forward to not just what they need

1:03:31 ↗ today, but what they might need in 20

1:03:33 ↗ years. And 20 years is about as far as

1:03:34 ↗ we go for a planning horizon because

1:03:36 ↗ after that it's kind of just nonsense.

1:03:38 ↗ Um some might say 20 years is a nonsense

1:03:40 ↗ but it's a a standard practice for us to

1:03:43 ↗ go out to 20 years. So all of these

1:03:45 ↗ spaces have that built in and that

1:03:47 ↗ includes additional workspaces, storage

1:03:50 ↗ space, those sorts of things.

1:03:52 ↗ Next slide. Um so the renovation

1:03:55 ↗ concepts that we looked at were um first

1:03:58 ↗ of all any cost you're going to see are

1:03:59 ↗ a rough order of magnitude. They're not

1:04:02 ↗ done by a professional cost estimating

1:04:03 ↗ service. It's based on our prior

1:04:05 ↗ history. Um the planning diagrams that

1:04:08 ↗ you're going to see are proof of

1:04:10 ↗ concept. They are not design documents.

1:04:12 ↗ We can't like go into constructing

1:04:14 ↗ tomorrow because of these diagrams. Um

1:04:17 ↗ some site changes we'll need to support

1:04:19 ↗ whatever um remodel options are are uh

1:04:22 ↗ implemented. Um interesting

1:04:24 ↗ opportunities came up talking to the

1:04:26 ↗ police. We could rearrange where people

1:04:29 ↗ enter the jail by moving it around to

1:04:31 ↗ the back potentially and then only um

1:04:33 ↗ use the elevator that goes down there if

1:04:35 ↗ there an ADA issue comes up.

1:04:37 ↗ Um the police department prioritized

1:04:41 ↗ access control in a secure lobby, locker

1:04:43 ↗ rooms, fitness spaces, evidence storage,

1:04:47 ↗ and having a distinct area for each

1:04:48 ↗ function. Whereas now everything happens

1:04:50 ↗ in the same space all at the same time.

1:04:52 ↗ And then um a final design. I'm going to

1:04:54 ↗ show you two options. One's a least

1:04:57 ↗ expensive, one's most comprehensive. The

1:04:59 ↗ final design will probably be somewhere

1:05:01 ↗ between the two as you move forward

1:05:03 ↗ through the design process.

1:05:06 ↗ So, the most cost effective we looked at

1:05:09 ↗ um generally speaking, we tried to keep

1:05:11 ↗ at least 50% of the existing walls in

1:05:13 ↗ this situation, but it does include new

1:05:15 ↗ new finishes, new HVAC system as needed,

1:05:18 ↗ those sorts of things, and moving um

1:05:20 ↗ less than 50% of the walls around. Um

1:05:23 ↗ the total project cost range. So I want

1:05:25 ↗ to be very clear about what total

1:05:26 ↗ project cost is. There's two components

1:05:28 ↗ to cost. There's a construction cost

1:05:30 ↗ which is what you would pay a

1:05:31 ↗ contractor. And then there's a soft cost

1:05:33 ↗ which is your other expenses that

1:05:35 ↗ include sales tax A&E architecture and

1:05:38 ↗ engineering fees, special testing,

1:05:40 ↗ permitting those sort fixtures,

1:05:42 ↗ furniture and equipment. So if you turn

1:05:43 ↗ a building upside down and shook it,

1:05:44 ↗ anything that falls out, you have to pay

1:05:46 ↗ out of your soft cost. So this is a

1:05:48 ↗ combined cost for construction cost as

1:05:51 ↗ well as total project cost. I mean, as

1:05:53 ↗ well as soft cost to get to your total

1:05:55 ↗ project cost. Um, and in quarter two of

1:05:57 ↗ 2025, we'll estimate that as between 15

1:06:00 ↗ and $21 million. And then if you

1:06:02 ↗ escalate that out to 2030, you have

1:06:04 ↗ between 17.8 and 26.4 million.

1:06:10 ↗ And then the most comprehensive

1:06:12 ↗ um pretty much was wiping out anything

1:06:15 ↗ that wasn't structurally required. Um so

1:06:18 ↗ that um

1:06:20 ↗ project would cost you anywhere in

1:06:23 ↗ today's dollars between 24.1 and 26.4

1:06:26 ↗ million or 31 to 38.2 million in 2020

1:06:30 ↗ 2030.

1:06:36 ↗ And then moving on to city hall again we

1:06:38 ↗ talked to lots of folks some folks in

1:06:40 ↗ this room is good time. Um, and we got

1:06:42 ↗ to about 34 for um 34,400 for the total

1:06:48 ↗ uh space needs for city hall. And that

1:06:49 ↗ included about 10,000 square ft of um

1:06:53 ↗ meeting spaces that could be shared

1:06:54 ↗ between staff and the community

1:06:56 ↗ depending on hours of operation. So if

1:06:58 ↗ we had um after hours functions there

1:07:01 ↗ for the community, they could take place

1:07:02 ↗ in spaces that the staff use during the

1:07:04 ↗ day.

1:07:08 ↗ Um then we looked at some sites for city

1:07:10 ↗ hall. Um these are them. So we have

1:07:13 ↗ senior center, city hall south, fire

1:07:15 ↗ station 71, Pickering at work and Tivots

1:07:18 ↗ as was discussed earlier.

1:07:23 ↗ So the city hall south complex and the

1:07:25 ↗ duplex here is a relatively small site

1:07:28 ↗ about 21,000 ft². So keep in mind 21,000

1:07:31 ↗ ft² site and a 34,000 ft building

1:07:35 ↗ meaning that we're going to have to

1:07:36 ↗ think about how we deploy that on the

1:07:38 ↗ site. Also considering that city hall

1:07:42 ↗ and the duplex have two different

1:07:43 ↗ zonings. So we have to think about how

1:07:45 ↗ to use those two sites um together. Um

1:07:48 ↗ so if you go to the next slide

1:07:52 ↗ um our considerations for this site was

1:07:54 ↗ that it's in the 500year flood plane.

1:07:56 ↗ Um, it has old town design standards.

1:07:59 ↗ There are no current environmental

1:08:01 ↗ issues that we know of. It's a cultural

1:08:03 ↗ and business district zoning with a

1:08:05 ↗ height limit of whichever is lesser of

1:08:07 ↗ 40 ft or three stories.

1:08:10 ↗ Only the current only this site was used

1:08:12 ↗ in the um the test fit. We did not use

1:08:15 ↗ the dup duplex site. We assume that

1:08:17 ↗ would be potentially parking and then

1:08:20 ↗ further study and estimates needed for

1:08:22 ↗ solving the parking issue here in

1:08:23 ↗ Oldtown.

1:08:27 ↗ So the approximate footprint of the city

1:08:29 ↗ using this site is 11,400 ft for the

1:08:32 ↗ footprint. So that's just what the first

1:08:33 ↗ floor takes up on the site. Um

1:08:37 ↗ the approximate building height is 40

1:08:39 ↗ ft. Now what this does is that it's a

1:08:41 ↗ three-story building and a 40ft height

1:08:44 ↗ means that we're going to have a shorter

1:08:45 ↗ floor to floor height than a typical

1:08:47 ↗ office building might. So we're only at

1:08:49 ↗ 12t three for a typical for a Florida

1:08:52 ↗ floor height. So that means your

1:08:54 ↗ ceilings are going to be a little bit

1:08:54 ↗ lower in this building because we need

1:08:56 ↗ to have space to run duck work and

1:08:58 ↗ whatnot up there and structure. So this

1:09:00 ↗ is a little bit more squished um to get

1:09:02 ↗ it within that zoning. Um and then the

1:09:06 ↗ construction cost 29.5 to 35.5 million

1:09:10 ↗ in 2025 with a total project cost of 44

1:09:14 ↗ to $53 million for a new building.

1:09:21 ↗ And so this is just some diagrams about

1:09:22 ↗ what it what could what it would look

1:09:24 ↗ like on this site. So it's not going to

1:09:25 ↗ look anything like it would in terms of

1:09:27 ↗ today. Um you walk into this kind of

1:09:29 ↗ park-like area here. This would be a

1:09:31 ↗ little bit more grand of a building um

1:09:34 ↗ on this site with the community

1:09:36 ↗ functions on the bottom and the city

1:09:37 ↗ hall functions on the second and third

1:09:39 ↗ floor.

1:09:41 ↗ And then these are just a little bit of

1:09:42 ↗ a what it might look like. I just want

1:09:45 ↗ to be very clear. This is not a design.

1:09:47 ↗ This is just a this is a building

1:09:49 ↗ pllopped on your site. Um and you would

1:09:52 ↗ have to go through a whole design

1:09:53 ↗ process to get what it would be like for

1:09:54 ↗ y'all.

1:09:56 ↗ Um the next build the next site was

1:09:58 ↗ Pickering and that's a much larger site.

1:10:00 ↗ Um we'd only use a portion of it. Um but

1:10:03 ↗ it's 235,000 square ft. So got a little

1:10:06 ↗ bit more space to work with, but keeping

1:10:08 ↗ in mind that it's a n you know a natural

1:10:10 ↗ open grassy field. So we don't want to

1:10:12 ↗ take it all over with pavement and

1:10:13 ↗ building. Um next slide.

1:10:17 ↗ So, it is in the 100-year flood plane,

1:10:19 ↗ which means we would have to raise it up

1:10:21 ↗ out of that 100red-year flood plane,

1:10:22 ↗ meaning the building would the building,

1:10:24 ↗ not the parking, would have to be raised

1:10:25 ↗ up about 5T, 5 1/2 ft. Um, the site is

1:10:29 ↗ also on the historic register, but if no

1:10:31 ↗ state or federal monies are used, then

1:10:33 ↗ there are no restrictions. There's a

1:10:36 ↗ 200t buffer from the creek. There's an

1:10:38 ↗ 85 ft height limit which means we could

1:10:41 ↗ go as many stories as you well not as

1:10:43 ↗ many but we could go to six seven

1:10:44 ↗ stories pretty easily but keeping in

1:10:46 ↗ mind that we're only talking about

1:10:47 ↗ 34,000t building so as it would get

1:10:50 ↗ narrower and narrower and less efficient

1:10:52 ↗ if you went too much higher so maybe

1:10:54 ↗ four stories would be appropriate um our

1:10:57 ↗ test fit was for three. Um it has urban

1:10:59 ↗ core zoning and it has existing parking

1:11:01 ↗ on site that could be shared with the

1:11:02 ↗ barn.

1:11:06 ↗ So the approximate footprint for this

1:11:08 ↗ diagram you're going to see is 15.7

1:11:11 ↗ square 15,700 square ft. Um the

1:11:15 ↗ approximate building height is about 44

1:11:18 ↗ um feet. And again that's three stories

1:11:21 ↗ with a typical floor to floor height of

1:11:23 ↗ 14 ft which is what we would um want to

1:11:25 ↗ see in an office building like this. The

1:11:28 ↗ construction cost is between 32.5 and

1:11:30 ↗ 38.5 million. This one's a higher

1:11:32 ↗ construction cost because there's a

1:11:35 ↗ larger site to be developed as well as

1:11:37 ↗ we have to raise that building up out of

1:11:38 ↗ the flood plane. Um, and then the total

1:11:41 ↗ project cost, it's all right,

1:11:45 ↗ of 48 to 57.75 million.

1:11:50 ↗ And then here are some images of that.

1:11:53 ↗ Um, this just to make everybody aware,

1:11:56 ↗ we did change the parking lot after the

1:11:57 ↗ feedback from the task force. The

1:11:58 ↗ parking lot used to be an L-shape and

1:12:00 ↗ went into the field. We actually re

1:12:02 ↗ moved it a little bit closer to the

1:12:03 ↗ building and we still get the same

1:12:04 ↗ number of parking spaces there. So this

1:12:07 ↗ image is a little different than what

1:12:08 ↗ the task force saw. Just making

1:12:10 ↗ everybody aware. Um but again the most

1:12:13 ↗ of the community all the community

1:12:14 ↗ functions are on the first floor floor

1:12:16 ↗ and then there is some city hall

1:12:17 ↗ functions on the first floor as well and

1:12:19 ↗ the second and third floor.

1:12:23 ↗ And then we moved it up to the corner to

1:12:27 ↗ give it that urban uh presence, but also

1:12:30 ↗ to help kind of buffer the busy

1:12:33 ↗ intersection from that field to maybe

1:12:35 ↗ give it a little bit more um you know,

1:12:38 ↗ freedom and a little bit more uh privacy

1:12:40 ↗ to that field.

1:12:44 ↗ And then again, it's just a a rendering

1:12:46 ↗ of what it could look like. We haven't

1:12:47 ↗ talked to anybody about it.

1:12:51 ↗ And so police renovations, this is

1:12:53 ↗ timelines that could potentially be um

1:12:56 ↗ 2.5 to 3.5 years. So that includes find

1:12:59 ↗ figuring out your funding, hiring an

1:13:01 ↗ architect, doing the design, and then a

1:13:03 ↗ phase construction process cuz remember

1:13:05 ↗ the police are going to be living in

1:13:06 ↗ this building while you're renovating

1:13:08 ↗ it. So um that's why that um time frame

1:13:12 ↗ is 2 and 1 half to three and a half

1:13:14 ↗ years. to build a new city hall is three

1:13:16 ↗ and a half to four years because again

1:13:17 ↗ you have to figure out your funding and

1:13:19 ↗ if you're going to run a bond that's

1:13:20 ↗ probably not for a couple years yet. Um

1:13:23 ↗ and then a year for design process and a

1:13:25 ↗ year and a half to two years for

1:13:26 ↗ construction and then relocated city

1:13:29 ↗ hall um if we were to move city hall out

1:13:32 ↗ of where it is now and relocate it to a

1:13:35 ↗ lease space that's about a 13-month

1:13:37 ↗ process to get all of that done from

1:13:39 ↗ today.

1:13:42 ↗ And then again we go to the cost

1:13:44 ↗ estimates with the police renovations

1:13:45 ↗ being 15.4 to 26.4 million depending on

1:13:49 ↗ the option you select. The city hall

1:13:51 ↗ southside site is 44.25 million to 53.25

1:13:54 ↗ million and the Pickering is 48.25

1:13:57 ↗ to 57.75 million.

1:14:03 ↗ Am I doing this part or you doing this?

1:14:06 ↗ >> Oh, actually I think

1:14:08 ↗ >> awesome.

1:14:11 ↗ Thanks. Uh, first before I get into sort

1:14:14 ↗ of a a summary of this, I I just wanted

1:14:16 ↗ to echo what Autumn and Mike have said,

1:14:18 ↗ which is, you know, we really appreciate

1:14:21 ↗ the fact that uh 18 or 20 of of our our

1:14:24 ↗ fellow community members and and all

1:14:26 ↗ volunteers

1:14:28 ↗ uh have uh agreed to uh and and spent uh

1:14:32 ↗ quite a bit of their time on this. Uh

1:14:36 ↗ there was a lot of spirited discussion

1:14:38 ↗ um and uh a lot of minds were changed in

1:14:42 ↗ in various directions. Uh so it was was

1:14:45 ↗ very uh very open and candid uh and uh

1:14:49 ↗ everything was done in a very

1:14:50 ↗ transparent way. Um, so, uh, if we can

1:14:54 ↗ go to the next slide, I can sort of

1:14:55 ↗ recap a little bit here. Just to put

1:14:58 ↗ some meat on the bones of what we were

1:15:00 ↗ looking at, uh, for both the city hall

1:15:03 ↗ site, uh, south site and the Pickering

1:15:05 ↗ site, um, we looked at sort of pros and

1:15:08 ↗ cons of each and and split into two

1:15:10 ↗ groups to do that. for the city hall

1:15:13 ↗ south site. We uh we said there were

1:15:16 ↗ some real advantages there in terms of

1:15:18 ↗ connecting to existing services,

1:15:20 ↗ maintaining the legacy of having city

1:15:22 ↗ hall in Oldtown. Uh its proximity to

1:15:25 ↗ current transit. Uh sort of a synergy of

1:15:29 ↗ government business and and services in

1:15:31 ↗ that region. Uh it's walkable,

1:15:34 ↗ potentially less expensive than the

1:15:36 ↗ Pickering site. It enhances the city's

1:15:40 ↗ image in the Oldtown location and kind

1:15:43 ↗ of reinforces the importance of Oldtown

1:15:46 ↗ and its vitality. Uh, and it is

1:15:49 ↗ proximate uh to the police station and

1:15:52 ↗ it would preserve the Pickering site for

1:15:54 ↗ future opportunities. On the sort of

1:15:56 ↗ challenges side of things is as has been

1:15:58 ↗ noted the the fit would be as we termed

1:16:01 ↗ it cozy. Um, we have some existing

1:16:04 ↗ access and traffic issues. uh it would

1:16:08 ↗ represent a status quo which could be a

1:16:11 ↗ positive or a negative. We've got some

1:16:14 ↗ parking challenges. Uh it's a little

1:16:16 ↗ less convenient for customers in terms

1:16:18 ↗ of in and out and and the speed of of u

1:16:22 ↗ getting services. Uh and there are some

1:16:25 ↗ site limitations uh for creating uh

1:16:28 ↗ somewhat of a plaza associated with a

1:16:30 ↗ sort of a civic center. uh and it could

1:16:33 ↗ be a site for something else if uh if we

1:16:36 ↗ don't build there. Uh moving on to the

1:16:39 ↗ Pickering site. Um we felt it uh there

1:16:42 ↗ was good access there from uh existing

1:16:45 ↗ roadways. Uh we could share parking with

1:16:48 ↗ the Pickering Barn and uh Farmers

1:16:50 ↗ Market. Uh it's near Pickering Trail,

1:16:53 ↗ Esquail,

1:16:57 ↗ specifically Costco. uh uh as Lori noted

1:17:00 ↗ a taller building is possible uh and

1:17:03 ↗ also uh with uh the greater uh space

1:17:06 ↗ available on the site there is an

1:17:09 ↗ opportunity uh for more flexible space

1:17:12 ↗ it is scalable in case uh in the future

1:17:15 ↗ we need to expand uh the the city hall

1:17:19 ↗ uh and there are synergies potentially

1:17:21 ↗ with pickering events and the farmers

1:17:23 ↗ market. It's also closer to potentially

1:17:26 ↗ where light rail and future growth of

1:17:29 ↗ central Isaka would be. Terms on the the

1:17:32 ↗ sort of the the downside here, the the

1:17:35 ↗ cons, uh it would remove the green space

1:17:38 ↗ that exists there, which u many people

1:17:40 ↗ enjoy. Uh it it's potentially going to

1:17:43 ↗ be more expensive than the city hall

1:17:45 ↗ south site. Uh it might be difficult to

1:17:48 ↗ receive state and federal funds

1:17:50 ↗ givingven the u historic nature of of

1:17:52 ↗ that. um property. Uh it's not currently

1:17:56 ↗ near uh residential areas or current

1:18:00 ↗ transit. Um it probably would take a

1:18:03 ↗ little bit longer to build and possibly

1:18:07 ↗ have a lower overall economic impact on

1:18:10 ↗ the city as opposed to an old town

1:18:12 ↗ location.

1:18:14 ↗ So next slide, please.

1:18:18 ↗ So, uh, to recap the community benefits,

1:18:21 ↗ uh, of what we discussed over our seven

1:18:24 ↗ meetings, um, police and community

1:18:27 ↗ safety was was huge for all of us. I

1:18:29 ↗ think we all came away from our tours of

1:18:32 ↗ the police facility with a sense of

1:18:35 ↗ urgency about fixing the problems there.

1:18:38 ↗ Um, we have the opportunity to create

1:18:40 ↗ excellent customer service for decades,

1:18:42 ↗ to create uh substantial community

1:18:45 ↗ meeting spaces, uh, to create civic

1:18:48 ↗ spaces that are near services and open

1:18:51 ↗ space. Um, and and throughout our

1:18:54 ↗ discussions, we we really u leaned in on

1:18:57 ↗ our fiduciary responsibility to um

1:19:01 ↗ carefully consider what taxpayer dollars

1:19:04 ↗ would be spent on. and and finally

1:19:07 ↗ creating uh places uh a legacy for uh

1:19:11 ↗ future generations and an opportunity to

1:19:14 ↗ really enhance the um the re reputation

1:19:18 ↗ the presence of of our city uh as it

1:19:22 ↗ grows into the future.

