City Council - Regular Meeting

City of Bellingham City Council Regular Meeting Minutes November 22, 2021, 7:00 PM Mayor Seth Fleetwood Contact: (360) 778-8200, ccmail@cob.org Council Members Hannah Stone, Gene Knutson, Daniel Hammill, www.cob.org/council Pinky Vargas, Lisa Anderson, Michael Lilliquist and All meetings are held in the City Hall Council Chambers at Hollie Huthman 210 Lottie Street, Bellingham, WA, unless otherwise noted. Legislative Assistant Nalini Margaitis Please note the doors to City Hall unlock at 6:30 PM. Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Council President Stone at 7:00 p.m. Announcements & Upcoming Meetings: Bellingham City Council meets all requirements of the State of Washington Open Public Meetings Act. 1. On December 6, 2021 at 7:00 PM there will be a Public Hearing on the consideration of staff initiated amendments to the Infill Housing Toolkit provisions of the Bellingham Municipal Code 2. On December 6, 2021 at 7:00 PM there will be a Public Hearing on An Ordinance Renewing the Grant of a Franchise to Comcast Cable Communications Management, LLC to Operate and Maintain a Cable System in the City of Bellingham; Setting Forth Conditions Accompanying the Grant of Franchise; and Providing for City Regulation and Administration of the Cable System. A complete copy of the Proposed Ordinance will be Furnished upon Request 3. The next three City Council public comment sessions will be held at 7:00 PM on November 29, December 20, and December 27. Public comment sessions may be accessed via Zoom at: https://cob.org/commentzoom (Meeting ID: 923 0705 9297 Password: 018602) Roll Call Present: Council President Hannah Stone, First Ward Council Member Gene Knutson, Second Ward Council Member Pinky Vargas, Fourth Ward Council Member Lisa Anderson, Fifth Ward Council Member Michael Lilliquist, Sixth Ward Council Member Hollie Huthman, At-Large Excused City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 1 of 9 11/22/2021 Minutes  Council Member Daniel Hammill, Third Ward Public Hearing 23145 1. Second Public Hearing on the 2021-2022 Mid-Biennium Budget Adjustment Forrest Longman, Deputy Finance Director, provided an overview of the mid-biennium adjustment. Topics included: Improvements to emergency medical and crisis response systems; Investments to support safe, well maintained public spaces; Investments in increasing internal capacity in areas such as technology, finance, and human resources; Increases in communication and outreach staff in Planning & Community Development, Police, Public Works, and the Mayor's office; Investments in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Council President Stone opened the public hearing. No one registered or spoke during the public hearing. The public hearing was closed. Lisa Anderson addressed inclusionary zoning as a means to provide more affordable housing. No action at this time for this agenda bill, but there will be a future ordinance. Mayor's Report Standing time for briefings, updates and reports to Council by the Mayor, if needed. Information only. Mayor Seth Fleetwood announced that the book, "Greenwood" by Michael Christie was delivered by Library Director, Rebecca Judd. This is part of a county-wide program (Whatcom Reads) that encourages everyone to read and discuss the same book. A Whatcom Reads author event will occur on March 3-5, 2022. Mayor Fleetwood appointed Teagan Hudson to her first term on the Mayor's Neighborhood Advisory Commission, which will expire on November 1, 2023. Mayor Fleetwood spoke about the recent flooding in the region. (See Committee of the Whole presentation for a complete update). Cleanup continues and extent of damage is not yet known. The city roads, sidewalks, and buildings came out pretty City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 2 of 9 11/22/2021 Minutes  well, but the bridges are being looked into (Revere and 19th street will require a new bridge). The Mayor thanked everyone involved in the City's response to the historic weather event. Thoughts are with North Whatcom County community members and British Columbia. The Mayor offered his sincerest condolences to the friends and family of 49 year old Everson resident, Jose Garcia, who passed away during last week’s flood. Finally, the Mayor announced that the City accepted the donation of the Lehigh Pier. The Mayor stated that this will be an asset for the waterfront community of Bellingham Bay, an acquisition of an iconic structure and looks forward to the day it will become publicly accessible. 23169 1. Mayor's Appointment of Teagan Hudson to the Mayor's Neighborhood Advisory Commission (Information) Public Comment Report Council President Stone provided a summary of the November 15, 2021 public comment session, where she was joined by Councilmembers Anderson and Lilliquist. A minimum of twenty-six attendees joined the session, with fourteen who spoke. Topics included: pandemic mandates, concerns relating to the need of additional shelter, concerns relating to the flooding and emergency experienced last week. President Stone announced that the reorganization meeting will occur in January 3 and will include a discussion on different forms of public engagement, including public comment. She also expressed her appreciation for community members who have been participating in these public comment events. Minutes that provide a summary of speaker's concerns can be found at www.cob.org/meetings The next scheduled Public Comment session is scheduled for November 29, 2021, at 7:00 PM and can be joined at https://cob.org/commentzoom . Council Standing Committee Meetings: Parks and Recreation 1:00 PM Gene Knutson, Chair Pinky Vargas, Lisa Anderson 23170 1. Consideration of an Ordinance Accepting the Donation of the Pier at Little Squalicum Park from Lehigh Northwest Cement Company Presentation