City Council - Committee Of The Whole

City of Bellingham Committee Of The Whole Minutes June 5, 2023, 1:00 PM Mayor: Seth Fleetwood Contact: (360) 778-8100, mayorsoffice@cob.org Council Members: Hannah Stone, Hollie Huthman, Contact: (360) 778-8200, ccmail@cob.org Daniel Hammill, Edwin H. “Skip” Williams, Lisa Anderson, https://cob.org/council Michael Lilliquist and Kristina Michele Martens Call to Order President Lilliquist called the meeting to order at 1pm. Roll Call Present: Council President Michael Lilliquist, Sixth Ward Council Member Hannah Stone, First Ward Council Member Hollie Huthman, Second Ward Council Member Daniel Hammill, Third Ward Council Member Lisa Anderson, Fifth Ward Council Member Kristina Michele Martens, At Large Excused: Council Member Edwin H. "Skip" Williams, Fourth Ward 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. Please be advised that if the City Council is ahead of schedule, they may start with old/new business before the official Committee of the Whole meeting time. 23737 1. Community Crosswalk Pilot and Program Development p. 3 Eric Johnston, Public Works Director, welcomed Joel Pfundt, the new Public Works Assistant Director of Transportation, to the City. The City currently allows neighborhood associations to paint murals at intersections on low volume residential streets following a review by the Arts Commission. Mayor Fleetwood requested staff to consider expanding use of this practice, including applications to crosswalks. Staff are recommending a pilot installation at a crosswalk on Cornwall in June 2023. The resolution also requests the Transportation Commission to recommend a policy related to future installations of Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 1 June 5, 2023  crosswalk art and intersection murals. Alan Marriner, City Attorney, and James Erb, Deputy City Attorney, advised on the topic of government speech compared to first amendment speech and the possibility of other groups requesting similar art installations. Council Members discussed and asked questions. Daniel Hammill / Hollie Huthman moved to recommend approval of the resolution authorizing a pilot crosswalk art installation and development of a formal policy for future installations. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. 23739 3. Justice Project Ballot Measure and Resolution of Values p. 14 Brian Heinrich, Deputy Administrator, shared that the Whatcom County Council will seek voter approval for an additional county-wide sales tax of 0.2% (commonly referred to as a Public Safety Tax) in November 2023, to fund a new correctional facility, behavioral health programs, and related services. As part of this process, City representatives participated in the Stakeholder Advisory Committee discussions and recommendations as well as the Implementation Plan development based on those recommendations. At the last meeting, City Council directed the administration to draft a resolution affirming the City's values as they relate to the County's work. Mr. Heinrich shared that the County is receiving public feedback until June 11th and suggested the Council author a letter to the County to communicate their feedback on the Implementation Plan. Council Members discussed the resolution and proposed modifications, as well as potential content for the proposed letter to the County. Hannah Stone / Lisa Anderson moved to recommend approval of the resolution affirming the City of Bellingham values with regard to the proposed ballot issues authorizing the collection of a local sales and use tax of two tenths of one percent for the purpose of providing funds for costs associated with public health, safety, and justice facilities and services, including behavioral health, housing, public safety, and criminal justice facilities and programs. Hannah Stone / Lisa Anderson moved to amend the resolution by shifting the final two Whereas clauses, WHEREAS, the Bellingham City Council requests the Mayor to work with Whatcom County and the other Whatcom County cities to enter into a long-term agreement that acknowledges that all tax proceeds will be used for the mutually beneficial public health, justice, and safety facilities and services outlined in the Whatcom County Justice Project Needs Assessment Report and includes a fair and equitable sharing of revenue that prioritizes the bonding for the construction costs of the jail and behavioral health facilities and, recognizes the County and cities goal to allow the public safety tax allocation to be consistent with RCW 82.14.450(6) as soon as reasonably possible; and WHEREAS, the Bellingham City Council requests that the long-term agreement with the Whatcom County and the Whatcom County cities includes the development of a Finance and Operations Advisory Board to discuss matters and make recommendations related to collection of the sales and use tax, coordinate with the IPRTF/LJC ion the monitoring and progress of implementing the Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 2 June 5, 2023  projects in the Justice Projects Needs Assessment report, and make recommendations on the finances and operations of the behavioral health, housing and correctional facilities; and To the “Now Therefore” section as items 4 and 5. AMENDMENT CARRIED 6-0. Michael Lilliquist / Lisa Anderson moved to amend the resolution with the following changes,  4th Whereas – the Grace acronym is incorrect: Change from “Ground-level Response and Coordinated Exchange” to Ground-level Response and Coordinated Engagement”  5th Whereas – insert “to” between “related” and “public health”  17th Whereas – change “IPTF” to “IPRTF”  18th Whereas – The recommendations in the implementation plan have changed significantly. The new version was updated and posted to the County website on 5/31, but it looks like the list in the resolution was based on an earlier version. The new list is summarized on pages 6 and 7 of the implementation plan and includes: o Ensure Oversight, Accountability, and Transparency; o Increase Access to Behavioral Health Services; o Build the Array of Facilities Needed to Promote Public Safety and Health o Expand the Capacity of Programs to Reduce Incarceration/Re-incarceration o Make Systems Changes with Local, Regional, and State partners  20 Whereas – change “ion” to “in” th  Now Therefore section o Change “human” to “humane” o Change “Incarceration and Recidivism Reduction Task Force” to “Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force” AMENDMENT CARRIED 6-0. Michael Lilliquist / Lisa Anderson moved to amend item 3 under “Now Therefore” section to, “That the City Council urges Whatcom County Council that in any sales and use tax to provide funding for public health, safety, and justice facilities and services should include support for a balanced range of behavioral health, housing, and correctional facilities and programs.” Kristina Michele Martens / Michael Lilliquist moved to amend the motion to also change the title of the resolution to reflect President Lilliquist's changes by striking “authorizing the collection of a local sales and use tax of two tenths of one percent”, reflected as, “Resolution affirming the City of Bellingham values with regard to the proposed ballot issues authorizing the collection of a local sales and use tax of two tenths of one percent for the purpose of providing funds for costs associated with public, health, safety, and justice facilities and services, including behavioral health, housing, public safety, and criminal justice facilities and programs.” Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 3 June 5, 2023  AMENDMENT TO AMENDMENT CARRIED 6-0. ORIGINAL AMENDMENT CARRIED 6-0. Hannah Stone moved to amend item 2 in the “Now Therefore” section to, “That the City of Bellingham supports the Stakeholder Advisory Committee and the work of the Incarceration and Recidivism Reduction Task Force and its recommendations as well as the Justice Projects Needs Assessment Implementation Plan.” The motion failed to receive a second. Hollie Huthman / Daniel Hammill moved to table the resolution until the June 26, 2023 meeting. MOTION TO TABLE ORIGINAL MOTION CARRIED 6-0. Lisa Anderson / Kristina Michele Martens moved to recommend that Council President Lilliquist write a letter with Council Member Hammill to be sent by June 11th to the Whatcom County Council with feedback on the Justice Project Implementation Plan. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. 23738 2. An Ordinance Amending the 2023-2024 Biennial Budget – Amendment No. 5 p. 9 Forrest Longman, Deputy Finance Director, introduced the ordinance, which amends the 2023- 2024 Biennial Budget by adding an accountant position in the Finance Department and recognizing revenues and expenditures related to a grant for the Old City Hall Building Envelope project. Daniel Hammill / Hollie Huthman moved to recommend approval of the ordinance amending the 2023-2024 Biennial Budget - Amendment No.5. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. 23740 4. Adoption of the 2024-2029 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) p. 77 On May 22, Council held a public hearing on the 2024-2029 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Eric Johnston, Public Works Director, and Chad Schulhauser, Assistant Public Works Director, returned to address Council questions from the public hearing. The draft TIP resolution includes projects to repair and resurface roadways, construct new bicycle and pedestrian facilities, replace bridges, ameliorate operations at intersections, facilitate movement of freight, enhance transit use, and implement strategies identified in the Climate Action Plan. Daniel Hammill / Lisa Anderson moved to recommend approval of the resolution adopting the 2024-2029 Transportation Improvement Program. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 4 June 5, 2023 23741 5. Washington State 2023 Legislative Session Housing Recap p. 118 Blake Lyon, Director of Planning and Community Development, provided an overview of the recent 2023 Washington State legislative session and impacts on the Bellingham community. Council Members discussed and asked questions. The Department will return to Council for future discussion on Accessory Dwelling Units and impacts of the state laws. 23748 6. Approval of 5/22/2023 City Council Committee and Regular Meeting Minutes p. 121 Daniel Hammill / Hollie Huthman moved to recommend approval of the May 22, 2023 meeting minutes. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. 7. Old/New Business There were no discussion items for old/new business. Council moved into Executive Session at 4pm to discuss seven items for approximately 35 minutes. 1. Potential Litigation and Litigation 2. Potential Property Acquisition 3. Schreib v. State of Washington et al. 4. Labor Relations: Review Contract Proposal for What-Comm Dispatchers Guild 5. Potential Property Acquisition 6. Potential Property Acquisition 7. Potential Property Acquisition Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 3:53pm. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 5 June 5, 2023