1:19:24 ↗ So I think on the next slide Lori will

1:19:27 ↗ talk about timing and next steps. Thank

1:19:30 ↗ you

1:19:32 ↗ >> or Autumn.

1:19:37 ↗ >> Uh thank you so much co-chairs. Uh so as

1:19:40 ↗ far as next steps uh we plan to

1:19:43 ↗ administration plans to return to the

1:19:45 ↗ October 13th committee of the whole

1:19:47 ↗ meeting um for further discussion and

1:19:50 ↗ feedback. This is the first time that

1:19:51 ↗ you're seeing this material tonight. We

1:19:53 ↗ wanted to give you some time to digest

1:19:54 ↗ it. Um, I do want to reiterate this

1:19:58 ↗ really was the first time we've talked

1:19:59 ↗ to the community about this and really

1:20:01 ↗ engaged the community about our space

1:20:03 ↗ needs. Uh, and I'm just so grateful for

1:20:05 ↗ all of the feedback that the task force

1:20:07 ↗ members have provided. Um, and their

1:20:09 ↗ insight. Also, we came out of this

1:20:12 ↗ process with a site we were not really

1:20:14 ↗ considering before and that's in

1:20:15 ↗ Pickering. Um, so also just shows the

1:20:19 ↗ power of community engagement. Um, so

1:20:21 ↗ also really grateful for that work. With

1:20:24 ↗ that,

1:20:26 ↗ we're here just to um again have you

1:20:28 ↗ received the report and provide any

1:20:30 ↗ initial feedback.

1:20:35 ↗ Thank you very much, Director Monahan.

1:20:36 ↗ Um so feedback, it sounds like we're at

1:20:38 ↗ the beginning of a complicated and long

1:20:41 ↗ process. And what are your initial

1:20:43 ↗ thoughts on this? Deputy Council

1:20:46 ↗ President.

1:20:48 ↗ >> Yeah, thank you. This was a really uh

1:20:50 ↗ meaty report to read through. I really

1:20:52 ↗ appreciate the work of the task force.

1:20:55 ↗ Uh very very thoughtful. Uh it was clear

1:20:58 ↗ that there was a lot of discussion and

1:21:00 ↗ uh that the recommendations had really

1:21:02 ↗ been well thought out. Um I'm really

1:21:05 ↗ interested to learn more and we'll we'll

1:21:07 ↗ talk about it, I'm sure, on October 13th

1:21:09 ↗ about the uh proposed phasing of the

1:21:12 ↗ project. What does that mean in terms of

1:21:14 ↗ construction, but also what does that

1:21:16 ↗ mean in terms of funding? um and what

1:21:19 ↗ would that mean in terms of our

1:21:20 ↗ employees and the impact on them and so

1:21:22 ↗ forth. So, um again, I realize we're

1:21:25 ↗ going to be discussing this in much more

1:21:27 ↗ depth on October 13th, but uh I would

1:21:30 ↗ appreciate a deeper discussion of that

1:21:32 ↗ um at that time. Thank you.

1:21:34 ↗ >> Thank you, Council Member Hall.

1:21:36 ↗ >> Thank you. Um I just wanted to say I had

1:21:38 ↗ a great time serving on this task force.

1:21:41 ↗ Um some familiar faces and lots of new

1:21:44 ↗ voices at the table table, too. and the

1:21:46 ↗ kind of breadth of relevant experience

1:21:49 ↗ and understanding of the individuals who

1:21:51 ↗ who were sat with us in in Tibbitz Creek

1:21:54 ↗ Manor to talk about these difficult um

1:21:57 ↗ questions is exactly what this process

1:21:59 ↗ needed. So I was really happy about

1:22:00 ↗ that. Uh big thank you to everyone who

1:22:02 ↗ was involved in the process. Um to our

1:22:05 ↗ staff, to Autumn and Jeie and our

1:22:07 ↗ consultants for helping us navigate

1:22:09 ↗ that. Um and um we even had you know um

1:22:12 ↗ some public commenters and members of

1:22:14 ↗ community engaged in it as well and that

1:22:16 ↗ was great. Um

1:22:18 ↗ you know and also just kind of to

1:22:21 ↗ initial thoughts before we go into

1:22:23 ↗ October I think the task force has done

1:22:26 ↗ a significant lift here and has taken it

1:22:29 ↗ as far as it can go without much deeper

1:22:32 ↗ dialogue at the council level. um we've

1:22:34 ↗ got some fairly challenging follow-up

1:22:37 ↗ questions and discussions coming before

1:22:39 ↗ us. And so, um I think that just makes

1:22:42 ↗ it so important, which is why the work

1:22:44 ↗ and recommendations of this task force

1:22:46 ↗ that have been put together puts us in a

1:22:47 ↗ really good place to have those

1:22:49 ↗ discussions or at least a much better

1:22:50 ↗ place than we were to have those

1:22:51 ↗ discussions. So, anyways, just one last

1:22:53 ↗ thank you and and onward.

1:22:55 ↗ >> Great. Council President,

1:22:58 ↗ >> thank you. Um, first of all, I just want

1:23:01 ↗ to say I very much appreciate

1:23:03 ↗ kind of the extended conversation that

1:23:06 ↗ was had by this task force. Um, and the

1:23:09 ↗ fact that there are eight members here

1:23:11 ↗ and on the line um, that attended this

1:23:14 ↗ meeting tonight really shows the

1:23:16 ↗ dedication of the group. And so I really

1:23:19 ↗ appreciate that. Um it was very apparent

1:23:22 ↗ from this report and from the

1:23:23 ↗ presentation that there's a clear

1:23:25 ↗ understanding of the urgent need to

1:23:28 ↗ really improve the facilities and spaces

1:23:31 ↗ um that are used by the Isqua Police

1:23:33 ↗ Department. You all saw that on first

1:23:36 ↗ tour and continued to emphasize that

1:23:38 ↗ throughout your task force. So I

1:23:40 ↗ appreciate it. That confirms the work

1:23:42 ↗ that the council did in 2024

1:23:46 ↗ um in this presentation. I really

1:23:48 ↗ appreciated um the co-chair talking

1:23:51 ↗ about the need to develop a

1:23:53 ↗ comprehensive plan um and a funding

1:23:56 ↗ strategy. And so I would just say while

1:23:59 ↗ we do need likely to phase the actual

1:24:02 ↗ implementation of the projects um I

1:24:05 ↗ really don't believe that we can move

1:24:06 ↗ forward without a plan for all of our

1:24:09 ↗ staff that are currently in city hall.

1:24:12 ↗ Um, I know Isiqua has always been

1:24:14 ↗ celebrated for, and I agree, the idea

1:24:16 ↗ that we are good at stretching a dollar

1:24:19 ↗ and making things work. Um,

1:24:22 ↗ unfortunately, sometimes we do that

1:24:23 ↗ until it doesn't work, which is what

1:24:26 ↗ you're seeing with the police station

1:24:27 ↗ right now. Um,

1:24:30 ↗ and thus I really have concerns that

1:24:35 ↗ the concept of prioritizing the Isiqua

1:24:38 ↗ Police Department's needs could be

1:24:40 ↗ interpreted as moving forward with

1:24:42 ↗ something that really only solves half

1:24:44 ↗ of our problem and leaves us with this

1:24:48 ↗ future idea of let's address city hall

1:24:51 ↗ later or let's address the funding

1:24:52 ↗ needed for a city hall and the rest of

1:24:55 ↗ our staff. Um,

1:24:57 ↗ so I guess I'm just trying to tee up for

1:25:00 ↗ the council that I'm really looking

1:25:01 ↗ forward to that October 13th um,

1:25:04 ↗ conversation. I agree with council

1:25:05 ↗ member Hall that I really think it is

1:25:08 ↗ going to be up to us to determine if

1:25:11 ↗ there is community and political will to

1:25:14 ↗ take this forward um, and decide how we

1:25:18 ↗ are going to move forward with the

1:25:21 ↗ recognition that we have some very

1:25:23 ↗ urgent needs here. and we also have some

1:25:26 ↗ very difficult um financial decisions.

1:25:29 ↗ Um so appreciate the task force, I

1:25:32 ↗ appreciate staff, looking forward to

1:25:34 ↗ where we go next.

1:25:36 ↗ >> Thank you, Council Member Mertz.

1:25:39 ↗ >> I just want to add that I think the

1:25:41 ↗ outcome uh of this process was really a

1:25:44 ↗ fairly extraordinary

1:25:46 ↗ uh time and place of where the community

1:25:51 ↗ is on these issues. I think that the

1:25:54 ↗ lifeblood of what we do as a as a group

1:25:57 ↗ of elected officials is try to

1:25:59 ↗ understand what we're hearing from the

1:26:00 ↗ community and then crossing that with,

1:26:03 ↗ you know, the difficult decisions that

1:26:05 ↗ we have. And this arms us so well with

1:26:08 ↗ information on what the public considers

1:26:10 ↗ a priority and also helps us think

1:26:13 ↗ through this um you know really

1:26:15 ↗ challenging aspect of of where uh we

1:26:18 ↗ would want to put uh a new city hall.

1:26:20 ↗ And so I just, you know, I thank being

1:26:22 ↗ part of this process. You know, I thank

1:26:24 ↗ the members uh uh of the group so much

1:26:27 ↗ because, you know, people really set

1:26:30 ↗ aside. Nobody showed up with just an

1:26:32 ↗ agenda that they were just going to

1:26:33 ↗ hammer home. You know, we had uh people

1:26:36 ↗ that listened to each other and it was

1:26:38 ↗ and I hope this model um is used again

1:26:42 ↗ in the future for other issues where we

1:26:45 ↗ want to go engage the public early in

1:26:47 ↗ the process. I think it's a little

1:26:49 ↗ controversial and it was controversial

1:26:51 ↗ at the time that we didn't dig into the

1:26:53 ↗ finances. And so you hear that a little

1:26:56 ↗ bit in some of the the commentary that's

1:26:58 ↗ going around, but I personally um very

1:27:01 ↗ much support the administration's

1:27:02 ↗ decision not to try to dig into the

1:27:04 ↗ dollars because it's a very different

1:27:05 ↗ conversation. Start with what the public

1:27:08 ↗ thinks we need as a city and then we

1:27:11 ↗ will figure out what what the art of the

1:27:13 ↗ possible is in on the financial side. So

1:27:16 ↗ once again, um, thank you to the members

1:27:18 ↗ of the group and thank you for the

1:27:20 ↗ administration for teeing it up this

1:27:21 ↗ way. I think the the product that we got

1:27:22 ↗ out will be really helpful to us going

1:27:24 ↗ forward and like everyone else, I'm

1:27:26 ↗ excited about the October 13th meeting.

1:27:28 ↗ Thank you.

1:27:28 ↗ >> Okay, Council Member Jen.

1:27:30 ↗ >> Yeah, I just want to echo everyone

1:27:32 ↗ else's comments on, you know, the

1:27:33 ↗ appreciation for all the time and effort

1:27:35 ↗ that everyone has put into this process,

1:27:36 ↗ including showing up tonight and sitting

1:27:38 ↗ through an hour of preparations before

1:27:41 ↗ you got to your part. Um I also um you

1:27:44 ↗ know in the presentation I really

1:27:46 ↗ appreciated the attention given to the

1:27:48 ↗ fact that you know on the civic

1:27:49 ↗ facilities this is something that's

1:27:50 ↗ going to be around for a long time. It's

1:27:52 ↗ probably going to outlive you know the

1:27:53 ↗ new city hall is probably going to

1:27:54 ↗ outlive all of us even me. Um and so I

1:27:57 ↗ think you know kind of having that

1:28:00 ↗ mindset of you know what do we want is

1:28:01 ↗ to look like in 50 years with the city

1:28:03 ↗ hall and how do we want that to fit into

1:28:04 ↗ that future I think is a critical part

1:28:06 ↗ of this discussion. So I really

1:28:07 ↗ appreciated that um that was part of you

1:28:09 ↗ know what everyone was thinking about on

1:28:11 ↗ the task force. Um, I'm also really

1:28:13 ↗ interested to learn about the, you know,

1:28:15 ↗ project phasing and how we could

1:28:17 ↗ potentially, you know, structure the

1:28:18 ↗ bonds as well as potential availability

1:28:20 ↗ of grants. Um, because I noticed that

1:28:22 ↗ only one of them mentioned less

1:28:24 ↗ availability of grants. So, presumably

1:28:25 ↗ the other one would have more

1:28:26 ↗ availability of grants. Um, and I do

1:28:29 ↗ agree we need to have a long-term plan

1:28:30 ↗ for the whole process. you know, if it's

1:28:32 ↗ if we do something where we renovate the

1:28:35 ↗ current city hall to fit the police and

1:28:37 ↗ then the plan for the rest of the city

1:28:39 ↗ staff is that they're just going to rent

1:28:40 ↗ some random office building until some

1:28:42 ↗ indeterminate date into the future. I

1:28:44 ↗ don't think that's really a full plan.

1:28:46 ↗ And I think just, you know, for the

1:28:47 ↗ long-term health of the community, I'll

1:28:48 ↗ just give a little anecdote. Um, I

1:28:50 ↗ remember when I was a kid, we went to

1:28:52 ↗ Alaska. So, we visited Juno and we saw

1:28:55 ↗ their state capital building and it was

1:28:58 ↗ not good. It was like a random like

1:29:01 ↗ janky looking building in Alaska and I

1:29:05 ↗ like to I mean it's like a joke to

1:29:07 ↗ visitors and I don't think that's a

1:29:08 ↗ situation that we want to put ourselves

1:29:10 ↗ in as Isiqua. So I think that's

1:29:11 ↗ something where you know just thinking

1:29:13 ↗ about the future of our city and our

1:29:14 ↗ reputation not just for ourselves but

1:29:16 ↗ also to visitors. It's it should be a

1:29:18 ↗ point of pride for you know people who

1:29:20 ↗ have family visiting to say oh here's

1:29:21 ↗ our city hall. It's you know great it's

1:29:24 ↗ integrated with this beautiful new

1:29:25 ↗ pedestrian park or you know pickering or

1:29:27 ↗ whatever the case may be. I think, you

1:29:28 ↗ know, it should be a point of pride for

1:29:30 ↗ the community and I think we should also

1:29:32 ↗ be making that case.

1:29:33 ↗ >> Thank you, Council Member Joe.

1:29:36 ↗ >> Thank you.

1:29:38 ↗ Um, I also would like to thank the

1:29:42 ↗ members of the council that took time to

1:29:44 ↗ take part in this and uh members of the

1:29:47 ↗ community that took time from their busy

1:29:48 ↗ schedules to to help out with this

1:29:50 ↗ effort. Um, I did have more of a

1:29:53 ↗ question in terms of well, let me let me

1:29:56 ↗ back up a little bit. I appreciate this

1:29:58 ↗ work because um it prepares us to be

1:30:03 ↗ ready for opportunities should they

1:30:05 ↗ develop. And I think the the

1:30:08 ↗ conversation is we as a council had over

1:30:10 ↗ the the uh the time period when we were

1:30:13 ↗ trying to tee this up was um

1:30:17 ↗ are there opportunities in a

1:30:20 ↗ building that just opens up and how do

1:30:22 ↗ we leap on that opportunity? Are we

1:30:24 ↗ prepared to move? do we have um a plan

1:30:28 ↗ in place that can move everything

1:30:31 ↗ quickly to take advantage of a potential

1:30:33 ↗ opportunity? And so in the executive

1:30:35 ↗ summary,

1:30:37 ↗ um you indicate that the group has also

1:30:41 ↗ supported the city taking advantage of

1:30:42 ↗ unexpected opportunities and um I was

1:30:46 ↗ curious uh if any of those opportunities

1:30:49 ↗ uh came up in the conversation or there

1:30:52 ↗ was any discussion as to what the city

1:30:55 ↗ should be doing to prepare for those

1:30:57 ↗ unexpected opportunities should they

1:30:59 ↗ arise as part of this work.

1:31:03 ↗ So, no unexpected opportunities arose

1:31:05 ↗ during this work that were not um

1:31:07 ↗ provided this evening. Um it was

1:31:10 ↗ recommended by the task force that we

1:31:12 ↗ leverage existing city property versus

1:31:15 ↗ purchasing and adding another cost. Um

1:31:18 ↗ that being said, we're still engaged

1:31:19 ↗ with our real estate agent and we're

1:31:21 ↗ still, you know, looking to see I think

1:31:23 ↗ one thing that um we've talked about

1:31:24 ↗ many times is just the limited

1:31:26 ↗ properties that are available in Isiqua

1:31:28 ↗ um that would be good candidates, but

1:31:29 ↗ that's something that we'll still be

1:31:31 ↗ pursuing.

1:31:32 ↗ Thank you.

1:31:33 ↗ >> Also, Council Member Joe, these these

1:31:35 ↗ opportunities, um the process they

1:31:37 ↗ typically follow through with you is

1:31:39 ↗ more on the real estate executive

1:31:40 ↗ session side and just to make sure that

1:31:44 ↗ you know the prices are appropriate for

1:31:46 ↗ the parcels being purchased if they come

1:31:48 ↗ up.

1:31:49 ↗ >> Yes, they do come up from time to time

1:31:50 ↗ and we need to be prepared if they do.

1:31:53 ↗ Um I had a question also about the the

1:31:56 ↗ sentence before the task force the task

1:31:58 ↗ force prepare prepares oops prefers city

1:32:02 ↗ hall south um site for the relocated

1:32:04 ↗ city hall but believes the pickering

1:32:06 ↗ site is a strong option. Um are were was

1:32:11 ↗ the committee then ranking them one and

1:32:13 ↗ two or are they just both equal in terms

1:32:16 ↗ of um opportunity? How should we as a

1:32:19 ↗ council be looking at those two options?

1:32:21 ↗ So, um, it was amazing. The task force

1:32:24 ↗ talked a lot about consensus. So, you

1:32:26 ↗ know, if I don't necessarily agree,

1:32:28 ↗ could I still support? And in the end,

1:32:31 ↗ there was a vote of which one do you

1:32:33 ↗ prefer, one over the other? And more

1:32:35 ↗ preferred the city hall south site than

1:32:37 ↗ the Pickering. But, you know, I think in

1:32:39 ↗ general and and it was it was just a

1:32:43 ↗ slight, I'd say, um, preference for City

1:32:46 ↗ Hall South. So there was still a lot of

1:32:48 ↗ support and excitement and and interest

1:32:51 ↗ in Pickering as well.

1:32:52 ↗ >> Okay, I appreciate that background as it

1:32:55 ↗ helps guide our discussion in the future

1:32:57 ↗ and thank you for all the work on this

1:32:58 ↗ on this uh plan.

1:33:02 ↗ >> Additional questions or comments?

1:33:06 ↗ Um thank you very much director. This is

1:33:08 ↗ a process that you and I have started a

1:33:10 ↗ long time ago um as a real priority in

1:33:13 ↗ looking at our city facilities and it's

1:33:15 ↗ been a step-wise process and it's been

1:33:17 ↗ frustrating at time and we'd all love to

1:33:19 ↗ know what the the final final final

1:33:22 ↗ final buildout might look like for a

1:33:24 ↗ city 20 years from now. So, I appreciate

1:33:26 ↗ your patience with the process and again

1:33:29 ↗ I'm just going to add on to what you've

1:33:30 ↗ all said. We have a wealth of talented

1:33:35 ↗ community members who are willing to

1:33:37 ↗ spend way too much time in government

1:33:41 ↗ meeting room talking about something

1:33:42 ↗ that's super complex doing their

1:33:45 ↗ homework bringing themselves into the

1:33:47 ↗ room working with council members so

1:33:49 ↗ that there's a tieback to our city

1:33:51 ↗ council and that's not every city. So, I

1:33:54 ↗ just want you all know that we are super

1:33:56 ↗ fortunate here to have you and have you

1:33:58 ↗ continue to keep stepping up or step up

1:34:00 ↗ for the first time. It's fantastic. Um,

1:34:04 ↗ city council will have time scheduled at

1:34:06 ↗ the October 13th committee of the whole

1:34:08 ↗ to discuss the next steps in this

1:34:10 ↗ process. However, you are also welcome

1:34:12 ↗ to provide oops, it's not very helpful

1:34:15 ↗ if I don't have the script up. Um,

1:34:18 ↗ feedback. Uh, oh, sorry. looking for a a

1:34:23 ↗ motion. However, um there's also a

1:34:26 ↗ motion that you we have to enact tonight

1:34:28 ↗ to receive this report officially accept

1:34:31 ↗ this report from the task force as their

1:34:33 ↗ recommendations. So, can I get a motion?

