City Council Committee Agendas

CITY OF MOUNT VERNON PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES October 6, 2021 6:00 p.m. (Police Court Campus) October 6, 2021 Attendees: Council Members Mary Hudson, Mark Hulst, Richard Brocksmith, Gary Molenaar, Iris Carias and Juan Morales Approval of Minutes: Councilmember Hudson moved to approve the minutes from the September 1, 2021 Public Safety Meeting, motion seconded by Councilmember Molenaar. Minutes adopted as written. Chief Brice Fire Facilities Update Chief Brice introduced Bret Hansen from MacKenzie. Mr. Hansen provided council with an update on the Fire Station remodel project. The process is going smoothly. The team (MacKenzie, Chief Brice & Harris and the firefighters) continue to meet weekly. There is good collaboration and discussions which are keeping the project moving forward. • Station 3 will be the first station under constructions. The construction Station 3 will be submitted for permit and the permitting process is scheduled to be completed by March. Expecting construction to go through the end of 2022. • The process for Station 2 will lag slightly. This is to enable the team to make any necessary updates on information from lessons learned during the station 3 permitting process. • Cost pricing – Good News! The estimators are seeing the commodity pricing stabilizing. Estimators are seeing a return to the 4 to 5% increases. • Areas have been added into the projects due to limiting contagions – touchless doors, updated mechanical systems, transitional pathways. DEI Discussion Councilmembers Morales, Carias and Brocksmith have been meeting with a large group of stakeholders and weekly workshops hosted by Skagit Valley College. Each group participating is providing funding of$2500. The goal is to build a common understanding (train the trainer approach) and to equip the members with information that they can take back to facilitate conversations regarding improvements in their agencies. Additional information will be sent out to all the Councilmembers so everyone has the same information regarding project in the upcoming week. Peter Donavon PUD has requested a portion of the COVID Relief Federal Funds in the amount of $40K. Community Action of Skagit County has expanded their assistance for water and utilities. PUD doesn’t feel they are equipped to provide the program which Council had requested. Community Action is willing to take the project on. Council wanted PUD customers identified higher risk, higher need, but PUD is unable to fulfill that request. Does Council want to look at the Community Action proposal. Councilmember Hudson would like further information on how the money will be allocated. It is rumored that citizens do not need to be behind on their payments to receive aid. Would Community Action be willing to decrease their fees, since they are already doing the work? Councilmember Hulst would like to see what other options of funding is available and get a better understanding of the gap. He would like to have a clear understanding what the benefits will be to the citizens of Mount Vernon. Council provided direction to Mr. Donovan to take a step back and determine the best direction. They want to make sure that the City money is coordinated with all potential agencies for the greatest benefit to the citizens of Mount Vernon.