City Council

Oak Harbor City Council Regular Meeting Minutes October 1, 2024 This was both a physical meeting location and a virtual meeting. Meeting was viewable via YouTube at www,youtube.com/cityofoakharbor, on Facebook, and on Cable Channel 10/HD 1090 following the meeting. CALL TO ORDER Call To Order and Native Lands Acknowledgement - Mayor Pro Tempore Hizon called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. She included the acknowledgement that the meeting was being held on the ances- tral lands of the Coast Salish people and paid respect to those past and present. Invocation – Pastor James Sanchez, Life Church. Pledge of Allegiance – Led by Mayor Pro Tem Hizon ROLL CALL City Council Present: Staff Present/Videoconference Mayor Ronnie Wright - absent City Administrator Sabrina Combs Mayor Pro Tem Tara Hizon Deputy City Administrator David Goldman Councilmember Jim Woessner - absent Public Works Director Steve Schuller Councilmember Bryan Stucky Police Chief Tony Slowik Councilmember Shane Hoffmire Police Captain Kevin Barton Councilmember Eric Marshall Fire Chief Travis Anderson Councilmember Christopher Wiegenstein Executive Services Coordinator Macalle Finkle Councilmember Barbara Armes City Clerk Julie Nester Also in attendance: City Attorney Hillary Evans of Kenyon Disend, PLLC EXCUSE ABSENT COUNCILMEMBERS Mayor Pro Tempore Hizon welcomed all in attendance and noted she was presiding at the request of Mayor Wright who was attending the Washington Counties Board of Health Conference and Training, and the Association of Washington Cities Mayors’ Exchange. Mayor Pro Tem Hizon noted Councilmember Woessner had asked to be excused and requested a mo- tion. Councilmember Stucky moved to excuse Councilmember Woessner. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Wiegenstein and passed unanimously. 1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Mayor Pro Tem Hizon requested changes to the agenda. Hearing none, Mayor Pro Tem Hizon noted the agenda was approved as presented. 2. PRESENTATIONS Regular Meeting Minutes October 1, 2024 Page 1 of 5 There were no presentations, proclamations or recognitions. 3. CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD Mayor Pro Tem Hizon noted citizens may comment on Consent Agenda items or subjects of interest not listed on the agenda at this time and that citizens would have the opportunity to comment on the remain- ing Agenda items during the meeting as appropriate. Citizens can also visit the City’s website prior to meetings for methods to submit public comment, or contact the City Clerk, Julie Nester by phone or email. When submitting comments, please include your name and address. Public comments sent anonymously will be shared with the Mayor and Council but will not be displayed. The City had no new comments to display from the public since the last regular meeting. Mayor Pro Tem Hizon asked if there were any members of the public present who wished to speak to any items not listed on the agenda or on the consent agenda? She noted if so, the Clerk would call their name in the order in which they signed in to speak. She asked that speakers please step forward to the microphone and state their name and address, and to please limit comments to three minutes. 1. Jacqueline Diaz of Oak Harbor spoke in support of an accessible park with wheelchair accessible features. Including a merry-go-round, and obstacle course, and water features. 2. Delia Pierce of Oak Harbor spoke in support of accessible park and noted philosopher Carl Jung's concept of appreciating people the same way we do sunsets, and Parks and Recreation Director Brian Smith's message to the Parks and Recreation Commission, that an accessible park project was the most consequential and important work the City would do. Hearing no one else with a desire to address the Council, the public comment period was closed. 4. CONSENT AGENDA Consent Items a. Approval of Minutes: City Council Special Workshop Meeting of September 12, 2024, and City Council Meeting of September 17, 2024 b. Approval of Payroll and Accounts Payable Vouchers c. Ordinance No. 2009: Establishing a Land Action Committee Mayor Pro Tem Hizon called for any changes to the consent agenda. Hearing none, she noted the consent agenda was approved by unanimous consent. 5. MAYOR & COUNCIL COMMENTS a. Mayor’s Comments Mayor Pro Tem Hizon provided the following comments on behalf of Mayor Wright: • From our Engineering Department – Engineering Technician Jon Pollock writes: The revision of the E. Whidbey Avenue at Regatta Drive intersection is being completed today, October 1st, 2024. This revision is introducing all-way stop control. Previously, only travelers headed East on E. Whidbey Ave. had to come to a stop at Regatta Drive. Now, all directions approaching the intersection will be under stop control. Regular Meeting Minutes October 1, 2024 Page 2 of 5 Our Public Works Streets division is deploying Stop Signs with enhanced red flashers, new stop bars, and Traffic Revision Ahead signage. The work is anticipated to be completed before the end of the day today. Our rationale for this revision of this intersection is to provide for both safety and a cost-effective measure to provide for long-term function of the roadway. Recent analysis provided in the area indicated that anticipated increases in traffic volumes will cause the intersection to fall below the City’s goals for safe passage and throughput of vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists. We anticipate that the public may take some time to adjust to this revision, and that there may be some complaints. Please feel free to share our rationale for the change as you see fit. If encountering a public complaint, please be sure to direct our community member to either info@oakharbor.org or the Public Comment Form on the City website for appropriate routing to staff. These traffic revisions have been shared with Oak Harbor Public Schools, Island Transit, and the US Navy, Community Liaison. • School zones. Sports, and other activities – Just a reminder that in addition to school being back in session, so are school sporting events and other after school