1:34:35 ↗ Uh one of our council members want to

1:34:37 ↗ make that motion that served.

1:34:50 ↗ Madame Mayor, I move to receive the

1:34:52 ↗ public safety and civic facilities task

1:34:55 ↗ force report.

1:34:56 ↗ >> Second.

1:34:57 ↗ >> It's been moved and seconded. Is there

1:34:59 ↗ any council discussion?

1:35:02 ↗ >> Not see. Oh, deputy council president.

1:35:06 ↗ >> Oh, no. Okay. Getting ready for the

1:35:08 ↗ vote. Okay. It's been moved and seconded

1:35:11 ↗ to um receive the public safety and

1:35:14 ↗ civic facilities task force report. All

1:35:16 ↗ those in favor signify by saying I.

1:35:18 ↗ >> I. I.

1:35:19 ↗ >> Nay. are opposed and that passes

1:35:22 ↗ unanimously 6 and0. Thank you very much.

1:35:25 ↗ And before we move to the next business

1:35:27 ↗ item, again, thank you to the 18

1:35:29 ↗ community members who devoted so much of

1:35:31 ↗ your personal time to tackle this

1:35:33 ↗ challenging issue. Your thoughtful

1:35:35 ↗ analysis has given us options to

1:35:37 ↗ consider and build on. A special thank

1:35:39 ↗ you to our chairs. There's always a

1:35:41 ↗ little bit more work in the chair's uh

1:35:43 ↗ seat. So, thank you Mike Brennan, Eric

1:35:45 ↗ Oler online. Uh thank you for

1:35:48 ↗ facilitating these conversations.

1:35:50 ↗ There's a lot of information here and a

1:35:52 ↗ lot of difficult conversations to be

1:35:53 ↗ had. And again um Autumn Monahan, Genie

1:35:56 ↗ Justice, amazing team. Thank you for

1:35:58 ↗ stewarding the task force by scheduling

1:36:00 ↗ tours, coordinating with consultants,

1:36:02 ↗ and ensuring this group had the

1:36:03 ↗ information they needed to make their

1:36:05 ↗ recommendations tonight. So thank you

1:36:06 ↗ all and don't feel like you have to stay

1:36:09 ↗ any longer unless you are interested in

1:36:11 ↗ the next item on the agenda. Thanks a

1:36:13 ↗ lot. Uh the next item is AB9051,

1:36:17 ↗ the public safety sales tax, and the

1:36:20 ↗ city council provided some initial

1:36:22 ↗ feedback on this item at the July 12th

1:36:25 ↗ council retreat. Tonight is the first of

1:36:28 ↗ two touches on this item. Tonight, staff

1:36:30 ↗ will introduce the item and council can

1:36:32 ↗ ask questions. This item is scheduled to

1:36:34 ↗ come back to the city council on October

1:36:36 ↗ 6th for final action. And finance

1:36:39 ↗ director Kristen Garcia, I believe, is

1:36:41 ↗ online. Yes, she is. Welcome, Kristen.

1:36:45 ↗ >> Thank you so much. Um, confirming you

1:36:47 ↗ can see and hear me and see my screen.

1:36:50 ↗ >> Yes, we can.

1:36:51 ↗ >> All right. Um, thank you so much and

1:36:54 ↗ good evening, council, and good evening

1:36:56 ↗ to members of the public that might be

1:36:59 ↗ present in person or attending

1:37:01 ↗ virtually. Um, Kristen Garcia, finance

1:37:04 ↗ director here at ISP, and I'm here

1:37:06 ↗ tonight to talk to you about the public

1:37:08 ↗ safety sales tax. Um most if not all of

1:37:11 ↗ this information as Mayor Polly

1:37:13 ↗ indicated will be reviewed as the item

1:37:15 ↗ was previously discussed at the July

1:37:17 ↗ 12th spons

1:37:20 ↗ because of ordinance it was being

1:37:21 ↗ brought forward for consideration. This

1:37:23 ↗ is the opportunity to review what public

1:37:26 ↗ safety sales tax is. How can we access

1:37:28 ↗ it? Why do we have a need for it? What

1:37:31 ↗ is the eligibility criteria? How can the

1:37:34 ↗ funds be used? And then if the council

1:37:36 ↗ does decide to move forward, what are

1:37:38 ↗ the next steps? and the timeline.

1:37:42 ↗ >> Kristen, this is Tisha. You're a little

1:37:45 ↗ bit muffled. Just checking you don't

1:37:47 ↗ have anything in front of your um

1:37:50 ↗ microphone.

1:37:52 ↗ >> I don't I'll try to step forward a

1:37:54 ↗ little bit. Is that a little bit more

1:37:55 ↗ clear?

1:37:57 ↗ >> That's a little bit more clear. You are

1:37:59 ↗ audible. Thank you.

1:38:01 ↗ >> Okay. Thank you.

1:38:04 ↗ Earlier this year, House Bill 2015 was

1:38:07 ↗ enacted providing two mechanisms to fund

1:38:10 ↗ public safety. One was this the sales

1:38:13 ↗ tax which is a onetenth of 1% sales tax.

1:38:17 ↗ If imposed, it would increase sales tax

1:38:20 ↗ rate from 10.3% to 10.4%.

1:38:24 ↗ It would generate approximately 2.2

1:38:27 ↗ million per year. Up until June of 2028,

1:38:32 ↗ the tax can be imposed by council manage

1:38:34 ↗ action by adopting an ordinance. After

1:38:37 ↗ June of 2028, a vote of the people would

1:38:40 ↗ be required.

1:38:42 ↗ The second mechanism of funding

1:38:44 ↗ available, there are grant funds

1:38:45 ↗ available which will be administered

1:38:47 ↗ through the criminal justice training

1:38:49 ↗ commission. About $100 million is

1:38:52 ↗ available in the grant program and that

1:38:54 ↗ grant program expires in June of 2028.

1:38:59 ↗ These are two separate buckets of money,

1:39:01 ↗ but they do have the same eligibility

1:39:03 ↗ requirements, meaning that the city must

1:39:06 ↗ qualify under the grants eligibility

1:39:09 ↗ criteria, even though it does not need

1:39:11 ↗ to apply for or receive the grant.

1:39:17 ↗ This is a list of the eligibility

1:39:19 ↗ requirements which must which must be

1:39:21 ↗ met either to apply for the grant or to

1:39:25 ↗ impose the public safety sales tax. um

1:39:27 ↗ documentation of the city's eligibility

1:39:30 ↗ will need to be submitted to the

1:39:31 ↗ criminal justice training commission

1:39:34 ↗ although I don't believe that portal is

1:39:36 ↗ set up quite yet um but it is scheduled

1:39:38 ↗ for sometime later this year um I have

1:39:42 ↗ had several conversations with Chief

1:39:44 ↗ Swan to talk about the eligibility

1:39:46 ↗ requirements and um Chief Schwan has

1:39:50 ↗ confirmed that the eligibility

1:39:52 ↗ requirements um have been met. We will

1:39:55 ↗ just need to submit the documentation to

1:39:57 ↗ show that once the portal from the

1:39:58 ↗ criminal justice training commission is

1:40:00 ↗ available.

1:40:02 ↗ >> And Kristen, let me just interrupt at

1:40:04 ↗ this point. Uh Kristen's homesick today.

1:40:07 ↗ Uh Chi Schwan went home sick from work.

1:40:10 ↗ She's been with us until like 10 minutes

1:40:11 ↗ ago when she just couldn't stay on any

1:40:14 ↗ longer. U so she has been Chief Schwan

1:40:17 ↗ has been working diligently u on uh

1:40:20 ↗ these requirements with her colleague

1:40:22 ↗ Chief. She is on a Wasp committee

1:40:25 ↗ working with the state on establishing

1:40:27 ↗ the criteria. She has been through this

1:40:29 ↗ criteria and feels that there are no

1:40:31 ↗ issues for the Isqua Police Department

1:40:33 ↗ to meet the criteria that we have and

1:40:35 ↗ she apologizes uh for not making it

1:40:38 ↗ through. And thank you Kristen for for

1:40:41 ↗ holding on.

1:40:44 ↗ >> Thank you. Well, thank you for allowing

1:40:45 ↗ me to uh present remotely this evening.

1:40:47 ↗ I do appreciate that.

1:40:50 ↗ Uh okay. So both the sales tax and the

1:40:52 ↗ grant um have a broad range of what the

1:40:54 ↗ funding can be used for. My

1:40:56 ↗ interpretation of the legislation that

1:40:58 ↗ it is intended to provide flexibility as

1:41:01 ↗ each community has different public

1:41:03 ↗ safety needs. So, generally speaking,

1:41:06 ↗ the grant can be used to directly

1:41:08 ↗ support public safety work, including

1:41:11 ↗ but not limited to hiring new officers,

1:41:15 ↗ um retaining officers, training,

1:41:17 ↗ emergency management, planning, or

1:41:20 ↗ community outreach. Uses of the grant

1:41:23 ↗ funds really will only be limited to

1:41:25 ↗ what we apply um for the grant, but we

1:41:28 ↗ can apply to to use that for um broad

1:41:31 ↗ purposes. The sales tax also has a broad

1:41:34 ↗ range of use and can be used directly or

1:41:36 ↗ indirectly to support public safety and

1:41:39 ↗ the criminal justice system um like for

1:41:42 ↗ public defenders, domestic violence

1:41:44 ↗ services, diversion programs, programs

1:41:47 ↗ for homelessness or behavioral health.

1:41:49 ↗ And these lists aren't all inclusive. Um

1:41:53 ↗ they were listed in the legislation, but

1:41:55 ↗ they're really intended to illustrate

1:41:57 ↗ the the broad wide range of what the

1:42:00 ↗ money can be used for.

1:42:04 ↗ Why do we have a need for the public

1:42:06 ↗ safety sales tax? Um, as population

1:42:08 ↗ increases, the demand on our services

1:42:11 ↗ also increase. The cost of public safety

1:42:14 ↗ as well as other city services aren't

1:42:16 ↗ immune to the effects of inflation. So,

1:42:19 ↗ the cost of and doing business is going

1:42:22 ↗ up. Legislative mandates like the

1:42:24 ↗ reduction of public defense case loads

1:42:26 ↗ have cost impacts. We want a salary and

1:42:29 ↗ benefit structure that's competitive so

1:42:31 ↗ the city can retain and recruit the most

1:42:34 ↗ qualified individuals.

1:42:36 ↗ We're seeing continued con cost

1:42:38 ↗ increases and technologies and equipment

1:42:40 ↗ that are needed to perform and enhance

1:42:42 ↗ police work in order to keep our

1:42:44 ↗ communities safe and police work is

1:42:47 ↗ becoming more complex. Uh we have the

1:42:49 ↗ need for behavioral health, homelessness

1:42:51 ↗ and other programs. Uh additionally, our

1:42:55 ↗ current revenues are limited. Our

1:42:57 ↗ property tax is capped at 1%. It doesn't

1:43:00 ↗ keep up with the possible inflation.

1:43:02 ↗ Other city revenues like retail sales

1:43:04 ↗ tax, BNO tax support other services that

1:43:09 ↗ the city provides. So there's a big

1:43:11 ↗ demand on our general fund revenue. So a

1:43:14 ↗ new revenue source would help provide a

1:43:16 ↗ sustainable path to fund our public

1:43:18 ↗ safety needs.

1:43:22 ↗ If the council decides it wants to move

1:43:24 ↗ forward to enact the tax and adopt the

1:43:28 ↗ ordinance, the next steps would be to

1:43:31 ↗ send the eligibility requirements to the

1:43:33 ↗ Washington State Criminal Justice

1:43:34 ↗ Training Commission as soon as they have

1:43:36 ↗ that portal available. Um, adopt the

1:43:38 ↗ sales tax ordinance and then send that

1:43:41 ↗ signed ordinance to the Washington State

1:43:43 ↗ Department of Revenue. So, the next

1:43:45 ↗ steps are fairly straightforward. Um,

1:43:48 ↗ there are some deadlines to consider. Uh

1:43:51 ↗ the department of revenue only accepts

1:43:53 ↗ sales tax changes three times per year.

1:43:57 ↗ So if the council wants the sales tax to

1:44:00 ↗ be effective January 1st of 2026, the

1:44:03 ↗ department of revenue needs to be

1:44:05 ↗ notified by October 17th of 2025.

1:44:09 ↗ The next opportunity would be April 1st

1:44:11 ↗ of 2026 with notification to the

1:44:15 ↗ Department of Revenue by January 16th of

1:44:17 ↗ 2026.

1:44:21 ↗ The administration is recommending

1:44:24 ↗ adoption of the sales tax ordinance. No

1:44:27 ↗ action is being asked of council

1:44:29 ↗ tonight. The ordinance is scheduled to

1:44:32 ↗ come before council on October 6 to take

1:44:35 ↗ final action.

1:44:39 ↗ With that, I'll

1:44:44 ↗ take regular questions.

1:44:46 ↗ Thank you, Kristen, and thank you for

1:44:48 ↗ staying with us when you're not feeling

1:44:49 ↗ well. Much appreciated. Um, so do

1:44:52 ↗ council does council have any questions

1:44:55 ↗ about the information presented?

1:44:59 ↗ >> Council member Jiang?

1:45:02 ↗ Um, I'm curious, you know, in terms of

1:45:05 ↗ the use of the funds, is it something,

1:45:07 ↗ you know, we were just talking about the

1:45:09 ↗ civic facilities. Is that something that

1:45:10 ↗ could be used for upgrades to uh public

1:45:13 ↗ safety facilities?

1:45:15 ↗ My interpretation of the legislation is

1:45:17 ↗ that would be a support to public safety

1:45:21 ↗ and the criminal justice system. So I

1:45:23 ↗ believe um facilities for that purpose

1:45:25 ↗ would be an eligible use.

1:45:28 ↗ Other questions?

1:45:31 ↗ Thank you council member. Uh thank you

1:45:33 ↗ Kristen. There is no action requested

1:45:35 ↗ tonight. The item is scheduled to come

1:45:37 ↗ back to the city council on October 6th

1:45:39 ↗ for final action. We're now going to

1:45:42 ↗ move to the next item of business on the

1:45:44 ↗ regular agenda, which is AB9054.

1:45:46 ↗ >> Oh, I'm sorry. Do you mind? Can I make

1:45:48 ↗ some comments?

1:45:49 ↗ >> Backing up. Make some comments.

1:45:51 ↗ >> Council member Hall.

1:45:52 ↗ >> Is it okay? Sorry.

1:45:53 ↗ >> Yes, it is.

1:45:54 ↗ >> Um, well, first and foremost, I just

1:45:55 ↗ wanted to say thanks again and and thank

1:45:57 ↗ you for answering um some of my

1:45:59 ↗ questions over email as well. I'm I'm

1:46:01 ↗ really eager over the next few weeks to

1:46:02 ↗ see how um our neighboring cities are

1:46:05 ↗ are taking this up and kind of what we

1:46:07 ↗ what our sense of take up rate ends up

1:46:09 ↗ being. Um, but I did just want to say um

1:46:12 ↗ just given the demonstrated need that

1:46:14 ↗ we've talked about on this day as many

1:46:16 ↗ times in public safety that I think this

1:46:18 ↗ should definitely move forward in the

1:46:19 ↗ process and we should continue um to

1:46:21 ↗ consider it at the next month or at the

1:46:23 ↗ next council meeting. Um I also think

1:46:26 ↗ that we should try to take some time to

1:46:28 ↗ come up with a plan for these dollars

1:46:30 ↗ too. So some of my questions for you I

1:46:32 ↗ think kind of inhabit the space a little

1:46:34 ↗ bit. I was asking would would we be open

1:46:37 ↗ to having kind of a dedicated fund for

1:46:38 ↗ these revenues instead of just going

1:46:40 ↗ into general fund.

1:46:41 ↗ >> Um and so maybe between um well next

1:46:46 ↗ month if we were to adopt something u we

1:46:50 ↗ could work on a plan um with um kind of

1:46:54 ↗ clearly defining some of the problem

1:46:56 ↗ statements that you kind of put into um

1:46:58 ↗ the your presentation tonight as well.

1:47:01 ↗ um

1:47:02 ↗ kind of understanding really are we

1:47:04 ↗ going to use a different fund or or

1:47:06 ↗ general fund a better definition almost

1:47:10 ↗ of kind of the mix between I imagine you

1:47:14 ↗ know there'll be kind of new investments

1:47:16 ↗ but also ongoing investments that are

1:47:18 ↗ happening right now in public safety

1:47:19 ↗ that would that would use these funds.

1:47:21 ↗ So, some of these things I think we

1:47:22 ↗ should try to kind of spell out um to

1:47:25 ↗ keep ourselves um um accountable to um

1:47:29 ↗ money that we're levying, but then also

1:47:32 ↗ um to have something uh informative and

1:47:34 ↗ defensible that we can take to the

1:47:36 ↗ community as well cuz this is

1:47:38 ↗ >> their money

1:47:38 ↗ >> just coming up today. It's their money.

1:47:40 ↗ It's now the third time that we've taken

1:47:43 ↗ a.1% increase. And so, I just think it's

1:47:45 ↗ important that we do our due diligence

1:47:46 ↗ on this and just some general thoughts

1:47:50 ↗ around that. Thank you, council member.

1:47:52 ↗ Any other uh council members wanting to

1:47:54 ↗ share general thoughts tonight?

1:47:57 ↗ Okay, thank you for that. Um so we are

1:48:00 ↗ moving on to our next item of regular

1:48:02 ↗ business, which is AB9054,

1:48:05 ↗ the naming of East Sunset Way Trail Head

1:48:07 ↗ to Bill Ramos trail head. And at the

1:48:09 ↗ September 2nd city council meeting,

1:48:11 ↗ Council President Walsh provided notice

1:48:13 ↗ of her intention to offer an amendment

1:48:15 ↗ to resolution number 2025-16,

1:48:19 ↗ which renamed the East Sunset Trail

1:48:21 ↗ Head. The council then moved to add this

1:48:23 ↗ item to tonight's agenda. I'm going to

1:48:25 ↗ turn this over to Council President

1:48:26 ↗ Walsh.

1:48:28 ↗ Thank you. And I guess I have to say Mia

1:48:30 ↗ Culpa on this one. Um, when I originally

1:48:34 ↗ read the resolution, I thought by saying

1:48:36 ↗ that we were naming it Bill Ramos trail

1:48:40 ↗ head that that was just a placeholder in

1:48:42 ↗ a conversation internally would have

1:48:44 ↗ happened at that point. So I didn't

1:48:46 ↗ recognize the need to um make the change

1:48:50 ↗ during um during that initial meeting

1:48:53 ↗ but I believe it is very important for

1:48:56 ↗ us to

1:48:58 ↗ consider the fact that this renaming is

1:49:00 ↗ going to last for a very long time and

1:49:03 ↗ there will be a future time when you

1:49:06 ↗ know children are coming to the trail

1:49:08 ↗ head and people are coming to use it

1:49:09 ↗ from out of town who don't know who Bill

1:49:12 ↗ Ramos was. And so I think the idea of

1:49:17 ↗ making sure that this um trail head is

1:49:20 ↗ not just named for him, but in

1:49:22 ↗ recognition of the memorial um and the

1:49:26 ↗ fact that he was our sitting senator at

1:49:28 ↗ the time um of his death. I think it's

1:49:30 ↗ just really important. So, um, I would

1:49:35 ↗ like to move to amend resolution number

1:49:37 ↗ 2025-16,

1:49:40 ↗ renaming the East Sunset Whale Way trail

1:49:42 ↗ head in order to change the name of the

1:49:44 ↗ trail head from the Bill Ramos trail

1:49:47 ↗ head to the Senator Bill Ramos Memorial

1:49:49 ↗ Trail Head.

1:49:51 ↗ >> Second.

1:49:53 ↗ >> Is there any council discussion?

