City Council - Committee Of The Whole

City of Bellingham Committee Of The Whole Minutes February 25, 2019, 2:20 PM Mayor Kelli Linville Contact: (360) 778-8200, ccmail@cob.org Council Members April Barker, Gene Knutson, Daniel Hammill, www.cob.org/council Pinky Vargas, Terry Bornemann, Michael Lilliquist and All meetings are held in the City Hall Council Chambers at Hannah Stone 210 Lottie Street, Bellingham, WA, unless otherwise noted. Call to Order Roll Call Council Standing Committee Meetings: Open to the public to attend. Note: there is generally no public comment period for Committee sessions. Standing Committee Members receive reports and information, ask questions and, when appropriate, vote on a recommended action for consideration by the full Council at the Regular Meeting. The notice of Committee Meetings identified below also serves as notice of Special Meetings of the City Council at the times identified as Council Members who are not members of the committee routinely attend and participate in the Committee Meetings. Committee Chairs give a report of the Committee Meeting at the Regular Meeting in the evening prior to deliberation and formal vote in the order shown below: Committee Of The Whole Daniel Hammill, Chair April Barker; Gene Knutson; Pinky Vargas; Terry Bornemann; Michael Lilliquist, Hannah Stone 22228 1. WWU Presentation on Community Survey p. 3 Mayor Kelli gave a brief introduction to the Community Survey and Communications Director Vanessa Blackburn provided context. Western Washington University student Rowan Innes and Dr. James McCafferty presented the survey results. Survey results can be found at www.cob.org/survey. Information Only 22229 2. Waterfront District Implementation Status Report p. 5 Community and Economic Development Manager Tara Sundin introduced the item. Pat Power of Harcourt Developments presented the status report. Port of Bellingham Director of Environmental Programs Brian Gouran gave an update on a couple Port-specific items. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 1 February 25, 2019  Information Only 22230 3. Update on Emergency Shelter Response p. 9 Mayor Kelli Linville introduced the item. Planning Director Rick Sepler gave context for the City's recent emergency operations and the process of temporary encampments. Community and Econmic Tara Sundin gave background information and provided a programmatic approach to facilities over the past few years. Emergency Manager Lynn Sterbenz provided an update on the emergency weather event that occured a couple weeks ago. Mayor Kelli Linville provided more information on the City's response. Council provided direction to the Mayor to continue working with the County on emergency shelter response. 22236 4. Meeting of the Emergency Services Council of the City of Bellingham p. 13 Regarding Emergency Proclamation Mayor Kelli Linville suggested leaving things as they are and recommended no action. Gene Knutson / Pinky Vargas moved to confirm the Mayor’s intention to leave the City's current emergency proclamation in effect until the County is no longer operating their emergency shelter facility. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. Excused: Daniel Hammill 5. Approval of City Council Committee and/or Special Meeting Minutes Councilmember Michael Lilliquist had an amendment to the February 15 special meeting minutes to show the final vote carried 8-0, with a 6-0 vote by City Councilmembers, Terry Bornemann excused. Gene Knutson / Pinky Vargas moved to recommend approval of the February 15, 2019 Special Meeting minutes as amended. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. Excused: Daniel Hammill Gene Knutson / Terry Bornemann moved to recommend approval of the February 11, 2019 Committee Meeting minutes as submitted. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 2 February 25, 2019  6. Old/New Business Councilmember Pinky Vargas said the Alaskan Legislature is considering closing some of the Alaska Marine Highway System, which would affect Bellingham dramatically. This was an economic development project that happened in 1989 and is funded by EDI funds. She has spoken with the Mayor, the Port, and Congressman Larsen and they would like to put a joint letter together addressed to our legislators and also to the Alaskan Legislators of the importance and how they would like to work together to try and retain our portion of the Alaska Marine Highway System. It is estimated that $4.2 M would be lost and 32 employees would be affected. Pinky Vargas / Terry Bornemann moved to sign on to a joint letter in support of the Alaska Marine Highway System addressed to the Washington State legislature and the Alaska State legislature. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. Dan Hammill excused. April Barker said she and a couple others attended a unique African American History Month Celebration over the weekend that she hopes becomes an annual event. It was very well attended and turned out to be an absolutely lovely event. The food was great, the entertainment was amazing, and it provided an opportunity to learn what we don't know about our own history and gain some education. It was very youth led, which was very inspiring. Councilmember Barker wanted to thank the community members who made the event happen here and brought a sense of belonging for so many people who wanted to feel some connection. She hopes it continues. Councilmember Michael Lilliquist had two items for old and new. Back in September of 2017, City Council gave direction to the administration with regard to Pickett Bridge and Historic Preservation Commission actions. After an email exchange with Planning Director Rick Sepler, he found out that it is still on their list, but pressing immediate concerns have taken the forefront. Councilmember Lilliquist wanted to bring it up to indicate to the community that he has not forgotten about it and that the Council looks forward to the time when the administration can take care of that issue. It has great symbolic significance. Secondly, Councilmember Lilliquist shared that he is increasingly dissatisfied with what happens during the public comment period of City Council meetings when the Council listens and people don't feel heard. He doesn't want to get into a back and forth with commenters, but some issues are brought up that he thinks might raise a question in the Council's minds that they could address to the administration. He requested that the Council agree to a procedure after public comment if they have a specific question of the administration. He doesn't want to create dialogue, but when he sees things that he thinks the City should respond to, he would like to put it on someone's Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 3 February 25, 2019  plate that evening so it doesn't get lost. This is just an idea that Council can discuss further at a later date. The Council will discuss this at their 2019 Retreat. Adjournment Committee of the Whole adjourned at 4:52 PM. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 4 February 25, 2019