during Committee. City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 3 of 9 11/22/2021 Minutes  Councilmember Michael Lilliquist inquired about the budget cost of Taylor Dock and how it could compare to what Lehigh Pier might cost. Parks Director, Nicole Oliver, stated that Taylor Dock was a little more than $3 million in total and that it was completed in phases (greenways funding, state, and federal transportation grants). The removal piling cost $150/foot (whereas Lehigh Pier will cost roughly $300- $500/foot due to lack of access to arterials). Taylor Dock is mostly 12' wide (at most, 20') whereas Lehigh Pier is 14' (want to avoid mitigation for any additional overcovering of the water and investigating opportunity for grading that will allow for additional width-widening flexibility). Councilmember Pinky Vargas offered thanks, appreciation, and excitement of the Lehigh Pier. She understood it was a complicated negotiation, but the end result was well worth it: Lehigh will remove the part of the pier that the City is not responsible for, along with the tank. Vargas also added that it did not cost the City additional money to purchase the pier. Councilmember Vargas thanked the City staff for their contribution and provided a special shoutout to Mayor Kelli Linville, who was a strong advocate of the pier. Vargas concluded that this was a huge win for the City, for water access, and for the North side of town. Mayor Seth Fleetwood offered an additional shout out to Mayor Kelli Linville for her active support of the Greenway Funds and recognized that the City wouldn’t be here announcing the pier donation without the preliminary work that was done. Gene Knutson / Pinky Vargas moved for first and second reading. MOTION CARRIED 6-0-1, Daniel Hammill excused. Climate Action 1:15 PM Pinky Vargas, Chair Lisa Anderson sat in for Daniel Hammill, Michael Lilliquist 23171 1. Climate Action Fund Discussion during Committee. The Climate Action Fund will cover both residential and commercial, recognizing that climate change is a crisis that needs to be addressed. While there was universal support, several concerns were raised relating to property tax increase and competing property tax levies for the 2022 ballot. Other discussion included the importance of partnerships with local nonprofits and utility groups. A timeline was provided and there will be many opportunities for the public to engage in this conversation. Pinky Vargas / Gene Knutson moved to recommend approval. City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 4 of 9 11/22/2021 Minutes  MOTION CARRIED 6-0-1, Daniel Hammill excused. 23172 2. Puget Sound Energy's Presentation of its Draft Clean Energy Implementation Plan (CEIP) Presentation by four representatives of Pudget Sound Energy (PSE) on thier Draft Clean Energy Implementation Plan (CEIP), which included goals to achieve clean energy milestones by 2025 to be coal-free electricity, 2030 carbon neutral electric system, and by 2040 to run on 100% clean energy. Presentation during Committee. Information Only. Committee Of The Whole 2:00 PM Hannah Stone, Chair Gene Knutson, Daniel Hammill, Pinky Vargas, Lisa Anderson, Michael Lilliquist, Hollie Huthman 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. 23173 1. Surplus Sale of Fire Pumper Truck #4911 to Fire District 8 Discussion during Committee. Hannah Stone / Michael Lilliquist moved for first and second reading. MOTION CARRIED 6-0-1, Daniel Hammill excused. 22815 2. Renew Interlocal Agreement with Whatcom County Health Department for Crisis Intervention Services Council requested a more detailed report of the Crisis Stablization Center. Hannah Stone / Gene Knutson moved for first and second reading. MOTION CARRIED 6-0-1, Daniel Hammill excused. 23174 3. An Ordinance Creating a Salary Commission Discussion during Committee. Councilmember Pinky Vargas thanked Mayor Fleetwood and Deputy Administrator Brian Heinrich for putting aside this money into the budget. Vargas stated that this is a very important step to promote equity and diversity among the Council, adding that City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 5 of 9 11/22/2021 Minutes  this position has the potential of a full-time job where officials need not hold a full- time position in order to financially sustain themselves. Hannah Stone / Pinky Vargas moved for first and second reading. MOTION CARRIED 6-0-1, Daniel Hammill excused. 23175 4. Update on City's Response to Recent Storm Event Staff provided an update on the City's response to the storm event on November 14- 16, 2021, acknowledging the many hours of work across multiple departments (Public Works, Parks and Natural Resources, Police, Fire, and others) as well as a loss of a community member, Jose Garcia of Everson. Presentation during Committee. Information only. 23150 5. Budget Work Session Discussion during Committee. Information only. A final ordinance will be presented at the subsequent meeting for approval before the end of the year. Several councilmembers shared excitement for the $60,000 budgeted for an inclusionary zoning study. 6. Approval of Minutes Gene Knutson / Hollie Huthman moved approval of the October 25, 2021, minutes of the regular City Council meeting as submitted. MOTION CARRIED 6-0-1, Daniel Hammill excused. Lisa Anderson / Gene Knutson moved approval of the November 08, 2021, minutes of the regular City Council meeting as submitted. MOTION CARRIED 6-0-1, Daniel Hammill excused. 