1:49:57 ↗ Seeing none, if there's no further

1:49:59 ↗ discussion, the motion before council is

1:50:01 ↗ to amend resolution number 2025-16,

1:50:04 ↗ renaming the East Sunset Way trail head

1:50:06 ↗ in order to change the name of the trail

1:50:08 ↗ head from the Bill Ramos trail head to

1:50:10 ↗ the Senator Bill Ramos Memorial Trail

1:50:12 ↗ Head. All those in favor signify by

1:50:15 ↗ saying I.

1:50:16 ↗ >> I.

1:50:17 ↗ >> Those opposed, that carries unanimously,

1:50:20 ↗ 6 and0. Uh the next item tonight is

1:50:23 ↗ committee and regional reports, and

1:50:24 ↗ we'll start with council member Jang.

1:50:26 ↗ Um, my only report for today is to

1:50:29 ↗ announce that the East Side

1:50:31 ↗ Transportation Partnership is having a

1:50:33 ↗ joint uh, regional transportation

1:50:35 ↗ board's meeting this Friday at the Sound

1:50:38 ↗ Transit office with all the other

1:50:39 ↗ regional transportation boards. So,

1:50:41 ↗ looking forward to meeting folks um,

1:50:43 ↗ outside of our normal uh, groups that we

1:50:45 ↗ meet with.

1:50:45 ↗ >> Thank you.

1:50:46 ↗ >> And that's it for me.

1:50:47 ↗ >> Council member Joe.

1:50:48 ↗ >> Thank you, Madam Mayor. Um, this

1:50:50 ↗ afternoon uh, the lodging tax advisory

1:50:53 ↗ committee met. Uh we received a third

1:50:56 ↗ quarter report from Visit Isiqua and we

1:51:00 ↗ also uh heard a recap of the film

1:51:03 ↗ festival uh that recently occurred in

1:51:05 ↗ August. And uh we are anxiously awaiting

1:51:09 ↗ the new economic development and housing

1:51:12 ↗ manager Alexis Fitz Simmons who is

1:51:15 ↗ starting tomorrow. So we'll look forward

1:51:18 ↗ to that. Uh staff uh addition

1:51:22 ↗ on uh the 19th of September, Friday,

1:51:26 ↗ there'll be a uh chamber meeting,

1:51:28 ↗ chamber board meeting, and I'll be the

1:51:30 ↗ leaz liaison going to that meeting uh at

1:51:34 ↗ 8:30 in the morning.

1:51:36 ↗ August uh September 24th, Cascade Water

1:51:40 ↗ Alliance board will be meeting at 3:30

1:51:42 ↗ in the afternoon. Mayor Polly will be

1:51:44 ↗ attending that meeting.

1:51:47 ↗ Tomorrow night, uh, the mobility and

1:51:49 ↗ infrastructure committee will be

1:51:50 ↗ meeting. Um,

1:51:54 ↗ Chris Ray will be absent, but Barb

1:51:56 ↗ Michelle and I will, uh, hold down the

1:51:59 ↗ fort. We'll be looking at the utility

1:52:01 ↗ rate study uh for the third time or

1:52:04 ↗ almost the last time before coming back

1:52:06 ↗ to council, a transportation concurrency

1:52:09 ↗ policy update and a discussion on the

1:52:11 ↗ central isqua multimodal I90 crossing

1:52:15 ↗ study. And that concludes my report.

1:52:17 ↗ Thank you.

1:52:18 ↗ >> Thank you, Council Member Joe. Council

1:52:19 ↗ member Hall,

1:52:21 ↗ >> I got three reports this evening. uh

1:52:23 ↗ first planning development and

1:52:24 ↗ environment committee. We last met last

1:52:27 ↗ Tuesday, September 9th, to consider

1:52:28 ↗ amendments to the tree code. Um these

1:52:31 ↗ changes came from came from code users

1:52:34 ↗ um from residents uh interacting with

1:52:36 ↗ the new code from our title 18 overhaul

1:52:39 ↗ in the aftermath of the bomb cyclone and

1:52:41 ↗ also just in the normal process of

1:52:42 ↗ regular removal and replacement of

1:52:44 ↗ trees. Uh it was a very long meeting. Um

1:52:46 ↗ but in the end we agreed with the

1:52:48 ↗ recommendations of planning policy

1:52:50 ↗ commission, the environmental board and

1:52:51 ↗ staff um to address uh immediate needs

1:52:54 ↗ that that have come up. Um but we also

1:52:56 ↗ agreed that work still remains. Um

1:52:59 ↗ there's a strong desire on the committee

1:53:01 ↗ to make code simpler and to find that

1:53:03 ↗ right balance between our eye and tree

1:53:06 ↗ canopy goals and also not being overly

1:53:08 ↗ burdensome on um residents here in town.

1:53:11 ↗ So, while we have this set of amendments

1:53:12 ↗ that makes our code better today in

1:53:14 ↗ December, we're going to start to frame

1:53:16 ↗ some new goals and outcomes for a

1:53:18 ↗ re-imagined tree code. Uh, in our next

1:53:20 ↗ meeting is on my birthday, Tuesday,

1:53:22 ↗ October 7th. And the agenda includes COM

1:53:25 ↗ 0173, the fire code permit fees increase

1:53:28 ↗ in EFNR budget and COM 0177 2025 comp

1:53:32 ↗ plan amendments and reszone. Speaking of

1:53:35 ↗ EFNR,

1:53:37 ↗ um we have um concluded our new fire

1:53:40 ↗ chief selection process. Uh if you live

1:53:42 ↗ under Iraq and haven't heard this yet,

1:53:44 ↗ after a month-long pro or monthslong

1:53:46 ↗ process which included a national

1:53:47 ↗ search, uh consultant interviews,

1:53:50 ↗ selecting our finalists, having a

1:53:52 ↗ candidate reception, all day panel

1:53:54 ↗ interviews with stakeholders, and a full

1:53:55 ↗ board discussion last Thursday, Will Ao,

1:53:58 ↗ our current assistant chief for ops, has

1:54:01 ↗ been selected as our next fire chief for

1:54:03 ↗ the agency. Um we're still working on

1:54:05 ↗ what that transition details will look

1:54:07 ↗ like. So stay tuned on that. And our

1:54:09 ↗ next board meeting is scheduled for

1:54:11 ↗ Thursday, October 9th. Um and then last

1:54:14 ↗ report, the um RIA 8 Salmon Recovery

1:54:17 ↗ Council. Our next meeting is this coming

1:54:19 ↗ Thursday. The agenda includes uh

1:54:21 ↗ approving the 2026 budget and work plan.

1:54:24 ↗ Um just a note that our own contribution

1:54:26 ↗ to uh the budget only increases by $659

1:54:30 ↗ to $19,52.

1:54:32 ↗ Um, we're approving our updated with

1:54:34 ↗ King County, a funding request to

1:54:36 ↗ co-host the Lake Washington Science

1:54:38 ↗ Summit, discussing our 2026 state

1:54:42 ↗ legislative priorities, and then a few

1:54:43 ↗ otherformational updates. So, I will

1:54:45 ↗ debrief you at the next council meeting.

1:54:46 ↗ And that concludes my report.

1:54:48 ↗ >> Thank you, Council Member Mertz.

1:54:50 ↗ >> Thank you, Madame Mayor. Uh the Sound

1:54:52 ↗ Cities Association Public Issues

1:54:54 ↗ Committee did meet Wednesday, September

1:54:56 ↗ 10th, uh at 7 p.m. at the absurdly

1:54:59 ↗ beautiful Mercer Island Community and

1:55:00 ↗ Event Center. Uh that I'm very jealous

1:55:03 ↗ that they have and that we don't have

1:55:04 ↗ something like that. Um we discussed uh

1:55:07 ↗ a couple of uh tax things. King County

1:55:10 ↗ Library System Levy lid lift uh update

1:55:14 ↗ from the library uh system folks. uh and

1:55:18 ↗ then uh prepping for a leadership

1:55:20 ↗ discussion with King County Council

1:55:23 ↗ regarding King County Transportation

1:55:25 ↗ District sales tax proposed. Um, so it

1:55:28 ↗ was a it was a real um sort of venting

1:55:31 ↗ of the uh concerns that municipalities

1:55:35 ↗ have around tax fatigue in general right

1:55:38 ↗ now and how that relates to um the needs

1:55:41 ↗ of the very independent King County

1:55:43 ↗ Library system and the not so

1:55:45 ↗ independent um uh King County

1:55:47 ↗ Transportation District potential. So,

1:55:50 ↗ um, that was a good conversation. And

1:55:51 ↗ then we teed up, uh, a SCA draft letter

1:55:54 ↗ to the Washington State Legislature on

1:55:56 ↗ the indigent defense case standards. Uh,

1:55:59 ↗ and I believe that action will be taken

1:56:00 ↗ at the next, um, PC meeting. And then,

1:56:04 ↗ uh, upcomings, uh, September 30th, I

1:56:07 ↗ guess that's after our next council

1:56:09 ↗ meeting, isn't it? Well, anyhow, um, the

1:56:12 ↗ uh, services, safety, and parks

1:56:14 ↗ committee will be meeting at 6:30 a.m.

1:56:16 ↗ 6:30 p.m. rather uh, here in Chambers.

1:56:18 ↗ That would be quite something if it was

1:56:20 ↗ AM. Uh, two topics. COMM0174,

1:56:24 ↗ water leak adjustment policy. Um, taking

1:56:27 ↗ a look at uh what a standard policy we

1:56:29 ↗ should have around uh buildings

1:56:31 ↗ associated with water leaks. Uh, and

1:56:34 ↗ then we're going to have a briefing on

1:56:36 ↗ ebikes. Um, again, for anyone who's been

1:56:39 ↗ living under a rock uh anytime recently,

1:56:42 ↗ um, there's a whole new class of ebikes.

1:56:44 ↗ Um, and there are regulatory and safety

1:56:47 ↗ concerns around those bikes and the IPD

1:56:50 ↗ uh has been out educating citizens and

1:56:53 ↗ we thought it'd be a good opportunity to

1:56:55 ↗ have the IPD come talk to uh our

1:56:57 ↗ committee and uh help inform us on

1:56:59 ↗ what's going on for those of us that are

1:57:01 ↗ not buying these new uh ebikes uh and

1:57:04 ↗ and what some of these concerns and

1:57:05 ↗ regulatory uh statute policies around

1:57:08 ↗ them. Uh this concludes my report.

1:57:11 ↗ >> Thank you, Deputy Council President

1:57:15 ↗ Uh thank you, Mayor Paulie. Uh there's I

1:57:18 ↗ actually have uh no report on the

1:57:20 ↗ committees that I serve on today. Uh but

1:57:23 ↗ the uh regional transit committee will

1:57:25 ↗ be meeting Wednesday afternoon and the

1:57:27 ↗ board of health will meet Thursday

1:57:28 ↗ afternoon. Uh I want to follow up on uh

1:57:31 ↗ council member uh Mart's uh discussion.

1:57:34 ↗ Uh this afternoon I sat in on a meeting

1:57:38 ↗ with uh council member King County

1:57:40 ↗ Council member Sarah Perry that was

1:57:41 ↗ organized by the South Cities

1:57:43 ↗ Association again to discuss the

1:57:45 ↗ proposed transportation

1:57:48 ↗ sales tax um that would support support

1:57:51 ↗ rural roads and transit. Um, and uh,

1:57:54 ↗ just as Council Member Mart said, uh, we

1:57:57 ↗ spoke about our concerns about tax

1:58:00 ↗ fatigue,

1:58:02 ↗ uh, competing local priorities, and I

1:58:05 ↗ did talk about the discussion we had

1:58:07 ↗ earlier tonight about um, police and

1:58:10 ↗ city hall um, needs for our local for

1:58:14 ↗ our local concerns and then revenue

1:58:16 ↗ sharing as well. So there was a very

1:58:18 ↗ consistent meas uh conversation from

1:58:22 ↗ sound city association uh members. There

1:58:24 ↗ were eight uh local cities participated

1:58:26 ↗ in the meeting. Um there was also you

1:58:30 ↗ know I would say it was an amicable

1:58:33 ↗ amicable discussion. Uh certainly we

1:58:36 ↗ understand the needs for rural roads

1:58:38 ↗ improvement. Um and also the need to

1:58:40 ↗ support transit. Um, council member

1:58:43 ↗ Perry uh provided an overview that I

1:58:46 ↗ have asked her to share and so that I

1:58:48 ↗ can share with all of you uh regarding

1:58:51 ↗ those needs uh but it was a very uh good

1:58:54 ↗ productive discussion and agreement that

1:58:57 ↗ uh continuing uh conversations will

1:58:59 ↗ occur. So um anyway just want to follow

1:59:03 ↗ up and concur that there are many

1:59:05 ↗ discussions going on on the uh proposed

1:59:08 ↗ uh transportation sales tax. Thank you,

1:59:10 ↗ uh, Deputy Council President. I think

1:59:12 ↗ what is very difficult for the public to

1:59:14 ↗ understand is that when King County does

1:59:17 ↗ pass a a levy that collects from an

1:59:19 ↗ area, investments are usually made in

1:59:21 ↗ all areas of the county, both urban and

1:59:25 ↗ rural. And part of the difficulty is

1:59:28 ↗ when all of the regions are taxed yet

1:59:31 ↗ the investments go to a portion of the

1:59:34 ↗ county in this case only rural taxpayers

1:59:37 ↗ in Isiqua do not see a benefit from that

1:59:39 ↗ levy and that is uh not really clearly

1:59:42 ↗ explained to the public. So if it's

1:59:44 ↗ service for everybody pay for everybody

1:59:46 ↗ that's one thing but when it comes to

1:59:47 ↗ everybody pay and it all goes over here

1:59:50 ↗ that's a very different kind of

1:59:52 ↗ conversation to have and a very

1:59:53 ↗ difficult conversation. So, I appreciate

1:59:55 ↗ that you two are involved in this uh

1:59:58 ↗ discussion right now. Uh, Council

2:00:00 ↗ President,

2:00:01 ↗ >> thank you. Short report. Um, the Puget

2:00:03 ↗ Sound Regional Council Growth Management

2:00:05 ↗ Policy Board and the King County

2:00:07 ↗ Affordable Housing Committee met on

2:00:09 ↗ September 4th. Uh GMPB's items included

2:00:13 ↗ certifications of eight comprehensive

2:00:15 ↗ plans and two conditional certifications

2:00:18 ↗ along with um one of our regular

2:00:21 ↗ check-ins on the regional cent's

2:00:23 ↗ monitoring update. Uh the affordable

2:00:26 ↗ housing committee's items included a

2:00:28 ↗ report on housing market pressures and

2:00:31 ↗ how the shifts for our overall area

2:00:35 ↗ median income are causing major

2:00:37 ↗ pressures with um affordable housing um

2:00:41 ↗ and things like that. And then we also

2:00:42 ↗ had our draft legislative priorities.

2:00:44 ↗ And both of those committees meet next

2:00:46 ↗ on October 2nd. That concludes my

2:00:49 ↗ report.

2:00:50 ↗ >> Thank you. Um there will not be an

2:00:53 ↗ executive session this evening. Um,

2:00:55 ↗ Salmon on Sunset was a huge success. I

2:00:59 ↗ got to spend a lot of time there. It's

2:01:02 ↗ one of my favorite new events that has

2:01:04 ↗ popped up in the last three years. Uh,

2:01:06 ↗ just a wonderful kickoff at a more local

2:01:09 ↗ level to begin the salmon celebration

2:01:12 ↗ here in Isiqua. And a board member who

2:01:14 ↗ also is a council member told me that

2:01:16 ↗ they estimate that they had maybe 10,000

2:01:19 ↗ visitors to the hatchery. That's just

2:01:21 ↗ amazing. Um, so so many thanks and

2:01:25 ↗ gratitude go to the friends of the Isqua

2:01:27 ↗ Salmon hatchery for putting on this

2:01:28 ↗ wonderful event. The uh end of summer

2:01:31 ↗ also means the end of the season for the

2:01:33 ↗ Isqua's farmers market. So check out the

2:01:35 ↗ final days of the Isqua Farmers Market

2:01:37 ↗ for a selection of your favorite fall

2:01:40 ↗ produce and goods. The date is September

2:01:42 ↗ 27th and I believe council is that the

2:01:44 ↗ day what day are you guys going to be

2:01:46 ↗ there? Okay. Um, so you could meet your

2:01:48 ↗ council members. Well, if you go on the

2:01:51 ↗ final day, um, and we hope to see you

2:01:54 ↗ all there. There are some guided hikes

2:01:56 ↗ with Green Isiqua on National Public

2:01:59 ↗ Lands Day. So, let's all celebrate

2:02:00 ↗ National Public Lands Day with Isqua

2:02:02 ↗ Guided Hikes. On Saturday, September

2:02:05 ↗ 27th, the city of Isiqua's park ranger

2:02:07 ↗ and urban forest supervisor will host

2:02:09 ↗ two hikes along the Pickering Reach to

2:02:12 ↗ showcase the conservation and

2:02:14 ↗ restoration efforts along Isiqua Creek

2:02:15 ↗ to support threatened Shinook salmon

2:02:17 ↗ populations. Registration is required to

2:02:20 ↗ participate in these hikes and you can

2:02:21 ↗ find the details on the city's website.

2:02:24 ↗ And I think it was already announced

2:02:26 ↗ potentially by council member Joe, but

2:02:29 ↗ the Isqua Rotary Club is bringing back.

2:02:31 ↗ Did you announce that today? Okay. Did

2:02:33 ↗ you ever announce it?

2:02:35 ↗ >> I have a feeling I

2:02:36 ↗ >> It was announced, but I did not announce

2:02:38 ↗ it.

2:02:39 ↗ >> So, uh, super excited to be bringing

2:02:41 ↗ back this beloved Isqua tradition. Um,

2:02:44 ↗ the Run with the Fishes Race is a

2:02:46 ↗ familyfriendly event that features a 5K

2:02:48 ↗ and a 10K race, plus a kids fun run. And

2:02:52 ↗ after a short hiatus, the race returns

2:02:54 ↗ to a brand new location at Lakes Mammage

2:02:56 ↗ State Park with a new course and a new

2:02:57 ↗ challenge to set the record for the most

2:02:59 ↗ participants in fish costumes. The race

2:03:02 ↗ starts at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, September

2:03:05 ↗ 28th. And to register, visit the

2:03:06 ↗ Rotary's website. And it's almost time

2:03:10 ↗ for this fantastic celebration of the

2:03:12 ↗ return of salmon to Isiqua. As you heard

2:03:14 ↗ several times uh this evening, Salmon

2:03:16 ↗ Days is coming. The annual event will

2:03:18 ↗ take place on Saturday, October 4th and

2:03:20 ↗ Sunday, October 5th. And we are as

2:03:23 ↗ excited as ever to welcome tens of

2:03:25 ↗ thousands of visitors to Oldtown to

2:03:28 ↗ share in salmon viewing and activities.

2:03:30 ↗ And that ends the mayor's report.

2:03:36 ↗ Okay, we're going to move into a couple

2:03:38 ↗ offormational updates tonight. Um, ID185

2:03:43 ↗ is aformational update on a really small

2:03:45 ↗ topic called permanent process

2:03:47 ↗ improvements.

2:03:49 ↗ And we're going to have community

2:03:51 ↗ planning and development director Millie

2:03:52 ↗ Dollywal to present this item. And uh,

2:03:55 ↗ are you also presenting today? In case

2:03:58 ↗ you didn't know, our lovely Aronia is

2:04:01 ↗ now working on this new team and we're

2:04:03 ↗ very excited to have her doing a present

2:04:06 ↗ part of the presentation this evening.

2:04:07 ↗ So, welcome Aronia.

2:04:10 ↗ >> Good evening, uh, Mayor Paulie and

2:04:12 ↗ members of the council and any community

2:04:14 ↗ members who may be online. Um, so like

2:04:18 ↗ you said, uh, we're here to present, uh,

2:04:20 ↗ this permit process improvements piece.