activities. Please remember to slow down in school zones and be aware of students and pedestrians in the area. Mayor Pro Tem Hizon noted the Oak Harbor High School Homecoming football game would be held October 11th. • Board and Commission Openings – The City has openings on a number of advisory boards and commissions, a list of which are displayed on the screen. Please fill out an application online if you are interested in serving. • Still Hiring: The City has openings for employment in several areas. See our website for a complete listing. • Local Events: Summer may be over but there are several terrific special events happening in our area, many of which are displayed on the screen. Mayor Pro Tem Hizon noted the Coffee with a Cop event tomorrow and the second Oak Harbor Marina Open House at the Oak Harbor Yacht Club tomorrow evening at 6:00 p.m. b. Councilmembers Councilmembers Stucky, Hoffmire, Wiegenstein and Mayor Pro Tem Hizon provided their respective comments. All thanked those who provided public comment and noted their support for accessible parks and the need to continue to work on plans and funding. Councilmember Wiegenstein also noted the dedication of the Angel de la Creatividad sculpture would take place October 10, 2024 at approximately 5:00 p.m. at Flintstone Park. 6. PUBLIC HEARINGS & MEETINGS None 7. ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS None 8. CONTRACT & AGREEMENTS a. SCIDEU Multi-Jurisdictional Drug, Gang, and Firearms Task Force Interlocal Agreement Regular Meeting Minutes October 1, 2024 Page 3 of 5 Police Chief Slowik presented the item for the interlocal agreement. He explained that as outlined in the agenda bill, organized criminals, including drug traffickers and gangs, and the crime they generate, do not respect municipal and county jurisdictional boundaries. Law enforcement agencies have scarce re- sources to handle increasing and pervasive needs and responsibilities to investigate complex organized criminal enterprises focused on controlled substances and drug abuse-connected crimes, such as hu- man trafficking, illegal gang activity, residential and commercial burglary, robbery, assault, computer crime, theft, forgery, and homicide. Island and Skagit Counties continue to experience a wide variety of crime that gang and illegal controlled substance activity create. The increase in activity arises from increases in local population and changing drug trends. This increase is consistent with national trends that reveal that drug users and traffickers commit a greater number of crimes than other people do. From all indications, nationwide drug-fueled crimes will continue and will require an ongoing resource commitment that will place an undue burden on individual law enforcement agencies. Skagit County Interlocal Drug Enforcement Unit (SCIDEU) conducts investigations and enforce laws that significantly impact the peace and safety of communities within the area of operation, centering on lower to upper-level organized criminal and gang elements trafficking in stolen property and firearms, and manufacturing and delivering controlled substances. The Council previously heard a report on the Task Force on June 26, 2024, when Task Force Com- mander Tobin Meyer provided a presentation on SCIDEU. Chief Slowik explained the current situation: • OHPD has not staffed a drug enforcement officer since 2014. • Deception Pass provides unrestricted vehicle & pedestrian access between Counties. • Law enforcement often interacts with the same individuals and groups involved in criminal activity. • OHPD has limited resources and relies on agency partnerships to complete complex investiga- tions and provide public safety • Oak Harbor continues to see a consistent increase in drug activity. • OHPD is a member of the Skagit and Island Multi-Agency Response Team, a team investigating officer-involved deadly use of force, and the North Cascades Regional SWAT Team. The benefits of joining SCIDEU are: • Providing drug enforcement capabilities in Oak Harbor and greater areas. • Adapting to the community’s changing needs by providing lower to upper level organized criminal nuisance, drug, firearm, and gang crime investigations. • Efficiently share intelligence with agency partners and increase public safety capabilities with observed drug and crime trends. • Expand the local, state, and federal law enforcement resources available to Oak Harbor without increasing staff or financial resources. The Washington State Mutual Aid Peace Officers Act, RCW 10.93, to enable agency officers and per- sonnel to participate in task force operations. Primary Funding for SCIDEU is through Federal and State Grants over a twenty-year period. Contingent Funding exists in the agreement when grant funding is not available. Agencies agree to fund 25% of SCIDEUs operational budget not to exceed $100,000. Oak Harbor Police Department portion is 14% or up to $14,000. Funds if needed would be taken from the police department budget. Regular Meeting Minutes October 1, 2024 Page 4 of 5 Mayor Pro Tem Hizon confirmed no public comments had been received and called for comments from the public present. 1. Richard Hoover of Oak Harbor, a retired military and Joint Task Force member, spoke in support of the SCIDEU model. Councilmembers Hoffmire and Wiegenstein provided their respective questions and comments. Motion: Councilmember Wiegenstein moved to authorize the Mayor to sign the Multi-Jurisdiction Drug, Gang, and Firearms Task Force Interlocal Agreement, also known as the SCIDEU Interlocal Agreement. Councilmember Hoffmire seconded the motion. Mayor Pro Tem Hizon provided her additional questions and comments, then called for a vote on the motion, which passed unanimously. 9. OTHER ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION None 10. REPORTS & DISCUSSION ITEMS None 11. EXECUTIVE SESSION None ADJOURN There being no further business, Councilmember Wiegenstein moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Councilmember Hoffmire The vote on the motion was unanimous, therefore the meeting was ad- journed at 6:00 p.m. Certified by Julie Nester, City Clerk Regular Meeting Minutes October 1, 2024 Page 5 of 5