7. Old/New Business Councilmember Hollie Huthman provided a report out from a ride-along with Opportunity Council homeless outreach team. Huthman stated that she met the team City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 6 of 9 11/22/2021 Minutes  at 7:00 AM, started at the downtown port for a couple of hours, and then drove to the outskirts. Huthman stated that she was surprised at how knowledgeable the homeless outreach team was of the people they encountered - one of them has been doing this work for decades. Huthman added that many streams and creeks were abandoned (which brings up the question of where people go - hopefully people go to higher ground). Overall, she is confident that the team can continue to do the work. One wonderful story Huthman shared was of someone who had been sleeping outside for a decade, that was housed three years ago, now stable and enjoying their housing. Overall, Huthman says the team provides incredible work that the city just improved funding on this. Huthman encourages others to do a ride-along with the Homeless Outreach Team. Council President Hannah Stone shared that she had the opportunity to join the clean- up team on a ride-along, accompanied by Outreach Officers, Jon Knutson and Kat Dearborn as well as Clean Up Coordinator, Claudia Vizcarra. Stone highlighted the hard work that is happening on the ground and acknowledged those relationships, a lot of whom are known faces and known relationships. Stone also spoke of situations that existed during the pandemic, while moving people along if there was not adequate shelter, and community members with calls requesting to stop the sweep or to halt cleanups. After visiting the homeless encampment, Stone stated that these environments are not fit for anyone to exist. Stone stressed that the work that is being done is to keep everybody safe. Stone stressed that it is a dis-service to turn a blind eye (to not clean up and to not engage people in services), adding that a lot of these locations are dangerous because of feces and needles and not fit for habitation or human existence. By not cleaning, it is a dis-service to the individuals who are by themselves in those circumstances and the broader community. Stone recognizes that the staff and employees go to these locations on a daily basis have a tough job. Stone recognizes that there is a lot more to do, but wants to remind the community at-large that the reason behind this work is to keep community members safe and to connect them with services and housing. Councilmember Lisa Anderson thanked Councilmember Huthman and Stone for providing testimony. Anderson acknowledged that service providers have been demonized for their work. Anderson stated that Police, Fire, Hot Team, and other first responders, have provided much compassion and care and that it is disheartening to hear members of the community presenting information in a way that makes it look like the City staff and its partners in the community are not doing anything. Anderson added that there is a lot of work to do and much to be done to expand these partnerships. Anderson wishes the City and partners could provide housing for everyone, but in the meantime these first responders are providing food and shelter and clothing, and those relationships that they built (many whom are now trying to rebuild these lost relationships, partnering with the community members to make a difference). City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 7 of 9 11/22/2021 Minutes  Councilmember Pinky Vargas provided a shout out to Nalini Margaitis for going above and beyond in taking on a role which was outside of her job description to assist the Council with their meetings. Council President Stone added that Nalini Margaitis has never shied away from new and ever developing assignments. Executive Session 3:00 PM Closed to the public. Report in the Regular Meeting only: 1. Potential Property Acquisition (Marriner, aprox. 5 min) Staff provided information on a potential property acquisition. Action: Entertain a motion to authorize the purchase of the 0.29-acre Mahal property located at 8 Shorewood Drive in Bellingham, Washington for $312,500, with a closing on or about January 31, 2022. Gene Knutson / Michael Lilliquist moved to recommend approval. MOTION CARRIED 6-0-1, Daniel Hammill excused. 2. Performance Review of Public Employees (Marriner, approx. 40 min) City Council reviewed the performance of several public employees. For information and discussion. No action taken. Consent Agenda All matters listed on the Consent Agenda are considered routine and/or non-controversial items and may be approved in a single motion. A member of the Council may ask that an item be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered separately. Michael Lilliquist / Gene Knutson moved approval of the Consent Agenda in its entirety. MOTION CARRIED 6-0-1, Daniel Hammill excused. 23176 1. Authorization of A/P Transactions Issued October 22, 2021 through October 28, 2021 23177 2. Authorization of A/P Transactions Issued October 29, 2021 through November 04, 2021 City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 8 of 9 11/22/2021 Minutes 23178 3. Authorization of Payroll Labor Cost Payments Dated October 16, 2021 to October 31, 2021 Final Consideration of Ordinances Hollie Huthman / Gene Knutson moved approval for third and final reading. Upon motion, said bill was placed on final passage and approved by the following roll call vote: AYES: Stone, Knutson, Vargas, Anderson, Lilliquist, Huthman NAYS: (None) EXCUSED: Hammill MOTION CARRIED and was thereafter named Ordinance MOTION CARRIED 6-0-1, Daniel Hammill excused. 23164 1. An Ordinance Amending the Bellingham Municipal Code to Exempt Qualifying Non-Profit Cinemas from Admissions Tax Adjournment The next Public Comment session will be next Monday, November 29, 2021, at 7:00 PM and the next regularly scheduled City Council Meeting will be Monday, December 6, 2021, at 7:00 PM. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:03 PM. Hannah Stone, Council President ATTEST: Nalini Margaitis, Legislative Assistant APPROVED: 12/6/2021 City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 9 of 9 11/22/2021 Minutes