2:04:22 ↗ We were here in March and so we want to

2:04:25 ↗ share some additional data and metrics

2:04:27 ↗ that we've been tracking and we're you

2:04:30 ↗ know give you a status update but um

2:04:32 ↗ like Mayor Paulie introduced Aronia um

2:04:36 ↗ is now the her new role is permit

2:04:39 ↗ process um coordinator um and this was

2:04:43 ↗ one of the recommendations from the

2:04:44 ↗ Refellis report that we needed someone

2:04:46 ↗ who could who wasn't looking at just

2:04:48 ↗ each division but across different

2:04:50 ↗ divisions and tracking permits um in

2:04:53 ↗ from beginning to end. Uh we also have

2:04:56 ↗ here for questions um CPD leadership

2:04:58 ↗ team. We have Kristen Leon as planning

2:05:01 ↗ manager, Emily Appleton as engineering

2:05:03 ↗ manager, and we have James Gray as our

2:05:06 ↗ building official online. Um so with

2:05:09 ↗ that, I'm just uh going to turn it over

2:05:11 ↗ to Ronia. She'll walk you through the

2:05:13 ↗ presentation.

2:05:21 ↗ Okay. So yeah, as Minnie just said, I'm

2:05:23 ↗ Aronia McClean, uh, community planning

2:05:25 ↗ and development, CPD's permit

2:05:27 ↗ coordinator as of September 1st. And so

2:05:30 ↗ today, we're going to talk about, uh,

2:05:32 ↗ anformational update on permiss process

2:05:34 ↗ improvements, PPIs. And just as a quick

2:05:37 ↗ refresher, the background to this is

2:05:39 ↗ that in 2024, the city engaged with Raft

2:05:42 ↗ Telus to conduct a comprehensive review

2:05:44 ↗ of our permit process with a goal of

2:05:46 ↗ ensuring that we're working towards

2:05:48 ↗ performance measures as well as

2:05:49 ↗ compliance with the permit timelines

2:05:52 ↗ outlined in Senate Bill 5290. And so

2:05:55 ↗ through Rafelis's review, they provided

2:05:57 ↗ 12 recommendations for permit process

2:06:00 ↗ improvements. And that's what we'll be

2:06:02 ↗ going over today.

2:06:09 ↗ So, the last time this was in front of

2:06:11 ↗ you was in March of 2025 where the team

2:06:14 ↗ provided a status update on Raft

2:06:16 ↗ Telles's 12 recommendations and uh where

2:06:19 ↗ we're at with them as well as provided

2:06:20 ↗ some data on land use permits and

2:06:22 ↗ building permits as well and some other

2:06:24 ↗ metrics to look into for looking at the

2:06:27 ↗ city's performance uh as well as our

2:06:29 ↗ progress on process improvements and

2:06:31 ↗ what the city has been dealing with

2:06:32 ↗ permitting wise in terms of quantity.

2:06:35 ↗ And so today we're again going to be

2:06:36 ↗ providing a status update on Rafelis's

2:06:38 ↗ 12 recommendations. And just spoiler

2:06:40 ↗ alert, we are happy to announce that of

2:06:42 ↗ the 12 recommendations, we have

2:06:44 ↗ completed seven of them. So woohoo

2:06:46 ↗ there. And then briefly, we also wanted

2:06:48 ↗ to provide a staffing update. So

2:06:50 ↗ recruitment for the planning team is

2:06:52 ↗ still ongoing. So we're recruiting for

2:06:54 ↗ the principal planner position as well

2:06:57 ↗ as assistant planner position. Both of

2:06:59 ↗ those are closed postings and they're

2:07:01 ↗ going through the applications for that.

2:07:04 ↗ We also recently hired two new associate

2:07:06 ↗ planners whom you met last week Monday

2:07:08 ↗ at the committee of the whole meeting.

2:07:10 ↗ So you met associate planner Yi Chen as

2:07:13 ↗ well as associate planner Andrew Love.

2:07:15 ↗ And then me permit coordinator position

2:07:17 ↗ was recently filled as of September 1st.

2:07:20 ↗ And uh I've been with the city a little

2:07:22 ↗ over a year now. And so we'll, like I

2:07:24 ↗ mentioned earlier, we're going to be

2:07:26 ↗ going over some data and next steps.

2:07:30 ↗ So we'll start by taking a look at the

2:07:32 ↗ status update of Rap Talis's 12

2:07:34 ↗ recommendations on permit process

2:07:36 ↗ improvements.

2:07:38 ↗ Starting with number one, submittal

2:07:39 ↗ guidelines PPI01.

2:07:42 ↗ This is a key information to the

2:07:43 ↗ applicant when they're getting ready to

2:07:45 ↗ submit an application. This PPI is

2:07:47 ↗ complete. The priority list has been

2:07:49 ↗ made. PPI 02 completeness review. This

2:07:53 ↗ is the review by which staff determine

2:07:54 ↗ the completeness of an application. This

2:07:57 ↗ PPI is also complete. The three

2:07:59 ↗ scenarios for the completeness review

2:08:01 ↗ process have been made. PPI 03 applicant

2:08:04 ↗ communication template template. This is

2:08:07 ↗ the crucial communication to the

2:08:08 ↗ applicant. This PPI is complete. We've

2:08:11 ↗ created the templates and are on to the

2:08:12 ↗ next step which is implementing

2:08:14 ↗ communication letters. PPI04 peer

2:08:17 ↗ review. This is the items that are

2:08:19 ↗ needed for consultant review. And so the

2:08:21 ↗ main priority here is making sure that

2:08:23 ↗ we're able to identify the need for a

2:08:25 ↗ peer review uh quicker to ensure that

2:08:27 ↗ we're streamlining the process. This PPI

2:08:30 ↗ is complete. We've determined the

2:08:31 ↗ payment schedule, started to implement

2:08:33 ↗ the latest process based on SOP and

2:08:35 ↗ flowcharts and are working on the next

2:08:37 ↗ steps for determination of sufficiency.

2:08:43 ↗ PPI05 internal collaboration meetings.

2:08:45 ↗ This refers to internal department

2:08:47 ↗ meetings like other departments that

2:08:49 ↗ require permitting for city projects and

2:08:51 ↗ the priority here is to provide enhanced

2:08:53 ↗ support to different departments and

2:08:55 ↗ this PPI is complete. The SOP and

2:08:57 ↗ submill checklist are done and we're

2:08:59 ↗ moving on to the next step which is

2:09:01 ↗ offering training. PPI06 high volume

2:09:03 ↗ mailings is complete. We determined that

2:09:05 ↗ it is not financially feasible to use uh

2:09:08 ↗ thirdparty service for mailings and so

2:09:10 ↗ we'll be continuing to use in-house

2:09:12 ↗ postcard mailings.

2:09:14 ↗ PPI07.

2:09:16 ↗ This is a budgeted position that was

2:09:18 ↗ identified as a critical position for

2:09:19 ↗ managing projects uh interacting as a

2:09:22 ↗ liaison both internally across

2:09:24 ↗ departments and divisions as well as

2:09:26 ↗ externally with applicants as well as

2:09:28 ↗ managing the permitting system and

2:09:29 ↗ ensuring that we're uh in compliance and

2:09:32 ↗ working towards compliance with the

2:09:33 ↗ permit timelines that were outlined such

2:09:35 ↗ as the SB5290.

2:09:37 ↗ Um and that position that PPI is

2:09:39 ↗ complete. This position has been filled

2:09:40 ↗ as of September 1st by me Ron McClean.

2:09:43 ↗ PPI08

2:09:47 ↗ performance measures which are related

2:09:49 ↗ to key elements of the permit review

2:09:50 ↗ process. This PPI is implemented and

2:09:53 ↗ ongoing reports have been created.

2:09:54 ↗ Applicant surveys uh are completed.

2:10:02 ↗ PPI 09 SOPs. This refers to outdating

2:10:06 ↗ outdated SOPs. This PPI is also

2:10:08 ↗ implemented in ongoing. So we've

2:10:11 ↗ identified outdated SOPs and either

2:10:13 ↗ marked them for deletion or deleted the

2:10:14 ↗ SOPs and majority of the SOPs have been

2:10:17 ↗ updated. And so right now we're just

2:10:19 ↗ continuing efforts uh with the clerk's

2:10:21 ↗ office to ensure that uh smooth

2:10:24 ↗ implementation and organization of the

2:10:26 ↗ SOPs.

2:10:28 ↗ PPI 10 quarterly improvement review. So

2:10:31 ↗ this refers to our quarterly department

2:10:32 ↗ review meetings that we have where all

2:10:34 ↗ staff come together. We dedicate several

2:10:36 ↗ hours toward permit process

2:10:38 ↗ improvements. And so this PPI is also

2:10:40 ↗ implemented and ongoing and we have an

2:10:42 ↗ upcoming meeting on November 19th. PPI

2:10:45 ↗ 11 comprehensive training program. This

2:10:47 ↗ refers to implementing training programs

2:10:49 ↗ to standardize processes and procedures

2:10:52 ↗ to improve the review process. This PPI

2:10:54 ↗ is implemented and ongoing. we've

2:10:56 ↗ completed some training on already and

2:10:58 ↗ are continuing with formalizing training

2:11:01 ↗ via updating SOPs and checklists and we

2:11:03 ↗ really want to capitalize on the fact

2:11:05 ↗ that that we do have a lot of uh new

2:11:08 ↗ people that were getting onboarded right

2:11:10 ↗ now. So we're wanting to use that

2:11:11 ↗ opportunity to really enhance the

2:11:13 ↗ procedures and uh different materials

2:11:16 ↗ that we have for training PPI 12

2:11:19 ↗ contract with software developer. This

2:11:21 ↗ is to fix long-standing software issues.

2:11:23 ↗ This PPI is currently on pause. We're

2:11:24 ↗ evaluating permit software needs,

2:11:27 ↗ working with IT and consultant to assess

2:11:29 ↗ uh what pathways forward we can have for

2:11:31 ↗ either software replacement or

2:11:33 ↗ upgrading. And we're also working with

2:11:35 ↗ ECD Gov Alliance to implement those pass

2:11:37 ↗ through credit card fees that we've

2:11:38 ↗ talked about. And the anticipated

2:11:40 ↗ implementation for that is January of

2:11:42 ↗ 2026.

2:11:45 ↗ And then I'll pause here if there are

2:11:47 ↗ any questions before we move on to the

2:11:48 ↗ land use permit data.

2:11:51 ↗ Not seeing any. All right.

2:11:54 ↗ So this is our 2025 closed land use

2:11:57 ↗ permits data. This is data from March,

2:11:59 ↗ which is the last time we saw you, to

2:12:01 ↗ September of 2025. During that time, we

2:12:03 ↗ had 24 permits closed, of which three

2:12:06 ↗ were past deadline. And the main

2:12:08 ↗ takeaway here is that majority of the

2:12:09 ↗ permits met the timeline, and we did

2:12:11 ↗ have a few outliers. For example, two of

2:12:13 ↗ the three permits that we are seeing

2:12:14 ↗ that are past deadline were just 1 to 3

2:12:16 ↗ weeks past deadline. So they were really

2:12:17 ↗ close. Uh and then

2:12:21 ↗ 2025 active land use permits data. So

2:12:24 ↗ this data is from January through

2:12:25 ↗ September of 2020 2020 2025 we've had 25

2:12:30 ↗ total permits that we're working on and

2:12:32 ↗ of which six are past deadlines.

2:12:35 ↗ Sorry, of which six are past deadlines.

2:12:38 ↗ Of those six, two are legacy projects

2:12:40 ↗ which are projects that have additional

2:12:42 ↗ complexities or are vested to old code

2:12:44 ↗ or require extensive uh peer review. So

2:12:48 ↗ we also want to note here again that

2:12:50 ↗ majority of the permits are within the

2:12:51 ↗ timeline. Some are overdue to the fact

2:12:53 ↗ that they're legacy projects as I had

2:12:55 ↗ mentioned. Some are maybe in the

2:12:57 ↗ applicant's core and so we're waiting

2:12:58 ↗ for a response back and uh we're keeping

2:13:00 ↗ an eye out for those applicants as well

2:13:03 ↗ and some are potentially linked to other

2:13:05 ↗ projects. So for example, one may be a

2:13:07 ↗ sea and the other may be a plat but it's

2:13:09 ↗ the same project, same location but it's

2:13:10 ↗ under two different timelines. So you're

2:13:12 ↗ going to see twice.

2:13:16 ↗ So taking a look at the excerpt from

2:13:17 ↗ Rafelis report of the average number of

2:13:19 ↗ days from permit application submittal

2:13:21 ↗ to approval. So the overall trend we're

2:13:24 ↗ seeing here is a decline in the average

2:13:25 ↗ number of days that permits are taking

2:13:28 ↗ to get approved. And so we made sure to

2:13:30 ↗ update the data for 2024 and 2025.

2:13:42 ↗ And then this data looks at building

2:13:43 ↗ permits in terms of how many were

2:13:45 ↗ applied for, how many were issued, uh,

2:13:47 ↗ and how long they took to get approved

2:13:49 ↗ on average. From that, we also looked at

2:13:51 ↗ how many exceeded 60-day internal

2:13:53 ↗ target. And so this is an internal

2:13:55 ↗ target because as of effective July 20

2:13:59 ↗ July 2025, we were able to get

2:14:01 ↗ clarification via the House Bill 1935

2:14:04 ↗ that building permits are not under the

2:14:06 ↗ same project timelines. And so we're

2:14:08 ↗ using 60 days as our internal target.

2:14:11 ↗ And we can see that building and site

2:14:13 ↗ work are typically permits that take

2:14:14 ↗ longer to issue in comparison to other

2:14:16 ↗ permits in this chart, which is makes

2:14:18 ↗ sense because some of the other permits

2:14:20 ↗ are over-the-counter permits like

2:14:21 ↗ plumbing.

2:14:25 ↗ So now we'll take a look at some other

2:14:26 ↗ metrics to gain a better understanding

2:14:28 ↗ of how we're doing workload wise and how

2:14:31 ↗ effective and efficient we've been.

2:14:37 ↗ So in 2025 so far CPD has completed

2:14:40 ↗ 4,798

2:14:42 ↗ inspections which is fairly in alignment

2:14:44 ↗ with last year's numbers and 5,609 plan

2:14:47 ↗ reviews. Similar here we're in alignment

2:14:49 ↗ with last year's numbers. doing a little

2:14:50 ↗ bit better in terms of we still have a

2:14:52 ↗ couple months left for the rest of the

2:14:54 ↗ year.

2:14:57 ↗ So far in 2025, we've had 548 reviews

2:15:01 ↗ and inspections per full-time employees.

2:15:03 ↗ So, we're tracking tracking relatively

2:15:05 ↗ well when you compare to 2023 and 2024

2:15:08 ↗ year.

2:15:11 ↗ So far for land use in 2025, we're at

2:15:14 ↗ 81% of all land use permits approved by

2:15:16 ↗ second review, which is an improvement

2:15:18 ↗ from last year. Similarly for

2:15:20 ↗ construction permits, we've seen a

2:15:21 ↗ slight increase in approval as we're

2:15:23 ↗ sitting at 84% approved by second review

2:15:26 ↗ for 2025.

2:15:30 ↗ So far for 2025, there are 33 active

2:15:33 ↗ land use applications that are two

2:15:34 ↗ reviews or less and 160 construction

2:15:38 ↗ permit applications that are two reviews

2:15:40 ↗ or less.

2:15:43 ↗ So wrapping up here, we always want to

2:15:46 ↗ keep customer feedback in mind. Since

2:15:49 ↗ our last presentation in March of 2025,

2:15:51 ↗ we haven't rep pushed out this customer

2:15:53 ↗ feedback survey, but we plan to do so

2:15:54 ↗ within the next one to two quarters so

2:15:57 ↗ that we can get that data, analyze it,

2:15:58 ↗ and bring it back to our next upcoming

2:16:01 ↗ council presentation, which will be a

2:16:03 ↗ progress report in the first quarter of

2:16:05 ↗ 2026. And our aim here is by then we

2:16:08 ↗ will have completed the remainder of the

2:16:10 ↗ raftellis recommendations. And that

2:16:12 ↗ concludes ourformational update on

2:16:14 ↗ permiss process improvements. Are there

2:16:16 ↗ any questions?

2:16:17 ↗ >> Questions?

2:16:19 ↗ Uh council president.

2:16:21 ↗ Thank you. Um really appreciate this.

2:16:24 ↗ I'll give a lot of comments later, but

2:16:26 ↗ uh questions. It it sounds like you know

2:16:29 ↗ seven of the 12 refellus recommendations

2:16:31 ↗ have been implemented. you talked a lot

2:16:33 ↗ about some of the um remaining that have

2:16:37 ↗ already made quite a bit of progress. So

2:16:39 ↗ I'm wondering what the focus is going to

2:16:43 ↗ be for this next period of time until

2:16:45 ↗ you come back to us in the first quarter

2:16:47 ↗ of 2026

2:16:49 ↗ of making further improvements. What do

2:16:52 ↗ we think um the areas that we'll be

2:16:55 ↗ looking at will be? Um obviously some of

2:16:58 ↗ it is going to be onboarding new

2:17:01 ↗ employees and things of theirs areas,

2:17:03 ↗ but what are some of the areas that we

2:17:04 ↗ think we'll see improvements?

2:17:07 ↗ >> Yeah, so like like I said earlier, we

2:17:09 ↗ we're really going to really focus in on

2:17:12 ↗ trying to complete those by the end of

2:17:13 ↗ 2025. So ultimately our main goal is

2:17:16 ↗ dedicating as much time as possible to

2:17:18 ↗ making sure that the remainder of the 12

2:17:20 ↗ recommendations go from implemented and

2:17:21 ↗ ongoing to completed. So that's where

2:17:24 ↗ we're dedicating uh main our most of our

2:17:26 ↗ priorities and then from there I believe

2:17:28 ↗ the next step would probably continue

2:17:30 ↗ that continuous improvement process and

2:17:31 ↗ taking a look at the previous

2:17:32 ↗ recommendations and how we can go

2:17:34 ↗ towards those next steps which some of

2:17:36 ↗ them that are completed are already in

2:17:38 ↗ that process of looking towards next

2:17:40 ↗ steps for the continuous improvement.

2:17:44 ↗ Are there comments and questions?

2:17:48 ↗ Uh, sorry, wrong questions. Questions.

2:17:50 ↗ Other questions?

2:17:52 ↗ Okay, no questions. Thanks.

2:17:56 ↗ Um, so there is no I action tonight, but

2:17:59 ↗ if you'd like to make some general

2:18:00 ↗ comments, go ahead and do it, council

2:18:01 ↗ president.

2:18:02 ↗ >> Thank you.

2:18:04 ↗ um I'm usually very critical in this

2:18:07 ↗ area and so I want to take a moment to

2:18:09 ↗ just say these are really remarkable

2:18:12 ↗ improvements from 2024 to 2025.

2:18:16 ↗ Um and that's even more particularly

2:18:19 ↗ when we think about the fact that there

2:18:21 ↗ was a lack of staff or staff turnover

2:18:24 ↗ during that time. So, I just want to

2:18:26 ↗ appreciate the time and effort and focus

2:18:29 ↗ that it had to take to kind of switch

2:18:33 ↗ out some of our processes and to really

2:18:36 ↗ focus on these areas of improvement. Um,

2:18:40 ↗ we're really seeing the results here and

2:18:43 ↗ so I very much appreciate that. I

2:18:45 ↗ appreciate the detailed data. Um I will

2:18:49 ↗ be looking for future improvements here

2:18:52 ↗ particularly to the number of um single

2:18:57 ↗ uh review cycles that we can get to. Um

2:19:00 ↗ I noted that Belleview has recently

2:19:02 ↗ pulled together a plan where their um

2:19:06 ↗ cross department coordination of trying

2:19:08 ↗ to make sure that everything is coming

2:19:10 ↗ together internally um before handing

2:19:13 ↗ over to the applicant to try and um

2:19:16 ↗ really make sure that we are doing that

2:19:18 ↗ in a single review cycle. And so I would

2:19:20 ↗ love to see um any areas that we can do

2:19:23 ↗ that implementation. But overall, I'm

2:19:26 ↗ I'm really impressed with this data and

2:19:28 ↗ looking forward to seeing where the next

2:19:30 ↗ steps are.

