City Council - Committee Of The Whole

City of Bellingham Committee Of The Whole Minutes September 30, 2024, 1:00 PM Mayor: Kimberley Lund 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 Jace Cotton Call to Order Council President Hammill called the meeting to order at 8:53am and Council moved into Executive Session to discuss five items, 1. Potential Property Acquisition 2. Potential Property Acquisition 3. Labor Relations: Discuss Collective Bargaining Strategy 4. Potential Property Acquisition 5. Potential Property Acquisition Council President Hammil adjourned the meeting at 9:18am until 1:00pm to resume regular business. Roll Call Present: Council President Daniel Hammill, Third Ward Council Member Hannah Stone, First Ward Council Member Hollie Huthman, Second Ward Council Member Edwin H. "Skip" Williams, Fourth Ward Council Member Lisa Anderson, Fifth Ward Council Member Michael Lilliquist, Sixth Ward Council Member Jace Cotton, At-Large 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. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 1 September 30, 2024 24252 1. Presentation of the 2025 Proposed Budget p. 3 Mayor Lund and Forrest Longman, Deputy Administrator, presented an overview of the proposed 2025 budget. For the next month, staff will present their budget priorities and needs to Council. The full budget proposal is available online. Council Members discussed the budget proposal and asked questions. 24253 2. An Ordinance of the City of Bellingham Relating to Landlord Tenant Relations, p. 7 Adopting a New Chapter in Title 6 of the Bellingham Municipal Code Prohibiting Landlords from Charging Tenants Unfair or Excessive Fees in Residential Rental Agreements and Leases Council Member Jace Cotton, Iris Nott, Legislative Policy Analyst, Blake Lyon, Planning & Community Development Director, and James Erb, Deputy City Attorney, presented the draft ordinance relating to landlord tenant relations by prohibiting excessive fees in residential rental agreements and leases. The proposed ordinance seeks to address junk fees in Bellingham, including defining fees that qualify as “unfair or excessive,” establishing fines and other civil penalties, and prohibiting retaliation against individuals attempting to exercise their rights. Council Members discussed the draft ordinance and asked questions. 24254 3. An Ordinance Related to Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord Tenant Relations, p. 52 Adopting a New Chapter in Title 6 of the Bellingham Municipal Code Prohibiting Landlords from Charging Unfair or Excessive Fees in Manufactured/Mobile Home Lease Agreements Council Member Jace Cotton, Iris Nott, Legislative Policy Analyst, Blake Lyon, Planning & Community Development Director, and James Erb, Deputy City Attorney, presented the draft ordinance relating to landlord tenant relations by prohibiting excessive fees in manufactured/mobile home lease agreements. The proposed ordinance seeks to address junk fees in Bellingham, including defining fees that qualify as “unfair or excessive,” establishing fines and other civil penalties, and prohibiting retaliation against individuals attempting to exercise their rights. Council Members discussed the draft ordinance and asked questions. Michael Lilliquist / Edwin H. "Skip" Williams moved to postpone further discussion on the junk fee ordinances to a future Committee of the Whole meeting. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 24267 4. Renewal of Interlocal Agreement for Inmate Housing at South Correctional Entity p. 73 (SCORE) Police Chief Mertzig presented the renewal of an interlocal agreement (ILA) for inmate housing at the South Correctional Entity (SCORE). The ILA allows the Bellingham Police Department to continue transporting arrestees that will not be booked in the local jail to SCORE for correctional services. Council Members discussed the ILA and asked questions. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 2 September 30, 2024  Edwin H. "Skip" Williams / Hollie Huthman moved to recommend approval of the Interlocal Agreement for inmate housing at the South Correctional Entity. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. ABSTAINED: Jace Cotton 24255 5. Multi-Family Tax Exemption (MFTE) Program Evaluation p. 92 Blake Lyon, Planning and Community Development Director, Scott Pelton, Manager at the Whatcom Housing Alliance, and Cadence Petros, Jennifer Cannon, and Mackenzie Visser from Eco Northwest, presented a summary of the current Multi-Family Tax Exemption (MFTE) Program and requested Council's feedback on how to modify the program. Council Members discussed the presentation, provided feedback, and asked questions. 24256 6. A Resolution Directing the Administration to Create a Limited Term Keep p. 155 Washington Working Act (KWW) Advisory Work Group to Study the Act, Advise the City on Compliance, and Recommend Related Policy Considerations Council Member Stone presented the resolution to create a limited term Keep Washington Working Act (KWW) Advisory Work Group to study the act, advise the City on compliance, and recommend related policies. The work group would include community members with lived experience and/or connections to the immigrant community in Bellingham and training in specified fields relating to the goals and requirements of the KWW. Council Members discussed the resolution and asked questions. Hannah Stone / Lisa Anderson moved to amend the resolution as follows, Section 3. Work group Scope of Work viii. Review City policies and procedures for commendations and complaints to be brought forward by community members.” Evaluate existing City policies and make specific recommendations for improvement in relation to City compliance with KWW, including ensuring on-going compliance. and Section 5. Work group Member Roles and Responsibilities Addendum B: Facilitating Successful Community Engagement with City Advisory Groups: Expectations of advisory group members and City of Bellingham officials. This document is also available on the City's website at cob.org (see Boards and Commissions webpages). This document is posted on the City’s Boards and Commissions webpages, and is available as a webpage and as a printable copy here: https://cob.org/gov/public/bc/facilitating- successful-community-engagement-with-city-advisory-groups MOTION CARRIED 6-0. EXCUSED: Daniel Hammill Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 3 September 30, 2024  Edwin H. "Skip" Williams / Lisa Anderson moved to recommend approval of the resolution as amended directing the administration to create a limited-term Keep Washington Working Act (KWW) Advisory Work Group to study the act, advise the City on compliance, and recommend related policy considerations. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. EXCUSED: Daniel Hammill 24257 7. An Ordinance of the City of Bellingham, Washington, Dissolving the Immigration p. 188 Advisory Board and Repealing Bellingham Municipal Code Chapter 2.26 Council Member Stone presented the draft ordinance dissolving the Immigration Advisory Board (IAB) and repealing Bellingham Municipal Code Chapter 2.26. In response to the City creating the Keep Washington Working Act (KWW) Advisory Work Group, the proposal dissolves the IAB and allows members to apply to participate on the KWW working group, another City advisory group, or lend their support to the community in other ways. Edwin H. "Skip" Williams / Lisa Anderson moved to recommend approval of the ordinance dissolving the Immigration Advisory Board and repealing Bellingham Municipal Code Chapter 2.26. MOTION CARRIED 4-2. OPPOSED: Michael Lilliquist, Jace Cotton EXCUSED: Daniel Hammill 24258 8. All-City Climate Workplan 2025 p. 192 Seth Vidaña, Climate and Energy Manager, presented the 2025 Climate Workplan. The City first adopted a Climate Protection Action Plan in 2007 and revised the plan again in 2018. Council Members discussed the work plan and asked questions. 9. Old/New Business Council Member Anderson requested the administration to review the Emergency Powers section of the Bellingham Municipal Code (BMC) to ensure the City is not in conflict with federal or state laws. The administration plans to address this as part of a larger review and clean-up of the BMC. Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5:22pm. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 4 September 30, 2024