2:19:31 ↗ >> That's great. Um, just want to point out

2:19:33 ↗ to that um internal coordination of

2:19:38 ↗ response is the other side of the coin

2:19:40 ↗ of getting the complete information from

2:19:42 ↗ the applicant. And so we do do a single

2:19:45 ↗ response that includes all of the

2:19:46 ↗ various reviewers. However, there are

2:19:49 ↗ packages that are complete, partially

2:19:51 ↗ complete, are really not complete at

2:19:53 ↗ all. And so a lot of the review cycle is

2:19:55 ↗ based on that. Um, any other comments?

2:19:59 ↗ And then I go back to Minnie. Is there

2:20:01 ↗ anything else that you wanted to share?

2:20:03 ↗ I'm not seeing any comments right now.

2:20:05 ↗ >> Yeah. No, I think that concludes the

2:20:07 ↗ presentation.

2:20:07 ↗ >> I do see somebody else.

2:20:08 ↗ >> Oh,

2:20:10 ↗ thank you, Madam Mayor, members of the

2:20:11 ↗ council. I I just really want to

2:20:14 ↗ highlight this. You know, this is a

2:20:16 ↗ tremendous effort. Um, we've heard clear

2:20:19 ↗ from Mayor Paulie. she with authorized

2:20:22 ↗ the retellance report with the council's

2:20:24 ↗ blessing we got the recommendations um

2:20:27 ↗ this is people

2:20:29 ↗ this is these are processes but they're

2:20:31 ↗ people running the processes and I want

2:20:33 ↗ to thank Vinnie I want to thank Kristen

2:20:35 ↗ I want to thank uh Emily and James um

2:20:39 ↗ you know this is people focusing on this

2:20:41 ↗ and the turnover that we've had uh in

2:20:44 ↗ the planning division uh some longtime

2:20:46 ↗ employees moving on to bigger better

2:20:48 ↗ opportunities uh but also the

2:20:50 ↗ opportunity, I think, to um, you know,

2:20:53 ↗ reallocate responsibilities, bring on

2:20:55 ↗ new folks. This has been a tremendous

2:20:57 ↗ effort. You heard earlier this evening

2:20:59 ↗ from our human resources staff. The

2:21:01 ↗ hundreds of people we've hired

2:21:03 ↗ full-time, part-time, all of this is

2:21:06 ↗ being done so we can serve the community

2:21:08 ↗ of Isqua to the best of our abilities.

2:21:10 ↗ And the work that our entire community

2:21:12 ↗ planning and development staff has done

2:21:14 ↗ just in the last 6 months has been

2:21:16 ↗ outstanding with the sole purpose, Mayor

2:21:19 ↗ Paulie's direction to us is get it done.

2:21:22 ↗ The council's direction to us is get it

2:21:23 ↗ done and I'm happy to report we're

2:21:26 ↗ getting it done.

2:21:27 ↗ >> Very nice.

2:21:28 ↗ >> So, thank you to the CPD staff.

2:21:30 ↗ >> Nicely said, uh, director,

2:21:32 ↗ >> nothing more to add. Uh, you know, like

2:21:34 ↗ Wally said, it's it's because of our

2:21:36 ↗ staff. I mean, they're our largest

2:21:38 ↗ asset. Um, so the leadership team,

2:21:40 ↗ Aronia's new role, and everyone else uh

2:21:44 ↗ that is engaged and involved in reading

2:21:46 ↗ those SOPs and and and their enthusiasm.

2:21:49 ↗ You know, we couldn't do it without

2:21:50 ↗ their enthusiasm. And so that's that's

2:21:52 ↗ really important and we give them credit

2:21:55 ↗ for for their it makes their jobs easier

2:21:57 ↗ if they have a template that they can

2:21:59 ↗ pull out and use as opposed to

2:22:01 ↗ recreating the wheel every time. So,

2:22:03 ↗ we're making progress. There'll be bumps

2:22:05 ↗ along the road and some projects that

2:22:06 ↗ are here and there, but overall we're

2:22:09 ↗ our north arrow is pointed by this work

2:22:11 ↗ and thanks to you all for funding and to

2:22:15 ↗ city leadership and may Pauly um for

2:22:18 ↗ providing the funds for hiring the

2:22:19 ↗ consultant who gave us a road map and

2:22:21 ↗ now we're just following it. So great.

2:22:23 ↗ Thank you.

2:22:25 ↗ >> That's great. Thank you very much. Um

2:22:27 ↗ and welcome everyone. It's nice to see

2:22:30 ↗ you in here speaking tonight uh on this

2:22:32 ↗ team. very proud to have you. Um the

2:22:35 ↗ next and for staying so late tonight. I

2:22:37 ↗ know this agenda was packed tonight and

2:22:40 ↗ we still put you in and here it is 9:30

2:22:43 ↗ and thank you very much for that. Um so

2:22:46 ↗ there is no action item on this tonight.

2:22:49 ↗ The permit process improvement will come

2:22:51 ↗ back before the city council in the

2:22:52 ↗ first quarter of 2026. And we're going

2:22:55 ↗ to move on to the next item which is

2:22:57 ↗ ID902.

2:22:58 ↗ This is also anformational update. It's

2:23:01 ↗ a report on municipal building

2:23:03 ↗ decarbonization analysis and

2:23:05 ↗ sustainability coordinator David Rei is

2:23:08 ↗ here to present the item. Welcome David.

2:23:15 ↗ Thank you very much. Hold on while I get

2:23:17 ↗ my slides up.

2:23:25 ↗ There we go.

2:23:35 ↗ Well, thank you very much, Madame Mayor,

2:23:37 ↗ and and city council members for having

2:23:39 ↗ me here tonight. Um, it's been an

2:23:41 ↗ action-packed agenda, and um, I'm

2:23:43 ↗ excited to wrap it up tonight talking

2:23:46 ↗ about climate action work and um, our

2:23:49 ↗ fuel transition assessment and municipal

2:23:51 ↗ decarbonization work um, that the staff

2:23:54 ↗ have been doing at the city for the last

2:23:56 ↗ uh, year and a half.

2:23:59 ↗ So, um the goal of tonight is to provide

2:24:02 ↗ anformational update on the municipal

2:24:04 ↗ building decarboniz decarbonization

2:24:07 ↗ assessment uh following the pass passage

2:24:10 ↗ of resolution 202404

2:24:13 ↗ uh in winter 2024.

2:24:15 ↗ Over the course of 2024, um we hired on

2:24:19 ↗ um McDonald Miller uh facility solutions

2:24:22 ↗ as a consultant to conduct this work. um

2:24:25 ↗ they completed the work and the

2:24:27 ↗ assessment of our facilities um across

2:24:30 ↗ during 2024. Um following the completion

2:24:33 ↗ of that assessment, staff did additional

2:24:36 ↗ analysis, took that information, put it

2:24:38 ↗ in the context of many of the other uh

2:24:40 ↗ facilities projects uh that we have here

2:24:42 ↗ at the city. Um and then we incorporated

2:24:45 ↗ a lot of that information into our

2:24:47 ↗ capital improvement plan. So you'll see

2:24:50 ↗ me talk a little bit about that later uh

2:24:52 ↗ today.

2:24:53 ↗ Um,

2:24:55 ↗ great. So, um, just as a little bit of

2:24:58 ↗ background as we're thinking about, um,

2:25:01 ↗ this assessment, um, this is on the

2:25:04 ↗ screen, our 2022 government operations,

2:25:07 ↗ uh, greenhouse gas inventory. Um, this

2:25:11 ↗ was the first greenhouse gas inventory

2:25:13 ↗ for municipal operations that the city

2:25:16 ↗ conducted. Um, and we are updating our

2:25:19 ↗ greenhouse gas inventory um, right now.

2:25:22 ↗ and we anticipate having additional um

2:25:25 ↗ and updated results for the 2024 year um

2:25:28 ↗ in early 2026. There is a lag between

2:25:31 ↗ when uh the data is available and when

2:25:34 ↗ we can present on that data, but for uh

2:25:38 ↗ the time being, the 2022 inventory is

2:25:40 ↗ the best greenhouse gas uh data that we

2:25:43 ↗ have. And so, um, this is really what

2:25:45 ↗ we're working on now and what we're

2:25:47 ↗ thinking about, uh, as it relates to

2:25:49 ↗ climate action and in terms of

2:25:51 ↗ addressing our emissions.

2:25:53 ↗ And really what this, uh, fuel

2:25:55 ↗ transition assessment, um, is looking at

2:25:58 ↗ is uh, the natural gas use in municipal

2:26:02 ↗ operations. So the assessment really

2:26:06 ↗ looked at what are the ways that we can

2:26:08 ↗ address um and uh electrify all of the

2:26:12 ↗ natural gas use across the city. There

2:26:15 ↗ are additional items that were included

2:26:18 ↗ in the analysis as I'll mention in a

2:26:19 ↗ little bit including an assessment of

2:26:21 ↗ renewable energy capacity, EV charging

2:26:24 ↗ uh capacity at city facilities. Um, and

2:26:28 ↗ then I also want to note that the

2:26:29 ↗ assessment covered all city facilities,

2:26:32 ↗ both those that the city owns and

2:26:34 ↗ operates as well as those that are

2:26:35 ↗ leased out. The uh natural gas use in um

2:26:40 ↗ facilities that are leased is not

2:26:43 ↗ included in our greenhouse gas inventory

2:26:46 ↗ um as that doesn't um uh is not

2:26:49 ↗ associated with city operations. Um

2:26:52 ↗ however when uh we were passing the

2:26:54 ↗ resolution or when city council was

2:26:56 ↗ passing the resolution um and through uh

2:26:59 ↗ recommendations from the environmental

2:27:00 ↗ board um we did want to make sure that

2:27:02 ↗ we were looking at all city facilities

2:27:04 ↗ whether or not um they were owned uh

2:27:07 ↗ whether that not they were operated by

2:27:09 ↗ the city or leased as well.

2:27:12 ↗ But I for the bulk of the presentation

2:27:14 ↗ today and the bulk of this assessment,

2:27:16 ↗ it is really focused on the 27% of our

2:27:19 ↗ government operations emissions that is

2:27:22 ↗ associated with natural gas use at city

2:27:24 ↗ facilities.

2:27:28 ↗ So when we were passing uh the the

2:27:30 ↗ resolution uh to do this assessment um

2:27:33 ↗ this is one of the slides that I shared

2:27:36 ↗ and really the point of this uh is to

2:27:38 ↗ put the fuel transition assessment um

2:27:41 ↗ within the context of broader facilities

2:27:43 ↗ work and um as you heard tonight there's

2:27:46 ↗ a lot of work happening with our

2:27:47 ↗ facilities some of which is not captured

2:27:49 ↗ on this slide but on this slide is

2:27:52 ↗ really thinking about um all of the

2:27:54 ↗ different assessments work and and um

2:27:57 ↗ detail that we've been looking into as

2:28:00 ↗ it relates to um decarbonizing our

2:28:03 ↗ building buildings.

2:28:05 ↗ So the biggest circle kind of the the

2:28:07 ↗ broadest scale we're thinking about um

2:28:10 ↗ is benchmarking. So that's just really

2:28:12 ↗ understanding where is our energy use at

2:28:15 ↗ city facilities? How does it compare to

2:28:18 ↗ um other uh other facilities of similar

2:28:22 ↗ uh size and and use? Um and then kind of

2:28:25 ↗ we we went more specific. We had our

2:28:28 ↗ facilities condition assessment um which

2:28:30 ↗ looked at the um the condition of all

2:28:33 ↗ equipment across city facilities. We've

2:28:35 ↗ done energy audits looking specifically

2:28:38 ↗ at energy uh efficiency opportunities

2:28:41 ↗ and opportunities for us to uh save

2:28:44 ↗ energy and electrify uh specific pieces

2:28:47 ↗ of equipment. And then the fuel

2:28:49 ↗ transition assessment, which is looking

2:28:51 ↗ very specifically at what would it

2:28:53 ↗ really take to electrify city facilities

2:28:57 ↗ in line with our climate action goals um

2:28:59 ↗ and to address greenhouse gas emissions

2:29:02 ↗ associated with natural gas.

2:29:06 ↗ Um as you'll hear me mention in a little

2:29:08 ↗ bit, uh there are multiple circles. We

2:29:11 ↗ could go even more specific than this,

2:29:13 ↗ right? as we get down to design, as we

2:29:16 ↗ get down to really specific assessments

2:29:18 ↗ about what is it going to take to

2:29:20 ↗ electrify or update um equipment at

2:29:23 ↗ specific facilities, there is a lot more

2:29:26 ↗ analysis beyond the fuel transition

2:29:28 ↗ assessment that we're going to need to

2:29:30 ↗ do. And so really the fuel transition

2:29:32 ↗ assessment is uh it's it's a high level

2:29:36 ↗ look across across city facilities and

2:29:39 ↗ there's going to be a continued effort

2:29:41 ↗ especially even as we're thinking about

2:29:42 ↗ future of city use additional equipment

2:29:45 ↗ that's going to be necessary um uh to

2:29:48 ↗ pull from uh to pull on our electrical

2:29:50 ↗ power um etc.

2:29:55 ↗ Uh when we uh when the the resolution

2:29:58 ↗ was passed, um there was multiple

2:30:01 ↗ reasons why uh city council wanted to

2:30:03 ↗ pass this resolution, including

2:30:05 ↗ demonstrating city leadership in climate

2:30:08 ↗ action. Um as I've talked about in the

2:30:10 ↗ past, um the city operations um

2:30:14 ↗ contributes generally a quite a small

2:30:16 ↗ amount to our overall greenhouse gas

2:30:18 ↗ emissions in the city. However, if we're

2:30:20 ↗ talking about uh ways that we're going

2:30:22 ↗ to cut greenhouse gas emissions across

2:30:25 ↗ our community, um it is important to

2:30:27 ↗ lead by example and show the community

2:30:29 ↗ that we're uh not just telling them what

2:30:31 ↗ to do, but also um taking those actions

2:30:34 ↗ ourselves.

2:30:36 ↗ Additionally, this assessment helped

2:30:38 ↗ support city staff to implement efforts

2:30:40 ↗ to electrify city buildings to

2:30:42 ↗ understand what is it really going to

2:30:44 ↗ take to uh electrify facilities and

2:30:47 ↗ equipment and develop renewable energy

2:30:50 ↗ projects and then specifically to help

2:30:52 ↗ advance progress towards IAP targets. We

2:30:55 ↗ have very ambitious um climate action

2:30:57 ↗ targets as part of our climate action

2:31:00 ↗ plan and really understanding what is

2:31:02 ↗ that going to take. uh this this um

2:31:04 ↗ assessment really helps us understand

2:31:07 ↗ what is that going to take to reach

2:31:08 ↗ those targets.

2:31:12 ↗ So the parameters of the assessment it

2:31:14 ↗ covered 23 city facilities owned um by

2:31:18 ↗ the city um and that did include as I

2:31:20 ↗ mentioned uh facilities operated by the

2:31:22 ↗ city as well as those operated by third

2:31:25 ↗ parties. We reviewed uh what it would

2:31:28 ↗ take to electrify existing fossil fuel

2:31:30 ↗ equipment. a high uh a high level

2:31:33 ↗ assessment of facility electrical

2:31:35 ↗ capacity. So thinking about as we're

2:31:37 ↗ electrifying our equipment, is there

2:31:39 ↗ even electrical capacity at the facility

2:31:42 ↗ uh to uh implement those improvements or

2:31:45 ↗ will expansion uh electrical expansions

2:31:48 ↗ be necessary? A high level solar um

2:31:51 ↗ analysis for each facility to think

2:31:53 ↗ about what is our really really what is

2:31:56 ↗ our renewable energy generation capacity

2:31:58 ↗ um at city facilities. opportunities for

2:32:01 ↗ electric vehicle infrastructure

2:32:03 ↗ suitability. And the focus of this

2:32:04 ↗ really was on um level two charging. So

2:32:08 ↗ um not the fast charging necessarily,

2:32:10 ↗ but for fleet use, focusing on that

2:32:13 ↗ level two charging, which meets most of

2:32:14 ↗ our cap uh most of our fleet needs. And

2:32:18 ↗ then um based on the assessment and and

2:32:21 ↗ staff analysis, some recommended actions

2:32:24 ↗ um that we could be taking as a city.

2:32:29 ↗ When we got our uh assessment from

2:32:31 ↗ McDonald Miller, we did uh additional

2:32:33 ↗ staff analysis. So that included

2:32:35 ↗ identifying priority projects, projects

2:32:37 ↗ that we thought um we could tackle on a

2:32:41 ↗ on a sooner basis that we could

2:32:43 ↗ incorporate into um capital improvement

2:32:46 ↗ plans, things like that. We evaluated

2:32:48 ↗ the cost to impact ratio. So thinking

2:32:50 ↗ about um the cost of an equipment change

2:32:53 ↗ out um with the impact on natural gas

2:32:56 ↗ use of that um of that uh installation.

2:33:01 ↗ And then we also compared the costs and

2:33:03 ↗ the the um information in the assessment

2:33:06 ↗ with other facilities assessment and

2:33:08 ↗ work that we've done. So we have done a

2:33:10 ↗ lot over the last couple years as it

2:33:12 ↗ relates to decarbonizing our city

2:33:14 ↗ facilities. And so we're able to compare

2:33:16 ↗ our costs for renewable energy with

2:33:19 ↗ specific solar designs that we have.

2:33:21 ↗ We're able to compare equipment costs

2:33:23 ↗ with energy audits we've had with the

2:33:25 ↗ facilities condition assessment and

2:33:27 ↗ really think about what is the

2:33:29 ↗ electrification cost compared to um say

2:33:32 ↗ the like forlike um change out of an

2:33:35 ↗ equipment to from natural gas to a

2:33:37 ↗ similar natural gas. And overall the

2:33:40 ↗ highle takeaway is that um the fuel

2:33:42 ↗ transition assessment provided a high

2:33:44 ↗ level baseline of electrification

2:33:46 ↗ projects costs and electrical needs. Um

2:33:49 ↗ additional assessment is going to be

2:33:50 ↗ necessary as well as consideration

2:33:53 ↗ around the future of space um uh future

2:33:56 ↗ use of space. So um the the transition

2:33:59 ↗ of city hall for instance um and uh

2:34:02 ↗ other needs like that.

2:34:05 ↗ So now I'm going to start digging into

2:34:08 ↗ some of the findings and these are are

2:34:10 ↗ um high level findings. There's a lot of

2:34:12 ↗ detail in the report attached to um the

2:34:15 ↗ council packet.

2:34:18 ↗ One of the the first top uh takeaways

2:34:21 ↗ here is that the cost to transition city

2:34:23 ↗ equipment um from natural gas to

2:34:25 ↗ electric is significant roughly between

2:34:28 ↗ 7 to 10.5 million. and that covers all

2:34:31 ↗ 70 unique pieces of natural gas

2:34:33 ↗ equipment at the city um across those 23

2:34:37 ↗ facilities.

2:34:38 ↗ A big portion of that cost, 7 to 10.5

2:34:42 ↗ million is related to electrical

2:34:45 ↗ upgrades necessary at a handful of

2:34:48 ↗ facilities. So around half of the cost

2:34:51 ↗ is the actual equipment labor um etc.

2:34:55 ↗ And about half the cost uh is the

2:34:58 ↗ electrical upgrades required. And um

2:35:01 ↗ there are a couple of facilities that uh

2:35:03 ↗ the bulk of that cost would really be

2:35:05 ↗ seen at um as electrification of some

2:35:07 ↗ facilities such as um the public works

2:35:10 ↗ campus or the Julius Bone Pool would be

2:35:13 ↗ um would add significant electrical

2:35:15 ↗ demand um and therefore require

2:35:17 ↗ significant electric upgrades.

2:35:21 ↗ Um, I do also want to note that the 7

2:35:23 ↗ to10.5 million estimate is a is a bit

2:35:27 ↗ low as um we would still have additional

2:35:30 ↗ costs in addition to that related to

2:35:33 ↗ actually completing design and really

2:35:35 ↗ thinking through what is uh what is a

2:35:38 ↗ possible project at these sites. Um the

2:35:41 ↗ fuel transition assessment and working

2:35:43 ↗ with McDonald Miller they gave us a

2:35:44 ↗ great great estimates to start working

2:35:46 ↗ on. Um but we would need to be

2:35:48 ↗ conducting additional uh design work,

2:35:51 ↗ engineering work um and assessments to

2:35:54 ↗ really figure out what is possible with

2:35:57 ↗ these projects and make these projects

2:36:00 ↗ that could really go towards

2:36:01 ↗ implementation.

2:36:03 ↗ Um the findings of the the report did

2:36:06 ↗ reaffirm that the pool, the public works

2:36:08 ↗ campus and the community center are our

2:36:10 ↗ city's uh city operation's largest

2:36:12 ↗ natural gas users. Um, and so those are

2:36:16 ↗ going to be some of the uh facilities

2:36:18 ↗ we'll want to be thinking about uh if

2:36:20 ↗ we're going to be addressing our natural

2:36:22 ↗ gas use at the city. Additionally, I do

2:36:24 ↗ want to mention that the community

2:36:26 ↗ center and city hall are the two

2:36:29 ↗ facilities that have to comply with tier

2:36:31 ↗ 2 of the Clean Buildings Act. And as of

2:36:33 ↗ right now, um that is related to

2:36:36 ↗ reporting energy use and creating plans

2:36:39 ↗ for uh managing energy use. Although

2:36:41 ↗ that is the possibility of um having

2:36:45 ↗ requirements around uh energy use in the

2:36:48 ↗ future

2:36:52 ↗ based on additional staff analysis. Um

2:36:55 ↗ staff have reviewed potential projects

2:36:57 ↗ through the len through multiple other

2:36:59 ↗ lenses that I wanted to um to share with

2:37:01 ↗ y'all today. So um one of those is that

2:37:04 ↗ um projects uh some projects um had a

2:37:08 ↗ better um cost to impact ratio. So the

2:37:12 ↗ estimated cost of doing um the

2:37:14 ↗ electrification project to the amount of

2:37:16 ↗ natural gas um uh avoided through that

2:37:20 ↗ that project um and trying to do a

2:37:23 ↗ prioritization process of thinking about

2:37:25 ↗ which are the ones that have that better

2:37:27 ↗ ratio.

2:37:29 ↗ Additionally again as I mentioned before

2:37:31 ↗ thinking about which are the the uh

2:37:33 ↗ facilities that have um a greater impact

2:37:36 ↗ on our natural gas use those that are

2:37:38 ↗ required for clean buildings act. And I

2:37:40 ↗ also didn't mention um that we also

2:37:43 ↗ looked through the lens of what are the

2:37:45 ↗ equipment that needs uh to be uh

2:37:48 ↗ replaced on a on a sooner time scale

2:37:50 ↗ versus a later time scale. Right?

2:37:53 ↗ Generally the best time to electrify a

2:37:55 ↗ piece of equipment is when that

2:37:56 ↗ equipment is already failing or needs to

2:37:59 ↗ be replaced anyways. Right? And so um

2:38:01 ↗ that made its way into a lot of this

2:38:03 ↗ analysis as well.

2:38:06 ↗ I do want to note uh right off the bat

2:38:08 ↗ it might uh you might notice that many

2:38:10 ↗ of the uh facilities that have a high uh

2:38:14 ↗ cost to impact ratio for electrification

2:38:16 ↗ are uh facilities that we lease out

2:38:19 ↗ right um and many of these for many of

2:38:22 ↗ these sites uh the tenants are actually

2:38:24 ↗ responsible for some of the equipment um

2:38:26 ↗ change out and the equipment updates

2:38:28 ↗ there. So generally when we were

2:38:30 ↗ thinking about incorporating projects

2:38:32 ↗ into the capital improvement plan uh we

2:38:35 ↗ focused mostly on um facilities that the

2:38:38 ↗ city owns and operates as well. Um,

2:38:43 ↗ at the same time, I do want to note that

2:38:45 ↗ the benefit of doing this assessment and

2:38:47 ↗ and covering leased facilities as well

2:38:50 ↗ helps us understand

2:38:52 ↗ um what it's going to take to electrify

2:38:55 ↗ these facilities and cut their

2:38:56 ↗ greenhouse gas emissions um during lease

2:38:59 ↗ negotiations in the future. and uh also

2:39:02 ↗ to just provide those uh entities

2:39:04 ↗ information on um what they can do to

2:39:07 ↗ address greenhouse gas emissions

2:39:08 ↗ associated with their facility um when

2:39:11 ↗ equipment needs to be changed out.

2:39:15 ↗ Moving on to the solar assessment. So

2:39:17 ↗ this was a high level solar assessment

2:39:19 ↗ of all city uh facilities and there is

2:39:22 ↗ uh based on the assessment it was an

2:39:24 ↗ estimated capacity generation capacity

2:39:26 ↗ of uh 1.1 megawws across all city uh

2:39:30 ↗ facilities and this was really looking

2:39:32 ↗ at the roof space of our existing

2:39:34 ↗ facilities um not for instance parks or

2:39:38 ↗ any other um parking lots things like

2:39:40 ↗ that as part of this assessment if we

2:39:43 ↗ were to install the 1.1 megawatt

2:39:46 ↗ capacity

2:39:47 ↗ um that would cover about 31% of the

2:39:50 ↗ total electric use at city facilities

2:39:53 ↗ and the total cost of that would be

2:39:54 ↗ between 4.1 to $5.5 million.

2:39:58 ↗ Um I do want to mention the the

2:40:00 ↗ estimated 31% of current electric use.

2:40:03 ↗ Um that was at the time of the

2:40:05 ↗ assessment. Um, as we're thinking about

2:40:08 ↗ all of the pieces of this assessment

2:40:09 ↗ together, as we electrify our equipment,

2:40:11 ↗ our electric use goes up and therefore,

2:40:14 ↗ um, the solar would cover, uh, a smaller

2:40:16 ↗ proportion of our electric use.

2:40:20 ↗ Um,

2:40:26 ↗ >> sorry, go ahead, Council Member Mertz.

2:40:28 ↗ >> Thank you. Um, do we have a payback

2:40:30 ↗ period on that investment? So, we do

2:40:33 ↗ have payback calculated for all of the

2:40:36 ↗ different um estimated projects. For the

2:40:39 ↗ most part, it's somewhere between um 17

2:40:43 ↗ to 25 years depending on a couple of

2:40:46 ↗ things um such as um grant support,

2:40:50 ↗ federal tax incentive supports, things

2:40:52 ↗ like that.

2:40:54 ↗ >> And and this one is also in that in that

2:40:56 ↗ broad category of 17 to 25 years.

2:40:59 ↗ >> Yes. for for the solar projects.

2:41:01 ↗ >> Okay.

2:41:02 ↗ >> And that and that would be if we fully

2:41:04 ↗ funded the projects ourselves

2:41:06 ↗ >> and didn't get grants.

2:41:07 ↗ >> Okay. Thank you.

2:41:11 ↗ >> So um we have been investing in solar

2:41:14 ↗ projects over um this bienium. So uh the

2:41:18 ↗ office of sustainability has in our

2:41:20 ↗ budget put uh funds towards uh solar

2:41:22 ↗ projects. Um and as you'll see in a

2:41:25 ↗ little bit, um we are moving forward

2:41:27 ↗ with two solar projects currently. Uh

2:41:30 ↗ one at the Isiqua Senior Center and one

2:41:31 ↗ at Pickering Barn. And this this slide

2:41:33 ↗ is really just meant to um highlight

2:41:36 ↗ that uh if we continue investment at the

2:41:39 ↗ current rate that we are are um

2:41:41 ↗ operating on. Um we could potentially

2:41:44 ↗ add additional projects such as public

2:41:46 ↗ works. But if we were to uh prioritize

2:41:49 ↗ renewable energy investments uh through

2:41:52 ↗ uh with funding um then there are

2:41:55 ↗ additional projects that we could uh

2:41:56 ↗ explore such as at city hall, the parks

2:41:59 ↗ and facilities shop or the Julius Bone

2:42:01 ↗ Pool as well.

2:42:04 ↗ A couple considerations when we think

2:42:06 ↗ about our renewable en energy uh

2:42:08 ↗ generation as well as uh supporting some

2:42:10 ↗ of these projects. Um our facility use

2:42:13 ↗ is in flux as you've heard about quite a

2:42:15 ↗ bit tonight, right? And so as we think

2:42:18 ↗ about uh the future use of facilities um

2:42:21 ↗ how those facilities are going to be

2:42:23 ↗ changing, what the work at those

2:42:25 ↗ facilities is going to look at, we want

2:42:27 ↗ to be really thoughtful and considerate

2:42:29 ↗ about where we're investing our funds um

2:42:32 ↗ and on what projects so that we get to

2:42:34 ↗ do those projects once instead of

2:42:36 ↗ necessarily putting up solar panels,

2:42:38 ↗ taking them down, putting them back up,

2:42:40 ↗ things like that. Additionally, uh,

2:42:42 ↗ state support for clean energy does seem

2:42:45 ↗ secure for the time being. Um, but

2:42:47 ↗ additional support is uncertain and that

2:42:50 ↗ does create um, uh, some considerations

2:42:53 ↗ for us as we think about how we want to

2:42:55 ↗ fund these projects. Um, right now we

2:42:58 ↗ have a mix of uh, funds for our two

2:43:01 ↗ current projects from state funds um, as

2:43:04 ↗ well as federal tax credits and support

2:43:06 ↗ from PSSE. And so as we're thinking

2:43:09 ↗ about the the multiple funding streams

2:43:11 ↗ that could support these projects, state

2:43:13 ↗ support seems more secure. Additional

2:43:15 ↗ support is is less secure right now.

2:43:18 ↗ Additionally, uh we do need to very

2:43:20 ↗ closely coordinate uh these projects uh

2:43:23 ↗ within other city facility limitations

2:43:26 ↗ and considerations. So thinking about

2:43:27 ↗ the structural uh limitations and uh

2:43:30 ↗ ability of our facilities um existing

2:43:33 ↗ and future energy use. So again, as I

2:43:35 ↗ mentioned, as we are electrifying our

2:43:37 ↗ equipment, our energy use at uh those

2:43:39 ↗ facilities, electrical use will

2:43:41 ↗ increase. And so we want to make sure

2:43:42 ↗ that we're uh thinking carefully about

2:43:45 ↗ that as well. And then net metering is

2:43:47 ↗ the uh system that PSSE has uh to allow

2:43:51 ↗ for um uh full to allow the city to take

2:43:56 ↗ full uh advantage of the energy

2:43:58 ↗ generated at renewable energy systems.

2:44:00 ↗ And so, uh, keeping an up, uh, keeping

2:44:03 ↗ updated on, um, how PSSE is changing,

2:44:06 ↗ uh, their net metering, um, policies now

2:44:09 ↗ and in the future is going to be really

2:44:11 ↗ critical to think about, um, where we

2:44:13 ↗ prioritize these projects and how we

2:44:15 ↗ prioritize them.

2:44:19 ↗ For EV charging, um, this was, um,

2:44:23 ↗ generally the findings here are fairly

2:44:25 ↗ high level. Many facilities do have

2:44:27 ↗ electrical capacity for additional level

2:44:29 ↗ two EV chargers. However, equipment and

2:44:32 ↗ electrical capacity upgrades would

2:44:34 ↗ generally be necessary um for many sites

2:44:37 ↗ already with level two chargers. And

2:44:39 ↗ then as we think about um putting in any

2:44:41 ↗ fast chargers especially to support

2:44:43 ↗ things like our heavy and medium medium

2:44:46 ↗ and heavy duty fleet um or uh for

2:44:49 ↗ instance for uh police electric vehicles

2:44:51 ↗ down the line um some of those

2:44:54 ↗ electrical upgrades uh would be

2:44:56 ↗ necessary to allow for uh the

2:44:58 ↗ installation of that equipment.

2:45:00 ↗ Additionally, electrical capacity might

2:45:02 ↗ be available right now but there is

2:45:04 ↗ going to be a lot of demand on that

2:45:05 ↗ electrical capacity now and in the

2:45:07 ↗ future. um partially when we're thinking

2:45:09 ↗ about um electrifying our equipment, but

2:45:12 ↗ then also even just thinking about the

2:45:14 ↗ other needs uh and demands on that

2:45:16 ↗ electrical uh capacity as we move

2:45:18 ↗ forward, thinking about IT upgrades and

2:45:21 ↗ um other equipment that might need to be

2:45:23 ↗ installed. Um, so all of that kind of

2:45:27 ↗ comes together to to help us understand

2:45:29 ↗ that although we do have um some uh

2:45:32 ↗ additional capacity right now uh at many

2:45:35 ↗ of our facilities, many facilities will

2:45:37 ↗ need expanded capacity in the future.

2:45:41 ↗ So at this point um I'm going to share

2:45:45 ↗ just a little bit about how we've taken

2:45:47 ↗ the uh the results of this assessment

2:45:50 ↗ and incorporated them into current

2:45:52 ↗ projects um as well as planned projects

2:45:55 ↗ into the future. So as you can see on

2:45:58 ↗ the screen uh we have these are sorry

2:46:02 ↗ got ahead of myself. These are completed

2:46:04 ↗ projects, ones that we've been able to

2:46:06 ↗ accomplish over the last uh year and a

2:46:09 ↗ half. Um, many of them are uh the

2:46:12 ↗ replacement of gas furnaces for heat

2:46:14 ↗ pumps. Um, it was uh putting in some

2:46:17 ↗ heat pump hot water heaters. Um, and

2:46:20 ↗ then uh we uh successfully completed the

2:46:22 ↗ installation of 17 new electric vehicle

2:46:24 ↗ chargers um this year at three different

2:46:27 ↗ city facilities.

2:46:31 ↗ for current projects. These are projects

2:46:33 ↗ that are currently ongoing or are

2:46:35 ↗ planned for 2026 as it relates to the

2:46:38 ↗ fuel transition assessment. We have a

2:46:40 ↗ solar installation at Pickering Barn. Um

2:46:43 ↗ we have a solar and a battery storage uh

2:46:45 ↗ system installation at the Isiqua Senior

2:46:47 ↗ Center. Um and then um our wonderful

2:46:50 ↗ facilities team is going to be working

2:46:53 ↗ on um an HVAC system um upgrade at the

2:46:58 ↗ community center. And as you uh might

2:47:00 ↗ remember from earlier in the slides, the

2:47:02 ↗ community center does represent one of

2:47:04 ↗ our largest three natural gas users at

2:47:06 ↗ the site. So we do anticipate um that

2:47:09 ↗ specific project having a really big

2:47:11 ↗ impact on our natural gas use at the

2:47:13 ↗ city and cutting cutting that natural

2:47:15 ↗ gas use and associated greenhouse gas

2:47:17 ↗ emissions.

2:47:20 ↗ um for future projects. Um I wanted to

2:47:23 ↗ highlight uh all the work that our

2:47:25 ↗ facilities team in in coordination uh

2:47:28 ↗ with us in the office of sustainability

2:47:30 ↗ did to incorporate projects into the

2:47:32 ↗ capital improvement plan. Um it ranges

2:47:35 ↗ on from everything from um pool

2:47:38 ↗ electrification to additional EV

2:47:40 ↗ charging, water heaters, HVAC upgrades

2:47:43 ↗ um and additional solar installations.

2:47:45 ↗ So, um, we were able to incorporate most

2:47:48 ↗ of these into, um, the CIP process. Um,

2:47:53 ↗ and I do want to note that, uh, even

2:47:55 ↗ though they've been added to the CIP,

2:47:57 ↗ uh, multiple departments will need to do

2:47:59 ↗ additional assessments and work to

2:48:01 ↗ identify further funding sources to make

2:48:03 ↗ these projects possible, conduct

2:48:05 ↗ additional analyses to really understand

2:48:07 ↗ what is it going to take to electrify

2:48:09 ↗ these pieces of equipment, um, and to

2:48:12 ↗ make these projects happen. So adding to

2:48:15 ↗ them to the CIP is a really great first

2:48:17 ↗ step um to highlight these projects and

2:48:20 ↗ uh staff will continue to do work to

2:48:22 ↗ make sure that this implementation can

2:48:24 ↗ happen

2:48:27 ↗ for timing and next steps of

2:48:29 ↗ implementation of the fuel transition

2:48:31 ↗ assessment. Um this slide is really just

2:48:34 ↗ uh noting that we are currently uh

2:48:37 ↗ implementing projects where we can. We

2:48:39 ↗ are going to continue to implement

2:48:41 ↗ projects where we can. Um, and then

2:48:43 ↗ staff will uh during budget cycles,

2:48:46 ↗ during CIP cycles, will be able to uh uh

2:48:49 ↗ work those projects into those cycles

2:48:51 ↗ when able. Additionally, um we'll be

2:48:54 ↗ identifying grant and incentive funding

2:48:56 ↗ with a focus on Puget Sound Energy,

2:48:58 ↗ Washington State, and King County. Some

2:49:00 ↗ of the funding sources where um we know

2:49:03 ↗ will stick around and we we hope will

2:49:05 ↗ continue to support um our work. and

2:49:07 ↗ we've been quite successful getting a

2:49:09 ↗ lot of this um uh a lot of funds from

2:49:12 ↗ them in the in the past.

2:49:15 ↗ So to just to conclude today's

2:49:17 ↗ presentation um and before I take any

2:49:20 ↗ questions um I just wanted to highlight

2:49:23 ↗ uh the results of this fuel transition

2:49:24 ↗ assessment, we've identified a lot of

2:49:26 ↗ near-term opportunities

2:49:28 ↗ um and these can help us reach um our

2:49:31 ↗ greenhouse gas reduction targets. Um

2:49:34 ↗ they'll help us reach our community

2:49:36 ↗ targets um as well as help us lead by

2:49:40 ↗ example as the city. Uh major natural

2:49:44 ↗ gas reduction is very costly um but is

2:49:47 ↗ necessary to meet our long-term

2:49:49 ↗ greenhouse gas reduction targets. And so

2:49:51 ↗ really um what that means is that we

2:49:54 ↗ have to do long-term planning and we

2:49:55 ↗ have to be thinking critically about um

2:49:58 ↗ where we're making investments and when

2:49:59 ↗ and how we can be upgrading equipment

2:50:02 ↗ and electrifying that equipment uh down

2:50:04 ↗ the line uh as well as figuring out um

2:50:07 ↗ to the best of our ability how we can

2:50:09 ↗ make that possible.

2:50:11 ↗ And then the the third item I want to

2:50:13 ↗ highlight is that this analysis sets a

2:50:15 ↗ base understanding future of facility

2:50:17 ↗ use additional design assessments and

2:50:20 ↗ analysis are really ne necessary for an

2:50:23 ↗ in-depth understanding of project

2:50:24 ↗ feasibility and impact. And our staff

2:50:26 ↗ are going to continue to do that um on a

2:50:28 ↗ regular basis as those opportunities

2:50:30 ↗ arise and as we um work to implement

2:50:33 ↗ projects that are in our budget as well

2:50:35 ↗ as in the the CIP.

2:50:37 ↗ Um, and with that, that's all the slides

2:50:40 ↗ I have and I'm happy to take questions.

2:50:42 ↗ >> Thank goodness.

2:50:45 ↗ I'm just kidding. It's getting late.

2:50:47 ↗ This council is a habit of finishing up

2:50:50 ↗ their work by 8:30 or 9. So, a lot of

2:50:53 ↗ information presented tonight. David, a

2:50:55 ↗ lot of great information. So, let's go

2:50:57 ↗ to um some council questions. And I

2:51:00 ↗ think deputy council president had her

2:51:02 ↗ microphone up. Um, so David, you talked

2:51:04 ↗ about the facilities that are run by

2:51:06 ↗ third parties. Are those are the costs

2:51:10 ↗ of those projects uh included in that 7

2:51:13 ↗ to10 million estimate?

2:51:16 ↗ >> Yes, they are. Okay. Thanks.

2:51:20 ↗ >> And council member Jiang followed by

2:51:21 ↗ Council Member Hall.

2:51:23 ↗ >> Great. I have a lot of questions, so

2:51:24 ↗ bear with me everyone. Um, okay. So,

2:51:26 ↗ first question. Um, we mentioned that

2:51:28 ↗ part of the hope with this is to

2:51:30 ↗ showcase city leadership and

2:51:32 ↗ decarbonization. So, like do we have a

2:51:34 ↗ plan to do public outreach on this in

2:51:36 ↗ terms of like, oh, we did this cool

2:51:37 ↗ project, come check it out and do a

2:51:39 ↗ public tour. Is that part of this in

2:51:40 ↗ terms of showcasing our leadership?

2:51:43 ↗ >> Uh, it's a great question. Um, we have

2:51:47 ↗ plans uh to do that for some of our

2:51:50 ↗ solar projects. Um, additionally, uh,

2:51:54 ↗ through, um, I would say through public

2:51:56 ↗ engagement associated with the update of

2:51:58 ↗ the climate action plan and then any

2:52:00 ↗ community engagement associated with our

2:52:02 ↗ next greenhouse gas inventory, um, we'll

2:52:05 ↗ want to, uh, make sure we're we're

2:52:08 ↗ talking about the work that we've done

2:52:10 ↗ um, and the the work to electrify our

2:52:14 ↗ equipment. Um, so we will hope to do it

2:52:17 ↗ at that time.

2:52:19 ↗ >> Great. Um, okay. So, this is kind of a

2:52:22 ↗ follow on to the question that council

2:52:24 ↗ member Martz asked earlier about payback

2:52:25 ↗ periods. Um, I'm wondering if we're

2:52:27 ↗ looking into some potential financing

2:52:29 ↗ options for efficiency measures that

2:52:31 ↗ reduce the amount that we have to invest

2:52:32 ↗ upfront. In particular, you know, solar

2:52:34 ↗ PPAs where, you know, we wouldn't own

2:52:36 ↗ the solar panels, but someone else

2:52:38 ↗ installs it and we basically just buy

2:52:39 ↗ electricity from them. Is that something

2:52:41 ↗ that we would consider to minimize the

2:52:43 ↗ upfront cost and be able to do more

2:52:44 ↗ projects?

2:52:47 ↗ >> Um, it's a great question. I can loop

2:52:50 ↗ back in with our facilities team on

2:52:52 ↗ that. Um it's not something we've um

2:52:55 ↗ considered in the past. Uh it is

2:52:57 ↗ something that we can um I am familiar

2:53:00 ↗ with and we can explore uh moving

2:53:02 ↗ forward.

2:53:03 ↗ >> Great. Um okay, another question. So you

2:53:06 ↗ mentioned um city hall has to comply

2:53:08 ↗ with the Clean Buildings Act. I'm

2:53:10 ↗ curious if, you know, some of these

2:53:12 ↗ energy improvements, is that something

2:53:14 ↗ we might consider as part of this whole,

2:53:16 ↗ you know, upgrade cycle that we're doing

2:53:19 ↗ with the facilities that we talked about

2:53:21 ↗ earlier?

2:53:22 ↗ >> Yeah, great question. And and as I

2:53:24 ↗ mentioned that the that, you know, the

2:53:25 ↗ best time to electrify our equipment is

2:53:27 ↗ when we are doing work already when that

2:53:29 ↗ equipment is failing. So, um, we had

2:53:32 ↗ shared the fuel transition assessment

2:53:34 ↗ with the with, uh, Genie's team, um,

2:53:38 ↗ ahead of the task force. Um, and as

2:53:40 ↗ we've been thinking about, um, upgrades

2:53:43 ↗ to, um, city hall, a lot of this

2:53:46 ↗ information was able to, um, kind of be

2:53:49 ↗ looked at at that time. Um, and I think

2:53:52 ↗ as we progress down, you know, uh, an

2:53:55 ↗ actual project and design for any of

2:53:57 ↗ that project, um, we'd be able to

2:53:59 ↗ incorporate this work directly into, uh,

2:54:02 ↗ into that design to think about, you

2:54:04 ↗ know, where are our opportunities there.

2:54:07 ↗ >> Great. Love to hear that. Um, okay, last

2:54:10 ↗ question. Um, so I'm really curious, you

2:54:12 ↗ know, if we have an expected timeline

2:54:14 ↗ for these improvements. I know some of

2:54:15 ↗ them are like in the capital improvement

2:54:17 ↗ plan. I would love to see kind of, you

2:54:19 ↗ know, given what we've planned, here's a

2:54:20 ↗ graph of how our emissions are going

2:54:22 ↗ over time, which should be going in the

2:54:23 ↗ downward direction. Um, and also, um, I

2:54:26 ↗ think you'd mentioned we don't currently

2:54:28 ↗ have a, you know, decarbonization target

2:54:31 ↗ specifically for municipal facilities.

2:54:33 ↗ Is that something we would consider

2:54:34 ↗ doing and, you know, having that as

2:54:36 ↗ something we track and share progress on

2:54:37 ↗ with the public?

2:54:38 ↗ >> Yes. So, I will say um we do not

2:54:42 ↗ currently have uh targets and goals for

2:54:44 ↗ municipal um

2:54:48 ↗ uh in our IAP for our municipal

2:54:51 ↗ operations. Um that is something that

2:54:54 ↗ we're considering as part of the climate

2:54:56 ↗ action plan update next year. Um and so

2:54:59 ↗ we are kind of identifying what that

2:55:01 ↗ could really look like. In 2022, that

2:55:03 ↗ was our first baseline for municipal

2:55:05 ↗ operations greenhouse gas inventory. So,

2:55:07 ↗ um I'm excited to say we can now set

2:55:09 ↗ those goals if we would like. Um and

2:55:12 ↗ then as we're thinking about kind of uh

2:55:15 ↗ projected impact down the line, um we

2:55:19 ↗ can

2:55:20 ↗ um look at opportunities based on th

2:55:23 ↗ this work and what's incorporated into

2:55:25 ↗ the CIP. We will know uh if those

2:55:29 ↗ projects are implemented, what that's

2:55:31 ↗ going to do on our uh to reduce our

2:55:33 ↗ natural gas emissions. And so we could

2:55:36 ↗ kind of project out how that will um

2:55:38 ↗ kind of reduce over time as well as then

2:55:41 ↗ what that would really do for our

2:55:42 ↗ municipal greenhouse gas emissions.

2:55:45 ↗ >> Great. Thank you. Looking forward to

2:55:46 ↗ reviewing the updated climate action

2:55:48 ↗ plan when that comes to us.

2:55:50 ↗ >> Likewise.

2:55:51 ↗ >> Thank you. Other questions? Uh Council

2:55:53 ↗ Member Hall.

2:55:54 ↗ >> Yeah, just really quick. Thank you. Um

2:55:57 ↗ I'm I'm somewhat regularly reminded um

2:56:00 ↗ by members of the fire service of kind

2:56:02 ↗ of the emerging risk of battery fires.

2:56:04 ↗ So, I'm just as we continue to implement

2:56:07 ↗ battery storage over time, I'm just

2:56:08 ↗ curious, are we engaged with epher um

2:56:11 ↗ just in terms of how they standardize

2:56:13 ↗ their responses, how they know where

2:56:16 ↗ batteries are just in the first place?

2:56:18 ↗ >> Yeah. So, um I can speak mainly towards

2:56:22 ↗ municipal projects related to batteries.

2:56:25 ↗ So, we have um one project right now

2:56:28 ↗ that would install a battery at the

2:56:29 ↗ Isiqua Senior Center funded um 100%

2:56:32 ↗ through grant funds from the Washington

2:56:34 ↗ State Department of Commerce. Um part of

2:56:37 ↗ the idea with that solar and battery

2:56:38 ↗ storage uh project would that is that it

2:56:41 ↗ would allow operation of the facility uh

2:56:44 ↗ even during power outages such as we saw

2:56:46 ↗ during the bomb cyclone during uh dark

2:56:48 ↗ weather days and in the middle of winter

2:56:51 ↗ about uh 48 hours of operation in the

2:56:54 ↗ middle of the summer when the sun is

2:56:55 ↗ shining it would allow this the center

2:56:57 ↗ to operate u almost indefinitely while

2:57:01 ↗ the during during the the summer time um

2:57:04 ↗ for that project. We've engaged Epher um

2:57:07 ↗ right at the beginning as we're thinking

2:57:09 ↗ about the design for that battery, as

2:57:10 ↗ we're thinking about where to place that

2:57:12 ↗ battery. Um the uh codes the fire codes

2:57:16 ↗ around battery placement and battery

2:57:18 ↗ safety are um emerging and epher in

2:57:22 ↗ IsiGua has not done a uh I've been told

2:57:26 ↗ has not done done a commercial battery

2:57:28 ↗ of that size before and so we are

2:57:31 ↗ actively engaging with them and are

2:57:33 ↗ going to have to have many many

2:57:34 ↗ conversations to make sure that that

2:57:36 ↗ project is implemented in a way um that

2:57:38 ↗ remains safe for uh safe for our Isiqua

2:57:42 ↗ senior center and and say for our

2:57:43 ↗ community. So, um it is it is something

2:57:46 ↗ we're exploring and learning about and I

2:57:49 ↗ believe Epher um as well as PSSE is

2:57:51 ↗ exploring and learning about at the same

2:57:53 ↗ time.

2:57:55 ↗ Other questions?

2:58:01 ↗ Um thank you. That was great

2:58:04 ↗ information. you guys are doing fabulous

2:58:06 ↗ work and you've provided a lot for the

2:58:09 ↗ council to think about uh in your report

2:58:12 ↗ out on the progress of the

2:58:14 ↗ decarbonization analysis. So, if there's

2:58:17 ↗ no other questions there. Oh, sorry. Got

2:58:19 ↗ Oh, we're going. Yeah. So, that's not in

2:58:21 ↗ my script. So, um that's why I keep

2:58:24 ↗ missing it. I'm sorry. We've gone

2:58:26 ↗ through questions. Would you like to

2:58:27 ↗ make comments? Uh, council president,

2:58:28 ↗ deputy council president.

2:58:30 ↗ >> Uh, thank you. Yeah, I just want to

2:58:32 ↗ appreciate this information. And I think

2:58:35 ↗ as we look at climate action in the city

2:58:38 ↗ and decarbonization,

2:58:40 ↗ you know, we really started out with the

2:58:42 ↗ Isqua climate action plan, taking a

2:58:44 ↗ greenhouse inventory, greenhouse gas

2:58:47 ↗ inventory, um, which are necessary

2:58:51 ↗ starting components. This creates this

2:58:54 ↗ next reality for us. And I really

2:58:57 ↗ appreciate the idea of, hey, one of the

2:59:00 ↗ action items is going to be adding some

2:59:02 ↗ of these items to our capital

2:59:04 ↗ improvement plan and then we have to

2:59:06 ↗ find the funding for that. Um, and I

2:59:10 ↗ appreciate that the sustainability team

2:59:12 ↗ has always been really fantastic at um

2:59:16 ↗ that portion as well. But I just I

2:59:18 ↗ really appreciate the details in here

2:59:21 ↗ about where our next steps are and how

2:59:24 ↗ we're going to get to the goal. um that

2:59:26 ↗ we've established. So, thank you.

2:59:29 ↗ >> President,

2:59:32 ↗ >> so my uh my concern has been uh for a

2:59:35 ↗ long time about these facilities that

2:59:37 ↗ are managed by third parties. Um most of

2:59:41 ↗ them, not all of them, but most of them

2:59:43 ↗ are nonprofits who um are have limited

2:59:46 ↗ income and most of them have signed

2:59:48 ↗ contracts that make them responsible for

2:59:51 ↗ the maintenance of the buildings. Um,

2:59:53 ↗ and so I think this is a and and on top

2:59:56 ↗ of that, these buildings are getting

2:59:57 ↗ older and on top of that, they're often

3:00:00 ↗ historically important or they're

3:00:02 ↗ landmark buildings for for the

3:00:04 ↗ community. So um I see this as a really

3:00:07 ↗ good opportunity for the city to begin

3:00:09 ↗ to have conversations with those

3:00:11 ↗ particular um organizations uh about

3:00:16 ↗ um how can we

3:00:18 ↗ uh re

3:00:21 ↗ uh how could I say this? have a a

3:00:22 ↗ conversation about how we go forward in

3:00:25 ↗ partnership because these have been uh

3:00:28 ↗ good nonprofit supporters of the cities

3:00:30 ↗ for a long time. They provide services

3:00:32 ↗ to the cities. Uh they probably do not

3:00:35 ↗ have the capacity to take on a very very

3:00:37 ↗ expensive project um and upgrade their

3:00:40 ↗ facility. Um partly because uh in

3:00:43 ↗ addition to changing over to electricity

3:00:47 ↗ uh probably would involve a lot of other

3:00:50 ↗ work in the building as well. So, we're

3:00:51 ↗ talking very expensive projects. So, at

3:00:54 ↗ any rate, I would hope that the city

3:00:55 ↗ would take this opportunity to uh have

3:00:58 ↗ those conversations

3:01:00 ↗ um look at um how we can work together.

3:01:04 ↗ Um the contracts were often written

3:01:07 ↗ decades ago. Uh have not been upgraded,

3:01:10 ↗ have not been uh you know talked over to

3:01:13 ↗ see how uh we can um in some cases make

3:01:17 ↗ the nonprofits more responsible but also

3:01:20 ↗ in other cases look at what is the role

3:01:22 ↗ and responsibility of the city uh to

3:01:25 ↗ help them with this conversion um and

3:01:28 ↗ this conversion and then other other

3:01:30 ↗ things that need to be done as well. So,

3:01:32 ↗ at any rate, I just wanted to be sure

3:01:33 ↗ that we've got that on our radar. Um,

3:01:36 ↗ and that's the reason I was asking is it

3:01:38 ↗ part of that 7 to10 million um estimate

3:01:42 ↗ because uh if we are in fact uh wanting

3:01:45 ↗ to move forward, uh we need to think

3:01:48 ↗ about what part of that is the city's

3:01:50 ↗ responsibility. So, um

3:01:54 ↗ that's it.

3:01:56 ↗ Other comments?

3:02:00 ↗ >> Yeah, I just want to give a huge kudos

3:02:01 ↗ to um David and Stacy for all their work

3:02:04 ↗ on this. Um you know, through my day

3:02:06 ↗ job, I work with a lot of companies that

3:02:07 ↗ have a lot of buildings and there's very

3:02:09 ↗ few of them that take an actual

3:02:11 ↗ portfoliowide approach to what they're

3:02:13 ↗ doing. They're more just like reacting

3:02:14 ↗ to whatever incentives just happen to be

3:02:16 ↗ out there in the market on any given

3:02:18 ↗ day. Um, so I think the fact that we've

3:02:20 ↗ actually done this whole inventory, you

3:02:21 ↗ know, we know where the big emitters are

3:02:23 ↗ and we're really kind of seeking we're I

3:02:26 ↗ I think how the best way to put it is

3:02:29 ↗ that a lot of people are kind of just

3:02:30 ↗ like, "Oh, this is the easiest project

3:02:32 ↗ and so we're going to do that." And

3:02:33 ↗ we're like, "No, these are the hardest

3:02:35 ↗ ones that are going to have the biggest

3:02:36 ↗ impact. So that's what we really need to

3:02:37 ↗ spend our time and effort on." So I want

3:02:39 ↗ to give huge kudos to that because that

3:02:40 ↗ is so rare. Um, and being proactive in

3:02:43 ↗ doing that. And as I mentioned before,

3:02:45 ↗ you know, really interested to see how

3:02:47 ↗ this comes out in our next climate

3:02:48 ↗ action plan, which should be coming to

3:02:50 ↗ us in the next few months. Um, but yeah,

3:02:52 ↗ you know, Isiqua, I think we pride

3:02:53 ↗ ourselves on our leadership in climate

3:02:55 ↗ action, and this is just the latest

3:02:57 ↗ testament of that. So, thank you.

3:02:59 ↗ >> That's great. Additional comments.

3:03:03 ↗ Thank you both. Thanks for staying with

3:03:04 ↗ us uh in the late hour. You are the last

3:03:08 ↗ item on our agenda, so no action on this

3:03:11 ↗ one tonight. We're going to move into

3:03:12 ↗ good or the order.

3:03:14 ↗ And I do have some upcoming council

3:03:15 ↗ meeting announcements, but does anybody

3:03:17 ↗ have anything else for good of your

3:03:22 ↗ >> mayor? Did you attend the uh mayor's

3:03:24 ↗ lunchon on Friday the 12th?

3:03:27 ↗ >> The mayor's lunchon on Friday the 12th.

3:03:29 ↗ The leadership site.

3:03:31 ↗ >> Yeah.

3:03:31 ↗ >> Yes.

3:03:32 ↗ >> Do you want to report out anything from

3:03:34 ↗ >> I will. It is great. This is I think the

3:03:37 ↗ 20th anniversary of this program. We did

3:03:40 ↗ have uh it's where the graduates of the

3:03:42 ↗ leadership east side program which is a

3:03:44 ↗ nonprofit that provides um training in

3:03:48 ↗ adaptive management a really important

3:03:50 ↗ skill set for anyone in leadership and

3:03:53 ↗ they have been doing it through a

3:03:54 ↗ two-year program. Uh they are switching

3:03:57 ↗ to a one-year program. The mayors come

3:03:59 ↗ to the graduation to talk about

3:04:03 ↗ leadership as a panel but also to share

3:04:05 ↗ a charge out to the graduates. So, that

3:04:08 ↗ is always fun. There was an interesting

3:04:10 ↗ conversation um at lunchtime that was

3:04:13 ↗ not part of the panel that was about

3:04:15 ↗ equity. I questioned whether or not I'm

3:04:19 ↗ so proud we have this in the east side,

3:04:21 ↗ but we have it because we have the

3:04:23 ↗ ability to have it. We have cities and

3:04:25 ↗ nonprofits that can afford to send

3:04:28 ↗ people through this program. and I

3:04:30 ↗ questioned whether or not we can help

3:04:33 ↗ kickstart some opportunities in the

3:04:36 ↗ south end cities that do not have a

3:04:38 ↗ similar program and need it just as much

3:04:40 ↗ as we do. So, we had some very

3:04:42 ↗ interesting conversations with the the I

3:04:45 ↗ don't know what you call the chancellor

3:04:48 ↗ of Cascadia College. I'm not really sure

3:04:49 ↗ what his official title was. So, that

3:04:51 ↗ was quite fun. And also today I did

3:04:54 ↗ attend the memorial service for Susan

3:04:55 ↗ Deville. I apologize. I forgot to bring

3:04:58 ↗ a beautiful booklet that they put

3:05:00 ↗ together, but she was one of the

3:05:02 ↗ original founders of Save Cougar

3:05:04 ↗ Mountain and there were folks today

3:05:06 ↗ there from that organization and her

3:05:08 ↗ husband did a fabulous job sharing her

3:05:11 ↗ contributions to many different causes

3:05:12 ↗ that she had through her life, but also

3:05:14 ↗ a huge shout out for Save Cougar

3:05:15 ↗ Mountain. So, that was pretty good. Any

3:05:18 ↗ other um good order items?

3:05:23 ↗ Thank you. The upcoming meetings is the

3:05:25 ↗ committee of the whole on Monday,

3:05:27 ↗ September 29th, and the anticipated

3:05:29 ↗ agenda items include the Central Isqua

3:05:31 ↗ multimodal I90 crossing study update,

3:05:34 ↗ Metro Flex contract options, amendments

3:05:38 ↗ to financial policy and travel

3:05:40 ↗ procurement card policies. The next

3:05:42 ↗ regular city council meeting is Monday,

3:05:44 ↗ October 6th, prior to that meeting at

3:05:47 ↗ 5:30 p.m. And we'll have to reconfirm

3:05:49 ↗ this. Um, this was to be the celebration

3:05:52 ↗ of the renaming of the East Sunset Way

3:05:54 ↗ trail head, but um I'm not sure if that

3:05:57 ↗ based on changes tonight if that is

3:05:59 ↗ still going to be the date, but we'll

3:06:01 ↗ leave it as the date.

3:06:04 ↗ Um, ordering the signage.

3:06:08 ↗ Okay, great. Thank you, Wally. And at

3:06:11 ↗ the 7 p.m. regular meeting, the

3:06:12 ↗ anticipated agenda items include title

3:06:14 ↗ 18 tree code update. There's been a lot

3:06:17 ↗ of conversation about that. Public

3:06:19 ↗ safety sales tax final action. So there

3:06:22 ↗ is no executive session this evening and

3:06:25 ↗ we are adjourned at 10:06.

Minutes for this meeting haven't been published yet. Council and committee minutes are approved at the next meeting and embedded as a consent-calendar attachment in that meeting's agenda packet — they will appear here once that next packet is processed.